Great Plant Research Articles

Moringa oleifera: The Science Behind its Extraordinary Health Benefits

Moringa oleifera Lam., which is commonly known as the “drumstick tree,” is a beautiful plant that has been used for many years in traditional ways and is now being studied by scientists. This thorough review covers a lot of different areas of M. oleifera, from its botanical features to the many ways it is used in medicine, nutrition, and protecting the environment. In the introduction, it is explained that M. oleifera is found all over the world and does well in tropical and subtropical areas in places like Asia, Africa, and the Americas. There are many names for M. oleifera, including the drumstick tree, the ginger tree, and the ben oil tree. It is known for being useful and adaptable. This review goes into more detail about M. oleifera's health benefits and nutritional value, focusing on how full it is of natural antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. People all over the world have used M. oleifera for hundreds of years as a food source and herbal medicine because its leaves, seeds, flowers, and pods are full of important nutrients. This review looks at how M. oleifera can be used as a medicine, focusing on its antibacterial properties and ability to reduce pain and inflammation. Modern research backs up its traditional uses and suggests that it could be useful in treating diabetes, high blood pressure, and skin problems. Besides being good for people's health, M. oleifera is also a great plant for protecting the environment. Because it grows quickly, doesn't die from drought, and improves the soil, it is very useful in agroforestry and land restoration. It can also do well in a variety of climates, which shows how useful it could be for reducing climate change and promoting biodiversity. The review ends by talking about the bigger effects that growing M. oleifera has on society, like how it helps with food security, economic empowerment, and protecting the environment.

Identification of a Major QTL for Seed Protein Content in Cultivated Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Using QTL-Seq.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a great plant protein source for human diet since it has high protein content in the kernel. Therefore, seed protein content (SPC) is considered a major agronomic and quality trait in peanut breeding. However, few genetic loci underlying SPC have been identified in peanuts, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain unknown, limiting the effectiveness of breeding for high-SPC peanut varieties. In this study, a major QTL (qSPCB10.1) controlling peanut SPC was identified within a 2.3 Mb interval in chromosome B10 by QTL-seq using a recombinant inbred line population derived from parental lines with high and low SPCs, respectively. Sequence comparison, transcriptomic analysis, and annotation analysis of the qSPCB10.1 locus were performed. Six differentially expressed genes with sequence variations between two parents were identified as candidate genes underlying qSPCB10.1. Further locus interaction analysis revealed that qSPCB10.1 could not affect the seed oil accumulation unless qOCA08.1XH13 was present, a high seed oil content (SOC) allele for a major QTL underlying SOC. In summary, our study provides a basis for future investigation of the genetic basis of seed protein accumulation and facilitates marker-assisted selection for developing high-SPC peanut genotypes.

Vermicomposting of Sludge from the Camp SIC Cité-Verte Wastewater Treatment Plant (Yaounde-Cameroon)

In Yaounde, as in most sub-Sahara African cities, wastewater management is a major concern. Through its national sanitation strategy, Cameroonian government takes many initiatives to improve the urban sanitation situation by constructing social housing, where wastewater treatment plants are integrated. However, their purification performance is often low and the by-products represent great risk factors. This paper focuses on preserving the health of the population, reducing environmental pollution, and improving soil fertility by vermicomposting sludge from the Yaounde Camp SIC Cité-Verte wastewater treatment plant. The methodological approach consisted of the characterisation of sludge, followed by the vermicomposting test. At the end of the 35-day process, the produced vermicompost was characterized, and its agronomic efficiency was tested on waterleaf (Talinum triangulare) cultivation. The Yaounde Camp SIC Cité-Verte wastewater treatment plant consistently produces an average of 239 Kg of sludge per day. The sludge is primarily composed of high carbonaceous material (53%) and contains essential nutrients for plant growth (NPK: 13%), along with pathogenic microorganisms and heavy metals in low concentrations. The characterisation of the vermicomposts obtained after 35 days showed a conservation of nutrients (NPK) concentration and a decrease in carbonaceous matter and heavy metals. Moreover, there was a complete absence of fecal pathogens in the vermicompost of the two setups. The agronomic efficiency of the vermicomposts on waterleaf was shown by a high germination rate (100 % for vermicomposts), a high number of leaves (28 ± 15), a deep green coloration of plants, a great plant length (17.3 ± 4.6 cm), and a large stem diameter (2.1 ± 0.4 cm). The NPK content (˃7%) indicates that the vermicompost produced can be used as an agricultural organic fertilizer.

