Single Plant Research Articles

Sublethal dosing exposure risk of kochia (Bassia scoparia (L.) A.J. Scott) to carfentrazone-ethyl

Kochia is a troublesome, multiple herbicide-resistant tumbleweed which infests Prairie field crops. Kochia has developed resistance to systemic, foliar-applied herbicides from groups 2, 4, and 9, leaving only contact herbicides for post-emergence control. Group 14 chemistry is an important mode of action for resistance management. Weed staging considerations are important as recurrent sub-lethal herbicide exposure can increase risk of nontarget site resistance evolution. The study objective was to evaluate loss-of-control and estimate sublethal dosing exposure risk (SLDER) with a contact-type herbicide (carfentrazone-ethyl) based on initial kochia height, leaf number, and branch number. The SLDER from a single application to a single plant was conceptualized to increase due to escaping plant “volume” or immediate flowering. Kochia was only consistently controlled (100% injury) when dosed at ≤5 cm in height. The estimated maximum size for treated kochia was 21 cm in height, 18 branches plant−1, and the maximum accumulated biomass was between 2.6 and 5.1 g plant−1 for models developed using the initial plant height, branch number, or leaf number as predictors. These estimates represent the largest plant escapes, which would be associated with 100% risk through vegetative considerations into SLDER. Kochia plant size for a 5% risk scenario using the SLDER model was 4 cm in height, 0 branches plant−1, and 11 leaves plant−1 when carfentrazone-ethyl was applied at the labeled dosing. Caution is advised when spraying kochia above 5 cm as incorrect staging may lead to sublethal exposure, escape, reproduction, and escalated risk of nontarget site resistance evolution.

Optimizing Vendor-Managed Inventory in Multi-Tier Distribution Systems

This paper addresses the concept of the vendor-managed inventory (VMI) problem, focusing on the replenishment policy and the vehicle routing problem (VRP) model. These components are integrated to tackle a three-echelon distribution issue comprising a single plant, multiple depots, and multiple retailers, with the primary objective of minimizing transportation and inventory costs within this complex distribution network. A three-phase methodology is proposed to optimize the entire supply chain, from the plant to the final retailer, and its performance is evaluated through computational experiments. This research is motivated by a real-life supply network, highlighting its practical relevance and applicability. To extend the capabilities of existing methods for solving the combined inventory and routing problem, an insertion heuristic is incorporated to enhance vehicle utilization, thereby reducing total costs. Computational results demonstrate the effectiveness of the improved algorithm, indicating that it is sufficiently robust for practical application. Significant cost savings can be achieved with the proposed approach, making it a valuable contribution to the field of supply chain optimization.

Exploring the diversity of galls on Artemisia indica induced by Rhopalomyia species through morphological and transcriptome analyses.

Plant galls generated by insects have highly organized structures, providing nutrients and shelter to the insects living within them. Most research on the physiological and molecular mechanisms of gall development has focused on single galls. To understand the diversity of gall development, we examined five galls with different morphologies generated by distinct species of Rhopalomyia (gall midge; Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on a single host plant of Artemisia indica var. maximowiczii (Asteraceae). Vasculature developed de novo within the galls, indicating active transport of nutrients between galls and the host plant. Each gall had a different pattern of vasculature and lignification, probably due to differences in the site of gall generation and the gall midge species. Transcriptome analysis indicated that photosynthetic and cell wall-related genes were down-regulated in leaf and stem galls, respectively, compared with control leaf and stem tissues, whereas genes involved in floral organ development were up-regulated in all types of galls, indicating that transformation from source to sink organs occurs during gall development. Our results help to understand the diversity of galls on a single herbaceous host plant.

