Selected Plant Species Research Articles

Distribution Characteristics and Restoration Application of Vegetation in Chengcun Bay Surrounding Areas of Yangjiang City.

In recent years, global warming and sea level rise have further aggravated the risk of coastal erosion. Coastal vegetation plays an important role in resisting storm surges and alleviating coastal erosion. Therefore, screening plant species for the purpose of constructing ecological seawalls to protect or repair damaged coastal zones has become a hot issue. In this paper, a field survey was conducted to investigate the vegetation in Chengcun Bay surrounding areas of Yangjiang City by combining a line survey and sample plot survey. By understanding the vegetation types, distribution and community structure in the bay’s surrounding areas and analyzing the restricting environmental factors of those plants, we put forward some countermeasures for coastal vegetation restoration in difficult site conditions from the aspects of plant species selection, vegetation configuration and restoration technology, so as to provide reference for ecological vegetation restoration in similar locations.

Potential of Canna indica in Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment: A Review

This article reviews investigations in which Canna indica was utilized in constructed wetlands (CW) for wastewater treatment of a variety types. It is strongly urged that ornamental flowering plants be used in CWs as monoculture or mixed species to improve the appearance of CWs whilst still treating wastewater. Plants play important roles in CWs by giving the conditions for physical filtration of wastewater, a large specific surface area for microbial growth, and a source of carbohydrates for bacteria. They absorb nutrients and integrate them into plant tissues. They release oxygen into the substrate, establishing a zone in which aerobic microorganisms can thrive and chemical oxidation can occur. They also provide wildlife habitat and make wastewater treatment system more visually attractive. The selection of plant species for CW is an important aspect during the CW design process. Canna indica’s effectiveness in CWs has shown encouraging results for eliminating contaminants from wastewater. There is still a scarcity of information on the mechanisms involved in removal of specific contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, hormones, pesticides and steroids and their potential toxicity to the plants. Therefore, this paper reviews some published information about the performance of Canna indica in wastewater treatment, as well as potential areas for future research.

Formation the productivity of castor plant depending on row spacing and standing density

Selection of plant species, their varieties or hybrids and the formation of their productivity is an urgent need today due to the shortage of biofuel production at the world level. The purpose of the research was to reveal the influence of technological measures (row spacing and density of plant standing) on the formation of elements of the crop structure of castor varieties. Research was conducted during 2020-2021in field conditions to study the influence of plant stand density and row width on the elements of the structure of the castor crop of Khortytska 3 and Olesia varieties in the educational and scientific laboratory "Demonstration Field of Agricultural Crops" of NUBiP of Ukraine. Following methods were used: theoretical (statistical processing) and practical (descriptive, comparative). The following indicators were evaluated: weight of 1000 seeds, number of fruits per plant, weight of seeds per plant. Results. Seed yield of castor variety Khortytska 3 was 1.27–1.46 t/ha with a maximum at a stand density of 50,000 plants/ha and a row width of 70 cm. Seed yield of castor cultivar Khortyts’ka 3 was 1.27–1.46 t/ha with a maximum at the option of standing density 50,000 plants/ha and a row space at 70 cm. Seed yield of cultivar Olesya was 1.34–1.42 t/ha with the selection of the two most productive options: first is row space 45 cm and 37.5 thousand plants/ha; alternative is row space 70 cm and standing density of 50 thousand plants/ha. Seed productivity of one plant can increase almost twice when the standing density is reduced from 50 to 25 thousand plants/ha, with the simultaneous formation of larger seeds. Thousand seeds weight of cultivar Khortyts’ka 3 ranged from 268 to 283 g and it was 294–316 g in cultivar Olesya, It was established that the correlation between seed yield and elements of yield structure is negative or absent at all, and positive with stand density. Research results indicate a high compensatory ability of castor cultivar Khortytska 3 and Olesya varieties in the formation of productivity elements under different stand densities and row widths in the conditions of the Right Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine. This makes it possible to carry out further research on the influence of sowing parameters in a wider range and to use the obtained results for growing castor in atypical soil and climatic conditions

Bioherbicidal potential of plant species with allelopathic effects on the weed Bidens bipinnata L.

