Plant Quality Research Articles

Effect of Selenium and Garlic Extract Treatments of Seed-Addressed Lettuce Plants on Biofortification Level, Seed Productivity and Mature Plant Yield and Quality.

The enhancement of the plant seed yield and quality represents the basis of the successful productivity of the deriving crop. The effect of single and combined foliar treatments of lettuce plants with sodium selenate and garlic bulb extract on seed yield and quality and on mature plant biochemical characteristics was investigated using four lettuce cultivars (Bouquet, Picnic, Moskovsky parnikovy and Cavalier). The seed production of plants treated with Se increased by 20-41%, compared to the untreated control plants, while the augmentation was as much as 10-23% and 17-27% under garlic extract and the joint application of Se and garlic, respectively. Garlic extract stimulated the accumulation of Se in lettuce seeds, which rose by 1.21-1.29 times compared to the Se-treated plants. The proline levels in lettuce seeds exceeded the corresponding values recorded in the control ones by 1.32-1.64 times in the case of the Se supply, 1.10-1.47 times upon garlic extract application and 1.09-1.31 times under the combined Se/garlic treatment. All the treatments given to lettuce plants increased the leaf weight by 1.10-1.30 times, compared to the untreated control. The seed Se levels positively correlated with the leaf weight (r = 0.621; p < 0.005), chlorophyll (r = 0.672, p < 0.002) and total antioxidant activity (AOA; r = 0.730, p < 0.001) of plants grown from these seeds. Positive correlations were also recorded between the seed proline content and lettuce plant leaf weight, chlorophyll and AOA (r = 0.868, 0.811 and 0.815, respectively, at p < 0.001). Lettuce yield was positively correlated with the leaf AOA, chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content (r = 0.942, 0.921 and 0.665, respectively, at p < 0.001). The results indicate high prospects of Na2SeO4 and garlic extract application to seed-addressed lettuce plants, to improve seed productivity and quality, as well as lettuce yield and quality.

Effects of PGPB Inoculations on Plant Growth and Quality of Spray Carnation Cultivation in Greenhouse

This study was carried out to reveal the effects of beneficial bacteria on the development and quality of Dianthus caryophyllus under greenhouse conditions. The carnation seedlings were treated with Enterobacter ludwigii (KF29A) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (KF31B), which have nitrogen fixation, phosphate solibilizing and siderophore production properties, Paenarthrobacter nitroguaiacolicus (KF3B) with nitrogen fixation, ACC deaminase and siderophore production, Pseudomonas sp. strain VG242B (KF5A), which carries nitrogen fixing, phosphate solibilizing, and siderophore production properties together, Paenibacillus xylanilyticus (KF63C) with nitrogen fixation, phosphate solibilizing, ACC deaminase and siderophore production properties together and Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis (TV126C) bacteria with nitrogen fixing, phosphate solibilizing and ACC deaminase properties were applied. In the study, in which phenological and morphological observations were made, the effects of bacterial inoculations were tried to be determined. The effects of beneficial bacteria treatments on the number of petals, the number of nodes, the length between the nodes and the weight of the branches in the carnation plant were statistically insignificant; effects on the parameters of bud first bloom time, full bloom time, time from planting to first harvest, number of flower buds and stem length (p

Investigating the synergistic effects of biochar, trans-zeatin riboside, and Azospirillum brasilense on soil improvement and enzymatic activity in water-stressed wheat

BackgroundWater stress is a major danger to crop yield, hence new approaches to strengthen plant resilience must be developed. To lessen the negative effects of water stress on wheat plants, present study was arranged to investigate the role of synergistic effects of biochar, trans-zeatin riboside (t-ZR), and Azospirillum brasilense on soil improvement and enzymatic activity in water-stressed wheat.ResultsIn a three-replication experiment comprising of four treatments (T0: Control, T1: Drought stress (DS), T2: DS + t-ZR with biochar, T3: DS + A. brasilense with biochar), we observed notable improvements in soil quality and enzymatic activities in water-stressed wheat plants with the application of t-ZR and A. brasilense with biochar. In drought stress, Treatment having the application of A. brasilense with biochar performs best as compared to the other and significant increased the enzymatic activities such as peroxidase (7.36%), catalase (8.53%), superoxide dismutase (6.01%), polyphenol oxidase (14.14%), and amylase (16.36%) in wheat plants. Different enzymatic activities showed different trends of results. Soil organic C, dissolved organic C, dissolved organic N also enhanced 29.46%, 8.59%, 22.70% respectively with the application of A. brasilense with biochar under drought stress condition.ConclusionsThe synergistic action of A. brasilense and biochar creates an effective microbiological environment that supports essential plant physiological processes during drought stress. This enhancement is attributed to improved soil fertility and increased organic matter content, highlighting the potential of these novel strategies in mitigating water stress effects and enhancing crop resilience.

