Poppy Research Articles

Review on Toxicological Aspect of Ahiphena (Papaver)

Ahiphena (papaver) is one among Upavisha which is air-dried latex juice obtained from unripe capsules of white poppy. White poppy is botanically classified as Papaver somniferum and belongs to family Papaveracea The name poppy is derived from Latin meaning sleep inducing. The Ayurvedic text Rasa Tarangini Included Ahiphena (papaver) among eleven Upavishas . Opium yields wide range of natural, semi synthetic and synthetic alkaloids namely morphine, thebaine, codeine and papaverine which is commonly use in medicine. Semi synthetic heroin, hydro morphine, oxymorphone, oxycodone and synthetic meperidine, methadone, levarphanol , diphenoxylate, fentanyl, proposophene. Opium and its alkaloids cause drug dependence and it is most commonly abused substances after cannabis. Opioids are the main drugs of abuse in Asia, Europe and much of Oceania. The opium act of 1857 empowers only Central Government to cultivate poppy plants and manufacture opium with the help of farmers authorized by Government. The opium act 1878 prohibits import, export, transportation, possession and sale of opium. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 includes opium as narcotic and psychotropic substances and consumption of opium and its leads to imprisonment for one year or with fine or with both. Schedule-E (1) of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 has included opium in list of poisons. This study design to present all toxicological aspect of Ahiphena in Ayurvedic and contemporary View to treat people of opium poisoning and counselling in drug abuse.

Divergent proteomic profiles of opium poppy cultivars.

We examined the proteomic profiles of three registered opium poppy cultivars (Papaver somniferum L.) with varying alkaloid contents. The study was conducted on both the stem and capsule organs. A high number of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified between the cultivars and the organs. We analyzed DEPs for their contribution in GO terms and KEGG pathways. The upregulated DEPs were significantly enriched in photosynthesis and translation for morphine-rich and noscapine-rich cultivars, respectively. The data indicated that photosynthesis is crucial for benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA) biosynthesis, but different processes are also effective in morphine and noscapine biosynthesis, which occur at different branches in the biosynthetic pathway. The proteomics profiles revealed that energy demand is more effective in morphine biosynthesis, while translational control plays a leading role in noscapine biosynthesis. This study represents the first report demonstrating organ-based and cultivar-based protein expression differences in mature poppy plants.

Категоричний негативний висновок в експертизі наркотичних засобів

The article examines the rationale for an expert's categorical negative opinion on the example of an expert study of narcotic drugs from the poppy plant. The plant mass submitted for examination, which by its external features resembles poppy straw, was examined by microscopic and chemical methods. The microscopic examination revealed anatomical and morphological elements characteristic of poppy sleeping pills, which is the basis for classifying the substance under investigation as poppy straw. According to the List of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursors, poppy straw containing narcotically active opium alkaloids is a narcotic drug. To confirm the presence of narcotically active opium alkaloids in poppy straw, the study was carried out by microscopic and thin-layer chromatography. As a result of the study, it was established that the poppy straw provided for the study did not contain any narcotically active opium alkaloids, and, therefore, was not a narcotic drug. The absence of opium alkaloids can be explained by the multiple extraction of poppy straw, as evidenced by its appearance, colour and smell of the solvent. The study of the residues of a dark brown substance from the surface of the dishes was carried out by thin-layer chromatography according to the standard method. As a result of the study, trace amounts of morphine, which is a narcotic drug, were found. The results of the study provided a categorical negative conclusion, which may be the basis for closing the criminal proceedings. The presence of a small amount of morphine in the substance on the surface of the dishes does not significantly affect this decision. Key words: categorical negative conclusion, forensic examination of narcotic drugs,narcotic drug, poppy straw, anatomical and morphological elements of poppy, opium alkaloids, extraction of poppy straw, microscopic method, thin-layer chromatography method.