Plant species with allelopathic effects against weeds have emerged as a potential strategy for the development of ecologically friendly bioherbicides. In this study, the allelopathic effects of the plant species Dipteryx lacunifera Ducke, Ricinus communis L., Piper tuberculatum Jacq., and Jatropha gossypiifolia L. on the weed Bidens bipinnata L. were investigated. In vitro bioassays revealed that aqueous extracts of selected plant species were able to inhibit seed germination and seedling growth of B. bipinnata, highlighting the strongest allelopathic effect evidenced by R. communis. The phytotoxicity of the aqueous extracts was evaluated in pot experiments, which indicated that the foliar application of R. communis and P. tuberculatum extracts on B. bipinnata plants caused yellowing of leaves, affecting the chlorophyll content and reducing growth. The discrimination of the plant extracts by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform mid-infrared (ATR FT-MIR) spectroscopy combined with principal component analysis (PCA) indicated the presence of allelochemical compounds, such as phenolics and terpenoids, which may be associated with allelopathic activity. Overall, this study provides valuable information about the substantial allelopathic inhibitory effects of the plant species R. communis and P. tuberculatum on the weed B. bipinnata, which may be used for the development of eco-friendly bioherbicides.

Multi-Criteria DEXi Analysis for the Selection of Crop Species for Saltwater Aquaponics

Saltwater aquaponics is a sustainable alternative system for food production. The success of this system largely depends on the selection of both fish and plant species, for which several features and criteria must be considered. This paper aims to identify the most suitable plant species for saltwater aquaponics by using a multi-criteria decision-making method also based on current literature. One simple model that contained one root criterion, four aggregated criteria, and four sub-criteria was created using DEXi software. The same model was evaluated considering two different salinity levels in the recirculating water: 10 (brackish water) and 35 (sea water) g L−1. The relevance of the model structure was evaluated by the sensitivity analysis, through the ‘plus/minus-1′ analysis. Our results suggest that Salicornia europaea L. and Portulaca oleracea L. were suitable species for saltwater aquaponics at 35 g L−1. Moreover, at 10 g L−1, the suitable candidates were: Salicornia bigelovii Torr, S. europaea L., Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima (L.) Arcang, Atriplex hortensis L., and P. oleracea L. The DEXi analysis resulted in being an easy and effective tool to select proper species in similar contexts. DEXi can help to identify the hotspots of production processes, according to our results. Since the selected species are wild edible species or minor crops, the availability of their seeds is one of the main constraints of their cultivation in saltwater aquaponics.

Plant species selection by hybrid multiple-attribute decision-making model for promoting green mining in the Sungun copper mine, Iran.

Adopting the most suitable plant species selection is a multi-dimensional problem. Many parameters affect judges' decisions. Accordingly, the present study aimed to develop a multi-attribute platform for plant species selection consisting of parameters such as aesthetic outlook, resistance in front of insects, plant disease resistance, economic efficiency, pollution prevention, erosion reduction, and growth rate. The plant species selection was performed according to the primary factors. Along with the priorities mentioned above, a multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) model was presented to define the selected species based on the secondary factors. This study used two methods (Entropy and AHP) to attribute weighting because plant species selection is highly case sensitive, and global weighting was fundamental. Therefore, attribute weighting was calculated by two objective and subjective methods, respectively. Then, the ELECTRE method was applied for ranking plant species in acidic and alkaline soil types in the Sungun copper mine of Iran. This case study results showed that Acer campestre, Robinia pseudoacacia, Juniperus communis, Betula pendula, Ulmus minor, and Rhus coriria had more priority in acidic soil type, respectively. Similarly, Juglans regia was the best type for alkaline soil, and either Ficus carica or Fraxinus excelsior is located in the following ranking. When the number of possible options was more significant, the outranking result taken by the ELECTRE method was more reliable.

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.

