Kinds Of Plant Materials Research Articles

Plant Phenolics and Phenolic-Enriched Extracts as Antimicrobial Agents against Food-Contaminating Microorganisms.

Phenolic compounds and extracts with bioactive properties can be obtained from many kinds of plant materials. These natural substances have gained attention in the food research as possible growth inhibitors of foodborne pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. Many phenolic-enriched plant extracts and individual phenolics have promising anti-quorum sensing potential as well and can suppress the biofilm formation and toxin production of food-related pathogens. Various studies have shown that plant phenolics can substitute or support the activity of synthetic food preservatives and disinfectants, which, by the way, can provoke serious concerns in consumers. In this review, we will provide a brief insight into the bioactive properties, i.e., the antimicrobial, anti-quorum sensing, anti-biofilm and anti-enterotoxin activities, of plant phenolic extracts and compounds, with special attention to pathogen microorganisms that have food relation. Carbohydrase aided applications to improve the antimicrobial properties of phenolic extracts are also discussed.

Plants and People: How Plant Collections can Connect Artefacts and Culture

The identification of plant materials used to make artefacts is often problematic due to the changes made to them during processing into textiles, such as retting, dying and stripping. However, the ability to identify these plant materials can provide essential provenance information, as well as information about the lifeways and inter-relationships (such as trade and plant procurement methods) among groups of people. In a New Zealand context, the ability to identify plants used to make Māori textiles reveals the diversity of plants used, the importance of plants in pre-European society, and the creativity of textile makers. This paper will discuss the methods developed at the University of Otago, Dunedin to enable the identification of plant materials in Māori artefacts, as well as how access to collections of plant materials held at herbaria have contributed to this project. Over a 15 year period researchers at the Centre for Materials Science and Technology, University of Otago, have explored numerous methods of plant materials identification in artefacts (development of Atlas of Plant Materials and Fibres in New Zealand and Pacific He Rārangi Whakaaturanga o Ngā Taonga Rākau; micro computed tomography; Polarised Light Microscopy, PLM) with different levels of success. We will provide an overview of the development of a PLM identification method that has had the greatest success in application to plant identification in artefacts, and the kinds of connections this has brought about between founder cultures and their objects in museums collections. In doing so we will discuss how herbarium collections have contributed to the development of these methods, and what kinds of plant materials and botany collections have value for connecting people to their artefacts in cultural institutions.

Interfacial electron transfer and bioelectrocatalysis of carbonized plant material as effective anode of microbial fuel cell

Effective use of natural materials to fabricate porous carbonaceous structures for anodes of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) has a high potential for substantial cost reduction in MFC. In this study, three kinds of plant materials, i.e. king mushroom, wild mushroom and corn stem, were investigated for fabrication of conductive electrode materials by simple carbonization procedures. Structure–reactivity relationships of these electrodes were systematically studied with electrochemical redox probe ([Fe(CN)6]3−/4−) and biofilm electroactivity. The electrochemical and bioelectrochemical accessibilities of the carbonized electrodes were evaluated by impedance, cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques in order to study the electron transfer rate (Kapp), charge transfer resistances, oxidative current density and bioelectroactive moieties. The results showed that the electron transfer resistance (Rct) was 94 Ω for carbonized corn stem electrode with an electron transfer rate (Kapp) of 3.44 × 10−2 cm s−1 for Fe2+/Fe3+ redox probe. Higher bioelectroactivity (9.29 × 10−8 mol cm−2) was found from biofilm on carbonized corn stem (Rbiofilm, 45 Ω) with an electron transfer rate (bacteria-anode) of 63 × 10−5 cm s−1. The maximum bioelectrocatalytic current (imax) of 3.12 mA cm−2 was obtained on carbon electrode derived from corn stem. That is 8 times higher than plain graphite electrode. The porous architecture, high electron transfer rate and high electroactive biofilm growth are attributes that qualify natural-material carbon anodes as low-cost alternative for MFC.