Refining Gastrophysa atrocyanea (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) identification using UV marking in whole-plant assessment

The host plant quality is crucial for assessing the environmental safety of weed biological control agents, as they rely on the phenotypic characteristics of test plants in host specificity tests and for mass-rearing before field release. In this study, we explored the feasibility of using potted plants by applying ultraviolet (UV) fluorescent pigment to the elytra of the leaf beetle Gastrophysa atrocyanea. They were released separately on Rumex acetosa as the target weed and Buxus sinica var. insularis as a non-target plant in insect cages. UV marking reduced detection time by 2.7 times and increased the detection rates of female leaf beetles on the target weed compared to visible light, resulting in only 7.41% missing leaf beetles. Similarly, UV application reduced detection time by 2.3 times on the non-target plant, with no missing leaf beetles. Further, marking different sexes with UV pigments facilitated identification 4.8 times faster than visual light. The UV mark and recapture method exhibits promising potential in whole-plant testing, simplifying the identification of a potential biological control agent, G. atrocyanea, in insect cages under no-choice tests. Thus, UV marking enables the possibility of mass-rearing weed biological control agents and monitors the foraging behavior of phytophagous insects cost-effectively and non-disruptively in laboratory settings.

Effective biological control of southern blight of Dendrobium officinale by Streptomyces sp. MEPF0303

Southern blight is a common and devastating disease adversely affecting the yield and quality of cultivated Dendrobium officinale plants. The pathogens responsible for this disease are Sclerotium delphinii and S. rolfsii, although S. delphinii is more pathogenic than S. rolfsii. Plant endophytes are potential sources of biological control agents. In this study, 18 microbial strains were isolated from wild Dendrobium shixingense plants (e.g., Streptomyces, Bacillus, and Trichoderma), among which strain MEPF0303 significantly inhibited S. delphinii mycelial growth. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence, this strain was identified as Streptomyces sp. In addition, the volatile organic compounds and cell-free supernatant of MEPF0303 had significant inhibitory effects on S. delphinii growth. Moreover, MEPF0303 effectively controlled southern blight of D. officinale. A total of 1,797 differentially expressed genes were identified by a comparative transcriptome analysis of S. delphinii mycelia treated with MEPF0303 and the untreated control mycelia. Strain MEPF0303 significantly altered the expression of genes related to cell membrane morphological development and integrity, pathogenicity, energy metabolism, and oxidative stress responses. Furthermore, the transcriptome sequencing results were validated by analyzing gene expression via a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The study results showed that MEPF0303 can inhibit the growth and pathogenicity of S. delphinii, with potential implications for the biological control of southern blight of D. officinale.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, Ascophyllum nodosum, Trichoderma harzianum, and Their Combinations Influence the Phyllochron, Phenology, and Fruit Quality of Strawberry Plants

One biostrategy to boost the sustainability of strawberry cultivation is the application of biostimulants to the growing substrate. Here, we investigated whether the use of biostimulants and their combinations affects the strawberry plants’ phyllochron, phenology, and fruit quality. We tested the absence (control) and presence of biostimulants (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), Ascophyllum nodosum (AN), Trichoderma harzianum (TH), AMF + AN, AMF + TH, AN + TH, and AMF + AN + TH). The experimental design used was in completely randomized blocks (four replications). AMF was represented by a multi-species on-farm inoculant; A. nodosum was represented by the commercial product Acadian®; and T. harzianum was represented by the commercial product Trichodermil®. The leaf emission rate, the occurrence and duration of phenological stages, and fruit quality were assessed. The greatest precocity in terms of harvesting the first fruit was observed in plants grown with AMF + TH, which also had the lowest phyllochron (77.52 °C day·leaf−1). Those treated only with AMF were the latest (144.93 °C day·leaf−1). More flavorful fruits were produced by plants grown with AMF + TH. Plants inoculated with the AMF community, whether or not associated with A. nodosum and T. harzianum, had more than 94% mycorrhizal colonization. We conclude that AMF, A. nodosum, T. harzianum, and their combinations influence the phenology, phyllochron, and fruit quality of strawberry plants. In the growing conditions of the Brazilian subtropics, the AMF and T. harzianum combination shortens the strawberry cycle, from transplanting the daughter plants to harvesting the first fruit, and improves the fruit flavor.

