Aerial Roots Research Articles

Morpho-Anatomical, Ex-situ Conservation and Haemolytic Activity of Pentaphragma grandiflorum Kurz.

Pentaphragma grandiflorum Kurz. is one of the five (5) species of Pentaphragma that is found in the Philippines. It is an edible flowering plant consumed as a vegetables and utilized for its medicinal value by the locals. It is categorized as one of the Other Threatened Species with a high economic value. Despite the many uses of P. grandiflorum, there is still inadequate information on its morpho-anatomical characteristics conservation and lack of scientific evidence to support the claim of its safe utilization by the locals. The collected wildlings of the P. grandiflorum were nurtured and monitored in the canopy greenhouse of Central Mindanao University, Philippines. The safe utilization of the leaf extract of P. grandiflorum was assessed through a haemolytic assay. The following are the morpho-anatomical features described in this study: fleshy erect shrub with primary and aerial roots; stem puberulous at a young stage and glabrous upon maturity with dictyostele type of stele; petiole fleshy, puberulous, dissected vascular bundle with dictyostele arrangement; leaf finely puberulous adaxial and glabrous abaxial, dictyostele arrangement, midrib amphibrical arrangement, with tri- to tetracytic stomates; inflorescence arises singly in axil, bisexual, elongated, with yellow and/or purple corolla. Fifty-three out of 130 wildlings survived and abundantly produced bisexual flowers in the succeeding months. The 1 mg/mL concentration of ethanolic and methanolic leaf extracts of P. grandiflorum were found to have an average haemolysis percentage of 0.32 ± 6.78 and 0.45 ± 0.65, respectively. The result of the haemolysis assay revealed that the ethanolic and methanolic leaf extract of P. grandiflorum is safe to utilize and do not pose any toxic effects to humans.

Echinacea purpurea, a pathway to increased immunity

This work aims to return scientific interest to the valuable biochemical components found in Phytotherapy in times of exponential growth of viral propagation in the world. The topic addressed will be specifically the Echinacea Purpúrea plant, a member of the Compositae or Asteraceae family, which has been researched all over the world , may open up new possibilities for the treatment of oral and systemic diseases , using its own biochemistry as a stimulating factor to increase immunity. Recent studies in humans have shown actions of interest in the immune response with its use, both in aerial part and roots.

Phytosanitary irradiation treatment of the aerial root mealybug, Pseudococcus baliteus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae).

The aerial root mealybug, Pseudococcus baliteus Lit (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is an important invasive and quarantine pest that poses a potential threat to fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. As a result, phytosanitary treatments are necessary to ensure the commodities of international trade are free from these pests. To determine the minimum absorbed dose required for phytosanitary irradiation (PI) application, irradiation dose-response and large-scale confirmatory tests were conducted. Eggs that were 2, 4, and 6 days old and late gravid females (containing 0-day-old eggs) of P. baliteus were X-ray irradiated with doses of 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120 Gray (Gy). The efficacy of preventing egg-hatching (mortality) was compared using two-way ANOVA, 95% confidence interval overlapping and lethal dose ratio test in probit analysis. The radiotolerance sequence of mealybugs egg was found to be 0 < 2 ≈ 4 < 6-day-old eggs, and their estimated LD99.9968 values with 95% confidence interval were 132.0 (118.9-149.5), 137.6 (125.2-153.7), 145.5 (134.5-159.1), and 157.4 (144.6-173.6) Gy, respectively. Subsequently, target doses of 135 and 145 Gy were used in the confirmatory gamma radiation treatments. No F1 generation neonates developed from a total of 47,316 late females irradiated at the measured dose of 107.7-182.5 Gy, resulting in the treatment efficiency of 99.9937% at the 95% confidence level. Therefore, the highest dose of 183 Gy measured in the confirmatory tests is recommended as the minimum absorbed dose in PI treatment of P. baliteus for establishing national and international standards.

Ballistic Behavior of Epoxy Composites Reinforced with Amazon Titica Vine Fibers (Heteropsis flexuosa) in Multilayered Armor System and as Stand-Alone Target.

