Artichoke Plants Research Articles

High-quality analysis of dry extract of prickly artichoke raw material (Cynara Scolymus L.) cultivated in Uzbekistan

The aim. Artichoke plants are increasingly cultivated in Uzbekistan, where there is growing interest in their raw materials for potential applications within the pharmaceutical industry. This exploration aims to evaluate the feasibility and advantages of integrating components derived from artichokes into pharmaceutical formulations, focusing on their recognized medicinal properties and the possible economic benefits that could arise from such innovations. Materials and methods. For the creation of highly effective preparations on the basis of artichoke raw material (Cynara scolymus L.) cultivated in Uzbekistan, qualitative and quantitative analysis of some biologically active substances contained in the raw material was carried out, as well as a comparative assessment of their accumulation in the plant growing in different climatic conditions. During qualitative analysis of artichoke prickly raw material cultivated in Uzbekistan, identified important biologically active substances such as phenolic compounds, oxycinnamic acids and flavonoids, tannins, amino acids, and ascorbic acid. Results. The quantitative analysis conducted on artichoke raw material revealed a notably high concentration of several biologically active compounds. Specifically, the study identified significant levels of chlorogenic acid, which is known for its antioxidant properties; cynaroside, recognized for its potential health benefits; riboflavin, an essential vitamin; caffeine, a stimulant; and caffeic acid, another potent antioxidant. These findings underscore the nutritional value and potential therapeutic applications of artichoke. Conclusions. The artichoke prickly (Cynara cardunculus) is notable for its significant accumulation of essential bioelements, including sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These minerals are present in high concentrations within the plant's raw material, suggesting that it possesses valuable medicinal properties. The therapeutic potential of these elements enhances the appeal of an artichoke prickly as a promising source for medicinal applications

Investigation of Tissue-Specific Distribution and Genetic Variation of Alfalfa Mosaic Virus and Chinese Artichoke Mosaic Virus in Chinese Artichoke (Stachys affinis miq.).

The Chinese artichoke (Stachys affinis syn. S. sieboldii) is a widely cultivated crop, and its rhizome is used as a medicinal vegetable. To investigate the causes of viral diseases in Chinese artichokes, the infection rates of four virus species infecting Chinese artichoke were investigated. Since the Chinese artichoke propagates through its tuber, this study aimed to determine whether viral transmission to the progeny is possible through the tuber, by identifying the virus present in the tuber and investigating its accumulation. First, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to detect viruses using total RNA extracted from the flowers, leaves, and tubers of Chinese artichoke plants. Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and Chinese artichoke mosaic virus (ChAMV) had high infectivity in Chinese artichoke and most plants were simultaneously infected with AMV and ChAMV. These viruses were present in all tissues, but their detection frequency and accumulation rates varied across different tissues of the Chinese artichoke. Also, we sequenced the coat protein (CP) genes of AMV and ChAMV to investigate genetic variations of virus between the leaf and tuber. It provides information on CP gene sequences and genetic diversity of isolates identified from new hosts of AMV and ChAMV. This study offers valuable insights into the distribution and spread of the ChAMV and AMV within Chinese artichoke plants, which have implications for the management and control of viral infections in crops.

Spotlight on Secondary Metabolites Produced by an Early-Flowering Apulian Artichoke Ecotype Sanitized from Virus Infection by Meristem-Tip-Culture and Thermotherapy.

Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus) is an important crop of the Mediterranean basin characterized by many properties, like hepatoprotective, anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, antibacterial, and beneficial to human health. The high bioactive compounds (BACs) content, as polyphenols, has attracted the research interest in artichoke extracts. We analysed the changes in polyphenol transcriptome profile between sanitized (S) virus-free and non-sanitized (NS) artichoke plants, focusing on genes involved in phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway and flavonoid biosynthesis. A total of 2458 upregulated and 2154 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were functionally characterized. Among them, 31 and 35 KEGG orthology entries characterized by upregulated and downregulated DEGs, respectively, were involved in the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites. A downregulation of PAL, C4H, 4CL, HST/HQT, C3'H, CCoAMT, CCR1, and F5H, was observed in S artichoke compared to NS one, whereas the CSE, CHS, and CHI genes were upregulated in S samples. Transcriptome results were compared to the polyphenols accumulation in S and NS artichoke leaves. A higher content of total polyphenols was observed in older leaves of NS samples, compared to extracts obtained from young leaves or from S plants, and this result was associated with the presence of viral infections in NS plants. In all the conditions tested, the most represented compound was chlorogenic acid, followed by luteolin-7-O-glucoside. The different composition of each extract was evaluated by a polyphenol dose-response treatment on the rodent hepatoma FaO cell line to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). A significant reduction in ROS content ranging between -40% and -48% was observed when 10-20 mg/L of polyphenols from NS or S plants were used, characterized by a specific profile of compounds. To reduce MetOH residues in polyphenol extracts, a supercritical fluid CO2 extraction was evaluated to propose a sustainable green extraction.