Physical-chemical composition of bean accesses Phaseolus vulgaris L. produced in the brazilian Semiarid

Beans are one of the most consumed and produced foods in Brazil, however, uncertified seeds and grains, that is, “creole” accessions, are neglected in the development of research that allows knowledge of their proximate composition and nutritional potential. The objective of this work was to evaluate and statistically compare the proximate composition of seeds when raw in three accessions of creole beans (black, white and big blue), produced in the Mesoregion of Borborema, state of Paraíba, Brazil, a region known as having great plant agrobiodiversity. The raw seeds were crushed, then evaluated for water content on a wet basis (w.b.), ash, protein, lipid and carbohydrate content. The results were subjected to analysis of variance, and the means were compared using the Tukey test (p<0.05). The accessions showed statistically significant differences between them in terms of proximate composition, however, the averages evaluated were compatible with those found for bean seeds in other trials.

Analytical Methods for Extraction of Microplastics from Compost in Sri Lanka

Microplastics (MP) are the plastics with 1 μm-5 mm dimensions. Meanwhile, compost has been identified as a major source of MP in the soil, although compost is a great plant nutrient source, and it provides tremendous benefits for crops. This is primarily ascribed to most of the compost being produced through Municipal Solid Waste Management projects. However, due to the detrimental impacts on soil’s biological, physical, and chemical health, together with the high accumulation probability of MP caused by repeated application of compost, regulations should be implemented on the limitation of MP in compost. Even though there are a few different methods available in the literature for MP extraction and quantification in organic matter (OM)-rich matrices, like compost, sludge, and sediments, a properly validated, routine analytical procedure is missing in Sri Lanka Standards (SLS). Therefore, in this project, the effectiveness of four different MP extraction methods in the literature were compared and validated for compost, to implement an MP analysis method suitable for compost specifications in the SLS. The methodologies included MP extraction by density separation using NaCl or ZnCl2 solutions followed by digestion of OM using 30% KOH: NaOCl solution or Fenton’s reagent. The common MP analysis method for the four protocols was staining with the hydrophobic, fluorescent stain Nile Red, and visual observation. Digestion efficiency of OM and spike recovery of Polystyrene (PS), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), and Polypropylene (PP) microplastics in 1-2 mm dimension by the four MP extraction methods were compared for the validation. T-tests (confidence level=95%) were carried out to determine the significant difference between the OM digestion efficiency in each of the four methods. Each of the combinations compared was significantly different from the other except for ZnCl2/Fenton and NaCl/30% KOH:NaOCl comparison. Meanwhile, the OM removal by ZnCl2/Fenton and NaCl/30% KOH:NaOCl excluding the density separation step also was not significantly different. The spike recovery analysis showed ZnCl2/Fenton combination as the best out of the tested combinations with above 95% recovery percentages for PS, PVC, PP and 100 for HDPE and PET by particle count. However, precipitate formations in the ZnCl2/Fenton combination might cause false negative or positive results for spike recovery when applied to the real samples with smaller MP. The extraction reagents, NaCl was not an ideal solution and ZnCl2 was a good solution for the MP types used. Moreover, in this project, double digestion of OM with NaCl/30% KOH:NaOCl before and after the density separation with ZnCl2 is suggested as a novel and more effective OM digestion protocol before Nile Red staining, and further validations are suggested prior to its final implementation.
 
