Poisonous Plants Research Articles

Are cows pickier than goats? Linnaeus’s innovative large-scale feeding experiment

Abstract In 1749, Linnaeus published Pan Svecicus, a thesis that was defended by his student Nils Hesselgren. The thesis describes food preference trials in cows, goats, sheep, horses, and pigs, and includes 2325 tests with 643 plant species. The data had surprisingly little bearing on the text in the thesis, and even though the experiments quickly became internationally known, the data were merely repeated, rather than discussed. We have digitized the data and linked the species names to modern nomenclature and present the first analysis and discussion of the results. Pigs were most selective (eating 32% of the 204 plant species that were tested on all animals), followed by horses (59%), cows (66%), sheep (82%), and goats (85%). The ruminants (especially goats and sheep) had high overlap in food choice, and the pigs deviated most (despite the fact that pigs are more closely related to the ruminants than are horses). Among plant orders, Fabales and Poales were generally preferred, while Lamiales and Ranunculales were avoided, especially by cows and horses. Cows and horses were also more keen to avoid toxic plant species. All animals showed a preference for species that are today considered nutritious. We now make the data available, for further analyses in ecology, history of science, and other disciplines.

Unravelling the role of proline in glyphosate-mediated toxicity - tolerance mechanism or stress signal?

Glyphosate (GLY), the most widely used herbicide, has been regarded as an emergent environmental contaminant due to its constant and cumulative use, with potential harm to non-target organisms, such as crops, disrupting cells' redox balance. Therefore, plants need to fine-tune their antioxidant (AOX) mechanisms to thrive under GLY-contaminated environments. Proline overaccumulation is a common response in plants exposed to GLY, yet its role in GLY-induced toxicity remains unclear. Thus, this study explores whether Pro overaccumulation in response to GLY is perceived as a downstream tolerance mechanism or an early-warning stress signal. To investigate this, Arabidopsis thaliana T-DNA mutant lines for Pro biosynthetic (P5CS1) and catabolic genes (ProDH) were used and screened for their GLY susceptibility. Upon seedlings' exposure to GLY (0.75 mg L-1) for 14 days, the herbicide led to reduced biomass in all genotypes, accompanied by Pro overaccumulation. Mutants with heightened Pro levels (prodh) exhibited the greatest biomass reduction, increased lipid peroxidation (LP), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels, accompanied by a compromised performance of the AOX system. Conversely, p5cs1-4, mutants with lower Pro levels, demonstrated an enhanced AOX system activation, not only with increased levels of glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate (AsA), but also with increased activity of both ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT). These findings suggest that Pro overaccumulation under GLY exposure is associated with stress sensitivity rather than tolerance, highlighting its potential as an early-warning signal for GLY toxicity in non-target plants and for detecting weed resistance.

Functional and evolutionary insights into chemosensation and specialized herbivory from the genome of the red milkweed beetle, Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae).

Tetraopes are aposematic longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) that feed primarily on toxic plants in the genus Asclepias (milkweeds). Studies of Tetraopes and their host plants have revealed compelling evidence for insect-plant coevolution and cospeciation. We sequenced, assembled and annotated the genome of the common red milkweed beetle, Tetraopes tetrophthalmus, and explored gene content and evolution, focusing on annotated genes putatively involved in chemosensation, allelochemical detoxification, and phytophagy. Comparisons were made to the Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) genome. The genome assembly comprised 779Mb distributed across 1057 contigs, with an N50 of 2.21Mb and 13,089 putative genes, including 97.3% of expected single-copy orthologs. Manual curation identified 122 putative odorant receptors (OR) and 162 gustatory receptors (GR), the former number similar to A. glabripennis but the latter only 69% of the A. glabripennis suite. We also documented a greater percentage of pseudogenic GRs and ORs compared to A. glabripennis, suggesting an ongoing reduction in chemosensory function, perhaps related to host specialization. We found lower diversity within certain well-studied gene families predicted to encode putative plant cell wall degrading enzymes in the T. tetrophthalmus genome, perhaps also due to host specialization. Exploring genes relevant to stress and allelochemical detoxification revealed evidence of an abundance of ABC-family genes in the T. tetrophthalmus genome, which may be related to sequestering toxic cardiac glycosides. Our studies further illuminate the genomic basis and evolution of chemosensation in longhorn beetles and provide a new vantage point from which to explore the ecology and evolution of specialized plant-feeding in Tetraopes and other phytophagous beetles.

