Ornamental Quality Research Articles

The Symbolist Conception of Illustration and Tyra Kleen’s Nevermore

The Symbolist Conception of Illustration and Tyra Kleen’s <i>Nevermore</i>

Nano-silver treatment reduces bacterial proliferation and stem bending in cut gerbera flowers: An in vitro and in vivo evaluation

Stem bending during vase time is a major problem in many cultivars of cut gerbera flowers. In this study, we focused on the involvement of postharvest bacteria and evaluated the efficacy of nano-silver (NS) in reducing bacterial proliferation and stem bending in cut gerbera ‘Real’ flowers in vitro and in vivo. Four species of dominant bacteria, Pseudomonas sp., Acinetobacter junii, Bacillus stearothermophilus, and Myroides sp., were isolated from the stem ends of cut gerberas. Exogenous addition of 3–5 log10 colony forming units (CFU) mL−1 of each bacterial species resulted in a sharp reduction in vase life, relative fresh weight, and water uptake of cut gerbera flowers. However, Pseudomonas sp. had little impact on their vase life and ornamental quality at concentrations of 3–4 log10 CFU mL−1. In vitro assessments showed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of NS for both A. junii and Myroides sp. were 2.5 mg L−1, and NS MICs for B. stearothermophilus and Pseudomonas sp. were 5 and 7.5 mg L−1, respectively. Additionally, compared with the control, pretreatment with 5 and 10 mg L−1 NS for 24 h nearly doubled the vase life of cut gerberas, maintained their relative fresh weight, and improved water uptake. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy revealed that the NS pretreatment reduced bacterial colonization on the stem ends. Overall, our findings indicate that all four genera of dominant bacterial species isolated from the stem ends of cut gerberas are involved in stem bending, and NS pretreatment effectively alleviated bacteria-induced xylem blockage and improved water uptake, thereby reducing the incidence of stem bending and extending the vase life of cut gerberas.

Effect of Different Nutrient Solution Proportion on Morphological Indexes of Hyacinthus orientalis L

Control the hydroponic conditions of hyacinths with different nutrient solution ratios, select the “Blue Star” variety, and set the CK control group with hyacinth bulbs with uniform bulb sizes for experiment, observe and record the hyacinth root system under different nutrient solution ratios, Bud length, growth vigor and so on. The effects of different nutrient solution ratios on the growth and ornamental quality of the root system and buds of hydroponic hyacinths are preliminarily summarized. The results showed that the nutrient solution treatment would temporarily hinder the growth of the root system, and promote the acceleration of the root system growth after the slow seedling period. The effect of formula B was the most obvious. There was a certain correlation between the growth of buds and the growth of roots. Nutrient solution treatment has good effects in controlling plant lengthening, adjusting crown width, increasing scape diameter, increasing leaf area, and increasing leaf chlorophyll content, but different varieties have different adaptability to different nutrient solution formulas.

Recreation of Biotic Community from Native Early-Flowering Plants in Greening Urban Lands as a Factor in Preserving the Region’s Biodiversity (the Case of Primorsky Krai)

One of the effective ways of preserving native early flowering plants is their introduction, as a result of which it is possible to recreate plant communities in the form of a model similar to the natural prototype according to dominant characters. An analysis of the species biodiversity of herbaceous early flowering native plants for Primorsky Krai made it possible to identify associations taking into account their morphological traits and color scheme, flowering periods, preservation of ornamental qualities during the seasons, and to develop cenosis models for their use in greening urbanized landscapes.

KARELIAN FACING STONE DEPOSITS IN THE GLOBAL MARKET

The stone processing industry is one of the most conservative industries in the world in terms of the use of natural-stone ornamental materials in construction simultaneously with a dynamically developing artificial facing material manufacturing. Notwithstanding the long history of use of natural decorative stone, it does not go out of fashion, and the demand for has hardly changed. The annual growth in demand for stone products in times of economic crises and slumps has ranged from six to nine percent for decades. As global markets have expanded and the world’s block stone market has refocused somewhat towards Southeast Asia, the natural resources of European Russia, including the Northwestern Federal District, give a hope that this part of the planet can also be seriously developed due to the use of its resources of hard igneous rocks of varying ornamental quality, given that the stone processing industry receives adequate attention. The current situation in the world’s stone industry is that of a dynamic development, and forecasts for the future are very favourable. This article examines the main features of the stone mining sector development today, and makes an attempt to envision the prospects for the development of this industry in the Republic of Karelia in the global context.

