Araceae Research Articles

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Amorphophallus konjac (Araceae) from Yunnan, China and its phylogenetic analysis in the family Araceae

This work determined and analyzed the complete chloroplast genome sequence of Amorphophallus konjac K. Koch ex N.E.Br 1858 from Yunnan, China. The genome size was 167,470 bp, of which contains a large single-copy region (LSC 93,443 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC 21,575 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IR 26,226 bp). The chloroplast genome has 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs, and eight rRNAs. A previous study reported deletion of accD, psbE, and trnG-GCC genes in the A. konjac chloroplast genome. Our study supports the conservative structure of A. konjac and does not support the gene deletion mentioned above. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that A. konjac shares a close relationship with another A. konjac (collected from Guizhou) and A. titanium by forming a clade in the genus Amorphophallus. Our results provide some useful information to the evolution of the family Araceae.

Assembly and comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of Pinellia ternata.

Pinellia ternata is an important natural medicinal herb in China. However, it is susceptible to withering when exposed to high temperatures during growth, which limits its tuber production. Mitochondria usually function in stress response. The P . ternata mitochondrial (mt) genome has yet to be explored. Therefore, we integrated PacBio and Illumina sequencing reads to assemble and annotate the mt genome of P . ternata . The circular mt genome of P . ternata is 876 608bp in length and contains 38 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 20 tRNA genes and three rRNA genes. Codon usage, sequence repeats, RNA editing and gene migration from chloroplast (cp) to mt were also examined. Phylogenetic analysis based on the mt genomes of P . ternata and 36 other taxa revealed the taxonomic and evolutionary status of P . ternata . Furthermore, we investigated the mt genome size and GC content by comparing P . ternata with the other 35 species. An evaluation of non-synonymous substitutions and synonymous substitutions indicated that most PCGs in the mt genome underwent negative selection. Our results provide comprehensive information on the P . ternata mt genome, which may facilitate future research on the high-temperature response of P . ternata and provide new molecular insights on the Araceae family.

Natural Growth Model of Amorphophallus gigas from Simandiangin Hamlet, Sungai Kanan District, North Sumatra

Amorphophallus gigas is a plant belonging to the Araceae family, including the tallest flower in the world. A. gigas was often found in North Sumatra, grows naturally under agroforestry stands. The aim of this research was to calculate the population of A. gigas and predict the population of A. gigas in the future assuming the habitat is not disturbed. This research was conducted in Simandiangin Hamlet, South Labuhanbatu Regency, North Sumatra Indonesia. The method used is to count the number of A. gigas individuals in 1 hectare by census. From the research results, there were 92 Amorphopallus gigas individuals with various growth phases, 40 seedlings, 28 juveniles and 26 adults. The average seedling height is 7.52 cm, the average seedling diameter is 0.27 cm, the average number of leaves is 7, the average canopy width is 27.27 cm. The average height in the juvenile phase is 56.88 cm, the average diameter is 1.40 cm and the canopy width is 76.2 cm. The average height in the adult phase is 151 cm, diameter 5.36, number of leaves 132 and canopy width 199.08 cm.

First report of Fusarium tricinctum Causing Leaf Blight on Amorphophallus konjac in Hunan Province of China.