Modeling of Sensory Properties of Poppy Sherbet by Turkish Consumers and Changes in Quality Properties during Storage Process.

Poppy is an important edible plant containing bioactive components. This study aimed to produce good-tasting poppy sherbet by determining the content using a response surface methodology (RSM). At the same time, bioactive components, phenolic compounds, and color properties were investigated in optimum poppy sherbet during storage; 0.26 g of dried corn poppy flowers, 0.15 g of citric acid, and 4.29 g of sucrose values were the most promising, achieving high scores for color, smell, taste, and general acceptance from sensory properties (sensory score of 8.55 for color; 7.19 for smell; 8.38 for taste; 7.98 for general acceptability). A total of nine polyphenols were detected in the optimum poppy sherbet sample; gallic acid was the most common. There was no statistically significant difference between the samples stored on the 0th and 30th days regarding gallic acid content (23.886 ± 0.164 μg/mL, 23.403 ± 0.343 μg/mL) and protocatechuic acid (1.146 ± 0.048 μg/mL, 1.047 ± 0.038 μg/mL). Total flavonoid contents (TFC), total phenolic contents (TPC), CUPRAC (cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity), DPPH (e free radical diphenylpicrylhydrazyl), total monomeric anthocyanin (TAC), and color values were found to decrease as the storage period increased. It was considered that a highly palatable and rich bioactive component product could be obtained.

Investigation of the Effects of Opioids on Microglial Nitrite and Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) Production and Phagocytosis during Inflammation.

This study aimed to investigate how opioids affect phagocytosis and microglial nitrite and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) production during inflammation. Opioids are a group of chemicals that are naturally found in the opium poppy plant and exert a variety of effects on the brain, including pain alleviation in some cases. They are commonly used in surgery and perioperative analgesia. However, research on the impact of opioids on microglial inflammatory factor production and phagocytosis is limited. This study was designed to investigate the effects of opioids on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity and nitric oxide (NO) generation. Moreover, the influence of opioids on the engulfment of C8-B4 microglial cells after stimulation with LPS was also examined. C8-B4 mouse microglial cells were exposed to various concentrations of opioids after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Nitrite production was assayed. The iNOS and Cox-2 were determined by Western blotting, and fluorescent immunostaining was performed to assess the percentage of microglia that engulfed fluorescent microspheres in total microglia cultivating with opioids after being activated by LPS. After LPS and IFN-γ stimulation, microglia produced lower amounts of nitric oxide (NO) production with buprenorphine, salvinorin A, and naloxone (P<0.05). When combined with naloxone, no significant differences were found than buprenorphine. It was observed that buprenorphine and salvinorin A could suppress iNOS expression activated by LPS and IFN-γ. Phagocytosis was greatly increased after LPS stimulation, and a significant increase was observed after adding salvinorin A. Buprenorphine and salvinorin A were found to reduce NO production and iNOS induction in microglial cells activated by LPS and IFN-γ. Salvinorin A promoted the phagocytosis of microglia cells treated by LPS.

Oxidative stress caused by a commercial presentation of glyphosate in two indigenous fish species of importance in Colombia

The use of glyphosate to eradicate poppy (Papaver somniferum) and coca (Erythroxylon coca) plants is of great concern in Colombia due to potential effects on the environment. Juveniles of white cachama (n=36) (Piaractus brachypomus) (22.7 ± 2.9 g) and yamú (Brycon amazonicus) (n=36) (11.7 ± 1.1 g) were exposed for 96 h to three glyphosate concentrations (0, 5 and 15 ppm, v/v, as Roundup®). Enzymes linked to oxidative stress in liver and gills were measured after the exposure. The main oxidative stress changes happened in the gills of glyphosate-exposed cachama and liver of both species. There was a significant decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) activity of both species. Catalase activity was significantly reduced in livers of exposed cachama. Lipid peroxidation had a significant increase in glyphosate-exposed cachama (liver and gills) and yamú (liver). The biochemical changes found in both species and both organs indicate the oxidative effects of glyphosate as Roundup® despite the asymptomatic and non-lethal exposures.

