Cultivated Flowers Research Articles

Biocontrol potential of an artificial synthetic bacterial consortium against peony root rot disease

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa), a traditional Chinese cultivated flowering shrub and a prominent landscaping plant, is subject to root rot. The key symptoms of root rot include black roots and the yellowing of leaves. Biological control is an effective and eco-friendly strategy for managing this disease. This study focused on the isolation, identification, and biological control of the pathogens causing peony root rot. Utilizing tissue isolation, pathogenicity determination, and rDNA-ITS sequence analysis, Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum were determined to be the primary causal agents of peony root rot. Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing of 16 s-rDNA was used to investigate and characterize bacterial community structure and diversity in healthy and diseased peony roots, rhizosphere, and bulk soil. Results indicated that the presence of pathogenic fungi influences the structure of the rhizosphere bacterial community and that peony roots exhibit a strong selective effect on root bacterial colonization. Variations in the composition of the endophytic microbial community in healthy and diseased roots exceeded the variation in the rhizosphere. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria are the dominant taxa in the rhizosphere and among root endophytes, comprising 90–96 % of the bacterial microbiota. The rhizosphere of healthy plants exhibits a significant enrichment in Proteobacteria (79.6 %) and Actinobacteria (14.9 %), while root endophytes in healthy plats exhibit enrichment in Proteobacteria (83.5 %). In contrast, the rhizosphere and root endophytes in diseased plants are abundant in Proteobacteria (69 % and 66.1 %, respectively). Notably, nine strains of biocontrol bacteria were isolated. Three synthetic bacterial consortia were then constructed based on inhibitory assays and the dissolving rates of phosphorus and potassium exhibited by the candidate bacteria. The synthetic bacterial consortia were evaluated for biocontrol and growth promotion properties. The constructed synthetic consortium with the best performance reduced the average morbidity and mortality of treated plants by 27.59 % and 55.56 %, respectively, compared to the untreated control. In summary, synthetic bacterial consortium I (SCI) exhibited the best disease control and growth-promoting effects on tree peony. Using a synthetic bacterial consortium represents a new and novel approach to the biological control of peony root rot.

Molecular identification of Hymenopteran insects collected by using Malaise traps from Hazarganji Chiltan National Park Quetta, Pakistan.

The order Hymenoptera holds great significance for humans, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, due to its role as a pollinator of wild and cultivated flowering plants, parasites of destructive insects and honey producers. Despite this importance, limited attention has been given to the genetic diversity and molecular identification of Hymenopteran insects in most protected areas. This study provides insights into the first DNA barcode of Hymenopteran insects collected from Hazarganji Chiltan National Park (HCNP) and contributes to the global reference library of DNA barcodes. A total of 784 insect specimens were collected using Malaise traps, out of which 538 (68.62%) specimens were morphologically identified as Hymenopteran insects. The highest abundance of species of Hymenoptera (133/538, 24.72%) was observed during August and least in November (16/538, 2.97%). Genomic DNA extraction was performed individually from 90/538 (16.73%) morphologically identified specimens using the standard phenol-chloroform method, which were subjected separately to the PCR for their molecular confirmation via the amplification of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. The BLAST analyses of obtained sequences showed 91.64% to 100% identities with related sequences and clustered phylogenetically with their corresponding sequences that were reported from Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, Germany, India, Israel, and Pakistan. Additionally, total of 13 barcode index numbers (BINs) were assigned by Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD), out of which 12 were un-unique and one was unique (BOLD: AEU1239) which was assigned for Anthidium punctatum. This indicates the potential geographical variation of Hymenopteran population in HCNP. Further comprehensive studies are needed to molecularly confirm the existing insect species in HCNP and evaluate their impacts on the environment, both as beneficial (for example, pollination, honey producers and natural enemies) and detrimental (for example, venomous stings, crop damage, and pathogens transmission).