Alone or Combined Effect of Seaweed and Humic Acid Applications on Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) under Salinity Stress

Organic fertilisers and biostimulants play a very important role in the germination, seedling stage, yield and quality of plants. Seaweed and humic acid are organic substances known for their positive effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of humic acid, seaweed extract and their combined applications against salt stress in oilseed rape at the seedling development stage. The effects of foliar application of seaweed extract (SW1, SW2, SW3) (0, 10, 20 mL), humic acid (HA1, HA2, HA3) (0, 10, 20 mL) and SW + HA (SW1 + HA1, SW2 + HA2, SW3 + HA3) (0, 10(5 + 5 mL L− 1 SW + HA), 20 mL L− 1 (10 + 10 mL L− 1 SW + HA)) on resistance to salt concentrations (S1, S2, S3) (0, 50, 100 mM) in oilseed rape cultivar (Elvis) under greenhouse conditions. In this study, seedling length (SL), root length (RL), total chlorophyll (Total Chl), carotenoids (Crt), electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total phenolic compounds (TPC), relative water content (RWC) and proline (Pro) parameters were examined. Both applications played a significant role in reducing the negative effects of salt stress on all parameters studied. The combined application of SW + HA resulted in a remarkable increase in SL, RL TPC, SOD and RWC. In particular, the SW3 + HA3 dose played a more effective role in the antioxidant protective mechanism against stress. According to the PCA analysis, the studied parameters could be divided into 3 different groups. It was concluded that SW and HA can be evaluated as an effective natural, eco-friendly material that can be used to increase the resistance of plants to salt stress. In conclusion, in this study all applications are compared with each other, it has been determined that SW + HA is more effective application in reducing the effects of salt stress than others.

Alcon Blues: recent shifts in limiting habitat factors challenge the persistence of an endangered butterfly

Insect habitat specialists have declined more than generalists over the last decades. Understanding how habitat requirements and increased climate variability interact to explain persistence of populations is needed to enable effective conservation measures. Habitat specialists with a complex life cycle, such as myrmecophilous butterflies, are likely to be most vulnerable. Here, we explored to what extent the habitat factors explaining population persistence of the Alcon blue (Phengaris alcon), changed over a 25-year period in the Netherlands, contrasting the recent years 2018–2022 with extreme droughts with the preceding period 1998–2017 characterized by occasional climatic extremes. Population persistence of P. alcon over 1998–2017 as explained by historical habitat conditions was significantly higher in large heathland areas with large patches of its host plant Gentiana pneumonanthe. On the basis of current conditions, population persistence until 2017 was best explained by a combination of host plant area and quality. In contrast, persistence over the recent drought years was most closely associated with increasing occupancy of the optimal host ant Myrmica ruginodis and lower occupancy of competitive and predatory Lasius ants.Implications for insect conservation We conclude that critical habitat conditions change under increasing climatic extremes and that the availability of sufficient optimal host ants has become more critical than that of host plants. The results emphasise that both large-scale hydrological restoration and small-scale management for heterogeneity are necessary to preserve P. alcon and its habitat in the Netherlands. This is also likely to apply to other habitat specialists with complex life cycles from threatened habitats.

Comparative Evaluation of Secondary Metabolite Chemodiversity of Citrus Genebank Collection in Greece: Can the Peel be More than Waste?

