Shoot Production Research Articles

Агробиологическая оценка сорта-клона винограда Аг изюм урожайный в условиях южного Дагестана

Abstract. The article presents the results of studies on the evaluation of agrobiological and morphological characteristics of the Ag Izyum variety and its clone Ag Izyum Urozhaynyi. The studies were conducted on the ampelographic collection of the DBESV&VG – branch of the NCFSCHVW. The purpose of the research was to study the agrobiological and economically valuable traits and properties of the Ag Izyum Urozhaynyi table grape clone variety for further improvement of its performance in the conditions of the southern coastal zone of the Republic of Dagestan. The research methodology is generally accepted in viticulture. The object of the research was fruiting plants of the Ag Izyum variety and its clone Ag Izyum Urozhaynyi. Vineyards are own-rooted. Planting scheme is 3,0 x 1,5 m. The bushes are formed as a two-sided high-standard cordon. Based on the research results, it was revealed that, according to their phenological characteristics, the Ag Izyum Urozhaynyi clone variety and the control variety Ag Izyum belong to mid-late ripening varieties. The main agrobiological parameters of the clone variety Ag Izyum Urozhaynyi are at the level of or slightly higher than those of the control variety Ag Izyum. The percentage of opened buds in the clone variety Ag Izyum Urozhaynyi averaged 80 %, while in the variety Ag Izyum it was 76 %. The yield per bush is 9,96 kg and 7,4 kg; the yield capacity per 1 ha is 22,2 t/ha and 16,5 t/ha. The clone variety Ag Izyum Urozhaynyi surpasses the variety Ag Izyum (control) in having a larger bunch (289,8 g versus 243,3 g) and a denser constitution. The shoot productivity index of the clone Ag-Izyum Urozhaynyi is 25,5 % higher than that of the control variety Ag Izyum (170,98 g), while that of the control is 136,24 g. The quality indicators (mass concentration of sugars and titratable acids) are within the permissible conditions – 149 g /100 cm3 and 6,6 g / dm3 . Taking into account the duration of the production period (130-135 days, respectively) and the sum of active temperatures (2800-2900 °С), the Ag izum variety and the Ag izum urozhaynyi clone variety belong to the average ripening period. The Ag izum urozhaynyi clone variety is recommended for fresh consumption and for making compotes. Keywords: grapes, productivity, variety, variety plot, clone, clonal breeding, productivity index

Enhancing community potential to boost grassroots economy through value-added pickled bamboo shoots, Thailand

The objectives of this research article were: 1) to examine the community context, problems, and needs, 2) to enhance the community's capacity through the process of upgrading and adding value to fermented bamboo shoot products, and 3) to assess the capacity development of the Ban Sang Thor community, Phon Mueang Subdistrict, Lao Suea Kok District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. This study employed a mixed-methods research design. The key informants were 12 experts, 50 workshop participants selected through purposive sampling, and ten experts, 50 producers (selected through purposive sampling), and 100 consumers selected through accidental sampling for product development satisfaction evaluation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including percentages, frequencies, means, and standard deviations. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis and descriptive explanations. The Ban Sang Thor community, characterized by a rich historical background and traditional Heet Sip Song Kong Sip Si customs, addressed socioeconomic challenges such as poverty, household indebtedness, and low income through the enhancement of fermented bamboo shoot products. The community engages in educational initiatives regarding hygienic production practices and participates in packaging design processes. The resulting products exhibit durability, aesthetic appeal, and consumer acceptance. High levels of satisfaction from experts and consumers culminate in the production of safe sanitary products with a distinct community-branded identity. Sustainable economic development contributes to the preservation of a community's cultural heritage.

Probiotic yeast characterization and fungal amplicon metagenomics analysis of fermented bamboo shoot products from Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India

