Perilla Research Articles

Impact of Irpex lenis and Schizophyllum commune endophytic fungi on Perilla frutescens: enhancing nutritional uptake, phytochemicals, and antioxidant potential

BackgroundEndophytic fungi (EF) reside within plants without causing harm and provide benefits such as enhancing nutrients and producing bioactive compounds, which improve the medicinal properties of host plants. Selecting plants with established medicinal properties for studying EF is important, as it allows a deeper understanding of their influence. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the impact of EF after inoculating the medicinal plant Perilla frutescens, specifically focusing on their role in enhancing medicinal properties.ResultsIn the current study, the impact of two EF i.e., Irpex lenis and Schizophyllum commune isolated from A. bracteosa was observed on plant Perilla frutescens leaves after inoculation. Plants were divided into four groups i.e., group A: the control group, group B: inoculated with I. lenis; group C: inoculated with S. commune and group D: inoculated with both the EF. Inoculation impact of I. lenis showed an increase in the concentration of chlorophyll a (5.32 mg/g), chlorophyll b (4.46 mg/g), total chlorophyll content (9.78 mg/g), protein (68.517 ± 0.77 mg/g), carbohydrates (137.886 ± 13.71 mg/g), and crude fiber (3.333 ± 0.37%). Furthermore, the plants inoculated with I. lenis showed the highest concentrations of P (14605 mg/kg), Mg (4964.320 mg/kg), Ca (27389.400 mg/kg), and Mn (86.883 mg/kg). The results of the phytochemical analysis also indicated an increased content of total flavonoids (2.347 mg/g), phenols (3.086 mg/g), tannins (3.902 mg/g), and alkaloids (1.037 mg/g) in the leaf extract of P. frutescens inoculated with I. lenis. Thus, overall the best results of inoculation were observed in Group B i.e. inoculated with I. lenis. GC-MS analysis of methanol leaf extract showed ten bioactive constituents, including 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester, and hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester as major constituents found in all the groups of P. frutescens leaves. The phenol (gallic acid) and flavonoids (rutin, kaempferol, and quercetin) were also observed to increase after inoculation by HPTLC analysis. The enhancement in the phytochemical content was co-related with improved anti-oxidant potential which was analyzed by DPPH (% Inhibition: 83.45 µg/ml) and FRAP (2.980 µM Fe (II) equivalent) assay as compared with the control group.ConclusionInoculation with I. lenis significantly enhances the uptake of nutritional constituents, phytochemicals, and antioxidant properties in P. frutescens, suggesting its potential to boost the therapeutic properties of host plants.Graphical

Evaluation of Exotic Sesame Germplasm for their Resistance Against (Antigastra catalaunalis) Duponchel

Aims: To evaluate 132 USDA germplasm for their resistance against sesame leaf webber A. catalaunalis. Study Design: Randomized Block Design (RBD). Methodology: Leaf webber incidence was recorded weekly in two seasons (2023, 2024) and the percent leaf damage was calculated. The data was subjected to statistical analysis. The germplasm were categorized based on the percent leaf damage in both seasons using a 1-9 scoring methodology. The combined mean analysis was also carried out, to obtain unbiased results. the germplasm were also categorized based on the combined analysis. Results: In season 1, leaf damage by sesame leaf webber ranged from 0% to 97.96%, with PI 170757, PI 223014, and PI 285170 being pest-free, while PI 170726 had the highest damage (97.96%). Germplasm were categorized as highly resistant (48), resistant (31), moderately resistant (25), susceptible (13) and highly susceptible (15). In season 2, damage ranged from 0% to 97.30%, with PI 152498, PI 158045, PI 170757, PI 223014, and PI 285170 being pest-free and PI 170726 again having the highest damage (97.30%). Germplasm were categorized as highly resistant (35), resistant (36), moderately resistant (33), susceptible (12) and highly susceptible (16). Based on combined mean value analysis, The germplasm were categorized as highly resistant (28), resistant (54), moderately resistant (21), susceptible (11), and highly susceptible (18). Conclusion: The germplasm PI 170757, PI 223014, and PI 285170 were completely free from pest damage in both seasons and also based on combined mean analysis. Thus these germplasm are highly resistant against sesame leaf webber.

