Orange Flowers Research Articles

Chemical Composition and Bioactive Characterisation of Impatiens walleriana.

The attractive colour characteristics of the flowers of the species Impatiens walleriana have been arousing great interest in the food industry, which is looking for potential natural sources of colouring ingredients. In this sense, the present work focused on the chemical and bioactive characterization of pink and orange flowers of I. walleriana. The phenolic compounds were determined by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS; in addition, different bioactivities (antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxicity) were also analysed. Both samples studied showed significant amounts of phenolic compounds, especially phenolic acids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, which justifies the excellent performance in the different bioactivities studied. The orange variety, despite having a greater variety of phenolic compounds, showed a total amount of compounds lower than the pink variety. Overall, the flowers of I. walleriana emerge as a promising resource to be explored by the food industry.

Changes at a Critical Branchpoint in the Anthocyanin Biosynthetic Pathway Underlie the Blue to Orange Flower Color Transition in Lysimachia arvensis.

Anthocyanins are the primary pigments contributing to the variety of flower colors among angiosperms and are considered essential for survival and reproduction. Anthocyanins are members of the flavonoids, a broader class of secondary metabolites, of which there are numerous structural genes and regulators thereof. In western European populations of Lysimachia arvensis, there are blue- and orange-petaled individuals. The proportion of blue-flowered plants increases with temperature and daylength yet decreases with precipitation. Here, we performed a transcriptome analysis to characterize the coding sequences of a large group of flavonoid biosynthetic genes, examine their expression and compare our results to flavonoid biochemical analysis for blue and orange petals. Among a set of 140 structural and regulatory genes broadly representing the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, we found 39 genes with significant differential expression including some that have previously been reported to be involved in similar flower color transitions. In particular, F3′5′H and DFR, two genes at a critical branchpoint in the ABP for determining flower color, showed differential expression. The expression results were complemented by careful examination of the SNPs that differentiate the two color types for these two critical genes. The decreased expression of F3′5′H in orange petals and differential expression of two distinct copies of DFR, which also exhibit amino acid changes in the color-determining substrate specificity region, strongly correlate with the blue to orange transition. Our biochemical analysis was consistent with the transcriptome data indicating that the shift from blue to orange petals is caused by a change from primarily malvidin to largely pelargonidin forms of anthocyanins. Overall, we have identified several flavonoid biosynthetic pathway loci likely involved in the shift in flower color in L. arvensis and even more loci that may represent the complex network of genetic and physiological consequences of this flower color polymorphism.

Geographic Mosaics of Fly Pollinators With Divergent Color Preferences Drive Landscape-Scale Structuring of Flower Color in Daisy Communities.

The striking variation in flower color across and within Angiosperm species is often attributed to divergent selection resulting from geographic mosaics of pollinators with different color preferences. Despite the importance of pollinator mosaics in driving floral divergence, the distributions of pollinators and their color preferences are seldom quantified. The extensive mass-flowering displays of annual daisy species in Namaqualand, South Africa, are characterized by striking color convergence within communities, but also color turnover within species and genera across large geographic scales. We aimed to determine whether shifts between orange and white-flowered daisy communities are driven by the innate color preferences of different pollinators or by soil color, which can potentially affect the detectability of different colored flowers. Different bee-fly pollinators dominated in both community types so that largely non-overlapping pollinator distributions were strongly associated with different flower colors. Visual modeling demonstrated that orange and white-flowered species are distinguishable in fly vision, and choice experiments demonstrated strongly divergent color preferences. We found that the dominant pollinator in orange communities has a strong spontaneous preference for orange flowers, which was not altered by conditioning. Similarly, the dominant pollinator in white communities exhibited an innate preference for white flowers. Although detectability of white flowers varied across soil types, background contrast did not alter color preferences. These findings demonstrate that landscape-level flower color turnover across Namaqua daisy communities is likely shaped by a strong qualitative geographic mosaic of bee-fly pollinators with divergent color preferences. This is an unexpected result given the classically generalist pollination phenotype of daisies. However, because of the dominance of single fly pollinator species within communities, and the virtual absence of bees as pollinators, we suggest that Namaqua daisies function as pollination specialists despite their generalist phenotypes, thus facilitating differentiation of flower color by pollinator shifts across the fly pollinator mosaic.