This study investigates the diverse fungal community and their probiotic functions present in ethnic fermented bamboo shoots of Arunachal Pradesh. Among 95 yeast isolates, 13 demonstrated notable probiotic attributes. These included growth at pH 3, bile tolerance, autoaggregation, co-aggregation, hydrophobicity, lysozyme tolerance and antimicrobial activity. Confirmation of some of the probiotic properties through specific primers enabled the detection of genes associated with acid and bile tolerance, antimicrobial activity, and adhesion. Probiotic yeasts were finally identified based on D1 and D2 sequences of large ribosomal subunit as Meyerozyma guilliermondii (BEP1, KGM1_3, NHR3), Meyerozyma caribbica (GEP7), Candida orthopsilopsis (ES1_2, EB1_2, EEGM2_4, GEP2, NEK9), Candida parasilopsis (HD1_1), Pichia kudriavzevii (NHR12), Pichia fermentans (BEP2), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (NEP2). Fungal amplicon sequencing highlighted the predominance of Ascomycetes, particularly Pestalotiopsis and Penicillium genera. In this study we have perfomed a culture dependent isolation and probiotic study of yeasts and culture independent analysis of the fungal community present during the fermentation of bamboo shoots of Arunachal Pradesh which provides information about the beneficial properties of bamboo shoots as the reservoir of probiotic microorganisms.

ALLEVIATIVE EFFECTS OF CHITOSAN AND NANOSILVER ON Solanum pimpinellifolium UNDER HEAVY METAL STRESS IN VITRO

This study aimed to investigate the potential mitigation of copper stress in tomato plants (Solanum pimpinellifolium L0566) through the addition of chitosan (CH) or nanosilver (nAg) to Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium under in vitro conditions. Various growth parameters; the proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), total polyphenol and mineral contents; and CIE L*a*b* colour parameters were evaluated. After the multiplication stage, the explants were transferred to MS medium (control); MS + 20 ppm chitosan with a molecular weight of 3.33 kDa (CH3.33); MS + 6 mg l–1 nAg; MS + 100 μM l–1 copper sulfate (CuSO4); MS+20 ppm CH3.33+100 μM l–1 CuSO4; or MS + 6 mg l–1 nAg + 100 μM l–1 CuSO4. The results indicated that while CuSO4 or CuSO4-nAg solutions inhibited growth traits, CH3.33 stimulated growth, particularly shoot production, and plants treated with CH3.33 exhibited better developed roots and a higher fresh mass. Additionally, CH3.33 alleviated the negative effects of CuSO4 on the proline, MDA and total polyphenol contents in tomato plants. Moreover, tomato explants exhibited greener leaves, while those treated with nAg and CuSO4 showed decreased colour values. CH3.33 or nAg positively influenced the mineral content of tomato leaves under heavy metal stress. This study underscores the complex interactions between growth medium components on tomato plant growth, physiology and the mineral content, highlighting the potential of chitosan in mitigating heavy metal stress in tomato plants.

Root Endophytic Microorganisms Contribute to the Attribute of Full-Year Shooting in Woody Bamboo Cephalostachyum pingbianense.

Cephalostachyum pingbianense (Hsueh & Y.M. Yang ex Yi et al.) D.Z. Li & H.Q. Yang is unique among bamboo species for its ability to produce bamboo shoots in all seasons under natural conditions. Apart from the physiological mechanism, information regarding the effects of endophytic microorganisms on this full-year shooting characteristic is limited. We hypothesize that root endophytic microorganisms will have a positive impact on the full-year bamboo shooting characteristic of C. pingbianense by increasing the availability or supply of nutrients. To identify the seasonal variations in the root endophytic bacterial and fungal communities of C. pingbianense, and to assess their correlation with bamboo shoot productivity, the roots of C. pingbianense were selected as research materials, and the 16S rRNA and ITS rDNA genes of root endophytic microorganisms were sequenced using the Illumina platform. Following this sequencing, raw sequencing reads were processed, and OTUs were annotated. Alpha and beta diversity, microbial composition, and functional predictions were analyzed, with correlations to bamboo shoot numbers assessed. The results showed that seasonal changes significantly affected the community diversity and structure of root endophytic microbes of C. pingbianense. Bacterial communities in root samples from all seasons contained more nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, with members of the Burkholderiales and Rhizobiales predominating. The relative abundances of ectomycorrhizal and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the autumn sample were significantly higher than in other seasons. Correlation analysis revealed that the bamboo shoot productivity was significantly and positively correlated with bacterial functions of nitrogen fixation, arsenate detoxification, and ureolysis, as well as with symbiotrophic fungi, ectomycorrhizal fungi, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. At the genus level, the bacterial genus Herbaspirillum and the fungal genera Russula, unclassified_f_Acaulosporaceae, and unclassified_f_Glomeraceae were found to have a significant positive correlation with bamboo shoot number. Our study provides an ecological perspective for understanding the highly productive attribute of C. pingbianense and offers new insights into the forest management of woody bamboos.