Association analysis of leaf aromatic substances in cultivated and weedy types of Perilla crop using SSR markers

In East Asia, particularly South Korea, the two cultivated varieties of Perilla are commonly grown. They are clearly distinguished by their aromatic substances and have different uses as leafy vegetables or oil crop. This study was performed for the development of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers linked to volatile compounds in Perilla leaves that show differences between cultivated var. frutescens (CF), weedy var. frutescens (WF), and weedy var. crispa (WC) of Perilla. Fifty Perilla SSR primer sets were used to analyze genetic diversity for the 80 Perilla accessions of the three types. A total of 276 alleles were detected, with an average of 5.5 alleles per locus. The average genetic diversity values for CF, WF, and WC accessions were 0.402, 0.583, and 0.437, respectively. WF accessions exhibited the highest genetic diversity among the three types of the Perilla crop. Phylogenetic tree analysis classified 80 Perilla accessions of the three types into four groups, showing 37.2 % genetic similarity. Three types of the Perilla crop were clearly distinguished except for outstanding accessions. Through the application of an association analysis involving 50 Perilla SSR primer sets and five volatile compounds (perilla aldehyde, perilla ketone, myristicin, dill apiol, (Z,E)-α-farnesene) in the three types of the Perilla accessions, we detected 11 significant marker-trait associations duplicated in both Q GLM and Q + K MLM methods. These findings serve as valuable insights for identifying the aromatic substances in Perilla plants originating from various regions of South Korea.

Evaluation of Sesame Germplasm for Resistance against Leaf Webber, Antigastra catalaunalis (Duponchel)

Antigastra catalaunalis Duponchel (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), known as the sesame leaf webber is an important and specific pest of sesame, exerting a considerable yield loss of up to 72%. The objective of this study was to assess various sesame germplasm for their resistance against A. catalaunalis. The present study was carried out at ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. A total of 276 germplasm were evaluated for their resistance against Sesame leaf webber, together with a resistant check (Swetha) and a susceptible check (Prachi). The experiment was conducted using Randomized Block design for two seasons (2023 and 2024). Incidence of leaf webber was observed on 10 randomly selected plants on each germplasm at weekly intervals. Percent Leaf damage was calculated for all the 276 germplasm along with a resistant check and a susceptible check. The data on percentage of leaf damage for both the seasons were also subjected to statistical analysis using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The performance of the germplasm were evaluated using 1-9 scoring methodology, categorizing them as highly resistant, resistant, moderately resistant, susceptible or highly susceptible based on scores. In season 1, germplasm, B 203, DSK-1-A, EC-511212, EVC-101, IC-205201, IC-205775, IC-413205, IC-500343, IS-17, and SL-11 were found to be completely free from the incidence of A. catalaunalis. The germplasm were categorized as highly resistant (53), resistant (62), moderately resistant (56), susceptible (74), and highly susceptible (31). In season 2, none of the germplasm exhibited complete resistance. The germplasm were categorized as follows: highly resistant (46), resistant (51), moderately resistant (69), susceptible (55), and highly susceptible (55). The incidence of the pest on the resistant check, Swetha, was 4.46% in season 1 and 5.94% in season 2, while the percent pest incidence on the susceptible check, Prachi, was 76.69% in season 1 and 69.18% in season 2. 46 germplasm were observed to be highly resistant to Antigastra catalaunalis across both the seasons and also based on the combined mean percent leaf damage analysis. Thus, these germplasm can be used as donors in future breeding programmes.

