Plant Mixtures Research Articles

Antibody response and abomasal histopathology of lambs with haemonchosis during supplementation with medicinal plants and organic selenium

We evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with medicinal plants (Herbmix) or organic selenium (Selplex) on the immune responses and histopathology of lambs infected with Haemonchus contortus. Twenty-seven lambs were infected and reinfected with approximately 11,000 third-stage larvae of H. contortus during the experiment (on days 0, 49 and 77). Lambs were divided into two supplemented experimental groups (Herbmix and Selplex) and unsupplemented group (Control). The abomasal worm counts at necropsy on day 119 were lower for Herbmix (4230) and Selplex group (3220) than to the Control (6613) which resulted in 51.3% and 36.0% of reduction, respectively. The mean length of adult female worms was in the order Control > Herbmix > Selplex (2.1, 2.08, and 2.01 cm, respectively). The specific IgG response against adults was significantly affected by time (P < 0.001). Serum-specific and total mucus levels of IgA in the Herbmix group were highest on day 15. Mean levels of serum IgM against adults were influenced by treatment (P = 0.048) and time (P < 0.001). The Herbmix group had strong local inflammation in the abomasal tissue, with the formation of lymphoid aggregates and the infiltration of immune cells, but the tissues of the Selplex group had higher numbers of eosinophils, globule leukocytes, and plasma cells. The lymph nodes of each animal had reactive follicular hyperplasia due to the infection. Dietary nutritional supplementation with a mixture of medicinal plants or organic selenium could improve local immune responses and thus enhance the resistance of animals to this parasitic infection.

The Impact of Za’atar Antioxidant Compounds on the Gut Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Disorders: Insights for Future Clinical Applications

Since the gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in host homeostasis and energy balance, changes in its composition can be associated with disease states through the promotion of immune-mediated inflammatory disorders and increasing intestinal permeability, ultimately leading to the impairment of intestinal barrier function. Za'atar is one of the most popular plant-based foods in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Za'atar is a mixture of different plant leaves, fruits, and seeds and contains hundreds of antioxidant compounds, especially polyphenols, and fiber, with pre-clinical and clinical evidence suggesting health-promoting effects in cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Za'atar compounds have also been studied from a gastrointestinal perspective, concerning both gut microbiota and gastrointestinal diseases. Antioxidants such as Za'atar polyphenols may provide beneficial effects in the complex interplay between the diet, gut microbiota, and intestinal permeability. To our knowledge, no studies have reported the effects of the whole Za'atar mixture, however, based on the pre-clinical studies published on components and single compounds found in Za'atar, we provide a clinical overview of the possible effects on the gastrointestinal tract, focusing mainly on carvacrol, rosmarinic acid, gallic acid, and other polyphenols. We also cover the potential clinical applications of Za'atar mixture as a possible nutraceutical in disorders involving the gastrointestinal tract.

Effects of Cow Urine and Medicinal Plants as Seed Treatment on Germination Rate and Growth of Cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) and Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum)

The cow is considered a divine animal in the Hindu culture. Many useful products like Milk, Cow dung, urine of the cow is used for various purposes. In Vedas, (Ancient Hindu texts), Cow urine has been given a lot of importance. It isalso called as Amrita, The beverage of Immortality. Cow urine and extract of the leaves of medicinal plants have a very positive effect on overall growth of the plants and as a result, there is an increase in the height of the plant, stem girth, number of branches and number of plants leaf if subjected to their treatment. The plant chosen for this study were Cluster bean(Cyamopsis tetragonoloba)and Fenugreek( Trigonella foenum graecum).The plants were grown for 15 days using different concentration of mixture of cow urine and medicinal plants i.e control, 1: 9, 2:8, 3:7, 4:6, 5:5. Seeds of both the plants were soaked for different time period, i.e 12 hours,24 hours,36 hours, 48 hours, 60 hours. The result observed after the experiments were as follows 1:9 concentration solution and seeds soaked for 12 hours showed maximum growth as compared to others. Also 2:8 concentration solution and seeds soaked for 12 hours showed maximum growth in Fenugreek. This study concludes that mixture of cow urine and medicinal plants can be used as a plant growth enhancer and produces healthy seedlings.

