Pelargonium X Hortorum Research Articles

Functional, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Antifungal Activity of Edible Flowers

Edible flowers have been used since ancient times, but their potential for improving human health has not been explored. This study aimed to evaluate the profile of bioactive compounds (organic acids, phenolics, and carotenoids) and the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of nine flower varieties with high concentrations of carotenoids or total phenolic compounds. Ninety-three edible flowers were analysed for physicochemical characteristics, total phenolic and carotenoid concentrations, and antioxidant activity (ABTS). Bioactive profiles were determined by rapid resolution liquid chromatography (RRLC), and antimicrobial activity was determined against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus mutans, and Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. Chrysanthemum x hybrid orange, Helianthus annuus yellow, Tagetes patula orange, Canna indica red, and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (orange1 and yellow) showed significant concentrations of total carotenoids. In contrast, Pelargonium hortorum orange2, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis red1, and Rosa x hybrid variety medium yellow showed high levels of total phenolics. The predominant compounds in these species were citric acid (991.4 mg/g DW in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis red1), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (936.2 mg/100 g DW in P. hortorum orange2), kaempferol (971. 9 mg/100 g DW in T. patula orange), quercetin glucoside (958.8 in C. x hybrid), quercetin (919.3 mg/100 g DW in T. patula), α-carotene, and β-carotene in T. patula orange (989.5 and 601.2 mg/100 g DW, respectively). Regarding antimicrobial activity, T. patula orange and P. hortorum orange2 inhibited bacterial growth, while C. x hybrid orange and P. hortorum orange2 inhibited Candida albicans, and the latter inhibited Candida tropicalis. These results indicate the potential of edible flowers as a natural source of bioactive compounds and as a tool in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Non-composted and blended agro-industrial by-products an as alternative soilless substrate affect potted zonal geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum) and murva (Murraya paniculata) production

Due to their hiking prices and import restrictions, peat moss and coco coir are not readily available in many developing countries including Pakistan. Therefore, it is necessary to explore alternative soilless substrates having low cost and comparable physico-chemical properties with peat moss and coco coir for local and global market. For this purpose, indigenous agro-industrial by-products, viz., sesame straw, date palm coir, sugarcane pressmud, sugar beet waste and pine bark were collected, cleaned, crushed (where needed) and blended for physico-chemical analyses. Zonal geranium ‘Pinto White’ and murva (Murraya paniculata Kaneh.) were used to evaluate the efficacy of various combinations of substrates on plant growth and production. Three experiments were conducted with six treatments of each experiment replicated three times. Blending of sesame straw with sugarcane pressmud and pine bark (4:4:2 by volume) yielded best results and marketable plants were produced with tallest height (35.8 cm), canopy diameter (20.8 cm), leaf area (29.2 cm2), leaf total chlorophyll contents (62.1 SPAD) and flowers per plant (5.0 No.) along with shortest production time (103 days). Same results were recorded when murva plants were grown in 4:4:2 blending of sesame straw, sugarcane pressmud and pine bark. Zonal geranium and murva plants did not perform well when sesame straw was blended with date palm coir and sugar beet waste. Blending of sesame straw with sugarcane pressmud and pine bark had low pH (7.0), electrical conductivity (1.37 mS cm-1), bulk density (0.29 g cm-3) while high water retention (34.7 %) as compared to other blended substrates. However, shrinkage of substrates in containers was highest (7.7 %) when sesame straw was blended with sugarcane pressmud and pine bark in 5:3:2 followed by 4:4:2. pH value of all blended substrates decreased at termination except when sesame straw, sugarcane pressmud and pine bark were blended in 4:4:2 and 5:2:3, which was increased from 7.0 to 7.1. Electrical conductivity of all blended substrates was decreased at termination of the experiments. It can be concluded that blending of sesame straw, sugarcane pressmud and pine bark in 4:4:2 (v/v/v) significantly improved physico-chemical characteristics of substrates as well as plant growth and production attributes of zonal geranium and murva. Therefore, this indigenous soilless substrate, which is cheaper and readily available to nurserymen can be used as alternative of peat moss and coco coir for containerized plant production.

