Sophora Japonica Research Articles

Study of behavioral, electrophysiological response, and the active compounds of the essential oils from six kinds of flowers against Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Red imported fire ant (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren, which is an invasive alien ant, causes serious ecological and public safety problems. Concerns about the impact of traditional synthetic pesticides on nontarget organisms, plant essential oils (EOs) as alternative products with lower environmental impact can be used to control insects. The "push-pull" strategy is considered to be a method of controlling the number and distribution of pests through attraction and repulsion. To find active compounds with effect on the behavior of RIFA, 6 types of EO of plant flowers with a strong aroma, including Osmanthus fragrans (Thunb.) Lour., Sophora japonica Linn, Eugenia caryophμllata Thunb., Ligustrum compactum (Wall. exG. Don) Hook.f., Jasminum sambac (L.) Ait., Allium polyrhizum Turcz. Ex Regel were studied by Y-tube experiment, electrophysiological detection (EAG), and gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD). The results showed that different concentrations of six EOs significantly affected the behavioral selectivity of different castes of RIFA, the data of high concentration-repellent and low concentration-attractive have been recorded. The repellent rate of 1000 μg/ml L. compactum of EO was 68.75 % and the attraction rate of 2 μg/ml of EO was 66.25 % on small worker ants. For large worker ants, both 1000 μg/ml (repellent rate: 72.50 %) and 40 μg/ml (attractive rate: 68.75 %) of L. compactum EO reached an extremely significant difference. As for E. caryophμllata EOs, the repellent rate of male ants was 67.5 % at 1000 μg/ml and 68.75 % of the attraction rate was calculated at 2 μg/ml. The most interesting finding was that all concentrations of L. compactum EOs showed a remarkable attractive effect on virgin ants and the attraction rate of 1000 μg/ml EO reached an extremely significant difference (attraction rate: 72.5 %). The highest absolute EAG values of different castes of RIFA in the EO were followed as: small worker ants (1.8788 mV, J. sambac ), large worker ants (1.5550 mV, O. fragrans ), male ants (1.6088 mV, A. polyrhizum ), and virgin ants (1.2350 mV, E. caryophμllata ). The GC-MS results of the EOs were followed as: the compounds with high content in O. fragrans EO were butyl phthalate (37.95 %) and p -methoxyphenethyl alcohol (16.76 %); the main chemical components in S. japonica EO were benzeneethanol (20.62 %) and phenol (11.16 %); the total contents of eugenol (82.5 %) and aceteugenol (15.81 %) reached 98.31 % in E. caryophμllata EO; the most compound of EO was benzyl alcohol (19.33 %), followed by linalool (18.70 %) in J. sambac EO; the main chemical components of L. compactum EO were benzyl alcohol (17.45 %) and phenethyl alcohol (27.63 %); five compounds, including pentacosane (11.78 %), heptacosane (10.37 %), oleylamide (11.9 %), non-acosane (20.15 %), and octacosane (8.24 %) were the main chemical components in A. polyrhizum EO. The GC-EAD results showed that three compounds (estragole, α -humulene, and caffeine) were identified to have the potential to develop as behavioral orienting chemicals against worker ants of RIFA. Furthermore, several compounds were expected to be developed as attractants for reproductive ants, including eugenol, cis -linalool oxide, furfural, and its analogs. Our data will provide basic materials for the "push-pull" strategy and have the potential to lay the foundation for the eventual development of efficient and safe repellents. • Six kinds of plants flowers essential oils (EOs) with strong special aroma were extracted by steam distillation method. • Different castes of red imported fire ant (RIFA) revealed repellent or attractive activities to the EOs. • The results of electrophysiological (EAG) recordings showed that the EOs triggered the EAG response to different castes of RIFA. • The results of gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) showed that 6 compounds have the potential to be developed as behavioral orient chemicals against RIFA.

Responses of Rhizosphere Soil Chemical Properties and Bacterial Community Structure to Major Afforestation Tree Species in Xiong’an New Area

To explore the response of rhizosphere chemical and biological properties to eight major afforestation species in Xiong’an New Area, we measured rhizosphere soil properties in their pure stands and analyzed the bacterial community structure using a high-throughput sequencing platform. The results showed that: (1) Compared with coniferous species, broadleaved species had higher total nutrient concentration and pH in the rhizosphere but lower available nutrient concentration and soil moisture. Nitrate nitrogen deficiency was found in all stands. (2) Uncultured_bacterium_f_Longimicrobiaceae and RB41 could distinguish Platycladus orientalis (Linn.) Franco from other trees. Compared with other tree species, Sabina chinensis (Linn.) Ant., Armeniaca vulgaris Lam., and Fraxinus chinensis Roxb. gathered more Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Gemmatimonadetes, respectively. Uncultured_bacterium_o_Rokubacteriales, uncultured_bacterium_f_Gemmatimonadaceae, and uncultured_bacterium_c_Subgroup_6 were major contributors to the differences in bacterial communities among most tree species. (3) Species characteristics changed soil chemical properties, further affecting the bacterial community. Total carbon, organic matter, total nitrogen, and pH were the main factors explaining these variations. In general, Sophora japonica Linn. and F. chinensis could increase soil total nutrient significantly, which meant that they were more suitable for afforestation in the studied area than the other species. P. orientalis and Pinus tabuliformis Carr. were better choices among conifers. We suggest planting more mixed forests to improve the rhizosphere nutrient status of conifers. A suitable way to alleviate prevailing nitrogen and phosphorus limitations is also required, such as introducing understory vegetation or supplementing organic fertilizers.

