Mulberry Family Research Articles

Comprehensive review on ethnomedicinal, phytochemistry and pharmacological profile of.

Ficus religiosa L. (F. religiosa) or sacred fig is a large perennial tree belonging to the family Moraceae or mulberry family. Though the tree has pan-tropical distribution but originally it is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent and Indochina region. Popularly the tree is named "Pepal or bodhi tree". Traditionally, it is practiced for the treatment of asthma, nose bleeding, heart disorders, diabetes, wound healing, ear problems, constipation, hyperlipidemia, gonorrhea, ulcers and infectious disorders. Chemical analysis demonstrated the presence of numerous bioactives including tannins, phenols, saponins, sugars, alkaloids, methionine, terpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, proteins, separated amino acids, essential and volatile oils and steroids etc., which are probably responsible for its diverse pharmacological actions. The present work is an attempt to compile up-to-date comprehensive information on F. religiosa that covers its taxonomy, ethnomedicinal importance, phytochemistry, pharmacological attributes and clinical trials. Keeping in mind the various health attributes of F. religiosa, future research can be aimed at in-depth elucidation of the structure-function relationship and multifactorial signalings pathways.

Kuwanon C Inhibits Tumor Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis by Targeting Mitochondria and Endoplasmic Reticulum.

Kuwanon C is a unique flavonoid found in the mulberry family, characterized by two isopentenyl groups. While previous research has focused on various properties of kuwanon C, such as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, food preservation, skin whitening, and nematode lifespan extension, little attention has been given to its potential role in oncological diseases. In this study, we investigate the antitumor effect of kuwanon C in cervical cancer cells and elucidate its specific mechanism of action. We assessed the antitumor effects of kuwanon C using various experimental techniques, including cell proliferation assay, wound healing assays, EdU 488 proliferation assay, mitochondrial membrane potential assay, ROS level assay, cell cycle, apoptosis analysis, and studies on kuwanon C target sites and molecular docking. The results revealed that kuwanon C significantly impacted the cell cycle progression of HeLa cells, disrupted their mitochondrial membrane potential, and induced a substantial increase in intracellular ROS levels. Moreover, kuwanon C exhibited notable anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on HeLa cells, surpassing the performance of commonly used antitumor drugs such as paclitaxel and cisplatin. Notably, kuwanon C demonstrated superior efficacy while also being more easily accessible compared to paclitaxel. Our study demonstrates that kuwanon C exerts potent antitumor effects by its interaction with the mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum membranes, induces a significant production of ROS, disrupts their normal structure, inhibits cell cycle progression, and stimulates apoptotic signaling pathways, ultimately resulting in the death of HeLa tumor cells. As an isopentenyl compound derived from Morus alba, kuwanon C holds great promise as a potential candidate for the development of effective antitumor drugs.

In silico comparative analysis of the complete chloroplast genome sequences in the mulberry family (Moraceae)

The mulberry family (Moraceae) encompasses a wide range of angiosperms and includes several important fruit plants, such as jackfruit, breadfruit, and figs, among others. While there have been multiple published complete chloroplast (cp) genomes within this family, there has been no comprehensive study that summarizes the characteristics of these sequences. In the current study, a comprehensive analysis was conducted using a dataset consisting of 32 cp genomes obtained from NCBI GenBank. These genomes belong to 32 species, encompassing 12 genera within the mulberry family. The collected data were used to conduct genomic comparisons and phylogenetic analyses, employing a range of bioinformatics tools. The findings revealed length variations among the cp genomes of different species, ranging from 158,459 bp in Morus mongolica to 162,594 bp in Broussonetia luzonica. Additionally, the study detected structural variations in simple sequence repeat motifs including gene losses. Overall, the phylogenetic results in this study generally supported the existing taxonomy of species within this family, with the exception that Malaisia scandens and Trophis scandens are clustered in the clade of the Broussonetia genus. This investigation provides further evidence of the effectiveness of characterizing the entire cp genome when classifying species and genera within the mulberry family.