Pelatihan Pembuatan Jamu Instan Pada Masyarakat Di Desa Kemanisan Kecamatan Curug Serang Sebagai Upaya Peningkatan Kemandirian Ekonomi Keluarga

Traditional medicines are ingredients in the form of plant ingredients, animal ingredients, mineral ingredients, galenic preparations, or mixtures of these materials which have been used for generations for treatment and can be applied in accordance with the norms in force in society, while herbal medicine is a Traditional Medicine made in Indonesia. The purpose of this research is to increase understanding of the importance of increasing understanding regarding the processing of instant herbal medicine and raising awareness of the importance of improving skills in the form of training on making good and correct instant herbal medicine in Kemanisan village. The community service method used in this research is in the form of community relations through counseling and health training. The results showed that the knowledge level of the respondents before the training, namely 41,7 %, was in the sufficient category. The respondents' knowledge level after the training was 50% in the good category. Based on the study results, it can be concluded that the respondents' knowledge level before and after counseling and training increased their knowledge. Community service activities through counseling methods can increase respondents' knowledge regarding managing medicinal plants into an instant herbal products with economic value.

Undersowing oats with clovers supports pollinators and suppresses arable weeds without reducing yields

Abstract Sustainable food production requires agriculture to conserve biodiversity and facilitate ecosystem services to maintain productivity levels while reducing inputs detrimental to ecosystem functioning. Increasing within‐field vegetation diversity by legume intercropping seems promising to facilitate cropping system multi‐functionality. Effects of intercropping with legumes on biodiversity‐mediated ecosystem services such as pollination or natural pest control are, however, not sufficiently understood. Using 26 observation plots in a paired field design, we studied the effects of undersowing oats with a mixture of three annual clovers across different aspects of cropping system multi‐functionality. We investigated 16 below‐ and above‐ground ecosystem service indicators related to soil mineral nitrogen, arable weed control, pollination, disease and pest pressures, natural pest control and crop yield. We found lower arable weed cover, higher flower cover and pollinator densities as well as decreased root‐feeding nematode densities in intercropped observation plots compared with the non‐intercropped controls. However, intercropping decreased spider activity densities and oat yield nitrogen content. Root diseases, pest damages, natural pest control and crop yield were not affected by intercropping. The biomass of undersown clovers was positively related with the differences in flower cover and pollinator densities, and negatively related with the differences in arable weed cover between the intercropped and the control treatment. Synthesis and applications: We demonstrate that undersowing annual clovers suppresses arable weeds and simultaneously support pollinators without reducing crop yields or taking land out of arable production. Undersown plant mixtures should, however, be tailored to support a wider spectrum of pollinators and benefit natural pest control to support a higher level of overall cropping system multi‐functionality.

Cinnamomum sp. and Pelargonium odoratissimum as the Main Contributors to the Antibacterial Activity of the Medicinal Drink Horchata: A Study Based on the Antibacterial and Chemical Analysis of 21 Plants.

Horchata, a herbal infusion drink from Ecuador containing a mixture of medicinal plants, has been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, and antioxidant activity. The antibacterial activity of each of the plants contained in the horchata mixture has not been fully evaluated. Thus, in this study, we analysed the antibacterial activity of 21 plants used in horchata, collected from the Ecuadorian Andes region, against bacterial strains of clinical importance. The methanolic extract of Cinnamomum sp. showed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 250 µg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), while Pelargonium odoratissimum exhibited a MIC value of 500 µg/mL towards S. aureus ATCC25923. The high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS) analyses identified in Cinnamomum sp. epicatechin tannins, cinnamaldehyde, and prehelminthosporol molecules, whereas in P. odoratissimum, gallocatechin and epigallocatechin tannins, some flavonoids, and gallic acid and derivatives were identified. Finally, Cinnamomum sp. and P. odoratissimum showed partial inhibition of biofilm formation of S. aureus ATCC25923 and MRSA. Overall, our findings revealed which of the plants used in horchata are responsible for the antibacterial activity attributed to this herbal drink and exhibit the potential for Cinnamomum sp. and P. odoratissimum secondary metabolites to be explored as scaffolds in drug development.