New alien taxa of the genus Cornus (Cornaceae) recorded in Lithuania and Latvia

Plants of the genus Cornus are valued for their ornamental qualities, are often grown in gardens, parks, or other public plantings, and form various shelterbelts. This increases the likelihood that these bird-dispersed plants will escape from their sites. This paper provides information on the first record of C. mas in Lithuania in 2021 at two sites. This species is currently considered a casual alien species, but may become locally naturalised in the future. This study confirmed that C. sericea is widespread in Lithuania, and the oldest herbarium specimen of the species was collected in 1997. Cornus sericea, like C. alba, is naturalised and potentially invasive in Lithuania. The alien subspecies of C. sanguinea (C. sanguinea subsp. australis) was found for the first time in Lithuania and Latvia in 2018. Available data show that this subspecies is naturalised in both countries, and its abundance in some areas in Lithuania indicates that it may become an invasive plant. The paper discusses dispersal vectors, occupied habitats, and the potential for spreading three alien Cornus taxa.

Chrysanthemum WRKY15-1 promotes resistance to Puccinia horiana Henn. via the salicylic acid signaling pathway

Chrysanthemum white rust disease, which is caused by the fungus Puccinia horiana Henn., severely reduces the ornamental quality and yield chrysanthemum. WRKY transcription factors function in the disease-resistance response in a variety of plants; however, it is unclear whether members of this family improve resistance to white rust disease in chrysanthemum. In this study, using PCR, we isolated a WRKY15 homologous gene, CmWRKY15-1, from the resistant chrysanthemum cultivar C029. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed that CmWRKY15-1 exhibited differential expression patterns between the immune cultivar C029 and the susceptible cultivar Jinba upon P. horiana infection. In addition, salicylic acid (SA) treatment strongly induced CmWRKY15-1 expression. Overexpression of CmWRKY15-1 in the chrysanthemum-susceptible cultivar Jinba increased tolerance to P. horiana infection. Conversely, silencing CmWRKY15-1 via RNA interference (RNAi) in C029 increased sensitivity to P. horiana infection. We also determined that P. horiana infection increased both the endogenous SA content and the expression of salicylic acid biosynthesis genes in CmWRKY15-1-overexpressing plants, whereas CmWRKY15-1 RNAi plants exhibited the opposite effects under the same conditions. Finally, the transcript levels of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes involved in the SA pathway were positively associated with CmWRKY15-1 expression levels. Our results demonstrated that CmWRKY15-1 plays an important role in the resistance of chrysanthemum to P. horiana by influencing SA signaling.

Effect of Iron Source and Medium pH on Growth and Development of Sorbus commixta In Vitro.

Sorbus commixta is a valuable hardwood plant with a high economical value for its medicinal and ornamental qualities. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of the iron (Fe) source and medium pH on the growth and development of S. commixta in vitro. The Fe sources used, including non-chelated iron sulfate (FeSO4), iron ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (Fe-EDTA), and iron diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Fe-DTPA), were supplemented to the Multipurpose medium with a final Fe concentration of 2.78 mg·L−1. The medium without any supplementary Fe was used as the control. The pH of the agar-solidified medium was adjusted to either 4.70, 5.70, or 6.70. The experiment was conducted in a culture room for six weeks with 25 °C day and night temperatures, and a 16-h photoperiod with a light intensity of 50 mmol·m−2·s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). Both the Fe source and pH affected the growth and development of the micropropagated plants in vitro. The leaves were greener in the pH 4.70 and 5.70 treatments. The tissue Fe content decreased with the increase of the medium pH. The leaf chlorophyll content was similar between plants treated with FeSO4 and those with Fe-EDTA. The numbers of the shoots and roots of plantlets treated with FeSO4 were 2.5 and 2 times greater than those of the control, respectively. The fresh and dry weights of the shoot and the root were the greatest for plants treated with Fe-EDTA combined with pH 5.70. The calcium, magnesium, and manganese contents in the plantlets increased in the pH 5.70 treatments regardless of the Fe source. Supplementary Fe decreased the activity of ferric chelate reductase. Overall, although the plantlets absorbed more Fe at pH 4.70, Fe-EDTA combined with pH 5.70 was found to be the best for the growth and development of S. commixta in vitro.

FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF EVALUATING THE ORNAMENTAL QUALITIES IN SMALL BULBOUS PLANTS USING CROCUSES AS AN EXAMPLE

The issues of introduction, study, reproduction, and of use the group of small bulbous plants in landscaping are dealt with in many scientific and educational institutions. Research is being carried out using various methods, but there is no methodology for variety study of small-bulbous crops with the purpose to use them in landscaping. The purpose of this work was to study crocus varieties and assess their ornamental qualities using the developed methodology of small bulbous plants study for their use in landscaping. In the years 2016–2020, the research was conducted with open-ground bulbous plants of the collection belonging to the Floriculture Department of the Subtropical Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences and growing on the experimental plots in Razdolnoye village (Sochi). The objects of research were 16 crocus varieties. As a result of the research carried out, the following varieties with high ornamental qualities were identified from crocus collection: ‘Fuscotinctus’ (57), ‘Miss Vain’ (58), ‘Yellow’ (58), ‘Flower Record’ (58), ‘Remembrance’ (59). The variety groups were revealed by flowering terms: very early, which begin to flower in late January — early February for ‘Fuscotinctus’ and ‘Miss Vain’; early (from the second ten-day period of February) for ‘Romance’, ‘Blue Pearl’ and others; middle (from the third ten-day period of February) for ‘Flower Record’, ‘King of the Striped’ and others. Cultivars recorded with a flowering period of 30 days or more are: ‘Blue Pearl’, ‘Miss Vain’, ‘Yellow’, ‘Fuscotinctus’ and ‘Romance’. The study carried out with crocus collection of the Floriculture Department showed that all varieties have high ornamental qualities, are resistant to biotic factors and can be used in landscaping. As for the data on terms and duration of phenological phases, they can be used in landscape designing.

Jewelry and ornamental ammonites from the deposits of the Hauterivian stage of the Ulyanovsk Region: Mineral composition, gemological characteristics

Significant volumes of products from ammonites of jewelry and ornamental quality of the Ulyanovsk region are entering the Russian and world markets. Ammonites are associated with the Lower Cretaceous Hauterivian deposits and consist mainly of aragonite, calcite and pyrite. The walls and partitions of the ammonite shells retained the original aragonite composition. Also established inclusions of apatite, algodonite, pyrolusite, hematite, goethite, quartz, ferrihydrite, magnetite, uranium oxide, vernadite, todorokite, monazite, halloysite, plagioclase, kaolinite, glauconite, dolomite, graphite and organic matter. An important role in the formation of new mineral species was played by bacteria. Mineralization of undamaged ammonite chambers was carried out by the sequential formation of calcite and pyrite layers without metasomatic substitutions. The color of calcite layers is determined by the contents of Mn and Fe. Ammonites are characterized by high decorativeness and good technological characteristics; they can be mined in the coastal cliffs and the beach area of the river Volga without mining, without violating the environment.

Phenotypic Plasticity and Ornamental Quality of Four Korean Native &lt;i&gt;Veronica&lt;/i&gt; Taxa Following Different Light Intensity Treatment

The growth and flowering characteristics of four Korean Veronica species (V. dahurica, V. kiusiana var. diamantiaca, V. pusanensis, V. pyrethrina) were evaluated under various shading levels. Among the study species, V. kiusiana var. diamantiaca has been designated as both an endemic and a rare species (critically endangered) in Korea. V. pusanensis has been designated as both a rare species (data deficient) and an endemic species, as they exist only in Busan, Korea. This study was conducted from March 30 to August 17, 2018 in an experimental plot at the Korea National Arboretum. The study species were cultivated under 0%, 40%, 60%, and 90% shading levels. The fresh shoot weight, number of leaves, and number of branches of V. dahurica grown under 0% – 60% shading levels was significantly higher than when grown under the 90% shading level. The stem caliper of V. pyrethrina grown under 0% – 60% shading levels was significantly higher than under the 90% shading level. V. dahurica and V. pyrethrina grown under 0%, 40%, and 60% shading levels were flowered. Also, time to flowering of V. dahurica and V. pyrethrina grown under 0%, 40%, and 60% shading levels were shorter than when grown under the 90% shading level. The dry weight of the shoots and the visual quality of the kiusiana var. diamantiaca grown under 0% – 40% shading levels were significantly higher than under the 60% – 90% shading levels. The visual quality of V. pusanensis grown under 0%, 40%, 60%, and 90% shading levels were 4.0, 3.0, 2.2, and 1.0, respectively. These results indicate that the four studied Veronica species have different sensitivities to light intensity.

