Horticultural Cultivars Research Articles

Evaluation of Select Monarda Taxa in Montane and Piedmont Regions of Georgia: I. Horticultural Performance and Disease Tolerance

We evaluated several horticultural cultivars and species of Monarda, a genus native to North America with a center of diversity in the Southeast and advertised as beneficial to wildlife, to assess landscape performance with respect to vegetative habit, flower production, and disease tolerance in Georgia Piedmont and montane habitats. We established two experimental sites: the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens (USDA Zone 8b) and the Georgia Mountain Education and Research Center in Blairsville (USDA Zone 7b). We then tracked plant performance over 2 years after establishment. Our study included 10 samples of Monarda, representing five cultivars and four species. Estimated height and width at flowering showed M. bradburiana, M. Sugar Buzz® Grape Gumball, and the M. punctata ecotypes were smaller than other tested taxa. M. fistulosa had the most flowers at the Blairsville site and equal flowering with M. punctata at the Athens location, but most taxa flowered for 2 to 3 months with ∼100 flowering stems per stand. All samples were susceptible to powdery mildew, but M. bradburiana displayed the highest level of tolerance. Otherwise, cultivars tended to be more tolerant to powdery mildew than species. The observed variations in horticultural characteristics and performance highlight the high value of this genus for Georgia landscapes.

Physiological and metabolomics responses of Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser. and Hydrangea strigosa Rehd. to lead exposure

Hydrangea is a potential remediation plant for lead (Pb) pollution. Plant roots communicate with soil through the release of root exudates. It is crucial to study rhizoremediation mechanisms to understand the response of root exudates to contamination stress. Here, we investigated the physiological responses and metabolomic profiling of two Hydrangea species, a horticultural cultivar (Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser.) and a wild type (Hydrangea strigosa Rehd.), under Pb-free and Pb-stressed conditions for 50 days. The results showed that Pb treatment adversely affected the biomass and root growth of the two species. H. strigosa was a Pb-tolerant species with higher superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities and more ascorbic acid (AsA) content in roots. Metabolomic profiling showed that 181 and 169 compounds were identified in H. macrophylla and H. strigosa root exudates, respectively, among which 18 showed significant differences between H. macrophylla and H. strigosa under Pb exposure. H. strigosa showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher secretion of sucrose, glycolic acid, and nonanoic acid than H. macrophylla after Pb treatment. Pb stress promoted fatty acid metabolism in H. strigosa, suppressed amino acid metabolism in H. macrophylla, and promoted a higher carbohydrate metabolism in H. strigosa compared with H. macrophylla. This study provides a possible mechanism for the high Pb absorption potential of Hydrangea.

Development of SCAR Markers to Identify Medicinal Cultivars of Paeonia lactiflora.

Paeoniae Radix, the dried root of Paeonia lactiflora, is one of the most important ingredients in Kampo medicine. It is known that Paeoniae Radix is derived from various P. lactiflora cultivars, including medicinal and horticultural cultivars, and that cultivar identification by DNA analysis has been unsuccessful. We attempted to develop sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers as useful DNA markers for the identification and herbal medicine authentication of two cultivars developed in Japan, 'Bonten' and 'Kitasaisho,' which are two superior medicinal strains of P. lactiflora. Sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) analysis was conducted on fourteen P. lactiflora cultivars, and polymorphic fragments specific to 'Bonten' or 'Kitasaisho' were detected. Then, SCAR markers for 'Bonten' and 'Kitasaisho' were developed from the sequence information of these polymorphic fragments. Thirty cultivars of P. lactiflora and five herbal medicine samples were used to validate the specificity of the developed SCAR markers. As a result, we confirmed that our SCAR markers can identify 'Bonten' or 'Kitasaisho' from the plant samples and the herbal medicine samples. Thus, we have successfully designed two highly specific DNA markers and established an easy, rapid, and cost-efficient method to identify specific cultivars of P. lactiflora. Our SCAR markers are expected to contribute to the maintenance of P. lactiflora cultivars such as 'Bonten' as superior medicinal strains, the development of more elite cultivars in the future, and the deterrence of outflow of original cultivars to foreign countries.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Ligularia stenocephala (Maxim.) Matsum. & Koidz. (Asteraceae: Senecioneae)