 Keywords: Microplastics, Compost, Extraction, Organic matter

Taxonomic Diversity of Climbers and the Preferred Support Plant Species at Brackenhurst Botanical Garden, Kiambu County, Central Kenya

Kenya has a flora consisting of seven plant distribution regions designated as (K1-K7). According to the early administrative division of Kenya, seven plant distribution regions (K1–K7) had been divided by "Flora of Tropical East Africa" (hereafter FTEA). Brackenhurst Botanical Garden where the current study was undertaken (Hereafter BBG) is located in Kiambu County, central Kenya, therefore falling under K4 region (the central region) and has 4 forest plots, creating great plant diversity. This study examined the current Liana and vines and their support plants diversity in BBG. This survey therefore aimed at compiling and synthesizing existing and where possible, new information on the climbers and support plants in Brackenhurst plots in Limuru, Kenya. The ultimate purpose was to provide stakeholders with information on the climbers’ diversity and the resources derived from them. Information of the native range and their IUCN red list status was also investigated in the current study. The sampling design comprised of meander and patterned searches because of the terrain at the BBG. This method was set up specifically to facilitate ecological sampling of climbers which are notorious for clumped distribution. All the voucher specimens collected were dried and kept in herbaria at JKUAT and BBG. A total of 31 vascular plant taxa from 17 vascular plant families and 27 genera were recorded. The majority of taxa were recorded in the Passifloraceae, Rhamnaceae, and Asteraceae families. The flora of the entire site was rich in climbers and their support plants. The study recommends more research to be done on the ethnobotanical uses of the climbers since most have medicinal value as seen from this study.

Composition and oxidative stability of silflower (Silphium integrifolium) seed oil and its potential as a new source of squalene

AbstractSilphium integrifolium Michx. (silflower), a perennial plant, is of great interest as a potential new oilseed crop due to its long, strong, deep, extensive root systems, which can prevent erosion, capture dissolved nitrogen, and out‐compete weeds eliminating the need for frequent irrigation and herbicide uses. In this study, oil was extracted from unhulled silflower seeds, and its composition and oxidative stability were evaluated. The oil content in unhulled silflower seeds was 15.2% (wt/wt), and its fatty acid composition was similar to that of sunflower oil. The level of total polar compounds (TPC) in the oil was 12.3% (wt/wt), and the content of total phenolics was 1.12 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g oil. Noteworthily, 4.89% squalene was isolated from silflower oil indicating its potential application as an alternative source of squalene. Silflower oil had lower oxidative stability as indicated by the oxidative stability index (OSI) at 110°C and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), presumably due to its high level of chlorophyll (1002.8 mg/kg). Even after a typical refining process involving degumming, alkali refining, and bleaching with Fuller's earth, silflower oil contained 725.5 mg/kg chlorophyll, and its oxidative stability was not improved. Further treatments with bleaching agents including bentonite, sepiolite, and Tonsil® lowered the chlorophyll level to 4.2, 474.5, and 38.5 mg/kg, respectively, and some aspects of oxidative stability were improved and better than those of refined sunflower oil. This study presents the potential of silflower oil as new edible oil and a great plant source of squalene.

Method validation and environmental monitoring of triethanolamine ester quaternary ammonium compounds