Pest thrips do not set field margins aside: preferred wildflowers sustain pest Frankliniella spp. (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and their migration in commercial strawberry

Wildflowers in uncultivated field margin are important resources supporting both pest and non-pest thrips populations in agroecosystems. Environmental factors related to wildflowers have never been used as predictors to model pest thrips density in adjacent crops. Wild and cultivated flowers were sampled in strawberry field agroecosystem in Orléans Island, near Quebec City, Canada. Pest flower thrips Frankliniella intonsa and F. tritici had a wide wildflower host range, with preferences toward Leucanthemum vulgare, Trifolium pratense, Sonchus asper, and Cichorium intybus. Regression modeling revealed significant positive relationships between pest thrips density on specific wildflowers (Vicia cracca, Sinapis arvensis, S. asper, C. intybus, L. vulgare) and their density in strawberry flowers. Furthermore, thrips density within the crop decreased with distance from uncultivated field margin. Regarding crop management, knowing the associations between thrips pests and preferred wild flora as well as their spatial distribution in strawberry fields is an undeniable advantage.

Wild plants in hedgerows and weeds in crop fields are important floral resources for wild flower-visiting insects, independently of the presence of intercrops

The availability of diverse floral resources is crucial for the maintenance of pollinating insects and the pollination service they provide in agricultural landscapes. Ensuring plant diversity is thus essential for the maintenance and even restoration of pollinator communities. Many studies have highlighted the beneficial effects for pollinating insects of the floral resources provided either by uncultivated plants in agroecological infrastructures such as hedgerows and in crop fields, or by the addition of cultivated flowers through intercropping. However, the role of these different co-occurring vegetation types in providing floral resources to wild flower-visiting insects remains unexplored simultaneously, especially regarding their potential interacting effects. Using a paired design sampling approach, we investigated the contribution of floral resources provided by hedgerows, weeds in crop fields, and legumes intercropped with winter cereals, and their interacting effects, to the abundance of different groups of wild flower-visiting insects, plant-insect interactions and insect preferences. Our results show that the abundance of most groups of floral visitors were enhanced by the cover or species richness of floral resources provided by hedgerows or by weeds in crop fields. Interactions between uncultivated plants and insects were driven by the presence of some particular ‘preferred’ plant species offering either abundant, accessible or high-quality floral resources. By contrast, abundance of floral visitors was not enhanced by the addition of legume flowers through intercropping. The positive effects of flowering wild plants in hedgerows and crop fields remained mostly unchanged in the presence of intercrops, because of the limited contribution of legumes in providing attractive floral resources to floral visitors. Our results highlight the critical role of floral resources provided by weeds in crop fields for diverse flower-visiting insects, in addition to the floral resources provided by hedgerows. We recommend that agri-environment schemes should promote a wide diversity of floral resources at field margins through the retention of existing semi-natural elements or the sowing of wildflower mixtures. More importantly, our study encourages the seeking of alternative forms of weed management, which support a trade-off between the maintenance of pollinating insects and pollination service provision on the one hand, and crop yields and incomes for farmers on the other.

Comparison of mineral content between spontaneous and cultivated flowering stems of Sideritis scardica

Comparison of mineral content between spontaneous and cultivated flowering stems of Sideritis scardica

Edible Flowers Used in Some Countries of the Mediterranean Basin: An Ethnobotanical Overview

Edible flowers are becoming an essential component of people's nutrition in the Mediterranean basin. In the last decades, many researchers also have focused their attention on the nutritional composition of the edible flowers, as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, including studies on their safety issues. Despite the growing interest in the use of flowers in human nutrition, the ethnobotanical literature is lacking coverage of some important issues, particularly those which concern the use of flowers in the folk tradition. Only recently, a review regarding the contribution of 32 edible flowers to the Mediterranean diet was published. The aim of the present review is to document the plant lore regarding the wild and cultivated edible flowers consumed in the Mediterranean basin. Based on the 112 studies reviewed, we documented 251 taxa as being used in the Mediterranean basin as edible flowers. The plant species belong to 45 families and 141 genera. Asteraceae (54 taxa) is the most frequently cited family. Sambucus nigra L. is the most cited species. This study can be the basis for future research on the supposed bioactivity and toxicity of wild and cultivated flowers.

