Biennial Plant Research Articles

First Report of Rust Disease on Alcea rosea Caused by Puccinia modiolae in Korea.

Alcea rosea, in the family Malvaceae, is a biennial plant native to China and is grown typically for gardening in Korea (Lee 2003). Seven microcyclic Puccinia species have been reported on A. rosea: P. heterogenea, P. heterospora, P. lobata, P. malvacearum, P. platyspora, P. sherardiana, and P. modiolae (Demers et al. 2015; Aime and Abbasi 2018). In early May 2022, characteristic symptoms of rust were observed on four of ten seedlings of A. rosea purchased at a wholesale nursery (36°50'19.8″N, 128°55'28.7″E) in Bonghwa, Korea. Rust spots were present on almost 90% of the 1,000 seedlings of A. rosea in that nursery during our survey in late May. Through a distribution survey from June to July 2022, similar symptomatic leaves were additionally collected from the leaves of A. rosea grown in gardens at five sites in Gimcheon (two sites), Gumi (one), Seongju (one), and Busan (one). Spots were yellow-orange the center surrounded by chlorotic haloes on the adaxial leaf surface, and reddish-brown or dark brown pustules on the abaxial leaf surface. Over time, the spots enlarged and coalesced, causing the decay of large sections of the leaves, and heavily infected leaves fell early. Spermogonia, produced at the center of the chlorotic spot on the adaxial leaf surface, were subepidermal, obovoid, and 113.2-164.5 × 97.6-153.3 μm in size. Telia were reddish-brown to dark brown, round, mostly grouped, 0.28-0.61 mm in diameter, and mainly formed on the abaxial leaf surface but sometimes on the adaxial leaf surface also. Teliospores were two-celled, but rarely one- or three-celled, and were fusoid and 37. 6-110 × 12.4-21.5 μm in size; the wall was yellowish or almost colorless, smooth, 1.2-2.6 μm thick at the sides, and up to 7.4 μm thick at the apex. The morphological characteristics were similar to those of P. modiolae, although the teliospores in our study were longer than those observed by Aime and Abbasi (2018). For phylogenetic analysis, genomic DNA was extracted from the teliospores of each regional specimen. Partial 18S, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and partial 28S sequences were amplified using primers NS1, ITS4, ITS5, and LR11. The PCR products were sequenced (Celemics, Seoul, Korea) and deposited in GenBank. The ITS-partial large subunit (LSU) sequence and 28S sequences had 100% homology with other P. modiolae sequences deposited in GenBank (accession numbers are shown in Fig. 2). In the phylogenetic trees of the ITS and LSU sequences, the isolates collected in this study were grouped with the reference sequences of P. modiolae, including the Korean isolate (ON631218) recently reported on Malva verticillata by Lee et al. (2022). For the pathogenicity test, the teliospores with germinating basidiospores were suspended in sterile distilled water and smeared on the upper surface of asymptomatic A. rosea leaves in August. The inoculated plants were sprayed with distilled water and kept in the dark with saturated moisture for 24 h in an isolated glass house of the Animal & Plant Quarantine Agent. After 2 weeks, typical rust spots and telia of P. modiolae were observed on the leaves of the inoculated plants, but not in the control plants, which were only sprayed with distilled, sterilized water and otherwise treated similarly to the inoculated plants. The results of this study show that the casual fungus is P. modiolae, which has been commonly found in A. rosea in Korea. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. modiolae in A. rosea in Korea.

Plant Extract-Based Fabrication of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Effective Role in Antibacterial, Anticancer, and Water Treatment Applications.