Seeking to improve personal armor equipment by providing mobility and resistance to penetration, this research aimed to explore the potential of sustainable materials in order to assess their ability in ballistic applications. Titica vine fibers (TVFs) extracted from aerial roots of Heteropsis flexuosa from the Amazon region were incorporated at 10, 20, 30, and 40 vol% into an epoxy matrix for applications in ballistic multilayered armor systems (MASs) and stand-alone tests for personal protection against high-velocity 7.62 mm ammunition. The back-face signature (BFS) depth measured for composites with 20 and 40 vol% TVFs used as an intermediate layer in MASs was 25.6 and 32.5 mm, respectively, and below the maximum limit of 44 mm set by the international standard. Fracture mechanisms found by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) attested the relevance of increasing the fiber content for applications in MASs. The results of stand-alone tests showed that the control (0 vol%) and samples with 20 vol% TVFs absorbed the highest impact energy (Eabs) (212-176 J), and consequently displayed limit velocity (VL) values (213-194 m/s), when compared with 40 vol% fiber composites. However, the macroscopic evaluation found that, referring to the control samples, the plain epoxy shattered completely. In addition, for 10 and 20 vol% TVFs, the composites were fragmented or exhibited delamination fractures, which compromised their physical integrity. On the other hand, composites with 30 and 40 vol% TVFs, whose Eabs and VL varied between 166-130 J and 189-167 m/s, respectively, showed the best physical stability. The SEM images indicated that for composites with 10 and 20 vol% TVFs, the fracture mode was predominantly brittle due to the greater participation of the epoxy resin and the discrete action of the fibers, while for composites with 30 and 40 vol% TVFs, there was activation of more complex mechanisms such as pullout, shearing, and fiber rupture. These results indicate that the TVF composite has great potential for use in bulletproof vests.

Chemical Composition and In Vitro Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Effects of Volatile Oils Hydrodistilled from Onobrychis carduchorum C.C. Towns., a Kurdish Traditional Plant.

The volatile oils hydrodistilled from the aerial parts and roots of O. carduchorum C.C Towns. (Fabaceae) have been chemically characterized for the first time. A total of 43 constituents with an abundance >0.03% were identified and quantified in the two oils by GC/MS and GC/FID analyses. They comprise 38 components (98.58%) of the oil isolated from the aerial parts (OCA) and 34 components (93.33%) of the oil from the roots (OCR). Six constituents, α-pinene (23.11 ± 0.1%), β-elemene (17.33 ± 0.1%), 1,8-cineole (12.15 ± 0.2%), furfural (7.91 ± 0.1%), terpineol-4-ol (6.32 ± 0.2%), and limonene (4.13 ± 0.1%), accounted for about 75% of the total OCA oil. On the other hand, 1,8-cineole (15.79 ± 0.1%), furfural (10.44 ± 0.1%), β-elemene (10.14 ± 0.2%), α-terpineol (7.74 ± 0.1%), linalool (7.45 ± 0.1%), and α-pinene (4.76 ± 0.1%) made up about 60% of the OCR oil. The IC50 values of the scavenging activities of the OCA and OCR oils towards the DPPH radical and H2O2 were 79.8 ± 0.5 and 153.3 ± 0.6 μg/mL and 394.09 ± 0.2 and 311.67 ± 0.4 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, in the MTS assay, the OCA and OCR oils showed significant antiproliferative effects against T47D, MDA-MB-453, BG-1, and A549 human cancer cells that were more powerful than those against two normal human cell lines, HEK-293 and HFF-1. The abundant presence of β-elemene as an antiproliferative component of the two oils suggested the existence of a new chemotype of O. carduchorum.

Phyllosphere Exudates Select for Distinct Microbiome Members in Sorghum Epicuticular Wax and Aerial Root Mucilage

Phyllosphere exudates create specialized microhabitats that shape microbial community diversity. We explored the microbiome associated with two sorghum phyllosphere exudates, the epicuticular wax and aerial root mucilage. We assessed the microbiome associated with the wax from sorghum plants over two growth stages, and the root mucilage additionally from nitrogen-fertilized and nonfertilized plants. In parallel, we isolated and characterized hundreds of bacteria from wax and mucilage, and integrated data from cultivation-independent and cultivation-dependent approaches to gain insights into exudate diversity and bacterial phenotypes. We found that Sphingomonadaceae and Rhizobiaceae families were the major taxa in the wax regardless of water availability and plant developmental stage to plants. The cultivation-independent mucilage-associated bacterial microbiome contained the families Erwiniaceae, Flavobacteriaceae, Rhizobiaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and Sphingomonadaceae, and its structure was strongly influenced by sorghum development but only modestly influenced by fertilization. In contrast, the fungal community structure of mucilage was strongly affected by the year of sampling but not by fertilization or plant developmental stage, suggesting a decoupling of fungal–bacterial dynamics in the mucilage. Our bacterial isolate collection from wax and mucilage had several isolates that matched 100% to detected amplicon sequence variants, and were enriched on media that selected for phenotypes that included phosphate solubilization, putative diazotrophy, resistance to desiccation, capability to grow on methanol as a carbon source, and ability to grow in the presence of linalool and β-caryophyllene (terpenes in sorghum wax). This work expands our understanding of the microbiome of phyllosphere exudates and supports our long-term goal to translate microbiome research to support sorghum cultivation.