Floral concretes from two tuberose cultivars for potent uses in herbal skin-care products

Flowers of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) are usually fragrant and are cultivated commercially to meet the demand of both loose and cut flower applications. This in turn generates huge floral wastes after their utilization in decoration and rituals. In this work we aim to explore waste flowers to isolate floral concrete as by-product for possible utility in skincare products. Such attempt of converting floral waste into commodity product remained apparently unexplored with cultivated flowers including tuberose. Further, no information is apparently available on the phytoconstituent of the tuberose floral concrete that constitute its waxy nature. Here we extracted floral concrete from waste flowers of two popular tuberose cultivars namely, Calcutta Single (CS) and Calcutta Double (CD) using n-hexane as solvent. Floral concrete extracts after derivatization were subjected to GC-MS analysis which revealed the presence of several fatty acid and fatty acid ester compounds. Presence of higher content of fatty acids in floral concrete of CD was detected. In contrast, ester components were found to be higher in CS, suggestive of its fragrant nature. Extracted floral concretes from both the cultivars exhibited comparable antioxidant capacities and DNA protection abilities. Further, floral concrete from CS cultivar showed higher inhibition of tyrosinase activity than CD, while elastase and hyaluronidase activities were greatly inhibited by the extracted concrete from CD cultivar suggesting their possible utility in skin-care product.

First Report of Clover Yellow Vein Virus on Orchid (Dendrobium sp.) in South Korea.

Orchid is one of the most popular and commercially important cultivated flowers in the world. Among many orchid species, Dendrobium species are popular cut flowers and potted plants in South Korea. In March 2019, 10 Dendrobium orchid plants in a greenhouse in Daegu, South Korea showed large chlorotic blotches, mosaic and mottle symptoms. One leaf each from the 10 symptomatic orchid plants by leaf dip-preparations and transmission electron microscopy (JEM-1400; JEOL Inc., Tokyo, Japan) after leaf dip-preparations (Brenner and Horne 1959; Richert-Pöggeler et al. 2019). Typical potyvirus-like particles of flexuous and filamentous shape and ∼ 760 × 15 nm length/width were observed in all tested samples. The presence of potyvirus was confirmed by serological detection with a commercially available ImmunoStrip® for potyvirus group (Agdia, Elkhart, USA). In contrast, a negative result was obtained for a virus-free Dendrobium plant by the serological test. The two most common viruses in orchids, namely odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV) and cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV) in all Dendrobium samples were not detected in any samples by an ImmunoStrip® for ORSV and CymMV (Agdia, Elkhart, USA). To determine the species of the virus, total RNA was extracted from all 10 ImmunoStrip®-positive samples using the RNeasy plant mini kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). Subsequently, reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) products (~1,625 bp) were amplified using potyvirus- specific primer pair (Gibbs and Mackenzie, 1997) and sequenced by the Sanger method at Macrogen (Seoul, South Korea). Sequencing results showed 100% nucleotide identity among 10 samples. Thus, one sequence was chosen for identification of virus species using sequence comparison. BLASTn analysis showed that the nucleotide sequence and its deduced amino acid sequence of the amplicon shared 95.4-98.7% and 96.2-99.6% identity to multiple clover yellow vein virus (ClYVV) sequences (e.g., accession no. AB011819) in GenBank. To further confirm the presence of ClYVV and determine if other viral agents were present in the samples, total RNA from three of the 10 symptomatic plants was depleted of ribosomal RNAs and subjected to high-throughput sequencing (HTS) analysis on a HiSeq 4000 platform (Macrogen Inc., Seoul, South Korea). A total of 3,764,432, 4,203,881, and 4,139,775 of 150-bp paired-end clean reads were obtained for the three samples. After de novo assembly of the reads with Trinity (Haas et al. 2013), 5, 6 and 7 contigs were obtained and searched with BLASTn against NCBI viral refseq database. Eighteen contigs from all three samples sized at 2,176-9,432 nt exhibited 94.0-97.9% nucleotide identity with the complete genome sequences of other ClYVV isolates (e.g., accession no. AB011819) deposited in Genbank; no other viruses were identified by HTS. The complete genome sequence (9,585 nucleotides in length) of ClYVV Dendrobium isolate (ClYVV-Den) was determined using ClYVV-specific primers (Takahashi et al., 1997) and the sequence of CIYVV-Den was deposited to GenBank (Accession no. LC506604). Together, these results support that symptomatic Dendrobium orchids were infected with ClYVV-Den in this study. ClYVV has been previously reported affecting Calanthe orchids in Japan (Inouye et al., 1988; Ikegami et al., 1995). Our results suggest that ClYVV may be detrimental to the production of Dendrobium orchids or commercial ornamental crops in South Korea. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ClYVV in Dendrobium sp. in South Korea.