Design, development and experimental results of a solar distillery for the essential oils extraction from medicinal and aromatic plants

Distillation of medicinal and aromatic plants for essential oils extraction can be done by utilizing heat in medium temperature range. These essential oils are used in foods, medicines and cosmetics etc. and are money earning business for the farming community. This research is focused to develop an on-farm solar distillery for the processing of different plant materials. The system comprises of a Scheffler reflector and a complete set of distillation system. An 8m2 ‘projected area of the Scheffler solar concentrator was coupled with the distillation still for the extraction of essential oils. In this paper, a complete mathematical description has been explained to design different components of solar distillation system. In order to provide a fixed focus on a receiver from morning to evening and in summer and winter, flexible crossbars have been used to achieve the desired shapes of the reflector. The paper also covers all the details regarding design, development, site specific installation and tracking system etc. Different types of Florentine apparatuses were used to separate the essential oils from the hydrosol. Necessary instrumentation was used for the performance evaluation of solar distillery. The system was capable of producing 300–450°C temperature at the receiver section within the beam radiation range of 800–850Wm−2. The efficiency of solar distillery was calculated to be 33.21% with 1.548kW thermal power available for processing in the distillation still. The system was operated for 10–12h a day during summer. About 18.58kWh thermal energy was obtained from the solar distillery in a sunny day. For the processing of 10kg batch, an average 3.5kWh energy was consumed. In this way, about 4–5 batches were processed successfully using different kinds of plant materials with 10–20kg per batch. The research concluded that different kind of medicinal and aromatic plants could be processed effectively using solar distillery.

Composition of Cypripedium calceolus (Orchidaceae) seeds analyzed by attenuated total reflectance IR spectroscopy: In search of understanding longevity in the ground

Orchid seeds are minute and covered with a thin coat, yet they often have a long life after dispersal. They are notorious for low and irregular germination, in nature as well as in vitro. Since orchids are often rare species of conservational and commercial interest, reproduction by seeds is an important concern. The purpose of this study was to learn more about the resilience of these highly specialized seeds and stimulatory processes toward germination. • We studied testa and embryos of Cypripedium calceolus to identify natural components in intact seeds and the impact of 7 yr in soil in its natural habitat. We also analyzed the effects of Ca(OCl)2, used technically to enhance germination for cultivation in vitro. For the first time with this kind of plant material, we used attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, an ideal method for minute sample sizes and surface selectivity. Thus, we could link treatments with changes in seed surface chemistry. • A lignin-like polymer is an essential testa component that undergoes degradation by soil or hypochlorite processes. In both cases, we found a build-up of CaCO3 on the testa, which could interact with lignin to enhance germination. Very minor changes occurred in embryo reserve nutrient content after a long sojourn underground, which supports their continued viability. • We suggest that degradation of lignin and enrichment of the testa surface with CaCO3 are important stimulants of germination both in the habitat and during laboratory sowing.

Pyrolysis process and antioxidant activity of pyroligneous acid from Rosmarinus officinalis leaves

We studied the pyrolysis process and products of Rosmarinus officinalis leaves. Three kinds of plant materials were used: fresh leaves, air-dried leaves, and air-dried leaves after essential oil distillation. The pyroligneous acids (PA) obtained by pyrolyzing the plant materials with different heating powers were extracted with organic solvents, including methanol, ethyl formate, dichloromethane, thiophene and tetrahydrofuran. The antioxidant activities, including free radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing power of the PA extracts were investigated. The synthetic antioxidants BHA and BHT were used as positive controls. The dichloromethane extract of PA showed superior antioxidant properties. The chemical compositions of the extracts were determined by GC–MS, and further proved that the dichloromethane extract had the best antioxidant characteristics.

On agricultural materials’ properties taken into consideration during new machinery development

Kinds of plant materials are examined, as well as their physical-mechanical properties and deformations under the impact of agricultural machinery working organs.

Chemical Composition of Essential Oils from a Multiple Shoot Culture of Telekia speciosa and Different Plant Organs

The composition of essential oil from Telekia speciosa leaves, flowers, roots, stems and in vitro regenerated shoots was studied by GC-MS-FID leading to the determination of 112 compounds. The qualitative composition of the essential oil from the examined plant material was similar, whereas quantities of individual components of the oils varied widely depending on the kind of plant material. The most striking differences were observed between the oils produced by aerial and underground parts of the intact plant, as well as between oils produced by in vitro grown shoots and leaves of the intact plant. The main volatiles of leaf essential oil were: (E,E)-famesol (21.2%) and (E)-nerolidol (17.9%), while isoalantolactone was the predominant component of the root (62.3%) and flower oils (23.0%). Numerous thymol derivatives were also found, among them 10-isobutyryloxy-8,9-epoxythymol isobutyrate, which was one of the main components found in the flower oil (20.5%) and that from the in vitro cultures (20.2%).

Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas putida for Promoting Growth of Jatropha curcas Seedling Root

Pseudomonas fluorescens and P. putida are Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) that can produce growth hormone. The objective of this study is to know the effects of those two combined species of PGPR on seedling root growth of Jatropha curcas . The condition of the seedling root determines the success of dry land cultivation. The root which has wider coverage, is larger in number, and is bigger in diameter makes seedling more resistant to stress in dry land environment. In the experiment, two kinds of plant materials are used for seedling, the Jatropha seed and stem material, which are treated in a mixed culture of PGPR. For the Jatropha seed, this mixed culture of PGPR is given at the same time of cultivating the sprout on the seedling medium. For the stem cutting, the PGPR is poured in together during the first watering of the seedling cultivation medium. In the fourthweek, the observed growth parameters are root length, root diameter, primary and secondary lateral root numbers, Root Length Density (RLD), Frequency of Lateral Root (FLR), and Specific Root Length (SRL). These data are analyzed using analysis of variant with DMRT test at 0.05 level of significance. The result of this study shows that PGPR tend to reduce FLR values on the seedling root made from seeds. On the seedling root made from stem cutting, PGPR increase the root length, primary and secondary lateral root numbers, root diameter, FLR and SRL values as well. Keywords: Pseudomonas, PGPR, root, Jatropha

Germplasm enhancement by developing advanced plant materials from diverse rice accessions

Genetic dissection of a wide range of naturally occurring variations in rice has significantly progressed by means of quantitative trait locus analysis. This genetic dissection has resulted in molecular cloning of genes and loci with biological and agronomic interest. The success of these analyses depends strongly on the plant materials used. In the last decade, many kinds of plant materials, and particularly advanced backcross populations, have been developed for the genetic analysis of traits of interest. Some of those materials have been deposited in the public domain in order to facilitate further analyses of rice genetics and molecular biology. In this review, we describe how such plant materials, including chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) and introgression lines, could be used in genetic analysis, as well as the kinds of plant materials that could be developed and that are now available to the rice research community. Furthermore, we introduce our current activities related to large-scale development of CSSLs using diverse Asian rice accessions as donors.

Measuring genome size of desert plants using dry seeds

Use of seeds instead of leaves for the flow cytometric measurement of DNA content is of particular interest to botanists and plant ecologists, since it allows estimation of genome sizes for species having reduced leaves or that accumulate staining inhibitors within leaves, and also for species growing in regions where cytometers are not readily available. The seeds of 24 desert species, including wildflowers, cacti, shrubs, and trees were analyzed by flow cytometry. Nuclei were used from either total seeds or seed tissues, following dissection to determine the seed parts that were most suitable for genome size measurement. In addition, the mass of 100 seeds was established. The seeds of 14 species contained only cells occupying a mitotic cell cycle. For 10 other species, endoreplicated nuclei (up to 32C) were detected. Using entire seeds or their parts, it was possible to estimate genome sizes for all of the species, which ranged from 0.79 pg per 2C in Parkinsonia aculeata L. to 26.96 pg per 2C in Agave parryi Engelm., thus this kind of plant material can be used for the cytometric measuring of nuclear DNA content. However, a detailed understanding of seed biology is needed to interpret the results correctly. The relationships among genome size, seed mass, and desert growing conditions are also discussed.

Excess heterozygosity and scarce genetic differentiation in the populations of Phoenix dactylifera L.: human impact or ecological determinants

Extensive research has been conducted on the characterization of hundreds of date palm (Phoenix dactyliferaL.) cultivars worldwide. However, the population genetics of date palms has never been studied. In this study, we collected 200 individuals from 19 populations of different geographical locations in Sudan. The collection sites were grouped according to the type of dates (date palm fruits) that dominates in the area. Ten microsatellite markers were used to investigate the genetic diversity within and among populations and the correlation between the genetic and geographical distances. The tested microsatellite markers showed a high level of polymorphism. A total of 261 alleles were detected at the ten loci. The overall mean value of fixation indices equalled − 0.163, which shows the presence of excess heterozygosity. However, the χ2tests conducted for every locus in each population indicated no significant deviation from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. The analyses of molecular variance exhibited that about 95% of the total genetic variation existed within populations, while significant differentiation within the type groups could be detected. Although significant isolation by distance (r2 = 0.552,P < 0.05) was detected by a Mantel test, it seems that the spatial effect has become complicated as a result from the exchange and introduction of different kinds of plant materials by date palm growers and traders, as well as seed dispersal. This complexity was clearly apparent in the weak clustering relationships among most of the tested populations.

Reconstruction of the Allerød vegetation of the Neuwied Basin, western Germany, and its surroundings at 12,900 cal b.p.