In this study water and sediment samples, collected from the River Nene (Northamptonshire) at several sites in the vicinity of the Great Billing sewage treatment plant (STP), were analysed for triethanolamine quaternary compounds (TEAQ, ester quats). A method was developed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) with a electrospray ionisation source (ESI). Ten components were determined using a characterised commercial sample of Tallow TEAQ as a standard. To our knowledge this is the first time environmental concentrations of a wide spectrum of individual homologues of TEAQ have been reliably quantified covering a broad range of environmental matrices (STP influent, STP effluent, surface waters and sediments), due to the challenging nature of the analytical method. The method featured novel solutions for the determination of long and multiple chain length alkyl quats, controlling loss processes, background contamination and chromatographic performance. TEAQ compounds were found to be highly removed in the sewage treatment plant resulting in low effluent concentrations. Low concentrations in both river water and sediment samples were found also. In many cases levels were below the Method Detection Limit (MDL). In river water samples, mean values of TEAQ compounds found were 210–398 ng/L for C16:0/C18:0 TEAQ diester and 126–287 ng/L for C18:0/C18:0 TEAQ diester. River sediment was found to contain mean TEAQ levels of 7.07–12.5, 19.7 to 40.3 and 7.04–35.1 μg/kg dry weight for C16:0/C16:0, C16:0/C18:0, and C18:0/C18:0 TEAQ, respectively. At Great Billing STP monoesters and diesters of TEAQ were shown to be efficiently removed (>97 and 99 %, respectively), although limited samples were taken on this occasion.

The mercury flow through a terrestrial songbird food chain in subtropical pine forest: Elucidated by Bayesian isotope mixing model and stable mercury isotopes

In order to comprehend the transfer of inorganic mercury (IHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) within food chains in terrestrial pine forests, we collected samples of Great Tit nestlings, common invertebrates, plants, and soil in a subtropical pine forest and used Bayesian isotope mixing model analysis, Hg daily intake, and stable Hg isotopes to elucidate the flow of MeHg and IHg in these food chains. Results indicate that caterpillars and cockroaches are the predominant prey items for nestlings, accounting for a combined contribution of 81.5%. Furthermore, caterpillars, cockroaches, and spiders were found to contribute the most (∼80%) of both IHg and MeHg that dietary accumulated in nestlings. The provisoned invertebrates tend to supply more IHg and diluting the proportion of MeHg as total Hg (MeHg%). Notably, nestling feathers displayed the highest Δ199Hg values but a relatively lower MeHg%, suggesting an imbalanced incorporation of Hg from maternal transfer and dietary accumulation during the nestling stage. This study highlights the efficacy of nestlings as indicators for identifying Hg sources and transfers in avian species and food chains. However, caution must be exercised when using Hg isotope compositions in growing feathers, and the contribution of maternally transferred Hg should not be ignored.

Beyond Plants: The Ultra-Processing of Global Diets Is Harming the Health of People, Places, and Planet.

Global food systems are a central issue for personal and planetary health in the Anthropocene. One aspect of major concern is the dramatic global spread of ultra-processed convenience foods in the last 75 years, which is linked with the rising human burden of disease and growing sustainability and environmental health challenges. However, there are also calls to radically transform global food systems, from animal to plant-derived protein sources, which may have unintended consequences. Commercial entities have moved toward this "great plant transition" with vigor. Whether motivated by profit or genuine environmental concern, this effort has facilitated the emergence of novel ultra-processed "plant-based" commercial products devoid of nutrients and fiber, and sometimes inclusive of high sugar, industrial fats, and synthetic additives. These and other ingredients combined into "plant-based" foods are often assumed to be healthy and lower in calorie content. However, the available evidence indicates that many of these products can potentially compromise health at all scales-of people, places, and planet. In this viewpoint, we summarize and reflect on the evidence and discussions presented at the Nova Network planetary health meeting on the "Future of Food", which had a particular focus on the encroachment of ultra-processed foods into the global food supply, including the plant-sourced animal protein alternatives (and the collective of ingredients therein) that are finding their way into global fast-food chains. We contend that while there has been much uncritical media attention given to the environmental impact of protein and macronutrient sources-meat vs. novel soy/pea protein burgers, etc.-the impact of the heavy industrial processing on both human and environmental health is significant but often overlooked, including effects on cognition and mental health. This calls for a more nuanced discourse that considers these complexities and refocuses priorities and value systems towards mutualistic solutions, with co-benefits for individuals, local communities, and global ecology.