Flavonoid-rich sesame leaf extract-mediated synthesis of nanozymes: Extraction optimization, chemical composition identification and bioactivity evaluation

Sesame leaves contain rich phenolic acids and flavonoids. However, their potential in nanozyme synthesis has not been investigated yet. Herein, we report the preparation of flavonoid-rich sesame leaf extract (SLE), composition identification, and its use in the construction of iron (Fe)-based nanozymes (Fe-SLE CPNs). SLE was obtained with an extraction yield of ∼14.5% with a total flavonoid content (TFC) of ∼850.85 mg RE/g. There were 83 flavonoid compounds in SLE, primarily including scutellarin, apigenin-7-glucuronid, narcissin, and hyperoside. Fe-SLE CPNs exhibited nanodot morphology with a hydrodynamic size of 79.34 nm and good stability in various physiological solutions, pH levels, and temperatures. The Fe-SLE CPNs were more efficient in the scavenging ability of reactive oxygen species (ROS) than SLE alone. Furthermore, a stronger anti-inflammatory effect of the Fe-SLE CPNs was shown by modulating the MyD88-NF-κB-MAPK signaling pathways. These findings imply that SLE-based nanozymes hold great potential for diverse applications.

Examining Chlorophyll Extraction Methods in Sesame Genotypes: Uncovering Leaf Coloration Effects and Anatomy Variations.

This study focuses on optimizing chlorophyll extraction techniques, in which leaf discs are cut from places on the leaf blade to enhance chlorophyll concentration in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) leaves. Thirty sesame genotypes, categorized into light green (LG), middle green (MG), and deep green (DG) pigment groups based on leaf coloration, were selected from a larger pool of field-grown accessions. The investigation involved determining optimal Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) value index measurements, quantifying pigment concentrations, exploring extraction solvents, and selecting suitable leaf disk positions. Significant variations in chlorophyll content were observed across genotypes, greenness categories, and leaf disk positions. The categorization of genotypes into DG, MG, and LG groups revealed a correlation between leaf appearance and chlorophyll content. The study highlighted a consistent relationship between carotenoids and chlorophyll, indicating their role in adaptation to warm environments. An examination of leaf disk positions revealed a significant chlorophyll gradient along the leaf blade, emphasizing the need for standardized protocols. Chlorophyll extraction experiments identified DMSO and 96% ethanol, particularly in those incubated for 10 min at 85 °C, as effective choices. This recommendation considers factors like cost-effectiveness, time efficiency, safety, and environmental regulations, ensuring consistent and simplified extraction processes. For higher chlorophyll extraction, focusing on leaf tips and the 75% localization along the sesame leaf blade is suggested, as this consistently yields increased chlorophyll content. Furthermore, our examination revealed significant anatomical variations in the internal structure of the mesophyll tissue leaves between deep green and light green sesame plants, primarily linked to chloroplast density and pigment-producing structures. Our findings, therefore, provide insightful knowledge of chlorophyll gradients and encourage the use of standardized protocols that enable researchers to refine their experimental designs for precise and comparable chlorophyll measurements. The recommended solvent choices ensure reliable outcomes in plant physiology, ecology, and environmental studies.

EVALUATION OF INSECTICIDE APPLICATION FREQUENCY TO CONTROL SESAME LEAF WEBBER ANTIGASTRA CATALAUNALIS (DUPONCHEL) AND MIRID BUG CREONTIADUS DILUTES

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), a member of the Pedaliaceae family, is referred to as the queen of oilseeds. There are numerous barriers to its production and productivity, including a lack of economically feasible and technically adequate manufacturing technology, but insect pests particularly, sesame leaf webber (Antigastra catalaunalis) and Mirid Bug (Creontiadus dilutes) play a prime role in declining its potential yield. In this study, five treatments, viz. T1:2-WAE (weeks after emergence), T2:2,4-WAE, T3: 2,4,6 WAE, T4: 2,4,6,8 WEA, T5: weekly spray after emergence (positive control) and T6: control (zero application of spray) spray were applied, while T5=weekly spray started one week after emergence, prior to the onset of A. catalaunalis infestation on the sesame crop and was continuously applied until the maturity of the crop. A Hand knap sack sprayer was used for the Polytrin C 440EC (Profenophos 400 G/L + Cypermethrin G/L) @500ml/acre application. The results revealed that the incidence of A. catalaunalis and C. dilutes throughout the season during both years (2022-23) was significantly different (p < 0.001) among all treatments. High insecticide application frequency lowers the leaf, flower and capsule damage, which ultimately decreases seed loss and enhances the end product, so it was observed that T5: weekly spray after emergence (positive control) gave maximum control, followed by four-time spray application (T4: 2, 4, 6, 8WEA) while maximum infestation was observed in T6: control (zero application of spray), followed by T1:2-WAE. Positive control gave the best results. It is suggested that three-time spray application was found to be most suitable for the management of both devastating insects. Based on evaluation, it appears that adjusting the frequency of insecticide application can effectively control sesame leaf Webber and mirid bug populations. However, it’s important to balancer pest control with environmental concerns and resistance development.

