Wild Plant Resources Research Articles

What's in a Hearth? Preliminary Findings from the Margal Hunter-Gatherer Habitation in the Eastern Mongolian Gobi Desert

abstract: Today's image of people inhabiting the vast steppe landscapes of Mongolia is inseparably linked to mobile animal herding. Indeed, archaeologists have confirmed that human-animal communities comprised of human herders and domestic livestock roamed across Mongolia's grassland environment and utilized semi-arid to arid regions such as the Gobi steppe desert for thousands of years. However, it is much rarer to catch a glimpse of the time before the advent of pastoralism in this part of the world. During the Neolithic (ca. 6000–1800 b.c.), the Gobi was much less of a desert than it is today. Sparsely scattered archaeological sites testify to the presence of hunter-gatherer groups that successfully exploited rich wetland environments. As a result of the pedestrian survey carried out by the Dornod Mongol Survey in the greater region of Delgerkhaan Uul, we discovered in situ remains of a Neolithic habitation site. Excavations at the Margal site uncovered a stratified hearth and a lithic assemblage embedded in a habitation layer and accompanied by a few faunal bone fragments. Our finds correspond with the Oasis 2 stage (ca. 6000–3000 b.c.) of the scheme established by Janz and colleagues dividing the Mongolian Neolithic into phases based on habitation, as well as subsistence patterns and technology. However, some typical Oasis 2 markers such as pottery and grinding tools are missing from the small assemblage uncovered from test excavations in 2017 and 2018. Margal likely belonged to a regional network of extended hunter-gatherer occupation relying on wild plant and faunal resources. The site represents the first of its kind in the region and has potential to shed light on hunter-gatherer subsistence and habitation decisions. In concert with adjacent archaeological surface scatters and contextualized in the supraregional network of hunter-gatherer habitation, it will contribute to refining current models of lifeways and transformations in Mongolian prehistory.

What’s in a Hearth?: Preliminary Findings from the Margal Hunter-gatherer Habitation in the Eastern Mongolian Gobi Desert

Today’s image of people inhabiting the vast steppe landscapes of Mongolia is inseparably linked to mobile animal herding. Indeed, archaeologists have confirmed that human-animal communities comprised of human herders and domestic livestock roamed across Mongolia’s grassland environment and utilized semiarid to arid regions such as the Gobi steppe desert for thousands of years. However, it is much rarer to catch a glimpse of the time before the advent of pastoralism in this part of the world. During the Neolithic (ca. 6000 – 1800 B.C.), the Gobi was much less of a desert than it is today. Sparsely scattered archaeological sites testify to the presence of hunter-gatherer groups that successfully exploited rich wetland environments. As a result of the pedestrian survey carried out by the Dornod-Mongol-Survey in the greater region of Delgerkhaan Uul, we discovered in situ remains of a Neolithic habitation site. Excavations at the Margal site uncovered a stratified hearth and a lithic assemblage embedded in a habitation layer and accompanied by a few faunal bone fragments. Our finds correspond with the Oasis 2 stage (ca. 6000 – 3000 B.C.) of the scheme established by Janz and colleagues dividing the Mongolian Neolithic into phases based on habitation and subsistence patterns and technology. However, some typical Oasis 2 markers such as pottery and grinding tools are missing from the small assemblage uncovered from test excavations in 2017 and 2018. Margal likely belonged to a regional network of extended hunter-gatherer occupation relying on wild plant and faunal resources. The site represents the first of its kind in the region and has potential to shed light on hunter-gatherer subsistence and habitation decisions. In concert with adjacent archaeological surface scatters and contextualized in the supraregional network of hunter gather habitation, it will contribute to refining current models of lifeways and transformations in Mongolian prehistory.