Konjac (Amorphophallus konjac) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Araceae family, cultivated mainly in south-western China and used extensively for weight loss (Chua et al. 2010). In June 2022, leaf blight was detected on a 2,00 ha A. konjac plantation in Chenxi County, Huaihua City, Hunan Province. It infected almost 20% of the area under cultivation and tends to occur each year during warm, humid weather from May to July, causing significant economic losses to A. konjac production. There were small brown spots on the leaves which gradually spread to form irregular brown lesions. In severe cases the entire plant turned yellow and died. Nine samples were collected randomly from different plants in three plantation forests to isolate the pathogens. They were washed with sterile water and the lesions were excised. They were subsequently disinfected with 3% hydrogen peroxide for 30 s, 75% ethanol for 90 s and rinsed three times with sterile water. The cut sections were then placed on water agar plates and grown in the dark in a constant temperature incubator at 28℃ for 3-5 days, when mycelia grew they were transferred to potato dextrose agar medium and grown in the dark at 28℃ for 3-5 days. Eleven purified fungal isolates were obtained, ten of which looked like Fusarium (90.9% isolation rate), and three representative isolates (MY5, MY7 and MY9) were chosen for further study. The fungal colonies initially appeared white and gradually turnned dark red. Macroconidia were crescent-shaped, elongated, slightly curved and had 2 to 4 septations, with a predominance of 3 septations. They measured 15.540 to 42.083 × 2.760 to 4.558 μm (n=100). Microconidia were oval or pyriform, with a maximum of one septum and measured 6.135 to 24.990 × 2.158 to 4.412 μm (n=100). Two genetic regions, the translation elongation factor-1 (TEF1-α) and RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB1) genes, were amplified and sequenced to verify the identity of the fungus (Qiu et al. 2023). The universal primers TEF1-F/R, G2R/Fa were used for amplification and sequencing, and the sequences were submitted to GenBank (TEF1-α: OR545395, OR545397, OR545399; RPB1: OR545394, OR545396, OR545398). A joint phylogenetic tree of the two genes was constructed and analysis showed that the three isolates were significantly clustered with Fusarium tricinctum. Based on the results of morphological identification and phylogenetic tree analysis, the three isolates were identified as F. tricinctum. Pathogenicity tests were carried out on 12 uniformly growing leaf expansion stages of konjac plants，each inoculated with five young leaves. Mycelial blocks of 6 × 6 mm grown on PDA media for 5 days were placed on the surface of the leaves, while sterile PDA blocks were placed on the control plant. After 10 days of rearing the treated plants in a constant temperature chamber at 28°C and 90% relative humidity, the lesions appeared and the pathogens re-isolated from the diseased tissues had the same morphological characteristics as representative isolates. F. tricinctum has been shown to be the major pathogenic fungus causing leaf blight in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (Castañares et al. 2011) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) (Wu et al. 2020). To our knowledge, this is the first time in the world that F. tricinctum has been reported to cause leaf blight in A. konjac. This research could provide a foundation for future control of leaf blight disease.

Habitat preferences of Amorphopahllus sp. Silaiya village, Sayur Matinggi District, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Amorphophallus is included in the understory plants, belonging to the Araceae family. Amorphophallus grows wild under agroforestry stands in North Sumatra, which in the last period of time its tubers have economic value. Amorphophalus tubers can be used as food ingredients and also medicines. This research was conducted in Silaiya Village, Sayur Matinggi District, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. The purpose of this research is to determine the habitat conditions of Amorphophallus sp that grow wild. This information aims as basic data in insitu conservation efforts. The method of this research is to conduct vegetation analysis activities using nested plots measuring 1 ha, where there are sub-plots. There are two species of Amorphophallus found in Silaiya Village, namely Amorphophallus gigas and Amorphophallus paeoniifolius. The number of individuals of Amorphophallus gigas was 120, and the number of individuals of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius was 148. The conservation status of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius is Least Concern, while the conservation status of Amorphophallus gigas has not been registered.

A literature review of significance of pharmacological activities of some araceae family members in alternative medicine

A literature review of significance of pharmacological activities of some araceae family members in alternative medicine

Pragmatical utilization of beneng taro (Xanthosoma undipes) based on local knowledge of the community of Mount Karang, Pandeglang, Indonesia