CPS1 augments hepatic glucagon response through CaMKII/FOXO1 pathway.

Introduction: Elevated glucagon levels are a characteristic feature of type 2 diabetes. This abnormal increase in glucagon can lead to an accelerated rate of gluconeogenesis. Glucagon also stimulates hepatic metabolism of amino acids, particularly promoting the formation of urea. The specific role of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1), a rate-limiting enzyme in the urea cycle, in the development versus the persistence of glucagon-induced hyperglycemia has not been previously established. Methods: The study employed both in vivo and in vitro approaches to assess the impact of CPS1 modulation on glucagon response. CPS1 was knockdown or overexpression to evaluate its influence on hepatic gluconeogenesis. In addition, an in-silico strategy was employed to identify a potential CPS1 inhibitor. Results: Knockdown of CPS1 significantly reduced the glucagon response both in vivo and in vitro. Conversely, overexpression of CPS1 resulted in an overactive hepatic gluconeogenic response. Mechanistically, CPS1 induced the release of calcium ions from the endoplasmic reticulum, which in turn triggered the phosphorylation of CaMKII. The activation of CaMKII then facilitated the dephosphorylation and nuclear translocation of FOXO1, culminating in the enhancement of hepatic gluconeogenesis. Furthermore, cynarin, a natural CPS1 inhibitor derived from the artichoke plant, had the capacity to attenuate the hepatic glucagon response in a CPS1-dependent manner. Discussion: CPS1 played a pivotal role in mediating glucagon-induced hepatic gluconeogenesis. The discovery of cynarin as a natural inhibitor of CPS1 suggested its potential as a therapeutic agent for diabetes treatment.

The use of hydromulching increases yield and quality of drought-stressed artichokes (Cynara cardunculus subsp. scolymus L. (Heigi)) by improving soil properties and plant hormone homeostasis

There exist many research papers which pointed out the positive effects of using the mulching technique in stressful conditions, showing crop productivity and physicochemical quality improvement of the product. We hypothesized that a novel organic liquid mulching formulations (hydromulching) can be used in sustainable agricultural production under drought stress through both their direct influence on physicochemical and biological soil properties as well as by their effect on plant hormonal balance leading to the improvement of crop yield and quality. Artichoke plants were grown on bare soil (BS) or mulched with traditional polyethylene (PE) or with three different types of ecological hydromulching treatments obtained from recycled additives, namely: substrate used for mushroom cultivation (MS), rice hulls (RH) and wheat straw (WS); and were subjected to optimal (100% ETc) and reduced (70% ETc) irrigation regimes. Under water limitation, soil organic matter and carbon and mineral soil concentrations increased in the hydromulched soils (by 60% on average). Mulched treatments produced the highest crop yield (by 40% on average) attributed to increased artichoke head fresh weight, giving rise to the improvement of the important physical quality parameters in artichoke: color, firmness, and size. Furthermore, hydromulched treatments induced higher content of mineral nutrients in artichoke heads, while sugar concentrations were superior in non-mulched soil due to a major exposure to water stress. This may be related to the diminished carbohydrate metabolism activity under drought stress, including notable changes in the hormonal balance. The crosstalk of growth-promoting hormones (cytokinins) with the stress-related hormone factors (ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid) has been shown to regulate adaptive responses such as sugar osmoregulation in artichoke heads under drought stress. Altogether, these results demonstrate that hydromulching is a sustainable alternative to plastic films to cope with drought stress by improving yield and physical quality characteristics of artichoke heads and maintaining their chemical and nutritional quality over bare soil.