Potential of Nerium oleander as a traditional medicine: A review of phytoconstituents and CNS-depressant properties

Since ancient times, people have used medicinal plants to treat various diseases. Nerium oleander is a toxic plant due to the presence of various cardiac glycosides. Oleander, at a dose of 50 mg kg-1 inhibits Na+/K+ ATPase pump in mice. Despite being toxic, it is used in traditional medicine. Almost all of the parts of oleander plant contain various phytochemicals such as phenols, tannins, flavonoids, coumarins, sterols, triterpenes, alkaloids, and different types of cardenolides. Oleander extract has neuroprotective, sedative, and anticonvulsant properties, especially against ischemic stroke. Cardenolides like nerizoside, neritaloside, odoroside-H, and neridiginoside offer advantages when used as CNS depressants. CNS depressant action of oleander is primarily due to a rise in GABA levels. At low to moderate dose, it shows depressant activity but in high doses, body became motionless inducing tremors and lethargy. Oleanderʼs dual role of toxic and therapeutic activity raises concerns about its application. Yet due to presence of vast constituents, it can be used for modern medicine.

Review Article: Study of The Toxicity of Herbal Plants on Vital Organs of Experimental Animals

Background: Indonesia is a tropical country with many natural resources, including flora and fauna. Herbs are natural plants with therapeutic qualities but can also be harmful. As a result, many studies evaluate the toxicity of herbal plants because conducting clinical trials for herbal medicines requires safe treatment. Purpose: This article aims to learn more about the harmful effects of compounds not found in acute and subchronic toxicity tests. The method of writing the article was found through searches in Google Scholar, Science Direct, Research Gate, Garuda, and Pubmed, which are online publications of scientific journals. Several nationally accredited scientific papers, including Sinta 4 and Sinta 5, were accepted. Fifteen literary journals are all relevant to this topic. The toxicity test results reveal that certain plants are classified as non-toxic, slightly toxic, or highly hazardous.

Low concentrations of methyl jasmonate promote plant growth and mitigate Cd toxicity in Cosmos bipinnatus

Cadmium (Cd) is a biologically non-essential heavy metal, a major soil pollutant, and extremely harmful to plants. The phytohormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) plays an important role in plant heavy-metal resistance. However, the understanding of the effects of MeJA supply level on alleviating Cd toxicity in plants is limited. Here, we investigated how MeJA regulated the development of physiological processes and cell wall modification in Cosmos bipinnatus. We found that low concentrations of MeJA increased the dry weight of seedlings under 120 µM Cd stress by reducing the transport of Cd from roots to shoots. Moreover, a threshold concentration of exogenous MeJA increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) in plant roots, the concentration of Cd in the root cell wall, and the contents of pectin and hemicellulose 1 polysaccharides, through converting Cd into pectin-bound forms. These results suggested that MeJA mitigated Cd toxicity by modulating root cell wall polysaccharide and functional group composition, especially through pectin polysaccharides binding to Cd, with effects on Cd transport capacity, specific chemical forms of Cd, and homeostatic antioxidant systems in C. bipinnatus.

GC-MS Analysis of Diospyros montana (Roxb.) Leaves: A Medicinal and Poisonous Plant