Effect of Citrus aurantium L. Essential Oil on Streptococcus mutans Growth, Biofilm Formation and Virulent Genes Expression.

In an oral cavity, dental caries, periodontal disease, and endodontic lesions are caused by well-known bacterial and fungal pathogens. Essential oils (EOs) have demonstrated antimicrobial activity suggesting their use for oral hygiene. The goal of this study was to evaluate the interaction of bitter orange flower (Citrus aurantium L.) essential oil with cariogenic bacteria Streptococcus mutans and human gingival epithelial cells. After extraction, the chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography, and its antimicrobial activity was evaluated against the growth and the expression of virulent genes in S. mutans. Finally, the effects of this essential oil on human gingival epithelial cell adhesion and growth were assessed using cell adhesion and proliferation assays. We showed that the major constituents of the tested essential oil were limonene, linalool, and β-ocimene. The essential oil reduced the growth of S. mutans, and decreased expression of comC, comD, comE, gtfB, gtfC, and gbpB genes. It should, however, be noted that essential oil at high concentration was toxic to gingival epithelial cells. Overall, this study suggests that C. aurantium L. essential oil could be used to prevent/control oral infections.

Odor-Taste Interactions in Food Perception: Exposure Protocol Shows No Effects of Associative Learning.

Repeated exposure can change the perceptual and hedonic features of flavor. Associative learning during which a flavor’s odor component is affected by co-exposure with taste is thought to be central in this process. However, changes can also arise due to exposure to the odor in itself. The aim of this study was to dissociate effects of associative learning from effects of exposure without taste by repeatedly presenting one odor together with sucrose and a second odor alone. Sixty individuals attended two testing sessions separated by a 5-day Exposure Phase during which the stimuli were presented as flavorants in chewing gums that were chewed three times daily. Ratings of odor sweetness, odor pleasantness, odor intensity enhancement by taste, and odor referral to the mouth were collected at both sessions. Consistent with the notion that food preferences are modulated by exposure, odor pleasantness increased between the sessions independently of whether the odor (basil or orange flower) had been presented with or without sucrose. However, we found no evidence of associative learning in any of the tasks. In addition, exploratory equivalence tests suggested that these effects were either absent or insignificant in magnitude. Taken together, our results suggest that the hypothesized effects of associative learning are either smaller than previously thought or highly dependent on the experimental setting. Future studies are needed to evaluate the relative support for these explanations and, if experimental conditions can be identified that reliably produce such effects, to identify factors that regulate the formation of new odor–taste associations.

Comparative morphological analysis of ovaries in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. single pink, crested peach and double orange flowers

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. generally has a 5-loculed ovary, with each locule consist of numerous ovules. Observations have been made on the ovarian morphology of H. rosa-sinensis L. single pink, crested peach, and double orange flowers. The specimens of ovaries were prepared by a free-hand section technique and observed under the Dino-Lite digital microscope. The results show that a single pink flower has a normal ovary that consists of 5 locules. There are two ovule rows in each locule, with each row consists of 6 ovules. The observation of the ovaries of the crested peach flowers shows that one locule with another is indistinguishable, but the ovules are still present. Even though ovule still exists in ovarium, the number and the arrangement of the ovules are difficult to determine. In the longitudinal and cross-sections of the double-orange variation, ovules are not found in the ovary. Instead, petal-like structures seem to replace the ovule position. Based on the results of morphological observations, homeosis events are suspected to occur in the ovaries of crested peach and double orange flowers. Presumably, there is a difference in class C genes AGAMOUS expression of the three types. The obtained morphological data is the basis for further research on the molecular analysis of the three variations of the flower.

A bearer of good news

“Summer is on its way and my partner and I managed to grow this rose which has a wonderful scent.” A picture of a beautiful orange flower accompanied the note—part of a weekly email sharing good news with the members of our research center. One year ago, an announcement like this could have seemed insignificant and irrelevant to the important work of science. But amid the difficulties of 2020, it was anything but. It put a smile on my face, and hopefully it did the same for my colleagues. It helped build human connection. And it reminded us that, even this year, good things happened.