Novel Antidiabetic Polyherbal Formulation for Synergistic Therapeutic Effects in Streptozotocin (STZ)-Induced Diabetic Rats

Worldwide demand for new anti-diabetic drugs from plant sources has increased as diabetes mellitus has become a global epidemic. In the era of herbal medicines, polyherbal formulations offer higher therapeutic efficacy than single plants due to synergistic effects. Therefore, the objective was to develop a novel anti-diabetic polyherbal formulation containing mixtures of three plants: Azadirachta indica leaves, Tinospora cordifolia stem and Ocimum sanctum leaves extracts. The eight different plant formulations (F1 to F8) were formulated while F1 to F3 contained a single plant extract. Hyperglycemia was developed in rodents by ingestion of streptozotocin. The experimental animals’ serum sugar level, body weight and lipid profile were determined. In the diabetic rats treated orally with F1 to F8, the blood glucose level decreased significantly compared to the diabetic control group. Similar effects were also observed in the diabetic rats treated with glibenclamide. In addition, F1 to F8 controlled lipid level, namely total cholesterol (CHL), triglycerides (TGL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels in rodents. The findings suggested that F7 showed higher anti-diabetic and antihyperlipidemic efficiency when equated to the other formulations. It was also found that the formulations (F1 to F3) containing a single plant extract exhibited lower therapeutic efficacy than the polyherbal formulations (F4 to F8). The results suggest that the higher therapeutic efficacy of the polyherbal formulation is due to the synergistic effect of the different phytoconstituents in the plant mixtures.

Investigation of the Usability of Foamed Bituminous Mixtures as Bituminous Base Course

Materials recycled with foam bitumen are promising materials for pavements economically and environmentally. However, there are different opinions in the literature about how these materials are positioned in the pavement. It is clear that their performances will not be suitable for the wearing course, but that they are used for the plant mixture base course because they contain bitumen, and that these materials will be neglected in the evaluation of these materials. In the study, 4 different foam bituminous mixes prepared with a recycled pavement material and a standard bituminous base course mix were compared in terms of the resilient modulus obtained from the uniaxial indirect tensile resilient modulus test. Gradation is the same for three of the mixtures, two of them use cement as a mineral binder, but 70/100 grade bitumen in one of these two productions and 50/70 grade bitumen in the other. In the third mixture, 70/100 grade bitumen and hydrated lime (HL)+fly ash (FA) were used. In the final mixture, 70/100 grade bitumen and cement were used as mineral binders, but gradation was changed. In addition, permanent deformation control for the final production was carried out with a triaxial cyclic compression test. It was concluded that all these variables affect the results, but the resilience modulus values obtained for all were quite close to those obtained from the bituminous base sample. Considering that the foamed bituminous mixtures will be thicker than the bituminous base course in practice, it is considered structurally appropriate to use this layer instead of the bituminous base course.

Integrating Native Plant Mixtures and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation Increases the Productivity of Degraded Grassland

Intense human activities break the grassland–livestock balance and accelerate grassland degradation. We evaluated the use of native dominant species combined with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in order to recover grassland and restrain grassland degradation. We conducted a full factorial greenhouse experiment to evaluate the interaction effects of native species of distinct traits grass Lolium perenne (L) and legume Trifolium repens (T) with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation on grass productivity and soil properties across non-degraded, lightly degraded, and severely degraded soils. The grass–legume mixture was manipulated with five ratios (T:L = 1:0, T:L = 1:1, T:L = 3:1, T:L = 1:3, T:L = 0:1). The results showed that L. perenne significantly increased grassland productivity at different grass–legume ratios, regardless of AMF presence or absence. AMF inoculation increased plant N and P content uptake and improved the productivity of degraded grasslands, especially in severely degraded grasslands. The NO3−-N and available P concentrations increased in soil when the legume component increased from T:L = 0:1 (grass monoculture) to T:L = 1:0 (legume monoculture). This may be because the presence of Lolium perenne (L) can promote nitrogen fixation in legumes. Structural equation modeling indicated that grass–legume mixtures directly affected plant biomass, whereas AMF affected plant biomass via providing plant nutrients. A soil quality index based on minimum datasets indicated a significant positive effect of artificial grassland establishment on soil quality. We conclude that planting T:L = 0:1 and T:L = 1:3 combined with AMF inoculation can be used to recover degraded grassland production, and planting T:L = 1:1 and T:L = 1:3 plus AMF inoculation can be applied for grassland nutrient accumulation and stability maintenance.