Evolution and modeling of texture changes and drying kinetics of bamboo shoots under high-humidity air-impingement blanching.

This study investigated the effect of hot water blanching (HWB), high-humidity air-impingement blanching (HHAIB), different HHAIB blanching times (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10min), and different HHAIB blanching temperatures (80, 85, 90, and 95°C) on texture quality, lignin content, weight loss, color, microstructure, and drying kinetics of bamboo shoots. After HWB treatment, the lignin content of bamboo shoots was apparently lower than that of HHAIB and the samples obtained the highest weight loss value of 6.13%. Both the texture values (brittleness and chewiness) and lignin content of bamboo shoots exhibited an overall downward trend as the HHAIB blanching time and blanching temperature increased. Specifically, the lignin content of bamboo shoots decreased from 5.59% to 4.58% with an increase in HHAIB blanching time from 2 to 10min and dropped from 5.48% to 4.63% as HHAIB blanching temperature increased from 80 to 85°C, respectively. The lignin content was proved to be positively correlated (p<0.05) with texture attributes (brittleness and chewiness). A second polynomial model was obtained for fitting the variation kinetics of lignin content during thermal processing. Reducing the HHAIB blanching time and blanching temperature would obtain a lower weight loss and a better color performance (ΔE and L*). Additionally, microstructure observation revealed that the distribution density of microchannels initially increased and then decreased with the extension of blanching time, while it continuously became firmer as HHAIB blanching temperature increased. Overall, the optimal processing parameters were achieved under the HHAIB blanching temperature of 85°C for 6min, ensuring a high-quality performance of bamboo shoot products.

Role of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles in mitigating hyperhydricity in micropropagated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.) and assessment of genetic fidelity using RAPD and SCoT markers

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is one of the five most consumed fresh fruits and is a commercially important horticulture crop. The consumer demand for seedless watermelons has considerably increased due to their superior taste and ease of consumption. Seedless watermelon plants are triploids hence plant tissue culture technology which is the cultivation of plant cells, tissues, or organs on specially formulated nutrient media can facilitate the rapid multiplication of seedless watermelon varieties. However, hyperhydricity has been reported as a frequent problem for in vitro growth and development of watermelon. Hence, the present study highlights the application of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from Parthenium hysterophorus (PHAgNPs) for reversal of hyperhydricity and enhancing in vitro shoot production in watermelon. The biosynthesized PHAgNPs was characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and Transmission electron microscopy. Cotyledonary nodes used as explant and cultured in three types of cytokinins (BAP, TDZ and KIN) became hyperhydric, losing their ability to regenerate at high cytokinin concentrations (> 1.5 mg/L) irrespective of the cytokinin type. The optimum concentration of BAP (1.0 mg/L) fortified with PHAgNPs (15.0 mg/L) exhibited an improved response of 91 % and induced a maximum of 32.33 shoots with a maximum shoot length of 5.66 cm after 6 weeks. The incorporation of PHAgNPs reduced the percentage of hyperhydricity from 29 % to 1.33 % in regenerated shoots, which was confirmed by the reduction in relative water content (RWC) from 93.33 % to 80.33. Silver ions reduced H2O2 content by 50 % and increased photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids) by 50 %, which contributed to the formation of healthy regenerated shoots, with opened stomata compared to closed in hyperhydric shoots. Compared with those of hyperhydric shoots, the gene expression patterns of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylase synthase (ACS1) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO1) decreased after the retroversion of shoots to 15 mg/L PHAgNP medium. The relative gene expression profiles of ACS1 and ACO1 in hyperhydric shoots were 8.8- and 1.8-fold greater than those in normal shoots, respectively. Profuse root growth was observed in MS basal media supplemented with IBA (1.0 mg/L) and PHAgNPs (10.0 mg/L), which resulted in the greatest number of roots (12.33), with an average root length of 4.33 cm and a response of 89.33 %. The genotoxic effect of PHAgNPs evaluated using RAPD and SCoT molecular markers, showed that the addition of low levels of silver nanoparticles to the medium did not cause any genetic variation. The efficient regeneration protocol standardized in this study provides a solution to solve the problem of hyperhydricity in watermelon regeneration.