Ligularia stenocephala (Maxim.) Matsum. & Koidz is a widely known edible plant species in Korea. It contains various useful antioxidant compounds and has been developed as a horticultural cultivar blooming showy inflorescence. We report the complete plastid genome (plastome) of Ligularia stenocephala, a collection from Korea. The plastome of L. stenocephala is 151,158 base pairs (bp) long and includes a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions (24,830 bp each) that are separated by a large single copy (LSC) region (83,265 bp) and a small single copy (SSC) region (18,233 bp). The phylogenetic tree shows that L. stenocephala is closely related to L. fischeri with strong bootstrap support.

Triterpenoid Saponins from the Cultivar "Green Elf" of Pittosporum tenuifolium.

Four oleanane-type glycosides were isolated from a horticultural cultivar “Green Elf” of the endemic Pittosporum tenuifolium (Pittosporaceae) from New Zealand: three acylated barringtogenol C glycosides from the leaves, with two previously undescribed 3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-[α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-d-glucuronopyranosyl-21-O-angeloyl-28-O-acetylbarringtogenol C, 3-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-[α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-d-glucuronopyranosyl-21-O-angeloyl-28-O-acetylbarringtogenol C, and the known 3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-[α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-d-glucuronopyranosyl-21-O-angeloyl-28-O-acetylbarringtogenol C (Eryngioside L). From the roots, the known 3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-glucuronopyranosyloleanolic acid (Sandrosaponin X) was identified. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments and mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). According to their structural similarities with gymnemic acids, the inhibitory activities on the sweet taste TAS1R2/TAS1R3 receptor of an aqueous ethanolic extract of the leaves and roots, a crude saponin mixture, 3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-[α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-d-glucuronopyranosyl-21-O-angeloyl-28-O-acetylbarringtogenol C, and Eryngioside L were evaluated.

Frost hardiness of Scots pine progenies and some woody horticultural cultivars under different preconditioning

Frost hardiness of Scots pine progenies and some woody horticultural cultivars under different preconditioning

Phylogenetics of Molecular Regulators Contributing to Plant Stress Tolerance

Genetic studies on model plants and crops in the last few decades have uncovered numerous genes that play vital roles in plant tolerance to adverse environments. These genes could be used as targets for genetic engineering to improve plant tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Recent advances in CRISPR-based genome editing have accelerated modern plant breeding and wild-species domestication. However, the stress regulators in many crops and horticultural cultivars and their wild species remain largely unexplored. Thus, transferring the accumulated knowledge of these molecular regulators from model plants to a wider range of other species is critical for modern plant breeding. Phylogenetic analysis is one of the powerful strategies for studying the functional conservation and diversity of homologous gene families among different species with complete genome sequences available. In addition, many transcriptome datasets of plants under stress conditions have been publicly released, providing a useful resource for addressing the stress response of given gene families. This Special Issue aims to illustrate the phylogenetics of molecular regulators with potential in contributing to plant stress tolerance and their stress response diversity in multiple non-model plants.

Tracking the evolutionary history of the Allium ampeloprasum L. complex (section Allium) provides evidence of the contribution of North African diploids to the formation of allopolyploid horticultural groups