Enhanced phytoremediation efficiency of PHE-contaminated soil by rape (Brassica napus L.) assisted with PHE-degradable PGPR through modulating rhizobacterial communities

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) accumulate excessively in soil environment recently, posing a significant threat to soil ecology and human health. The application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) with PAHs degradable capacity in assissting with phytoremedeation of PAHs contaminated soil has not been reported yet. The purpose of this study was to verify the feasibility of a novel PGPR-assisted phytoremediation strategy for the remediation of PAHs contaminated soil. A phenanthrene (PHE) degradable strain Serratia sp. DLN5 with great plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits was selected by two steps of bacterial culture and plant verification. Through a 40-d pot experiment, the effects of DLN5 application on rape (Brassica napus L.) physiology and phytoremediation efficiency were determined. The results showed that DLN5 inoculation significantly promoted the growth of rape cultivated in PHE contaminated soil (200 mg kg−1 PHE), mainly reflecting by the increase of root length (22.2%), net photosynthetic rate (334.9%) and the decrease of malonaldehyde (MDA) content (79.0% in roots). The inoculation of PGPR could also modulate the activity of enzymes that related to nutrient cycling and pollutant degradation in soil. Besides, the analysis of high-throughput sequencing of rhizosphere soil samples revealed that DLN5 upregulated the abundance of some bacteria, which could contribute to the enhancement of PHE degradation process (e.g., Flavobacterium, Methylophilaceae and Burkholderiaceae). Through the regulation of plant growth and rhizosphere bacterial community by strain DLN5, the phytoremediation efficiency of PHE contaminated soils by rape inoculated with PGPR was elevated from 71.5% to 82.5%. In general, this study proposed an innovative PGPR-assisted phytoremediation strategy, while the mechanisms in this remediation process were also be proposed, which might not affect the economic value of industrial crop, providing a theoretical basis for the practical application of PAHs contaminated soil.

Pharmacological aspects of Borago officinalis (Borage): A review article

Abstract:
 Borago officinalis is highly interesting amongst nutritional and medical source relate to its high composition of some useful phytochemical compound. It is great plants with bright blue star-shaped flowers present in most world regions and usually known as borage. The Borago phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, essential oil, vitamins and others. Borage is cultivated all over the world and used in traditional medicine as a demulcent, diuretic, emollient, tonic, expectorant, for the treatment of coughs, inflammation and swelling, and other diseases. In herbal medicine, Borage seed oil (BSO) has been utilized for many progres­sive illnesses as a treatment agent. The BSO compounds include p-simen-8-L, ?-caryophyllene, sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, alpha-linoleic, gammalinoleic and linoleic acid. BSO is famed to be the richest vegetable origin of gamma (?)-linoleic acid (GLA). Borage officinalis possess different pharmacological properties including antinociceptive, antioxidant, radioprotective, memory improving, hepatoprotective, antinflammatory, and analgesic effects.

Wastewater surveillance beyond COVID-19: a ranking system for communicable disease testing in the tri-county Detroit area, Michigan, USA.

Throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, wastewater surveillance has been utilized to monitor the disease in the United States through routine national, statewide, and regional monitoring projects. A significant canon of evidence was produced showing that wastewater surveillance is a credible and effective tool for disease monitoring. Hence, the application of wastewater surveillance can extend beyond monitoring SARS-CoV-2 to encompass a diverse range of emerging diseases. This article proposed a ranking system for prioritizing reportable communicable diseases (CDs) in the Tri-County Detroit Area (TCDA), Michigan, for future wastewater surveillance applications at the Great Lakes Water Authority's Water Reclamation Plant (GLWA's WRP). The comprehensive CD wastewater surveillance ranking system (CDWSRank) was developed based on 6 binary and 6 quantitative parameters. The final ranking scores of CDs were computed by summing the multiplication products of weighting factors for each parameter, and then were sorted based on decreasing priority. Disease incidence data from 2014 to 2021 were collected for the TCDA. Disease incidence trends in the TCDA were endowed with higher weights, prioritizing the TCDA over the state of Michigan. Disparities in incidences of CDs were identified between the TCDA and state of Michigan, indicating epidemiological differences. Among 96 ranked CDs, some top ranked CDs did not present relatively high incidences but were prioritized, suggesting that such CDs require significant attention by wastewater surveillance practitioners, despite their relatively low incidences in the geographic area of interest. Appropriate wastewater sample concentration methods are summarized for the application of wastewater surveillance as per viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal pathogens. The CDWSRank system is one of the first of its kind to provide an empirical approach to prioritize CDs for wastewater surveillance, specifically in geographies served by centralized wastewater collection in the area of interest. The CDWSRank system provides a methodological tool and critical information that can help public health officials and policymakers allocate resources. It can be used to prioritize disease surveillance efforts and ensure that public health interventions are targeted at the most potentially urgent threats. The CDWSRank system can be easily adopted to geographical locations beyond the TCDA.