Diospyros montana (Roxb.) is a plant that contains significant levels of flavonoids, phenol, reducing sugars, terpenoids and other phytochemicals. This plant is belonging to the Ebenaceae family. This plant is known as Bistendu (Poisonous tendu) due to its dual medicinal and poisonous characteristics; hence, it was considered essential to understand its whole phytochemical profile. In the current investigation, metabolites in the methanolic extract of leaves from the D. montana (Roxb.) plant were thoroughly screened phytochemically using the GC-MS technique with an emphasis on forensics. The plant's fresh leaves methanolic extract contained 13major compounds and identified are Phenol, 4-ethenyl-2,6- dimethoxy- Sucrose, (E)-4-(3-Hydroxyprop-1- en-1-yl) -2-methoxyphenol, 4-((1E)-3-Hydroxy-1-propenyl)-2- methoxyphenol, Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester, Pentadecanoic acid, 14-methyl-, methyl ester, n-Hexadecanoic acid, Phytol, Linoelaidic acid, Hexadecanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl ester, Octadecanoic acid, Octadecanoic acid, 2-(2- hydroxyethoxy)ethyl ester, Glycerol 1-palmitate, 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid, (Z,Z,Z)-, 2H-1-Benzopyran-3,4-diol, 2- (3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3, 4-dihyd.Therefore, a thorough phytochemical evaluation of metabolites may be helpful to forensic toxicologists investigating cases of plant poisoning. Moreover, because of the existence of phytochemicals and bioactive substances leaves can be utilized as a novel potential source of pharmaceutical drugs. The plant’s leaves were chemically profiled using the GC-MS method

Oryza glumaepatula and calcium oxide nanoparticles enhanced Cr stress tolerance by maintaining antioxidant defense, chlorophyll and gene expression levels in rice

Chromium (Cr), a potent heavy metal, threatens rice cultivation due to its escalating presence in soil from human activities. Wild rice contains useful genes for phytoremediation; however, it is difficult to use directly for metal mitigation. Here, a single segment substitution line (SSSL), SG001, was developed by crossing O. glumaepatula and Huajingxian74 (HJX) to evaluate the survival ability of plants against Cr. Further, we explored the potential effect of calcium oxide nanoparticles (CaO-NPs) (50 μM) to minimize the toxic effect of Cr (100 μM) in rice cultivars, SG001 and HJX. The findings of this study indicated that Cr toxicity led to increased oxidative stress. This was shown by higher levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which was increased by 104% in SG001 and 177% in HJX, and malondialdehyde (MDA) increased by 79% in SG001 and 135% in HJX. Furthermore, it also depicted that Cr toxicity considerably declined shoot and root length, shoot and root fresh weight by 30%, 27%, 25%, and 20% in SG001 and 44%, 51%, 42%, and 45% in HJX, respectively. This mitigation was evidenced by decreased Cr contents, increased calcium (Ca) levels in SG001, and the maintenance of chlorophyll, antioxidant defense, and gene expression levels. Moreover, there was a notable reduction in MDA and H2O2, while the defense mechanisms of key antioxidants, including ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, catalase, and peroxidase were upregulated, along with an increase in soluble protein contents in both rice cultivars after applying CaO-NPs. CaO-NPs effectively restored cellular and subcellular structural integrity and growth in both lines, which had been seriously disrupted by Cr toxicity. Overall, our findings suggest that SG001, in combination with CaO-NPs, could serve as an effective strategy to mitigate Cr toxicity in plants.

Toxicity of antimony to plants: Effects on metabolism of N and S in a rice plant

Excess antimony (Sb) has been shown to damage plant growth. Rice plants readily absorb a large amount of Sb after a long period of flooding, yet the mechanisms underlying Sb toxicity in plants have not been solved. This study was conducted to explore the effects of Sb on the uptake of N and S, and monitor the concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH) and enzymes associated with these processes. In addition, we analyzed differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) correlated with amino acids (AAs) and oligopeptides, specifically DEMs containing sulfur (S), GSH and indole–3–acetic acid (IAA). The results showed that antimonite [Sb(III)] inhibited shoot growth whereas antimonate [Sb(V)] stimulated shoot growth. Interestingly, Sb(III)5/10 enhanced shoot concentrations of total nitrogen (N), NH4+–N [only at Sb(III)10] and S; but reduced the shoot concentrations of NO3–N and soluble protein. Sb(III)5/10 addition significantly increased oxidized glutathione (GSSG) concentration and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH–Px) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) but non–significantly affected concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) and activities of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCL) and glutathione reductase (GR), suggesting Sb(III) restricted GSH recycling. Addition of Sb (1) increased the abundance of DEMs associated with lignins, Ca uptake, toxicity/detoxification, and branched chain AAs; (2) decreased the abundance of AAs inclcuding isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), tryptophan (Trp), tyrosine (Tyr) and histidine (His); (3) increased the abundance of arginine (Arg), putrescine (Put) and spermidine (Spd); and (4) affected methylation and acetylation of many AAs, especially acetylation.