The economically important Allium ampeloprasum L. represents a polyploid complex, comprising hexa- and octoploid Great Headed Garlic horticultural cultivars (6x–8x GHG) and several traditional varieties of the tetraploid (4x) leeks (Leek, Bulbous leek, Kurrat and Pearl onion). Its wild representatives were indicated as rare in the Mediterranean region. This study aims to explore the diversity and origin of polyploidy in this complex, including its wild relatives A. baeticum Bossier and A. guttatum Steven with particular focus on the poorly investigated North-African region. Natural populations were sampled in Algeria in various bioclimatic conditions, then subjected to karyological and molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear rDNA ITS region and chloroplast trnL–trnF and trnD–trnT intergenic spacers. Comparative analyses included available Genbank accession sequences representing old-world relatives. Chromosome count surveys revealed an unexpected higher occurrence of diploid (2n = 16) than tetraploid (2n = 32) cytotypes. The phylogenetic analyses first allowed positioning the Algerian material within the A. ampeloprasum complex. Interestingly, all the Algerian diploid and tetraploid populations from A. ampeloprasum and A. baeticum form a distinct monophyletic group. The results provide novel and robust evidence demonstrating that the North African diploid A. ampeloprasum genetic pool widely contributed as a source of progenitors not only for the A. ampeloprasum and A. baeticum Algerian tetraploids, but also in the formation of the GHG and Leek cultivated allopolyploids. Therefore, the North African populations emerge as an important reservoir of new wild genetic resources of great interest for tracing the origin of crop domestication and for breeding programs of cultivated varieties.

The essential oil composition of selected Hemerocallis cultivars and their biological activity

AbstractThe horticultural cultivars of Hemerocallis (daylily) have been used to treat diseases such as insomnia, inflammation and depression, and also as a vegetable in eastern Asia. Taking into consideration the fact, that the volatile compounds in Hemerocallis cultivars have not been investigated to date, we decided to study the composition of the essential oils (EOs) from the aerial parts of ten varieties collecting in Poland. EOs, obtained by hydrodistillation, were analyzed by GC/MS method that resulted in identification of 23-36 volatile compounds comprising 89.5%–96.3% of the total amount. The essential oils differed in their composition and they can be classified into three groups. The antibacterial and antioxidant activities of EOs were also evaluated. Gram-negative strains were most strongly inhibited by all tested oils. Two model systems have been used for the antioxidant efficacy, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH•) andβ-carotene bleaching assays. The essential oils with the high presence of oxygenated monoterpenes and monoterpene hydrocarbons showed higher antioxidant activity. The chemical composition of EOs of Hemerocallis cultivars and their biological activity is reported for the first time. Thus, the findings presented here suggest that the aerial parts of Hemerocallis cultivars may be candidates for the development of new phytomedicine.

First Report of Leaf Spot Disease Caused by Colletotrichum tropicale on Ficus binnendijkii var. variegata in China

In late January 2019, a population of Ficus binnendijkii var. variegata, used as a horticultural cultivar throughout tropical and subtropical regions, was found with leaf spot disease at a 96% infection rate, causing a loss of their ornamental value. The F. binnendijkii var. variegata plants were growing in a park near a creek in Fuzhou, Fujian, China (26°01′53″N, 119°14′42″E). Lesions initially appeared along the margin of the leaves and were subcircular or irregularly shaped, brown to black, water-soaked, and sunken. The black lesions enlarged and coalesced into large necrotic areas. Later, the middle parts of the lesions became grayish white and often had irregular fine wrinkles. To isolate the pathogen, leaf sections (5 × 5 mm) from symptomatic plants were surface sterilized with 75% alcohol for 1 min and 2% NaClO for 30 s, rinsed four times in sterile distilled water, and then incubated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates amended with 50 μg/ml of ampicillin at 25°C in darkness. Pure cultures were obtained by monosporic isolation; the colony of a representative isolate, FJ-A5, growing on PDA was initially grayish white and appeared slightly cottony. After 10 to 14 days, the cultures turned gray to grayish-black with orange conidial masses. The conidia were hyaline, aseptate, fusiform with both ends rounded or obtuse at one end, and were in the range of 15.7 to 18.2 × 4.6 to 6.4 μm (n = 50). The appressoria were brown to dark brown, ovoid to clavate, slightly irregular to irregular, and were in the range of 6.9 to 9.4 × 5.3 to 6.6 μm (n = 50). These morphological characteristics are consistent with species in the Colletotrichum genus (Prihastuti et al. 2009). Genomic DNA was extracted from the representative isolate FJ-A5, and the internal transcribed spacers (ITS), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), chitin synthase (CHS-1), manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2), calmodulin (CAL), and actin (ACT) genes were amplified with the primers described in Weir et al. (2012). The obtained sequences showed 97 to 100% similarity with those from C. tropicale accessions in GenBank. The sequences from this isolate were deposited in GenBank under the following accession numbers: ITS, MK790630; ACT, MK796811; CAL, MK796812; CHS-1, MK796813; GAPDH, MK796814; and SOD2, MK796815. A neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree was generated by combining all sequenced loci in MEGA7. The isolate FJ-A5 clustered in the C. tropicale clade with 99% bootstrap support. To confirm pathogenicity, 10 detached healthy leaves and five 1-year-old F. binnendijkii var. variegata plants were inoculated by excising 5-mm mycelial plugs from a 7-day-old colony grown on PDA and placing them on the adaxial surfaces of leaves. As a control treatment, five additional detached leaves and potted seedlings were inoculated with 5-mm PDA plugs without mycelia. All plants were covered with clear polyethylene bags and incubated in a growth chamber at 25°C, 70% relative humidity, and a 12-h light/dark cycle, and disease development was monitored daily. The experiment was performed twice. Seven days after inoculation, the symptoms were similar to those on the original infected plants, whereas the control leaves remained asymptomatic. The same fungus was reisolated from the lesions, confirming Koch’s postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. tropicale associated with leaf spot disease on F. binnendijkii var. variegata in China. This study provides the foundation to further investigate the biology, epidemiology, and management of this disease.