Fate of carbamazepine and its effect on physiological characteristics of wetland plant species in the hydroponic system

Plants play a cardinal role in removing various pollutants through the synergistic interaction with filling materials and microbes of constructed wetlands (CWs). However, the information regarding the selection of plant species to remove pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) is not adequate. The present study attempted to select an appropriate plant species for CWs, considering their characteristics and physiological response to PhACs. In this regard, batch hydroponics studies were carried out to assess the removal, fate, and antioxidative response of carbamazepine (CBZ) in four wetland plant species (Canna indica, Colocasia esculenta, Phragmites australis, and Chrysopogon zizanioides). The specific uptake potential of CBZ (in terms of plant dry biomass) was found to be in the order: C. indica (14.48 mg/g) >P. australis (11.71 mg/g) >C. esculenta (8.67 mg/g) >C. zizanioides (6.04 mg/g). The results showed that exposure to CBZ (0–30 days) caused an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the plant tissues, causing a decline in chlorophyll content, root activity, and increased oxidative stress. However, the selected plants could recover from the oxidative damages to a certain extent in the recuperation phase (31–60 days). C. indica exhibited relatively lesser ROS accumulation and oxidative damage during the experimental phase than other selected plants. The study also showed that plant biomass, transpiration rate, chlorophyll content, root exudates, and root activity influenced the removal of CBZ by various plants (r – 0.76 to 0.98, P < 0.05). The mass balance analysis indicated that a significant proportion of CBZ (49.2 to 72.7 %) underwent metabolism in the plant tissues. Apart from higher removal, lesser accumulation, and lower oxidation stress, multi-criteria decision analysis showed that C. indica is a potential plant species for the removal of CBZ.

Insects allocate eggs adaptively according to plant age, stress, disease or damage.

Most herbivorous insects can only survive on a small subset of the plant species in its environment. Consequently, adult females have evolved sophisticated sensory recognition systems enabling them to find and lay eggs on plants supporting offspring development. This leads to the preference–performance or ‘mother knows best’ hypothesis that insects should be attracted to host plants that confer higher offspring survival. Previous work shows insects generally select plant species that are best for larval survival, although this is less likely for crops or exotic host plants. Even within a species, however, individual plants can vary greatly in potential suitability depending on age, access to water or nutrients or attack by pathogens or other herbivores. Here, I systematically review 71 studies on 62 insect species testing the preference–performance hypothesis with sets of plants varying in age, stress, fungal/microbial infection or herbivore damage. Altogether, 77% of insects tested with a native host (N = 43) allocated their eggs to plants best for offspring development, as did 64% (N = 22) of insects tested with an exotic host. Results were similar across plant age, stress, disease and damage categories. These findings show adaptive maternal behaviour in insects occurs for both host species and variation among individual plants.

Growth and nutrient accumulation metrics of Diodia saponariifolia plants as a potential native cover crop in southeastern Brazil

Competition for resources between crops and weeds hinders the increase of production in agroecosystems. The trait-based plant species selection of cover crops can be a useful tool to suppress competing plants in addition to providing environmental services. Here, we assessed the growth and macronutrient accumulation metrics in Diodia saponariifolia (Rubiaceae) plants, a native cover crop found in family farming systems in southeastern Brazil. Under greenhouse conditions, three viable D. saponariifolia cuttings were planted per tray. The experimental design was entirely randomized, with treatments consisting of plant sampling times, at regular intervals of 7 days between 16 and 93 days after transplanting (DAT) and 15 days between 93 and 138 DAT. Based on dry mass and chemical analysis of leaves, stems, and roots; we fitted the logistic model to explore the metrics of growth and macronutrient accumulation. Overall, the increment in plant dry mass was slow about halfway through the experimental period, being subsequently replaced by a phase of rapid growth. The stem was the plant fraction with the highest relative biomass accumulation. The total macronutrient concentration followed the descending order of K > N > Ca > Mg > P, varying along the plant ontogeny. Considering the nutrient content, the estimated 200 g m−2 of aboveground dry mass, and 0.3 m2 of leaf area, it is suggested to perform the first mechanical weeding along the third month of growth. Our results suggest that D. saponariifolia has satisfactory agronomical features for its establishment as a cover crop in different agricultural contexts.