Suppression of bone resorption by Mori Radicis Cortex through NFATc1 and c-Fos signaling-mediated inhibition of osteoclast differentiation.

Mori Radicis Cortex (MRC) is the root bark of the mulberry family as Morus alba L. In Korea, it is known as "Sangbaegpi". Although MRC has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, its specific mechanisms of action and impact on osteoporosis remain poorly understood. To investigate the antiosteoporosis effect of MRC, we examined the level of osteoclast differentiation inhibition in receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL)-induced-RAW 264.7 cells and animal models of ovariectomy (OVX) with MRC. Serum analysis in OVX animals was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and bone density analysis was confirmed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). The expression analysis of nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1) was confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in femur tissue. In addition, osteoclast differentiation inhibition was measured using tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). mRNA analysis was performed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the protein expression analysis was investigated by western blot. Micro-CT analysis showed that MRC effectively inhibited bone loss in the OVX-induced rat model. MRC also inhibited the expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and TRAP in serum. Histological analysis showed that MRC treatment increased bone density and IHC analysis showed that MRC significantly inhibited the expression of NFATc1. In RANKL-induced-RAW 264.7 cells, MRC significantly reduced TRAP activity and actin ring formation. In addition, MRC significantly inhibited the expression of NFATc1 and c-Fos, and suppressed the mRNA expression. Based on micro-CT, serum and histological analysis, MRC effectively inhibited bone loss in an OVX-induced rat model. In addition, MRC treatment suppressed the expression of osteoclast differentiation, fusion, and bone resorption markers through inhibition of NFATc1/c-Fos expression in RANKL-induced RAW 264.7 cells, ultimately resulting in a decrease in osteoclast activity. These results demonstrate that MRC is effective in preventing bone loss through inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and activity.

Bio monitoring of toxic pollutants in air and leaves of Ficus religiosa in selected sites of Chennai city

Biomonitoring of vehicle exhaust and deposits of heavy metal on the leaves of the trees located on the roadside was carried out. The selected site Chennai metropolitan city, the capital of Tamil Nadu is a large city, hence divided the city into three sites such as North Chennai, Central Chennai and South Chennai. From these sites, we selected Ficus religiosa trees that are located alongside the roads where a greater number of vehicles pass by. We examined the atmospheric polluted gases by means of using gas sensors and the pollutants on the leaf samples from all the selected sites of Chennai city. For the present study, Ficus religiosa was chosen which belongs to the family Moraceae (the Mulberry family) to know the atmospheric air pollution in our surroundings and the heavy metals (lead, copper, nickel) deposition on the leaves of the trees through Atomic Absorption spectrometry. The ultimate aim of this work is to bio monitor and correlate the existing particulate matter present in the atmosphere and heavy metal deposition in the Ficus religiosa tree leaves of selected sites of Chennai city. The findings could be used for further studies about pollution monitoring and improve the tolerance in future.

Multi-omics analyses of the effect of carbon ion beam irradiation on cannabis fructus (Cannabis sativa L.) composition

Cannabis fructus (Cannabis sativa L.) belongs to the mulberry family, which is one of the earliest cultivated crops by humans and has industrial, agricultural, and medicinal values. In this study, the effect of carbon ion beam irradiation on the physiological and biochemical pathways of cannabis fructus was analyzed by multi-omics. Compared to the unirradiated cannabis fructus stem, 2,891 differentially-expressed genes, 1,145 differentially-expressed proteins, and 954 altered ubiquitination modification sites were identified in cannabis fructus irradiated by carbon ion beam irradiation (60 Gy dosage). Correlation analyses between proteomic, transcriptomic, and ubiquitin modification groups were carried out, and we found that the carbon fixation pathway, fatty acid synthesis pathway, JA synthesis, and glutathione metabolism pathway were enriched in relevant protein levels, and activates the MAPK signaling pathway regulated by gene expression. Further analysis found that the content of some proteins (LOX, AOC, and MDR) was correlated with their respective transcriptional levels, and the content of some proteins (APX, G-6-PD, GST, GAPHD, FBA, AOS, PR1, and ChiB) was correlated with their ubiquitination levels. In addition, M2 generation cannabis fructus seeds exhibited a larger volume, higher thousand-grain weight, and increased linolenic acid content compared to the control group, which was consistent with the trends of our multi-omics analyses. In summary, we demonstrated that 60 Gy carbon ion beam irradiation can enhance the carbon fixation pathway in cannabis fructus and enhance linolenic acid synthesis. Taken together, our multi-omics analysis of the response of cannabis fructus to carbon ion beam irradiation provides a theoretical foundation for readily producing cannabis fructus varieties with advantageous traits in the future.