Green Hydrothermal Synthesis and Applications of Sorbus pohuashanensis/Aronia melanocarpa Extracts Functionalized-Au/Ag/AuAg Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles (NPs) have already been widely used in catalysis, antibacterial and coating fields. Compared with the traditional toxic and harmful reducing reagents, green synthesis of NPs by using plant extracts is not only environmental-friendly and cost-effective but also conducive to the multi-level and efficient utilization of wild plant resources. In this study, the aqueous extracts from Sorbus pohuashanensis (SP) and Aronia melanocarpa (AM) fruits were used as the reducing and protective reagents for synthesizing Au/AgNPs, with the characteristics of originality operation and high repeatability. The SP/AM fruit extracts functionalized Au/AgNPs were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy (UV-vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). UV-vis spectrums showed the NPs peaks verified by the presence between 400–550 nm; TEM and SEM demonstrated NPs displayed approximately spherical structures; EDS confirmed the existence of Au/Ag elements; XRD measurements confirmed that the obtained NPs showed highly crystalline structures; FTIR demonstrated the fruits extracts were adsorbed on the surface of NPs. Primary experiments indicated that SP/AM fruit extracts functionalized-NPs could be used as the reagents for removing the organic dyes efficiently; Zone of inhibition tests (ZOI) explained that NPs have slow-release antibacterial activity.

Using botanical resources to select wild forage legumes for domestication in temperate grassland agricultural systems

The need for better understanding and conservation of wild plant resources with potential for domestication or utilization in crop improvement has been highlighted in recent years. Botanical resources such as herbaria, databases, and floras offer an information-rich platform from which to select species of interest based on desirable traits. To demonstrate the potential of these resources, wild, native forage legumes were screened for inclusion in northern Swedish grassland agricultural systems (leys). The poor persistence of red clover in multi-year leys is a limitation to the current management strategy in the region. Wild, native forage legumes with the potential for longer persistence were considered for inclusion as minor components in leys to contribute to the system in later years of production. Using the Umeå University Herbarium, local floras, and both regional and international biodiversity databases, seven wild forage legume species were selected based on phenology, morphology, and native range. Particular focus was given to the potential for species to provide pollinator resources early in the season, leading to species with early flowering being preferred. Biodiversity databases were also used to locate wild populations of the selected species to facilitate seed collection for future cultivation, as additional study of the agronomic potential of the selected species is necessary. Here, we have shown that the rich biodiversity data stored in botanical institutions can jumpstart the selection of wild species for utilization in the agriculture sector based on various traits of interest.

Assessment of alkaloids from the stems of 14 Berberis species in China

AbstractThe total alkaloids and its five monomeric alkaloids were studied from the stems of 14 species of the genus Berberis from China. The optimal extraction conditions of the total alkaloids were established as including a ratio of liquid‐to‐material of 249.55:1 (ml/g), extraction temperature of 59.6°C, and extraction time of 137.5 min. The contents of total alkaloids of the 14 Berberis species range from 7.74 to 29.37 mg/g, three species, B. pruinosa, B. wilsonae, B. verruculosa, possess higher contents between 21.19 and 29.37 mg/g. The contents of five monomeric alkaloids were analyzed by ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography, using methanol and 0.2% formic acid as the optimal mobile phase, jatrorrhizine, berberine, and palmatine are found in all the 14 species, and three species, B. pruinosa, B. wilsonae, B. verruculosa, possess the higher contents between 1.99 and 9.48 mg/g, while epiberberine is detected in eight species with low contents (0.06–0.07 mg/g), and coptisine is detected in just three species with low contents (0.05–0.11 mg/g). Only one species, B. taliensis, is found to contain all five monomeric alkaloids. The results may promote the development and utilization of the largely unexploited abundant wild medicinal plant resources of Berberis species in China.