Foliar application of microbial nano-selenium enhances selenium uptake and alleviates oxidative stress

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient to humans and animals in diet primarily from edible crops. However, limited studies have been conducted on applying microbially synthesized Se nanoparticles (BioSeNPs) to affect plant Se uptake and toxicity. The bacterium Bacillus wiedmannii ES2–45 was able to efficiently produce BioSeNPs by completely reducing 5 mM selenite [Se(IV)] within 24 h. Then, fermented BioSeNPs were sprayed on the leaf surface of Brassica rapa L to investigate their effects on growth and Se accumulation. Total Se and leaf biomass increased significantly by 124 % and 14.3 % respectively in the BioSeNP treatment compared to the Se(IV) treatment. The Se(VI) treatment was found to be toxic to the leaves although Se(VI) had similar effects to BioSeNP treatments. Notably, BioSeNP treatment significantly increased the plant’s ability to alleviate oxidative stress including levels of chlorophyll, malonaldehyde (MDA), and catalase (CAT) (P<0.05). In conclusion, the foliar application of BioSeNPs is a promising strategy to improve the Se content of vegetables and alleviate Se-induced oxidative stress.

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants via black phosphorus-mediated electron transfer in g-C3N4/BiOI: Degradation mechanisms and biotoxicity assessment

Photocatalysis is a promising strategy for organic pollutant removal, yet developing a capable photocatalyst remains challenging. Using black phosphorus (BP) as an electron buffer material, the ternary composite photocatalysts of xBP/g-C3N4/BiOI were prepared through a straightforward hydrothermal method. Tetracycline (TC) and Rhodamine B (RhB) removals were 100 % (120 min) and 99 % (90 min) by photocatalytic process on 2.5 %BP/g-C3N4/BiOI under xenon lamp irradiation. Photoluminescence and electrochemical measurements confirmed BP's role in reducing charge transfer barriers between g-C3N4 and BiOI, achieving effective separation of photogenerated electrons. The degradation mechanisms of TC and RhB on 2.5 %BP/g-C3N4/BiOI were revealed by the quenching experiments, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy tests, three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectrum, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. Plant toxicity assessment experiments confirmed the non-toxic nature of the TC and RhB degradation solutions. Plants grown in the treated solutions exhibited declining trends in both Malondialdehyde and Peroxidase indices compared to untreated solutions. This study offers a fresh approach to advanced photocatalyst design using charge transfer buffer materials.

The effects of EDTA and Trichoderma species on growth and Cu uptake of maize (Zea mays) plants grown in a Cu-contaminated soil.

Metal contamination in soil poses a significant environmental concern worldwide, necessitating effective remediation strategies such as phytoremediation. The present study investigated the effects of EDTA dosage (1.5 and 3mmolkg-1) and two Trichoderma species (T. harzianum and T. aureoviride) on copper (Cu) content and growth of maize plants grown in a Cu-contaminated soil, as well as Cu fractionation in the soil. In the absence of EDTA, only inoculation with T. harzianum led to a significant increase in shoot biomass. Combining fungal inoculum with EDTA only yielded a significant increase in shoot biomass when using T. aureoviride at a low EDTA rate, highlighting the interplay between fungal species and EDTA rates on plant growth. Results also indicated that EDTA application increased Cu bioavailability, enhancing Cu dissolution and root (not shoot) Cu concentrations. Conversely, inoculation with both Trichoderma species reduced Cu mobility and bioavailability in soil, thereby decreasing the shoot Cu concentrations of plants. When combined with EDTA, only application of T. harzianum resulted in an enhanced shoot Cu concentration, whereas combined application of T. aureoviride and EDTA did not make a significant change compared to the corresponding control (no fungal inoculation, no EDTA), possibly due to a lower compatibility of the T. aureoviride isolate with EDTA. Our results demonstrated that EDTA application, in both non-inoculated and inoculated treatments, increased Cu availability by facilitating its redistribution and transformation from less plant-available fractions (residual, Fe/Mn oxide-bound, and carbonate-bound) to the more readily plant-available forms (water-soluble and exchangeable fractions). In conclusion, although individual Trichoderma application proved beneficial for phytostabilization by reducing Cu content and mitigating Cu toxicity in plants, the combined application of EDTA and a compatible Trichoderma isolate (here, the T. harzianum isolate) holds promise for enhancing the phytoextraction capacity of plants. Although using maize has the advantage of being a food crop, to optimize phytoextraction, plant species with superior metal tolerance and phytoextraction capabilities should be selected, exceeding those of maize.