Citrus fruits are among the most economically important crops in the world. In the global market, the Citrus peel is often considered a byproduct but substitutes an important phenotypic characteristic of the fruit and a valuable source of essential oils, flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acids with variable concentrations. The Mediterranean basin is a particularly dense area of autochthonous genotypes of Citrus that are known for being a source of healthy foods, which can be repertoires of valuable genes for molecular breeding with the focus on plant resistance and quality improvement. The scope of this study was to characterize and compare the main phenotypic parameters (i.e., peel thickness, fruit volume, and area) and levels of bioactive compounds in the peel of fruits from the local germplasm of Citrus in Greece, to assess their chemodiversity regarding their polyphenolic, volatile, and carotenoid profiles. A targeted liquid chromatographic approach revealed hesperidin, tangeretin, narirutin, eriocitrin, and quercetin glycosides as the major polyphenolic compounds identified in orange, lemon, and mandarin peels. The content of tangeretin and narirutin followed the tendency mandarin > orange > lemon. Eriocitrin was a predominant metabolite of lemon peel, following its identification in lower amounts in mandarin and at least in the orange peel. For these citrus-specific metabolites, high intra- but also interspecies chemodiversity was monitored. Significant diversity was found in the essential oil content, which varied between 1.2 and 3% in orange, 0.2 and 1.4% in mandarin, and 0.9 and 1.9% in lemon peel. Limonene was the predominant compound in all Citrus species peel essential oils, ranging between 88 and 93% among the orange, 64 and 93% in mandarin, and 55 and 63% in lemon cultivars. Carotenoid analysis revealed different compositions among the Citrus species and accessions studied, with β-cryptoxanthin being the most predominant metabolite. This large-scale metabolic investigation will enhance the knowledge of Citrus peel secondary metabolite chemodiversity supported by the ample availability of Citrus genetic resources to further expand their exploitation in future breeding programs and potential applications in the global functional food and pharmaceutical industries.

Understanding and exploring the diversity of soil microorganisms in tea (Camellia sinensis) gardens: toward sustainable tea production.

Leaves of Camellia sinensis plants are used to produce tea, one of the most consumed beverages worldwide, containing a wide variety of bioactive compounds that help to promote human health. Tea cultivation is economically important, and its sustainable production can have significant consequences in providing agricultural opportunities and lowering extreme poverty. Soil parameters are well known to affect the quality of the resultant leaves and consequently, the understanding of the diversity and functions of soil microorganisms in tea gardens will provide insight to harnessing soil microbial communities to improve tea yield and quality. Current analyses indicate that tea garden soils possess a rich composition of diverse microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) of which the bacterial Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes and Chloroflexi and fungal Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Glomeromycota are the prominent groups. When optimized, these microbes' function in keeping garden soil ecosystems balanced by acting on nutrient cycling processes, biofertilizers, biocontrol of pests and pathogens, and bioremediation of persistent organic chemicals. Here, we summarize research on the activities of (tea garden) soil microorganisms as biofertilizers, biological control agents and as bioremediators to improve soil health and consequently, tea yield and quality, focusing mainly on bacterial and fungal members. Recent advances in molecular techniques that characterize the diverse microorganisms in tea gardens are examined. In terms of viruses there is a paucity of information regarding any beneficial functions of soil viruses in tea gardens, although in some instances insect pathogenic viruses have been used to control tea pests. The potential of soil microorganisms is reported here, as well as recent techniques used to study microbial diversity and their genetic manipulation, aimed at improving the yield and quality of tea plants for sustainable production.

Bacteria from nodules of Abrus mollis Hance: genetic diversity and screening of highly efficient growth-promoting strains.

Abrus mollis Hance. (AM) is an important species used in southern Chinese medicine. It is mainly found in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces in China, and it is effective in the treatment of hepatitis. Endophytic bacteria are known to affect the growth and quality of medicinal plants. However, there are limited reports describing endophytic bacteria related to AM. In the present study, Illumina-based 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to investigate the endophytic bacterial communities of root nodules of AM at five sampling sites in Guangxi. In addition, 179 strains of endophytic bacteria were isolated and categorized into 13 haplotypes based on recA sequence analysis. The phylogeny of the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed a predominance of nonrhizobial endophytes. Microbial diversity analysis showed that Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum in all samples, while Bradyrhizobium was the dominant genus in different samples. An efficient strain, Rhizobium tropici FM-19, was screened and obtained through greenhouse experiments. The AM plants inoculated with this strain showed the best growth performance and high nitrogen fixation and nodulation capacity. Notably, total phenols and total flavonoids, important active components in AM, increased by 30.9 and 42.7%, respectively, after inoculation with Rhizobium tropici FM-19. This study provides insights into the complex microbial diversity of AM nodules and provides strain information for the efficient cultivation of AM.