Does in Vitro and in Vivo Exposure To Medicinal Herbs Cause Structural Cuticular Changes in Haemonchus Contortus?

The health and production of small ruminants in constantly menaced by parasitic infections, especially those caused by the blood-sucking gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus. The aim of this study was to assess the structural cuticular changes in adult H. contortus induced by the use of extracts from local medicinal plants and to examine their ovicidal activity. Previous studies have confirmed the beneficial effect of herbal mixtures in preventing haemonchosis in lambs by lowering fecal egg production and improving immunocompetence. We exposed adult H. contortus to Herbmix (a mixture of medicinal plants) under in vivo and in vitro conditions for observation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For the in vivo observations, adult worms were isolated from the abomasa of experimentally infected lambs from a Herbmix group and a control group. Surface structure did not differ significantly between the exposed and control groups. The ovicidal activity of an aqueous Herbmix extract was assessed in vitro, establishing the inhibition of hatching with an ED50 of 6.52 mg/mL. Adult worms for in vitro examination were isolated from experimentally infected lambs and incubated in Herbmix aqueous extracts for 24 h. SEM observations indicated that none of the worms had prominent ultrastructural changes on their cuticles. This study suggests that previously demonstrated antiparasitic effects of medicinal plants did not negatively affect adult parasites by damaging their external structures.

Interactions between Natural Products-A Review.

Plant-based natural products have been used as a source for therapeutics since the dawn of civilization. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 80% of the world's population relies on traditional medicine for their primary healthcare. Numerous natural extracts, widely known in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Indian Ayurveda medicine and other practices, have led to the modern discovery and development of new drugs. Plants continuously interact with their environment, producing new compounds and ever-changing combinations of existing ones. Interestingly, some of the compounds have shown lower therapeutic activity in comparison to the extract they were isolated from. These findings suggest that the higher therapeutic activity of the source extract was due to the synergistic effect of several compounds. In other words, the total therapeutic potential of the extract cannot be explained only by the sum of its parts alone. In traditional medicine, most herbal remedies are based on a mixture of plants, and it is the interaction between different constituents that amplifies their therapeutic potential. Considering the significant influence traditional medicine has on human healthcare, knowing and studying the synergistic effect of compounds is paramount in designing smart therapeutic agents.

Mixtures of medicinal plants from caatinga: Basis for further bioprospecting studies

The use of mixtures of medicinal plants, when compared to the therapeutic objective of a particular plant, can show greater effectiveness in the cure or treatment of disorders or potentiate harmful effects to an organism. The present study aimed to verify the indications of medicinal plants, alone and in association. Ethnobotanical information was obtained through semi-structured interviews, using the snowball technique, collecting information related to preparation, part of the plant used and therapeutic purposes of the mixtures. The experts highlighted a total of 58 mixtures indicated for 41 diseases grouped into ten body systems, among which respiratory system disorders covered a more significant number of mixtures (28) and obtained the second largest consensus among the informants (ICF = 0.44). Symptoms in this category included flu and cough with higher indications and higher frequency of use in associations for Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng. The Index of Taxon Usefulness in Mixtures (ITUM) ranged from 0.14 to 1.00. A total of 14 species showed values equal to 1.00, observed only in mixtures, highlighting Allium cepa L. with more indications of use. The mixtures showed no toxicity in the study. However, it is possible to observe some species with individual use that may confer antagonistic effects depending on their administration and dosage. Therefore, the results of this research show that the mixtures most used by the community are prepared with an association of two to three plants. The mixtures have more restricted indications of use, demonstrating specificity in the treatment of illness. Further pharmacological bioprospecting studies are needed to confirm and validate the therapeutic benefit of these medicinal plant associations. • Knowledge of the benefits of using medicinal plant mixtures. • Identification of medicinal plant species rich in ethno-pharmacological knowledge with high potential for economic development through sustainable. • Therapeutic preparations exploring species of the local biodiversity as an alternative to the local health care system .