Electrophysiological and behavioural responses of Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) to thirteen non-host plant essential oils

The diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.), is a cosmopolitan obligate pest of cruciferous crops. Currently, DBMs management is largely dependent on broad-spectrum synthetic pesticides, which has led to the adverse effects on the environment, human health, and nontargeted organisms. Thus, alternative control methods are needed. The essential oils (EOs) derived from bioactive species may be developed as effective alternatives for the management of DBMs that is safe and eco-sustainable than conventional pesticides. In this study, we investigated electrophysiological (EAG) and behavioral responses of DBM adults to the thirteen non-host EOs of Acorus calamus, Ageratum conyzoides, Artemisia argyi, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Cymbopogon citratus, Foeniculum vulgare, Ocimum basilicum, Pelargonium hortorum, Perilla frutescens, Pogostemon cablin, Polygonum hydropiper, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Ruta graveolens in order to contribute to the development of low environmental impact management alternatives. EAG recordings revealed all the tested EOs significantly elicited EAG responses of DBM females, and the males were sensitive to the eleven EOs except A. conyzoides and O. basilicum. Meanwhile, EAG recordings of DBMs exhibited dose-dependent responses to these tested EOs in most cases. In Y-tube olfactometer bioassays, the EOs of A. calamus, C. citratus, P. hortorum, P. hydropiper, and R. graveolen demonstrated prominent repellent effects on DBM females at concentrations of 10 μg/μL or higher. The results of oviposition bioassays found the number of eggs on the two plants with the five tested EOs were less than that on the two plants with paraffin oil. And the oviposition indexes of the plants that fixed with the EOs of P. hortorum, R. graveolen, A. calamus, P. hydropiper, C. citratus, and paraffin oil were –71.81%, –59.43%, –57.46%, –51.11%, –35.41%, and 0.09%, respectively. These findings indicate that the five EOs, especially P. hydropiper EO, provide active and safe tools for natural repellents to prevent and control DBMs infestations of cruciferous vegetables.

Enhanced lead phytoextraction and soil health restoration through exogenous supply of organic ligands: Geochemical modeling”

Phytoremediation of lead (Pb) contaminated soil is a green technology to reduce Pb exposure and root exudates-derived organic acids play a vital role in this treatment process. In this study, Pb hyperaccumulator Pelargonium hortorum was chosen to investigate root-induced organic acid secretions and their subsequent role in Pb phytoextraction. In the first step, root exudation of P. hortorum was investigated in hydroponic experiments (0.2X Hoagland solution) under control and Pb stress conditions. Possible chemical interactions between Pb and the observed root exudates were then analyzed using Visual MINTEQ modeling. In the next step, the effects of the exogenous application of organic acids on Pb phytoextraction and soil enzymatic activities were studied in a pot experimental setup. Results indicated significant exudation of malic acid > citric acid > oxalic acid > tartaric acid in root exudates of P. hortorum under 50 mg L−1 Pb. Visual MINTEQ modeling results revealed that organic acids directly affect Pb dissolution in the nutrient solution by modulation of solution pH. Experimental results revealed that malic acid and citric acid significantly increased available Pb contents (7.2– and 6.7–folds) in the soil with 1500 mg kg−1 Pb contamination. Whereas, in shoot and root, the highest increase in Pb concentration was observed with citric acid (2.01–fold) and malic (3.75–fold) supplements, respectively. Overall, Pb uptake was notably higher when malic acid was applied (2.8–fold) compared to other organic acids, followed by citric acid (2.7–fold). In the case of soil enzymatic activities, oxalic acid significantly improved dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, and microbial biomass by 1.6–, 1.4– and 1.3–folds, respectively. The organic acids were successful in reviving enzyme activity in Pb-contaminated soil, and might thus be used for long-term soil regeneration.

Assessment of phytochemicals, nutritional compositions and metabolite profiling using GCMS– from annual edible flowers