Ammi visnaga is a biennial or annual herbaceous plant belonging to the family Apiaceae. For the first time, silver nanoparticles were synthesized using an extract of this plant. Biofilms are a rich source of many pathogenic organisms and, thus, can be the genesis of various disease outbreaks. In addition, the treatment of cancer is still a critical drawback for mankind. The primary purpose of this research work was to comparatively analyze antibiofilms against Staphylococcus aureus, photocatalytic activity against Eosin Y, and in vitro anticancer activity against the HeLa cell line of silver nanoparticles and Ammi visnaga plant extract. The systematic characterization of synthesized nanoparticles was carried out using UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, and X-ray diffraction microscopy (XRD). The initial characterization was performed with UV-Vis spectroscopy, where a peak appeared at 435 nm, which indicated the SPR band of the silver nanoparticles. AFM and SEM were performed to determine the morphology and shape of the nanoparticles, while EDX confirmed the presence of Ag in the spectra. The crystalline character of the silver nanoparticles was concluded with XRD. The synthesized nanoparticles were then subjected to biological activities. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by determining the inhibition of the initial biofilm formation with Staphylococcus aureus using a crystal violet assay. The response of the AgNPs against cellular growth and biofilm formation was found to be dose dependent. Green-synthesized nanoparticles showed 99% inhibition against biofilm and bacteria, performed excellent anticancer assay with an IC50 concentration of 17.1 ± 0.6 µg/mL and 100% inhibition, and photodegradation of the toxic organic dye Eosin Y up to 50%. Moreover, the effect of the pH and dosage of the photocatalyst was also measured to optimize the reaction conditions and maximum photocatalytic potential. Therefore, synthesized silver nanoparticles can be used in the treatment of wastewater contaminated with toxic dyes, pathogenic biofilms, and the treatment of cancer cell lines.

OPTIMAL GERMINATION METHODS, ORNAMENTAL PLANT FEATURES, AND EX SITU CONSERVATION OF ENDEMIC CAMPANULA GRANDIS FISCH & C.A. MEY

This study aimed to investigate the ornamental utilization, two-year growth performance in natural habitat and cultural conditions, generative production methods, and morphologic and phenologic plant properties of Campanula grandis, which is an endemic species demonstrating ornamental plant potential and needs ex-situ conservation and cultivation. In addition, the germination and growth performance of seeds collected in the new season was compared with seeds that were kept for one year. Seeds stored dry for 3 months at 4 °C and then treated with 200 ppm GA3 exhibited the highest germination percentage (76%). Furthermore, GA3 treated seeds had best germination speed, shortening the germination time. This study also identified the ideal temperature for germination as 20 °C for the best germination rate. It was revealed that the number of flowers on the plant in natural habitat was 48 while in cultural conditions it was found as 165 flowers in biennial plants. The seedlings were planted in an ex-situ collection garden established for placing the Campanula grandis species under conservation. The Campanula grandis species has the potential for use as an ornamental plant for landscaping applications due to its lengthy flowering period, vigorous second-year stem growth, and numerous, enormous, flamboyant, blue-purple, and bell-shaped flowers.

Beta vulgaris L.-A Source with a Great Potential in the Extraction of Natural Dyes Intended for the Sustainable Dyeing of Wool.

Beta vulgaris L. is a biennial plant easily accessible all over the world, rich in various biologically active compounds, especially a class of extremely bioactive pigments known as betalains. These dyes predominate in the pulp and peels of beetroot, which is why they can be valorized in food, medicine or in the textile industry. In this work, betalains extractions were carried out applying 3 sustainable options: (1) dissolving/solubilizing betalains in water; (2) extraction under pressure; (3) extraction assisted by an enzyme/pectinase. The obtained extracts were analyzed in the UV-Vis domain, which allowed their characterization by determining the total monomeric anthocyanins, color density (control), polymeric density and browning index. The HPLC-MS analysis highlighted the extracts composition. The colors characteristics were determined through CIELab measurements. The performances of these 3 extracts, during green dyeing (without mordants), were evaluated according to the color characteristics (L*, a*, b* and K/S) of the dyed wool samples under different conditions: pH, temperature, duration of dyeing and volume of extract and stabilizers (Vitamin E and EDTA). Betalains can be considered acid dyes, with a low affinity for wool, which in a pronounced acidic environment dye the wool in an intense, uniform way and with good resistance to washing and rubbing.

A systematic review on botany, ethnopharmacology, quality control, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicity of Arctium lappa L. fruit.