Neolithic dental calculi provide evidence for environmental proxies and consumption of wild edible fruits and herbs in central Apennines

Looking for a biological fingerprint relative to new aspects of the relationship between humans and natural environment during prehistoric times is challenging. Although many issues still need to be addressed in terms of authentication and identification, microparticles hidden in ancient dental calculus can provide interesting information for bridging this gap of knowledge. Here, we show evidence about the role of edible plants for the early Neolithic individuals in the central Apennines of the Italian peninsula and relative cultural landscape. Dental calculi from human and animal specimens exhumed at Grotta Mora Cavorso (Lazio), one of the largest prehistoric burial deposits, have returned an archaeobotanical record made up of several types of palaeoecological proxies. The organic fraction of this matrix was investigated by a multidisciplinary approach, whose novelty consisted in the application of next generation sequencing to ancient plant DNA fragments, specifically codifying for maturase K barcode gene. Panicoideae and Triticeae starches, together with genetic indicators of Rosaceae fruits, figs, and Lamiaceae herbs, suggested subsistence practices most likely still based on wild plant resources. On the other hand, pollen, and non-pollen palynomorphs allowed us to outline a general vegetational framework dominated by woodland patches alternated with meadows, where semi-permanent settlements could have been established.

Phytochemical profile and biological activities from different parts of Vaccinium vitis-idaea

BACKGROUND: Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.), as an important natural and wild plant resource in the world, has high economic and nutritional values. Many researchers have focused on the effect of antioxidant and enzyme inhibitors. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the active ingredients, in vitro antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory activity from different parts (root, stem, leaf, and fruit) of wild lingonberry. METHODS: The active ingredients of lingonberry were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQ-MS/MS). Antioxidant activities were measured by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and CUPRAC assays. Principal component analysis (PCA) and agglomerated hierarchical clustering (AHC) were used to analyze the relationship between active ingredients, antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory activity. RESULTS: Phenolic compounds were significantly higher in leaf and stem. The enzyme inhibitory of the extracts varied observably according to the plant parts. Fruit had the highest acetylcholinesterase (317.67 mg GALAEs/g) and butyrylcholinesterase (346.04 mg GALAEs/g) inhibitory activity, while leaf had the most potent activity on α-amylase (256.59 mg ACAEs/g), α-glucosidase (186.70 mg ACAEs/g) and tyrosinase (42.87 mg KAEs/g). Tyrosinase had strong correlation and similarity with phenolic acids and flavonoids in the correlation analysis and PCA. CONCLUSIONS: 29 active ingredients were detected, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and triterpenes. Lingonberry sample to inhibit the activity of tyrosinase was associated with five flavonoids (kaempferol-3-O-galactoside, kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucosyl (1 ⟶ 2) galactoside, biorobin,,quercetin 3-O-glucoside-7-O-rhamnoside, rutinum) and phenolic acid content (arbutin). These results suggested that the lingonberry could be used as a promising natural resource for functional food and medicinal development.

Analysis of terpenoids and their gene regulatory networks on the basis of the transcriptome and metabolome of Opisthopappus longilobus.

Opisthopappus longilobus, which is a unique wild plant resource in China, produces leaves and flowers with distinct aromas. However, there have been relatively few molecular studies on its floral aroma, which has hindered the research on this plant species at the molecular level and the breeding of novel varieties. In this study, transcriptome and metabolome analyses were performed using O. longilobus leaves, buds, and inflorescences at the exposure, initial opening, and blooming stages. Using high-quality reads and assembly software, a total of 45,674 unigenes were annotated according to the Nr, Swiss-Prot, KOG, and KEGG databases. Additionally, a GC-MS system and a self-built database were used to detect 1,371 metabolites in the leaves, buds, and inflorescences. Terpene metabolites were the most common compounds (308 in total). We analyzed the gene network regulating terpenoid accumulation in O. longilobus and identified 56 candidate genes related to terpenoid synthesis. The expression of OlPMK2, OlMVK1, OlTPS1, and OlTPS3 may lead to the accumulation of 11 different terpenoids specifically in the inflorescences at the exposure, initial opening, and blooming stages. The generated data may be useful for future research on O. longilobus genetic resources and the molecular mechanism regulating aroma formation in this plant species. The findings of this study may be used to accelerate the breeding of new O. longilobus varieties with enhanced aromatic traits.