In this work, the nutritional value and phytochemical content of the six annual flower petals such as Pansy (Viola wittorckiana), Dianthus (Dianthus chinensis), Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), Calendula (Calendula officinalis), Petunia (Petunia hybrida), and Geranium (Pelargonium hortorum), were assessed. Gas Chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was utilized to characterize their metabolites in addition to assessing their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Dianthus chinensis was found to have the highest concentrations among all six annuals' components, including total protein (19.5 gm/100 g), ascorbic acid (100 mg/100 g), anthocyanin (1.23 mg Cyn. H./g), total reducing capacity (9.47 mg GAE/g), and hydrolysable tannin (36.96 mg TAE/g). While TPC and TFC values in all of the studied flowers ranged from 13.94 to 107.9 mg catechol/g and 13.3 to 135.84 mg rutin /g, respectively. Maximum TPC was found in geranium flowers (107.9 mg catechol/g). The pansy was shown to have a minimum amount of total phenol (13.9 mg catechol/g). Calendula has the highest level of β-carotene (0.85 mg/g), whereas the cosmos has the highest amount of carotenoid (18.8 µg/g) and lycopene (0.55 µg/g) among the flowers. Petunia flowers showed the highest antioxidant activity (98.3 %), according to the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, followed by pansies (87.6 %), cosmos (65 %), geraniums (56.3 %), and calendula (46.4 %), with the exception of Dianthus. The concentration of micronutrients differed significantly among all six flowers which accumulated nutrients in descending order from (highest to lowest) Fe (1771 ppm) > Zn (143 ppm)>Cu (21.1 ppm) with maximum concentration obtained in Cosmos, Dianthus, and Calendula, respectively. It was found that Petunia extracts exhibited the highest antimicrobial properties, with a maximum growth inhibition zone against Salmonella typhi A (S. typhi A), S. typhi B, Enterobacter, and Pseudomonas with hexane extract, except for S. typhi. However, Dianthus extracts exhibited the highest growth inhibition zones against Enterobacter. Several bioactive metabolites were found in the petals during GC–MS analysis. Among others, notable metabolites include ß-Amyrin, Caryophyllene, 2,4-Di‑tert-butylphenol, ß-Sitosterol, and Stigmasterol, while brewing samples include significant amounts of phenylethyl alcohol, indole, 4-Vinylphenol,.tau.-Muurolol, and 2-Methoxy-4-Vinylphenol. The results are significant information that may be utilized to promote the consumption of annual edible flowers and to recognize their usage as flower infusions or as tea supplements.

Phenolic Compounds from the Aerial Part of Pelargonium hortorum

Phenolic Compounds from the Aerial Part of Pelargonium hortorum

Presence of flower thrips Frankliniella schultzei in ornamental plants

Objective: To report on the presence of Frankliniella schultzei in geranium (Pelargonium hortorum) and periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) plants in greenhouses in the State of Morelos, Mexico. Design/Methodology/Approach: We sampled geranium and periwinkle plants in greenhouses in the municipality of Jojutla, Morelos, Mexico. The collected specimens—of light to dark brown color—were processed, mounted on glass slides to be observed through a conventional light microscope, and identified with taxonomic keys. Results: The specimens collected in the geranium and periwinkle plants presented morphological traits that conform to the species Frankliniella schultzei. Study limitations/Implications: Monitoring the species is necessary because its presence has been identified in at least two regions of Mexico: West and Center. Findings/Conclusions: Frankliniella schultzei had only been located in western Mexico. This report shows that the species is also found in the central region of the country.

Optimizing Sustainable Phytoextraction of Lead from Contaminated Soil Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN)

Lead (Pb) is well known for the containment of soil surfaces. In the last few decades, phytoremediation has been the most ideal technology to extract Pb from soil, involving numerous chemical reactions and cost analysis. The aim of this study is to model and to optimize Pb extraction from the contaminated soil via Pelargonium hortorum by comparing two modeling approaches: response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) with the genetic algorithm (GA). To determine the significance of the proposed solution, in vitro essays were performed to check the Pb tolerance of bacterial strains (NCCP 1844, 1848, 1857, and 1862), followed by the co-application of bacteria and citric acid on a Pb hyperaccumulator (Pelargonium hortorum L.) on Murashige and Skoog (MS) agar medium. Afterwards, a pot culture experiment was performed to optimize Pb extraction competency from Pb-spiked (0 mg kg−1, 500 mg kg−1, 1000 mg kg−1, and 1500 mg kg−1) soil by Pelargonium hortorum L., to which citric acid (5 and 10 mmol L−1) and Microbacterium paraoxydance (1 and 1.5 OD) were applied. Plants were harvested at 30, 60, and 90 day intervals, and they were analyzed for dry biomass and Pb uptake characteristics. The maximum Pb extraction efficiency of 86.0% was achieved with 500 mg kg−1 soil Pb for 60 days. Furthermore, RSM, based on the Box–Behnken design (BBD) and the ANN-based Levenberg–Marquardt Algorithm (LMA), were applied to model Pb extraction from the soil. The significance of the predicted values from RSM and LMA were close to 36.0% and 86.05%, respectively, compared to the laboratory values. The comprehensive evaluation of these findings encouraged the accuracy, reliability, and efficiency of the ANN for the optimization process. Therefore, experimental results showed that ANN is an accurate technique to optimize an integrated phytoremediation system for sustainable Pb removal, besides being environmentally friendly and potentially cost-effective.