Morfologi Jenis Tembelekan (Lantana camara L.) di Beberapa Wilayah Kepulauan Buton

Tembelekan ( Lantana camara L.) is an upright or semi-climbing shrub with a distinctive odor which is native to tropical and sub-tropical regions. This plant has many variations. The purpose of this study was to determine the morphological diversity of tembelekan using field observation methods in Buton, Central Buton, and South Buton Districts. The characterization process was carried out at the Integrated Laboratory of the Muhammadiyah University of Buton. The results of the observations were analyzed qualitatively by comparing the characters between individuals. The results showed that there were two groups of tembelekan in the Buton Islands, namely the orange and pink flowering groups. The orange flowering group has ovate leaf shape, coarse-hairy leaf surface, acute leaf apice, acuminate leaf base, serrate leaf margin, longer leaf size than the pink group, sepal is almost identical in size, orange flower group has fewer corolla than pink flower group. While the pink flowering group has deltoid leaf shape, coarse-hairy leaf surface, acuminate leaf tip, acuminate leaf base, serrated leaf margin, different sepal sizes and magenta flower color. It can be concluded that the two groups of tembelekan have differences in leaf shape, leaf tip, leaf length, sepal size, number and color of the corolla.

Phytochemical Screening of the Different Cultivars of Ixora Flowers by Non-Destructive, Label-Free, and Rapid Spectroscopic Techniques

Ixora flowers of different cultivars are widely grown for their esthetic values as they have bright, abundant, and beautiful inflorescence. A derivative of plant origin, especially flowers, possesses a broad spectrum of biological activities; therefore, it is important to explore current techniques and protocols for the isolation, identification, and characterization of these substances. This study explores the utility of nondestructive spectroscopic probes for monitoring the composition and bioprocess in ixora flowers. The various cultivars of ixora flowers having dark red, dark pink, light pink, peach, orange, and yellow flowers have been collected, and their absorption, fluorescence, and scattering spectral signatures have been acquired using ultraviolet-visible, laser-induced fluorescence and confocal micro Raman spectroscopy. The pre-processing and spectral analysis reveal that biochemicals present in dark red, dark pink, light pink, orange, and peach ixora flowers include flavonoids, phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, and carotenoids of varying concentrations, while the yellow flowers are abundant in carotenoids. The spectral signatures obtained in this study open new avenues for monitoring the substances of plant origin in a nondestructive, rapid, robust, and sensitive way without high operational costs.

A new species of Besleria (Gesneriaceae) from the Serranía El Pinche (Cauca), southwestern Colombia.

A new species of the genus Besleria (Gesneriaceae), endemic to the department of Cauca, Colombia, is described and illustrated here. The new species, Besleria santaclarensis Clavijo & Sánchez-Taborda, was discovered in the Regional Protective Forest Reserve “Serranía El Pinche”, Cordillera Occidental of the Colombian Andes. B. santaclarensis is distinguished by the epedunculate inflorescences, usually in the leafless axils near the base, with up to eight orange flowers, and by the magenta calyx that covers 2/3 of the corolla.

Cross genera transferability of microsatellite markers from other members of family Bignoniaceae to Tecomella undulata (Sm.) Seem

