Morning Glory Research Articles

A preliminary study on heavy metal pollutants chrome (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in sediments and beach morning glory vegetation (Ipomoea pes-caprae) from Dasun Estuary, Rembang, Indonesia

This study aimed to assess the condition of the Dasun estuary, Indonesia, from the influence of heavy metals Cr, Cd, and Pb that accumulated in sediments and beach morning glory vegetation (Ipomoea pes-caprae). The results showed that the metal concentrations of Cr, Cd, and Pb in the sediments were 3.39–5.29 mg/kg, 0.21–0.29 mg/kg, and 5.36–6.87 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of metals that accumulated in the tissue of entire plants were 0.98–1.22 mg/kg (Cr), 0.31–0.40 mg/kg (Cd), and 0.94–1.23 mg/kg (Pb). Dasun estuary is still in the safe category for the living habitat, even though the concentration of Cd was relatively high and was estimated to originate from batik industry waste. The vegetation of Ipomoea pes-caprae was found to have a high ability to absorb Cd; thus, it can be used as a bioindicator for heavy metals in the environment.

Bilateral Morning Glory Anomaly With Optic Nerve Multiple Cysts

We herein describe a pediatric case of bilateral morning glory anomaly whose retrobulbar cysts and renal disease were underdiagnosed, and finally, he was diagnosed with renal coloboma syndrome. We recommend patients with colobomatous optic nerve malformations undergo a complete workup to avoid missed diagnosis, which includes (i) general physical examination looking for heart defects, genitourinary, auricular, and midline facial defects among other abnormalities; (ii) simple nephrologic investigations such as routine urine test and/or renal ultrasound to check for renal hypoplasia; and (iii) neuroimaging check for cerebrovascular anomalies and midline cranial defects. Genetic testing can be a useful tool to guide the workup.

Susceptibility of four Ipomoea genus weed species to the herbicides saflufenacil or flumioxazin

Among weeds commonly found in Brazil that directly interfere on agriculture, those classified in Convolvulaceae Family may be highlighted, particularly Ipomoea L. genus, popularly known as morning glories. Flumioxazin and saflufenacil are herbicide molecules registered to control these weeds. In this context, this work was developed with the objective of evaluating the susceptibility of four Ipomoea genus weed species to the herbicides flumioxazin and saflufenacil. Two similar and independent experiments were performed in 2017, adopting completely randomized blocks and four replicates. Treatments were organized according to an 8x4 factorial scheme, which eight were the rates of each herbicide and four were the weed species of Ipomoea genus (I. hederifolia, I. nil, I. quamoclit and I. triloba). The following rates were adopted to saflufenacil (g ha-1): 0, 1.5, 3.0, 6.1, 12.3, 24.5, 49.0 and 98.0. The rates adopted to flumioxazin were (g ha-1): 0, 3.75, 7.5, 15.0, 30.0, 60.0, 120.0 and 480.0. Ipomoea genus weed species were completely controlled by the herbicides saflufenacil and flumioxazin, which may be considered excellent alternatives to control morning glories. I. triloba and I. nil were identified as the least sensible species to flumioxazin at the rate of 3.75 g ha-1; lower control of I. triloba was also identified with 7.5 g ha-1 of flumioxazin; rates equal to or higher than 15.0 g ha-1 promoted total control of weeds.

Pollinator visitation and female reproductive success in two floral color morphs of Ipomoea aquatica (Convolvulaceae)