First Report of Stem and Root Rot Caused by Fusarium oxysporum on Geranium in China.

Geranium (Pelargonium hortorum) is a widely cultivated ornamental plant in the world. In August 2021, geranium plants exhibited stem and root rot symptoms in a garden in Tianjin, China (117°20'E, 39°13'N) with an approximate incidence of 10%. Symptoms were rotted stem and root, chlorotic leaves, wilting, discolored vascular tissues and eventually plant death. White mycelia were observed growing on the surface of the infected stems and roots in a high humidity environment. Symptomatic plants were collected from three nurseries (20 plants per nursery) in the Tianjin garden, out of which 10 plants were arbitrarily selected for pathogen isolation. The diseased stem and root were rinsed under tap water, blotted dry, and excised into 3 mm2 pieces (three pieces per plant) at the boundary of the symptomatic area. The pieces were surface disinfected with 75% ethanol for 30 s, washed with sterile distilled water for three times, and then placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) containing 50 mg/L of streptomycin sulfate and incubated at 26℃ in the dark. After 6 days, 24 of 30 isolates generated white to pale pink aerial hyphae on PDA. Macroconidia were slightly curved at apex, hyaline and falcate, 3 to 5 septate, 19.2 to 41.08 μm in length and 2.95 to 5.62 μm in width (n = 30). Microconidia were single-celled, hyaline, non-septate and ovoid, and measured 4.98 to 16.48 μm in length and 1.58 to 4.69 μm in width (n = 30). These characteristics matched the description of Fusarium oxysporum (Leslie and Summerell 2006). The ITS gene, TEF1-α gene, mtSSU gene and RPB2 gene of representative isolates (T7, T8 and T9) were amplified and sequenced for species identification (Carbone and Kohn 1999; Li et al. 1994; Miller and Huhndorf 2005). BLASTn analyses of the ITS amplicon (OK326801, OK326789 and OK326823), TEF1-α amplicon (OM974708, OM974710 and OM974711), mtSSU amplicon (OK330481, OM948931 and OM948932) and RPB2 amplicon (OM974709, OM974712 and OP331332) obtained with cognate sequences available in GenBank showed 99.31% to 100% identity to sequences of F. oxysporum in the NCBI database and the Fusarium MLST database. The multilocus phylogenetic analysis from the Fusarium MLST database performed by UPGMA showed that the representative isolates were assigned to the group of F. oxysporum. Ten two-month-old healthy plants of geranium (cv. Horizon Scarle) were inoculated by dipping the roots into a conidial suspension of 1×107 conidia/mL for 10 min (Monther et al. 2021). Another ten plants dipped in sterile distilled water served as controls. After inoculated or noinoculated treatments, plants were planted in sterilized nutrient soil in plastic pots (one plant per pot). Each treatment was repeated three times in a greenhouse at 28℃ and 75% relative humidity. Two weeks later, inoculated plants exhibited similar symptoms to those of diseased plants in the garden. Whereas the control plants remained healthy. To fulfill the Koch's postulates, F. oxysporum was reisolated from each inoculated, symptomatic plant, but was not recovered from any of the control plants. The experiments were repeated twice with similar results. F. oxysporum is reported to cause disease on Pelargonium graveolens in Kenya (Nattrass 1961) and on Pelargonium sp. in California (French 1989), to our knowledge, this is the first report of F. oxysporum causing stem and root rot on Pelargonium hortorum in China. Identification of disease caused by F. oxysporum on geranium will guide disease management.

Photocatalytic degradation of azo dyes by ultra-small green synthesized silver nanoparticles

BackgroundThe presence of toxic dyes in wastewater is a serious problem for human health. In this work, the degradation of commercial azo dyes sold over-the counter in Mexico was studied, using as a photocatalyst ultra-small silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) green synthesized. MethodsFor the first time, the successful green synthesis of ultra-small AgNPs using, as both reducing-stabilizing agents (RSa), the aqueous extract of Pelargonium hortorum (Phf) flower or Allium fistulosum (Afs) stem, is reported. AgNPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopies, field emission scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (FE-SEM-EDS), and field emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM). Significant findingsThe morphology of the AgNPs, in both cases, are spherical. AgNPs synthesized with Phf (AgNPs/Phf), which have a mode size of 2 nm (41.9%) and a bandgap of 2.38 eV, resulted in a photocatalytic degradation efficiency of 95%. On the other hand, AgNPs synthesized with Afs (AgNPs/Afs), which have a mode size of 0.6 nm (37.8%) and a bandgap of 2.43 eV, presented a photocatalytic efficiency of 100%. The photocatalytic efficiency and bandgap of the synthesized AgNPs were found to be inversely proportional to the AgNPs size; i.e. the smaller the AgNPs, the higher photocatalytic degradation, and bandgap exhibited.