Stability Analysis of Peko Production in Some Genotypes of Indonesian Tea Using AMMI

White tea is made from peko shoots, which is beneficial for human health as an antivirus including avian influenza, antidiabetic, anticancer, antimicrobial, and reduces oxidative stress. White tea production is still low due to the lack of peko shoot production as its raw material. This study aims to evaluate the stability of peko production of 9 Indonesian tea genotypes in producing peko shoots. Nine tea genotypes were observed at six different times. The research was conducted in a randomized block design with four replications. The time is treated as a location factor in the AMMI model, and can be assumed to be independent of each other. The results of the study showed that the main effect of time was significant for KUI1 and KUI2 tea genotypes. In the biplot it appears that GMB 3, GMB 4, Tambi 1, and Kiara 8 are stable genotypes. GMB 3 and Tambi 1 have higher stability, respectively with an average percentage of peko shoots over banji shoots of 38% and 39%. The stable genotypes could be recommended for further development. Keywords: white tea, AMMI, randomized block design

Lightweight and accurate aphid detection model based on an improved deep-learning network

Rapid and accurate detection of bamboo aphids can help prevent large-scale aphid infestations from occurring, which is of great significance for increasing bamboo shoot production and economic benefits. Herein, a lightweight and accurate model, SCA-YOLOv5s, was established by integrating ShuffleNetv2 and Coordinate Attention with the YOLOv5s model to detect Takecallis taiwanus on the yellow sticky traps. Specifically, we first replaced the backbone network of YOLOv5s with ShuffleNetv2 to reduce the number of parameters and computational complexity of the model. Second, an anchor optimization method was proposed by combining linear scaling and k-means algorithm to generate appropriate anchor boxes for detecting small-sized alate aphids. Third, the coordinate attention mechanism was added to the neck network to improve the feature extraction ability. To verify the performance of the proposed SCA-YOLOv5s model, eight detection models were constructed with existing deep learning methods, including SSD300, YOLOv3, Faster R-CNN, YOLOv4, YOLOv4-Tiny, YOLOX-Tiny, YOLOv7-Tiny, and YOLOv5s. Results reveal that the SCA-YOLOv5s model achieved higher detection accuracy than the other eight models. Its mean average precision reached 92.2 %. The proposed model has a size of only 6.7 MB, its floating-point operations (FLOPs) is 7.4 × 109, its inference time is 6.6 ms, and compared with YOLOv5s, it is 53.47 % smaller in model size, 55.15 % lower in FLOPs, and 0.8 ms faster in inference time. The results indicate that the proposed model can maintain high detection accuracy while minimizing computation and inference time, which is crucial for deployment in remote areas with low information technology. This study provides valuable technical support for the control of aphids in bamboo forests.

Shoot Production and Metabolite Content of &lt;i&gt;Cosmos sulphureus&lt;/i&gt; Cav. Leaves with Different Rates of Goat Manure

&lt;i&gt;Cosmos sulphureus&lt;/i&gt; Cav. is a plant species commonly cultivated for ornamental purposes, with its young leaves being consumed as vegetables. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of goat manure rates and different harvest criteria on shoot production as well as the metabolite of &lt;i&gt;C&lt;/i&gt;. &lt;i&gt;sulphureus&lt;/i&gt;. The experiment was conducted in Kuningan Regency, West Java, Indonesia, from October to November 2022, using a factorial randomized complete block design. Goat manure rates examined were 0, 100, 200, and 300 kg N/ha, equivalent to 0, 6, 12, and 18 tons of goat manure/ha. Shoot harvest criteria were two and four top nodes, with each treatment replicated three times. The result showed that applying goat manure significantly increased the shoot production of &lt;i&gt;C&lt;/i&gt;. &lt;i&gt;sulphureus&lt;/i&gt;. The harvest criteria affected the shoot weight per plant, where the four-node harvest was 98.3% higher than the two-node. The metabolite content, such as crude fiber, phenolic, and antioxidant activity, was not significantly different between the upper and lower leaves. However, the lower leaves had a total flavonoid and sugar content of 38.9 and 12.6%, higher than the upper leaves.

Effect of Root Zone Volume on Productivity of Shoots in Multi-layer Cultivation of Rosemary

Effect of Root Zone Volume on Productivity of Shoots in Multi-layer Cultivation of Rosemary

In Vitro Morphogenesis of Tobacco: Modulation of Endogenous Growth Regulators by Tulsi (Holy Basil).