Differences in floral morphology are often hypothesized to stem from selection by different pollinators. Thus, the presence of multiple floral color morphs within a species might indicate visitation by different pollinator species. To test this prediction, we examined Ipomoea aquatica Forssk., a morning glory species with a “white” morph (all-white flowers) and a “purple” morph (white corolla lobes with purple corolla tubes). We studied this species in Nong Khai, Thailand, where some populations are monomorphic for a single color and others are polymorphic. We compared (a) animal visitation rates to each morph; (b) visitor and pollinator community composition at each morph; and (c) the female reproduction of each morph. Visitation rates were obtained from camcorder footage and used to analyze community composition. Female reproduction was assessed from a pollination experiment with five treatments (open, open emasculation, hand-cross, hand-self, and closed). We found that the main pollinators (bees and butterflies) visited both morphs, and that overall insect community composition to the two floral colors did not differ significantly. Moreover, we found that I. aquatica is capable of spontaneous autogamy but still benefits from pollinators, as flowers in the closed treatment set significantly fewer seeds than flowers in the open and hand cross-pollinated treatments. When comparing female reproduction between morphs, we did not find significant differences for either fruit set or seed set. These findings suggest that floral visitors interact with the two morphs similarly, and that the high-reproductive success experienced by both colors may help maintain the polymorphism in nature.

Clinical characteristics of morning glory disc anomaly in South India.

PURPOSE:Reports of morning glory disc anomaly (MGDA) in India have mostly been case reports. The aim of this study was to describe the demographic and clinical profile of patients with MGDA in South India.MATERIALS AND METHODS:A retrospective review of the medical records of patients with MGDA seen at a tertiary eye hospital in South India over a period of 8 years was carried out. The patients' demographic and clinical data were extracted from the case files and were entered into Epi Info reporting software version 7.2.3.0 and then analyzed.RESULTS:There were 51 eyes of 44 patients with MGDA comprised 25 (56.8%) males and 19 (43.2%) females. Seven (15.9%) patients had bilateral MGDA. The mean age for females was 5.8 years (standard deviation [SD]: 5.8) and for males, 11.2 years (SD: 12.1). This difference was not statistically significant with a P = 0.07. The most common ocular associations were strabismus, refractive error, and retinal detachment, whereas the most common systemic associations were cleft lip and cleft palate. Fifty-one percent of eyes were blind at presentation.CONCLUSION:Patients with MGDA in India tend to present late with poor visual prognosis. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of blinding complications are crucial in reducing the risk of irreversible visual loss. Associated systemic abnormalities highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of patients with this condition.

What is the Flora of the Pantanal Wetland?

The Brazilian Pantanal is a vast Neotropical wetland, in the upper Paraguay River basin. Rainfall and flooding are seasonal. The landscape is heterogeneous showing a mosaic of vegetation types. Overall, it is predominantly a savanna, with aquatic plants, riparian and dry forests, forest islets, woodlands, grasslands and many monodominant formations. The flora is composed of over 2,200 species of Angiosperms, and the species-richest families are Fabaceae (Pea Family) and Poaceae (Grass Family), each with over 300 species, followed by Asteraceae (Daisy Family) and Cyperaceae (Sedge Family), both with more than 100 species each. The species richest genera are Paspalum, Ipomoea (morning glories), Mimosa (sensitive plants), Croton, Eugenia, Ludwigia (primroses) and Arachis (wild peanuts). Very few are endemic species, as the region is geologically recent. The flora comes from surrounding domains, such as Cerrado, Chaco, Amazon, and Atlantic Forest, although most species have broad distribution. However, their arrangement and dynamics are unique in the Pantanal. Human population is quite low, except on the edges. Cattle ranching is the main economy for over 200 years. The conservation status of the Pantanal is still considered rather natural and pristine. Tourism is increasing, mainly for the abundant wildlife.

Demonstrating Purple Color Development to Students by Showing the Highly Visual Effects of Aluminum Ions and pH on Aqueous Anthocyanin Solutions

Students have long enjoyed color-change demonstrations and experiments. This paper describes the development of purple color in aqueous solutions of anthocyanins by the addition of alum, which enhances the color intensity, and neochlorogenic acid, which enhances the color stability. The range of colors can be further extended with high visual impact by changing the pH of the solutions. Variations of this demonstration are presented that can be adapted for a wide range of educational settings, including using typical anthocyanins to illustrate the chemistry of complexation for undergraduate students (part I); using morning glory flowers to observe a natural dye rainbow suitable for elementary school students; and using different combinations of pH and metal ions to demonstrate coordination complexes for high school students (part II). Follow-up lessons on chemical color stability are possible, given the enduring color of these solutions, even after several months. Suggestions for alternative materials that can be used to conduct these demonstrations are provided to ensure availability for teachers around the world.