Nutritional Evaluation of Almond Protein-Whey Protein Double System and Its Effect on Lipid Metabolism in HepG2 Cells

Almond protein (AP) and whey protein (WP) as single animal and plant proteins have certain limitations in nutrition, but the AP-WP dual protein can play a role in nutritional complementarity, and have a certain regulatory effect on lipid metabolism. This study investigated the amino acid composition of AP-WP system and its effect on FFA induced lipid metabolism in HepG2 cells. Results showed that, using the FAO/WHO model and whole egg protein model as reference values for essential amino acid content, the optimal mixing ratio of AP-WP was determined to be 3:5. The amino acid ratio coefficient scores under this ratio were 74.20 and 81.57 for the two models respectively. Additionally, this ratio of AP-WP showed the best antioxidant activity. The FT-IR spectroscopy indicated that there is interaction between AP and WP. The study found that AP-WP improved oxidative stress and lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells by reducing ROS and TG levels. Western blot analysis showed that AP-WP inhibits the expression of SREBP-1, FAS, and ACC, regulating lipid metabolism in HepG2 cells and leading to a certain lipid-lowering effect. The combination of almond protein and whey protein can improve the nutritional value of food and give full play to the physiological regulation of different proteins to promote human health. The research aims to lay the theoretical foundation for the application of double-protein system in the fields of nutritional food processing and lipid metabolism regulation.

Land use patterns influence in the soil microbial composition

Studies on the impact of land-use patterns on soil health and sustainability have indicated that land-use changes and unsuitable agricultural practices are key driving factors in the degradation of soil. However, the impact of land-use patterns on soil microbial diversity is not entirely consistent or known, and the specific effects of environmental factors need to be further considered. This study explored the impact of three different land-use patterns—rotation land (RL), garden land (GL), and uncultivated land (UL)—on soil health in a farming region by analyzing the soil physicochemical properties and the diversity of the soil bacterial and fungal communities. In this study, the results showed that the soil pH of GL was significantly lower than that of RL and UL, total nitrogen was lowest in GL, and available potassium and soil organic carbon were higher in RL and GL than in UL. The impact of the land-use patterns on microbial diversity was somewhat inconsistent, but greater on soil bacteria than fungi, with 17 bacterial and 4 fungal metabolic pathways showing significant differences. In particular, a decrease in the relative abundance of dominant bacteria was observed in GL. The land-use patterns had little impact on fungal functional genes; however, plant pathogen-related fungi were significantly higher in GL than in RL and UL. Overall, these results indicate that while the soil basic nutrients in different land-use patterns were high, long-term single planting (GL) still had a negative impact on the health and sustainability of the soil, especially owing to low soil pH. Therefore, when evaluating the effect of different planting systems on soil health, it is necessary to consider the true effect of local agricultural measures on soil properties and microbial community composition, and monitor for microbial diseases in the field to determine the impact of land-use patterns on crop production.

Single host plant species may harbour more than one species of Peronospora - a case study on Peronospora infecting Plantago.

The genus Peronospora is the largest genus of the oomycetes, fungus-like members of the kingdom Straminipila that also contains amoeboid (e.g., Leukarachnion) and plant-like (e.g., Laminaria) lifeforms. Peronospora species are obligate biotrophic plant pathogens, causing high economic losses in various crops and ornamentals, including Plantago species. Several species of Plantago are used as speciality crops and medicinal plants. In this study, Peronospora species parasitic on Plantago were investigated based on morphology and phylogenetic analyses using two nuclear (ITS, nrLSU) loci and one mitochondrial (cox2) locus. As a result of these investigations, 10 new species are added to the already known Peronospora species on Plantago. Interestingly, it was found that four independent species are parasitic to Plantago major, highlighting that the reliance on the host plant for pathogen determination can be misleading in Peronospora. Taking this into account, morphological and phylogenetic analyses should be conducted as a prerequisite for effective quarantine regulations and phytosanitary measures. Citation: Mu M, Choi Y-J, Kruse J, et al. 2024. Single host plant species may harbour more than one species of Peronospora - a case study on Peronospora infecting Plantago. Persoonia 52: 94-118. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2024.52.04 .