Ethnobotany of wild edible plants in multiethnic areas of the Gansu–Ningxia–Inner Mongolia junction zone

IntroductionIn recent years, research on wild edible plant resources has become increasingly popular. The Hassan Nature Reserve is a multiethnic area mainly composed of people belonging to the Han, Hui, and Mongolian groups. The utilization of edible wild plant resources in this area is extremely high. However, with the advancement of urbanization and the development of modern agricultural technology, these resources have been seriously damaged, and related traditional knowledge, such as that related to national medicine, has been lost.MethodsBased on a literature study, interviews with village and community organizations, participatory observation, and quantitative evaluation of ethnobotanical resources, wild edible plants in the Gansu–Ningxia–Inner Mongolia junction zone, were investigated.ResultsThe survey results showed that there were 53 species (varieties) of wild edible plants belonging to 24 families in this area. The Compositae and Liliaceae families were the most abundant, with 8 and 7 species, respectively. The young stems and leaves were the most edible parts of the plants, as observed for 17 species, followed by fruits (including young fruits), which were considered the edible part of 16 species. Other edible parts included the roots or rhizomes (bulbs), seeds, whole plants, skins, etc. The edible plants were consumed in two forms: raw and cooked; raw plants, mainly fruit, were typically consumed as snacks. The cooked foods mainly consisted of vegetables, with tender stems and leaves as the main food source. These components were also used as seasoning, in medicinal diets, and as an emergency food source in times of famine. Important (CFSI > 500) wild edible plants used in health care in the region include Mulgedium tataricum (L.) DC., Nostoc commune Vaucher ex Bornet & Flahault, Sonchus arvensis L., Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz., Allium schoenoprasum L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Hemerocallis citrina Baroni, Elaeagnus angustifolia L., Medicago sativa L., Ulmus pumila L., Stachys sieboldii Miq., and Toona sinensis (Juss.) M. Roem., and these plants had high utilization values and rates locally.ConclusionIn summary, the species of wild edible plants and their edible parts, categories, consumption forms and roles in health care in this area are diverse. The utilization of traditional knowledge is rich, and some wild plants have high development value.

Lesser-known wild edible plants used by Thadou-Kuki tribe of Indo-Myanmar region, Manipur, India

Abstract. Haokip LL, Panmei R. 2022. Lesser-known wild edible plants used by Thadou-Kuki tribe of Indo-Myanmar region, Manipur, India. Biodiversitas 23: 3991-3998. Wild edible plants are overlooked groups of plants which forms an integral part of the culture and tradition of many indigenous communities by providing both nourishment and variety in the diet. The present study is an inventory on the wild edible plants consumed by Thadou-Kuki tribe of Manipur. Field survey was carried out in five villages and three local markets of the district. The survey documented 73 wild edible plants consumed by the Thadou tribe. Except for one species each of Gymnosperm and Pteridophyte, all the species (71) are Angiosperms under 64 genera and 43 families. Most of the edible plants are consumed in cooked vegetable form (45%) while processed fruits (4%) is the least mode of consumption. The use of species like Dysoxylum excelsum, Entada rheedii, Eurya acuminata and Erigeron canadensis as vegetables and Meyna spinosa and Physalis alkekengi as fruits is one of the interesting records as these species’ usage is meager among other tribes of the northeastern state. It is found that most of the wild plant resources play a vital role in the nutritional fulfillment, medicine and socio-economic aspects of the Thadou tribe.

The nexus between traditional foraging and its sustainability: a qualitative assessment among a few selected Eurasian case studies.