Interacting effects on absorption and translocation of 14C-mesotrione and 14C-atrazine mixture for morning glory (Ipomoea hederifolia) control

The objective of this study was evaluate the interacting effects on absorption and translocation of 14C-mesotrione and 14C-atrazine mixture for morning glory (Ipomoea hederifolia) control. The mixture of atrazine + mesotrione was shown to be additive and synergistic by visual assessment in relation to expected control, depending on the dose and evaluation period. Absorption of 14C-atrazine alone (62.5%) and as a mixture (60%) in morning glory was higher than in the treatments with 14C-mesotrione alone (42.8%) and as a mixture (46.6%). However, 14C-mesotrione alone showed a higher translocation (8.6%) than 14C-mesotrione + atrazine (2.5%), indicating that the mixture decreased the translocation of this herbicide.

Water Treatment for Fish Aquaculture System by Biochar-Supplemented Planting Panel System.

Rice husk biochars were prepared by carbonization at 400–600°C. The products were analyzed by FTIR, SEM-EDS, BET, and approximate analysis in order to find final products with the best properties and the lowest carbonization temperature. It has been found that the biochar prepared at 500°C, which has 37.86 ± 0.11% yield, 341.0776 m2/g of BET surface area, and 0.136639 cm3/g of micropore volume, is suitable for use as a root supplement in the aquaponic system. The aquaponic systems consist of aquaculture and a hydroponic system with and without biochar supplement. The control experiment consists of an aquaculture and planting panel with biochar supplement disconnected from each other. Tilapia and Chinese morning glory were used for growth studies. The water quality from all aquaculture ponds has also been analyzed at an interval of 10 days for 47 days. The results showed that the growth rates of Tilapia and Chinese morning glory in the aquaponic system with biochar were clearly higher than in the control experiment, which is in accordance with the water quality in each aquaculture pond. However, the growth rates of Tilapia (23.5 g/body vs. 22.7 g/body) and morning glory (3.907 g/stem vs. 2.609 g/stem) in supplemented biochar system tend to be higher than the nonsupplemented biochar system. It has been shown that rice husk biochar can help in treating water in the aquaponic system by increasing the amount of dissolved oxygen in the aquaculture water and conversion of toxic compounds to those beneficial for plant growth.

Emergence flow of weeds as the result of temperature and luminosity conditions in hilly areas

Levels of weed infestation can be inferred from climate information since every species requires specific conditions for its germination process. This study aimed to evaluate weed species and their emergence flow in hilly areas, when subjected to different environmental conditions of temperature and luminosity. Two experiments were carried out in a completely randomized design with four replications. In the first experiment, treatments used plastic films (no film; film just on top; partially closed film; and fully closed film), whereas the second experiment used black polyethylene covers (0; 35; 50; and 80%). Weed emergence in the area was monitored daily, until the establishment of the emergence flow. Soil temperature, solar radiation interception and soil moisture were also monitored. For the analysis of species subjected to every type and level of covers, phytosociological parameters and the emergence speed index were calculated. Data were submitted to analysis of covariance and, when they were significant, the Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05) was applied. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to relate factors and experimental levels to distribution intervals of climate covariates. Increase of 8.5°C in soil temperature favors the emergence of crabgrass, while reducing the emergence of alexander grass, morning glory, beggartick and sida. The main species that adapted to decrease in temperature and solar radiation are sida, alexander grass and crab grass. Besides, decrease in radiation increases the number of magnoliopsida species and enables all species to establish faster.