Floral reorientation: the restoration of pollination accuracy after accidents.

Plants sometimes suffer mechanical injury. The nonlethal collapse of a flowering stalk, for example, can greatly reduce plant fitness if it leads to 'incorrect' floral orientation and thus reduced visitation or poor pollination. When floral orientation is important for accurate pollination, as has been suggested for bilaterally symmetrical flowers, we predict that such flowers should have developmental and/or behavioural mechanisms for restoring 'correct' orientation after accidents. We made observations and conducted experiments on 23 native and cultivated flowering plant species in Australia, South America, North America and Europe. We found that flowers with bilateral symmetry usually have the capacity to reorient after accidents, and that this is manifested through rapid bending and/or rotation of pedicels or sexual organs or slower peduncle bending. Floral reorientation restores pollination accuracy and fit with pollinators. However, experimental floral misorientation in eight species with radially symmetrical flowers showed that, with one exception, they had little capacity to reorient their flowers, in line with expectations that the orientation of radially symmetrical flowers does not substantially affect pollination accuracy. Our results suggest that quick corrective reorientation of bilaterally symmetrical flowers is adaptive, highlighting a little-studied aspect of plant-pollinator interactions and plant evolution.

Multiple Lines of Evidence for Independent Origin of Wild and Cultivated Flowering Cherry (Prunus yedoensis).

As with many other ornamental and cultivated plants that have been under human selection and cultivation for a long time, it has been a major challenge to trace back the complex evolutionary history of flowering cherry, Prunus yedoensis. This challenge has been further amplified by great morphological similarities, little molecular divergence, frequent natural and artificial hybridization, and poor documentation of breeding history among cultivated and wild flowering cherries. The origin and taxonomic distinction between wild P. yedoensis from Jeju Island, Korea, and one of the most popular cultivated flowering cherries, P. × yedoensis “Somei-yoshino” has been a controversy for the past few decades. We sampled many areas extensively, and using four different molecular markers we provided evidence for their independent origin. Wild P. yedoensis in Korea originated from multiple bidirectional hybridization events between two sympatric species, P. spachiana f. ascendens as the maternal species and P. serrulata var. spontanea/P. serrulata var. quelpaertensis as the most probable paternal species. On the contrary, our results supported a single artificial hybrid origin of P. × yedoensis “Somei-yoshino” from cultivated P. spachiana f. ascendens as the maternal species and P. speciosa, a species endemic to Izu Islands, as the paternal species. Based on extensive sampling, we provided strong evidence that wild and cultivated P. yedoensis are distinct taxonomic entities that have originated from different evolutionary processes. A potential for the development of new cultivars from wild P. yedoensis and conservation of diverse germplasms in situ insular setting and ex situ should be explored in the future.

Characterization and selection of torch ginger for cut flower

Torch ginger, Etlingera elatior, is among the most cultivated tropical flower of its genus. Its great acceptability in the market led researchers to improve production characteristics and to adapt it for commercialization. This study aimed to characterize 10 genotypes of torch ginger in order to select and recommend them as cut flower. The experiment ran from Jan 2014 to Dec 2016 in Paulista, Brazil and nine agro-morphological characteristics were evaluated to build a grading system that determined their suitability for cut flower. The IAC 26 and IAC 34 genotypes were classified as poorly suitable, for they presented fresh mass exceeding 237 g. They also presented less than 19 flower stems per clump and only one month with ≥1 floral stem produced in 2015. The genotypes IAC 1, IAC 2, IAC 3, IAC 11, IAC 13 and the cultivar IAC Prumirim were classified as suitable, although they obtained intermediate scores for most of the evaluated criteria. The genotype IAC 41 and the cultivar IAC Camburi were classified as very suitable for cut flower, beginning of flowering period at 12 months, produce 33.25 and 41.20 flower stem per clump, respectively, and present seven months with production of more than one floral stem per clump in 2016, achieving maximum scores from most of the evaluated characteristics.