Production of Late Seedlings of Açai (Euterpe oleraceae) in an Aquaponic System with Tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum, Curvier, 1818)

Over the years, aquaponics has become a powerful technological tool that allows the sustainable production of food, integrating conventional fish farming with vegetable production. The present study evaluated the production of late seedlings of açai Euterpe oleraceae in an aquaponic system with tambaqui Colossoma macropomum. A total of 36 tambaquis with an initial average weight and length of 1086.75 ± 16.38 g and 38.49 ± 0.90 cm were distributed in 12 independent aquaponic units, totaling 3.62 kg m−3. The fish were fed three times daily with commercial feed at a rate of 3%. Three flooding levels of 5, 10 and 15 cm, with constant water flow through the hydroponic bed (0.5 m2), were evaluated, and a control-hydroponic bed with flooding levels of 10 cm was established, all in triplicate. In the 5 and 10 cm treatments, 3450 açai seedlings with an initial height of 12.3 ± 1.9 cm were used (575 per aquaponic units), while the 15 cm treatment contained non-germinated açai seeds. The control group did not receive açai seeds and remained empty. Analyses to monitor total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, alkalinity, hardness, nitrogenous compounds, and phosphate levels were performed. At the end of the 30-day trial, the growth performance of tambaqui and plants was evaluated. Water quality was significantly (p &lt; 0.05) affected by different flooding levels. Electrical conductivity and TDS decreased with an increasing in flooding levels. The flooding levels significantly influenced (p &lt; 0.05) the concentration of total ammonia and nitrate between the treatments. The 5 cm flooding level showed the best plant development indexes for total height, aerial portion height, root height and aerial portion fresh mass. No significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) were observed in tambaqui growth performance. The aquaponic system proved to be effective in reusing fish waste (excreta and feed leftovers) generated in the system. The biotransformation of waste into nutrients allowed the growth of plants and nitrifying bacteria, which, through their metabolic pathways, ensured the purification and reuse of water, avoiding the discharge of this waste into the environment.

A Review on Centella asiatica: A Potential Herbal Cure

Southeast Asian nations frequently employ Centella asiatica, also known as Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. or gotu kola, which is a traditional Chinese herb with a wide range of medical benefits. It has been noted that the medicinal plant Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, sometimes known as gotu kola, exhibits a variety of pharmacological properties. There is a substantial body of scientific study, in particular, on the therapeutic benefits of C. asiatica preparations or its triterpenes in the treatment of skin conditions. The aerial parts and roots are used medicinally, and the chemical components of this plant have a wide range of therapeutic uses, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective, and treatments for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and dopamine neurotoxicity. Sedative. Immunostimulant. hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, anti-diabetic, cytotoxic and anti-tumor, antiviral, and reducing oxidative stress. a wide variety of chemicals from many chemical classes are used in antioxidant, wound healing, and other biological functions. Triterpene saponosides are this plant's main chemical class. The principal ones include betulinic acid, thankunic acid, and isothankunic acid, as well as asiatic acid, madecassic acid (6-hydroxy-asiatic acid), asiaticoside, and madasiatic acid. Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the available literature for this review in order to determine the significance of C. asiatica in terms of pharmacology. To determine the precise method of action of other bioactive chemicals, more research will be useful.

Analysis of the characterization of NaOH-treated natural cellulose fibre extracted from banyan aerial roots

Natural fibre is renewable and extensively utilized for structural and medicinal applications. The current research concentrates on surface modification for fibre enhancement using an alkaline treatment technique to extract raw fibre from banyan (Ficus benghalensis) aerial root bark. Using a 10% NaOH solution, attempts have been made to improve the crystalline, surface, thermal, physical, and chemical properties of banyan aerial root fibre (BAF). Five samples of BAF were produced by soaking the unprocessed fibre in an alkaline solution for variable amounts of time. On the surface of the treated BAF, a higher concentration of cellulose could be seen. The X-Ray Diffraction test revealed that the crystallinity index improved by 52%, with a crystalline dimension of 51.2 nm. It was observed that the crystalline content is increased in treated Banyan aerial root fiber due to this alkali treatment. The significance of natural fibre characterization is also briefly discussed, and this summary will serve as a resource for future studies on natural fibre composites by other researchers.