Plant foraging is an important human ecological phenomenon being studied by a number of contemporary ethnobiologists as well as by a few social anthropologists among rural communities and, more recently, in urban environments. The sustainability dimension of foraging is, however, largely unexplored. We analyse a few case studies from recent field research and qualitatively assess both the environmental and social sustainability of diverse patterns of traditional foraging practices in three distinct human ecological environments (horticulturalism-, forestry-, and pastoralism-driven) located in the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, and North Pakistan, i.e. we address the question of when does traditional foraging become unsustainable and what factors may influence this. The main findings are multidimensional. First, in all case studies, we sometimes observed competitive foraging among the gatherers of certain wild food plants potentially causing ecological degradation; such unsustainable practices seem to be linked to the market pressure on certain species. However, also customs and norms promoted by states can be detrimental (former Soviet Union), as well as climate change (Eastern Europe), and marginalisation of some minority groups (Pakistan). Second, in the Mediterranean Syrian context, wild food plant resources are largely represented by widely available weedy “wild” vegetables, normally (but not exclusively) collected by women, and usually easily accessible; only very few wild food plants seem to be threatened due to specific market demands or to disequilibria created by household economic instabilities due to the recent war. We also argue that unsustainable foraging is enhanced by the abandonment of daily practices and continuous interaction with the natural environment and by the increasingly uneven distribution of active practical knowledge on wild food plants among the middle-aged and younger population. Facilitating the transmission of sustainable foraging knowledge and practices could be therefore crucial, also for coping with food insecurity in times of crisis; but for that to occur, holistic environmental and food educational frameworks, appropriate policies for fostering community-based biodiversity conservation and also social cohesion and communal management of lands should be seriously considered as well. Moreover, future gastronomic and eco-tourism initiatives, if organised in a thoughtful manner, could represent a positive turning point not only for the local small-scale economies of the considered rural communities but also for helping them to dynamically preserve the entire socio-ecological system underpinned in plant foraging and ultimately to better adapt to the current global crisis.

Metabolome and Microbiome Signatures in the Leaves of Wild Tea Plant Resources Resistant to Pestalotiopsis theae

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is an important crop that is mainly used in the food industry. This study using the metabolome and microbiome investigates the resistance factors of wild tea plant resources against tea gray blight disease, which is caused by Pestalotiopsis theae (Sawada) Steyaert. According to the interaction analysis of tea leaves and pathogenic fungus, the resistance of wild tea plant resource “R1” (Resistance 1) to tea gray blight disease was significantly higher than that of wild tea plant resource “S1” (Susceptibility 1). The difference between “R1” and “S1” in the metabolome was obvious. There were 145 metabolites that significantly changed. The phenolic acids and flavonoids were the major increased categories in “R1,” and it included 4-O-glucosyl-sinapate and petunidin-3-o-(6”-o-p-coumaroyl) rutinoside. Six metabolic pathways were significantly enriched, including aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, flavone, and flavonol biosynthesis. In terms of bacteria, there was no significant difference between “S1” and “R1” in the principal component analysis (PCA). Pseudomonas was the major bacterial genus in “S1” and “R1.” In addition, each of the two resources had its own predominant genus: Cellvibirio was a predominant bacterial genus in “S1” and Candidatus_competibacter was a predominant bacterial genus in “R1.” In terms of fungi, the fungal diversity and the abundance of the two tea plant resource samples could be distinguished clearly. The fungal component of “S1” was more abundant than that of “R1” at the genus level. Toxicocladosporium was the predominant fungal genus of “S1,” and Filobasidium was the predominant fungal genus of “R1.” The relative abundance of unclassified-norank-norank-Chloroplast and Penicillium were significantly different between “S1” and “R1.” Penicillium was identified as a potential biomarker. They correlated with some metabolites enriched in “S1” or “R1,” such as L-arginine and quercetin-3-o-(2”-o-rhamnosyl) rutinoside-7-o-glucoside. Overall, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and Penicillium could be functional metabolites or microorganisms that contributed to improving the resistance of wild tea plant resources to tea gray blight disease.