Transferability of SSR markers from related species/genera is a rapid and cost-effective method to enhance genomic database of genetically neglected crops. Monotypic genus Tecomella undulata, a pharmacologically important endangered timber tree, found in hyper arid regions is one such genetic resource limited species, wherein neither SSR identification nor cross transferability studies have been initiated. Transferability of 69 cross-genera SSR primers selected from other members of family bignoniaceae (Incarvillea sinensis, I. mairei, Jacaranda copaia, Tabebuia aurea and Arrabidaea chica) showed 40.58% (28 primers) transferability amplifying 1–10 amplicons ranging in the size from 80to 600 bp in 24 accessions of T. undulata. Per cent marker transferability varied from 66.67% (A. chica) to 38.89% (J. copaia) among the genera tested while no transferable markers could be identified from I. sinensis. Transferability of simple di-/tri-nucleotide repeat (34.2–37.5%) and complex nucleotide sequence (60.0%) based SSR motifs were higher as compared to penta-/hexa-nucleotide based repeat motifs. Within the 28 transferable markers, 26 (92.86%) were polymorphic while 2 (7.14%) were monomorphic. Average number of alleles per primer was 5.39 while average polymorphic alleles per locus were 5.11. The PIC values of SSR markers ranged from 0.23 to 0.85 with an average of 0.59. Efficiency of the identified cross species SSR markers was tested for diversity analysis using a set of 24 trees (8 each of yellow, orange and red flower colour morphotypes). The 24 samples clustered into six groups with similarity coefficient ranging from 0.29 to 0.67, while six accessions formed distinct out groups. Distribution of accessions in the SSR dendrogram showed no correlation with flower colour. More diversity (99%) was observed within populations compared to that existing between populations (1%). The present study can enrich the genomic background of T. undulata by identifying suitable polymorphic markers from confamiliar species that can be applied for genetic diversity studies, mapping of QTLs and cultivar identification as well.

Molecular Characterization and Event-Specific Real-Time PCR Detection of Two Dissimilar Groups of Genetically Modified Petunia (Petunia x hybrida) Sold on the Market.

Petunia plants with unusual orange flowers were noticed on the European market and confirmed to be genetically modified (GM) by the Finnish authorities in spring 2017. Later in 2017, inspections and controls performed by several official laboratories of national competent authorities in the European Union detected several GM petunia varieties with orange flowers, but also another group of unusually colored flowers. In the latter group, a so far undetected gene coding for a flavonoid 3’5’ hydroxylase (F3’5’H) responsible for the purple color was identified by German and Dutch authorities, suggesting that the petunias found on the markets contain different genetic constructs. Here, a strategy is described for the identification of GM petunia varieties. It is based on an initial GMO screening for known elements using (real-time) PCR and subsequent identification of the insertion sites by a gene walking-like approach called ALF (amplification of linearly-enriched fragments) in combination with Sanger and MinION sequencing. The results indicate that the positively identified GM petunias can be traced back to two dissimilar GM events used for breeding of the different varieties. The test results also confirm that the transgenic petunia event RL01-17 used in the first German field trial in 1991 is not the origin of the GM petunias sold on the market. On basis of the obtained sequence data, event-specific real-time PCR confirmatory methods were developed and validated. These methods are applicable for the rapid detection and identification of GM petunias in routine analysis. In addition, a decision support system was developed for revealing the most likely origin of the GM petunia.

A longitudinal study of sweet orange flowering with grouped count data

The orange variety “x11”, which is a spontaneous mutant of the sweet orange, has a short juvenile period with early flowering. The data used in this paper are from a randomized design experiment that aimed to assess the plants' flowering characteristics when grafted onto two different varieties of lemon rootstock. The plants were pruned in each of the four seasons, and on each pruning occasion, the number of branches on each plant was counted and classified into four mutually exclusive flowering categories. The data presented large variability and many zeros. The statistical analysis included the use of generalized linear mixed models with a Bayesian approach. The results showed that flowering is not equal over the seasons, i.e., there are significant differences in the classification of the branches across the four seasons and the two varieties, with interactions between seasonal and branch effects.

Polyphenolic distribution in organs of Argylia radiata, an extremophile plant from Chilean Atacama desert

The polyphenolic distribution on different organs of Argylia radiata, an extremophile plant from the Atacama “Flowering Desert”, is presented herein for the first time. For this purpose, the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of ethanolic extracts from leaves, tuberous root and flowers of different colors were evaluated. Orange and red flowers showed the highest polyphenolic and flavonoid content. The maximum anthocyanin concentration was found in red flowers and the antioxidant activity (FRAP) of extracts changed according to the organ. The UPLC-MS/MS analysis of the extracts allowed to identify 10 new polyphenols belonging to different families. Rutin was identified as the most abundant polyphenol in all plant organs, followed by quercetin and coumaric acid. Their role in plant response to abiotic and biotic stress, as well as their potential biotechnological application are discussed.

Antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds in white, red, blue, purple, yellow and orange edible flowers through a simulated intestinal barrier

This study assessed the phenolics and their bioaccessibility through an in vitro digestion system coupled to a simulated intestinal barrier in eight edible flowers of distinct colors, namely mini rose, torenia, mini daisy, clitoria, cosmos, cravine, begonia and tagete. The antioxidant activity of the flowers before in vitro digestion, in their derived dialyzed and non-dialyzed fractions was evaluated using distinct approaches. All flowers presented in their composition phenolic acids, stilbenes, flavanol, anthocyanin, flavonol and flavanone, however distinct compounds and contents were found in each flower. The bioaccessibility varied among the phenolics and within the flower source (p < 0.05). Cosmos presented the highest (p < 0.05) content of phenolics and activity in ORAC assay before in vitro digestion and in dialyzed and non-dialyzed fraction; the observed activity was correlated (r = 0.9) to its major compounds, hesperidin and rutin, as well as to caftaric acid and procyanidin B2. Mini rose displayed the highest antioxidant activity in FRAP and DPPH assays before in vitro digestion; its dialyzed and non-dialyzed fraction showed the highest activity in FRAP, correlated to pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside, catechin, epicatechin galate, epicagocatechin galate, procyanidin A2, quercitin 3-glucoside and trans-resveratrol (r = 0.9). In DPPH assay, mini rose showed the highest activity in the non-dialyzed fraction, while cravine showed the highest activity in the dialyzed fraction, which was mainly correlated to syringic acid (r = 1.0), pelargonidin 3,5-diglucoside and epicatechin (r = 0.9). Results show great variability in the phenolic composition and their bioaccessibility among the edible flowers studied. Our findings indicate cosmos and mini rose as sources of bioaccessible phenolics with great antioxidant activity.

Effects of Geographical Locations on Essential Oil Composition of Navel Orange Leaves and Flowers

Essential oil (EO) of navel orange (Citrus sinensis) has biological and pharmaceutical properties such as antimicrobial and anticancer. Geographical regions play an important role in physiological processes and accumulation of navel orange EO. The leaves and flowers of navel orange are important parts for EO production. In this investigation the EO isolated from leaves and flowers of navel orange which were collected from different locations (Al-Nubaria, Al-Kalubia, Al-Giza, Baniswef, Al-Minia and Mallawy) in Egypt were investigated. The samples collected from Al-Kalubia region produced the greatest content of leaf and flower EO (%) with the values of 0.4 and 0.3 % respectively. The samples collected from Al-Minia region resulted in the highest values of major components (sabinene, terpinen-4-ol, Δ-3-carene and limonene) of leaf EO. The major constituents of flower EO were sabinene, limonene, cis-sabinene hydrate and linalool. Al-Minia region produced the highest values of sabinene and limonene but the highest values of cis-sabinene hydrate and linalool were obtained from Al-Giza and Baniswef regions, respectively. The identified components of leaf or flower EO were grouped into 4 chemical groups. The major groups were monoterpene hydrocarbons (MHC) and oxygenated monoterpenes (OMHC) while the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (SHC) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (OSHC) formed the minor groups. Geographical regions resulted in important statistical changes of all components and chemical groups.

Chemical Investigation of Flavonoid, Phenolic acids Composition and Antioxidant activity of Tagetes erecta Flowers

This study was geared towards discovering the chemical profile and in vitro antioxidant activity of methanol (MeOH) extract and its ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of Tagetes erecta orange flowers. A total of 29 known chemical compounds including phenolic acids and flavonoid compounds were identified and quantified using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique. The identification was carried out in EtOAc fraction for the first time. Pyrogallol and vanillic acid were highly abundant phenolic acids in flowers methanolic extract and its EtOAc fraction amounted 37.57 and 3.34mg/g dry extract, respectively. On the other hand, apig-6-rhamnose-8-glucose and hesperidin were found to be the major flavonoid compounds detected in MeOH extract amounted 18.34 and 0.66mg/g dry extract, respectively. Furthermore, results asserted that the tested samples were more efficient in the three applied antioxidant methods compared with standard antioxidant references (Ascorbic acid and BHT), especially EtOAc fraction which displayed the most activity against 1, 1-di phenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical with IC50 value 32.5± 0.12 µg/ml. These finding highlighted the use of Tagetes erecta flowers as a promising source of alternative bioactive compounds for both industrial and medicinal uses.