Modification of the viscosity of extra-heavy crude oil using aqueous extracts of common geranium (Pelargonium hortorum)

The transport of extra-heavy crude oil is a severe problem in the oil industry due to its viscosity, asphaltenes content, and tendency to precipitate. These crude oil's characteristics cause clogging of the pipes and increase production costs. One of the solutions for this problem is the addition of compounds that reduce the viscosity of crude oil and the self-aggregation of asphaltenes. In recent years, new ‘green’ additives have been investigated to replace the use of traditional and more toxic substances, such as toluene. In this study, new common geranium (Pelargonium hortorum) aqueous extracts were synthesized with 1, 5, and 10% (w/v). Its effect on the Mexican extra-heavy (8 °API) crude oil blend was analyzed in a shear rate range of 0.1–60 1/s and constant temperatures of 30, 40, and 50 °C. In addition, its pH, TDS, and EC were measured on days 1 and 15 after synthesis. These synthesized compounds were qualitatively determined using phytochemical analysis. The possible relationship between these compounds and the viscosity modification was analyzed. The results suggest that using these compounds as viscosity modifiers for extra-heavy crude oil could be promising, at higher concentrations in the range of 5–10% and for a temperature range of 40–50 °C, and for lower shear rates. The conclusions suggest further investigation of the common geranium aqueous extracts to understand its effect on crude oil properties.

Influence of Compost from Post-Consumer Wood on Development, Nutrition State of Plants, Microbiological and Biochemical Parameters of Substrates in Zonal Pelargonium (Pelargonium zonale)

The purpose of this study was to assess the possibility of using compost made from post-consumer wood in zonal pelargonium (Pelargonium zonale) cv. ‘Tex Mex’ cultivation. The influence of compost on the plant’s development and nutritional state, as well as the microbiological and enzymatic activity of the substrate was examined. Two variants of compost marked with the following letters: OPA and OPB were used. Both variants consisted of post-consumer wood waste (OP) (70% of weight) mixed with powdery waste from processing MDF boards (6%), mature compost from fiberboard waste (19%), high peat (4%), water and a biological inoculum “Activit Las”. Thirty kilograms of urea in two portions per prism were added to the OPA variant while ammonium nitrate (1.5 kg per prism), magnesium sulphate (0.4 kg per prism), potassium phosphate (0.8kg per prism) and calcium phosphate (0.9 kg per prism) were added to the OPB variant. The plants were cultivated into pots 12 cm in diameter and a capacity of 659 dm3 in the substrates consisting of peat with the addition of compost at different volume ratios. It was found that the medium type had a significant influence on the growth and flowering of the zonal pelargonium. The type of compost used was the determinant for microbiological total counts and activity. The chemical composition of the substrates significantly modified the plants’ nutritional state in terms of macro- and microelements. In summary, the study demonstrated that good quality ornamental plants can be successfully grown in peat substrate containing 25% or 50% of post-consumer wood compost.

Optimization of integrated phytoremediation system (IPS) for enhanced lead removal and restoration of soil microbial activities

Improving phytoremediation efficiency in lead (Pb) contaminated soil through either bacterial or fungal inoculants have extensively been studied with different successes and limitations. In this study, co-application of bacteria and fungi have been investigated for development of an integrated phytoremediation system (IPS) for efficient Pb removal and restoration of soil microbial and enzymatic activities in degraded soil. For this purpose, Pb tolerant bacterial and fungal strains were firstly analyzed for antifungal and antibacterial activities through disc diffusion method. Afterwards, the co-inoculation studies were performed to investigate the effects on phytoavailability and uptake of Pb by Pelargonium hortorum through soil incubation and pot culture experiments, respectively. Results indicated significant (p < 0.05) antibacterial activity of Mucor spp. against bacterial species (Klebsiella variicola and K. quasipneumoniae). The highest significant increase in extractable Pb fraction (5.0–folds) was observed when soil was co-inoculated with Aspergillus flavus + Microbacterium paraoxydans compared to the control soil (un-inoculated soil) at 2000 mg Pb kg−1 concentration. Similarly, uptake results also indicated significantly higher Pb uptake in plants inoculated with A. flavus + M. paraoxydans. Soil microbial results indicated significant decrease in microbial health indicators and enzymatic activities with increasing Pb concentration and exposure time, as compared to control soil. A relatively severe decline was observed in soil respiration and dehydrogenase (DEH) activities by 2.8– and 2.5–folds, respectively at 2000 mg Pb kg−1 of soil. The optimized IPS was effective for restoring enzymatic activities in Pb contaminated soil and could be applied for sustainable restoration of Pb contaminated soil.