Ethno Medicinal, Phyto-Chemical and Physico-chemical Characterization of Selected Endangered Medicinal Plants of Indravati National Park, Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, India

Medicinal plants are beneficial for curing several ailments among traditional healers, indigenous people, local practitioners and forest dwellers. If harnessed, traditional knowledge of the ethnomedicinal plants can play a pivotal role in drug discovery and development. In many cases a single medicinal plant can be of multiple uses also, different plant parts of the same plant can be utilized for more than one disease condition. The Ethno-botanical, Phytochemical and physico-chemical characterization of five selected medicinal plants viz., Nyctanthes arbor – tristis, Andrographis paniculata, Cissus quadragularis, Plumbago zeylania and Costus specious is an essence and has been carried out to assess bioactive potential and to establish traditional belief in the light of scientific interpretation. Fresh leaves were collected from Indravati National Park, Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, India, dried and powdered for phytochemical and Proximate, ultimate, and compositional analysis. Study revealed that the highest concentration of Ash Content (18.513%), Moisture Content (8.56%), Carbon content (48.77%), Hydrogen Content (24.490%), Nitrogen Content (23.860%) was observed to occur in Plumbago zeylanica leaf than other experimental plants. In Cissus quadrangularis, the percentage composition of fat content (0.230%), extractive content (1.05%), Lignin Content (5.53%) was higher than others. Fat content (0.230%), Moisture Content (8.56%), Vit. C content (64.63%) and Oxygen contents (36.655 %) were observed to be higher in Nyctanthes arbor-tristis leaf than others. The concentrations of Crude Fibre (14.49 %), Moisture Content (8.56%), Protein content (12.16%), Carbon content (75.66 %), Cellulose content (47.63 %) were observed to be highest in Costus speciosus species than others. Carbon content (48.77%) and Hydrogen Content (24.490%) were higher in Andrographis paniculata than in others.

Evaluation of Bee Pollen Produced in Wild Mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.), Rock Rose (Cistus criticus) and Wild Lavender (Lavandula Stoechas) Fields in Aydın Vicinity as Monofloral Bee Pollen and Determining Some Chemical Properties

In this study, the possibility of producing pollens harvested in certain periods from wild mustard (WM), rock rose (RR) and wild lavender (WL) fields, which are common in the region, as single plant pollen was evaluated and some chemical properties were determined in bee pollen collected from these plants. In the research, 4 colonies each were moved to WM fields in Aydın-Efeler, and to the RR and WL fields in Gaffarlar village of Koçarlı district of Aydın province. In these colonies, the plant origins of the pollen pellets taken from each group, separated according to their colors, were determined. Pellet weights, moisture contents, crude protein and total phenolic substance amounts were determined in the samples taken from WM, RR and WL pollen pellets of defined plant origin. WM, RR and WL pellet weights were 10,42±0,440 mg, 11,69±0,393 mg and 10,40±0,34 mg, respectively. In the same order as the moisture content were determined as 22,10±0,934%, 19,82±0,613%, 20,55±0,667%. In this study, the crude protein contents of WM, RR and WL bee pollen are; 20,5±0,47%; 13,8±2,51%; 16,5±0,95% also in the same order; total phenolic substance values were determined as 21,53±0,514 mg GAE/g, 16,12±0,539 mg GAE/g and 20,31±0,677 mg GAE/g. With this study, it was relize that the bee pollen produced in WM and RR fields in the Aydın precinct can be considered as monofloral bee pollen. Crude protein content and total phenolic substance content of RR bee pollen were found to be lower than the other two plants. It will be possible to establish standards with more comprehensive chemical analyzes on more WM and RR bee pollen samples collected from different vicinity.

Evaluation of Performance and Estimation of Combining Ability in Flax Crop by Using Factorial Mating Design