Comparative Analysis of Phytochemical Composition of Gamma-Irradiated Mutant Cultivars of Chrysanthemum morifolium

The flowers of chrysanthemum species are used as a herbal tea and in traditional medicine. In addition, members of the genus have been selected to develop horticultural cultivars of diverse floral colors and capitulum forms. In this research, we investigated the phytochemical composition of eight gamma-irradiation mutant cultivars of Chrysanthemum morifolium and their original cultivars. The mutant chrysanthemum cultivars were generated by treatment with various doses of 60Co gamma irradiation of stem cuttings of three commercial chrysanthemum cultivars as follows: ‘ARTI-Dark Chocolate’ (50Gy), ‘ARTI-Purple Lady’ (30 Gy), and ‘ARTI-Yellow Star’ (50 Gy) derived from ‘Noble Wine’; ‘ARTI-Red Star’ (50 Gy) and ‘ARTI-Rising Sun’ (30 Gy) from ‘Pinky’; ‘ARTI-Purple’ (40 Gy) and ‘ARTI-Queen’ (30 Gy) from ‘Argus’; and ‘ARTI-Rollypop’ (70 Gy) from ‘Plaisir d’amour’. Quantitative analysis of flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and carotenoids in the flowers of the 12 chrysanthemum cultivars was performed using high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESIMS). Essential oils from the flowers of these cultivars were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The mutant cultivars, ‘ARTI-Dark Chocolate’, ‘ARTI-Purple Lady’, ‘ARTI-Purple’, and ‘ARTI-Queen’ showed higher total amounts of flavonoid and phenolic acid compared with those of the respective original cultivars. The mutant cultivars, ‘ARTI-Dark Chocolate’, ‘ARTI-Purple Lady’ and ‘ARTI-Purple’, which produce purple to pink petals, contained more than two-times higher amounts of anthocyanins compared with those of their original cultivars. Of the mutant cultivars, ‘ARTI-Yellow Star’ in which petal color was changed to yellow, showed the greatest accumulation of carotenoids. Ninety-nine volatile compounds were detected, of which hydrocarbons and terpenoids were abundant in all cultivars analyzed. This is the first report that demonstrated the phytochemical analysis of novel chrysanthemum cultivars derived from C. morifolium hydrid using HPLC-DAD-ESIMS and GC-MS. These findings suggest that the selected mutant chrysanthemum cultivars show potential as a functional source of phytochemicals associated with the abundance of health-beneficial components, as well as good source for horticulture and pigment industries.