Dut meyvesinin fitokimyasal profili ve farmakolojik özellikleri

The fruits of Morus species from the Mulberry family (Moraceae) are traditionally consumed widely due to their positive effects on health. The interest about its health effect are increasing due to its rich content of bioactive components (flavonol, anthocyanin, flavanonol, phenolic acids, alkaloids), minerals (potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium), vitamins (vitamin B1 and folic acid), oils (linoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid) and melatonin. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated that the fruits have positive health effects such as anti-diabetic, antioxidant, neuroprotective, hypolipidemic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antiparkinsonian, anti-tumor/anti-cancer, antimicrobial and immune-enhancing effects due to the bioactive components. In addition, mulberry fruit are traditionally consumed for their diabetes, hypertension, liver, kidney damage, and eye improvement effects. However, there is only limited clinical studies about the pharmacological properties of mulberry fruits whereas more in vitro research are present. In this review, the phytochemical profile, in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties of Morus alba, Morus rubra, and Morus nigra fruits were investigated.

First report of Alternaria alternata causing Alternaria leaf spot of Fig in Pakistan.

Fig (Ficus carica) is a species of flowering plants within the mulberry family. During June 2020, leaf spots were observed on several fig plants (31°26'15.0"N 73°04'25.6"E) at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Early symptoms were small, oval to circular, light brown, sunken spots that were uniformly distributed on the leaves. Spots gradually enlarged and coalesced into circular to irregular dark brown to black spots that could be up to 3cm diam. with no or small sized fruit. Disease incidence was approximately 25%. To identify the causal agent of the disease, 15 symptomatic leaves were collected. Small pieces from all diseased samples were removed from the margin between healthy and diseased tissues were surface disinfested in 70% ethanol for 2 min, rinsed three times with sterile distilled water, plated on Potato dextrose agar and incubated at 25 ± 2°C with a 12-h photoperiod. Fungal isolation on PDA medium frequency was 95% from diseases leaves. Morphological observations were made on 7- day- old single-spore cultures. The colonies initially appeared light grayish which turned sooty black in color. All fungal isolates were characterized by small, short-beaked, multicellular conidia. The conidia were ellipsoidal or ovoid and measured 9 to 25 μm × 5 to 10 μm (n = 40) with longitudinal and transverse septa. The morphological characters matched those of Alternaria alternata (Simmons et al. 2007). Genomic DNA of a representative isolate (FG01-FG03) was extracted using DNAzol reagent (Thermo Fisher Scientific MA, USA) and PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA region, was performed with primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), partial RNA polymerase II largest subunit (RPB2) with RPB2-5F/RPB2-7cR (Liu et al. 1999) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene regions was performed with gpd1/gpd2 (Berbee et al. 1999). The obtained sequences were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers MW692903.1 to MW692905.1 for ITS-rDNA gene, MZ066731.1 to MZ066733.1 for RPB2 and MZ066728.1 to MZ066730.1 for GAPDH. BLASTn analysis showed 100% identity with the submitted sequences of A. alternata for ITS rDNA, RPB2, and GAPDH. To confirm pathogenicity, 2-month-old 15 healthy potted F. carica plants were sprayed at true leaf stage with conidial suspension by using an atomizer in a greenhouse. Each representative A. alternata isolate (FG01-FG03) was inoculated on every three plants with conidial suspensions (106 conidia/ml; obtained from 1-week-old cultures) amended with 0.1% (vol/vol) of Tween 20 until runoff (1.5 to 2 ml per plant) whereas, three control plants were sprayed with sterile distilled water amended with 0.1% Tween 20. All plants were incubated at 25 ± 2°C in a greenhouse, and the experiment was conducted twice. After 10 days of inoculation, each isolate induced leaf spots similar to typical spots observed in the field, whereas the control plants remained symptomless. The fungus was re-isolated from symptomatic tissues and reisolation frequency was 100%. Re-isolated fungal cultures were again morphologically and molecularly identical to A. alternata, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. Previously, A. alternata has been reported cause fruit disease of fig in Pakistan and California, USA (Alam et al. 2021; Latinović et al. 2014). To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. alternata causing leaf spot on common fig in Pakistan. In Pakistan, fig is widely grown for drying, and this disease may represent a threat to fig cultivation.