First Report of Anthracnose Caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on Akebia trifoliata in China.

Akebia trifoliata (Thunberg) Koidzumi (three-leaf akebia), a climbing deciduous woody plant, grows wild in mountains of China and Japan. It has long been prized for its delicious sweet taste and medicinal value (Lu et al., 2019). Few pests and diseases reportedly affect this plant (Ye et al., 2013), but with more commercial planting of A. trifoliata in China, symptoms of anthracnose on leaves and fruits have increased. Between December 2018 and May 2019, typical anthracnose symptoms were first observed on A. trifoliata grown in Wuhan, China, with an incidence up to 15%. Diseased leaves exhibited irregular gray-brown spots with dark brown edges, and dark brown undersides, substantially affecting photosynthesis and growth. As disease progressed, white mycelium appeared on stems causing stem rot and fruit drop. Several round or needle-shaped dark brown spots formed on fruit peel, coalescing into irregular, slightly sunken blotches. Under high humidity, the whole fruit turned brown and the spots were covered by white mycelia, greatly affecting the fruits' ornamental quality. To isolate the pathogen, 5-mm2 pieces of symptomatic tissue from 10 infected leaves and fruits were surface-disinfected for 90 s in 1% sodium hypochlorite then 30 s in 75% ethanol, rinsed twice with sterile water, then incubated on potato dextrose agar (PDA, Oxoid) at 25°C under 12 h light/dark photoperiod. Pure cultures were obtained from hyphal tips of each colony. Initially, colonies produced white mycelia, turning gray after 5 days. The isolates produced abundant hyaline, single celled, straight and cylindrical conidia, with mean size 10.35 to 15.58 × 3.46 to 5.69 μm. Morphological characteristics were generally consistent with those of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Cannon et al. 2012). Genomic DNA of three isolates was extracted for PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and β-tubulin (TUB2), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) genes (Weir et al. 2012). BLAST search identified all sequences (GenBank accession nos. MT451846 to MT451848 for ITS, MT573957 to MT573959 for TUB2, and MT573960 to MT573962 for GAPDH) as 100% matches to C. gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. CBS 112999 strain (JQ005152 for ITS, JQ005587 for TUB2, JQ005239 for GAPDH) (Damm et al. 2009). Identification was confirmed by maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis using MEGA7 . To evaluate pathogenicity, isolates were inoculated onto one side of 10 wounded healthy leaves of 1-year-old pot-grown A. trifoliata plants and 10 nearly mature fruits, with 10 μl of conidial suspension (106/ml) and colonized PDA pieces (5 mm diam.) from 7-day-old cultures of the fungus in Petri dishes; control sides received 10 μl sterile distilled water and sterile agar pieces. The test was performed twice. After incubation at 25°C, 70% humidity under 12 h fluorescent illumination/12 h dark for 5 days, similar spots were observed on all inoculated leaves and fruits. Controls remained asymptomatic. The re-isolated pathogen was identified as C. gloeosporioides by biological characteristics and sequencing analysis, indicating that C. gloeosporioides was a causal agent of anthracnose of A. trifoliata. Anthracnose caused by C. acutatum has been reported on A. trifoliata in Japan (Kobayshi et al. 2004). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. gloeosporioides found on Akebia species. The new disease primarily reduces the quality and yield of A. trifoliata. Effective measures should be taken to manage this disease. Funding: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31701974; 31901980), Science and technology program funded by Wuhan Science and Technology Bureau (2018020401011307).