Comparative antioxidant activity of Sesame root and leaf extract - An In-vitro study

Universe has millions and millions of plants, but not all the plants have medicinal values. One such gift from nature is Sesame and is crowned as the “Queen of oilseed crops” due to its various medical properties like anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti- microbial etc. This research paper aims to compare the antioxidant activity of sesame leaf extract and sesame root extract with the standard ascorbic acid using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) assay. Different concentrations of the extracts and ascorbic acid were prepared (10 µg/mL, 20 µg/mL, 30 µg/mL, 40 µg/mL, and 50 µg/mL), and the antioxidant activity was measured. The results indicate that both sesame leaf extract and sesame root extract exhibit antioxidant activity, with sesame leaf extract showing slightly higher activity than sesame root extract. The findings suggest that sesame leaf extract has potential as a natural antioxidant source and could be used as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants. Overall, this study provides valuable information on the potential health benefits of sesame extracts and highlights the importance of natural antioxidants in preventing free radical damage and associated diseases.

Potassium attenuates drought damage by regulating sucrose metabolism and gene expression in sesame leaf

Drought has been considered the most restrictive environmental constraint on agricultural production worldwide. Photosynthetic carbohydrate metabolism is a critical biochemical process connected with crop production and quality traits. A pot experiment was carried out under four potassium (K) rates (0, 0.75, 1.5 and 2.25 g pot−1 of K, respectively) and two water regimes to investigate the role of K in activating defense mechanisms on sucrose metabolism against drought damage in sesame. The soil moisture contents are 75 ± 5% (well-watered, WW) and 45 ± 5% (drought stress, DS) of field capacity respectively. The results showed that DS plants without K application have lower activities of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco), sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), soluble acid invertase (SAI), and chlorophyll content and higher activity of sucrose synthase (SuSy), which resulted in declined synthesis and distribution of photosynthetic products to reproductive organs. Under drought, there was a significant positive correlation between leaf sucrose metabolizing enzymes and sucrose content. Plants subjected to drought stress increased the concentrations of soluble sugar and sucrose to produce osmo-protectants and energy sources for plants acclimating to stress but decreased starch content. Conversely, K application enhanced the carbohydrate metabolism, biomass accumulation and partitioning, thereby contributing to higher seed oil and protein yield (28.8%–43.4% and 27.5%–40.7%) as compared to K-deficiency plants. The positive impacts of K application enhanced as increasing K rates, and it was more pronounced in drought conditions. Furthermore, K application upregulated the gene expression of SiMYB57, SiMYB155, SiMYB176 and SiMYB192 while downregulated SiMYB108 and SiMYB171 in drought conditions, which may help to alleviate drought susceptibility. Conclusively, our study illustrated that the enhanced photo-assimilation and translocation process caused by the changes in sucrose metabolism activities under K application as well as regulation of MYB gene expression contributes towards drought resistance of sesame.