A field experiment was carried out at agricultural field in al-Alam the coordinates of (N 43.835672 - E 34.777260) district/Salahuddin Governorate during (2021 - 2022) A.D season to study, with the aim of evaluating the genotypes and positions in a crop using factorial mating and in these eight flax genotypes were used in this study it is (Sakha 1, Sakha 2, Sakha 3, Sakha 5, Sakha 6, Giza 8, Syrian local and Thorshansity72). and the first parents (males) and the remaining three (females) were chosen to obtain (15) hybrids If the selection was made on the basis of the genetic base of the genotypes, planted randomly and at different dates in the field, and the experiment was applied using a RCBD and with three replications, results and statistical analysis showed the superior genotype (Sakha1) for the traits of the number of capsules per plant (65.66) and the number of seeds in the capsule (9.79) seed capsulesˉ¹ and the yield of the individual plant (2.69) gm plantˉ¹ and the total yield (539.37) kg h-1 and superior hybrid (Sakha1×Syrian local), which significantly outperformed the traits of the number of capsules per plant (67.03) plant capsuleˉ¹, the number of seeds in the capsule (9.77) seed capsuleˉ¹ and the individual plant yield (2.64) g plantˉ¹ and the total yield (529.12) kg h-1. The best parents in the effects of general ability is Genotype (Sakha1) for the traits of the number of vegetative branches, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, and the superiority of the hybrid (Sakha1 × Syrian local) in the number of capsules per plant, number of seeds in the capsule, number of seeds per capsule, single plant yield and total and hybrid. Thus, it can be recommended to plant the varieties (Sakha1) (Sakha2) and (Sakha5) because their performance is distinguished in most of the traits under study.

Convolutional Neural Network-Based Estimation of Nitrogen Content in Regenerating Rice Leaves

Regenerated rice, characterized by single planting and double harvesting, saves labor and costs, significantly contributing to global food security. Hyperspectral imaging technology, which integrates image and spectral data, provides comprehensive, non-destructive, and pollution-free vegetation canopy analysis, making it highly effective for crop nutrient diagnosis. In this study, we selected two varieties of regenerated rice for field trials. Hyperspectral images were captured during key growth stages (flush, grouting, and ripening) of both the first and regenerated seasons. Utilizing a two-dimensional convolutional neural network (2D-CNN) as a deep feature extractor and a fully connected layer for nitrogen content prediction, we developed a robust model suitable for estimating nitrogen content in regenerated rice. The experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.0008, significantly outperforming the back-propagation (BP) network and multiple linear regression by reducing the MSE by 0.0151 and 0.0247, respectively. It also surpasses the one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) by 0.003. This approach ensures accurate nitrogen content prediction throughout the growth cycle of regenerated rice, aiding in yield and economic benefit enhancement.

Marker assisted identification of improved restorer lines with yield enhancing genes adaptable for aerobic conditions

To feed the world's growing population, development and introduction of climate resilient rice varieties/hybrids with increased yield ability are the need of the hour. This can be accomplished through novel genetic approaches such as hybrid rice technology, using a diverse set of parental lines with high restoring ability and specific desirable traits. In our study, for perse genetic yield improvement in aerobic restorer line AR 9-18R, hybridization was carried out with yield enhancing donor YPK 198 possessing Gn1a and OsSPL14 during kharif, 2018 and generated F1s were fixed for its hybridity through morphological and molecular analysis. In kharif, 2019 two hundred and five F2 population obtained were screened for two yield-enhancing Gn1a and OsSPL14 genes along with two fertility restorer genes Rf3 and Rf4 at ICAR-IIRR, Hyderabad. c2 analysis revealed that the c2 value of both yield enhancing genes was non-significant as the population was segregated in a ratio of 1:2:1. whereas c2 value for fertility restorer genes was significant as population deviated from 1:2:1. Phenotypic evaluation of F2 population for yield related traits exhibited high GCV and PCV for number of productive tillers, number of grains per panicle and single plant yield. Plant height, number of productive tillers, number of grains per panicle and single plant yield displayed high heritability along with high genetic advance as per cent of mean. Correlation and path co-efficient analysis revealed that plant height, number of productive tillers and number of grains per panicle are very important traits as selection criteria for effective yield improvement.