Abstract. Windarsih G, Rahma AF, Mulyana D, Hariri MR, Erlinawati I, Riastiwi I, Efendi M. 2023. Pragmatical utilization of beneng taro (Xanthosoma undipes K.Koch) based on local knowledge of the community of Mount Karang, Pandeglang, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 6415-6424. Beneng taro (Xanthosoma undipes K.Koch) belongs to the order Arales and family Araceae. It is one of the staple crop commodities cultivated extensively in Mount Karang, Pandeglang District, Banten, Indonesia. This research aimed to assess the utilization of beneng taro by the local community in Mount Karang. The study was classified as descriptive research. The research used exploratory surveys and participatory rural appraisal as methodological approaches. Data collection techniques were collected through interviews, questionnaires, observations, and documentation. Moreover, 30 participants were selected using purposive sampling and snowball sampling methods. The plants were sampled randomly, 5 per location, to observe morphological traits. The findings of this study indicate that there are two local cultivars of beneng taro found in Mount Karang, including green leaf sheath and red leaf sheath cultivars. All beneng taro plant parts possess significant economic worth, including leaf blades, leaf sheaths, petioles, corms, cormels, and exudates. This plant is frequently used for food and beverage, cigarettes, medicinal ingredients, fabric production, crafts, organic fertilizer, livestock feed, fish pellets, and decorative plants. However, beneng taro with green leaf sheath is more widely cultivated in the area and consumed for food and beverage.

Characteristics of Amorphophallus konjac as indicated by its genome

Amorphophallus konjac, belonging to the genus Amorphophallus of the Araceae family, is an economically important crop widely used in health products and biomaterials. In the present work, we performed the whole-genome assembly of A. konjac based on the NovaSeq platform sequence data. The final genome assembly was 4.58 Gb with a scaffold N50 of 3212 bp. The genome includes 39,421 protein-coding genes, and 71.75% of the assemblies were repetitive sequences. Comparative genomic analysis showed 1647 gene families have expanded and 2685 contracted in the A. konjac genome. Likewise, genome evolution analysis indicated that A. konjac underwent whole-genome duplication, possibly contributing to the expansion of certain gene families. Furthermore, we identified many candidate genes involved in the tuber formation and development, cellulose and lignification synthesis. The genome of A. konjac obtained in this work provides a valuable resource for the further study of the genetics, genomics, and breeding of this economically important crop, as well as for evolutionary studies of Araceae family.

A High-Resolution Linkage Map Construction and QTL Analysis for Morphological Traits in Anthurium (Anthurium andraeanum Linden).

Anthurium andraeanum Linden is a prominent ornamental plant belonging to the family Araceae and is cultivated worldwide. The morphology characteristics are crucial because they significantly impact ornamental values, commercial properties, and the efficiency of space utilization in production. However, only a few related investigations have been conducted in anthurium to date. In this study, an F1 genetic segregation population containing 160 progenies was generated through hybridization between potted and cut anthurium varieties. Fifteen morphological traits were assessed and revealed substantial levels of genetic variation and widespread positive correlation. Based on specific length amplified fragment (SLAF) sequencing technology, 8171 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were developed, and the high-density linkage map of 2202.27 cM in length distributed on 15 linkage groups was constructed successfully, with an average distance of 0.30 cM. Using the inclusive composite interval mapping (ICIM) method, 59 QTLs related to 15 key morphological traits were successfully identified, which explained phenotypic variance (PVE) ranging from 6.21% to 17.74%. Thirty-three of those associated with 13 traits were designated as major QTLs with PVE > 10%. These findings offer valuable insights into the genetic basis of quantitative traits and are beneficial for molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) in anthurium breeding.

Characterization and shelf life of synbiotic drink powder from porang (Amorphophallus muelleri).

Amorphophallus muelleri BI was included in the Araceae family, which is a type of tuber. It is a tuber with high potential due to its abundant bioactive compounds. Amorphophallus muelleri BI flour (AF) contains a high glucomannan and carbon compounds that serve as nutrients for probiotic bacteria. Although Amorphophallus muelleri BI thrives in Indonesia, its utilization rate in the country remains relatively low and haven't been any studies conducted regarding synbiotic powder from AF. The primary objective of this research is to develop a synergistic beverage enriched with varying concentrations of Amorphophallus muelleri BI as a prebiotic and LA as probiotic (synbiotic). The process starts with culture preparation, synbiotic drink process, synbiotic and microencapsulation, includes the examination of solubility, proximate analysis, calorie content, viability, and shelf life. Results showed that the proximate and solubility had no significant effect. Synbiotic drink powder from AF can be produced using spray dry technology. The highest LA growth was observed when augmenting the AF quantity at a 0.4% concentration, which can be seen from the viability parameter with a value of 7.29 log CFU/g. Samples shelf life at -21 and 3°C with LA viability critical parameter was determined to be 4days.