Approved genetically modified (GM) horticultural plants: A 25-year perspective

Abstract In this review, we present genetically modified (GM) horticultural events that have passed the regulatory process and have been approved for cultivation or food use in different countries. The first authorization or deregulation of a GM horticultural plant issued 25 years ago initiated a fast expansion of GM organisms (GMO) engineered by using gene transfer technology. The list of GM horticultural species comprises representatives of vegetables, fruit plants and ornamentals. We describe their unique characteristics, often not achievable by conventional breeding, and how they were developed, and the approval process. Information on the adoption of GM horticultural cultivars and sale is accessed if commercialization has occurred. The review comprises, among others, Flavr SavrTM and other tomato cultivars with delayed ripening and improved shelf-life, insect-resistant eggplant (or brinjal), as well as virus-resistant squash, melon and the common bean, and also fruit trees, plum and papaya. Cultivation of the latter was particularly valuable to farmers in Hawaii as it ensured restoration of papaya production devastated earlier by the Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV). In contrast, a plum resistant to sharka (Plum pox virus; PPV) deregulated in the USA is still awaiting commercialization. GM events with improved quality include the recently marketed non-browning apple and high-lycopene pineapple. We also present orange petunia, blue ‘Applause’ rose and Moon-series carnations with a modified purple and violet flower colour. Finally, we discuss prospects of GM horticultural plants, including their development using promising new breeding technologies relying on genome editing and considered as an alternative to the transgenic approach.

Genetic diversity and population structure of native, naturalized, and cultivated Salix purpurea

Salix purpurea is a woody perennial that is bred as a high-yielding bioenergy crop in North America. To gain an understanding of the genotypic variation associated with phenotypic diversity, this study characterized the population structure and genetic diversity of S. purpurea from its native range of Europe and naturalized range of the Northeastern United States (US). A total of 273 genotypes of S. purpurea were analyzed, which included 95 naturalized accessions and 19 horticultural cultivars from the US and 159 accessions collected from the native range of four European countries. All individuals were evaluated using a filtered set of 2287 genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Using five clustering techniques (PCA, neighbor joining, STRUCTURE, DAPC, and affinity propagation), population structure was resolved into three broadly classified groups. Further analysis revealed seven to eight subpopulations which corresponded to geographical collection sites, where performance of the DAPC and affinity propagation methods was superior to STRUCTURE analysis for the purposes of characterizing population structure and performing population assignment. The native European accessions exhibited greater diversity and subpopulation structure than the US naturalized accessions, where there was a clear geographical delineation between the alpine/subalpine collections and the lowland collections at the Baltic Sea and Oder River. We also show that a subset of the horticultural cultivars had a higher likelihood of similarity to US naturalized populations which display hybrid ancestry, where both naturalized and cultivated genotypes appear to share a common ancestor. Additionally, several accessions collected from different sites were found to be clonal. Ongoing and future conservation and association studies will benefit from these known substructures and diversity assessments.

Sourcing native plants to support ecosystem function in different planting contexts

Current guidance on sourcing native plants to support ecosystem function focuses on the high risk of failure when unsuitable material is used in ecological restoration. However, there is growing recognition that risks may be lower and rewards higher at highly disturbed sites isolated from remnant populations, especially when considering support for pollinators, wildlife, and other ecosystem functions. We developed the first decision support tool using expert opinion to assess suitability of different native plant sources, including horticultural cultivars, in two different planting contexts. We assessed the suitability of 761 sources for 72 commonly sold native species in two different planting contexts (small, isolated, highly disturbed sites vs. large, undisturbed sites near remnant populations). Information on genetic and adaptive backgrounds of sources was strikingly lacking, forcing us to exclude one‐third of sources from our assessment. While only 3% of cultivars received high suitability scores for use in large, undisturbed sites near remnant populations, 52% received high suitability scores in small, isolated, highly disturbed sites. However, nearly 25% of cultivars had floral or leaf traits that differed from wild plants in ways that may compromise their ability to support pollinators and other wildlife. Forbs and cultivars lacking genetic diversity and source information were most likely to have altered traits. We recommend that native plant breeders and sellers work together to ensure ecosystem function, adaptation, and diversity information is available to consumers, that consumers request this information to drive demand, and that researchers further investigate how context influences risks and benefits of different sources.