Evaluation of antibacterial activity of selected plant species from the State of Punjab, India

Objective: Evaluation of antibacterial potential of aqueous and ethanol extracts of Solanum nigrum L., Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk., Achyranthes aspera L., Sida acuta Burm.f., Justicia adhatoda L. (Syn. Adhatoda vasica Nees), Boerhavia diffusa L. and Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal against human pathogenic bacteria Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Materials and Methods: Powdered form of the whole plant of each species was extracted in aqueous and ethanol solvents. The antibacterial activity experiment was performed using agar well diffusion method. A dose of 50µl, 100µl and 150µl of each extract (aqueous and ethanol) were tested. Results: Only the ethanol extracts have shown activity against test organisms. The 50µl and 100µl doses of extracts were not much effective against all the bacteria. Thus 150µl volume was selected for further study. The ethanol extract of Adhatoda vasica has yielded maximum zone of inhibition 24±1.7mm and 22±2.1mm against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. Type AA3 of A. aspera and SN3 of S. nigrum were the most effective against E. faecalis with inhibition zones 22±2.2mm and 21±2.2mm, respectively. Similarly, B. diffusa has shown maximum inhibition against P. aeruginosa. Conclusion: The present study suggests the use of ethanol extract since none of the aqueous extracts have shown activity against all the tested bacteria. The difference in activity of different plant extracts may be due to variable chemical composition of the plant species. The plant species can be selected based on the bacterial species to be investigated. Further studies can be planned to understand the bioactive molecules responsible for antibacterial activity.

Establishing Honey Bee Floral Calendar in West Arsi and East Shewa Zones of Oromia, Ethiopia

Adequate knowledge about honey bee flora is important for beekeeping this study was under taken to identify and document honeybee plants in West Arsi and East Shoa Zone using melissopalynological analysis of honey samples, pollen collection, plant inventory, structured questionnaires and field observation. Eighteen honey samples were collected from different parts of the zones. Out of 18 samples, 14 were identified as monofloral honeys and 4 as multifloral honeys. This indicated that there is high diversity of honeybee plant species in 4 honey samples that give flowers in the same season contributing for production of multifloral honey and 14 samples were dominated by few major honeybee plants due to their abundance in addition to their quality for honey production. Fifty eight (58) plants species were identified as honey source plants based on melissopalynological analysis of honey. Of 58 species, Guizotia scarba (89.7%). Eucalyptus (69.2%) Eucalyptus camadulensis (66.2%) Acacia tortolis (60.9%) Schefflera Abyssinia (70.2%) and Croton macronstachys (57.2%) provided mono-floral honey. The flowering calendar of the zone indicated two major honey flow periods from April to June and September to November. The scarcity of honeybee forages were observed in July to mid of August and January to February and mid of March. In many districts of the zone, herbaceous honeybee forage species were the dominant honey source plants in September to November. While, in March to May majority of honey source plants were trees and shrubs due to the phonological patterns of plants. To apply seasonal honeybee colony management, beekeepers should manage honeybee colonies following phonological pattern of honeybee plants. Beekeeping based agro forestry practices on cultivated rain fed land, and selection of plant species that can resist drought and bear (set) flower for a long season should be introduced in all land use types.

Selection of suitable plant species for Sungun copper mine reclamation by multiple attribute decision making methods (AHP-SMARTER-TOPSIS)