Monofloral Corn Poppy Bee-Collected Pollen-A Detailed Insight into Its Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties.

The aim of this study was to compile a detailed phytochemical profile and assess the antioxidant properties of bee-collected pollen (PBP) obtained from corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.) plants. To achieve this, a lipid fraction was prepared for quantifying fatty acids using GC-FID. Extractable and alkaline-hydrolysable PBP fractions (obtained from a defatted sample) were used to determine the qualitative and quantitative profiles of phenolic compounds, phenylamides and alkaloids using UHPLC/Q-ToF-MS. Additionally, various spectrophotometric assays (TAC, FRP, CUPRAC, DPPH⦁) were conducted to evaluate the antioxidant properties. Phenolic compounds were more present in the extractable fraction than in the alkaline-hydrolysable fraction. Luteolin was the predominant compound in the extractable fraction, followed by tricetin and various derivatives of kaempferol. This study presents one of the first reports on the quantification of tricetin aglycone outside the Myrtaceae plant family. The alkaline-hydrolysable fraction exhibited a different phenolic profile, with a significantly lower amount of phenolics. Kaempferol/derivatives, specific compounds like ferulic and 5-carboxyvanillic acids, and (epi)catechin 3-O-gallate were the predominant compounds in this fraction. Regarding phenylamides, the extractable fraction demonstrated a diverse range of these bioactive compounds, with a notable abundance of different spermine derivatives. In contrast, the hydrolysable fraction contained six spermine derivatives and one spermidine derivative. The examined fractions also revealed the presence of seventeen different alkaloids, belonging to the benzylisoquinoline, berberine and isoquinoline classes. The fatty-acid profile confirmed the prevalence of unsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, both fractions exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with the extractable fraction showing particularly high activity. Among the assays conducted, the CUPRAC assay highlighted the exceptional ability of PBP's bioactive compounds to reduce cupric ions.

Opium alkaloids, biosynthesis, pharmacology and association with cancer occurrence

Papaver somniferum L. (Family: Papaveraceae) is a species well known for its diverse alkaloids (100 different benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs)). L-tyrosine serves as a precursor of several specific metabolites like BIAs. It has been used as an antitussive and potent analgesic to alleviate mild to extreme pain since ancient times. The extraction of pharmaceutically important alkaloids like morphine and codeine from poppy plant reflects the need for the most suitable and standard methods. Several analytical and extraction techniques have been reported in open literature for morphine, codeine and other important alkaloids which play a vital function in drug development and drug discovery. Many studies suggest that opioids are also responsible for adverse effects or secondary complications like dependence and withdrawal. In recent years, opium consumption and addiction are the most important risk factors. Many evidence-based reviews suggest that opium consumption is directly linked or acts as a risk factor for different cancers. In this review, we highlight significant efforts related to research which have been done over the past 5 decades and the complete information on Papaver somniferum including its phytochemistry, pharmacological actions, biosynthetic pathways and analytical techniques of opium alkaloid extraction and the link between opium consumption and cancer-related updates.

TransAttention U-Net for Semantic Segmentation of Poppy

This work represents a new attempt to use drone aerial photography to detect illegal cultivation of opium poppy. The key of this task is the precise segmentation of the poppy plant from the captured image. To achieve segmentation mask close to real data, it is necessary to extract target areas according to different morphological characteristics of poppy plant and reduce complex environmental interference. Based on RGB images, poppy plants, weeds, and background regions are separated individually. Firstly, the pixel features of poppy plant are enhanced using a hybrid strategy approach to augment the too-small samples. Secondly, the U-Shape network incorporating the self-attention mechanism is improved to segment the enhanced dataset. In this process, the multi-head self-attention module is enhanced by using relative position encoding to deal with the special morphological characteristics between poppy stem and fruit. The results indicated that the proposed method can segmented out the poppy plant precisely.