Effects of appropriate low-temperature treatment on the yield and quality of pigmented potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers

Temperature is one of the important environmental factors affecting plant growth, yield and quality. Moreover, appropriately low temperature is also beneficial for tuber coloration. The red potato variety Jianchuanhong, whose tuber color is susceptible to temperature, and the purple potato variety Huaxinyangyu, whose tuber color is stable, were used as experimental materials and subjected to 20 °C (control check), 15 °C and 10 °C treatments during the whole growth period. The effects of temperature treatment on the phenotype, the expression levels of structural genes related to anthocyanins and the correlations of each indicator were analyzed. The results showed that treatment at 10 °C significantly inhibited the potato plant height, and the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic parameters in the leaves were reduced, and the enzyme activities of SOD and POD were significantly increased, all indicating that the leaves were damaged. Treatment at 10 °C also affected the tuberization of Huaxinyangyu and reduced the tuberization and coloring of Jianchuanhong, while treatment at 15 °C significantly increased the stem diameter, root-to-shoot ratio, yield and content of secondary metabolites, especially anthocyanins. Similarly, the expression of structural genes were enhanced in two pigmented potatoes under low-temperature treatment conditions. In short, proper low temperature can not only increase yield but also enhance secondary metabolites production. Previous studies have not focused on the effects of appropriate low-temperature treatment during the whole growth period of potato on the changes in metabolites during tuber growth and development, these results can provide a theoretical basis and technical guidance for the selection of pigmented potatoes with better nutritional quality planting environment and the formulation of cultivation measures.

Heat-Induced Cross-Tolerance to Salinity Due to Thermopriming in Tomatoes.

Global plant production is challenged by unpredictable (a)biotic stresses that occur individually, simultaneously or staggered. Due to an increasing demand for environmentally friendly plant production, new sustainable, universal, and preventive measures in crop protection are needed. We postulate thermopriming as a suitable procedure that fulfills these requirements. Therefore, we performed thermopriming as a pre-conditioning on tomato transplants in combination with two subsequent salt stress treatments to evaluate their single and combined physiological effects on leaves and fruits with regard to plant performance, fruit yield and quality. We identified a cross-tolerance to salinity that was triggered by the preceding thermopriming treatment and resulted in an accumulation of phenols and flavonols in the leaves. Plant growth and fruit yield were initially delayed after the stress treatments but recovered later. In regard to fruit quality, we found an increase in carotenoid and starch contents in fruits due to thermopriming, while sugars and titratable acidity were not affected. Our results indicate that thermopriming can mitigate the impact of subsequent and recurrent stress events on plant performance and yield under production-like conditions.

Adult Feeding Experience Determines the Fecundity and Preference of the Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

Both larvae and adults of the Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata feed on leaves of potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants. Given the variation in planting times of host plants in the Jianghan Plain, host switching between larvae and adults of H. vigintioctopunctata is inevitable to ensure continuous food availability. We evaluated the effect of consistent versus diverse larval and adult host plant feeding experience on growth performance, fecundity, longevity, and feeding preferences of H. vigintioctopunctata through match-mismatch experiments. Host plant quality significantly influences larval development and adult reproduction. Potatoes are identified as the optimal host plant for H. vigintioctopunctata, whereas eggplants significantly negatively affect the adult fecundity. Adult stage host feeding experience determines the fecundity of H. vigintioctopunctata, irrespective of the larval feeding experience. The fecundity of H. vigintioctopunctata adults on eggplant leaves remains significantly lower than that observed on potato leaves. Similarly, adult H. vigintioctopunctata demonstrate a preference for consuming potato leaves, irrespective of the larval feeding experience. Although host switching between larval and adult stages offers lesser benefits for the performance of herbivorous insects compared to a consistent diet with potato leaves, it maintains H. vigintioctopunctata population continuity amidst shortages of high-quality potato hosts.

An Effective Image Classification Method for Plant Diseases with Improved Channel Attention Mechanism aECAnet Based on Deep Learning

Since plant diseases occurring during the growth process are a significant factor leading to the decline in both yield and quality, the classification and detection of plant leaf diseases, followed by timely prevention and control measures, are crucial for safeguarding plant productivity and quality. As the traditional convolutional neural network structure cannot effectively recognize similar plant leaf diseases, in order to more accurately identify the diseases on plant leaves, this paper proposes an effective plant disease image recognition method aECA-ResNet34. This method is based on ResNet34, and in the first and the last layers of this network, respectively, we add this paper’s improved aECAnet with the symmetric structure. aECA-ResNet34 is compared with different plant disease classification models on the peanut dataset constructed in this paper and the open-source PlantVillage dataset. The experimental results show that the aECA-ResNet34 model proposed in this paper has higher accuracy, better performance, and better robustness. The results show that the aECA-ResNet34 model proposed in this paper is able to recognize diseases of multiple plant leaves very accurately.