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) play a vital role in the induction of morphogenesis in vitro. Synthetic PGRs are commonly used to induce organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis from various explants, while natural substances are rarely utilized. This study aimed to enhance the regenerative response in Nicotiana tabacum leaf explants using Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) leaf extract and to elucidate the biochemical interactions during modulation of endogenous plant growth regulators, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), zeatin, and 6-(γ, γ-dimethylallylamino) purine (2iP). Tulsi leaf extract significantly improved shoot production through interactions between endogenous hormones and those present in the extract, which enhanced stress mitigation. The 20% Tulsi leaf extract treatment produced significantly more shoots than the control, coinciding with increased endogenous IAA and zeatin levels starting on day 10 in culture. Furthermore, ABA and zeatin concentrations increased on days 15 and 25, respectively, in the 20% Tulsi extract treatment, suggesting their role in the induction of somatic embryo-like structures. ABA likely acts as an activator of stress responses, encouraging the development of these structures. Additionally, 2iP was involved in the induction of both forms of regeneration in the 10% and 20% extract treatments, especially in combination with ABA. These results suggest that Tulsi leaf extract holds promising potential as a natural supplement for increasing plant regeneration in vitro and advancing our understanding of how natural extracts of plant origin can be harnessed to optimize plant regeneration processes in vitro.

Biogeographical comparison of Lagarosiphon major between native South Africa and invaded New Zealand: A natural enemy release case study?

The Enemy Release Hypothesis (ERH) suggests that the absence of natural enemies (herbivores, parasites, and diseases) in non-native environments allow exotic plants to allocate more resources towards growth and reproduction, resulting in increased invasiveness. This study uses the submerged macrophyte Lagarosiphon major (Ridl.) Moss ex Wager (Hydrocharitaceae), native to Southern Africa, as a case study of this hypothesis. This species is invasive in many parts of the world, including Ireland, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Here, we investigate the applicability of the ERH in explaining the invasiveness of L. major in New Zealand. This was achieved by comparing L. major biomass and cover, and plant species richness between L. major’s native range in South Africa and its invaded range in New Zealand, where specialist natural enemies were presumed to be lacking. The findings revealed significantly higher L. major biomass (∼100 % increase), cover (∼28 % increase) and shoot production (∼91 % increase) in the invaded range compared to the native range. Additionally, overall species richness and abundance was negatively correlated with L. major abundance in the invaded range. Plants in the native range were associated with more natural enemies and experienced higher levels of damage relative to the invaded sites. Overall, these observations align with the ERH, but should be interpreted with caution as other influential factors such as competition were not measured. Nevertheless, this suggests that L. major could benefit from the integration of biological control measures with the existing methods of control. Two natural enemies, Polypedilum tuburcinatum Andersen (Diptera: Chironomidae) and Hydrellia lagarosiphon Deeming (Diptera: Ephydridae) have already been identified as promising candidates, for biological control of L. major in New Zealand and other regions invaded by this weed.

Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon and water footprints during processing of Lei bamboo shoots

Lei bamboo shoots are extensively used in the food processing industry, producing solid waste such as bamboo shoot shells and liquid wastewater. This study analyzed several sewage indicators, revealing that the majority exceed the national standards of China for direct water discharge. A field experiment was conducted over a period of 4 months to evaluate the effects of different treatments during the natural decomposition of bamboo shoot shells.The treatment groups consisted of the boiled experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). Results showed that in EG, the methane emission increased by 8.6% (P < 0.05), the carbon dioxide emission increased significantly by 19.7% (P < 0.01), and the nitrous oxide emission decreased by 37.9% (P < 0.01) relative to those in CG. Regression analysis was employed to establish a relationship model between CH4, CO2, and N2O emission fluxes and temperature and humidity in the EG and CG groups. A specific functional relationship was identified between CH4 and CO2 emission fluxes and temperature and humidity, but N2O emission was present. No significant correlation was found between flux and ambient temperature and humidity (R2 < 0.3). We also estimated that the carbon dioxide emissions and water consumption of producing 1 kg of canned bamboo shoots were 2.8669 kg and 86.8 L, covering the processes in the life cycle of bamboo shoot products. This study identifies the potential water pollution problems and provides insights into resource utilization and recycling in bamboo shoot food processing, facilitating the realization of clean production processes. It also sheds light on the water footprint of bamboo shoot products throughout their life cycle, and the carbon footprint research provides valuable references.