Iron Toxicity in Plants: A Review

Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for plant growth and development. However, increased absorption of iron leads to iron toxicity. This leads to damage to plant cell membranes, decreased growth, productivity, and thus general health. The presence of free iron in cells can lead to an imbalance Redox in cells Pro-oxidant state, thus generating oxidative stress. In plants, iron is involved in chlorophyll synthesis, and is therefore essential for maintaining the structure and function of chloroplasts. Micronutrients in the soil can limit plant growth, even if all other nutrients are available in sufficient quantities. Micronutrient deficiencies are widespread due to the nature of the soil, high pH, low organic matter, salt stress, and persistent drought. High levels of bicarbonate in irrigation water, as well as unbalanced use of fertilizers. Iron (Fe) toxicity is a widespread nutritional disorder. It grows in acidic, sulphurous soils, as well as low sandy soils (i.e. iron is easily reducible) that contain a high percentage of organic matter. Iron toxicity can be reduced by using rice that is tolerant to high levels of iron.

Phosphorous accumulation associated with mitochondrial PHT3-mediated enhanced arsenate tolerance in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Arsenate is a highly toxic element and excessive accumulation of arsenic in the aquatic environment easily triggers a problem threatening the ecological health. Phytoremediation has been widely explored as a method to alleviate As contamination. Here, the green algae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was investigated by profiling the accumulation of arsenate and phosphorus, which share the same uptake pathway, in response to arsenic stress. Both C. reinhardtii wild type C30 and the Crpht3 mutant were cultured under arsenic stress, and demonstrated a similar growth phenotype under limited phosphate supply. Sufficient phosphate obviously increased the uptake of polyphosphate and intercellular phosphate in the Crpht3 mutant, which increased the arsenic tolerance of the Crpht3 mutant under stress from 500 µmol L−1 As(V). Upregulation of the PHT3 gene in the Crpht3 mutant increased accumulation of phosphate in the cytoplasm under arsenate stress, which triggered a regulatory role for the differentially expressed genes that mediated improvement of the glutathione redox cycle, antioxidant activity and detoxification. While the wild type C30 showed weak arsenate tolerance because of little phosphate accumulation. These results suggest that the enhanced arsenic tolerance of the Crpht3 mutant is regulated by the PHT3 gene mediation. This study provides insight onto the responsive mechanisms of the PHT3 gene-mediated in alleviating arsenic toxicity in plants.

A field Exploration and Inventory of the Most Toxic Plants of Southern Flora Tunisian

A field Exploration and Inventory of the Most Toxic Plants of Southern Flora Tunisian

Metody eksterminacji gryzoni w przekazach antycznych agronomów (Rodent Extermination Methods in the Accounts of Ancient Agronomists)

In ancient times, rodents were a major problem causing economic losses and an epidemiological threat due to the bacteria and parasites they carried. Ancient authors primarily mentioned field mice and house mice, which ate the grain, contaminated the land and food intended for humans and animals, and caused damage within the house and farm buildings. Most of the advice preserved from those times was on how to exterminate rodents, with only few texts providing recommendations on how to protect farm buildings and grain from mice. Ancient poison formulas primarily relied on poisonous plants and were usually served in cake form or added to food. There are some differences within the recommended poisons. More toxic substances were used in the farmyard and outbuildings than in the houses, which probably has to do with the risk that these poisons, due to their composition, posed to people and especially children.