Evaluation of sugarcane clones for yield, quality and adaptive characters under waterlogged condition

Sugarcane clones specifically bred for tolerating waterlogging were evaluated for yield, juice quality and aerial root formation under natural waterlogged conditions. Clone, WL12-92 had the least and WL12-366 had the maximum aerenchyma in the aerial root. Cane yield and juice quality evaluation showed that test clones outperformed the check varieties for most of the traits. Clones WL12-101, WL12-509 and WL12-314 gave higher CCS yield per plot. Number of nodes with aerial root had negative correlation with all yield and quality traits except cane length and hand refractometer brix 8th month. Area occupied by aerenchymatous tissue in aerial root showed a positive correlation with yield, cane length and CCS yield per plot

Efficacy and mechanisms of δ-MnO2 modified biochar with enhanced porous structure for uranium(VI) separation from wastewater

Even though uranium (U) is considered to be an essential strategic resource with vital significance to nuclear power development and climate change mitigation, U exposure to human and ecological environment has received growing concerns due to its both highly chemically toxic and radioactively hazardous property. In this study, a composite (M-BC) based on Ficus macrocarpa (banyan tree) aerial roots biochar (BC) modified by δ-MnO2 was designed to separate U(VI) from synthetic wastewater. The results showed that the separation capacity of M-BC was 61.53 mg/g under the solid – liquid ratio of 1 g/L, which was significantly higher than that of BC (12.39 mg/g). The separation behavior of U(VI) both by BC and M-BC fitted well with Freundlich isothermal models, indicating multilayer adsorption occurring on heterogeneous surfaces. The reaction process was consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the main rate-limiting step was particle diffusion process. It is worthy to note that the removal of U(VI) by M-BC was maintained at 94.56% even after five cycles, indicating excellent reusability and promising application potential. Multiple characterization techniques (e.g. Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)) uncovered that U(VI) complexation with oxygen-containing functional groups (e.g. O–CO and Mn–O) and cation exchange with protonated ≡MnOH were the dominant mechanisms for U(VI) removal. Application in real uranium wastewater treatment showed that 96% removal of U was achieved by M-BC and more than 92% of co-existing (potentially) toxic metals such as Tl, Co, Pb, Cu and Zn were simultaneously removed. The work verified a feasible candidate of banyan tree aerial roots biowaste based δ-MnO2-modified porous BC composites for efficient separation of U(VI) from uranium wastewater, which are beneficial to help address the dilemma between sustainability of nuclear power and subsequent hazard elimination.

Screening antibiofilm activity of invasive plants growing at the Slope Merapi Mountain, Central Java, against Candida albicans

BackgroundCandida albicans causes high-mortality candidiasis. Antifungal drug resistance demands the development of virulence factor-targeting drugs, particularly antibiofilm. This study screened the effects of five invasive plants growing in Indonesia (Mimosa pudica, Lantana camara, Acacia mangium, Ageratina riparia, and Mikania micrantha) against C. albicans biofilms. Antifungal activity, antiphospholipase activity, biofilm morphology of C. albicans, and cytotoxic capacity were also evaluated.MethodsMaceration was used to extract the plants, and the most active extract inhibiting the biofilms was fractionated using liquid–liquid fractionation. Antibiofilm activity was determined by a colorimetric assay, MTT. Antifungal activity was tested using the broth microdilution method. A phospholipase assay was performed using the egg-yolk agar method. Influence on the C. albicans morphology was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cytotoxic effect was carried out against Vero and HeLa cell lines.ResultsM. pudica extracts showed the most potent antifungal efficacy with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 15.62 µg/mL and 7.81 µg/mL for aerial parts and roots, respectively. At high concentrations (500 µg/mL and 250 µg/mL), ethanol extract of M. pudica aerial parts strongly inhibited the phospholipase activity. Ethyl-acetate fraction of M. pudica aerial parts demonstrated the most potent antibiofilm activity against 24 h old biofilm of C. albicans with an inhibitory concentration (53.89%) of 62.5 µg/mL showed no cytotoxicity in both Vero and HeLa cells. This fraction affected the morphology of C. albicans and contained promising compounds for inhibiting the 24 h old biofilm of C. albicans.ConclusionsInvasive M. pudica plant inhibited the growth of planktonic C. albicans cells and its ethyl acetate fraction decreased the metabolic activity of C. albicans biofilms. This result demonstrates the potential of invasive M. pudica plant to reduce biofilm-associated candida infection.