Survival analysis and probability density function of switching heroin model.

We study a switching heroin epidemic model in this paper, in which the switching of supply of heroin occurs due to the flowering period and fruiting period of opium poppy plants. Precisely, we give three equations to represent the dynamics of the susceptible, the dynamics of the untreated drug addicts and the dynamics of the drug addicts under treatment, respectively, within a local population, and the coefficients of each equation are functions of Markov chains taking values in a finite state space. The first concern is to prove the existence and uniqueness of a global positive solution to the switching model. Then, the survival dynamics including the extinction and persistence of the untreated drug addicts under some moderate conditions are derived. The corresponding numerical simulations reveal that the densities of sample paths depend on regime switching, and larger intensities of the white noises yield earlier times for extinction of the untreated drug addicts. Especially, when the switching model degenerates to the constant model, we show the existence of the positive equilibrium point under moderate conditions, and we give the expression of the probability density function around the positive equilibrium point.

Molecular Docking and Dynamic Simulation Revealed the Potential Inhibitory Activity of Opioid Compounds Targeting the Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2.

Opioids are a class of chemicals, naturally occurring in the opium poppy plant, and act on the brain to cause a range of impacts, notably analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions. Moreover, an overview was taken in consideration for SARS-CoV-2 incidence and complications, as well as the medicinal uses of opioids were discussed being a safe analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug in a specific dose. Also, our article focused on utilization of opioids in the medication of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the major objective of this study was to investigate the antiviral effect of opioids throughout an in silico study by molecular docking study to fifteen opioid compounds against SARS-CoV-2 main protease (PDB ID 6LU7, Mpro). The docking results revealed that opioid complexes potentially inhibit the Mpro active site and exhibiting binding energy (-11.0 kcal/mol), which is comparably higher than the ligand. Furthermore, ADMET prediction indicated that all the tested compounds have good oral absorption and bioavailability and can transport via biological membranes. Finally, Mpro-pholcodine complex was subjected to five MD (RMSD, RMSF, SASA, Rg, and hydrogen bonding) and two MM-PBSA, and conformational change studies, for 100 ns, confirmed the stability of pholcodine, as a representative example, inside the active site of Mpro.

Production of Iced Tea from Poppy Flowers Extract

Günümüzde sıklıkla tüketilen içecekler arasında bulunan soğuk çaylar çoğunlukla siyah çaydan üretilmektedir ve farklı bitki kökenli soğuk çayların üretimi oldukça sınırlıdır. Gelincik bitkisi (Papaver rhoaes L.), Papaveraceae familyasına ait tek yıllık yenilebilir bir çiçek türüdür ve özellikle içerdiği antosiyaninlerin antiinflamatuar, antimikrobiyal ve antiproliperatif gibi biyoaktif özelliklere sahip olduğu çeşitli çalışmalarca belirtilmiştir. Bu çalışmada, gelincik çiçeği antosiyaninleri asitli etanol-su ekstrasiyon yöntemi ile elde edilmiş ve ekstrakt püskürtmeli kurutucuda maltodekstrin ile kurutulmuştur. Kurutulmuş gelincik ekstraktı soğuk çay formülasyonunda sakaroz ve sitrik asit ile farklı oranlarda kombine edilerek 8 farklı gelincik soğuk çayı üretimleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Soğuk çayların toplam antosiyanin ve toplam fenolik madde içerikleri sırasıyla 10.98-28.49 mg cyn-3-O-glu/100 mL ve 9.15-21.96 mg GAE/100 mL olarak belirlenmiştir. Soğuk çayların üretimi aşamasında uygulanan pastörizasyon işleminin ürünlerin antioksidan aktivite değerlerinde anlamlı artışlara neden olduğu belirlenmiştir (p