Pollinator-assisted plant phenotyping, selection, and breeding for crop resilience to abiotic stresses.

Food security is threatened by climate change, with heat and drought being the main stresses affecting crop physiology and ecosystem services, such as plant-pollinator interactions. We hypothesize that tracking and ranking pollinators' preferences for flowers under environmental pressure could be used as a marker of plant quality for agricultural breeding to increase crop stress tolerance. Despite increasing relevance of flowers as the most stress sensitive organs, phenotyping platforms aim at identifying traits of resilience by assessing the plant physiological status through remote sensing-assisted vegetative indexes, but find strong bottlenecks in quantifying flower traits and in accurate genotype-to-phenotype prediction. However, as the transport of photoassimilates from leaves (sources) to flowers (sinks) is reduced in low-resilient plants, flowers are better indicators than leaves of plant well-being. Indeed, the chemical composition and amount of pollen and nectar that flowers produce, which ultimately serve as food resources for pollinators, change in response to environmental cues. Therefore, pollinators' preferences could be used as a measure of functional source-to-sink relationships for breeding decisions. To achieve this challenging goal, we propose to develop a pollinator-assisted phenotyping and selection platform for automated quantification of Genotype × Environment × Pollinator interactions through an insect geo-positioning system. Pollinator-assisted selection can be validated by metabolic, transcriptomic, and ionomic traits, and mapping of candidate genes, linking floral and leaf traits, pollinator preferences, plant resilience, and crop productivity. This radical new approach can change the current paradigm of plant phenotyping and find new paths for crop redomestication and breeding assisted by ecological decisions.

The Impact of Long-Term Fallowing on the Yield and Quality of Winter Rape and Winter and Spring Wheat

The proper fallowing of soil maintains or even improves its yield potential. The aim of this research was to compare five methods of soil protection with high production potential on the yield and quality of strategic plants. The tested methods consisted of five variants: bare fallow—BF; natural fallow—NF; fodder galega (Galega orientalis Lam.)—FG; a mixture of fodder galega (Galega orientalis Lam.) with smooth brome (Bromus inermis)—FG+SB; and smooth brome (Bromus inermis)—SB. The soil had been set aside for 9 years, after which time the fallows were terminated and the fields were cropped with winter oilseed rape, winter wheat, and spring wheat in three consecutive years. After the end of fallowing, the content of Nog. and Ctot., pH, and forms of available macro- and microelements in the soil were determined. The influence of each type of fallow on the yield of seeds/grain, straw, total protein, crude fat, and the content of macronutrients in the seeds/grain and straw of the grown crops was determined. Regarding the yields of the crops, the best solution was long-term soil protection via sowing fodder galega or a mixture of fodder galega and smooth brome. A field previously maintained as a fallow with these plants (singly or in combination) could produce over twice-as-high yields of wheat and oilseed rape as those harvested from a field established on bare fallow. The yields of the cereals and oilseed rape obtained in this study prove that food security and environmental protection issues can be reconciled. The methods for protecting farmland temporarily excluded from agricultural production presented in this paper correspond perfectly to the framework of the Green Deal for Europe. Arable land excluded from cultivation can be used to overcome new challenges facing modern agriculture.

Pengaruh Konsentrasi Beauveria Bassiana Terhadap Intensitas Serangan Serangga Hama Ulat Daun (Plutella xylostella L.), Pertumbuhan Dan Hasil Beberapa Varietas Pakcoy (Brassica rapa L.)