In vitro Evaluation of the Potent Antileishmanial Activity of Ferula tabasensis Alone or in Combination with Shark Cartilage Extract Against the Standard Iranian Strain of Leishmania major (MRHO/IR/75/ER).

The available drugs for the treatment of leishmaniasis are highly toxic and extremely expensive, with low efficiency; therefore, the development of effective therapeutic compounds is essential. The present study aimed to explore the antileishmanial effects of ethyl acetate extract, methanol extract, and fractions 1-4 (F1-F4) of Ferula tabasensis, alone or in combination with shark cartilage extract (ShCE), on L. major in vitro. In this study, ethyl acetate, methanol, and n-hexane extracts were extracted from the aerial roots of F. tabasensis by the maceration method. The silica gel column chromatography was used to separate n-hexane extracts at varying polarities (F1-F4 fractions). Subsequently, the effects of extracts and fractions against promastigotes were assessed by the parasite counting method microscopic inhibition test and MTT assay. Besides, their effects on the infected macrophage cells and the number of amastigotes were investigated. Cytotoxicity was evaluated in non-infected J774A.1 macrophage cells. Finally, apoptosis induction of promastigotes, including infected and non-infected macrophages, was evaluated. The results indicated the highly potent activity of F. tabasensis extracts and F1-F4 fractions, alone or in combination with ShCE, against L. major promastigotes and amastigotes in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The F1 fraction and methanol extract showed markedly higher toxicity compared to the other extracts and fractions, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50/72h) of 2.4 ± 0.29 and 2.9 ± 0.55 µg/mL against promastigotes and 1.79 ± 0.27 µg/mL and 1.39 ± 0.27 µg/mL against amastigotes (P < 0.001). Moreover, they had a high selectivity index (SI) due to the low toxicity of macrophages (P < 0.0001). The results of flow cytometry indicated that the percentages of apoptotic promastigote cells in contact with IC50 concentrations of F1 and methanol extract alone after 72 h were 43.83 and 43.93%, as well as 78.4%, and 65.45% for their combination with ShCE, respectively.Also, apoptosis of infected macrophages induced by F1 and methanol extracts was estimated at 68.5% and 83.7%, respectively. In this study, the F1 fraction and methanol extract of F. tabasensis showed potent efficacy against L. major, associated with low toxicity and apoptosis induction. Therefore, they can be promising therapeutic candidates in future animal and even human studies.

Anatomical and Biomechanical Properties of the Junction between Stem and Aerial Roots of Selenicereus undatus.

Cacti have a distinct adaptation to arid conditions with a massive water storing tissue surrounding a weak central woody cylinder. However, they have not been studied as extensively as other plants have been. Selenicereus undatus is a hemi-epiphytic root climber that attaches itself to supporting plants or rocks with adventitious roots. The anatomy and biomechanics of the adventitious roots were studied using light microscopy, X-ray tomography and pullout and uniaxial tensile tests. The central cylinder of the roots is highly lignified and is connected to the vascular system of the shoot in a peculiar way. Xylem elements of the root turn 90 degrees towards the base of the shoot and merge laterally and below the junction with those from the shoot. Tensile and pull-out tests showed that failure occurs either at the root or junction, with the fracture surface mainly comprising the area where xylem elements from the root merge with those from the shoot. However, damage to the cortical tissue was minimal, and the measured forces showed that adventitious roots have a high safety factor. Even a complete failure of the junction after pullout does not result in severe injury to the cortex, which could lead to water loss or the entry of pathogens.