In vitro antioxidant activity and selenium content of some important wild edible plants from arid zone

Inverse relationship is seen between dietary intake of antioxidant-rich foods and incidence of number of human diseases. They play an important role in chemoprevention of diseases viz., cancer, AIDS, arthritis, osteoporosis, CNS injury. There are a number of local foods from arid zone of Rajasthan used traditionally which may have potential positive effects on health but antioxidant properties of edible wild plants have not been determined. Present study is an attempt to explore some of the promising wild edible plant resources of arid zone of Rajasthan for their antioxidant potential by studying their DPPH activity and selenium content. The antioxidant activity of the selected plant species determined by DPPH assay was found to vary from 38.99 to 89.48% . The selenium content in the selected wild edible plants varied from 2.53 μg/g (Grewia tenax) to 3.49 μg/g (Leptadenia reticulata) on dry wt basis. The antioxidant values and selenium content values suggest that these plants can be used as supplementary food . Studies are however needed to study the effect of cooking, processing, geographical variation and in vivo trials.

Early millet cultivation, subsistence diversity, and wild plant use at Neolithic Anle, Lower Yangtze, China

This study examines the archeological seed assemblage of Anle, a middle Neolithic site located in the Lower Yangtze region, China. The Lower Yangtze is thought to be the origin of domesticated rice and most studies of this region to date have focused on rice domestication and cultivation within its paleoenvironmental setting. In contrast, we highlight here diverse uses of non-rice plant resources. In addition to large quantities of rice remains (carbonized grains and spikelet bases), we identify both foxtail and broomcorn millet, both AMS radiocarbon dated earlier than 5750 cal BP, demonstrating the dispersal of millet cultivation to the Lower Yangtze in the middle Neolithic, earlier than previously securely documented. While most wild species identified in macrobotanical assemblages are traditionally categorized as weeds or incidental intrusions among food residues, many can be exploited for food and medicinal purposes. By analyzing the ecological and functional implications of identified plants, we infer ecological niches of cultivation, gathering, and possible propagation of wild plants as food and medicine. Analyses of diversity and seasonality of plant resources identified show that residents of Anle created a complex seasonal sequence of temporally compatible crops, constructing niches for two crops (rice and millet) and actively structuring opportunities to exploit available wild plant resources in their immediate environment.

​Establishment of a Regeneration System for Wild Alfalfa in Alxa, China

Background: The Alxa Region in Inner Mongolia, northwest China is a desert grassland area. Wild alfalfa growing in this area is a precious wild plant resource that can provide resources for improving the stress resistance of alfalfa varieties. Alfalfa is a cross-pollinated plant and its genes are commonly heterozygous. Therefore, establishing a complete tissue culture regeneration system for a single plant is an effective method of protecting wild plant resources. This study used the bud and leaf of wild alfalfa from the Alxa Region as explants to establish an efficient and stable tissue culture regeneration system. Methods: Two kinds of wild alfalfa tissues were selected as explants. Different concentrations and types of plant growth hormones and regulators were tested, to determine the optimal medium for callus induction, differentiation and rooting culture, including 6-Benzylaminopurine (6-BA), Kinetin (KT), 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D), Naphylacetic acid (NAA), Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and activated carbon (AC). Result: The callus induction rate was 93.3% when the bud of wild alfalfa was used as an explant for propagation. With a basic medium (Murashige and Skoog medium with Ca2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+ halved) and hormone regulator (6-BA, KT, NAA, AC), the differentiation rate and rooting rate reached as high as 66.67% and 93.33%, respectively. When leaves were used as explants, the callus induction rate and differentiation rate were 100% and 73.33%, respectively. In the rooting culture process, adding IBA (0.2 mg/L) and AC (0.5 mg/L) to the medium improved the rooting rate of wild alfalfa. Both buds and leaves can be used as explants for plant tissue regeneration and culture, which can help expand and preserve wild alfalfa resources.