Introduction and prospects of using Clematis l. in the stavropol territory

The article presents the results of long-term research on the genus Clematis (Clematis L.) in the Stavropol Botanical garden. Biological, morphological and ornamental characteristics of varieties are provided; recommendations on selection of assortment and application in vertical gardening are given. For the first time, in the soil-climatic conditions of the Stavropol upland, an introduction study of 29 clematis varieties from six garden groups was conducted. According to the results of a comprehensive assessment, the most stable and highly decorative varieties were selected. In-depth study, parameters that have a significant value in the analysis of ornamental and economic-valuable qualities of varieties were revealed. In the course of research, when evaluating ornamental features, much attention was paid to the shape of the perianth, the size and color of the flowers. It was found that 24 varieties have an open flower shape, and five varieties have a bell – shaped one. The number of sepals varies from 4 to 6-8. In the presented garden groups, 27 varieties have a simple perianth, two with terry flowers. The size of the flower is divided into large-flowered, with a flower size of more than 10 cm and medium-flowered-from 4-10 cm. The color is varied, with many shades, from white-pink-red to blue-purple. When evaluating the prospects of the variety, special attention is paid to the duration and productivity of flowering. Varieties of the Lanuginosa and Patens groups bloom profusely in MayJune on shoots of the previous year and in July-September on annual shoots. In the groups Viticella, Jackmanii, Integrifolia and Texensis, abundant and prolonged flowering occurs on the shoots of the current year. Life forms determine not only the appearance of plants, but also are a criterion for use in garden and Park construction. Varieties of the Integrifolia group are preferably used for decorating low objects. For vertical gardening of structures with a height of more than three meters and as single and group planting varieties of garden groups are recommended Jackmanii, Lanuginosa, Patens, Viticella. The studied assortment, which has a complex of valuable ornamental and economic-biological features, is recommended for use in ornamental gardening and landscaping in the Stavropol territory.

Miniature (dwarf) daff odils in the collection of Federal Research Center “Subtropical Scientifi c Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences”

The Subtropical Scientifi c Center has a large collection of bulbous plants, including daff odils, dating back to the 1960s. The purpose of this work was to study miniature daff odils attracted to the collection. The research was carried out at the experimental base of the Center in Sochi (Razdolnoye village) in 2013-2019. As the collection was replenished with dwarf varieties, the work was begun on developing a methodology for evaluating this group. Climatic conditions of the research area are typical for the zone of humid subtropics, characterized by a large amount of precipitation, mainly in winter and early spring, and mild winters. During the research, it was noted that the meteorological parameters in the years of research diff ered both from the average long-term indicators and between themselves. When introducing and studying varieties, much attention was paid to both phenological observations and biometric measurements, as well as to varieties’ reproduction ability. It is established that all these parameters largely depend not only on variety characteristics, but also on climatic conditions during the growth and development of plants. Insuffi cient precipitation in some years and relatively cold winters contributed to the later phenophases, reducing their terms and biometric parameters. In general, as a result of long-term observations, it was found that in the humid subtropics of Russia, dwarf daff odils begin their vegetation in the fi rst or second ten-day period of January, which lasts from 118 to 135 days, depending on a variety. Early blooming (in the third ten-day period of February) was recorded in ‘Tete-a-Tete’ and ‘Jetfi re’ cvs. Later blooming was recorded in ‘Jack Snipe’ and ‘Canaliculatus’ cvs. in the second ten-day period of March. As a result of the research, the following miniature varieties with a plant height of less than 20 cm were selected from the daff odils collection: ‘Canaliculatus’, ‘Jack Snipe’, ‘Jetfi re’, ‘Rip van Winkle’, ‘Tete-a-Tete’ and ‘Topolino’. The studied varieties have high ornamental qualities, are resistant to biotic factors and can be used in pot culture and landscaping of open ground.

Genetic diversity and population structure analysis of Franklinia alatamaha, a tree species existing only in cultivation

Franklinia alatamaha is a small tree in the tea family (Theaceae) that has been valued for its ornamental qualities since 1765, when it was first recorded by John and William Bartram on the Georgia Coastal Plain. The only known population of F. alatamaha became extinct in the wild by the early 1800s. However, F. alatamaha has been cultivated as an ornamental for nearly 250 years. The plants existing today are derived from seeds collected from the Georgia population by the Bartrams. To examine the genetic variation of the cultivated F. alatamaha population, leaves from live and herbarium accessions were obtained from 42 sites worldwide. Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) was used to determine the genetic diversity and structure of 76 F. alatamaha accessions, including a 178-year-old herbarium specimen. STRUCTURE analysis with 9604 high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified two subpopulations within the cultivated accessions. This result was supported by UPGMA (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean) and principal component analyses. F statistics indicated that there was a moderate level of genetic diversity among the cultivated accessions (FST = 0.09), with more genetic diversity among accessions within a subpopulation than between the two subpopulations. The inbreeding coefficient of the cultivated accessions was low (FIS = − 0.4902), indicating that the sampled trees represent what was once a highly outcrossing population. Polymorphism was also detected by GBS analysis of 19 F. alatamaha plants grown from gamma-irradiated seeds. The genetic differentiation identified in this study may be useful for further development of new horticultural traits of F. alatamaha.