A study on diversity and distribution of Ficus L. (Dicotyledonae: Moraceae) species at Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun (Uttarakhand), India

Ficus L., commonly known as Fig, is a member of the family Moraceae (mulberry family) comprises 37 genera and approximately 1,100 species distributed in diverse ecosystems, especially in tropical and temperate regions of the world. The Ficus genus stands out as a keystone resource provider in many tropical forests, which is probably because of continuous non-seasonal fruiting in many species. It is one of the largest genera in the angiosperms about 750 species. The present study was carried out in the Forest Research Institute (FRI) campus, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), India. The phytodiversity of Ficus L. and their socio-economic values worked out during the investigation, religious-spiritual attachment, food of wild animals, ethnomedicinal and timber significance. There were 16 species of Ficus L. recorded from New Forest, FRI, Dehradun based on the morphological observations of taxonomically significant characteristics. The species found in FRI New Forest Dehradun were, Ficus benjamina, F. religiosa, F. racemosa, F. rumphii, F. retusa, F. krishnae, F. elastica, F. virens, F. semicordata, F. auriculata, F. hispida, F. pumila, F. palmata, F. drupacea, F. benghalensis, F. pomifera. Out of the notified 16 species of Ficus, 11 species were trees, 3 shrubs and 2 climbers in nature. The maximum leaf size (30×27cm2) was reported in F. auriculata, followed by F. semicordata (28×10cm2), F. benghalensis (25×11cm2). However, minimum leaf size was noticed in F. benjamina (4×2cm2) and F. retusa (4×3cm2). Among, 15 species, axillary fig (fruit) arrangement was observed, while one species (F. racemosa) has stem position of fruits. The current finding is itself a pioneer study to present a glimpse of such immense species diversity of single genera from sub-valley areas and will be a milestone for future studies in conservation and management of these wild varieties.

Ex situ conservation of the Moraceae Family in the Bogor Botanical Gardens, West Java