Identifikasi Tumbuhan Obat Tradisional di Kecamatan Seram Utara Barat Kabupaten Maluku Tengah

Inventorying and identifying plant species as ingredients for traditional medicines is very important because they have the potential to develop herbal medicines that have health and economic value. This study aims to identify various types of medicinal plants that are used by the community in the North West Seram District, Central Maluku Regency. Identified 13 species and 12 plant families consisting of Panadanaceae, Araceae, Acanthanthes, Annoaceae, Piperaceae, Aceanthaeae, Asteraceae, and Phyllantasheae. Lamiaceae, Poaceae, Zingiberaceae, and Garicaceae are used as traditional medicine. The Araceae family is most widely used as a traditional medicinal ingredient. Part of the leaf with a percentage of 59% is used by boiling as a traditional medicine.

Genetic Diversity and Phylogeny of Alocasia longiloba Miq. Indonesia Accessions Based on trnL-F Intergenic Spacer Region

Alocasia longiloba Miq. is a member of the Araceae family, which was complex and has diverse leaf shapes, color, and venation. Studies on the diversity of A. longiloba focused mostly on morphological characteristics, while the genetic diversity of this species has never been published. Alocasia longiloba Miq. belongs to the Araceae family and has a variety of leaf shapes, colors, and venations. This research aims to determine the variation and relationshipgenetic diversity and phylogeny of the Indonesian accession of A. longiloba based on molecular approaches using trnL-F IGS region. A total of 20 accesses of A. longiloba from Indonesia were sequenced and one Alocasia suhirmaniana, along withthen together with 12 11 DNA sequences of A. longiloba and Amorphophallus muelleri registered at the NCBI, were aligned with the Mesquite software. Genetic diversity were examined using DnaSP ver. 6.12.03. The phylogenetic tree was reconstructed by MEGA 11 using the Maximum Parsimony method and the Tree-Bisection-Regrafting (TBR) algorithm. Among 389 site recorded, 356 site were invariable, 5 site were variable and 28 site were gaps or missing data. This genetic variation in the form of insertion, deletion, transition, and transversion and the deletion event has received the most contributions. Reconstruction of the phylogenetic tree resulted in A. longiloba being polyphyletic. The use of cpDNA with the trnL-F IGS region of IGS could not show the relationship between the Indonesian accession of intraspecies A. longiloba, so further research is needed in other areas regions of chloroplast and nuclear DNA.

MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY STUDY OF SCHISMATOGLOTTIS FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS IN SABAH USING INTERNAL TRANSCRIBED SPACER REGION

The Schismatoglottideae tribe, primarily in Borneo, is notably diverse within the Araceae family. It encompasses various rainforest herbs, adapting to terrestrial, lithophytic, and rheophytic habitats. The Schismatoglottis genus, with over 175 species, mostly exclusive to Borneo due to geological preferences, stands out. A study aimed to understand genetic relationships among Schismatoglottis species from Kadamaian-Kinabalu Park, Kionsom Recreational Area, Imbak Canyon Conservation Area, Mensalong Forest Reserve, Danum Valley Conservation Area, Tawau Hills Park, and Mantailang Crocker Range Park. The Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions of twelve Schismatoglottis species were sequenced. Genomic DNA was extracted from dried-silica-gel leaf tissue using a commercial kit (Promega, USA). ITS region lengths ranged from 528 bp to 708 bp. BLAST analysis accurately identified species within the Schismatoglottis genus (95% to 98% similarity). Phylogenetic analysis revealed a highly supported sister clade, uniting Schismatoglottis porpax species from Mensalong and Kionsom, despite differing elevational habitats. This pioneering study delves into Schismatoglottis phylogenetics, particularly in Sabah, with seven of the twelve species showing potential for new species classification, pending further research.