First report of feeding injury of Proba fraudulenta Stäl (Hemiptera: Miridae) to Cynara cardunculus (L.) Fiori (Asterales: Asteraceae) in Brazil

An outbreak of Proba fraudulenta Stäl (Hemiptera: Miridae) causing feeding injury to leaves and inflorescences, and leading to economic damage of artichoke, Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus (L.) Fiori (Asterales: Asteraceae), was observed for the first time in plantations located in the municipalities of Piedade (23°43′S, 47°25′W) and Ibiúna (23°39′29.88″S, 47°12′40.68″W), São Paulo state, Brazil. This is the first formal record of the mirid bug P. fraudulenta as an insect pest of artichoke. This scientific note aims to describe the feeding injury and economic importance of P. fraudulenta for artichoke production. Nymphs and adults of P. fraudulenta were manually collected from inflorescences of artichoke plants at “Sítio Osako”, a property located in the municipality of Piedade. The second author, a taxonomist specialist in Miridae, identified the species based on morphological diagnostic characteristics. Feeding by P. fraudulenta on artichoke was observed to cause yellowing and drying of leaves, reduction of plant vigor and inflorescence size and quality, and plant death, which directly affects yield. This report is a relevant finding because the state of São Paulo is the biggest artichoke-producing region in Brazil, and this insect could pose a threat to artichoke production if it were to invade other producing regions including Europe and the United States.

Effect of adding different levels of Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) aqueous extract to Tris extender on the Motility, Viability and some characteristics of rams semen stored at 5 °C

This study was conducted to show the effect of the aqueous extract of the leaves of Artichoke ( Cynara scolymus L.) on Tris extender and its effect on the semen traits of Awassi rams after preservation at a cooling of 5° C for different periods (0, 24, 48 and 72 hours). This study was conducted in the animal field and laboratories of the Department of Animal Production, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad in Jadiriyah, from November 15, 2021 to April 25, 2022. Three local Awassi rams were used in this experiment. Their ages ranged from 2.5-3.0 years. The semen was collected from them by artificial vagina by one ejaculation/ram/week for 8 weeks. The semen of rams has been mixed in order to eliminate individual differences. The following tests were conducted to evaluate the semen characteristics for each motility, the percentage of viability sperm, total abnormalities, the integrity of the plasma membrane, and the acrosome's integrity. The current study showed that adding an aqueous extract from the leaves of the artichoke plant (Cynara scolymus L.) improved most of the studied traits when stored in preservation. The results indicated a highly significant (P<0.01) for the treatments T1, T2 and T4, which amounted to (87.00 ± 1.86, 85.50 ± 2.02 and 86.87 ± 0.78%) compared to the control group (C), which amounted to (77.25 ± 2.11%), While the previous treatments did not differ significantly with treatment T3, which amounted to (81.87 ± 2.94%) in the percentage of live sperm during the 0 hour preservation period. At the same time, the results indicated no significant differences between treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 compared to the control treatment and for all periods (0, 24, 48 and 72 hours) in the individual motility of the sperm. As for measuring the biochemical traits of seminal plasma, The results of AST and ALT enzymes indicated that there was no significant increase between treatments during one period, while an arithmetic superiority occurred after 72 hours of preservation for treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 compared with the 0 hour preservation period. It is concluded from the current study that adding an aqueous extract of (Cynara Scolymus) artichoke leaves to Tris extender improved the semen quality of Awassi rams after preservation. Keywords: Ram; Semen; Antioxidants; Cooling; Artichoke; Cynara Scolymus.