Complete chloroplast genome of cultivated flowering cherry, Prunus ×yedoensis ‘Somei-yoshino’ in comparison with wild Prunus yedoensis Matsum. (Rosaceae)

Prunus ×yedoensis Matsum. ‘Somei-yoshino’ is the most common and widespread cultivar of the ornamental flowering cherries. We hereby report its complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences generated by whole-genome next-generation sequencing approach. The cp genome size was 157,792 bp in length consisting of four regions; large single-copy region (85,914 bp), small single-copy region (19,120 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (26,379 bp). The genome contained a total of 131 genes, including 86 coding genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 37 tRNA genes. A total of 92 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected within the cp genome. Its molecular features were compared with the complete cp genome of wild P. yedoensis, which occurs rarely in natural habitats of Mt. Halla in Jeju Island, Korea, displaying nearly indistinguishable morphology as P. ×yedoensis ‘Somei-yoshino’. Although both cp genomes were structured highly alike, the sequence variations between them were revealed in several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Using additional individuals of wild and cultivated flowering cherries, PCR amplification confirmed that those SNPs were phylogenetically informative, providing distinction between wild and cultivated flowering cherries. In future study, the SNPs and SSRs reported in this study could be used to identify wild individuals from morphologically identical cultivars of flowering cherries and also to conserve the genetic diversity of wild flowering cherries in Jeju Island.

Visual approach computation in feeding hoverflies.

ABSTRACTOn warm sunny days, female hoverflies are often observed feeding from a wide range of wild and cultivated flowers. In doing so, hoverflies serve a vital role as alternative pollinators, and are suggested to be the most important pollinators after bees and bumblebees. Unless the flower hoverflies are feeding from is large, they do not readily share the space with other insects, but instead opt to leave if another insect approaches. We used high-speed videography followed by 3D reconstruction of flight trajectories to quantify how female Eristalis hoverflies respond to approaching bees, wasps and two different hoverfly species. We found that, in 94% of the interactions, the occupant female left the flower when approached by another insect. We found that compared with spontaneous take-offs, the occupant hoverfly's escape response was performed at ∼3 times higher speed (spontaneous take-off at 0.2±0.05 m s−1 compared with 0.55±0.08 m s−1 when approached by another Eristalis). The hoverflies tended to take off upward and forward, while taking the incomer's approach angle into account. Intriguingly, we found that, when approached by wasps, the occupant Eristalis took off at a higher speed and when the wasp was further away. This suggests that feeding hoverflies may be able to distinguish these predators, demanding impressive visual capabilities. Our results, including quantification of the visual information available before occupant take-off, provide important insight into how freely behaving hoverflies perform escape responses from competitors and predators (e.g. wasps) in the wild.

Chloroplast Noncoding DNA Sequences Reveal Genetic Distinction and Diversity between Wild and Cultivated Prunus yedoensis

Cultivated flowering cherries (Prunus subgenus Cerasus), which are one of the most popular ornamental trees around the world, have been developed through artificial hybridizations among wild flowering cherries. Among the hundreds of cultivars of flowering cherries, Prunus ×yedoensis ‘Somei-yoshino’ is the most common and widespread. However, its origin and genetic relationship to wild P. yedoensis, naturally occurring on Jeju Island, South Korea, have long been debated. We used sequence polymorphisms in eight chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) noncoding regions to distinguish wild and cultivated flowering cherries among 104 individuals (55 accessions). We were able to distinguish two distinct groups, one corresponding to wild P. yedoensis collections from Jeju Island and the other collections of cultivated P. ×yedoensis from Korea, Japan, and the United States. The chlorotype diversity of wild P. yedoensis in Jeju Island and cultivated P. ×yedoensis collections in the United States was quite high, suggesting multiple natural hybrid origins and long history of cultivation from different original sources, respectively.