Rosmarinic acid mitigates acrylamide induced neurotoxicity via suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation in mouse hippocampus

BackgroundAcrylamide (ACR) is a widely used compound that is known to be neurotoxic to both experimental animals and humans, causing nerve damage. The widespread presence of ACR in the environment and food means that the toxic risk to human health can no longer be ignored. Rosmarinic acid (RA), a natural polyphenolic compound extracted from the perilla plant, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other properties. It has also been demon strated to possess promising potential in neuroprotection. However, its role and potential mechanism in treating ACR induced neurotoxicity are still elusive. PurposeThis study explores whether RA can improve ACR induced neurotoxicity and its possible mechanism. MethodsThe behavioral method was used to study RA effect on ACR exposed mice's neurological function. We studied its potential mechanism through metabolomics, Nissl staining, HE staining, immunohistochemical analysis, and Western blot. ResultsRA pretreatment reversed the increase in mouse landing foot splay and decrease in spontaneous activity caused by 3 weeks of exposure to 50 mg/kg/d ACR. Further experiments demonstrated that RA could prevent ACR induced neuronal apoptosis, significantly downregulate nuclear factor-κB and tumor necrosis factor-α expression, and inhibit NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome activation, thereby reducing inflammation as confirmed by metabolomics results. Additionally, RA treatment prevented endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) caused by ACR exposure, as evidenced by the reversal of significant P-IRE1α,TRAF2,CHOP expression increase. ConclusionRA alleviates ACR induced neurotoxicity by inhibiting ERS and inflammation. These results provide a deeper understanding of the mechanism of ACR induced neurotoxicity and propose a potential new treatment method.

GROWTH, WATER RELATION, LEAF PIGMENTS AND YIELD OF SESAME AS INFLUENCED BY SIMULATED SALINE ENVIRONMENT

Salt stress is a significant environmental problem that restricts crop productivity. Despite being an important oilseed crop in Bangladesh, little is known about the phenotypic and physiological responsesof sesame (Sesamum indicum) to salinity. In order to measure the plant height,number of leaf plant-1, dry matter accumulation capability, leaf water uptake capacity, leaf chlorophyll content, and yield response six sesame genotypes viz., BD-6980, BD-7009, BD-7011,BD-6994, BD-6983, and BD-6999 were grown in pots and exposed to a 7.5 dS m-1 simulated salty environment. Thesegenotypes were chosenfor this investigation from 86 genotypes according to the relative germination percentage at 10 dS m-1 salinity. Results revealed that plant height, number of leaf plant-1, dry matter accumulation capability, leaf chlorophylls a and b content, and yield were reduced in all the genotypes, but reduction rate was lowerin genotype BD-7011.On the other hand, wateruptake capacity in sesame leaf was increment in all the genotypes under salinity but increasing rate was lower in the same genotype BD-7011. These results suggest that the sesame genotype BD-7011may be able to withstandsalt stress with little detrimental effects on the growth, physiological traits, seed yield.

Perillaldehyde: A promising antibacterial agent for the treatment of pneumonia caused by Acinetobacter baumannii infection

Perillaldehyde is a monoterpene compound mainly from the medicinal plant Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt., which has hypolipidemic, antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory functions. In this investigation, we discovered that Perillaldehyde had powerful antimicrobial activity against Acinetobacter baumannii 5F1, and its minimum inhibitory concentration was 287.08 μg/mL. A. baumannii is a conditionally pathogenic bacterium with a high clinical resistance rate and is a major source of hospital infections, especially in intensive care units, which is one of the main causes of pneumonia. Inflammatory immune response is characteristic of pneumonia caused by A. baumannii infection. The results of our in vitro experiments indicate that Perillaldehyde disrupts the cell membrane of A. baumannii 5F1 and inhibits its quorum sensing to inhibit biofilm formation, among other effects. With an experimental model of murine pneumonia, we investigated that Perillaldehyde decreased NLRP3 inflammasome activation and TNF-α expression in lung tissues by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, and also impacted MAPKs protein signaling pathway through the activation of TLR4. Notably, the use of high doses of Perillaldehyde for the treatment of pneumonia caused by A. baumannii 5F1 infection resulted in a survival rate of up to 80 % in mice. In summary, we demonstrated that Perillaldehyde is promising as a new drug for the treatment of pneumonia caused by A. baumannii 5F1 infection.