Abstract. Sahromi. 2020. Ex situ conservation of the Moraceae Family in the Bogor Botanical Gardens. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 6: 505-511. Moraceae belongs to a family of flowering plants and is a large family that has many species of around 1000 species. In the world, this family is known as Mulberry (mulberry family) or Ara family (fig family), in Indonesia is known as beringin-beriginan family. Bogor Botanical Gardens as an ex situ plant conservation institution has collected Moraceae species in the form of botanical gardens with the aim of preservation and research. The research aim was to re-identify the collection of species of Moraceae in the Bogor Botanical Gardens, West Java by carrying out a re-inventory and secondary data search in the Bogor Botanical Gardens Registration units, as well as exploring their potential uses. The results of inventorization in the Bogor Botanical Gardens collection, there were about 56 species of Moraceae family or about 9.33% of species of Moraceae in the Asia tropics and Australasia, and there were 12 genera, namely Ficus, Artocarpus, Morus, Streblus, Taxotrophis, Antiaris, Brosimum, Castilla, Milicia (Chlorophora), Dorstenia, Parartocarpus, and Piratinera. Habitus of species of family Moraceae in the Botanical Gardens collection which is mostly in the form of trees, then shrubs, semi-epiphytes and herbs. Potential uses of Moraceae family, include: (i) the genus Artocarpus as a producer of edible fruits and seeds, young fruit as a vegetable, a good source of carbohydrates, a good producer of wood, (ii) the genus Ficus as a producer of fruit (edible fruit), plants medicine, ornamental plants, protective plants and as a key species (keystone), (iii) genus Morus as a producer of fruit and its leaves as food for silkworms.

Antioxidant, Anti-Diabetic and Phytochemical Screening of Dried Ficus carica Linn Fruit Powder

Ficus carica L. or the common name is red figs that belong to the Moraceae family or the Mulberry family. Every part of the fruit or the tree has been able to treat different types of common diseases, for example, it is used as a natural laxative or a supplementary food for diabetes. Thus, this research uses four different solvents, ethyl acetate, ethanol, hexane, and water, to obtain the respective crude extracts in order to investigate the anti-diabetic properties by determining the inhibition of the activity of the diabetic enzymes, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase; and the DPPH assay determines the antioxidant activity while qualitative phytochemical screening was for phenols, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, and flavonoids; total quantitative phenolic and total flavonoid content was done. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of the compounds tested in different types of crude extracts. For the total phenolic content, ethyl acetate extract exhibits the highest content. In contrast, hexane extract shows the highest total flavonoid content. For the DPPH assay, ethyl acetate extract has the highest scavenging activity at 13.351 µg/mL with corresponding with the data of total phenolic content. For the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, water extract has the lowest IC50 value among the four extracts but higher value than the standard. For α-amylase inhibitory activity, only ethanol extract showed the IC50 value, but it was a high value. In conclusion, there is potential for figs to be a natural source of medicine, and the extracts tested can be used for future studies.

Stereoselective Reduction of Bisdemethoxycurcumin to (R)-Hexahydrobisdemethoxycurcumin by Cultured Morus bombycis Plant Cells

Biotransformation of bisdemethoxycurcumin was examined using cultured plant cells of Morus bombycis, the Moraceae mulberry family, as biocatalysts. The cultured cells converted bisdemethoxycurcumin into ( R)-hexahydrobisdemethoxycurcumin in 30% yield in 1 day. The ( S)-stereoisomer has been isolated from Betula platyphylla Sukatchev var. japonica.

A Comparative Ontogenetic Approach to Understanding the Pseudomonomerous Gynoecium in Moraceae

Premise of research. Moraceae, the well-known mulberry or fig family, displays small, inconspicuous, diclinous flowers that are very different from many other rosids. One remarkable condition is th...

Delimitation of the new tribe Parartocarpeae (Moraceae) is supported by a 333-gene phylogeny and resolves tribal level Moraceae taxonomy

Here we describe the new tribe, Parartocarpeae, within the Moraceae (mulberry family). The tribe comprises two small Malesian genera, Parartocarpus and Hullettia, and brings the total number of Moraceae tribes to seven. Evidence for this new designation comes from a phylogeny based on 333 nuclear genes sequenced using target enrichment via hybridization (hybseq). Morphological characters that set Parartocarpeae apart from other Moraceae tribes include the combination of the following characters: lateral nonamplexicaul stipules, spirally arranged leaves without annulate stipule scars, the presence of a single layer of involucral inflorescence bracts, and the lack of perianth tissue, wherein flowers are embedded in cavities of the receptacle. With the designation of Parartocarpeae, the tribe-level circumscription of Moraceae is now well-supported by phylogenetic methods. Because the phylogenetic markers employed here work well throughout Moraceae, they can facilitate much needed work at the genus level in the family.