The Meaning of Flowers: A Cultural and Perceptual Exploration of Ornamental Flowers

Background:Since ancient times people have been attracted by flowers and have invested precious energy to cultivate them even though there is no known reward for this costly behavior- in all cultures. How can this attraction be understood? To what extend is this relationship between people and flowers made up of evolutionary, cognitive, perceptual, emotional or socio-cultural components? Does it shift within different cultures? How can we better understand the attraction of people to flowers on both a cultural and universal level? Many questions in this field remain open.Objective:To understand culturally constructed versus universal-perceptual components of the attraction of people to flowers. To explore how different types of cultivated flowers (with different perceptual elements) are conceptualized within a specific culture.Methods:Using mixed methods, we investigated the comparative preference of 150 participants for four visually different flowers. We explored the reasons for the preferred choice of flower. Based on the above first phase, we investigated participants' perceptions of the concept of a generic 'flower' and compared this to a mandala. Based on this second phase, we moved into cultural, perceptual and psychological theories using a concept-map, to access cultural understandings of specific flowers.Results:All four different flowers were equally chosen as first choice and therefore we introduced the generic or universal concept of 'floweriness' that was characterized by enhancing calmness and happiness.On this level, the concept of the flower ranked higher for inducing happiness as compared to a mandala shape that induced more interest. The other three flowers were ranked and differentiated in terms of the cultural connotations that their different visual components aroused, within the context of Israeli culture.Conclusion:The results illustrate the interactive synergetic interplay between universal perceptual and specific cultural elements in relation to specific flowers. Together with this differentiation, the results also point to a central concept of “floweriness” that transcends the specific cultural connotations of specific flowers.

Elucidating variable traits of flower pigments in clivian plants’ species

Elucidating Variable Traits of Flower Pigments in Clivian Plants' Species Colour patterns of flowers are vital commercial characteristics that influence floricultural plants and industries around the globe because of the multiple colour pigmentation produced by flowering plants. Flower colour patterns comprising different sets of colour can be found in many plant species and their cultivars. The varieties of an ornamental cultivated flowering plant like Clivia have also improved significantly in the floricultural industry worldwide. Clivias were recently subjected to a notable deal of retail market among conventional breeders to enhance varieties of variable flower colour traits, thus allowing the idea to understand and explore the origin and development new plant varieties. However, these ideas will be more credible if innovative studies are done on flower modification of pigments. Nonetheless, the review was focused on Clivia biology, flavonoid pigments, and factors affecting anthocyanins accumulation and colour in flowers, anthocyanin biosynthetic structural genes and CHS and ANS gene expression in flowering plants. In addition, the review concentrated on known important species of clivia, specifically on Clivia miniata, and the general studies of flavonoid biosynthetic genes from other plants in regards to flower pigmentation....

Range Extension of Two Bumble Bee Species (Hymenoptera: Apidae) into Olympic National Park

Abstract Bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombus) are cold-adapted insects, primarily known for their importance in providing ecosystem services to wild and cultivated flowering plants. Recent expeditions into the wilderness regions of the Olympic Mountains of Olympic National Park, USA discovered undocumented populations of two bumble bee species: Bombus sylvicola and B. vandykei. Application of species distribution models with range-wide locality records identified the Olympic Mountains to have high habitat suitability for B. sylvicola and low habitat suitability for B. vandykei. Our results suggest that Olympic National Park is a habitat island for B. sylvicola, isolated from the relatively contiguous distribution of the species in the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. Bumble bees are sensitive to environmental change, thus our discoveries will likely stimulate conservation-oriented investigations on these charismatic pollinators on the Olympic Peninsula and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Investigation of quality and antimicrobal activity of cultivated marigold flowers Calendula officinalis L.