INITIAL GROWTH OF Citharexyllum myrianthum plants UNDER PLANTING FERTILIZATION

The objective of this work was to evaluate the initial growth of Citharexyllum myrianthum under the influence of three sources of planting fertilizers, in conditions of 18 L pots. The treatments used were, as follows: absolute control; 5 L of biosolid/pot; 300 g of natural rock phosphate (NRP), and 200 grams of NPK 06-29-06. The seedlings were grown in pots in full sun, supplemented with Dystrophic Red Yellow Latosol. At 150 days after transplanting, the plants were measured, obtaining the height of the aerial part and the diameter of the stem. Then, the increment of these two variables was calculated. Subsequently, the leaves were removed to determine the leaf area (LA), separating the aerial part from the root system, and then packed in a paper bag and placed in an oven at 65ºC, for drying until reaching constant weight. After weighing this material to obtain the dry matter of the aerial part (APDM) and root (RDM). The leaves were ground to determine the foliar contents of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg. To evaluate the effect of treatments on the soil, samples were taken from the pots to determine the levels of macronutrients, organic matter, and CEC(t). It was found that the LA and APDM of plants fertilized with NPK showed significantly higher values when compared to plants cultivated in the control treatment. It is recommended to fertilize Citharexyllum myrianthum plants with 200 grams of N-P-K 06-29-06/hole or with 5 L of biosolid.

Yahualica tree seedling chile production (Capsicum annuum) on different substrates and its behavior during the development of the crop

In order to observe the differences between substrates in the production of Yahualica chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) seedling and plant, in the field and greenhouse at the University Center of Cs. Biological and Agricultural of the University of Guadalajara, this investigation was carried out, where six substrates were evaluated: Promix-GLX, Promix-FLX, Sunshine-3, Berger-BN2, Germinaza and 50% Germinaza + 50% Earthworm Humus. In seedlings, the following were evaluated: Emergence Speed, Emergence Percentage, Stem Thickness, Seedling Length, Number of Leaves, Fresh Weight Aerial Part, Fresh Weight root, aerial part dry weight and root dry weight, and during plant development in field and greenhouse: Plant height, and Fresh weight of ripe fruit. Significant differences were found between treatments (P≤0.05) in the seedling and plant quality variables. Consequently with the mixture of 50% Germinaza + 50% Earthworm Humus, Berger BN2 and Sunshine 3, the best seedling quality was obtained. And moreover the best plant development was observed in the greenhouse, with an average plant height of 139 cm and a fresh fruit yield of 651 g. When germinaza was combined with earthworm humus (50:50), the results were significant to obtain vigorous plants, high percentage of emergence.

Mucilage secretion by aerial roots in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor): sugar profile, genetic diversity, GWAS and transcriptomic analysis.

Aerial root mucilage can enhance nitrogen fixation by providing sugar and low oxygen environment to the rhizosphere microbiome in Sierra Mixe maize. Aerial root mucilage has long been documented in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), but little is known about the biological significance, genotypic variation, and genetic regulation of this biological process. In the present study, we found that a large variation of mucilage secretion capacity existed in a sorghum panel consisting of 146 accessions. Mucilage secretion occurred primarily in young aerial roots under adequately humid conditions but decreased or stopped in mature long aerial roots or under dry conditions. The main components of the mucilage-soluble were glucose and fructose, as revealed by sugar profiling of cultivated and wild sorghum. The mucilage secretion capacity of landrace grain sorghum was significantly higher than that of wild sorghum. Transcriptome analysis revealed that 1844 genes were upregulated and 2617 genes were downregulated in mucilage secreting roots. Amongst these 4461 differentially expressed genes, 82 genes belonged to glycosyltransferases and glucuronidation pathways. Sobic.010G120200, encoding a UDP-glycosyltransferase, was identified by both GWAS and transcriptome analysis as a candidate gene, which may be involved in the regulation of mucilage secretion in sorghum through a negative regulatory mechanism.

Effect of iron-loaded sludge biochar amendments on phytoremediation potential of Cr-contaminated soils by Leersia hexandra swartz