Effect of symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on salt stress tolerance in GF677 (peach×almond) rootstock

Genus Prunus is of great importance for cultivation, mainly because its main species provide fruits and seeds, valuable ornamental qualities and timber. However, stone fruit trees and almonds, major cultivars of genus Prunus, are sensitive to salt stress. Such sensitivity causes losses in stone fruit and almond production (ca. 50% of regular yield at high salinity grounds). Having in mind that symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) may improve plant tolerance to salt stress and that symbiosis effect should be tested in case-by-case approach, we tested salt stress response of AMF inoculated GF677 rootstock (Prunus dulcis × Prunus persica hybrid) in this study. Adding to that, we tested GF677 symbiosis with two AMF species R. intraradices and F. mosseae. Results showed that under salinity stress AMF inoculated GF677 plants displayed improved physiological parameters (chlorophyll, soluble sugars and proline content) and increased antioxidant enzymes activity in comparison to non-inoculated control plants. Comparison of two AMF species beneficial effects on tested parameters revealed that for total chlorophyll content inoculation with F. mosseae has prevailed, while for total soluble sugars and proline content R. intraradices has prevailed. Finally, GF677 in symbiosis with F. mosseae was selected for molecular studies of salinity response. Since many of plants’ genes involved in simultaneous response to salt stress and AMF colonization remained unidentified so far, we performed bioinformatics analysis of freely online available data to find differentially expressed genes common to these two responses. Upon GO classification and networking analysis of genes identified as common to both responses, we selected two most prominent ones (UDPGT73C6 and CYP707A3) and tested their expression profile in leaves and roots of F. mosseae inoculated GF677 rootstocks under salt stress. Even though specific roles of UDPGT73C6 and CYP707A3 are uncharacterized in Prunus tree species, results suggested their involvement in response to salt stress and AMF inoculation of GF677 plants, which is in concordance with a scarce knowledge on their roles in other plant species. Based on this study finding we may conclude that symbiosis of GF677 rootstocks with AMF increases plants tolerance to salinity stress, which should be considered in other Prunus tree species as well.

Effects of Waterlogging with Different Water Resources on Plant Growth and Tolerance Capacity of Four Herbaceous Flowers in a Bioretention Basin

Extreme weather events have increased due to climate change. Bioretention basins can effectively alleviate urban flooding by short-term water retention. Reclaimed water (RW) is considered an alternative water resource during water shortages. In this study, the abilities for waterlogging tolerance of four herbaceous flowers (angelonia, narrow-leaf zinnia, celosia, and medallion flower) are investigated to screen suitable ornamental plants for bioretention basins, and the influence of RW on the plants is also evaluated. All plants were treated with 10 days of waterlogging (electrical conductivity (EC) of tap water = 110.0 μS·cm−1) followed by a seven-day recovery. Angelonia (Angelonia salicariifolia Humb. &amp; Bonpl) was not affected by waterlogging and showed the best performance, judged from the ornamental quality, photosynthesis rate, and leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) among the tested flowers. Photosynthesis of the narrow-leaf zinnia (Zinnia angustifolia Kunth) decreased during waterlogging but soon recovered after being drained. Celosia (Celosia argentea L.) and medallion flower (Melampodium paludosum Kunth) were significantly affected by waterlogging and did not recover after drainage, in terms of responses to both external and physiological reactions. Moreover, waterlogging by the simulated RW (EC = 542.4 μS·cm−1) did not have negative impacts on angelonia and narrow-leaf zinnia, due to the reduced leaf malondialdehyde concentration of angelonia and retarded the decline in the net photosynthesis rate of narrow-leaf zinnia. Thus, RW could be used as an alternative irrigation water resource for bioretention basins during the dry season to maintain plant growth.