Arctium lappa L., is a biennial plant that grows around the Eurasia. Many parts of Arctium lappa L. (roots, leaves and fruits, etc.) are medically used in different countries. Arctium lappa L. fruit, also called Arctii Fructus, is traditionally applied to dispel wind-heat, ventilate lung to promote eruption, remove toxicity substance and relieve sore throat. The review aims to integrate the botany, ethnopharmacology, quality control, phytochemistry, pharmacology, derivatives and toxicity information of Arctii Fructus, so as to facilitate future research and explore the potential of Arctii Fructus as an agent for treating diseases. Related knowledge about Arctii Fructus were acquired from Science Direct, GeenMedical, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science, Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, Doctoral and Master's thesis, ancient books, etc. RESULTS: Arctii Fructus as an herb used for medicine and food was pervasively distributed and applicated around the world. It was traditionally used to treat anemopyretic cold, dyspnea and cough, sore throat, etc. To date, more than 200 compounds have been isolated and identified from Arctii Fructus. It contained lignans, phenolic acids and fatty acids, terpenoids, volatile oils and others. Lignans, especially arctigenin and arctiin, had the extensive pharmacological effects such as anti-cancer, antiviral, anti-inflammatory activities. The ester derivatives of arctigenin had the anti-cancer, anti-Alzheimer's disease and immunity enhancing effects. Although Arctii Fructus extract had no toxicity, arctigenin was toxic at a certain dose. The alleviating effects of Arctii Fructus on chronic inflammation and ageing have been demonstrated by clinical studies. Arctii Fructus is regarded as a worthy herb with many chemical components and various pharmacological effects. Several traditional applications have been supported by modern pharmacological research. However, their action mechanisms need to be further studied. Although many chemical components were isolated from Arctii Fructus, the current research mainly focused on lignans, especially arctiin and arctigenin. Therefore, it is very important to deeply clarify the pharmacological activities and action mechanism of the compounds and make full medicinal use of the resources of Arctii Fructus.

Cucumber mosaic virus and turnip mosaic virus occurrence in garlic mustard in Ukraine

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an herbaceous biennial plant native to Europe. In Ukraine, in addition to becoming a serious invader, garlic mustard can serve as a host to several viruses, which may affect agricultural crops. In view of this, the purpose of the study was to identify the virome of garlic mustard growing in Ukraine. Plant samples collected in Kyiv regions were tested for the presence of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV), watermelon mosaic virus II (WMV), and turnip crinkle virus (TCV) by serological and/or molecular methods. According to the results found in the present study, symptomatic A. petiolata obtained in 2021 were infected with CMV (60%), TuMV (20%), or co-infected with CMV + TuMV (20%). TYMV, WMV II, and TCV were not detected in any of the collected samples. The cDNA fragments encoded the coat protein (CP) gene of CMV and TuMV were sequenced and named as CMV-Ap and TuMV-Ap, respectively. In phylogenetic analysis, the CMV-Ap closely resembled the German isolate MW582807 (Sarracenia sp.), with 99.8% nucleotide identity and belongs to subgroup II of CMV. In the phylogenetic tree, TuMV-Ap clustered with isolates AP017803, AP017764, AP017791, and JQ073722, and represented the highest identity (98.6%) to Iranian isolate IRNTRa9 (AP017803) from Rapistrum rugosum and Turkish isolate TUR49 (AP017872) from Raphanus raphanistrum. The sequences of CMV-Ap and TuMV-Ap were deposited in the GenBank under Accession Numbers MZ540213 and OM799323, respectively. The results obtained in the study indicate the important role of infected garlic mustard as alternative host and natural reservoir of CMV and TuMV from which these economically important viruses can spread to other wild and cultivated plants. This is the first molecular evidence of TuMV infection in A. petiolata from Ukraine.