Extracts of Pelargonium hortorum: A natural and efficient fluid for fast and eco-friendly biosynthesis of CeO2 nanoparticles for antioxidant and photocatalytic applications

The present inquiry studied the phytochemical composition in the aqueous extract of Pelargonium, which grows in Iran. Aluminum chloride methods, Folin–Ciocalteu, and GC/MS technique were applied to determine the total flavonoid and phenolic contents and volatile constituents in the extract, accordingly. The stabilizing and reducing potentials of phytochemical composition in the extract were examined for an eco-friendly, simple, and fast biosynthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs). DLS, XRD, UV–Vis, BET, and FESEM were applied to analyze and characterize the synthesized nanoparticles. In the end and as a practical application, the photocatalyst and antioxidant activities of the biosynthesized CeO2-NPs were evaluated by the reduction of hexavalent chromium {Cr(VI)} ions in aqueous solutions and the scavenging capability of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals, respectively. The phytochemical analysis found the total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the extract to be 136.5 mg GA/g and 63.9 mg RU/g, respectively. Besides, the study identified 22 compounds, including 17 (about 93.5%) of the total volatile constituents, with the major components being α-pinene (25.28%) and fenchyl acetate (20.63%). The characterization results demonstrated that the prepared nanoparticles had a spherical shape, average size of 28 nm, BET surface area of 33.84 m2/g, zeta potential of −25.8 mV, 9.31 nm mane diameter pore, and total pore volume of 0.078 cm3/g. Moreover, the results of the practical applications indicated that the CeO2-NPs have a good scavenging capability of DPPH free radical with the IC50 value of 42.7 μg/mL and good reduction ability of Cr(VI) ions with a reduction efficiency of 94% in aqueous solution containing 10 mg/L of Cr(VI) of ions with natural pH of 5.5 and CeO2-NPs dose of 200 mg/L during 60 min.

Environmental Analysis of Sustainable Production Practices Applied to Cyclamen and Zonal Geranium

Italian floriculture is facing structural changes. Possible options to maintain competitiveness of the involved companies include promotion of added values, from local production to environmental sustainability. To quantify value and benefits of cleaner production processes and choices, a holistic view is necessary and could be provided by life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Previous studies on ornamental products generally focused on data from one company or a small sample. The aim of this study was a gate-to-gate life cycle assessment of two ornamental species, cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum Mill.) and zonal geranium (Pelargonium × hortorum Bailey), using data from a sample of 20 companies belonging to a floriculture district in the Treviso, Veneto region. We also assessed the potential benefits of the environmental impact of alternative management choices regarding plant protection and reuse of composted waste biomass. Life cycle impact assessment showed higher impact scores for the zonal geranium, mainly as a consequence of greenhouse heating with fossil fuels. This factor, along with higher uniformity of production practices and technological levels of equipment, translated to a lower variability in comparison with cyclamen production, which showed a wider results range, in particular for eutrophication, acidification and human toxicity potential. The application of integrated pest management with cyclamen had significant benefits by reducing acidification and human toxicity, while reducing use of mineral nutrients through amending growing media with compost resulted in a reduction in eutrophication potential. Similar achievable benefits for zonal geranium were not observed because of the dominant contribution of energy inputs.

Phytonutrients and Antioxidant Activity of Extracts from Five Edible Flowers Used in Culinary

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the natural pigments (chlorophylls, carotenoids and anthocyanins), phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of water and 95% ethanol extracts from five edible flowers - snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), carnation (Dianthus plumarius), garden geranium (Pelargonium hortorum), petunia (Petunia integrifolia) and dahlia (Dahlia decorative). It was found that water extracts gave higher extractive yields. The highest carotenoids and total anthocyanins content were detected in snapdragon and dahlia flowers. The total phenolic content dominated in water extracts of petunia, garden geranium, carnation and snapdragon - above 30 mg GAE/g of dry extract. Sinapic acid was detected in all edible flowers. Gallic, caffeic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, rosmarinic, sinapic and ferulic acid were detected only in carnation. Antioxidant activity was the highest in ethanol extracts of petunia, garden geranium, carnation by FRAP method. The current study demonstrated the future application of edible flower extracts as a source of antioxidants for culinary purposes.