Effect of Different Priming Treatments on Quality of Long-Term Stored Seeds of Apium graveolens var. rapaceum DC

In order to improve germplasm preservation of local cultivar “Friulano”, belonging to Apium graveolens var. rapaceum (Miller) Gaudin) seed germination of a seed lot, stored for prolonged time at -20°C, was assessed in comparison to that of a commercial cultivar. In order to increase the seed performance during germination, three different priming pre-treatments (hydropriming for 24 h, osmopriming for 24 h, and osmopriming for 7 days) were performed. Additionally, seed sowing was undertaken on both potting soil and Petri dish plate condition. Analysis of seed quality was estimated by measurement of germination percentage, germination energy and the time to reach the 50% of full germination (T50). The results evidenced that conservation of celeriac dried seeds of “Friulano” cultivar at -20°C for one year maintained a good level of seed germination (ranging from 38% to 53%), not statistically diverse from the that of commercial cultivar, for both short hydro- and osmopriming treatments. The germination percentage increased when primed seeds have been treated in Petri dishes (up to 70%-80%). Furthermore, osmopriming for 24 h positively affected the germination energy, similarly to that observed in commercial cultivar, being statistically higher compared to hydropriming- and prolonged osmopriming-treated samples. Accordingly, T50 in short osmopriming treated seeds was low, indicating that this treatment induced a rapid and uniform germination, being most of the seeds germinated within one week. In conclusion, these findings represent an important informative step in amelioration of ex situ conservation of a rare autochthonous horticultural cultivar in North-eastern of Italy.

Characterization and Distribution of Flavonoids from Flowers in Different Horticultural Types of Begonia

Background: The begonias are ornamental plants known by the varied forms and colors of their flowers, as well as their decorative foliage. Objective: This study attempts to characterize the flavonoids isolated from flower extracts of different horticultural cultivars of the genus Begonia. Material and methods: The compounds of the ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts were separated by chromatographic methods and identified by UV spectra and chemical techniques. Results: The analysis allowed the characterization of flavonoids belonging to flavonol types in the free aglycones and glycoside forms of kaempferol and quercetin. On the other hand, fingerprinting analysis and quantification of major flavonoids of 184 cultivars were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Among twenty five (25) components which were detected and separated: ten were corresponding to quercetin 3-Oglucosyl- rhamnoside (Rt=23.5), quercetin 3-O-glucoside (Rt=25), kaempferol 3-O-glucosylrhamnoside and its acylated derivative (Rt=32), kaempferol 3-O-glucoside (Rt=33), quercetin 3-O-p.coumaroyl-diglucoside (Rt=37), quercetin 3-O-P.coumaroyl-glucoside (Rt=40.5), quercetin (Rt=41.5), kaempferol and its acylated derivative (Rt=47). Only non-acylated glycosides of quercetin and kaempferol contributed to chemical variations among different cultivars based on the results of PCA. Conclusion: The genus Begonia is very heterogeneous and it is possible to distinguish several chemotypes whose differences rely on the complementarities between the metabolic pathways involved in the biosynthesis of glycosides of quercetin and kaempferol.

Quantification of Antioxidant Phenolic Compounds in a New Chrysanthemum Cultivar by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection and Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry.

The flowers of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. have been used as an herbal tea and in traditional medicine, and the plant has been developed to produce horticultural cultivars of various colors and shapes. In this study, a new chrysanthemum cultivar with dark purple petals (C. morifolium cv. ARTI-Dark Chocolate; ADC) was developed by radiation-induced mutation breeding of its original cultivar with purple striped white petals (C. morifolium cv. Noble Wine, NW). The phenolic profile and antioxidant property of ADC were investigated and compared with NW and the commercially available medicinal herb, C. morifolium with yellow petals (CM), in order to find a scientific support to produce a new source of natural antioxidant. Flavonoid and phenolic acid profiles of the ethanol extracts of the three flowers were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESIMS), while antioxidant properties were evaluated using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging assay. Among the tested flowers, ADC possessed the strongest antioxidant capacity and the highest phenolic contents. Flavonoids (acacetin, apigenin, luteolin, acacetin-7-O-β-glucoside, apigenin-7-O-β-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-β-glucoside, and linarin) and phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid and mixture of 1,4-, 1,5-, and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acids) were identified and quantified.