Tray dryer design under feed uncertainty: A case study on a nutraceutical beverage

Feed characterization in the food industry has significant variability due to the complexity of its composition. This variability influences the product quality and the process equipment sizing. Uncertainty analyses permit to assess such variations when designing food processing equipment. Because standalone codes are built to run the system's simulation, computational solutions are limited to specific feed characterizations. In this work, a framework for sizing equipment including feedstock uncertainty in food engineering applications is proposed. A tray dryer which dries a mixture of plants to produce a nutraceutical beverage is evaluated. This approach integrates a commercial process simulation software to generate physicochemical properties of complex compounds and a scientific computing environment to evaluate uncertainty in the feed stream. For the case study, considerable variability was observed in terms of the dryer volume (6.68–29.95%), energy consumption (5.72–25.43%), and CAPEX (3.52%–14.00%) when compared to the base case. The integrated platform provides a reliable operational envelope that can be used for sizing, monitoring, and optimization purposes and it can be adapted to other unit operations in the food industry.

In the Weeds: Aquatic Plant Biomarker Sources to Arctic Lake Sediments

AbstractIn reconstructing past changes in precipitation or evaporation from the geologic record, paleoclimatologists sometimes employ the dual‐biomarker isotope method. This method requires that two co‐occurring sedimentary lipids are derived from different biological sources, and that their compound‐specific 2H/1H ratios record different aspects of the hydrologic cycle. Several studies have used this approach, typically by comparing the 2H/1H ratios of n‐alkyl lipids (δ2Hwax) thought to be sourced from aquatic versus terrestrial plants that gain their hydrogen atoms from lake water and soil water, respectively. Yet confidently fingerprinting n‐alkyl lipid sources continues to be a challenge because the wax inputs of different plant types vary across biomes, lake types, and time. New research in the Journal of Geophysical Research‐Biogeosciences by Hollister et al. (2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022jg006903) utilizes a combination of three independent metrics to demonstrate that for Arctic lakes, mid‐chain n‐alkanoic acids can be sourced principally from aquatic plants whereas long‐chain n‐alkanoic acids derive from a mixture of aquatic and terrestrial plants. By cataloging wax compound distributions and compound‐specific H and C isotopes of many new plant species, their efforts will strengthen future biomarker paleoclimatology and reinforce previous applications of the dual‐biomarker approach in high‐latitude lakes. The identification of a lake system with a strong aquatic plant wax signal in the sediments should motivate future targeting of similar lakes for reconstructing past moisture with the dual‐biomarker method.

Effect of herbal preparation HemoHIM on fatigue level and exercise performance: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, and parallel clinical trial

IntroductionThe herbal preparation HemoHIM, which is a mixture of traditional Korean medicinal plants, has been proven effective in enhancing exercise performance and reducing fatigue levels in mice. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of HemoHIM on fatigue levels and exercise performance in healthy human adults. MethodsNinety-six adults with fatigue were recruited for this study. In visit 1, maximal oxygen consumption was measured using a cycle ergometer test to assess eligibility. Participants were randomly assigned to the HemoHIM group (HG, n = 48) or the placebo group (PG, n = 48) in visit 2. Each participant consumed HemoHIM or a placebo twice per day for 8 weeks and visited the laboratory four times. Body composition, vital signs, dietary intake, fatigue level (fatigue severity scale, [FSS]), cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, blood biomarkers, and adverse events were measured at each visit. ResultsHemoHIM significantly decreased the FSS scores compared to that of the PG at visit 3 (P=.019); this decrease was maintained until visit 4 (P=.002). The exercise distance to exhaustion in the HG significantly increased compared to that in the PG (P=.040). HemoHIM significantly increased lactate and creatinine levels immediately after the ergometer test (lactate P=.011, creatinine P=.019) and 30 min after the test (lactate P=.036, creatinine P=.002) compared to that in the PG. ConclusionThis study demonstrated that HemoHIM reduced fatigue levels and improved exercise duration. The findings may have potential applications in the nutritional supplement industry in the future. Trial registrationThis study was registered at the Clinical Research Information Service: KCT0004905.