Development of a set of chromosome-specific oligonucleotide markers and karyotype analysis in the Japanese morning glory Ipomoea nil

The phylogenetic relationships for Ipomoea species are incongruent in previous studies. Comparative karyotype analysis can provide valuable information for phylogenetic relationships among species. A reliable and efficient system for chromosome identification is the foundation for karyotype analysis. However, for the Ipomoea species, individual chromosomes were not identified in all previous reported karyotypes due to their small size, high number and similar morphology. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using oligonucleotides (oligos) as probes is a new strategy for chromosome identification and karyotype analysis. Here, we developed the first set of oligo-based probes based on the reference genome of Ipomoea nil, a model species in the genus Ipomoea. In all, we developed four oligo-FISH probes. By a combined use of four oligo probes, sequential FISH analysis were conducted on the same metaphase cells with each round including two probes, which permitted simultaneous identification of all I. nil chromosomes and anchoring 15 pseudochromosomes to individual cytological chromosomes. Moreover, 45S and 5S rDNA were mapped to specific chromosomes. A karyotype based on individually identified chromosomes was established, which was the first FISH-based molecular cytogenetic karyotype of I. nil. Our study has created the basis for studying chromosome variation and evolution in genus Ipomoea by comparative karyotype analysis using this set of oligo probes.

Unilateral morning glory disc anomaly in a patient with prenatal Zika virus exposure

BackgroundTo report a case of morning glory disc anomaly (MGDA) in a pediatric patient with prenatal Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure.Case presentationA 3-year-old male with prenatal exposure to ZIKV, confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction testing during the second trimester of pregnancy, was evaluated due to visual loss. Physical examination was remarkable for unilateral MGDA. Neuroimaging showed a base of skull encephalocele through the floor of the sella and callosal dysgenesis.ConclusionsThis is the first report to suggest an association between prenatal ZIKV exposure and MGDA. Prenatal ZIKV exposure may be associated to a wider pathologic spectrum than previously reported.

Morning glory optic nerve in Aicardi syndrome: Report of a case with fluorescein angiography

Aicardi syndrome is an X-linked condition that is associated with multiple ophthalmic malformations. Here, we report the first published fluorescein angiography (FA) study of a morning glory optic nerve in a patient with Aicardi syndrome and contralateral persistent fetal vasculature (PFV). A 12-day old full-term baby girl with a normal neurological exam was referred for evaluation of microphthalmia. The posterior segment of the right eye demonstrated chorioretinal lacunae typical of Aicardi syndrome and microphthalmos with a stalk consistent with PFV. The right eye imaging could not be captured due to the severe microphthalmos and cataract, however, fluorescein angioscopy was performed. The left eye demonstrated a morning glory appearing optic disc with peripapillary chorioretinal lacunae. Fluorescein angiography of the eye showed and late staining in the areas of ellipsoid chorioretinal lacunae emanating from the optic nerve and extensive peripapillary staining and late leakage of the optic nerve. Patients with Aicardi syndrome can have morning glory optic nerve anomaly and PFV. Using FA under anesthesia to detect these abnormalities help in estimating the extend of the disease and its complications, which allows for better management of the complications.

Mortality of Potato Psyllid (Hemiptera: Triozidae) on Host Clippings Inoculated With Ergot Alkaloids.

Our previous study provided correlative evidence that morning glory species harboring endophytic fungi (Periglandula) are resistant to potato psyllid [Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc)], whereas species free of fungi often allowed psyllid development. In this study, we manipulated levels of ergot alkaloids in host tissues by inoculating clippings from potato plants with extracts from morning glories that harbor Periglandula [Ipomoea leptophylla Torrey, Ipomoea imperati (Vahl) Grisebach, Ipomoea tricolor Cavanilles, Ipomoea pandurata (L.) G. F. Meyer, and Turbina corymbosa (L.)] and one species (Ipomoea alba L.) that does not harbor the endophyte. Ergot alkaloids (clavines, lysergic acid amides, and ergopeptines) were detected in potato clippings, thus confirming that leaves had taken up compounds from solutions of crude extracts. Psyllid mortality rates on inoculated clippings ranged between 53 and 93% in treatments producing biochemically detectable levels of alkaloids, when compared with 15% mortality in water controls or the alkaloid-free I. alba. We then tested synthetic analogs from each of the three alkaloid classes that had been detected in the crude extracts. Each compound was assayed by inoculating clippings of two host species (potato and tomato) at increasing concentrations (0, 1, 10, and 100 µg/ml in solution). Psyllids exhibited a large and significant increase in mortality rate beginning at the lowest two concentrations, indicating that even very small quantities of these chemicals led to mortality. Feeding by nymphs on artificial diets containing synthetic compounds resulted in 100% mortality within 48 h, irrespective of compound. Further testing of ergot alkaloids to characterize the mode of action that leads to psyllid mortality is warranted.