AcNRZ1, an endoplasmic reticulum-localized NAC transcription factor in kiwifruit, enhances zinc stress tolerance in Arabidopsis

The trace element zinc (Zn) is involved in various biological processes in plant, yet its excessive accumulation can result in plant toxicity. In this study, we unveiled a novel NAC transcription factor, AcNRZ1, in kiwifruit, and qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of AcNRZ1 can be up-regulated by Zn stress. Furthermore, Zn stress induces the translocation of AcNRZ1 from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to nucleus. Overexpression of AcNRZ1 in Arabidopsis imparts tolerance and elevates the germination rates under Zn stress. Subsequent studies have demonstrated that the overexpression of AcNRZ1 facilitates the transport of Zn ions from the root to the leaf and enhances the Zn detoxification process in the vacuole by upregulating the expression of the Zn transport-related gene HMA4, as well as Zn detoxification-related genes including MTP1/3/5, GSH1, and PCS1. Additionally, overexpression of AcNRZ1 in Arabidopsis stimulates the expression of antioxidant enzyme related genes (SOD1 and CAT1), thereby leading to reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species and ultimately enhancing tolerance to Zn stress. These findings suggest that AcNRZ1 influences plant response to Zn stress by modulating Zn ion transport, promoting detoxification processes, and regulating the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, thereby conferring plant tolerance to Zn stress.

Design of Biodegradable PU Textile Coating.

Polyurethane (PU) coatings are used in diverse applications such as textile coating. Up to today, landfilling is still the most occurring way of processing PU waste. Biodegradation is an alternative route for processing PU waste and decreases the amount of microplastics in the case of landfilling. In this study, a biodegradable PU textile coating was developed. The PU was characterized via Fourier-transformed infrared (FT-IR) thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The PU was thermoplastic and had a melting point of approximately 33 °C. The performance of the coating was studied by assessing the water barrier and mechanical properties. The PU coating completely disintegrated, and the biodegradation of PU was assessed in soil and was almost 60%. Furthermore, the plant toxicity was examined by evaluating seedling emergence and growth.

Researc h progress on chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, toxicity,and heavy metal enrichment characteristics of Phytolacca plants

In China, the dry roots of Phytolacca acinosa or P. americana in the Phytolacca plants are listed as the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) Phytolaccae Radix. Phytolacca plants contain triterpenoids, triterpenoid saponins, polysaccharides, antiviral proteins, flavonoids, and other chemical components. The most important compounds are triterpenoids and triterpenoid saponins.Phytolacca plants have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, deworming, and other activities. In this paper, the chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, toxicity, and heavy metal enrichment characteristics of Phytolacca plants were summarized to provide a theoretical basis for the study of active ingredients and drug development of Phytolacca plants.

Harmony under threat: does resource-mediated stress affect the (caste-based) social network of leaf-cutting ant colonies?

Managing pest species of eusocial insects, such as leaf-cutting ants, poses significant challenges. Controlling them requires understanding of how toxic plant substrates and ant baits are recognized by foragers, transported to the nest, shared among workers and managed by gardeners cultivating the symbiont fungus garden. Despite this, little is known about how unsuitable resources might impact social interactions within ant colonies. This study aims to investigate whether the provision of a suitable substrate (copperleaf) and a toxic substrate (nasturtium leaves) affects the social network dynamics within colonies of two leaf-cutting ant species: Acromyrmex molestans and Acromyrmex subterraneus. The interactions between castes were recorded and subjected to social network analyses. Initial foraging duration increased for A. subterraneus provided with copperleaf, although no difference was observed for the other species and resource combinations. The social network structure was similar for both species when copperleaf leaves were provided as a substrate. However, notable alterations occurred with nasturtium leaf provision, leading to higher integration of gardeners in interactions and noticeable changes in the generalist worker network centrality, particularly in A. subterraneus. The observed changes in social interactions, particularly in A. subterraneus, suggest that increasing gardener interactions with other castes expedites the movement of the substrate within the colony. This maximizes the potential toxic effect on the colony. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.