JACKFRUIT INDUCED ANAPHYLAXIS ASSOCIATED BIRCHPOLLEN-RELATED FOOD ALLERGIES

Introduction Oral allergy to jackfruit, linked with cross reactive plant protein allergen Bet V1 has been associated with latex and birchpollen-related food allergy but anaphylaxis to jackfruit is rare. Case Description A 57-year old Jamaican black female health care aid with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, mild intermittent allergic rhinitis and oral allergy symptom to pineapple presented to the emergency room (ER) after consuming two avrils of a fresh, ripe jackfruit. She immediately had oral pruritus, generalized rash, and rapidly worsened with swelling of face, lips and tongue, throat constriction and hoarseness. At the ER, she was managed as an anaphylactic reaction but subsequently was intubated due to respiratory arrest. She was managed with standard treatment for eight days and discharged home in stable condition. ImmunoCAP showed elevated IgE to Jackfruit (1.53 kD/L), and related plants including birch (13.80 kU/L), peach (7.34 kU/L), hazelnut (6.22 kD/L), and almond (0.93 kD/L). Skin prick testing was performed with raw jackfruit (RS:11 mm) and peel (RP:4 mm), cooked (skin and pulp microwaved for two minutes) fruit (CF:0 mm), birch (13 mm), soybean (5 mm), and carrot (9 mm). ImmunoCAP and skin prick testing to latex and related foods were negative. Discussion Jackfruit belongs to the Moraceae (mulberry) family that contains homologous allergen to Bet-V1 cross reactive to birch pollen-associated food. The duration of her allergy to birchpollen and related foods preceding the jackfruit sensitization in unclear. While jackfruit anaphylaxis related to latex was reported once, this is the first reported incident of jackfruit anaphylaxis to birchpollen related food allergy.

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) and Breadfruit (A. altilis): Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Commercial Uses and Perspectives for Human Nourishment

The Artocarpus J. R. & G. Forster genus is comprised of about 50 species. Artocarpus is derived from the Greek word artos, meaning bread while karpos means fruit. There are two species that are widely distributed in tropical regions, Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., known as jackfruit, and Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg, known as breadfruit, both in the Moraceae or mulberry family. Both of these Artocarpus species have medicinal properties and biological activities that are derived from almost every part of the tree, fruit, seed, wood, bark, leaves and sap. This review examines the limited work that has been conducted on the biology and biotechnology of these two Artocarpus species with the hope that this knowledge may spur further basic and applied research.

Impact of maturity on phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of medicinally important leaves of Ficus carica L.

Ficus carica L. is one of the oldest trees belonging to the mulberry family. It has both nutritional and medicinal benefits, as it is a source of potential bioactive compounds. Fig leaves were collected at four maturation stages, to evaluate the variation in polyphenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and different pigments level. Polyphenols were identified using HPLC-DAD. Different pigments level, total phenolic contents, and radical scavenging activity were quantified. The HPLC analysis revealed the presence of fourteen polyphenolic compounds in the fig leaves. Quercetin-3-glucoside, caftaric acid, quercetin-3, 7-diglucoside, and coumaroyl-hexose were the major phenolic compounds. Kaempferol-3-O-sophorotrioside, cichoric acid and sinapic acid glucoside were identified for the first time. Significant quantitative changes were observed during maturation, particularly in polyphenolic compounds. There were significant changes in pigments level, total phenolic contents, and radical scavenging activity. It was observed that fig leaves are a rich source of polyphenolic compounds during all stages of maturation.