سابقه و هدف: وسعت زمین­ های تحت تأثیر فعالیت­ های معدن­ کاری بویژه محل­ های انباشت باطله، روز به روز افزایش می­ یابد. در نتیجه هر روز ضرورت اجرای احیای معادن نیز بیشتر احساس می­ شود. جهت بازسازی معدن، به ­منظور هر نوع استفاده بعدی از زمین­ های تحت تأثیر و حفاظت از محیط‌زیست منطقه، انتخاب و کاشت گونه ­های گیاهی یکی از مرحله­ های مهم بازسازی است.مواد و روش­ ها: در این تحقیق، انتخاب گونه گیاهی مناسب برای بازسازی معدن مس سونگون با هدف حفظ محیط ­زیست انجام شده است. برای این کار ابتدا گونه­ های مناسب براساس عامل­ های اصلی، شامل نوع استفاده دوباره از زمین­ های استخراج شده، شرایط اقلیمی منطقه و ویژگی­ های خاک منطقه انتخاب شدند و سپس گونه­ های انتخاب شده، براساس عامل­ های موضعی و با کمک پرسش­نامه ­هایی که توسط افراد خبره تکمیل گردیدند، با استفاده از روش تحلیل سلسله مراتبی (AHP) و همچنین روش روش رتبه بندی ساده چند معیاره (SMARTER) وزن ­دهی و در نهایت با کمک روش اولویت بندی براساس شباهت به راه حل ایده آل (TOPSIS)، اولویت‌بندی شدند.نتایج و بحث: براین اساس گونه­ های درختی اقاقیا، افرا، غان، پیرو، سماق و اوجا برای خاک­ های اسیدی منطقه و گونه ­های گردو، زبان گنجشک و انجیر برای خاک قلیایی و خنثی منطقه به ترتیب اولویت پیشنهاد شدند.نتیجه ­گیری: می ­توان گفت که از بین گونه­ های درختی انتخابی برای این منطقه، گونه­ هایی که از لحاظ کاهش آلودگی­ ها و جلوگیری از فرسایش خاک موفق­ تر بودند در اولویت هستند. درخت اقاقیا از درختان بومی منطقه به شمار نمی­ رود ولی با توجه به این که نسبت به درختان دیگر از لحاظ حفظ محیط­ زیست موفق­ تر می­ باشد، به ­عنوان گونه برتر برای این منطقه انتخاب شد. در بین گونه­ های بومی منطقه نیز درخت افرا با توجه به هدف حفظ محیط­ زیست در اولویت می­ باشد.

The ethnobotany and antimicrobial activity of selected medicinal plants from Ga-Mashashane, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Ethnopharmacological relevanceDespite the numerous ethnobotanical surveys carried out in the Limpopo Province in recent years, certain areas such as Ga-Mashashane have hitherto not been investigated. This study has revealed some new ethnomedicinal knowledge harboured by the older people of this area. Aim of the studyThe current study aims to document the ethnomedicinal information of the plant species used medicinally for the treatment of gastrointestinal, respiratory, skin, and sexually transmitted infections in the Ga-Mashashane area and to validate the use of the medicinal plant species based on their antimicrobial activities. Materials and methodsEthnobotanical surveys were carried out using structured interviews. A selection of plant species (based on potential anti-infective purposes observed from ethnobotanical interviews) was collected, dried, and ground into fine powder. Organic and aqueous extracts were prepared. The extracts were then screened against pathogens of the gastrointestinal, respiratory, skin, and sexually transmitted infections using the micro-titre plate dilution method. ResultsForty-five species reported to treat various ailments in the study area were recorded. Of these, 22 are used for gastrointestinal disorders, followed by respiratory conditions (18 plant species), skin ailments (16 plant species) and sexually transmitted infections, treated with eight medicinal plant species. The four medicinal plant species; Drimia elata, Elaeodendron transvaalense, Ledebouria revoluta, and Ozoroa sphaerocarpa were reported to treat non-infectious diseases such as high blood pressure, asthma and inflamed/swollen. Twelve new medicinal uses were recorded from 11 species, while the use of one species, Senecio barbertonicus, is reported for the first time in the South African Materia Medica. The study also noted seven plant species with noteworthy antimicrobial activity (MIC values 0.1 mg/ml) against some of the pathogens tested. ConclusionThe study has indicated that medicinal plant utilisation in the Ga-Mashashane area concurs with other South African cultures. There is a correlation between the antimicrobial screening results and ethnobotanical uses, which validates the plants' efficacy.

Competitive Relationship Between Cleistocalyx operculatus and Syzygium jambos Under Well-Watered Conditions Transforms Into a Mutualistic Relationship Under Waterlogging Stress.