Optic Pathways Enlargement on Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Morning Glory Disc Anomaly

This retrospective multi-center case series study illustrates the characteristics of optic pathways enlargement (OPE) in patients with typical Morning Glory Disc Anomaly. Our findings suggest OPE might be considered a malformation rather than a neoplasm.

Retinal Detachment associated with Optic Nerve Anomalies: Clinical Features, Pathogenesis, Management

Congenital anomalies of the optic nerve head are a group of structural malformations of the optic nerve head and surrounding tissues, which may cause visual impairment. Retinal detachment commonly occurs in association with congenital anomalies of the optic disc, including morning glory disc anomaly, optic disc pit, optic disc coloboma, peripapillary staphyloma, and Aicardi syndrome. Notably, visual impairment and retinal detachment may not be the only problem in these patients, some of these entities will be related to neurologic and systemic features, which sometimes may be life-threatening. This review presents an overview of the clinical features of these optic disk anomalies and current therapeutic approaches for the treatment of retinal detachment associated with them.

Monitoring of the Organophosphate Pesticide Chlorpyrifos in Vegetable Samples from Local Markets in Northern Thailand by Developed Immunoassay.

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate pesticide that is wildly used among farmers for crop protection. However, there are concerns regarding its contamination in the environment and food chain. In the present study, an in-house indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) specific for detecting chlorpyrifos is developed and validated against gas chromatography–flame photometric detection (GC-FPD) as the conventional method. The developed ic-ELISA was used for detecting chlorpyrifos residue in vegetable samples. The developed ic-ELISA showed good sensitivity to chlorpyrifos at an IC50 of 0.80 µg/kg, with low cross-reactivity to other organophosphate pesticides. The 160 samples were collected from local markets located in the Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Nan provinces in northern Thailand. The positive rate of chlorpyrifos residues in the vegetable samples was 33.8%, with the highest levels found in cucumbers, coriander, and morning glory, at 275, 145, and 35.3 µg/kg, respectively. The highest median levels of chlorpyrifos found in the detected samples were Chinese cabbage (332 μg/kg), cucumber (146.3 μg/kg) and Chinese Kale (26.95 μg/kg). The developed ic-ELISA is suitable for the rapid quantitation of chlorpyrifos residues.

Multiple MYB Activators and Repressors Collaboratively Regulate the Juvenile Red Fading in Leaves of Sweetpotato.