During the late-glacial eruption of the Laacher See volcano 12,900 b.p. the whole area of the Neuwied Basin, middle Rhine region, was covered by several metres of the Laacher See Tephra (LST) damaging but also partly conserving the former vegetation. This gave the unique opportunity to study plant remains in situ and to estimate the spatial biodiversity of plant taxa within the area investigated at the end of the last glacial as if in a snapshot of 12,900 years ago. Different kinds of plant material can be found because of different preservation conditions namely imprints, charcoal and waterlogged remains. Investigations of this material from several places within the Neuwied Basin and the Brohl valley north of it allowed the reconstruction of the former vegetation at different scales from local to regional. This resulted in a large scale draft of a vegetation map of the studied area also based on the distribution and the stage of soil development at that time. As to whether thermophilous trees were already present is discussed but largely rejected.

Extraction under vacuum-oscillation boiling conditions

Anew method is proposed for the extraction of biologically active substances from raw plant materials, which makes use of an apparatus featuring the periodic formation and collapse of vapor bubbles in the processed suspension. The influence of the boil-up frequency, the amplitude of volume variations, and the temperature of extractant on the mechanism of vapor bubble formation and the kinetics of flavonoid fraction isolation from various kinds of plant materials have being investigated. A comparison of the vacuum-oscillation boiling method of extraction to the methods of extraction under pure pulsation and vacuum boiling conditions shows the advantage of the proposed method.

An improved method for extraction and separation of photosynthetic pigments

The method for extracting and separating hydrophobic photosynthetic pigments proposed by Katayama et al. (Japanese Journal of Phycology, 42, 71-77, 1994) has been improved to introduce it to student laboratories at the senior high school level. Silica gel powder was used for removing water from fresh materials prior to extracting pigments by a mixture of organic solvents that was also used for chromatographic separation of the pigments. A small silica gel thin-layer plate or a paper strip was used for separating the pigments. The improved method may be applicable to all kinds of plant materials including algae, is easier than most other methods, and can lead to more successful results in separating these pigments by both thin-layer chromatography and paper chromatography. The method has been carried out in student laboratories in some senior high schools and universities in Japan. The results indicate that this laboratory exercise is effective for students to recognise the unity and diversity of plants. Therefore, this laboratory seems to be useful for teaching plant systematics as well as for teaching photosynthesis.

Slow litter decomposition in a Cecropia-dominated secondary forest of central Amazonia

Different proportions of tree canopy cover in a second-growth forest were removed to determine the effect of canopy opening on the carbon cycle of a 10-y-old tropical rain forest dominated by Cecropia species. Understorey vegetation was left intact. Mean maximum monthly temperature increased in the 50 and 100% cut areas relative to 0% canopy removal plots. Plots with a 100% canopy removal had slightly higher soil moisture than 50 and 0% removal plots. Annual fine litter input was 6.9±0.3 t ha −1 in the 0% cut plots with two separate peaks during the year. There was less litter input and a tendency toward slower decomposition of leaf litter in more open plots than in the plots with greater canopy cover. Percent lignin, carbon and nitrogen did not differ between the kinds of plant material used in the decomposition experiment. Quantity of tannins, however, related directly to decomposition rates. The annual decay rate (k) determined at 560 d from three kinds of litter in bags ranged from −0.39 to −0.61. There was no significant difference in decay rates associated with percent canopy removal. Decay rate estimates, using annual input of litter divided by standing mass of fine litter (the average of dry and wet season estimates, 10.3 t ha −1), resulted in a k value of −0.7 in the 0% plots, and was higher than any estimate obtained using litterbags. Decomposition rates determined in these second-growth plots are lower than any reported for primary forests in Amazonia.

Toward a global estimate of black carbon in residues of vegetation fires representing a sink of atmospheric CO2and a source of O2

Vegetation fire residues of various kinds of plant materials were analyzed for black carbon (BC) and the corresponding hydrogen. These data clearly show that BC can be defined as the fire produced carbon fraction with a molar H/C ratio of ≤ 0.2 which is resistant to heating to 340°C in pure oxygen. Relationships of black carbon production to fire characteristics such as fuel type, gaseous emissions, etc., were studied demonstrating that black carbon is mainly a product of the hot flaming combustion and that more than 80% of the black carbon produced remains on ground after the fire with the rest being emitted with the smoke. This black carbon mainly in the fine residue may significantly contribute to the background concentrations of black carbon in the atmosphere. From the ratios of black carbon in the residue to carbon exposed to the fire, and to carbon emitted as CO2we estimate the global black carbon formation to be 50–270 Tg yr−l(teragram = 1012g). As this carbon is very resistant to microbial decay, it may well represent a sink for biospheric carbon. This sink may be significantly greater, for example, up to a factor of 2 when reducing the pretreatment temperature to 300°C, if some of the less resistant carbon with higher H/C ratios which is removed by our method would also show significant resistance to microbial breakdown. The fire‐induced sequestration of carbon from the short‐term biospheric to the long‐term geological cycle due to the formation of black carbon may represent a significant sink of atmospheric CO2and source of O2and possibly has influenced today's atmospheric oxygen content.