Correlation between Microorganisms and Volatile Compounds during Spontaneous Fermentation of Sour Bamboo Shoots

Chinese sour bamboo shoot is a traditionally, spontaneous fermented food that is particularly popular due to its complex and distinctive flavor. The volatile compounds of sour bamboo shoot originate mainly from the raw materials and the microbial fermentation. To reveal the correlation between microorganisms and flavor, third-generation sequencing and Gas Chromatography-Ion Mobility Spectrometry were applied to analyze the dynamics of microbial communities at the species level and volatile compounds during sour bamboo shoot fermentation. The abundance of Lactobacillus acetotolerans and Lactobacillus fermentum increased during the fermentation, while Lactobacillus amyloliquefaciens decreased at first but then began to rise. At the end of fermentation, Lactobacillus amyloliquefaciens and Lactobacillus acetotolerans became the predominant species. A total of sixty-seven volatile compounds, which included twenty-three esters, nineteen alcohols, eight ketones, six aldehydes, six aromatic hydrocarbons, four acids and one ether, were identified. These compounds constituted the primary flavor of sour bamboo, which created a complex flavor of sour bamboo shoot. Among them, the contents of acetic acid, propionic acid, and isoamyl alcohol gradually increased during the fermentation process, and they became the main volatile compounds. Furthermore, the correlation between microorganisms and volatile compounds was investigated through two-way Orthogonal Partial Least Squares (O2PLS), which revealed a positive correlation between Lactobacillus amylolyticus and ethyl propanoate. Additionally, the abundance of Lactobacillus acetotolerans and Lactobacillus fermentum was found to be positively correlated with 2-heptenal. These findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding the formation mechanism of sour bamboo shoot flavor and the standardized production of high-quality sour bamboo shoots.

Cost Effective Methods of in Vitro Multiple Shoot Production in Two Commercial Diploid Bananas of Kerala

Cost-effective methods for in vitro propagation of two commercial diploid bananas of Kerala, namely Musa (AB) ‘ Njalipoovan’ and Musa (AA) ‘ Nivedyakadali’ were carried out to reduce unit production cost. Sword sucker, peeper sucker and eye bud explants were found to be equally effective concerning the number of axillary shoots from a single explant in both cultivars. Sucrose 3.0 per cent and table sugar 2.0 per cent produced the maximum number of multiple shoots in Njalipoovan. In the case of Nivedyakadali, table sugar at 2.0 per cent recorded the maximum number of multiple shoots. Half strength of vitamins in full MS medium observed more multiple shoots in cv. Njalipoovan. Half a tablet of vitamin B complex (2.0mgl-1) in the medium resulted in more shoots in the case of cv. Nivedyakadali. Agar 0.7 per cent recorded a significantly higher number of multiple shoots per culture in both cultivars. The treatments involving different types of paper support (filter paper, brown paper and ordinary paper) in liquid media were inferior to agar 0.7 per cent treatment.

Relationships between reproduction, growth, and tolerance to herbivory for the endangered plant clay phacelia (Phacelia argillacea)

The endangered plant clay phacelia (Phacelia argillacea) is endemic to Spanish Fork Canyon, Utah, USA. In addition to habitat loss and abiotic stressors, herbivory is one of clay phacelia's major threats, but negative effects of herbivory have not been quantified. To examine the effects of simulated herbivory by small mammals, we grew 300 clay phacelia plants in a greenhouse (20 replicates of 15 half-sibling families). After six months of growth, half of the plants were randomly assigned to a defoliation treatment that mimicked herbivory from ground squirrels. After providing additional time for growth and natural pollination, we collected seeds and harvested shoots and roots from a subset of the plants. Among the 15 half-sibling families, we found significant genetic variation in shoot mass and a significant correlation between total mass when defoliated and undefoliated, suggesting a strong genetic component to growth. Defoliation significantly reduced seed production, shoot production and root production by 29%, 32%, and 35%, respectively. For these traits, interactions between family (F) and defoliation (D) were not statistically significant, suggesting fixation for tolerance to herbivory. In contrast, for root-to-shoot ratio, there was a statistically significant F × D interaction, revealing genetic variation for tolerance to herbivory. Depending on the type, intensity, and timing of herbivory, clay phacelia may benefit from either increased allocation to shoots or to roots. In fact, tolerance in terms of reproduction was correlated with shoot mass when defoliated, while tolerance in terms of growth was correlated with root mass when defoliated.