Intraspecific plant variation and nonhost herbivores affect parasitoid host location behaviour

Parasitoids need to find their hosts in patchy environments that differ in profitability. To maximize foraging efficiency, parasitoids use volatile information of plants on which their hosts feed. The blend of plant volatiles emitted is affected by genetic variation in plants and by the herbivore species feeding on the plant. How parasitoids deal with variation in plant volatiles induced by host or nonhost herbivores on various plant genotypes in a plant stand is unclear. In a wind tunnel, we examined foraging behaviour of the parasitoid Cotesia glomerata in mixes of white cabbage cultivars with host ( Pieris brassicae ) and nonhost herbivores ( Mamestra brassicae or Delia radicum ). We specifically studied the efficiency of parasitoids in locating a host-infested plant when having to pass three other plants that varied in volatile emission by cultivar and herbivore identity. We show that foraging decisions of C. glomerata are affected by the apparency of volatile cues from upwind host-infested plants. We found that parasitoids flew over the first three plants more often when the last plant was a host-infested attractive cultivar and the first three plants were a less attractive cultivar, regardless of the presence of host or nonhost herbivores. Furthermore, parasitoids spent more time on the first three plants if these were infested with host or nonhost larvae, and this effect was stronger when the first three plants were of the attractive cultivar. Our results suggest that parasitoids may more easily locate host herbivores on plant genotypes with more apparent volatile information. However, host location efficiency is affected by the contrast with other plumes of plant volatiles derived from genotypic variation in plants and induction of volatiles by nonhost herbivores. Apparency of information on upwind patches influences patch residence time and patch choice and is an important component of optimal foraging in parasitoids. • Foraging decisions by Cotesia glomerata are affected by the apparency of information. • Profitability of upwind patches affects foraging decisions on the current patch. • Nonhost herbivores with traits similar to the host reduced host location efficiency. • Established parasitoid cultivar preferences are nuanced in complex plant mixtures.

Distribution Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Some Heavy Metals in the Sediments of Yueliang Lake in Western Jilin Province, Northeast China

This study seeks to clarify the content characteristics, spatial distribution, potential sources and ecological risks of nitrogen, phosphorus and some heavy metals (As, Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn and Ni) in the sediments of Yueliang Lake. Nitrogen, phosphorus and heavy metals were analyzed in the surface and core sediments of Yueliang Lake. The present situation of heavy metal pollution and the degree of potential ecological risk in sediments was evaluated by the geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and potential ecological risk index (RI). The correlation (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA) methods were used to analyze the potential sources of the main pollutants among the heavy metals. The results show that the total nitrogen (TN = 2305 mg/kg) and total phosphorus (TP = 530 mg/kg) in the surface sediments of Yueliang Lake are at medium and low levels, respectively. The average content of organic matter was 2.17%, and the nutrient ratio was 6.90–11.92, which was significantly higher in the northwest than in the middle and east of Yueliang Lake, indicating that the organic matter was a mixture of endogenous aquatic plants and exogenous terrestrial plants in the sediments. From two evaluation indices (RI and Igeo) calculated using element contents, the heavy metals in the surface sediments were at a moderate ecological risk level. The level of Hg was moderately polluted, Pb and Cd were at the mildly polluted level, and Cu, Zn, As, Cr and Ni were at pollution-free levels. Except for Hg, the other elements in the core sediment are basically not polluting, and the whole is at the level of slight ecological risk. The sources of heavy metals in the sediments are roughly divided into three categories. The first category is natural sources, including Cr, Ni, As, Zn and Cu. The second category includes Cd and Hg and the main sources are highly related to energy development and agricultural activities. The third category is light Pb pollution caused by vehicular traffic and coal-related industrial activities. Therefore, the pollution problems caused by tourism development and agricultural activities should be considered in the future development of the Yueliang Lake area.

Deciphering the interactions between plant species and their main fungal root pathogens in mixed grassland communities