In vitro investigations on the hepatotoxicity and genotoxicity of food‐relevant pyrrolizidine alkaloids

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) are secondary plant metabolites occurring in a great many plant species worldwide, known to exhibit hepatotoxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic properties after metabolic activation. In recent years, contamination of food, feed and herbal medicines with PA has become an increasing problem. The concept of interim relative potency factors (iREP) proposed by Merz and Schrenk in 2016 was a new approach for risk assessment of PA. While existing approaches of risk assessment assumed equivalent toxic potency for all PA congeners, the approach of Merz and Schrenk considered the structural features of individual PA congeners based on existing data from the literature. In order to generate further data on the structure‐specific toxicity of PA, congeners of different structural classes were investigated in different in vitro test systems.In vitro cytotoxicity was investigated in primary rat hepatocytes, HepG2 C9 cells (overespressing human CYP3A4) and naïve HepG2 cells. Overall, it could be observed that lasiocarpine and the cyclic di‐esters (except monocrotaline) showed much stronger cytotoxic effects in comparison to the tested mono‐esters in both, primary rat hepatocytes and in HepG2 C9 cells. Primary hepatocytes were the most sensitive cells investigating cytotoxicity of different PA congeners, followed by the HepG2 C9 cells. This is confirmed by markedly higher metabolism rates for all investigated PA in primary rat hepatocytes determined in the metabolism experiments. In naïve HepG2 cells no cytotoxic effects could be observed. The influence of cytochrome P450 (CYP) on the formation of toxic metabolites seem to play a crucial role. This assumption could be beared using ketoconazole as CYP inhibitor and testing various pre‐incubation times in primary rat hepatocytes. CYP activity was measured using 7‐ Benzoxyresorufin‐O‐Dealkylase (BROD) assay in primary rat hepatocytes and in HepG2 C9 cells. Glutahione (GSH) depletion using buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) showed slight stronger cytotoxic effects for several PA, but not for all tested.In contrast to the negative results of mutagenicity in ames fluctuation assay using Salmonella strains TA98 and TA100 with and without metabolic activation by S9 mix, all tested PA congeners showed micronuclei induction in the HepG2 C9 cell line. Again, laisocarpine and the cyclic di‐esters (except monocrotaline) were the most potent ones. In conclusion, the data from cytotoxicity and genototoxicity experiments from the tested PA congeners confirm published iREP factors with a few exceptions, in particular for monocrotaline or echimidine. Additionally, metabolism of six selected PA was studied in primary rat hepatocytes and HepG2 C9 cells. Genrally, it was found that almost all tested cyclic and open‐chained di‐esters (except retrorsine) showed much higher metabolism rates in both cell types, in comparison to the mono‐esters, for which only low metabolism rates could be measured. The same was observed for the quantified amounts of reactive metabolites in the supernatants of both cell types. In general, also these data bear the results from cytotoxicity and genotoxicity experiments and help to better understand the complex metabolism and the structure‐specific toxicity of different PA congeners.

