Pilosa Plants Research Articles

난황유를 이용한 짚신나물 흰가루병의 방제

We`ve been involved in collection and domestication of Agrimonia pilosa from 2005 to 2007. We observed agrimony powdery mildew caused by Sphaerotheca aphanis. The powdery mildew developed twice a year, in May to June and mid August to September on whole plants of A. pilosa plants, that is, leaves, stem and floral part. We sprayed the Cooking Oil & Yolk mixture (COY) to control the agrimony powdery mildew. When COY was single-sprayed to control agrimony powdery mildew, its control value was 26.9%. However when it was double-sprayed and triple-sprayed at seven days interval, its control value increased up to 80.8 and 82.7%, respectively. Upon the first spray, symptoms of powdery mildew disappeared within three days and suppressive effect of COY was persisted for only seven days. Thereafter, powdery mildew was relapsed to develop. However, on double to triple sprays, powdery mildew was suppressed more than 28 days after final treatment. Therefore, it is concluded that double spray of COY at seven days interval can control effectively agrimony powdery mildew.

Nematicidal activity of Okinawa Island plants on the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood

In order to develop biological control methods that are effective against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) chitwood, the activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of wild plant species distributed on Okinawa Island on the viability and mobility of second stage M. incognita juveniles (J2s) was evaluated. Eleven of the 29 extracts immobilized at least half of the J2 stage nematodes in an in vitro assay. Aqueous extracts of Bidens pilosa L. var. radiata Scherff, Hydrocotyle dichondroides Makino, Oxalis corymbosa DC., Oxalis corniculata L., and Stenactis annus (L.) Cass gave 90% or better immobilization activity. Among these, B. pilosa var. radiata had the highest activity. Significant immobilization, lethality, repellence and egg hatching inhibition were observed with extracts from each B. pilosa plant part, but especially from leaves. The effects of plant extracts on the mobility of M. incognita were higher than on the free-living nematode Panagrolaimus sp., suggesting that M. incognita could be suppressed using B. pilosa extracts without significantly affecting beneficial nematodes.

Protection from oxidative damage using Bidens pilosa extracts in normal human erythrocytes

Bidens pilosa ( B. pilosa) is well known in Taiwan as a traditional Chinese medicine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of both the ethanol (EtOH) and ethylacetate/ethanol (EA/EtOH) extracts from the whole B. pilosa plant, to protect normal human erythrocytes against oxidative damage in vitro. It was determined that the oxidative hemolysis and lipid/protein peroxidation of erythrocytes induced by the aqueous peroxyl radical [2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)] were suppressed by both EtOH (50–150 μg/ml) and EA/EtOH (25–75 μg/ml) extracts of B. pilosa in concentration- and time-dependent manners. B. pilosa extracts also prevented the decline of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the depletion of cytosolic glutathione (GSH) and ATP in erythrocytes. These results imply that B. pilosa may have protective antioxidant properties.

Efeito da chuva sobre a eficácia de diferentes formulações de glyphosate no controle de Bidens pilosa

This study aimed at evaluating the effects from increasing doses of different glyphosate salts - ammonium (Roundup WG), isopropylamine (Roundup Transorb) and potassic salt (Zapp Qi) - on Bidens pilosa plants under controlled conditions, when they were subjected to a 20-mm rainfall over 30 minutes, at intervals of 1, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 hours after application of these products. The efficiency of the glyphosate salts in controlling B. pilosa were affected when the rainfall occurred after their application. The reduction in control was higher as the interval without rainfall after these product applications was diminished. The visual control of B. pilosa was similar from 7 to 28 days after application (DAA) for all these products, and it did not differ as to reduction of the accumulated dry matter in relation to the control without herbicide. The herbicide doses differed in controlling this species, and the most efficient control was obtained with the highest doses. The isopropylamine salt showed a better control upon this species at the shorter intervals without rainfall after its application. (1 and 2 hours), showing to be superior to the other salts. In those intervals without rainfall and longer than two hours, however, the ammonium salt was superior as to the visual control of this species. The potassic salt provided a lower control than the other salts over the periods without rainfall shorter than 12 hours, but showed to be superior to the isopropylamine salt at those intervals without rainfall and longer than 12 hours. Although presenting an excellent control upon the species in visual evaluations, the ammonium salt provided a lower reduction in dry matter than the other salts. The isopropylamine salt provided a higher reduction in dry matter of B. pilosa than the other treatments.