Cytoprotective Effect of Acid-Hydrolyzed Sesame Leaves against Oxidative Stress in HepG2 Cells

In this study, we investigated the cytoprotective effects of acid-treated sesame leaf extracts against oxidative damage in HepG2 cells. Treatment with 0.1 M HCl of sesame leaves significantly increased their verbascoside content (4.398 g/100 g) compared to non-acid-treated leaves (3.950 g/100 g). Acid-treated sesame leaf extract (ASLE) showed no cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells. ASLE conferred a greater cytoprotective effect against oxidative insult than a methanol extract of sesame leaves (SLE), verbascoside, and a vehicle control group. ASLE treatment also significantly inhibited reactive oxygen species generation in response to oxidative stress. Treatment with tert-butyl hydroperoxide increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and depleted reduced glutathione (GSH). However, ASLE treatment significantly ameliorates this MDA and GSH depletion. Moreover, ASLE increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes including catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase. Phenolic compounds in ASLE and SLE were characterized using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis. A total of 29 iridoid and phenol compounds were tentatively identified in ASLE, and 27 compounds were observed in SLE. These results suggest that acid treatment of sesame leaves enhances the protective effects of their extract against oxidative stress by modulating antioxidant enzymes in HepG2 cells.

Antioxidant activities of thermally treated Sesamum indicum L. leaf extracts and their inhibitory effects against growth and metastatic properties of human colon cancer cells.

The study aimed to investigate antioxidant activities of two different thermally treated sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) leaf ethanol extract, steamed sesame leaf extract (SSLE) and roasted sesame leaf extract (RSLE), and their inhibitory effects on uncontrolled growth and increased metastatic properties in human colon cancer cell lines. Both SSLE and RSLE contained pedaliin as the major polyphenol and its aglycon, pedalitin, as a minor component and exhibited radical scavenging activities and ferric reducing antioxidant power. SSLE and RSLE decreased growth of HT29 and HCT116 colon cancercells, which was attributed to the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at either G2/M (by SSLE in HCT116) or S phase (by RSLE in HCT116). Furthermore, SSLE and RSLE inhibited migration and adhesion in both cell lines. These results indicate that thermally treated sesame leaves retained pedaliin content and exhibited antioxidant activities and inhibitory activities against the growth and metastatic properties of colon cancer cells.

Physiological and biochemical alterations in Vigna rdiate L. triggered by sesame derived elicitors as defense mechanism against Rhizoctonia and Macrophomina infestation

Improving agricultural products by the stimulation of plant growth and defense mechanisms by priming with plant extracts is needed to attain sustainability in agriculture. This study focused to consider the possible improvement in Vigna radiata L. seed germination rate, plant growth, and protection against the natural stress by increasing the defense mechanisms through the incorporation of Sesamum indicum phytochemical compounds with pre-sowing seed treatment technologies. The gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) analysis revealed that the methanol extract of S. indicum leaf extract contained eight major bioactive compounds, namely, 2-ethylacridine (8.24%), tert-butyl (5-isopropyl-2-methylphenoxy) dimethylsilane (13.25%), tris(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy) arsane (10.66%), 1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyltrisiloxane (18.50%), acetamide, N-[4-(trimethylsilyl) phenyl (19.97%), 3,3-diisopropoxy-1,1,1,5,5,5-hexamethyltrisiloxane (6.78%), silicic acid, diethyl bis(trimethylsilyl) ester (17.71%) and cylotrisiloxane, hexamethyl-(4.89%). The V. radiata seeds were treated with sesame leaf extract seeds at concentrations 0, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L. Sesame leaf extract at 50 and 100 mg/L concentrations was effective in increasing the germination percentage and the fresh and dry weights of roots and shoots. The increased peroxidase activity was noticed after treatment with S. indicum extract. In addition, disease percentage (< 60%) of both fungal pathogens (Rhizoctonia and Macrophomina) was significantly reduced in V. radiata plants treated with 100 mg/L of sesame leaf extract. These results revealed that physiochemical components present in S. indicum mature leaf extract significantly enhanced growth and defense mechanism in green gram plants.