Juvenile red fading describes the phenomenon in plants whereby red young leaves gradually turn green as they mature. While this phenomenon is commonly observed, the underlying molecular mechanism is still obscure as the classic model plants do not exhibit this process. Here, the molecular mechanism for the loss of anthocyanins during juvenile red fading were explored in the sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) cultivar “Chuanshan Zi”. The MYB-bHLH-WDR (MBW) regulatory complexes for anthocyanins were examined with five stages of leaf development from C1 to C5. Alternating accumulation of anthocyanins and chlorophylls caused the leaf color change. Five anthocyanin components were identified by ultra performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and their contents were highest at stage C2. Transcriptomic analysis showed massive gene expression alteration during leaf development. The anthocyanin structural genes expressed in sweetpotato leaves were screened and found to be highly comparable with those identified in morning glories. The screened anthocyanin regulatory genes included one bHLH (IbbHLH2), one WDR (IbWDR1), three MYB activators (IbMYB1, IbMYB2, and IbMYB3), and five MYB repressors (IbMYB27, IbMYBx, IbMYB4a, IbMYB4b, and IbMYB4c). The expression trends of MYBs were key to the red fading process: the activators were highly expressed in early red leaves and were all accompanied by simultaneously expressed MYB repressors, which may act to prevent excessive accumulation of anthocyanins. The only antagonistic repressor, IbMYB4b, was highly expressed in green leaves, and may be critical for declined anthocyanin content at later stages. Further functional verification of the above transcription factors were conducted by promoter activation tests. These tests showed that the MBW complexes of IbMYB1/IbMYB2/IbMYB3-IbbHLH2-IbWDR1 not only activated promoters of anthocyanin structural genes IbCHS-D and IbDFR-B, but also promoters for IbbHLH2 and IbMYB27, indicating both hierarchical and feedback regulations. This study outlines the elaborate regulatory network of MBW complexes involving multiple MYBs which allow for the timely accumulation of anthocyanins in sweetpotato leaves. These results may also provide clues for similar studies of juvenile red fading in other plant species.

Active Compound of Pharbitis Semen (Pharbitis nil Seeds) Suppressed KRAS-Driven Colorectal Cancer and Restored Muscle Cell Function during Cancer Progression.

Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS)-driven colorectal cancer (CRC) is notorious to target with drugs and has shown ineffective treatment response. The seeds of Pharbitis nil, also known as morning glory, have been used as traditional medicine in East Asia. We focused on whether Pharbitis nil seeds have a suppressive effect on mutated KRAS-driven CRC as well as reserving muscle cell functions during CRC progression. Seeds of Pharbitis nil (Pharbitis semen) were separated by chromatography and the active compound of Pharbitis semen (PN) was purified by HPLC. The compound PN efficiently suppressed the proliferation of mutated KRAS-driven CRC cells and their clonogenic potentials in a concentration-dependent manner. It also induced apoptosis of SW480 human colon cancer cells and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. The CRC related pathways, including RAS/ERK and AKT/mTOR, were assessed and PN reduced the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR. Furthermore, PN preserved muscle cell proliferation and myotube formation in cancer conditioned media. In summary, PN significantly suppressed mutated KRAS-driven cell growth and reserved muscle cell function. Based on the current study, PN could be considered as a promising starting point for the development of a nature-derived drug against KRAS-mutated CRC progression.

Solanales Stem Biomechanical Properties Are Primarily Determined by Morphology Rather Than Internal Structural Anatomy and Cell Wall Composition.

Self-supporting plants and climbers exhibit differences in their structural and biomechanical properties. We hypothesized that such fundamental differences originate at the level of the material properties. In this study, we compared three non-woody members of the Solanales exhibiting different growth habits: (1) a self-supporting plant (potato, Solanum tuberosum), (2) a trailing plant (sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas), and (3) a twining climber (morning glory, Ipomoea tricolor). The mechanical properties investigated by materials analyses were combined with structural, biochemical, and immunohistochemical analyses. Generally, the plants exhibited large morphological differences, but possessed relatively similar anatomy and cell wall composition. The cell walls were primarily composed of hemicelluloses (~60%), with α-cellulose and pectins constituting ~25% and 5–8%, respectively. Immunohistochemistry of specific cell wall components suggested only minor variation in the occurrence and localization between the species, although some differences in hemicellulose distribution were observed. According to tensile and flexural tests, potato stems were the stiffest by a significant amount and the morning glory stems were the most compliant and showed differences in two- and three-orders of magnitude; the differences between their effective Young’s (Elastic) modulus values (geometry-independent parameter), on the other hand, were substantially lower (at the same order of magnitude) and sometimes not even significantly different. Therefore, although variability exists in the internal anatomy and cell wall composition between the different species, the largest differences were seen in the morphology, which appears to be the primary determinant of biomechanical function. Although this does not exclude the possibility of different mechanisms in other plant groups, there is apparently less constraint to modifying stem morphology than anatomy and cell wall composition within the Solanales.