Effect of the Foliar Application of Microalgae Hydrolysate (Arthrospira platensis) and Silicon on the Growth of Pelargonium hortorum L.H. Bailey under Salinity Conditions

Plant growth is limited by salinity stress. There are few strategies for alleviating it although Arthrospira platensis and silicon can stimulate plants to grow under stress conditions. The aim of this work was to study the effects of both a single and a joint application of Arthrospira platensis and silicon on the growth of Pelargonium hortorum L.H. Bailey under salt stress conditions. Plants were exposed to 2.0, 3.0, and 3.5 dS m−1 EC (electrical conductivity), with and without the application of microalgae and silicon. At the end of the trial, the biometric parameters and the plant analysis were determined. The microalgae hydrolysate concentration was 5 g L−1 and the silicon concentration was 150 mg L−1. Foliar spraying was applied weekly. Pelargonium can be grown in moderately saline irrigation water (3.0 dS m−1). This bedding plant mitigates salt stress by avoiding the uptake of Cl− ions and by tolerating a high Na+ concentration in the tissue. The joint foliar application of Arthrospira microalgae and silicon stimulates root, shoot, leaf, and flower formation in the Pelargonium hortorum L.H. Bailey crop under salinity conditions (3.5 dS m−1).

Lead phytoextraction by Pelargonium hortorum: Comparative assessment of EDTA and DIPA for Pb mobility and toxicity

Soil amendments like ethylene-diamine-tetraacetic-acid (EDTA) have extensively been used for enhancing lead (Pb) phytoextraction. But due to its toxic effects, environment friendly substitute is required. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of EDTA and Di-iso-propanol-amine (DIPA) to enhance Pb phytoavailability and uptake by Pelargonium hortorum along with comparative toxicities of both organic amendments. For this purpose, soil was spiked with Pb concentrations (0, 500, 750, 1000 and 1500 mg kg1) and amended with EDTA and DIPA at dosage levels (0, 1.5, 3, 5, 7.5, 10 mmol kg−1) for plantation of Pelargonium hortorum. Soil samples were extracted with MgCl2, plant samples were acid digested and analyzed for metal content. Biomass and root/shoot length of Pelargonium hortorum was decreased with increase in concentration of Pb and chelating agents. Phytoavailability of Pb at 1500 mg kg−1 with EDTA 10 mmol kg−1 was 0.3-folds in comparison to DIPA at the same dosage. Pelargonium hortorum plants amended with EDTA and DIPA at 10 mmol kg−1 with Pb 1000 mg kg−1 were found to uptake Pb 5.3-fold and 2.5-folds, respectively in comparison to Pb 1000 mg kg−1 alone. Pb uptake decreased at 1500 mg kg−1 with both chelating agents. The EDTA alone and in combination with 1500 mg Pb kg−1 showed maximum genotoxicity by reducing the mitotic index and increasing the micronuclei formation. EDTA+Pb showed maximum toxicity followed by Pb and DIPA. Overall, 10 mmol kg−1 of EDTA and DIPA performed better among all dosages in enhancing phytoavailability and uptake of Pb. DIPA showed less toxicity than that caused by EDTA, with comparable ability to promote Pb phytoextraction.

Response of Common Garden Annuals to Sublethal Rates of 2,4-D and Dicamba with or without Glyphosate