Analysis of Aroma Volatiles from Michelia crassipes Flower and Its Changes in Different Flower Organs during Flowering

Michelia crassipes is a great ornamental plant, the flowers of which have high economic value. In this study, we employed headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS–SPME) combined with gas chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC–HRMS) for the first time to identify the volatile compounds emitted from different organs of M. crassipes flowers at different flowering stages. M. crassipes flower odor comprises 69 volatile compounds that are dominated by terpenes constituting 84% of collected volatiles. It was found that α-guaiene, β-caryophyllene and germacrene B had the highest relative amounts, while ethyl 3-methyl valerate, methyl benzoate and β-damascone had the highest odor activity values (OAVs). This contributed to the complex fruity, woody and floral aromas of M. crassipes. Total odor emission increased along the flower blooming, which was most abundant in the pistil followed by tepals and stamens. Paraffin sections of M. crassipes flower organs showed the highest density of oil secretory cells in the pistil at the full flowering stage, which was positively correlated with total odor release. The scent of the pistil and tepals was characterized by terpenes, whereas stamens was characterized by benzenoids. We suggest that the benzenoids in stamens might contribute to pollinator attraction in M. crassipes.

Evaluation of plastid and nuclear DNA markers in barcoding of Aloe saudiarabica, KSA.

There is great plant diversity in Saudi Arabia. The Asphodelaceae family is within this great diversity, especially the rare species such as the plant, Aloe saudiarabica. Such plants must be preserved in their natural ranges, hence, the need to document them. Genetic markers have become the approved and widely used method for documenting rare plants. The current study deals with the use of three genetic markers to document A. saudiarabica for the first time. The used genetic markers were Maturase-K (matK), Ribulose-bisphosphate-carboxylase (rbcL), and Internal-transcribed-spacer (ITS). The study found that the primers used for the rbcL gene were not effective in achieving identification. Sequencing of the matK and ITS were achieved successfully. The sequences were determined for both markers using two pairs of primers and deposited in the NCBI databases (GenBank). These markers were effective in identifying A. saudiarabica and determining its evolutionary relationship with other Aloe species in various databases. The study showed that A. vera is high similar (>99%) to the other species. In conclusion, the study showed the likelihood of the different genetic markers to document A. saudiarabica, especially the currently investigated matK and ITS.

The Genus Cryptocarya: A Review on Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activities.

Cryptocarya (the laurel family) is a large genus of great economic plants found in tropics and subtropics. Plants of this genus are a rich resource of essential oils, and pharmacological compounds. An overview of phytochemistry and pharmacological aspect is not yet available. This review aims to establish insightful information on phytochemistry, and pharmacological values. The literature collection is based on keywords 'Cryptocarya', 'phytochemistry', and 'pharmacology' using a broad panel of scientific sources, such as Google Scholar, Sciencedirect, and Wiley. Since the 1950s, Cryptocarya plants have been the main object in various phytochemical studies, by which about 390 metabolite compounds were isolated. Alkaloids, α-pyrones, and flavonoids could be seen as the main classes of Cryptocarya isolates. Cryptocarya constituents displayed potential pharmacological values such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidative, antiviral, vasorelaxant activities, especially cytotoxicity.