Valorization of surplus onion for the development and characterization of antioxidant-rich gummies

Allium cepa is an herbaceous biennial plant cultivated for its edible bulb and the elementary ingredient in Indian cooking. The surplus onion presents a huge loss due to drying rotting, sprouting, fungal damage, etc. Formulating an onion gummy is a rich source of antioxidants that can promote healthy living and prevent diseases. Our study developed an antioxidant-rich gummy using red onion transforming its pungent taste using tamarind. The gummy samples were subjected to physicochemical analysis where the pH of the samples was in the range of 5.64 to 5.51, the moisture and sugar content ranged from 59.6 to 57.9 and 60.97 to 59.10 respectively, the texture properties of the gummy jelly showed hardness in the range from 571.81±0.2 to 378.26±0.9 g, chewiness from 1,819.1 ± 64.22 to 1,390.9 ± 56.7 g, adhesiveness from 57.4 ± 1.33 to 58.6 ± 1.55, and springiness from 48.78±0.2 to 40.73±0.4 and finally the chromaticity values (L*, a*, and b*) of gummy jelly were, lightness in the range from 7.78±0.08 to 5.83±0.08, redness from 3.39±0.10 to 0.54±0.08 and yellowness from 1.65±0.05 to 1.27±0.05. The antioxidant activity was analyzed using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity and was in the range of 29.75 to 78.85% and 18 to 62% respectively. The sensory evaluation showed that buying intention was highly ranked followed by appearance, taste, flavor, overall preference, and texture. In this study, we conclude that the antioxidant-rich red onion gummy jelly (ROGJ) developed with potential antioxidant activity can be commercialized and could be a healthy substitute for commercial unhealthy gummy jellies.

The Complete Genome Sequence of Verbascum thapsus (Scrophulariaceae, Lamiales), the Common Mullein.

Verbascum thapsus is a biennial plant native to Europe, northern Africa, and Asia and introduced in the Americas and Australia. We present the whole genome sequence of this species. Illumina paired-end reads were assembled by a de novo method followed by a finishing step. The raw and assembled data are publicly available via GenBank: Sequence Read Archive (SRR18183247) and assembled genome (JAOXOC000000000).

Seed Germination and Seedling Emergence of Lysimachia mauritiana Lam. (Primulaceae)

Lysimachia mauritiana Lam. (Primulaceae), a biennial maritime plant, is widely distributed in East Asia, the Philippines, Micronesia, Polynesia, and the Indian Ocean. Because of this species’ wide distribution in Japan, we hypothesized that it could germinate and grow even in the bare coastal areas damaged by the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the seed germination of L. mauritiana under different sowing depths, temperatures, and salinity soil conditions. The highest germination rate was obtained by sowing L. mauritiana seeds near the soil surface, with germination rate decreasing as the seeding depth increased. Lysimachia mauritiana germinated even at relatively low temperatures. Moreover, we found that L. mauritiana seeds could germinate in less than 1% salt water and in salt-accumulated soil, using soil soaked in 5% or 10% salt water. Our results therefore suggest that L. mauritiana seeds could germinate by sowing on the bare soil surfaces damaged by the tsunami.

Contribution to the Knowledge of Pontechium maculatum(Boraginaceae), a Species of High Conservation Concern in the Bulgarian Flora

Pontechium maculatum (Boraginaceae) is a species of high conservation concern in the Bulgarian flora. It is assigned a national IUCN category ‘Vulnerable’, legally protected according to the national Biological Diversity Act, and listed in Annex II of the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC). Recent studies in one of the largest populations in the country revealed some new data about the species which are reported here. The population studied is situated in Mt Lozenska, Mt Sredna Gora (Western) floristic region. Relevant taxonomic literature states that P. maculatum is a biennial plant, however, our observations revealed the plants in Mt Lozenska are perennial (possibly short-lived). A great variation in the corolla-colour was observed, most plants having bluish to violet corolla and only a few – reddish to dark red. This can be explained by either natural variation in the population, not reported in the taxonomic literature so far, or by hybridisation with Echium vulgare which cooccurs in the same locality. Large fluctuation in the number of flowering plants in two consecutive years was recorded, with some 180 blooming specimens in 2019 and only about 25 in 2020. Studies in the genome size of this population revealed the plants have significantly higher DNA-content (1C-value) than plants from the typical populations of the species in Northeast Bulgaria floristic region, e.g. Kabiyushka Mogila locality. Further biosystematics studies(chromosome number, genome size, genetic studies, etc.) are currently in progress to explain the observed phenomena within the Bulgarian populations of P. maculatum.