Artificial neural network approach for predicting the sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) leaf area: A non-destructive and accurate method

The estimative of the leaf area using a nondestructive method is paramount for successive evaluations in the same plant with precision and speed, not requiring high-cost equipment. Thus, the objective of this work was to construct models to estimate leaf area using artificial neural network models (ANN) and regression and to compare which model is the most effective model for predicting leaf area in sesame culture. A total of 11,000 leaves of four sesame cultivars were collected. Then, the length (L) and leaf width (W), and the actual leaf area (LA) were quantified. For the ANN model, the parameters of the length and width of the leaf were used as input variables of the network, with hidden layers and leaf area as the desired output parameter. For the linear regression models, leaf dimensions were considered independent variables, and the actual leaf area was the dependent variable. The criteria for choosing the best models were: the lowest root of the mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and absolute mean percentage error (MAPE), and higher coefficients of determination (R2). Among the linear regression models, the equation yˆ=0.515+0.584*LW was considered the most indicated to estimate the leaf area of the sesame. In modeling with ANNs, the best results were found for model 2-3-1, with two input variables (L and W), three hidden variables, and an output variable (LA). The ANN model was more accurate than the regression models, recording the lowest errors and higher R2 in the training phase (RMSE: 0.0040; MAE: 0.0027; MAPE: 0.0587; and R2: 0.9834) and in the test phase (RMSE: 0.0106; MAE: 0.0029; MAPE: 0.0611; and R2: 0.9828). Thus, the ANN method is the most indicated and accurate for predicting the leaf area of the sesame.

Clinical effect of Pediococcus acidilactici PMC48 on hyperpigmented skin.

The excessive production and accumulation of melanin in the epidermal skin layer can result in skin hyperpigmentation and darkening. Current technologies for regulating melanin are based on inhibiting melanin biosynthesis. They have low effectiveness and safety issues. This study aimed to evaluate the potential role of Pediococcus acidilactici PMC48 as a probiotic strain in medicines and cosmetics for skin treatment. Meanwhile, our research team has reported that P. acidilactici PMC48 strain isolated from sesame leaf kimchi can directly decompose the already synthesized melanin. It can also inhibit melanin biosynthesis. In the present study, we investigated the skin-whitening effect of this strain by arranging an 8-week clinical trial with 22 participants. PMC48 was applied to each participant's artificially UV-induced tanned skin in the clinical trial. Its whitening effect was investigated based on visual evaluation, skin brightness, and melanin index. PMC48 showed a significant effect on the artificially induced pigmented skin. The color intensity of the tanned skin was decreased by 47.647%, and skin brightness was increased by 8.098% after the treatment period. PMC48 also significantly decreased the melanin index by 11.818%, indicating its tyrosinase inhibition capacity. Also, PMC48 improved skin moisture content level by 20.943%. Additionally, 16S rRNA-based amplicon sequencing analysis showed a distinct increase in Lactobacillaceae in the skin by up to 11.2% at the family level without affecting other skin microbiota. Furthermore, it showed no toxicity in in vitro or in vivo analyses. These results indicate that P. acidilactici PMC48 is a promising probiotic strain that can be used to develop medicines and cosmetic products to solve skin-related problems. These results demonstrate that P. acidilactici PMC48 can be a potential probiotic for the cosmetic industry against different skin disorders.

Modified green waste compost as growing substrates on the effective components of medicinal plants perilla (Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt.) and mint (Mentha haplocalyx Briq.)