The complete chloroplast genome of tropical and sub-tropical fruit tree Lucuma nervosa (Sapotaceae)

The Lucuma nervosa, native to Western Ghats of India, Malaysia and south-eastern Asia, is a tree member of the mulberry family (Sapotaceae). Chloroplast genome sequences play an significant role in the development of molecular markers in plant phylogenetic and population genetic studies. In this study, we report the complete chloroplast genome sequence of L. nervosa for the first time. The chloroplast genome is 157,920 bp long and includes 113 genes. Its LSC, SSC, and IR regions are 88,123, 18,861, and 25,468 bp long, respectively. Phylogenetic tree analysis exhibited that L. nervosa was clustered with other Sapotaceae species with high bootstrap values.

The complete chloroplast genome of Artocarpus heterophyllus (Moraceae)

The Artocarpus heterophyllus, native to Western Ghats of India, Malaysia and south-eastern Asia, is a tree member of the mulberry family (Moraceae). Chloroplast genome sequences play a significant role in the development of molecular markers in plant phylogenetic and population genetic studies. In this study, we report the complete chloroplast genome sequence of A. heterophyllus for the first time. The chloroplast genome is 160,387 bp long and includes 113 genes. Its LSC, SSC and IR regions are 88,422, 18,869 and 26,548 bp long, respectively. Phylogenetic tree analysis exhibited that A. heterophyllus was clustered with other Moraceae species with high bootstrap values.

First Report of Black Spot Caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on Paper Mulberry in China.

Paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) Venten. (family Moraceae), is a fast-growing tree with luxuriant branches and leaves. Because of strong adaptability and tolerance to unfavorable environmental conditions, it is an important tree species for shade or shelter and reforestation in mined areas and on hillsides. During the summer of 2010, brown-to-black spots were observed on leaves of paper mulberry in Baiwangshan Forest Park in Beijing, China. Early symptoms were round or elliptic, light brown, small lesions that later extended to round or irregular spots (4 to 6 × 4 to 8 mm) that were dark brown or black in the center with brown or light brown margins. Several dozen spots were found on severely infected leaves. Leaf tissues (2 × 2 mm), cut from the margins of lesions, were surface disinfected in 0.5% NaOCl solution for 3 min, rinsed three times with sterile water, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25°C with a 12-h light and 12-h dark period. Numerous waxy subepidermal acervuli with setae were observed after 3 days. Acervuli were brown or black, round or elongate, and 100 to 250 μm in diameter. Setae were dark brown, erect straight or slightly curved, and 60 to 74 × 4 to 8 μm with one to two septa. Conidiophores were hyaline or light brown, short with no branches, and cylindrical with dimensions of 12 to 21 × 4 to 5 μm. Conidia were 11 to 21 × 3 to 6 μm, hyaline, aseptate, and cylindrical. Mycelia on PDA were off white-to-dark gray on the reverse side of the colony. Six isolates (BP21-1 to BP21-6) were obtained from different infected leaves and identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. (teleomorph Glomerella cingulata (Stonem.) Spaulding & Schrenk) on the basis of reverse colony color, dimensions and colors of acervuli, conidiophores, and conidia (3). ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA sequence analysis was performed on all six isolates. The resultant sequences were identical (GenBank Accession No. HQ 654780) and revealed 99% similarity (100% coverage) with C. gloeosporioides isolates in the GenBank (Accession Nos. EU371022.1 and AY376532.1) (2). Pathogenicity was demonstrated using six potted 3-month-old paper mulberry trees. Isolate BP21-2 was grown on PDA for 14 days and conidia were harvested to prepare a suspension of 106 conidia/ml. Three plants were sprayed with the conidial suspension and three were sprayed with sterile water. All trees were covered with plastic bags for 24 h to maintain high humidity and incubated at 25°C for 6 days. All conidia-inoculated trees showed identical symptoms as the infected leaves in the park, while the control trees remained symptom free. Reisolation of the fungus confirmed that the causal agent was C. gloeosporioides. C. gloeosporioides is distributed worldwide causing anthracnose on a wide variety of plants including members of mulberry family Moraceae, e.g., mortality of stem cuttings and death of saplings on mulberry (Morus alba L.) in India (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. gloeosporioides causing black spots on paper mulberry in China.