Induction of Apoptosis by Cynaropicrin in Human Colon Cancer Cell Line HCT-116 through the Mitochondria-mediated Apoptotic Pathway

Background Colon cancer continues to be the third most commonly occurring cancer around the globe with both lifestyle-related risk factors and genetic dispositions. Owing to the increased incidence of the disease, there is a need to find new treatment options which are easily accessible and less toxic to the cells. Cynaropicrin, a sesquiterpene extract from the artichoke plant exhibits varied properties such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antioxidant among others. In the current investigation, the anti-cancer potential of the cynaropicrin extract was observed against colon cancer in HCT-116 cell lines. Materials and Methods The drug exhibited a considerable decrease in cell proliferation. Also analyzed was the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and apoptosis induction by cynaropicrin on the HCT-116 cell line. The AO/EtBr staining confirmed the apoptotic induction through chromatin condensation by fluorescence microscopic examination followed by DAPI staining of the treated HCT-116 cells which showed nuclear condensation and disintegration. Results Furthermore, it was observed that cynaropicrin elevated the levels of ROS in the cells which modified the mitochondrial membrane permeability in the HCT-116 cell lines. The study also evaluated the levels of apoptotic proteins and the expression of inflammatory cytokines concerning cells treated with cynaropicrin and untreated control cells. Conclusion It has been observed that cynaropicrin treatment can lead to apoptosis in the HCT-116 cell line via mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway and if further evaluated, it can turn out to be a potent anti-cancer drug for effective management of colon cancer.

Artichoke deep learning detection network for site-specific agrochemicals UAS spraying

Input optimization is a distinguishing characteristic of Precision Agriculture approaches, helping reduce the environmental impact and costs and increase vegetable production quality. Thanks to the high automation evolution of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), a new approach derived from their combination with Deep Learning techniques is leading to significant improvements in agricultural management practices. The study aims at artichoke plants detection and georeferencing as a first step for an on-the-fly, real time, UAS spraying system, and use the gathered information to monitor crop development through a multi-temporal approach. A commercial UAS, equipped with an RGB sensor, acquired images of the artichoke field located in Sardinia (Italy) during the 2021–2022 season in different crop growth stages. The FPN (Feature Pyramid Network), trained and compared with the YOLOv5 (You Only Look Once) network, showed a high detection level with an average F1 score of around 90%, and satisfactory off-line performances on the Nvidia Jetson Nano board. YOLOv5 achieved the best overall result. The FPN recorded a lower recall, which is desirable to achieve a minimum number of detection errors and limit the leakage of agrochemicals on false-positive targets. The multi-temporal approach influenced detection performances, with an inverse response of precision and recall metrics. The growing index trend showed a distinct value in October, peaking at the beginning of December as expected. The proposed approach contributes to designing future automatic and reliable site-specific UAS agrochemicals application and the classification of management zones.

Cynaropicrin disrupts tubulin and c-Myc-related signaling and induces parthanatos-type cell death in multiple myeloma

The majority of blood malignancies is incurable and has unforeseeable remitting-relapsing paths in response to different treatments. Cynaropicrin, a natural sesquiterpene lactone from the edible parts of the artichoke plant, has gained increased attention as a chemotherapeutic agent. In this study, we investigated the effects of cynaropicrin against multiple myeloma (MM) cells in vitro and assessed its in vivo effectiveness in a xenograft tumor zebrafish model. We showed that cynaropicrin exerted potent cytotoxicity against a panel of nine MM cell lines and two leukemia cell lines with AMO1 being the most sensitive cell line (IC50 = 1.8 ± 0.3 µM). Cynaropicrin (0.8, 1.9, 3.6 µM) dose-dependently reduced c-Myc expression and transcriptional activity in AMO1 cells that was associated with significant downregulation of STAT3, AKT, and ERK1/2. Cell cycle analysis showed that cynaropicrin treatment arrested AMO1 cells in the G2M phase along with an increase in the sub-G0G1 phase after 24 h. With prolonged treatment times, cells accumulated more in the sub-G0G1 phase, implying cell death. Using confocal microscopy, we revealed that cynaropicrin disrupted the microtubule network in U2OS cells stably expressing α-tubulin-GFP. Furthermore, we revealed that cynaropicrin promoted DNA damage in AMO1 cells leading to PAR polymer production by PARP1 hyperactivation, resulting in AIF translocation from the mitochondria to the nucleus and subsequently to a novel form of cell death, parthanatos. Finally, we demonstrated that cynaropicrin (5, 10 µM) significantly reduced tumor growth in a T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) xenograft zebrafish model. Taken together, these results demonstrate that cynaropicrin causes potent inhibition of hematopoietic tumor cells in vitro and in vivo.