Dynamic Cutting Properties of Miscanthus (giganteus) Stems Using an Impact Tester

Miscanthus (giganteus) is a relatively new energy crop. Its mechanical properties are important for the design and modification of harvesting and processing machines or equipment. The cutting strength is critical to improve the field performance of mowing and other cutting mechanisms. The effects of the cutting blade type, sample supporting method, and sample locations (upper or lower) where it was taken from a single plant stem on the cutting force and energy were studied. A serrated cutting blade and a flat blade were selected to cut Miscanthus samples at the node and internode using a high-speed impact tester. The cutting force, sample diameter, and cutting speed were recorded. The specific cutting force and energy were then calculated based on the cross-sectional area of the stem sample. The average diameter of the Miscanthus samples used for this study was 9.5 mm. The blade cutting speeds for all treatments were ranged from 8.2 ms−1 to 11.3 ms−1. Overall, the maximum specific cutting force and energy of the flat blade were found at the upper portion of a plant stem, which was 441 N cm−2 and 8.3 J cm−2 at the node when one side of the stem sample was fixed, and 469 N cm−2 and 12.1 J cm−2 at the internode if both sides of the sample were fixed. The cutting strengths at the node and internode were significantly different no matter at the upper portion or lower portion of the plant. When using the serrated blade, the maximum specific cutting force was also found at the upper node section with a value of 511 N cm−2 and 437 N cm−2 for one-side fixed and two-side fixed, respectively. Meanwhile, the corresponding maximum specific cutting energies for these two cases were 10.5 J cm−2 and 10.3 J cm−2, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that the blade types and stem sample locations significantly affected the specific cutting force and energy with a 95% confidence level. The sample support methods did not make significant differences when comparing the specific cutting force and energy; but the actual cutting force and energy were significantly different.

The role of magnesium oxide foliar sprays in enhancing mint (Mentha crispa L.) tolerance to cadmium stress

This study investigates using magnesium foliar spray to enhance mint plants' growth and physiological performance under cadmium toxicity. It examines the effects of foliar application of magnesium oxide (40 mg L−1), in both nano and bulk forms, on mint plants exposed to cadmium stress (60 mg kg−1 soil). Cadmium stress reduced root growth and activity, plant biomass (32%), leaf hydration (19%), chlorophyll levels (27%), magnesium content (51%), and essential oil yield (35%), while increasing oxidative and osmotic stress in leaf tissues. Foliar application of magnesium increased root growth (32%), plant biomass, essential oil production (17%), leaf area (24%), chlorophyll content (10%), soluble sugar synthesis (33%), and antioxidant enzyme activity, and reduced lipid peroxidation and osmotic stress. Although the nano form of magnesium enhanced magnesium absorption, its impact on growth and physiological performance was not significantly different from the bulk form. Therefore, foliar application of both forms improves plants' ability to withstand cadmium toxicity. However, the study is limited by its focus on a single plant species and specific environmental conditions, which may affect the generalizability of the results. The long-term sustainability of such treatments could provide a more comprehensive understanding of magnesium's role in mitigating heavy metal stress in plants.

Ethnopharmacological Investigation of Plants Used in the Treatment of Breast Cancer in Northern Cameroon

IntroductionTherapeutic activities of medicinal plants are due to the different secondary metabolites, which are stored in their organs and constitute a large reservoir. These medicinal plants could allow the development of new biomolecules, which would constitute an alternative against highly toxic breast cancer chemotherapy. The present study identifies the medicinal plants used by the traditional medicine practitioners of the northern region of Cameroon in the treatment of this pathology. MethodsA semistructured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic information from participants as well as ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological data of the different treatments. The approach used to conduct the survey was an interview with the traditional medicine practitioners of the region using the local language. ResultsAs a result, 131 traditional healers were interviewed; they provided 50 therapeutic recipes made from 37 plant species belonging to 21 families. The recipes presented are mainly formulated from a single plant (74%) while among the combinations, associating two plants was predominant (18%). The bark was the most used organ (46%) while the most used preparation methods were decoction (52%) and maceration (36%). Treatments were mainly administered orally for an unlimited duration (until recovery). The plants listed were found to be rich in secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, or tannins that revealed anticancer activities through literature. ConclusionsThe results of the present work constitute a strong basis for the search of new anticancer chemotherapeutic agents that would be more available and less invasive.