Development of diagnostic SNP markers and a novel SNP genotyping assay for distinguishing opium poppies

The opium poppy acts as an important natural pain reliever but is also responsible for increased rates of severe drug abuse and addiction owing to its characteristic psychoactive effect. Non-medical illicit use of the poppy plant is markedly increasing worldwide, thereby highlighting the need for a robust species identification strategy. In this study, we identified SNPs within the region of two universal DNA barcodes, matK (maturase K) and the trnL-trnF (tRNA-Leu [3′exon]-tRNA-Phe [exon] intergenic spacer, that are forensically applicable for distinguishing opium poppy species based on a genetic analysis of 164 samples of family Papaveraceae obtained from locations spanning Jeolla-do and Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. A comparative analysis of the DNA barcode sequences for two narcotic types of the Papaver species (Papaver somniferum, Papaver somniferum subs. setigerum) to eight non-narcotic species revealed three unique nucleotide substitution events. Newly identified SNPs were located at position 255 of matK and at positions 305 and 306 of trnL-trnF; the narcotic species contained C, A, and T, whereas non-narcotic species contained T, G, and C at these positions. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that newly identified SNPs, which we named PsMAT255 and PsLF305/306, could be used to clearly differentiate between the narcotic and non-narcotic types of Papaver species based on the patterns of nucleotide variation. These results indicate that the nucleotide differences between the narcotic and non-narcotic species may influence genetic markers. We, therefore, developed a novel SNP-based allelic genotyping assay using the RT-PCR system that can reliably differentiate the narcotic type of the Papaver species. In summary, our findings suggest that the newly identified species-specific SNPs of both matK and trnL-trnF can be used as identification markers of narcotic Papaver species. Furthermore, a newly developed TaqMan allelic discrimination assay may be used as a practically applicable diagnostic method to survey several illicit narcotic specimens carrying the type-specific SNP.

Production of Poppy Seed in Afghanistan and its Composition Effects: A Review

The mean aim of this study is poppy plant with two important compounds of that poppy seed and opium which those are produced and used by people of world especially in a poor country like Afghanistan, the poppy seed used in bakery products, in pastry filling in deserts and the production of edible oil, also opium used as a drug. These contain morphine, thebaine, papaverine, codeine and narcotic which 20%, 1%,1%, (5-8)% respectively. According to, Bozan, B., &amp; Temelli, F. the proximate analysis of poppy seed shown the low content of moisture that is 5.3%, high content of crude fat 49.9% also it has ash, carbohydrate, and crude protein by parentage of 5.1%, 18.3%, and 21.6% respectively. As well as they include practically all essential amino acids, except for tryptophan, and are high in oil, carbs, calcium, and proteins. Poppyseed and opium as used for increasing the economic situation of the government of Afghanistan while surveys by (UNODC) from 2000 to 2020 in metric tons per year, the production of poppy seed increase from 3200 to 8200. The risk of addiction to opium smoking appears to be slightly lower than that of parenteral heroin use, but significantly higher than that of alcohol. Even in countries where its use is common, opium smoking poses significant health and social risks.

Forensic Application of Genetic and Toxicological Analyses for the Identification and Characterization of the Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum L.).