Hepatoprotective effect of Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) in laying hens

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of artichoke plant (Cynara scolymus) at different ratios (0, 5, 10 and 15 g/kg) supplementation into high-energy laying hen diet on performance, egg quality parameters, serum lipid profile, some liver enzymes and liver fat ratio. In total, one hundred and twenty 70-week-old Lohman LSL laying hens were randomly assigned to five groups and each group consisted of six subgroups. The control group was fed the basal feed (2650 kcal/kg ME), and the treatments groups were fed with high energy (2850 kcal/kg ME) including 0, 5, 10 and 15 g/kg artichoke, respectively. The feed and water were given to animals as ad-libitum during the experimental period. Experiment lasted for 8 weeks.The supplementation of 10 g/kg artichoke to the diet improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) and increased egg production. All additive artichoke diets showed the highest eggshell weight, shell breaking strength, shell thickness and yolk color. The addition of artichoke to the high energy diet reduced the serum triglyceride, LDL and VLDL concentration. The GSH, CAT and GPx values which are enzymatic antioxidants in serum were found to be highest in the HE+ artichoke 5 g/kg group. The liver fat content was dramatically lower in laying hens fed on HE+artichoke 10 g/kg diet (18.83 %) compared with those fed on the high energy diet (48.26 %).As s result, dietary supplementation of artichoke could be used in the diets to improve the performance, shell weight, breaking strength, thickness of shell, egg yolk color and reduced to serum triglyceride, LDL and VLDL concentration, liver fat ratio and increased the serum antioxidants enzymes (GSH, CAT and GPx).

Gluten-Free Bread Enriched with Artichoke Leaf Extract In Vitro Exerted Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties.

Due to its high nutritional value and broad beneficial effects, the artichoke plant (Cynara cardunculus L.) is an excellent healthy food candidate. Additionally, the artichoke by-products are usually discarded even though they still contain a huge concentration of dietary fibers, phenolic acids, and other micronutrients. The present work aimed to characterize a laboratory-made gluten-free bread (B) using rice flour supplemented with a powdered extract from artichoke leaves (AEs). The AE, accounting for the 5% of titratable chlorogenic acid, was added to the experimental gluten-free bread. Accounting for different combinations, four different bread batches were prepared. To evaluate the differences, a gluten-free type-II sourdough (tII-SD) was added in two doughs (SB and SB-AE), while the related controls (YB and YB-AE) did not contain the tII-SD. Profiling the digested bread samples, SB showed the lowest glycemic index, while SB-AE showed the highest antioxidant properties. The digested samples were also fermented in fecal batches containing viable cells from fecal microbiota samples obtained from healthy donors. Based on plate counts, no clear tendencies emerged concerning the analyzed microbial patterns; by contrast, when profiling volatile organic compounds, significant differences were observed in SB-AE, exhibiting the highest scores of hydrocinnamic and cyclohexanecarboxylic acids. The fecal fermented supernatants were recovered and assayed for healthy properties on human keratinocyte cell lines against oxidative stress and for effectiveness in modulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in Caco-2 cells. While the first assay emphasized the contribution of AE to protect against stressor agents, the latter enlightened how the combination of SB with AE decreased the cellular TNF-α and IL1-β expression. In conclusion, this preliminary study suggests that the combination of AE with sourdough biotechnology could be a promising tool to increase the nutritional and healthy features of gluten-free bread.

Mathematical modelling of inulin drying and extraction processes

In this study, a natural extract of Jerusalem artichoke was studied. The physicochemical properties of the concentrate obtained from the Jerusalem artichoke plant were studied. In mathematical modeling, there are methods of experimental statistical modeling. In this case, the results of experiments obtained on this installation are used to create a mathematical model of the technological process. The flow motion was studied for solution analysis. The importance of studying flow motion lies in determining the parameters that need to be taken into account in the simulation.

Uptake of different pharmaceuticals in soil and mycorrhizal artichokes from wastewater.