Abstract Plant diversity can reduce the risk of plant disease, but positive, and neutral effects have also been reported. These contrasting relationships suggest that plant community composition, rather than diversity per se, affects disease risk. Here, we investigated how the diversity and composition of plant communities drive root‐associated pathogen accumulation belowground. In a temperate grassland biodiversity experiment, containing 16 plant species (forbs and grasses), we determined the abundance of root‐associated fungal pathogens in individual plant species growing in monocultures and in four‐species mixtures through Illumina MiSeq amplicon sequencing. In the plant monocultures, we identified three major fungal pathogens that differed in host range: Paraphoma chrysanthemicola, associated with roots of forb species of the Asteraceae family, Slopeiomyces cylindrosporus, associated with grass species, and Rhizoctonia solani, associated with multiple forb and grass species. In mixtures, there was no significant reduction in relative abundance of these pathogens in their host species as compared to monocultures. However, in mixtures, there was a significant increase in relative abundance of each pathogen in several non‐host and host plant species. Across mixtures, plant community composition affected pathogen relative abundance in individual plant species. This effect was driven by the presence of a particular neighbouring plant species (depending on the pathogen), rather than functional group composition (i.e. grass/forb ratio) or averaged pathogen pressure (based on monocultures) of all neighbours. Specifically, the presence of neighbour host species Achillea millefolium significantly increased P. chrysanthemicola, but decreased R. solani relative abundance in several host and non‐host plant species in mixtures. Synthesis. Our results indicate that interactions between different plant species—both host and non‐hosts—and fungal pathogens underlie the effects of plant diversity on root pathogen abundance. Non‐host species may act as pathogen reservoirs in diverse plant communities, as they harboured certain pathogens in mixtures, but not in monocultures. Additionally, particular host species can strongly affect pathogen abundance in other (host and non‐host) plant species in plant mixtures, suggesting clear effects of species identity in the diversity–disease relationship. Below‐ground disease risk thus depends on plant community composition rather than diversity per se, via specific interactions between plant species and their root‐associated pathogens.

Firewood, architecture for fire and society. Agro-pastoralist atmospheres in the Argentine Puna (South Central Andes, ca. 1500 B.P.)

Social circumstances of the use of fire and firewood in past Andean societies are assessed through the anthracological, architectural and contextual analysis of a ritual burning in a foundational event of the agropastoralist societies from the Argentine Puna, at the southernmost part of the high desert of South Central Andes, ca. 1500 B.P. Ethnoarchaeological records on the properties and uses of native bush firewood are alluded to in the interpretation of the context. The composition of the dead bushy mixture was established as made up of 13 plant taxa collected in the vicinity -firewood, and collected in advance far from the place of use -incense plants. Likewise, differences in the composition of the plant mixture were observed when comparing the combustion core and the upper sector of the hearth. An uneven distribution of the soot was recorded, which showed the internal management of firewood and combustion residues. Aromas, smoke, color and light contrasts in the architecture of the combustion structure and the fire itself were defined. From this, a sensory ensemble and a given atmosphere around the fire are defined. They would correspond to household commensality events of the co-resident group which took place during the foundation of the “corral” for the confinement of the Camelidae cattle, and therefore during the foundation of the agro-pastoralist social group itself.

Status of Heavy Metal in Organic Fertilizers in Main Tea Growing Regions of China

To provide guidance for the safe use of organic fertilizers and improve soil quality and tea safety, it is necessary to conduct systematic analyses of the heavy metal content of organic fertilizers applied in the main tea producing areas of China. In this study, we analyzed the heavy metal contents in organic fertilizer samples collected from 2017 to 2019. The risks of collected organic fertilizers from different areas and sources were calculated. The results showed that the average concentrations of ω(As), ω(Hg), ω(Pb), ω(Cd), ω(Cr), ω(Cu), ω(Zn), and ω(Ni) in the collected organic fertilizers were 4.60, 0.22, 27.1, 0.78, 27.9, 58.3, 250.1, and 16.3 mg·kg-1, respectively. According to the assessment standard in NY/T 525- 2021, the over-limit rates of As, Hg, Pb, Cd, and Cr were 6.19%, 1.33%, 4.42%, 4.42%, and 1.33%, respectively. With respect to the area, the qualified rates were 100% in Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Fujian, and Guangxi; 80%-90% in Shandong, Zhejiang, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guangdong; and only 54.5% in Jiangxi. The qualified rates of sources were 100% in rapeseed cake, soybean cake, and pig manure; 95.8% in sheep manure; 91.7% in cow manure; 90.7% in chicken manure; 87.2% in manure of other animals; 82.4% in the mixture of plant and animal sources; 65.2% in other plant sources; and 63.6% in other sources. According to the recommended application rate, the accumulation rate of heavy metals in soil with pig manure, cow manure, chicken manure, and sheep manure would be much higher than that with rapeseed cake and soybean cake. The average accumulation rate of organic fertilizer from animal sources was 7-30 times higher than that from plant sources. Therefore, it is recommended to use rapeseed cake or soybean cake fertilizer in tea plantation and to increase the supervision of heavy metal accumulation in soil and tea in those high-risk areas.