Green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles using the outer layer of Allium cepa L. and evaluation of its antimicrobial properties

The recent antimicrobial resistant to the present antibacterial agents has been the biggest problem in the treatment of antimicrobial infection. Over the years, various strategies has been implemented to overcome the resistance the resistance to the available antibiotic agents. In regards to this, phytochemical found in plants like Allium cepa, which has exhibited potent antimicrobial activity has been used by researchers as natural products to fight against bacterial resistance. Allium cepa also known commonly as onion, is an herbaceous biennial plant in the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae) grown for its edible bulb. Copper oxide nanoparticles are one of the most vital nanomaterials used in biomedical application. The phytochemicals in the plant extract were used as reducing and capping agent. The aim of the study is to determine the antimicrobial activity of synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles using Allium cepa (onion) aqueous extracts. The dried outer layer of the Allium cepa was collected and boiled. 150 ml of the plant extract was mixed with 250 ml of the copper nitrate solution, for the purpose of green synthesis. After the reaction was completed, the synthesized nanoparticles was centrifuged, decanted and dried. The dried copper oxide nanoparticles were characterized and accessed for antimicrobial activity. The results of UV-Vis Spectroscopy, FTIR, DLS particles size analysis, TEM and XRD, were obtained and evaluated.

Green Chemometric-Assisted Characterization of Common and Black Varieties of Celery.

Celery (Apium graveolens L., var. Dulce), is a biennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Apiaceae family, cultivated in humid soils in the Mediterranean basin, in Central-Southern Europe, and in Asia. Despite its wide diffusion and although it is well-known that cultivar/origin strongly influences plant composition, only a few studies have been carried out on the different types of celery. The present work aims to investigate four different Italian types of celery (two common, Elne and Magnum celery, and two black, Torricella Peligna Black and Trevi Black celery), and to test, whether the combination of FT-IR spectroscopy and chemometrics allows their ecotype discrimination. The peculiarity of this study lies in the fact that all the analyzed celeries were grown in the same experimental field under the same soil and climate conditions. Consequently, the differences captured by the FT-IR-based tool are mainly imputable to the different ecotypes. In order to achieve this goal, FT-IR profiles were handled by two diverse classifiers: sequential preprocessing through ORThogonalization (SPORT) and soft independent modeling by class analogy (SIMCA). Eventually, the highest classification rate (90%, on an external set of 100 samples) has been achieved by SPORT.

A Review on Preparation of Calendula Oil

Calendula officinalis (calendula), belonging to the family Asteraceae, commonly known as English Marigold or Pot marigold. It is widely cultivated & can be grown in sunny locations. It is an annual or biennial plant attending a height of 30-60cm. It is a herb which is used in Traditional system of medicine for treating Wounds, Ulcers, scars, hair damage, Eczema, Diaper Rash, and Other Skin Conditions, it is mainly used because of its various biological activities to treat diseases as analgesic, antidiabetic ,antiulcers & antiinflammmatory it is also used for gastrointestinal diseases, gynecological problems , eye diseases, skin injuries & some cases of burns. An infusion or tincture of the flower taken internally is beneficial in the treatment of infections & diarrhea. An infusion of calendula officinalis may also be used to treat eye inflammation, boils & abscesses, eczema. This plant is reach in many pharmaceutical active ingredients like carotenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, steroids & sterols quinies, volatile oil & amino acids. Calendula oil is a powerful medicinal oil extracted from the petals of a common species of marigold. By using oil infusion, maceration method calendula oil is extracted, prepared & evaluated. In this review a detailed account of methods of preparation of calendula oil and their medicinal properties have been addressed.

The chloroplast genome of Lappula myosotis V. Wolf, a medicinal species

Lappula myosotis V. Wolf 1776 is an annual or biennial plant with important medicinal value. In the present study, we report the complete chloroplast genome data of L. myosotis, which has a length of 146,668 bp, including a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,059 bp, a large single-copy (LSC) region of 79,691 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 24,959 bp. A total of 127 genes encoding tRNA and rRNA were annotated. The total CG content of the chloroplast genome was 37.7%. The maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree strongly supported that L. myosotis is closely related to Trigonotis peduncularis. The complete chloroplast genome of L. myosotis provides useful information on the evolution and phylogenetic relationship among Boraginaceae plants.