Morphological and anatomical investigation among six variants of &lt;i&gt;Canna indica&lt;/i&gt; L.

The present study explores detailed morphological and anatomical features of six variants of Canna indica L. Noticeable variations have been recorded in the morphology of six variants of C. indica especially on the basis of their different colours of leaves, flowers, staminodes and fruits. Root, stem and leaf anatomy of C. indica revealed little variation among the variants employed in the study. Phloem is 5-6 layered in the variant 2 (small red), 4-5 layered in the variant 4 (orange), and 3-4 layered in the remaining variants. The variant 4 (orange) can be distinguished from other five variants anatomically, by presence of 5-7 layers of schlerenchymatous tissue, and morphologically by its green pseudostem, ovate to obovate leaves, orange flowers, green bracts with maroon edges and orange-red staminodes. However, based on morphological and anatomical discrepancies the variants of Canna indica cannot be assigned to discrete taxonomic variety.

Novel milk-clotting enzyme from sour orange flowers (Citrus aurantium L.) as a coagulant in Iranian white cheese

The aim of this work was to evaluate the partially purified protease of sour orange flower extract (OFR) by determining the protein profile and milk-clotting activity as well as chemical and sensory characteristics of cheese throughout 45 days of ripening. Three rennets were used to produce cheeses, (1) the sour orange flower rennet at a level of 0.2 g/L milk (OFR), (2) standard calf rennet at a level of 0.02 g/L milk (CR), and (3) OFR (0.1 g/L)/CR (0.01 g/L). OFR cheese acidity was higher compared to that of the calf rennet (CR) and OFR/CR (50:50) samples. Significantly (p < 0.05) higher proteolytic activity was observed in OFR cheese through measuring the soluble nitrogen (SN), non-protein nitrogen (NPN), and total free amino acids (FAA) content. Protein profiles of cheeses determined with SDS-PAGE also confirmed higher levels of casein hydrolysis in OFR cheese. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography revealed the noticeable qualitative and quantitative differences between peptide profiles of all treatments. Higher casein degradation and production of peptide plus amino acids in OFR and OFR/CR cheeses suggested faster and more intensive ripening. The flavor and texture acceptance scores were reduced on the last day of storage in OFR cheese, while OFR/CR cheese received the highest score for flavor. In conclusion, the blend of OFR/CR may be regarded as an alternative for calf rennet in white brined cheese production which accelerates ripening process and causes development of a unique flavor in the final product.

Differences between sun and shade habitats on the invasive shrub Lantana camara and its biocontrol agent Teleonemia scrupulosa

The sap-sucking lace bug, Teleonemia scrupulosa (Hemiptera: Tingidae), was released as a biocontrol agent against the invasive shrub Lantana camara (Verbenaceae) in South Africa in 1961. Like many agents released against the weed in South Africa, success has been varied, largely attributed to the sheer number of L. camara varieties involved and the habitat types they invade. This study assessed the effects of L. camara variety (floral colour) and light microhabitat (sun/shade) on the preference, proliferation and feeding damage of T. scrupulosa. Using a cage choice test, varietal preference of T. scrupulosa between two of the most abundant (invasive) L. camara varieties (pink and orange) was assessed under both shaded and well-lit conditions. Secondly, the effect of T. scrupulosa chlorotic feeding damage on leaf physiology was evaluated. Results indicated that T. scrupulosa preferred the orange flower variety in high light environments but did not proliferate on either variety in the shade. At approximately 20% herbivory damage, photosynthesis declined by 90%, which was primarily attributed to the rapid increase in stomatal resistance. These results indicate that microhabitat, particularly sunlight intensity, is more important than L. camara variety to T. scrupulosa host preference. Mass release strategies should therefore consider microhabitat, prioritising releases on plants in open sunny locations to encourage agent persistence and proliferation.