Chemical constituents with anti-allergic activity from the root of Edulis Superba, a horticultural cultivar of Paeonia lactiflora.

The methanolic extract and its subfractions from the dried root of Edulis Superba, a horticultural cultivar of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas, showed potent anti-allergic effect as inhibition of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated degranulation in rat basophil leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells. Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of 26 compounds, including a new norneolignan glycoside, paeonibenzofuran (1), together with 25 known ones (2-26). The chemical structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidences. Among the isolated compounds, mudanpioside E (5) with paeoniflorin-type skeleton and quercetin (16) showed potent inhibitory activity against a degranulation marker, β-hexosaminidase release with IC50 values of 40.34 and 25.05 μM, respectively. A primary structure-activity relationship of these components was discussed.

Divergence in floral scent profiles among and within cultivated species of Phlox

Variation in floral scent profiles within and among plant species may be attributed to a number of different phenomena, including selection by pollinators or enemies, direct or indirect artificial selection in horticulture, stochastic processes such as genetic drift, and pleiotropy between scent and other floral traits, including floral color. The genus Phlox represents a unique opportunity to study scent variation across multiple species using horticultural specimens derived, in part, to generate color diversity. In this study, we assessed floral scent variation among horticultural cultivars of nine different Phlox species and the related species Polemonium caeruleum, as well as differences in scent variation between wild-originated and horticultural Phlox drummondii color morphs using dynamic headspace extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy. We identified significant variation in floral scent among species of Phlox, between color morphs pooled across species, and significant scent variation between cultivars showing different floral colors within the species P. subulata, P. stolonifera, P. carolina, and P. drummondii. We also uncovered significant differences between the volatile profiles of wild-originated and horticultural specimens of P. drummondii. Color morphs of horticultural P. drummondii differed in their scent, while morphs from wild-originated plants did not. This study documents rampant variation in floral scent composition within and among Phlox species and their horticultural cultivars. Species-level differences are likely to have been shaped by differences in selection regimes (both artificial selection in cultivation and natural selection in wild progenitors) and/or stochastic processes among groups. Differences among color morphs suggest some possibility of pleiotropy between color and scent. Species with particularly high levels of between-cultivar variation further highlight the potential for pleiotropic interactions between color and scent phenotypes, although no clear patterns connecting pigment to production of particular scent compounds emerge. Our finding that horticultural P. drummondii shows greater variation in scent profiles among color morphs suggests that either selection in wild populations minimizes scent differences between color morphs or relaxation of selection/incidental artificial selection on scent in horticultural settings allows accumulation of variation between color morphs.

The functional significance of black-pigmented leaves: photosynthesis, photoprotection and productivity in Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'.

Black pigmented leaves are common among horticultural cultivars, yet are extremely rare across natural plant populations. We hypothesised that black pigmentation would disadvantage a plant by reducing photosynthesis and therefore shoot productivity, but that this trait might also confer protective benefits by shielding chloroplasts against photo-oxidative stress. CO2 assimilation, chlorophyll a fluorescence, shoot biomass, and pigment concentrations were compared for near isogenic green- and black-leafed Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’. The black leaves had lower maximum CO2 assimilation rates, higher light saturation points and higher quantum efficiencies of photosystem II (PSII) than green leaves. Under saturating light, PSII photochemistry was inactivated less and recovered more completely in the black leaves. In full sunlight, green plants branched more abundantly and accumulated shoot biomass quicker than the black plants; in the shade, productivities of the two morphs were comparable. The data indicate a light-screening, photoprotective role of foliar anthocyanins. However, limitations to photosynthetic carbon assimilation are relatively small, insufficient to explain the natural scarcity of black-leafed plants.