Сохранение клона дерева Закхея (Ficus sycomorus L.) В Ставропольском ботаническом саду

The purpose of the study is to preserve the plant-clone of the Fig tree Zacchaeus in the greenhouse of the Stavropol Botanical Garden. The current changed ecological situation and a large anthropogenic load have led to the deplorable state of the plant. To preserve it, the current members of the IOPS (Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society) and Russian scientists were tasked with preserving and reproducing Ficussycomorus L. The age of Ficussycomorus was determined – about 2000 years, the plant needs special therapeutic and preventive measures for its further preservation. Agrotechnical measures aimed at activating growth processes in the fig tree were carried out. For preservation, the evergreen biennial fig tree plant Zacchaeus was transferred to the Stavropol Botanical Garden named after V.V. Skripchinsky in 2016. The object was a clone of Ficussycomorus L. Phenological observations were carried out according to the generally accepted method. The plant is kept in the greenhouse of the Stavropol Botanical Garden with an average annual air temperature of plus 24.3°C. The highest average daily air temperatures of more than plus 27 to 30°C are observed from May to August, the lowest – in October, November plus 16 … 21°C. For the period 2016-2022 it increased its size from 30 cm to 82 cm, the number of lateral trunk branches from 3 to 20 pcs. A distinctive feature of the plant is a slowdown in growth in the autumn-winter period, partial fall of leaves and a decrease in their length (about 10% of the leaf mass remains on the tree), but syconia are constantly formed, regardless of the length of daylight hours.

Onion Plant Size Measurements as Predictors for Onion Bulb Size

Onion is a biennial plant that produces a bulb. The larger the onion bulb, the more valuable it becomes. Therefore, it is important to study bulb weight and plant size components affecting it. For this study, four New Mexico State Univ. breeding lines and two commercial cultivars, ‘Rumba’ and ‘Stockton Early Yellow’, were selected. These breeding lines and cultivars were evaluated for plant height, leaf number and sheath diameter, at five different dates two weeks apart throughout the growing season, and for bulb weight upon harvest. The experiment was designed as a randomized complete block design with three blocks each containing four replications. Plant size components were all positively correlated with each other and with bulb weight with correlation coefficients above 0.50. NMSU breeding lines also exhibited greater average bulb weights than commercial cultivars. Sheath diameter proved to be the best predictor of bulb size, showing strong positive correlations with bulb weight at around 12 weeks after transplanting, and positive correlations are observed as early as 6–8 weeks after transplanting.

Morphometric analysis and genetic diversity in Glaucium (Papaveraceae) using sequence related amplified polymorphism

Glaucium belongs to the Papaveraceae family. Glaucium is a genus of annual, biennial, and perennial herbaceous plants that thrive on salty soils and near the sea.Glaucium is represented by a total of 10 taxa in Iran. Sequence-related amplified polymorphism was used to estimate genetic diversity. A combination of morphological and genomic data was used to identify genetic diversity and species features in Glaucium species. In eight provinces, 65 people connected to five Glaucium were gathered. Through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of five Glaucium species, a total of 144 (Number of total loci) (NTL) DNA bands were obtained. These bands were created by combining 10 different selective primers. The total number of amplified fragments varied from seven to twenty-six. The expected unbiased heterozygozity (H) ranged from 0.19 (G. grandiflorum subsp. grandiflorum var. grandiflorum) to 0.33 (G. grandiflorum subsp. grandiflorum var. grandiflorum) (G. oxylobum var. oxylobum). The genetic similarities between five species range from 0.63 to 0.88. The findings of clustering revealed two large groupings. The SRAP (Sequence-related amplified polymorphism) markers study revealed that G. grandiflorum and G. oxylobum var. oxylobum had the least similarity. This investigation also discovered a substantial indication of distance isolation (Mantel test results). The current findings indicate that sequence-related amplified polymorphism can discover and understand genetic affinity in Glaucium species. The current findings have consequences for biodiversity and conservation efforts. Aside from that, the current findings may pave the way for identifying acceptable ecotypes for grazing and pasture uses in Iran.