The irrigation with treated wastewater is among the main anthropogenic sources for the release of pharmaceuticals (PhACs) into the soils and their translocation into crops, with possible toxic and adverse effects on humans. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can be employed for the reduction of organic soil pollutants, even if their efficiency depends on the mycorrhizal fungi, the plant colonized, and the type and concentration of the contaminant. This study aimed to evaluate the uptake of PhACs from wastewaters of different qualities used for the irrigation of mycorrhizal artichoke plants, the presence in their edible parts and the role of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The research was carried out on artichoke plants not inoculated and inoculated with two different AMF and irrigated with treated wastewater (TW), groundwater (GW) or GW spiked with different and selected PhACs (SGW). The inocula were a crude inoculum of Septoglomus viscosum (MSE) and a commercial inoculum of Glomus intraradices and Glomus mosseae (MSY). The results of the present study showed that carbamazepine and fluconazole were found in the artichoke only with SGW irrigation. The mycorrhizal plants showed a reduction of the pharmaceutical's uptake, and within the AMF, MSE was more effective in preventing their absorption and translocation.

Valorisation, Green Extraction Development, and Metabolomic Analysis of Wild Artichoke By-Product Using Pressurised Liquid Extraction UPLC-HRMS and Multivariate Data Analysis.

Valorisation of food by-products has recently attracted considerable attention due to the opportunities to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of the food production chain. Large quantities of non-edible parts of the artichoke plant (Cynara cardunculus L.) comprising leaves, stems, roots, bracts, and seeds are discarded annually during industrial processing. These by-products contain many phytochemicals such as dietary fibres, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, whereby the most challenging issue concerns about the recovery of high-added value components from these by-products. The aim of this work is to develop a novel valorisation strategy for the sustainable utilisation of artichoke leaves' waste, combining green pressurised-liquid extraction (PLE), spectrophotometric assays and UPLC-HRMS phytochemical characterization, to obtain bioactive-rich extract with high antioxidant capacity. Multivariate analysis of the major selected metabolites was used to compare different solvent extraction used in PLE.

Quality and Functional Parameters of Fermented Milk Obtained from Goat Milk Fed with Broccoli and Artichoke Plant By-Products.

Large amount of vegetal by-products are generated during production and processing steps. Introducing silage from vegetable by-products into dairy goat feed would be of great interest from the point of view of reducing costs and supporting the circular economy. The aim of this research was to study the effect of 40% inclusion of silage broccoli by-products and artichoke plant by-products in the diet of Murciano-Granadina goats throughout the lactation to establish milk suitability for fermented milks production. The novelty of this study is the use of milk from goats fed for a long term with a high inclusion of silages from artichoke plant and broccoli by-products, being the first one on broccoli inclusion. Two starter cultures thermophilic (YO-MIXTM300), and, mesophilic (MA400) were used and fermented milks were analyzed at two storage times after fermentation. Fermentation enhances antioxidant properties of fermented milks from all diets (p < 0.05), especially when mesophilic starter cultures are used. The main findings are that long term inclusion of 40% silage from broccoli and artichoke plant by-products in balanced diets of dairy goats yields milk suitable for fermentation by yogurt and cheese cultures, the inclusion of broccoli silage enhances antioxidant properties (p < 0.05), and, the inclusion of plant artichoke enhances fatty acids health indexes (p < 0.05).

Preparation of magnetic inulin nanocomposite and its application in the removal of methylene blue and heavy metals from aqueous solution

The environmental pollution by chemical pollutants has expanded. Today, the use of biopolymer composites as adsorbent has attracted a lot of attention due to biopolymers presence in plant tissue also their hybridization with magnetic nanoparticles will increase the removal of contaminants from aqueous solutions. Inulin biopolymer from Jerusalem artichoke plant by using ultrasonic wave simply in presence of Eco-Friendly precursors was extracted and the inulin-Fe3O4 nanocomposite for the first time was synthesized then DLS analysis the pH which maximum adsorption occurs, XRD and FTIR obvious peaks, TGA stability of nanocomposites at high temperatures, EDX elements FESEM and TEM morphology identified VSM showed magnetic saturation of 46.1 emu g−1 which can be separate easily from environment BET the specific surface area of nanocomposite was calculated 25.6 m2/g synthesis of inulin-Fe3O4 nanocomposite is very cost-effective and impressive. The effect of parameters, including dosage of adsorbent and pH on the adsorption capacity, studied which 136.4 mg/g at pH of 7 for methylene blue and 152.5, 167.7, 198 mg/g for Co2+, Cu2+, and Hg2+ respectively on 0.01g adsorbent for pH 5.5 obtained. Competitive adsorption of metal ions was also studied, which 93.1% of Hg2+ can adsorb which is more than the other two ions which indicates its effect on these ions. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic provided a better description of the behavior of this system, the adsorption process is endothermic for methylene blue and exothermic for metals also, the reusability of this nanocomposite for repeated cycles, can be seen.