Testing Models of Optimal Diet Assembly by the Generalist Herbivorous Lizard Cnemidophorus Murinus

The diet of the predominantly herbivorous Bonaire Island whiptail lizard (Teiidae: Cnemidophorus murinus) was examined to assess three models of diet selection by generalist herbivores. These models were: single—nutrient maximizing, toxin avoiding, and nutritional wisdom. At three sites were gathered data on the diet of the lizard over a full year (both wet and dry seasons) on the relative abundance of all plant food types available to the lizards during that period, and on the nutritional composition of each plant type. Thirteen nutritional variables were measured, including content of energy, protein, minerals, water, and potentially toxic plant secondary compounds, and digestibility of protein. The lizards were generalist feeders, consuming a wide variety of flowers, fruits, leaves, nectar, and some animal material. Most stomachs contained more than one food type, suggesting C. murinus typically samples several kinds of plant materials each day. The lizards were selective with regard to foods eaten; most foods were not taken in proportion to their availability in the environment. Potential plant foods varied in nutritional quality, but no one nutrient was correlated with dietary preferences. Multivariate analysis revealed that preference or avoidance of a potential food type could be predicted by a combination of nutritional properties, but these differed among sites. Despite differing plant assemblages at each site, annual intake of nutrients by the lizards was similar among sites. The results best support the nutritional wisdom hypothesis; the Bonaire whiptail lizard may assemble its diet to obtain the proper balance of required nutrients, while avoiding dangerous levels of plant secondary compounds.

The refilling of embolized xylem in Pinus sylvestris L.

Abstract. The hypothesis that ray parenchyma cells are actively involved in the refilling of embolized xylem of Pinus sylvestris L. was tested by killing the ray parenchyma and comparing rehydration of killed stems with that of control material. Killing of ray parenchyma was achieved using hot water or sodium azide. In most experiments, the available water for refilling was at negative water potential. Experiments were done on three kinds of plant material: small branch segments, potted seedlings and small potted trees. In all experiments, there was no indication that the azide‐killed xylem was slower to refill than the control material and it was concluded that the parenchyma has no role in the refilling process, which therefore must be purely physical or physicochemical. Stems treated with hot water did not refill; we suggest that this may be caused by high temperatures decreasing the water permeability of the tracheid wall. The refilling of small branch segments may be explained by surface tension forces (capillary action), which inside the tracheid lumen may lower the water potential down to ‐9.7kPa; this may be enough to draw in water from the available water that in experiment one was at ‐2kPa. In the case of seedlings or saplings, capillary action cannot explain refilling, because the xylem water potentials were always lower than those estimated from tracheid radii. Condensation of water during diurnal cycles of warming and cooling is also unlikely to contribute to refilling significantly. To account for refilling in these cases, it is supposed that the tracheid wall may be chemically active and able to lower the water potential below the value expected by capillarity.

Chlorophyll fluorescence at 77 K in intact leaves: Characterization of a technique to eliminate artifacts related to self-absorption

Due to the optical density of photosynthetic tissues the spectral characteristics of fluorescence emitted at 77 K directly from frozen plant material are distorted by differential re-absorption of the emitted light: the emission band related to PSII can be lowered by more than 80%, relative to the PSI band and the profile of the excitation spectra becomes flattened. It is demonstrated that such distortion cannot be neglected as its extent varies from sample to sample. A technique is introduced to eliminate sample artifacts related to self-absorption: subcellular small particles are prepared from rapidly cooled leaves and then 'diluted' without re-thawing at a concentration corresponding to about 5 μg chlorophyll·cm(-3) into a matrix consisting of ice and quartz particles. The photochemical pigment apparatus is expected to remain fixed in the in vivo state. Different kinds of plant material is used and it is demonstrated how this preparative approach allows to study the in vivo distribution of energy between the two photosystems from pure 77 K spectrofluorimetry, even when the optical properties of whole leaves or thalli normally would exclude quantitative analysis.