A Rapid Integration Method of Wild Ornamental Plant Resources Based on Improved Clustering Algorithm

Wild ornamental plants are beneficial as well as dangerous for the environment. Because the introduction of attractive plants that are not suited to the local ecosystem can result in significant environmental damage, a quick integration strategy based on an enhanced clustering algorithm is proposed for wild ornamental plant resources. The technique is enhanced with density stratification by integrating the k-means distance measurement formula and establishing the objective function of clustering optimization. The cluster termination condition is controlled by the number of clusters k, and the wild plant data categories are continually merged. Uneven density distribution is used to deal with the wild plant distribution dataset. To obtain the distribution of wild ornamental plants in different regions, to estimate the optimal parameters of wild plant samples, to combine with maximum likelihood classification to obtain the plant flora differentiation degree, and to complete the resource integration, remote sensing images were used. Comprehensive survey and systematic sampling were used to conduct a complete survey of the protected area. The heat map of the plant size distribution shows that there is a clear negative correlation between the spatial scale difference and the overall density difference of the plant distribution, that is, it appears spatially. From the experimental analysis, it is observed that the high-density small-scale and low-density large-scale agglomeration distribution characteristics delay is 1.96 s.

Traditional knowledge and use of wild edible plants in Sidi Bennour region (Central Morocco)

Background: This study aimed to protect the knowledge related to the traditional uses of wild plant resources which constituted untapped potential as dietary supplements and therapeutic products Methods: An ethnobotanical survey based on the Semi-Structured Interview method was carried out among the Sidi Bennour region from February 2019 to February 2020. Results: The results showed that a total of 56 plant species representing 56 genera and 27 families were used to make different food dishes and in the treatment of various diseases. The most cited wild edible plants (WEPs) families were Asteraceae (16%). The leaves (38%) and stems (32%) were the most parts commonly used in food. Four utilization categories were cited, vegetables, for seasoning, as a drink, and Other (plants used to decorate or flavor traditional dishes). The use of these WEPs as vegetables was the most cited mode of consumption (37.5%) by the local population. The leaves were the most commonly used part (35%) for medicinal uses of WEPs. Decoction (27.27%) was the most common method of preparing traditional medicines. The majority of preparations were administered orally (80.25%). The study results showed also that local people have sufficient information on the safe use of WEPs. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that the people of the Sidi Bennour region, hold rich traditional knowledge of a large number of WEPs, however, the study population underlined the sharp decline in the consumption of most of the species recorded consequently the detailed documentation may effectively prevent knowledge loss through time. Keywords: ethnobotanical survey, Wild edible plants, relative frequency index of citation, phytotherapy, beqoula, Sidi Bennour, Morocco

Remodeling and protecting the membrane system to resist phosphorus deficiency in wild soybean (Glycine soja) seedling leaves.

The poor-soil-tolerant wild soybean resist phosphorus deficiency by remodeling membrane lipids to reuse phosphorus. The plants synthesize phenolic acids and flavonoids to remove reactive oxygen species and protect membrane stability. Poor soil largely limits plant yields, and the development and utilization of high-quality wild plant resources is an effective approach to resolving this problem. Two ecotypes of wild soybean were used as experimental materials in this experiment. We integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics to determine whether wild soybean (Glycine soja) could resist phosphorus deficiency by remodeling and protecting its membrane system. Under phosphorus-deficient conditions, the plant height and aboveground fresh and dry weight of poor-soil-tolerant wild soybean seedlings were less inhibited than those in common wild soybean. In poor-soil-tolerant wild soybean seedling leaves, the glycerol-3-phosphate content decreased significantly, while caffeic acid, ferulic acid, shikimic acid, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan increased significantly. β-Glucosidase and chalcone synthase genes and those that encode SQD2, a crucial enzyme in thiolipid biosynthesis, were specifically up-regulated, whereas the glucosyltransferase UGT74B1 gene was down-regulated. The poor-soil-tolerant wild soybean enhanced glycerolipid metabolism to decompose phospholipids and release phosphorus for reuse to improve resistance to phosphorus deficiency. The plants synthesized thiolipids to replace phospholipids and maintain membrane structure integrity and inhibited glucosinolate biosynthesis to promote phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, leading to the production of phenolic acids and flavonoids that removed reactive oxygen species and protected membrane system stability. The experiments evaluated and provided insight into the innovative utilization of wild soybean germplasm resources.