The distinct effects of a butanol fraction of Bidens pilosa plant extract on the development of Th1-mediated diabetes and Th2-mediated airway inflammation in mice

Bidens pilosa is claimed to be useful for immune or anti-inflammatory disorders; however, little scientific evidence has been published concerning its function. In this paper, immune disease mouse models were used to study the function of a butanol fraction of B.pilosa. We demonstrated treatment with the butanol fraction of B.pilosa ameliorated Th1 cell-mediated autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice but caused deterioration of Th2 cell-mediated airway inflammation induced by ovalbumin (OVA) in BALB/c mice. We next showed that Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and/or IL-5) increased but Th1 cytokine (IFN-gamma) decreased following injections with the butanol fraction of B.pilosa in both mouse strains. Accordingly, Th2 cytokine-regulated IgE production in mouse serum increased following treatment with this fraction. Finally, we found that the butanol fraction of B.pilosa inhibited Th1 cell differentiation but promoted Th2 cell differentiation. Taken together, the butanol fraction of B.pilosa has a dichotomous effect on helper T cell-mediated immune disorders, plausibly via modulation of T cell differentiation.

Senescence activity in extracts from fruiting Bidens pilosa plants

Senescence activity of extracts from the leaves of Bidens pilosa was determined using Rumex and bean plants as bioassay systems. Ethanolic extracts of non-senescent and senescent leaves were chromatographed (TLC) using a solvent system of benzene : ethyl acetate : acetic acid 50:5:2 (v/v). Fraction 1 (R f 0.0–0.1) from both non-senescent and senescent leaves, eluted with methanol, induced senescence of bean leaves in the light. In Fractions that were eluted with ethyl acetate, senescence-inducing activity was detected from non-senescent but not from senescent leaf extracts, using the bean explant bioassay. This senescence activity was not detected in Fraction 1 but in Fractions 3 (R f 0.1–0.25), 4 (R f 0.25–0.35), 6 (R f 0.6–0.7) and 7 (R f 0.9–1.0). On the TLC plates, Fractions 3 and 4 co-chromatographed with abscisic acid and 4-chloroin-dole acetic acid respectively. The results suggest that plant extracts contain senescence factors which operate during the active terminal phase of growth, in the presence of light.

Inhibition of seedling growth of crop species by recirculating root exudates ofBidens pilosa L.

The allelopathic effects of root exudates ofBidens pilosa L. on seedling growth ofLactuca sativa L.,Phaseolus vulgaris L.,Zea mays L., andSorghum bicolor (L.) Moench were studied using a root exudate recirculating system that allows continuous exposure of crop plants to allelopathic chemicals. This system maintains an undisturbed rhizosphere and eliminates competition and physical contact between the donor and acceptor plants. Comparison of responses to hydrophobic and hydrophilic root exudates is made possible by removal of hydrophobic compounds using XAD-4. Treatments consisted ofB. pilosa, B. pilosa with an Amberlite XAD-4 resin column attached to the donor pot to remove hydrophobic allelochemicals, and a donor pot without weeds.B. pilosa significantly inhibited seedling growth of all crop species tested. The crop species varied in response to the root exudates, withL. sativa being most sensitive. Larger and olderB. pilosa plants caused greater inhibition of seedling growth ofL. sativa andP. vulgaris than did smaller (younger)B. pilosa plants.B. pilosa with XAD-4 caused significantly less inhibition to all crop species, exceptZ. mays, thanB. pilosa without XAD-4, indicating that the hydrophobic exudates played an important role in the allelopathic growth inhibition. Variability in species response toB. pilosa with and without XAD-4 was probably due to differences in sensitivity to hydophobic and hydrophilic allelochemicals.