Evaluation of Gastro-protective Activity of Red-cabbage Against Indomethacin Induced Ulcer in Rats

Background and objective: The red cabbage (Brassica oleracea Linn var. capitata) is a leafy green biennial plant that contains beta-carotene, vitamin C and fibre. It is used in cooking for its nutritional value and has known anti-inflammatory activity.This study compared the antiulcerogenic activity of Aqueous Extract of Brassica (AEB) oleracea var. capitata with Misoprostol.Materials and Method: Acute gastric ulcers were induced in albino rats by the oral administration of indomethacin. The gastroprotective potential of the AEB(250,500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight) was compared with Misoprostol (100?g/kg body weight). Results:A significant reduction in the mean number of lesions was observed in high dose AEB (0.83 +/- 0.75) compared with indomethacin (4.00 +/- 1.26). Mean number of lesions were similar in misoprostol groups (1.50 +/- 0.55) and medium dose AEB (1.77 +/- 0.41).No significant reduction in the mean number of lesions was observed in low dose AEB (3.00 +/- 0.63) compared with indomethacin (4.00 +/- 1.26). Inhibition percentage was maximum in high dose AEB (97.71%) and minimum in low dose AEB (28.08%).Conclusions: The AEB demonstrated good antiulcerogenic activities which justify the inclusion of this plant in the management of gastric disorders. Further experiments are underway to determine which anti-ulcer mechanisms involved in gastroprotection.

Karyology and Genome Size Analyses of Iranian Endemic Pimpinella (Apiaceae) Species.

Pimpinella species are annual, biennial, and perennial semibushy aromatic plants cultivated for folk medicine, pharmaceuticals, food, and spices. The karyology and genome size of 17 populations of 16 different Pimpinella species collected from different locations in Iran were analyzed for inter-specific karyotypic and genome size variations. For karyological studies, root tips were squashed and painted with a DAPI solution (1 mg/ml). For flow cytometric measurements, fresh leaves of the standard reference (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Stupick, 2C DNA = 1.96 pg) and the Pimpinella samples were stained with propidium iodide. We identified two ploidy levels: diploid (2x) and tetraploid (4x), as well as five metaphase chromosomal counts of 18, 20, 22, 24, and 40. 2n = 24 is reported for the first time in the Pimpinella genus, and the presence of a B-chromosome is reported for one species. The nuclear DNA content ranged from 2C = 2.48 to 2C = 5.50 pg, along with a wide range of genome sizes between 1212.72 and 2689.50 Mbp. The average monoploid genome size and the average value of 2C DNA/chromosome were not proportional to ploidy. There were considerable positive correlations between 2C DNA and total chromatin length and total chromosomal volume. The present study results enable us to classify the genus Pimpinella with a high degree of morphological variation in Iran. In addition, cytological studies demonstrate karyotypic differences between P. anthriscoides and other species of Pimpinella, which may be utilized as a novel identification key to affiliate into a distinct, new genus – Pseudopimpinella.

Annual and biennial invasive species in the flora of Ivanovo

The paper analyzes invasive plant species in a large regional center of European Russia the city of Ivanovo. Based on the conducted research (by 2022) a group of 25 annual and biennial invasive plant species were identified in Ivanovo, which belong to 10 families and 19 genera. The authors have established ecopopological features of successfully naturalized of these species within the city limits, as well as their association with certain natural and anthropogenic ecotopes. 4 most active species (Bidens frondosa, Heraculum sosnowsky, Impatiens glandulifera, I. parviflora) are classified as transformers. They form dense monodominant thickets in various parts of the city, successfully compete and displace species of native flora. The largest number of species occurs in ecotopes, which are characterized by a simplified structure and lability. 17 species are in the composition of natural ecotopes, and the most vulnerable among them are water bodies and riparian communities. Among the anthropogenic ecotopes, habitats (24 species), roadsides (20 species) and wastelands (19 species) are more actively populated by invasive annual and biennial species. The problems of control and management of the spread of invasive species, including a large group of annual and biennial plants, should be solved comprehensively, within the framework of general economic and social urban programs based on scientific monitoring data.