Simple SummaryThe identification and characterization of illicit plant species such as Papaver somniferum L. (opium poppy) are essential in order for law enforcement agencies to obtain information about the origin of seized drugs, and to improve the monitoring of illegal drug trafficking routes. This study focuses on the genetic and toxicological analyses of some poppy capsules seized by the Italian Police Forces in 2017 and 2018. The detection of specific morphological traits, the chemical study of the alkaloid profile by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and the genetic analysis performed by the DNA barcode approach showed that the seized poppy capsules belonged to P. somniferum. The data collected also suggested that the opium capsules originated from Afghanistan.Background: A reliable and science-based taxonomic determination of Papaver somniferum L. (opium poppy), the illegal species of the genus Papaver, may have practical and legal implications for law enforcement. P. somniferum is a controlled plant because of its narcotic substances, such as morphine and codeine. As poppy plants have rather similar morphological features, both chemical and genetic analysis are required in order to achieve an accurate characterization of such species. The chemical structures of alkaloids are extremely variable even within the same species, which is why the genetic approach may lead to a more scientific Papaver sp. differentiation. The aim of our study was the taxonomic identification of poppy capsules seized by the Italian Police Forces being considered as potential P. somniferum derivatives. Methods: The alkaloids detected using gas chromatography/mass-spectrometry (GC/MS) were morphine, codeine, thebaine, noscapine, meconin, hydrocotarnine, and traces of papaverine. Further genetic analysis was carried out simultaneously using three plastid DNA barcoding regions (matK, trnH-psbA, and rbcL) for the samples’ identification. Results: The Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method showed that the analysed samples were genetically identical. Conclusions: The morphological, toxicological, and genetic profile of the samples revealed that they belonged to P. somniferum species. Furthermore, the alkaloid content of dried poppy capsules might be used to investigate and track their origin.

Вплив екологічно безпечного регулятора росту на перерозподіл вуглеводів та азоту між органами рослин олійних культур

The aim of the research. Given that the existing data on the effect of growth inhibitors on the redistribution of assimilates in oil crops are not numerous and the controversial data on the effect of the anti-gibberellin drug chlormequat chloride on the content of carbohydrates and nitrogen the purpose of the experiment was to find out the influence of CCC on the redistribution of assimilates in oil crops.Methodology. Oil poppy and rapeseed plants of the Halytsky variety were treated during the budding period with a 0.5% solution of chlormequat chloride with a Mastertool hydraulic sprayer, while the plants of the control sample were treated with water. Experimental plots were laid in farms of the Podilskyi region in 2020-2021. The number of experimental plots of each of the experimental options is 5, the area is 5 m2. The content of total nitrogen was determined by the Kjeldahl method, sugars and starch content was measured using the iodometric method.&#x0D; The novelty of the research. The effect of a growth regulator on the redistribution of carbohydrates between plant organs during the growing season was for the first time investigated on the oil poppy culture. The accumulation of excessive carbohydrates in the leaves and roots of the experimental samples has a positive meaning due to the creation of a powerful reserve fund of assimilates. It is used for the formation and growth of the fruits of the oil poppy, the number of which increased. An increase in the content of carbohydrates in the vegetative organs of oil poppy plants under the action of chlormequat chloride was found to go along with a decrease in the content of total nitrogen in the roots and leaves both in the control sample and in the plants of the experimental variant.Conclusions. The usage of growth regulators in the budding phase causes an increase in the productivity of oil poppy and rapeseed culture. Under the action of these preparations, a correction of donor-acceptor relations in the plant is observed. It is implemented through the redistribution of assimilates from vegetative organs to the needs of carpogenesis. The formation of a more powerful acceptor sphere is associated with laying a larger number of fruits - the main acceptors of assimilates in the second half of the growing season. An increase in the load of the plant with fruits in the plants of the experimental variants also affected a more intensive flow of carbohydrates and nitrogen-containing compounds to them, which ultimately led to an increase in the seed yield.

Synthetic opioids: a review and clinical update.

The term 'opioids' refers to both the natural compounds ('opiates') which are extracted from the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum) and their semi-synthetic and synthetic derivatives. They all possess relatively similar biochemical profiles and interact with the opioid receptors within the human body to produce a wide range of physiological effects. They have historically been used for medicinal purposes, their analgesic and sedative effects, and in the management of chronic and severe pain. They have also been used for non-medicinal and recreational purposes to produce feelings of relaxation, euphoria and well-being. Over the last decade, the emergence of an illegal market in new synthetic opioids has become a major global public health issue, associated with a substantial increase in unintentional overdoses and drug-related deaths. Synthetic opioids include fentanyl, its analogues and emerging non-fentanyl opioids. Their popularity relates to changes in criminal markets, pricing, potency, availability compared to classic opioids, ease of transport and use, rapid effect and lack of detection by conventional testing technologies. This article expands on our previous review on new psychoactive substances. We now provide a more in-depth review on synthetic opioids and explore the current challenges faced by people who use drugs, healthcare professionals, and global public health systems.