Competition and abiotic stress such as waterlogging (WL) represent main factors limiting plant growth and determining plant resistance and distribution patterns in wetland ecosystems. One of the basic steps for wetland restoration is to plant trees to ensure a quicker recovery and prevent erosion. Plant survival and adaptation are considered criteria of principal priority for the screening of plant species for wetland ecosystem restoration. WL influences plant species in wetlands via the deterioration of the plant root environment which leads to oxygen deficiency that affects plant growth, photosynthesis, respiration, and other metabolic processes. A suitable plant species was determined according to tolerance to WL during wetland vegetation recovery activities. Thus, two tree species (Cleistocalyx operculatus and Syzygium jambos) that showed a certain waterlogging tolerance were chosen to study their behaviors in different planting model and environmental conditions. Given that interspecific relationship should be considered during plant community construction, the eco-physiological adaptable mechanisms between these woody plants under well-watered condition and waterlogging stress were explored. Results showed that both species were waterlogging-tolerant species due to their ability to adapt to submergence conditions for 120 days. Moreover, C. operculatus possessed stronger tolerance to waterlogging stress because of a significant adventitious roots biomass accumulation. A competitive relationship was found between C. operculatus and S. jambos under well-watered condition, and C. operculatus showed better growth performance benefited from morphological responses (plant height, number of blade and leaf area) and endogenous hormone variations. In comparison, S. jambos suffered some negative effects when the well-watered mixed planting was used. However, the competitive relationship under well-watered condition was transformed into mutualistic relationship under waterlogging stress. The mixed planting under waterlogging condition significantly improved the tolerance of C. operculatus and S. jambos to waterlogging stress, compared with the monoculture., Especially, S. jambos showed improvements in root length, root surface area, and redox equilibration between lower levels of relative conductivity, malondialdehyde, and and had increased levels of non-enzymatic antioxidant components, such as reduced glutathione and soluble proteins. The interspecific relationship between C. operculatus and S. jambos was altered by waterlogging stress, and both showed improved tolerance to waterlogging stress. This study can provide a glimmer of light on suitable plant species selection and plant community construction during the revegetation activities in wetland zones. C. operculatus and S. jambos represent potential candidates in wetland restoration in a mixed planting model.

Students’ Perceptions on the Implementation of Natural Product Chemistry Laboratory Using Sasambo Medicinal Plants

This research described the implementation of the natural product chemistry laboratory using S asambo medicinal plants (Sasak, Samawa, Mbojo, indigenous tribes of Nusa Tenggara Barat Province, Indonesia). It revealed students' perceptions of laboratory activities. The use of Sasambo medicinal plants in laboratory activities is carried out because it is very close to students' daily lives. This research method was descriptive qualitative obtained from observation, documentation, interview, and questionnaire techniques. Respondents consisted of 59 third-year students from the Department of Chemistry Education at one of the state universities in Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia, during the second semester of the 2020/2021 academic year. This laboratory activity begins with giving a laboratory project to students. The team determined the Sasambo medicinal plant species used in this laboratory based on the results of the previous isolation. The selection of the Sasambo medicinal plant species took into account the difficulty level of isolation of its secondary metabolite compounds. The results showed that the planning of the natural product chemistry Laboratory using Sasambo medicinal plants was in a good category. The facilities and infrastructure used were complete and proper, the learning resources used were apt and up-to-date, and the implementation of the activities was in the good, interesting, and disciplined category.

Ectomycorrhizal synthesis between two Tuber species and six tree species: are different host-fungus combinations having dissimilar impacts on host plant growth?

Truffle cultivation has drawn more and more attention for its high economic and ecological values in the world. To select symbionts suitable for cultivation purposes, we conducted greenhouse-based mycorrhization trials of two Tuber species (T. formosanum and T. pseudohimalayense) with five broad-leaved tree species (Corylus yunnanensis, Quercus aliena var. acutiserrata, Q. acutissima, Q. robur, Q. variabilis) and one conifer species (Pinus armandii). Axenically germinated seedlings of all tree species were either inoculated, or not, with spore suspensions of these two truffles in the greenhouse. Eight months after inoculation, T. formosanum or T. pseudohimalayense ectomycorrhizae were successfully formed on these six tree species, as evidenced by both morphological and molecular analyses. All selected trees showed good receptivity to mycorrhization by both fungi, with average colonization rates visually estimated at 40-50%. Plant growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient uptake were assessed 2years after inoculation and were mainly affected by host species. Mycorrhization by both fungi significantly improved P uptake of the hosts, and the interaction between truffle species and host plant species had significant effects on leaf water and leaf K concentrations. In addition, a significantly negative correlation between leaf Ca and leaf C concentration was found across all the seedlings. In addition, mycorrhization had slightly increased plant stem and canopy, but had no significant effects on plant photosynthesis. Overall, these results suggest that the effects of these two Tuber ECMF on plant growth and nutrient acquisition depend on the identity of the host species. Moreover, all selected plant species could be symbiotic partners with either T. pseudohimalayense or T. formosanum for field cultivation purposes.