This research aims to determine the interaction between administering concentrations of B. bassiana and several varieties on attacks by leaf caterpillar insect pests in increasing plant growth, plant fresh weight and quality of pakcoy plants. The experiment was carried out on experimental land in Cibedug Village, Cikole Village, Lembang District, West Bandung Regency with an altitude of 1100 m above sea level (asl) with Andisol soil order and was carried out from August 2023 to September 2023. The experimental design used was an environmental design experiment using a Split Plot Design consisting of 12 treatment combinations repeated 3 times. consists of two treatment factors, namely B. bassiana concentration (K) with the following levels: k0 : 0 g L-1 Solution (control), k1 : 2 g L-1 Solution, k2 : 4 g L-1 Solution and k3 : 6 g L-1 Solution and the second factor are several Pakcoy varieties (V) with the following levels: v1: Nauli F1 variety, v2: Flaminggo variety, v3: Masbro variety, which is repeated three times. The results of the research showed that there was no interaction between the concentration of B. bassiana and several pak choy varieties on all observed parameters. Giving a B.bassiana concentration of 4 g L-1 Solution had the most efficient effect on the intensity of attacks, weight and length of the 3rd instar larvae of P.xylostella. The Nauli F1 variety gave the best results in terms of plant height and number of leaves and the Flaminggo variety gave the best results in terms of fresh weight per plant and fresh weight per plot.

Incorporation of standardised extract of Curcuma longa Linn into phytosomes and its evaluation for in vitro Anti-inflammatory potential and Brine shrimp lethality assay

Aim: To incorporate standardized Curcuma longa Linn extract into phytosomes and evaluate for in vitro anti-inflammatory and BSL bioassay. Method: The quality of the plant material was determined by various pharmacognostic parameters. The plant material was then subjected to maceration for extraction using ethanol: water as solvent followed by Soxhlet extraction. The resulting extract was subjected to phytochemical analysis to determine the presence of plant metabolites. The drug and excipients compatibility was evaluated by FTIR study. Furthermore, using the thin film hydration approach, a new lipid-based phytosome was prepared. In vitro anti-inflammatory and brine shrimp lethality tests were performed on prepared phytosome. Results: Moisture content, total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash values, aqueous, alcohol, and petroleum ether extractive values are all found to be within limits. The phytochemical analysis validated the existence of alkaloids, tannins, resins, carbohydrates, proteins, flavonoids, and saponins. The compatibility study demonstrates the compatibility of excipients with drugs. Thin film hydration technique was employed successfully to prepare the phytosomes containing Curcuma longa linn extract. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity revealed that prepared phytosome could serve as natural based therapeutic option for anti-inflammatory potential. Brine shrimp lethality assay also confirmed the bioactivity of prepared phytosomes. Conclusion: The method used for standardization can be used to aid with plant identification and quality analysis of Curcuma longa Linn for future research. It can be inferred from the findings that phytosomes loaded with Curcuma longa Linn extract exhibited promising anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic effects.

Unveiling the regulatory mechanisms of nodules development and quality formation in Panax notoginseng using multi-omics and MALDI-MSI

IntroductionRenowned for its role in traditional Chinese medicine, Panax notoginseng exhibits healing properties including bidirectional regulatory effects on hematological system diseases. However, the presence of nodular structures near the top of the main root, known as nail heads, may impact the quality of the plant's valuable roots. ObjectivesIn this paper, we aim to systematically analyze nail heads to identify their potential correlation with P. notoginseng quality. Additionally, we will investigate the molecular mechanisms behind nail head development. MethodsMorphological characteristics and anatomical features were analyzed to determine the biological properties of nail heads. Active component analysis and MALDI mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) were performed to determine the correlation between nail heads and P. notoginseng quality. Phytohormone quantitation, MALDI-MSI, RNA-seq, and Arabidopsis transformation were conducted to elucidate the mechanisms of nail head formation. Finally, protein-nucleic acid and protein–protein interactions were investigated to construct a transcriptional regulatory network of nodule development and quality formation. ResultsOur analyses have revealed that nail heads originate from an undeveloped lateral root. The content of ginsenosides was found to be positively associated with the amount of nail heads. Ginsenoside Rb1 specifically accumulated in the cortex of nail heads, while IAA, tZR and JAs also showed highest accumulation in the nodule. RNA-seq analysis identified PnIAA14 and PnCYP735A1 as inhibitors of lateral root development. PnMYB31 and PnMYB78 were found to form binary complexes with PnbHLH31 to synergistically regulate the expression of PnIAA14, PnCYP735A1, PnSS, and PnFPS. ConclusionOur study details the major biological properties of nodular structures in P. notoginseng and outlines their impact on the quality of the herb. It was also determined that PnMYB31- and PnMYB78-PnbHLH31 regulate phytohormones and ginsenosides accumulation, further affecting plant development and quality. This research provides insights for quality evaluation and clinical applications of P. notoginseng.