In vitro disease burden analysis using green silver nanoparticles

Biologically manufactured silver nanoparticles are increasingly being used for various sterilization purposes because of its broad spectrum antibacterial activity. There have been relatively few studies on the applicability of silver NPs to control plant diseases. The present study was aimed to investigate the potential of green synthesized silver nanoparticles (GAgNPs) to analyze disease burden in poppy plants affected with Downy mildew (DM) disease caused by fungi Peronospora arborescens for the first time. The GAgNPs was also assayed to determine its antimicrobial potential against bacterial strains. We found that there were some bacterial strains in addition to the fungus which affected the crop yield, by measuring colony forming unit (CFU), caused disease burden on poppy plants. In in vitro examination shows, GAgNPs significantly inhibited bacterial strains even at 10 ppm (least minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)) then control. Maximum inhibition shows at 100 ppm (most MIC) which is an optimize concentration of GAgNPs. These results suggest that GAgNPs have potential for use as economic, low-dose, potentially non-persistent anti-microbial agents against both DM fungi and the bacterial strains. Copyright © 2017 VBRI Press.

Drones, Deep Learning, and Endangered Plants: A Method for Population-Level Census Using Image Analysis

A census of endangered plant populations is critical to determining their size, spatial distribution, and geographical extent. Traditional, on-the-ground methods for collecting census data are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive. Use of drone imagery coupled with application of rapidly advancing deep learning technology could greatly reduce the effort and cost of collecting and analyzing population-level data across relatively large areas. We used a customization of the YOLOv5 object detection model to identify and count individual dwarf bear poppy (Arctomecon humilis) plants in drone imagery obtained at 40 m altitude. We compared human-based and model-based detection at 40 m on n = 11 test plots for two areas that differed in image quality. The model out-performed human visual poppy detection for precision and recall, and was 1100× faster at inference/evaluation on the test plots. Model inference precision was 0.83, and recall was 0.74, while human evaluation resulted in precision of 0.67, and recall of 0.71. Both model and human performance were better in the area with higher-quality imagery, suggesting that image quality is a primary factor limiting model performance. Evaluation of drone-based census imagery from the 255 ha Webb Hill population with our customized YOLOv5 model was completed in &lt;3 h and provided a reasonable estimate of population size (7414 poppies) with minimal investment of on-the-ground resources.

Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of Drought Stress Response in Opium Poppy Plants during the First Week of Germination.

Water deficiency is one of the most significant abiotic stresses that negatively affects growth and reduces crop yields worldwide. Most research is focused on model plants and/or crops which are most agriculturally important. In this research, drought stress was applied to two drought stress contrasting varieties of Papaver somniferum (the opium poppy), a non-model plant species, during the first week of its germination, which differ in responses to drought stress. After sowing, the poppy seedlings were immediately subjected to drought stress for 7 days. We conducted a large-scale transcriptomic and proteomic analysis for drought stress response. At first, we found that the transcriptomic and proteomic profiles significantly differ. However, the most significant findings are the identification of key genes and proteins with significantly different expressions relating to drought stress, e.g., the heat-shock protein family, dehydration responsive element-binding transcription factors, ubiquitin E3 ligase, and others. In addition, metabolic pathway analysis showed that these genes and proteins were part of several biosynthetic pathways most significantly related to photosynthetic processes, and oxidative stress responses. A future study will focus on a detailed analysis of key genes and the development of selection markers for the determination of drought-resistant varieties and the breeding of new resistant lineages.