Comparative differences in photosynthetic characteristics, ion balance, and nitrogen metabolism between young and old wild soybean leaves under nitrogen deficiency

It is a hot issue and an effective method in botany and agronomy to improve cultivation crops using existing wild plant resources without creating invasive plants. Wild soybean is not only a wild ancestor of cultivated soybean, but also an excellent germplasm resource to improve it. The photosynthetic characteristics, ion balance, and nitrogen (N) metabolism of young and old leaves in two wild soybean genotypes (common wild soybean: W1; barren tolerant wild soybean: W2) were analyzed under different intensities of N deficiency. The results showed that N deficiency inhibited the growth and total N content in both genotypes, but W2 was less inhibited. Under the high intensity of N deficiency, the root length in W2 was significantly longer than that in the control group (P < 0.05), which suggested that N deficiency tolerance in W2 was stronger than that in W1. W2 in young leaves maintained stable net photosynthetic rate (pN) and photosynthetic pigment content. Mg2+ and K+ were transported from old leaves to young leaves. Meanwhile, GOGAT and GDH activities were increased in W2 old leaves and GOT activity was increased in W2 young leaves. W2 young leaves maintained stable photosynthetic assimilation capability, provided energy and basic skeleton for old leaves, and stable N metabolism in old leaves could provide nitrogen metabolites for carbon metabolism in young leaves. The aim of this study was to reveal the physiological mechanisms by which wild soybean seedlings resist low nitrogen stress from the perspective of carbon and nitrogen metabolism by comparing the differences in carbon and nitrogen metabolism between common wild soybean and barren tolerant wild soybean in response to nitrogen deficiency. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the protection and utilization of wild soybean resources.12Nitrogen (N); common wild soybean (W1); barren tolerant wild soybean (W2); photosynthetic rate (pN); glutamate synthase (GOGAT); glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH); aspartate aminotransferase (GOT).

Antioxidant Effects and Potential Molecular Mechanism of Action of Limonium aureum Extract Based on Systematic Network Pharmacology.

Oxidative stress is the redox imbalance state of organisms that involves in a variety of biological processes of diseases. Limonium aureum (L.) Hill. is an excellent wild plant resource in northern China, which has potential application value for treating oxidative stress. However, there are few studies that focused on the antioxidant effect and related mechanism of L. aureum. Thus, the present study combining systematic network pharmacology and molecular biology aimed to investigate the antioxidant effects of L. aureum and explore its underlying anti-oxidation mechanisms. First, the antioxidant activity of L. aureum extracts was confirmed by in vitro and intracellular antioxidant assays. Then, a total of 11 bioactive compounds, 102 predicted targets, and 70 antioxidant-related targets were obtained from open source databases. For elucidating the molecular mechanisms of L. aureum, the PPI network and integrated visualization network based on bioinformatics assays were constructed to preliminarily understand the active compounds and related targets. The subsequent enrichment analysis results showed that L. aureum mainly affect the biological processes involving oxidation-reduction process, response to drug, etc., and the interference with these biological processes might be due to the simultaneous influence on multiple signaling pathways, including the HIF-1 and ERBB signaling pathways. Moreover, the mRNA levels of predicted hub genes were measured by qRT-PCR to verify the regulatory effect of L. aureum on them. Collectively, this finding lays a foundation for further elucidating the anti-oxidative damage mechanism of L. aureum and promotes the development of therapeutic drugs for oxidative stress.