An experiment was conducted in 2017 and 2018 to determine the sensitivity of common garden annuals to sublethal rates of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and dicamba with or without glyphosate. Sublethal rates corresponding to 1/10×, 1/100×, and 1/300× of the full labeled rate (1×) of 2,4-D (1.0 lb/acre), 2,4-D plus glyphosate (1.0 lb/acre plus 1.0 lb/acre), dicamba (0.5 lb/acre), and dicamba plus glyphosate (0.5 lb/acre plus 1.0 lb/acre) were applied to ‘Prelude’ wax begonia (Begonia ×semperflorens-cultorum), ‘Wizard’ coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides), ‘Pinto’ zonal geranium (Pelargonium ×hortorum), ‘Dazzler’ impatiens (Impatiens walleriana), ‘Bonanza’ french marigold (Tagetes patula), ‘Hurrah’ petunia (Petunia hybrida), ‘Titan’ madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), and ‘Double Zahara’ zinnia (Zinnia marylandica). Visible injury, plant height, number of flowers, and dry weight were recorded at specific time intervals after treatment. When averaged across all annual plant species, the 1/10× rate of 2,4-D plus glyphosate resulted in 51% injury 28 days after treatment, whereas the 1/10× rate of dicamba plus glyphosate resulted in 43% injury. Treatments causing the greatest injury also resulted in the greatest reduction of dry weight, height, and flower production. Coleus was the most sensitive species in the study; dry weight was reduced by 16% and 18% compared with the nontreated controls from 1/300× rates of 2,4-D plus glyphosate and dicamba plus glyphosate, respectively. French marigold and zonal geranium had greater sensitivity to treatments containing 2,4-D, but coleus and zinnia had greater sensitivity to treatments containing dicamba. Petunia exhibited a high tolerance to 2,4-D or dicamba applied alone (&gt;6% injury) but was highly sensitive when glyphosate was added to 2,4-D and dicamba (&lt;65% injury). The 1/100× and 1/300× rates that are likely to equate to sublethal rates in field settings, resulted in less than 15% injury across all flower species except coleus and petunia.

First Report of Association of a ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ 16SrII-D Related Phytoplasma with Geranium (Pelargonium hortorum) Little Leaf Disease in Iran

Geranium, an important ornamental plant belong to the family Geraniaceae, is widely cultivated in urban landscapes and private gardens all over the world. During a survey in spring 2019, a few seed-propagated geranium plants exhibiting typical symptoms induced by phytoplasmas, including pale green and little leaves, phyllody, virescence, and witches’-broom symptoms, were observed in Jiroft, Kerman province of Iran. Total genomic DNA extracted from leaf midribs and petioles of the three symptomatic and two asymptomatic plants was used as a template in a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay using universal phytoplasma primer pairs P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/ R16R2 (Gundersen and Lee 1996) to amplify a part of the 16S rDNA phytoplasma genome as previously described by Azadvar et al. (2011). The generated 1.8- and 1.25-kb amplicons in the first and second round of the nested PCR assay, respectively, from each of the three symptomatic plant samples revealed phytoplasma infection of the plants. No amplicon was generated in PCR assays by using the DNA templates from symptomless plants. The purified PCR products were directly sequenced (Bioneer, South Korea) in both forward and reverse directions. The consensus sequences were analyzed by the iPhyClassifier tool (Zhao et al. 2009) and pDRAW32 software (AcaClone software, http://www.acaclone.com) for 16Sr group/subgroup phytoplasma identification. The 16S rDNA nucleotide sequences from the three diseased plants were identical (GenBank accession no. MT187639). iPhyClassifier analysis showed that the F2nR2 16S rRNA encoding gene sequence of the phytoplasma associated with geranium little leaf (GrLL) disease in Iran was identical (similarity coefficient 1.00) to those of the reference pattern of 16Sr group II subgroup D (GenBank accession no. Y10097) and had 98.7% similarity with the ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’ reference strain (GenBank accession U15442). Virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism (in silico RFLP) analysis of the 16S rDNA F2nR2 sequence with the pDRAW32 program using AluI, BamHI, BfaI, BstUI, DraI, EcoRI, HaeIII, HhaI, HinfI, HpaI, HpaII, KpnI, MseI, RsaI, Sau3AI, SspI, and TaqI endonucleases further confirmed that the GrLL phytoplasma belong to subgroup II-D. The 16SrII-D subgroup phytoplasma has been previously reported in association with Calendula officinalis (Esmailzadeh Hosseini et al. 2016), Helianthus annuus (Salehi et al. (2015), and Petunia hybrida (Faghihi et al. 2014) ornamental plants in Iran. We also found many petunia (P. hybrida) plants showing little leaf, yellowing, phyllody, and witches’-broom symptoms next to the GrLL-infected plants, which hosted the same phytoplasma (GenBank accession no. MT187637). A 16SrII group-related phytoplasma has previously been reported associated with Pelargonium capitatum weed plant exhibiting severe stunting and necrosis in Australia (Lee et al. 2010). To our knowledge, this is the first report of a ‘Ca. P. aurantifolia’ 16SrII-D subgroup-related phytoplasma associated with geranium (Pelargonium hortorum) little leaf disease in the world.