Enhancing precision in coastal dunes vegetation mapping: ultra-high resolution hierarchical classification at the individual plant level

ABSTRACT The classification of ultra-high-resolution (UHR) imagery, characterized by spatial resolutions exceeding 10 cm, presents opportunities and challenges distinct from lower-resolution counterparts. Particularly, challenges are pronounced in some scenarios, such as mapping plant species in coastal environments, where similar vegetation responses and small plant sizes pose additional difficulties. The present work addressed such issues by developing a UHR vegetation cover classification model at the single plant level using data from uncrewed aerial systems (UASs) equipped with a multispectral optical sensor. The model was tested across the San Rossore Regional Park (Italy), where three pilot areas were defined as training-test-validation sites. The proposed solution consists of a hierarchical two-level-of-detail machine learning model based on object-based image analysis (OBIA) and random forest. This model considers spectral features and indices, elevation, and texture and can classify twelve plant species and two service classes (debris and sand) within the study areas. Train and test were carried out utilizing UAS flight data collected during two specific phenological periods and precise field data derived from in-situ vegetation surveys, which provided 937 herbaceous and shrub samples. The model performance was evaluated based on the error matrix and 50-fold stratified cross-validation method, obtaining an overall accuracy (OA) of 0.76 and a standard deviation of 0.08. Such assessment underscored the crucial role of texture information, in addition to radiometric and elevation. Finally, the model was tested against an unseen dataset, proving its transferability (OA equal to 0.62). Although the discussion highlights some aspects to be further improved and claims for future research, the first version of this hierarchical classification model demonstrated its potential for mapping and monitoring coastal sand dune ecosystems, providing data for understanding and, eventually, modeling ecological and biogeomorphological dynamics.

Filling the gaps on root hair development under salt stress and phosphate starvation using current evidence coupled with a meta-analysis approach.

Population expansion is a global issue, especially for food production. Meanwhile, global climate change is damaging our soils, making it difficult for crops to thrive and lowering both production and quality. Poor nutrition and salinity stress affect plant growth and development. Although the impact of individual plant stresses has been studied for decades, the real stress scenario is more complex due to the exposure to multiple stresses at the same time. Here we investigate using existing evidence and a meta-analysis approach to determine molecular linkages between two contemporaneous abiotic stimuli, phosphate (Pi) deficiency and salinity, on a single plant cell model, the root hairs (RHs), which is the first plant cell exposed to them. Understanding how these two stresses work molecularly in RHs may help us build super-adaptable crops and sustainable agriculture in the face of global climate change.

Physiological Mechanisms of BvCPD Regulation in Sugar Beet Growth

Sugar beet is an important sugar crop, and its roots are mainly used for processing raw materials to produce products such as sugar, molasses, and saccharin, as well as being used as fodder for livestock. BvCPD, a key enzyme gene for brassinosteroid (BR) synthesis, regulates the development of parenchyma cells and vascular bundles by promoting BR synthesis, which promotes the expansion of the sugar beet taproot and influences the growth, development, and yield of sugar beets. This study investigated the impact of BvCPD on the physiological metabolism of sugar beet utilizing BvCPD overexpression, silent, and wild-type (WT) lines. BvCPD increased the chlorophyll content and maximum photochemical efficiency and improved the photosynthetic characteristics of sugar beet leaves. Simultaneously, BvCPD increased the rate of sugar beet taproot respiration and ATP content by enhancing the activities of phosphoglycerate kinase, alcohol dehydrogenase, sucrose synthase, and sucrose synthase catabolism. Moreover, BvCPD induced changes in the sugar fraction content, which increased the sugar yield of a single plant. In addition, BvCPD promoted water absorption, nitrogen accumulation, and lignin/cellulose synthesis activities, facilitated by increased activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, cellulose synthase, and protein serine/threonine phosphatases, providing the requisite energy and materials for sugar beet growth. These findings not only provide a new perspective for understanding the physiological mechanisms regulating the growth of sugar beets but also provide a theoretical basis for the future improvement of sugar beet varieties through molecular breeding techniques.