Effects of artificial management on culm properties of Dendrocalamus brandisii.

The artificial cultivation and management were extensively carried out in Dendrocalamus brandisii stands. However, the influences of artificial management on the anatomical and chemical characteristics of the bamboo culms were unknown. In this study, the fiber morphology, chemical composition and sugar accumulation of the D. brandisii culms with management and without management were compared in order to determine the influences of artificial management on bamboo culms. The results indicated that artificial management had a significant influence on the fiber morphology, resulting in shorter fiber length, larger L/T ratio, and smaller W/Lu value. However, the management not only increased the contents of moisture, ash, SiO2, and extractive, but also increased the holocellulose contents and decreased the lignin contents, as compared to those without management. Moreover, the management significantly increased the endogenous carbohydrates storage in the culms so as to improve the shoot production. The bamboos under management conditions could still be utilized as a raw material for papermaking. This provided a theoretical basis for the artificial management of D. brandisii stands.

Understanding desiccation tolerance and sex-specific responses in Bryum argenteum: insights from phenological phases and physiological analyses.

Desiccation tolerance (DT) is crucial for survival in arid environments, where organisms develop strategies in reproduction, maintenance and defence to cope with water scarcity. Therefore, investigating the relationship between reproduction and DT is essential to understand the ecology and adaptive strategies of species. This study explores the connection between the development of male and female gametangia in the moss Bryum argenteum and the decrease in DT during the progression of phenological phases in gametangia and protonema. Samples collected from a dry tropical forest in Brazil were cultivated, cloned and subjected to desiccation. Subsequently, the physiological parameters of shoots and protonemata were analysed. Shoot and protonema regeneration were monitored for 28 d after the physiological analyses. Both phases were subjected to control and desiccation treatments. Significant effects of desiccation and sex on the physiological parameters and regeneration capacity of shoots and protonemata were found. Male shoots generally exhibited lower values of Fv/Fm (quantum efficiency of photosystem II) and ϕPSII (effective quantum yield of photosystem II), while females demonstrated higher values and better recovery after desiccation. Protonemata also showed variation in Fv/Fm over time and with sex, with no significant differences in ϕPSII between them. Desiccated male shoots had higher mortality rates and produced fewer new shoots. For females, the regeneration patterns varied between the desiccation-exposed groups and the control, with decreased shoot production, and some protonemata growing into filaments without forming shoots. These findings improve our understanding of the ecological responses of bryophytes to desiccation stress and provide insights into their adaptive strategies in challenging environments, such as the possible rarity of males in dioicous moss populations.

A traditional fermented bamboo shoot reduces intracellular fat accumulation and promotes fat browning in differentiated 3T3‐L1 adipocyte cells through the activation of the AMPK signaling pathway

AbstractFunctional foods, such as fermented bamboo shoots, have a long history of consumption among the ethnic communities in northeast India. These locally fermented bamboo shoots contain a wealth of beneficial microbes and metabolites that can help combat metabolic syndromes like obesity. However, the precise effects and mechanism behind fermented bamboo shoot products and their anti‐obesity properties remain unknown. This study aims to explore the different types of fermented bamboo shoot products to determine their potential anti‐obesity effects as well as to analyze their microbial diversity and metabolite profiles. Using both culture‐dependent and culture‐independent methods, we found a high abundance of lactic acid bacteria from the Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla in the sample. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) based untargeted metabolite profiling detected several aroma‐active compounds, bioactive metabolites, short‐chain fatty acids, and essential amino acids in the samples. The water extract derived from a particular type of fermented bamboo shoot, Melye‐amiley, was found to significantly reduce intracellular lipid accumulation in cultured 3T3‐L1 cells. In addition, this extract increased the expression of lipolytic (hormone‐sensitive lipase, lipoprotein lipase, and adipose triglyceride lipase) and browning regulator genes (uncoupling protein [UCP1], PRDM16, and PGC1‐alpha). By activating the AMPK signaling pathway, the water extract from Melye‐amiley also upregulated thermogenic protein expression and promoted mitochondrial biogenesis and fatty acid β‐oxidation. These findings suggest that fermented bamboo shoot extract has promising anti‐obesity effects by boosting energy expenditure in white adipocytes. Future research is necessary to identify the active ingredient(s) that may lead to new therapies to treat obesity.