Hydromulching Enhances the Growth of Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) Plants Subjected to Drought Stress through Hormonal Regulation of Source–Sink Relationships

Mulching the soil with organic-based formulations (hydromulching) is a sustainable alternative to plastic mulching that is here hypothesized to maintain crop production under drought stress by hormonal and metabolic regulation of source–sink relationships. To test this hypothesis, artichoke plants were grown on non-mulched soil and on soil mulched with polyethylene and three different organic mixtures, and subjected to optimal and reduced irrigation regimes. Under drought stress, the growth parameters were higher in plants grown with the different mulching treatments compared to non-mulched plants, which was related to a higher photosynthetic rate and water-use efficiency. Importantly, mulching-associated growth improvement under stress was explained by higher sucrolytic activity in the leaves that was accompanied by a decline in the active cytokinins. Besides this, salicylic acid decreased in the leaves, and abscisic acid and the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid were impaired in the artichoke heads, which is associated with better regulation of photoassimilate partitioning. Taken together, these results help to explain the hydromulching-associated growth improvement of artichokes under water stress through the hormonal regulation of sucrose metabolism, which could be very useful in future breeding programs for drought tolerance.

The Response of Globe Artichoke Plants to Potassium Fertilization Combined with the Foliar Spraying of Seaweed Extract

This work investigated the effects of potassium mineral fertilizers, combined with biofertilizers (T1–T4 treatments) and the foliar spraying of seaweed extract (at 1 g/L, 2 g/L, and 3 g/L) on the vegetative growth characters, chemical constituents of foliage, and the yield and quality parameters of globe artichoke. The maximum height, and the fresh and dry weight of the leaves, was recorded in plants that received only soil with added potassium (T1 treatment) and sprayed with seaweed extract at 3 g/L. Furthermore, the highest number of offshoots per plant was registered in the T2 treatment combined with seaweed extract (3 g/L). T1 and T2 treatments resulted in the highest values of leaf N, P, K, and total carbohydrate content when combined with seaweed extract (3 g/L). The highest numbers of early, late, and total heads per plant were obtained for the T1 treatment and seaweed extract (3 g/L). Similarly, most of the head quality parameters were beneficially affected by the T2 treatment and seaweed extract (3 g/L). In conclusion, it is suggested that soil application of mineral potassium fertilizer (75% of RD) combined with biofertilizer (25% of RD) and the foliar spraying of seaweed extracts at 3 g/L, was most beneficial for the yield and quality parameters of globe artichoke plants.

THE INTENSITY OF THE HEAVY METALS BY TOPINAMBUR IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE OIL-POLLUTED AREAS

This study was aimed to investigate the ability of Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberous L.) to absorb heavy metals in an oil-contaminated ecosystem. The research was carried out in a territory of the oil and gas pipeline at the village of Bytkiv of Nadvirna district. Jerusalem artichokes were used for this study and planted on an area of 25 m2. The area of the experimental field in the village of Maidan of Tysmenytsia district (control option № 1). A total of eight treatments of the experiment with different rates of sewage sludge. It is established that the concentration of heavy metals in oil-contaminated soil and Jerusalem artichoke plants increases with increasing the amount of fertilizers in the soil. The maximum content of metals in the tested soils, green mass and Jerusalem artichoke roots was observed mainly in the variant of sewage sludge application at the rate of 40 t/ha and fertilizer N10P14K58.The green mass and roots of Jerusalem artichoke exhibited the highest content of heavy metals absorption the transition coefficients of metals in the system "roots - green mass" increase in the following : Pb → Co → Ni → Cd. The coefficients of biological absorption of metals by Jerusalem artichoke increase in a number of elements: Co → Ni → Ld → Ca. Where as The coefficients of biological accumulation of heavy metals with Jerusalem artichoke increase in a number of elements following series : L → Co → Ni → Ca. It is recommended to use Jerusalem artichoke as a phytoremediator of man-made areas.