In this study, the effect of iron-loaded sludge biochar (ISBC) with different amendment dosages (mass ratio of biochar to soil equal to 0, 0.01, 0.025 and 0.05) on the phytoremediation potential of Leersia hexandra swartz (L. hexandra) to Cr-contaminated soil was investigated. With increasing ISBC dosage from 0 to 0.05, plant height, aerial tissue biomass and root biomass increased from 15.70 cm, 0.152 g pot−1 and 0.058 g pot−1 to 24.33 cm, 0.304 g pot−1 and 0.125 g pot−1, respectively. Simultaneously, the Cr contents in aerial tissues and roots increased from 1039.68 mg kg−1 to 2427.87 mg kg−1 to 1526.57 mg kg−1 and 3242.62 mg kg−1, respectively. Thus, the corresponding bioenrichment factor (BCF), bioaccumulation factor (BAF), total phytoextraction (TPE) and translocation factor (TF) values were also increased from 10.52, 6.20, 0.158 mg pot−1 (aerial tissue)/0.140 mg pot−1 (roots) and 0.428 to 15.15, 9.42, 0.464 mg pot−1 (aerial tissue)/0.405 mg pot−1 (roots) and 0.471, respectively. The significant positive effect of ISBC amendment was primarily attributed to the following three aspects: 1) the root resistance index (RRI), tolerance index (TI) and growth toxicity index (GTI) of L. hexandra to Cr were increased from 100%, 100% and 0%–216.88%, 155.02% and 42.18%, respectively; 2) the bio-available Cr content in the soil was decreased from 1.89 mg L−1 to 1.48 mg L−1, while the corresponding TU (toxicity units) value was declined from 0.303 to 0.217; 3) the activities of urease, sucrase and alkaline phosphatase in soil were increased from 0.186 mg g−1, 1.40 mg g−1 and 0.156 mg g−1 to 0.242 mg g−1, 1.86 mg g−1 and 0.287 mg g−1, respectively. In summary, ISBC amendment was able to significantly improve the phytoremediation of Cr-contaminated soils by L. hexandra.

Population-Related Variability in Qualitative and Quantitative Secondary Metabolite Profile of Gentianella austriaca (A. & J. Kern.) Holub.

Phytochemical profiling of six natural populations of Gentianella austriaca was performed by HPLC identification and quantification of a number of secondary metabolites, and evaluation of time series of peak areas by chemometric analysis. Phytochemical analysis of G. austriaca revealed the presence of iridoids, flavone-C-glucosides and xanthones. Twelve secondary metabolites were identified in the aerial parts, roots and seeds, including swertiamarin (SWM), gentiopicrin (GP), sweroside (SWZ), isoorientin (ISOOR), swertisin (SWE), demethylbellidifolin-8-O-glucoside (DMB-8-O-glc), bellidifolin-8-O-glucoside (BDF-8-O-glc), mangiferin (MGF), corymbiferin (CBF), corymbiferin-1-O-glucoside (CBF-1-O-glc), bellidifolin (BDF) and campestroside. Multivariate statistical analyses showed relatively low variability among populations according to secondary metabolite content. However, some pharmacologically important compounds were found in higher amounts in a few populations, which could be useful for conservation and future biotechnological procedures.

Role of Rahnella aquatilis AZO16M2 in Phosphate Solubilization and Ex Vitro Acclimatization of Musa acuminata var. Valery.

Rahnella aquatilis AZO16M2, was characterized for its phosphate solubilization capacity to improve the establishment and survival of Musa acuminata var. Valery seedlings under ex-acclimation. Three phosphorus sources (Rock Phosphate (RF), Ca3(PO4)2 and K2HPO4) and two types of substrate (sand:vermiculite (1:1) and Premix N°8) were selected. The factorial analysis of variance (p < 0.05) showed that R. aquatilis AZO16M2 (OQ256130) solubilizes Ca3(PO4)2 in solid medium, with a Solubilization Index (SI) of 3.77 at 28 °C (pH 6.8). In liquid medium, it was observed that R. aquatilis produced 29.6 mg/L soluble P (pH 4.4), and synthesized organic acids (oxalic, D-gluconic, 2-ketogluconic and malic), Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) (33.90 ppm) and siderophores (+). Additionally, acid and alkaline phosphatases (2.59 and 2.56 µg pNP/mL/min) were detected. The presence of the pyrroloquinoline-quinone (PQQ) cofactor gene was confirmed. After inoculating AZO16M2 to M. acuminata in sand:vermiculite with RF, the chlorophyll content was 42.38 SPAD (Soil Plant Analysis Development). Aerial fresh weight (AFW), aerial dry weight (ADW) and root dry weight (RDW) were superior to the control by 64.15%, 60.53% and 43.48%, respectively. In Premix N°8 with RF and R. aquatilis, 8.91% longer roots were obtained, with 35.58% and 18.76% more AFW and RFW compared with the control as well as 94.45 SPAD. With Ca3(PO4)2, values exceeded the control by 14.15% RFW, with 45.45 SPAD. Rahnella aquatilis AZO16M2 favored the ex-climatization of M. acuminata through improving seedling establishment and survival.