Functional analysis of a dirigent protein AtsDIR23 in Acorustatarinowii

Acorus tatarinowii (A. tatarinowii) is a medicinal plant of the Araceae family. Currently, pharmacology focuses on the study of volatile oils, but there are few reports of another important secondary metabolite, lignan. Dirigent protein is thought to play an important role in plant secondary metabolism and responds to a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the DIR gene family of A. tatarinowii has not been systematically analyzed, and it is unknown whether it affects lignan synthesis. In this study, a total of 27 AtsDIRs were identified by comprehensive analysis of the genome of the medicinal plant A. tatarinowii, and the candidate gene AtsDIR23 that may be involved in lignan synthesis was screened through bioinformatics and transcriptome analysis. It is worth noting that AtsDIR23 is significantly expressed in rhizomes and is a member of the DIR-a subfamily. Subsequently, subcellular localization revealed that AtsDIR23 was localized in chloroplasts. The functional verification of AtsDIR23 b y the transient transformation of A. tatarinowii and the stable transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana showed that the content of lignans in overexpressed plants increased. Co-expression analysis screening revealed the MYB transcription factor (AtsMYB91) that is highly correlated with AtsDIR23 expression, while yeast one-hybrid assays and double luciferase experiments showed that AtsMYB91 negatively regulated the expression of AtsDIR23 b y binding to the AtsDIR23 promoter. In conclusion, AtsDIR23 can promote the accumulation of lignans, which provides a reference for further research on the regulation of lignans by DIR genes.

Chromosome level genome assembly of colored calla lily (Zantedeschia elliottiana)

The colored calla lily is an ornamental floral plant native to southern Africa, belonging to the Zantedeschia genus of the Araceae family. We generated a high-quality chromosome-level genome of the colored calla lily, with a size of 1,154 Mb and a contig N50 of 42 Mb. We anchored 98.5% of the contigs (1,137 Mb) into 16 pseudo-chromosomes, and identified 60.18% of the sequences (694 Mb) as repetitive sequences. Functional annotations were assigned to 95.1% of the predicted protein-coding genes (36,165). Additionally, we annotated 469 miRNAs, 1,652 tRNAs, 10,033 rRNAs, and 1,677 snRNAs. Furthermore, Gypsy-type LTR retrotransposons insertions in the genome are the primary factor causing significant genome size variation in Araceae species. This high-quality genome assembly provides valuable resources for understanding genome size differences within the Araceae family and advancing genomic research on colored calla lily.

Implementation of Fuzzy Logic in Soil Moisture and Temperature Control System for Araceae Plants Based on LoRa

The Araceae plants are highly popular among plant enthusiasts worldwide. The Araceae family has more than 100 different types and thousands of species. Despite ever-evolving times, these plants have a high market value and challenging breeding methods. To achieve optimal quality, it is important to maintain the appropriate humidity and temperature according to the natural conditions of these plants in the tropical rainforest. The Node MCU ESP32 is a processor for instructions from the room temperature sensor, room humidity sensor, and soil moisture sensor. Additionally, this component controls the blower and misting system as output, which will be processed through LoRa technology to transmit monitoring data to the Blynk software. This study utilizes fuzzy logic to categorize room temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and output results for different Araceae plants. LoRa technology is used to send monitoring data efficiently in the data transmission process. During data retrieval using long-range technology, a delay of approximately 5 seconds is known between the receiver and transmitter at a distance of 700 meters. Constraints that cause issues with this long-range technology are influenced by wind, which affects antenna signal strength, and the presence of trees and buildings as obstacles. The monitoring results show an average temperature in normal conditions and an average humidity in wet conditions. At the same time, soil moisture is monitored to maintain normal humidity, resulting in all outputs being off.