Volatile Constituents of Some Selected Plant Species Traditionally Used as Tea in the Sharri Mountains (Kosovo).

The study evaluates the chemical composition of the volatile constituents of ten plant species traditionally used as herbal tea in the Sharri Mountain regions (Kosovo and North Macedonia). Volatile constituents responsible for the flavour and fragrance of selected species (Crataegus monogyna, Cydonia oblonga, Malus sylvestris, Matricaria chamomilla, Morus alba, Morus nigra, Rosa canina, Sambucus nigra, Tilia cordata, and Vaccinium myrtillus) were separated and then identified using GC-MS, whereas GC-FID is employed for the quantitative analysis. Experimental data revealed different patterns of volatile constituents depending on plant species. Monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, and norisoprenoids were the most abundant volatile constituents. Principal component analysis (PCA) was deployed for data analysis and resulted in grouping these ten species in four principal clusters. The combination of various volatile constituents present in specific plant species may play an important role in the specific aroma and taste sensation of these species used as recreational teas.

Evaluation of Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Air Pollution in Selected Plant Species around Industrial Premises of Malappuram District, Kerala

Air pollution impact on various physiological and biochemical parameters of fifteen plant species around industrial premises of Malappuram district, Kerala were investigated. The present study has been carried out with the aim of analyzing the air pollution tolerance mechanisms in the selected fifteen plant species collected from the nearby areas of these two textile and PVC industries and to screen the most tolerant plant species based on the air pollution tolerance index of selected plants and can provide a cost effective and eco-friendly technique to mitigate air pollution. The air pollution caused a lower value of leaf extract pH, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in selected plant species. The increased level of ROS in plants due to exposure to air pollution damages the biomolecules such as lipids and results in MDA formation. Moreover, antioxidants like proline, ascorbate, soluble sugar and phenolics work hand in hand to scavenge toxic ROS produced under air pollution in all plants and thus prevent the oxidation of vital components in the plant cells. However, the accumulation of antioxidants in selected plant species was varied in response to air pollution. The air pollution tolerance index (APTI) has been used for identifying tolerance levels of plant species and to rank plant species in their order of tolerance to air pollution. APTI of T. grandis, H. brasiliensis, A. occidentale and P. pinnata and the present study indicated that these four plant species are most suitable sink for air pollution, which can be utilized for green belt development in industrial area for reduction of the level of the air pollution. Moreover, lowest APTI was recorded in G. floribunda, P. emblica and M. oleifera, can be used for the biomonitoring of air pollution.

Phytoremediation of Heavy Metals: An Indispensable Contrivance in Green Remediation Technology.

Environmental contamination is triggered by various anthropogenic activities, such as using pesticides, toxic chemicals, industrial effluents, and metals. Pollution not only affects both lotic and lentic environments but also terrestrial habitats, substantially endangering plants, animals, and human wellbeing. The traditional techniques used to eradicate the pollutants from soil and water are considered expensive, environmentally harmful and, typically, inefficacious. Thus, to abate the detrimental consequences of heavy metals, phytoremediation is one of the sustainable options for pollution remediation. The process involved is simple, effective, and economically efficient with large-scale extensive applicability. This green technology and its byproducts have several other essential utilities. Phytoremediation, in principle, utilizes solar energy and has an extraordinary perspective for abating and assembling heavy metals. The technique of phytoremediation has developed in contemporary times as an efficient method and its success depends on plant species selection. Here in this synthesis, we are presenting a scoping review of phytoremediation, its basic principles, techniques, and potential anticipated prospects. Furthermore, a detailed overview pertaining to biochemical aspects, progression of genetic engineering, and the exertion of macrophytes in phytoremediation has been provided. Such a promising technique is economically effective as well as eco-friendly, decontaminating and remediating the pollutants from the biosphere.