Soilless substrates supporting plant production have been the research focus in recent decades. Green waste compost (GWC)-based substrates have shown the feasibility in improving plant production, but the research of GWC as growing substrate to improve the quality of medicinal plants was limited. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of GWC substrates modified by matured peanut shell (MPS, at 0, 10, 20 %; by vol.) and humic acid (HA, at 0, 3, 6 %; by weigh.) on the effective components of medicinal plants perilla (Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt.) and mint (Mentha haplocalyx Briq.). The 100% GWC substrates was used as control. The hydrologic-physical and biochemical properties of growing substrates and the biomass accumulation, secondary metabolite synthesis, essential oil production, and chemical composition of both herbs were investigated. Results showed that both perilla and mint grown in GWC substrates amended with MPS and HA had better performance than the control. The addition of additives (MPS and HA) positively affected the biomass accumulation of perilla and mint. The combination of the highest doses of MPS and HA (20 % and 6 %, respectively) resulted in an accumulation of total fresh weight and total dry weight several times (the total fresh and dry weight of perilla was 2.70 and 2.37 times, the total fresh and dry weight of mint was 1.47 and 1.51 times, respectively) greater than that of the control. Furthermore, the addition of MPS and HA could improve the secondary metabolite synthesis of mint and perilla and this synthesis was related to the hydrologic-physical and biochemical properties of growing substrates. Unexpectedly but reasonably, perilla was more sensitive to the addition of MPS while there was no significant (p < 0.05) correlation between the addition of MPS or HA for mint and the addition of HA for perilla. Notably, the best effective components of both herbs were achieved when perilla grown in GWC modified by 20 % MPS and 3 % HA and mint grown in GWC modified by 10 % MPS and 6 % HA. Overall, the quality of GWC could be effectively modified by the addition of MPS and HA and the modified GWC could be used as an environmentally and friendly substrate to improve the effective components of mint and perilla.

Cytotoxicity Assessment in Sesame Leaves Using Human Cancer Cell Lines

Cytotoxicity Assessment in Sesame Leaves Using Human Cancer Cell Lines

First report of wildfire disease caused by Pseudomonas amygdali pv. tabaci on perilla in Korea

Perilla (Perilla frutescens) is an important crop which produces edible leaves and oil from its seeds which is used as a seasoning in Korean food (Kim et al., 2009). Perilla is cultivated throughout the year in greenhouses in southern Korea. In November 2020, irregular brown spots with halos that led to necrosis on most upper leaves were observed in Miryang (35°32´04.6˝N; 128°46´01.9˝E) (Figure 1-3). The symptoms were very similar to wildfire disease in soybeans. The disease spread to up to 20–30% of the perilla plants cultivated in two greenhouses. Five diseased plants were collected and the leaves of each plant were removed. To isolate the causal pathogen, supernatants of surface-sterilised and homogenised leaves were plated on King's B medium (Sigma-Aldrich, USA) and incubated at 28°C for two days. Fluorescent colonies occupied approximately 60% of the area covered by bacterial colonies, indicating that a fluorescent bacterium was the predominant isolate from the diseased perilla. One isolate (designated strain MY1) was collected for analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences and multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) using sequences of the gltA, gyrB, and rpoD genes (Hwang et al., 2005). A BLAST search showed that the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain MY1 (GenBank Accession No. ON810536) corresponded to Pseudomonas amygdali strain DEB with 99% identity. Moreover, strain MY1 was closest to P. amygdali pv. tabaci strain ATCC 11528 in a phylogenetic tree constructed using MLSA (Yun & Kim, 2021) (Figure 4). The physiological and biochemical characteristics of strain MY1 were determined based on levan production, oxidase activity, potato soft rot, arginine dihydrolase activity and tobacco hypersensitive response (LOPAT) tests. In the tests, strain MY1 was positive for levan production and tobacco hypersensitivity, but negative for oxidase activity, potato soft rot and arginine dihydrolase activity. Based on the LOPAT and MLSA analyses, strain MY1 belongs to P. amygdali pv. tabaci 1a (Sun et al., 2021). To substantiate the pathogenicity of strain MY1, a bacterial suspension of the strain (adjusted to 108 CFU/ml) was inoculated onto ten four-week-old perilla and incubated at 28°C. After seven days, the inoculated perilla leaves showed similar symptoms to those observed originally in the greenhouse. Completing Koch's postulates, bacteria with fluorescent colonies were re-isolated from symptomatic tissue and the 16S rRNA sequence of the isolates was identical to P. amygdali. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of wildfire disease caused by P. amygdali pv. tabaci on perilla in Korea and globally. Perilla wildfire disease reduces the quality of leaves, so early detection and prevention are essential to reduce the spread of disease. S.Y. Choi and J.I. Kim contributed equally to this work. This work was supported by “Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development project (PJ01425901)” Rural Development Administration, Korea.