Germination and growth of Sterculia colombiana in Arosemena Tola, Napo, Ecuador

Introduction. The Amazon region has a great plant diversity, but studies on their propagation and growth have been carried out in few species. Objective. To evaluate the in situ and ex situ germination of Sterculia colombiana and its growth characteristics after planting in ground covers of primary forest and intervened areas. Materials and methods. The study was carried out in Napo, Ecuador, in the period 2019-2020. The germination of S. colombiana was characterized in the variables: days and percentage to emergence, plant height, stem diameter and number of leaves, under greenhouse conditions and planted at the collection site. The plants obtained in the germination test were transplanted to a ground cover of primary forest (in situ) and an intervened area with replacement vegetation (ex situ). Linear, quadratic, cubic, exponential, and logarithmic growth models for stem height and diameter were evaluated. The air and soil temperature and the physical-chemical characteristics of the soil were recorded. An analysis of variance was performed to determine differences in growth and survival between the plantation sites and between the plants obtained in the in situ and ex situ tests. Results. The seedlings obtained from greenhouses reported fewer days to emergence and higher values in the rest of the variables evaluated than those grown in situ. The plants developed in the different evaluated covers, without significant differences in growth at the end of the study, only a significant correlation at 5 % between stem diameter and air temperature was reported. Conclusions. Sterculia colombiana germinated in a greenhouse and developed in the transplant sites, without this influencing its growth. Temperature was the only factor that reported significant correlations with growth at the end of the evaluation period.

Substrate moisture and texture affect germination in Houghton’s goldenrod (Solidago houghtonii), a federally protected Great Lakes endemic plant

Rare plants garner significant conservation attention, but many have knowledge gaps associated with their life histories. This missing information presents a substantial hurdle for applied conservation. Houghton’s goldenrod (<i>Solidago houghtonii</i> Torrey &amp; A. Gray [Asteraceae]) is a Great Lakes endemic perennial that is often locally abundant but is limited to a narrow region in Michigan, New York, and Ontario. This species is federally listed in the US as threatened, state listed as threatened in Michigan and endangered in New York, and is a species of special concern in Canada. There may be enough viable <i>S. houghtonii</i> populations to meet the US federal recovery criterion, but more data are needed regarding long-term persistence within and across populations, especially related to successful sexual reproduction—key in most seed plants’ long-term persistence. As part of a range-wide study on the species, we performed greenhouse and field experiments to evaluate the effects of substrate moisture and texture on germination success. In both experimental contexts, we found that <i>S. houghtonii</i> germination significantly increased with increased substrate moisture and smoother substrate texture. In addition, a post hoc exploratory analysis on the effects of disturbance on germination showed higher germination in plots with higher disturbance levels, though this trend was not statistically significant. These results add to the limited life history information available for <i>S. houghtonii</i>. Our findings also suggest that substrate texture may be an easily characterized habitat variable that predicts germination for other species because of its relationship to consistent moisture contact for seeds. Weber JB, Leopold DL. 2023. Substrate moisture and texture affect germination in Houghton’s goldenrod (<i>Solidago houghtonii</i>), a federally protected Great Lakes endemic plant. Native Plants Journal 24(1):33–43.

Study and Realization of Environmental Health Diagnosis by Using Nanomaterial Based Fiber Optic Sensor–A Review

In these days, the significance of fiber optic sensors has exceptionally increased due to technological advances in modern society. Nowadays, researchers are attracted toward the development of a sensor that possesses the integration of both fiber optic sensors and nanocomposite thin film to improve the sensor’s performance. Thin-film nanomaterial based optical fiber sensors have great potential applications, namely, gas sensing, chemical sensing, biomolecules, food plant, industrial hazards, safety issues, drug monitoring, and heavy metal detections. There are various techniques, namely, evanescent field absorption spectroscopy, fiber Bragg grating (FBG), long-period grating (LPG), ringdown spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) techniques, and so on, which are used for the development of fiber optic sensors that are majorly emphasized in the current article. Numerous scientific researchers have demonstrated that functionalized fiber optic sensors are found more beneficial in terms of improvement of the sensing performance, such as sensitivity, repeatability, response time, specificity, recovery time, and repeatability. Henceforth, in this review article, we have focused on these requisite sensing parameters in detail. Furthermore, to keep human beings healthy, it is our responsibility to develop a sensor that can monitor the optimum toxic concentrations accurately. Thus, the monitoring of industrial environmental pollutants, such as NH3, ethylenediamine, alcohol, and acetone, is immensely important to save human lives on Earth. In the report, all the details of the target analytes, such as optimum concentrations, adverse effects on human beings, and monitoring techniques, are discussed.