Isothermic model of porang tuber (Amorphophallus muelleri B) flour

Porang tuber (Amorphophallus muelleri B) is a tuber from the Araceae family with a high glucomannan content (15-64% dry basis). Things that can be done to extend the shelf life of porang tuber flour are by doing the flouring process. This research aims to determine the isothermic curve model of Porang tuber (Amorphophallus muelleri B) flour, namely, the isothermic curve model used to estimate the equilibrium moisture content about the rh of storage. The research method used was to store samples of porang tuber flour in a desiccator with an rh interval of 17-80%. Storage was carried out until the sample’s water content reached equilibrium. Parameters of water content and determination of the best model based on the highest R2 value at the end of storage of porang tuber samples while in the desiccator. The results of the research that has been done show that a material’s water content is affected by temperature and storage rh. To determine the best model, it is shown with the model that has the highest R2 value. The Henderson model and Chung-Pfost model is the model that has the highest R2 value. The value obtained at 30 °C is 0.9556, and at 40 °C is 0,9838. The model with the highest R2 value indicates that the model is the best and most appropriate model that can be used to describe the best water absorption in porang tuber flour.

Association of Amorphophallus gigas on rubber land cover in the Sabungan Village, South Labuhanbatu, North Sumatra

A. gigas is one of the tallest flowers in the world. A. gigas is an understorey that belongs to the Araceae family. This research was conducted on rubber land cover in the Sabungan Village, North Sumatra. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association of A. gigas with other plants around it. This research method was carried out by analysis of vegetation with a plot size of 1 ha (25 plots). The results showed that at the understorey level based on the ochiai association index of amorphophallus with understorey only one species had a very high association, namely Selaginella wildenowii, while the value of Ochiai at other understorey levels was feasible and low. At the seedling level, the association of amorphophallus with plant species at the seedling level was categorized as low and medium. The association of amorphophallus at the sapling level with very high values is the species Macaranga indica. The association of A. gigas at the pole level was Hevea brasiliensis with a very high category, the high category of one species was Macaranga indica. Association of A. gigas at the tree level with a very high category, namely Hevea brasiliensis.

New tuberous Araceae from Binh Thuan Province (South Vietnam)

Two species of the Araceae family, Typhonium praelongum (having tuber of blunt cone shape,very long (about 30cm)sterile appendix of the spadix, horizontal yellow-orange staminodes with tops turning upwards and a glossy entirely papillate upper surface of the simple leaf blade) and Amorphophallus opalinus (having narrow rhizome-like tuber with enlarged basal part, staminodes at the base of male zone of the spadix, narrows pathe, large, broadly-conical with rounded apex, opalescent stigmas and white, one-seeded berries), are described as species new to science from South Vietnam. Detailed morphological descriptions, colour plates of the species and their habitats, phenology, distribution map, provisional conservation status, taxonomic comments and overview of the genera Typhonium and Amorphophallus in the Flora of Vietnam are provided.

Characterization of Glucomannan and Ca-Oxalate from Porang Flour (<i>Amorphophallus muelleri </i>Blume) as Candidates for Hydrogel Materials

Porang (Amorphophallus muelleri Blume), a plant belonging to the Araceae family, has the main content of glucomannan and calcium oxalate which is quite high. This study aims to determine the characteristic values ​​of glucomannan and calcium oxalate content from porang flour so that it can be used for various applications, especially hydrogel. The characteristics of glucomannan obtained from porang flour will be compared with commercial glucomannan from konjac using 3,5-DNS analysis, permanganate titration method, Fourier Transforms Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the glucomannan content of porang flour was 99.84% dry basic (db) and the calcium oxalate content of porang flour was 0.005% wet basic (wb). The characterization results show that the glucomannan content in porang flour is higher than the commercial glucomannan content from konjac, so that porang flour has good potential as a candidate for hydrogel materials.