Introduction: Marigold flower, Calendula officinalis L, Asteraceae, is traditionally used to treat skin diseases. Marigold flowers contain triterpenoid saponins, carotenoids, flavonoids and essential oil. Extracts and essential oil exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate quality of cultivated Calendulae flos, to compare flavonoids content in inflorescence and ligulate florets and to determine antimicrobial activity of extract and traditional ointment based on marigold. Material and Methods: Plant material was collected from private gardens in Kikinda, Mokrin and Vrnjacka Banja during September and November 2015. Quality investigation included: macroscopic and microscopic analysis and determination of the specific quality according to the monograph of European Pharmacopoeia 7.0. The identification of flavonoids was carried out by HPLC. Antimicrobial activity of ethanol extracts (1:20) and traditional ointment based on ligulate florets or whole inflorescences was tested against six standard laboratory strains by agar-diffusion method. Results: Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics and content of flavonoids (2.0-2.76%) in the ligulate florets of cultivated marigold corresponded to the requirements of Ph. Eur. 7.0. Separated ligulate florets (2.76 ± 0.01%) contained a higher concentration of flavonoids than whole inflorescence (1.68 ± 0.0%). Also, in ligulate florets differences were found in the flavonoids content during September (2.76 ± 0.01%) and November (1.45 ± 0.01%), while in whole inflorescences concentration didn't significantly change. In all tested samples 3-O-heterosides of quercetin and isorhamnetin were identified. The ethanol extracts of ligulate florets, whole inflorescence as well as traditional ointments showed the antimicrobial activity. The traditional ointment based on ligulate florets showed stronger antimicrobial effect than the ointment based on full inflorescences. Conclusion: Quality investigation showed that cultivated marigold flowers meet the requirements of Ph. Eur. 7.0. Ligulate florets contained more flavonoids than whole inflorescences. Extracts and traditional ointment based on ligulate florets showed antimicrobial activity, which confirmed long-term use of marigold.

Diversity and plant growth-promoting ability of endophytic fungi from the five flower plant species collected from Yunnan, Southwest China

The diversity and plant growth-promoting ability of endophytic fungi associated with the five flower plant species growing in Yunnan, Southwest China, were investigated. A total of 357 culturable endophytic fungi were isolated from 1000 segments of healthy leaves and stems of the five plant species. Based on the morphological characteristics and the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) analysis, the isolates were identified to 24 taxa, of which Alternaria, Phomopsis, Cladosporium, and Colletotrichum were the dominant genera. The Sorenson's coefficient similarity indices of the endophytic fungi from the five flower plant species ranged from 0.36 to 0.80. It was found that the similarity index between two cultivated flowers (0.8) or the similarity index between two wild flowers (0.71–0.76) was higher than the similarity index between one cultivated flower and one wild flower (0.36–0.48). The Shannon indices (H) of the endophytic fungi from the five plant species ranged from 1.73 to 2.45, and the diversity indices of the wild flowers were higher than those of the cultivated flowers. The plant growth-promoting tests indicated that some isolates could improve the host plants' growth more efficiently when compared with the control (p < 0.05, least significant difference test).

Efecto del manejo de cortinas sobre los días a cosecha y la calidad en rosa de exportación (Rosa sp. var. Freedom) cultivada bajo invernadero

Las rosas son las plantas ornamentales de exportación más cultivadas en el Ecuador. En esta investigación llevada a cabo en las zonas de Machachi y La Leticia, provincia de Pichincha, Ecuador, se evaluó el efecto de ambientes diferenciados por el manejo de cortinas tanto en los días a cosecha como en la calidad en rosa de exportación (Rosa sp variedad Freedom) cultivada en invernadero. Se evaluaron dos tratamientos donde se diferenció el manejo de cortinas de los invernaderos: 1. cortinas completamente cerradas, y 2. manejo combinado abertura-cierre. Para determinar los días a cosecha se usaron dos métodos, uno predictivo denominado TEMPSUM (temperatura sumada en °C acumulados requerida para esta cosecha) y otro directo usando los datos reales desde el “pinch”. Los resultados de este análisis indicaron que los datos reales no se correlacionan con los estimados en TEMPSUM. Los parámetros de calidad evaluados fueron largo de tallo, largo y ancho del botón y número de pétalos. Como resultados se observa solo una tendencia en el tratamiento de cortinas completamente cerradas, que favorece la reducción en los días a la cosecha, e incremento de la calidad respecto al largo de tallos en una de las zonas evaluadas. No hubo diferencias significativas en ninguna de las variables evaluadas.