Phenology of climbing large-flowered roses in the Stavropol Botanical Garden

The article summarizes the results of studying of the biology of flowering varieties of climbing large-flowered roses (Large-Flowered Climber). The varietal composition of climbing large-flowered roses used for landscaping has not been sufficiently studied in terms of the biology of varieties and their ornamental qualities in the conditions of the Stavropol Upland. In this regard the research conducted by us in 2016-2019 are very actual. Studies are relevant, given the increased demand for roses with climbing type shoots for vertical gardening among landscape industry experts and amateur gardeners. In the collection of the Stavropol Botanical Garden, there are 21 varieties of climbing large-flowered roses from leading breeders of Germany, the USA, France, England, and Holland. Representatives of this garden group are varieties with a single flowering in the first half of summer, in which flowers are formed on biennial and older lateral shoots. It also includes varieties with repeated flowering, whose flowers are formed on shoots of different orders and ages, including the current year. The beginning of flowering of large large-flowered roses falls in the first half of June, the flowering period is June – July, August – September, October. The order of flowering of climbing large-flowered roses over the years is preserved. The varieties Krasnyy Mayak, Glenn Dale, Copper Glow are the first to bloom and bloom profusely, on average 20-25 days. Regular flowering was observed in the varieties: Handel, Ramira, Blossontime, Swan Lace, Sympathia, Santana, The Generous Gardener, New Dawn, Casino, Polca, Elfe, Rosarium Uetersen, Michka, Benvenuto, Heidelberg, Golden Climber, Golden Showers, Paul’s Scarlet Climber. The duration of flowering of climbing roses prone to permanent flowering capacity is more than 130 days. Roses of the Climber group have the ability to self-pollination, 14 varieties have abundant fruit formation, 7 varieties have a single one. The ability of varieties to tie fruits from free pollination makes it possible to use them as mother plants in rose breeding. Due to the diversity of flower colors, aroma, abundant continuous flowering, this garden group of roses has become one of the most promising for vertical gardening.

Gibberellic Acid Can Improve Seed Germination and Ornamental Quality of Selected Cyclamen Species Grown Under Short and Long Days

Cyclamen species (swinebread spp.) are perennial herbaceous plants which belong to the Primulaceae family, widely used as medicinal or ornamental plants. Currently, gibberellic acid (GA3), an environmentally friendly bioregulator is widely used to enhance the productivity and phenotypic characteristics of multiple ornamental crops. A dual experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of gibberellic acid (50, 100 or 150 mg/L), on germination earliness of seeds, along with growth and ornamental quality of selected Cyclamen species. Additionally, a greenhouse experiment with long and short sunlight photoperiod was conducted to evaluate its importance in the development of Cyclamen plants. Our results indicated that under short sunlight exposure, seeds germinated earlier than those kept in long sunlight photoperiod. Plants treated with foliar applications of GA3 exhibited higher plant height, leaf area, number of leaves, root length and tuber development. Significant differences were found in germination percentage (GP), mean germination time (MGT) and seedling vigor index (SVI), within different GA3 supplementation and greenhouse sunlight intensity (short and long days). In conclusion, our study suggests that seedling vigor and ornamental quality can be increased by GA3 application, an economic strategy for enhancing germination and growth of selected Cyclamen species.

Deutzia in the Mari El Republic

Deutzia is an ornamental flowering shrub valued for its abundant long-term flowering and the elegance of flowers shape. The research objects are the plants of 3 species and 1 variety of Deutzia in the Botanic Garden-Institute of VSUT (Yoshkar-Ola, Mari El Republic). Plants aged from 38 to 45 years grow in the exhibition &amp;ldquo;Fruticetum&amp;rdquo;. The study was conducted in 2015-2019. The height and diameter of plants crowns, their winter hardiness for the period from 1981 to 2019, the morphometric indicators of leaves and inflorescences, the possibility of vegetative propagation by herbaceous cuttings, and the size of annual plants were studied. According to the study results, the most hardy is Deutzia of Amur, which forms the highest shrubs. The long-leaved Deutzia has the longest leaf blades, Deutzia scabra &amp;lsquo;Plena&amp;rsquo; has the smallest leaves. The long-leaved Deutzia has the largest inflorescences, Deutzia of Amur and Deutzia scabra &amp;lsquo;Plena&amp;rsquo; have the smallest ones. Deutzia magnifica and Deutzia scabra &amp;lsquo;Plena&amp;rsquo; have ornamentality advantage over other species due to the double flowers. For the maximum display of ornamental qualities, the plants need a successful overwintering. The greatest ability to reproduce by herbaceous cuttings is noted for Deutzia scabra &amp;lsquo;Plena&amp;rsquo;. The results of this study are important for the Deutzia application in the garden and park construction. In the landscaping of the republic settlements Deutzia is recommended for the target assortment.