A Review of Methods for Data-Driven Irrigation in Modern Agricultural Systems

More than half of global water use can be attributed to crop irrigation, and as the human population grows, so will the water requirements of agriculture. Improved irrigation will be critical to mitigating the impact of increased requirements. An ideal irrigation system is informed by measurements of water demand—a combination of water use and water status signals—and delivers water to plants based on this demand. In this review, examples of methods for monitoring water status are reviewed, along with details on stem and trunk water potential measurements. Then, methods for monitoring evapotranspiration (ET), or water use, are described. These methods are broken into coarse- and fine-scale categories, with a 10 m spatial resolution threshold between them. Fourteen crop ET technologies are presented, including examples of a successful estimation of ET in research and field settings, as well as limitations. The focus then shifts to water distribution technologies, with an emphasis on the challenges associated with the development of systems that achieve dynamic single plant resolution. Some attention is given to the process of choosing ET and water status sensing methods as well as water delivery system design given site characteristics and agronomic goals. This review concludes with a short discussion on the future directions of ET research and the importance of translating findings into useful tools for growers.

Distribution and Pathogenicity Differentiation of Physiological Races of Verticillium dahliae from Cotton Stems in Western China.

Verticillium wilt, caused by the pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae, has emerged as a severe threat to cotton globally. However, little is known about the genetic diversity of this pathogen in an infected single cotton plant. In this study, we isolated three new V. dahliae strains from the disease stems of Gossypium hirsutum from the cotton field in Western China and assessed their pathogenicity to the cotton cultivar Xinnongmian-1 and its two transgenic lines, as well as two laboratory strains, VD592 and VD991. These three new V. dahliae strains were identified using DNA barcodes of tryptophan synthase (TS), actin (ACT), elongation factor 1-α (EF), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD). Moreover, the haplotype analysis revealed that the three new races had distinct haplotypes at the TS locus. Furthermore, the results of culture features and genetic diversity of ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat) revealed that there were separate V. dahliae strains, which were strong defoliating pathotypes belonging to race 2 type, as determined by particular DNA marker recognition. The identified strains demonstrated varied levels of pathogenicity by leaf disc and entire plant inoculation methods. Conservatively, these strains showed some pathogenicity on cotton lines, but were less pathogenic than the reference strains. The findings revealed that several strong defoliating V. dahliae pathotypes coexist on the same cotton plant. It indicats the importance of regular monitoring as an early warning system, as well as the detection and reporting of virulent pathogen strains and their effects on crop response.

Combining Different Natural Plant Extracts to Stabilize the Antioxidative Activity of Dragon's Blood.

Dragon's blood () is a traditional Chinese medicine known for its wound hemostasis, blood circulation, and stasis properties. Recently, it has also been utilized in cosmetics, though its antioxidant capacity remains unclear. This study aims to stabilize the bioactivity of dragon's blood using various plant extracts. We evaluated single plant extracts and their combinations to identify the conditions that maintained the antioxidant capacity of dragon's blood the longest. Selected plants included Hibiscus sabdariffa, Clitoria ternatea, Hylocereus sp., Pandanus amaryllifolius, and Camellia sinensis. We used two sources of dragon's blood: Daemonorops draco and Dracaena cochinchinensis. Extraction conditions were optimized and antioxidant activity was assessed using the free radical scavenging ability of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), total anthocyanin concentration (TAC), total polyphenol content (TPC), the free radical scavenging activity of ABTS, and a ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The results showed that all plant extracts exhibited high antioxidant capacity. Clitoria ternatea had the highest DPPH scavenging ability at 93.81%, with the best combination being green tea and Daemonorops draco at 92.57%. Clitoria ternatea had the highest TPC at 9921 mg GAE/100 g, with the best combination (green tea and Dracaena cochinchinensis) at 10500 mg GAE/100 g. ABTS activity was highest for green tea at 98.3%, with the best combination (Clitoria ternatea and Daemonorops draco) at 93.29%. The FRAP assay showed that green tea had the highest electron-donating potential at 3.85 mg/mL, with the best combination (Daemonorops draco and Dracaena cochinchinensis) at 3.71 mg/mL. This study advances our understanding of the antioxidant properties of these plants and the traditional Chinese medicine dragon's blood, enhancing the efficacy of dragon's blood in skincare and cosmetics. Moreover, the application of these extracts could rejuvenate local agriculture, impacting the skincare, cosmetics, and sustainable agriculture sectors.