A chromosome-level genome of Semiothisa cinerearia provides insights into its genome evolution and control

BackgroundSemiothisa cinerearia belongs to Geometridae, which is one of the most species-rich families of lepidopteran insects. It is also one of the most economically significant pests of the Chinese scholar tree (Sophora japonica L.), which is an important urban greenbelt trees in China due to its high ornamental value. A genome assembly of S. cinerearia would facilitate study of the control and evolution of this species.ResultsWe present a reference genome for S. cinerearia; the size of the genome was ~ 580.89 Mb, and it contained 31 chromosomes. Approximately 43.52% of the sequences in the genome were repeat sequences, and 21,377 protein-coding genes were predicted. Some important gene families involved in the detoxification of pesticides (P450) have expanded in S. cinerearia. Cytochrome P450 gene family members play key roles in mediating relationships between plants and insects, and they are important in plant secondary metabolite detoxification and host-plant selection. Using comparative analysis methods, we find positively selected gene, Sox15 and TipE, which may play important roles during the larval-pupal metamorphosis development of S. cinerearia.ConclusionThis assembly provides a new genomic resource that will aid future comparative genomic studies of Geometridae species and facilitate future evolutionary studies on the S. cinerearia.

Որոշ գեղազարդ ծառերի տնկիների տերևների բետա-ռադիոակտիվությունն Արարատյան դաշտի և Դիլիջանի անտառային գոտու պայմաններում

The specificities of the accumulation of the gross β-radioactivity and the controlled technogenic radionuclides (RN) 90Sr (T1/2=28.6 years) and 137Cs (T1/2=30.1 years) in leaves of several decorative tree saplings (sophora japonica, biota orientalis, cupressus sempervirens, fagus orientalis and carpinus caucasus) were studied in area of Institute of Hydroponics Problems (IHP) (zone of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP) with radius of 30 km) and in Dilijan forest experimental station (DFES). It was revealed that the leaves of the saplings of sophora japonica and biota orientalis prevailed in gross β-radioactivity those of cupressus sempervirens in area of IHP and of fagus orientalis and carpinus caucasus in DFES. Therefore, decorative broad-leaved sophora japonica and conifer biota orientalis that were introduced into Armenia are suggested to be used in green building as natural accumulators of RN to create parks, green zones and forests. It may have important ecological value.

Efficient decolorization of cationic dye (malachite green) by natural-based biosorbent (nano-magnetic Sophora Japonica fruit seed biochar)

Today, the importance of materials produced by natural means or by synthesis is increasing in the prevention of increasing water pollution. Sophora Japonica fruit seeds (SJfs) were pyrolyzed at 450 °C to produce SJfs-biochar (SJfsB) in this study. Iron nanoparticles were immobilized to the SJfsB structure to form a more active biosorbent matrix. SJfsB and the resulting novel biosorbent (nanomagnetic-Sophora Japonica fruit seeds biochar (nM-SJfsB) were used to remove malachite green (MG) from an aqueous solution. Fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy were used to elucidate the details of the biosorbent properties. The effect on removal was investigated using various parameters. A combined strategy was used to define the adsorption parameters such as adsorbent amount, time, initial dye concentration, pH, and temperature. The maximum adsorption capacity determined by the Langmuir model was 51.020 mg/g for SJfsB-MG and 101.010 mg/g was found for nM-SJfsB-MG. The pseudo second order equation made the equilibrium data suitable. After regeneration, nM-SJfsB can be used for re-adsorption studies and reused for multiple cycles in adsorption and desorption applications without discharging nano-iron particles into aqueous medium.

The natural medicinal fungus Huaier promotes the anti-hepatoma efficacy of sorafenib through the mammalian target of rapamycin-mediated autophagic cell death.

Sorafenib (SOR) is currently the first line molecular targeting agent for advanced liver cancer therapy. Unfortunately, the insensitivity of liver cancer patients to SOR relatively limits its effectiveness. Huaier (HUA), a natural medicinal parasitic fungus found on the Sophora japonica Linn., has been widely employed as an adjuvant medication for numerous malignancies due to its potent anti-tumoral properties. This studyaims to elucidate the enhancing therapeutic efficacy of HUA on SOR treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and mouse models. The CCK-8, clone formation, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, western blot, bioinformaticanalysis, and xenografttumorassays were performed to evaluate the synergistic anti-hepatoma efficacy and mechanisms of HUA-SOR combination treatment on HCC cells. The results revealed combination treatment further inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis, enhanced autophagy of HCC cells, and suppressed the growth of transplanted tumors in mice, compared with either HUA or SOR treatment alone. For Hep3B and Huh7 cells, the optimal synergistic doses of HUA in combination with SOR were 8 mg/mL + 4 μM and 4 mg/mL + 2 μM, with combination index values of 0.646 and 0.588, respectively. Additionally, the underlying mechanisms might be related to biological processes that are mediated by mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). The combination treatment downregulated the protein expression levels of p-mTOR, p-p70S6K, p62, and upregulated the protein expression levels of Beclin-1 and LC3B-II. The mTOR activator MHY1485 attenuated the effect of HUA-SOR combination by inhibiting autophagy, suggesting HUA may potentiate the sensitivity of HCC cells to SOR by partially inducing mTOR-mediated autophagic cell death. These findings might provide a rationale experimental foundation for clinical applications of HUA with SOR.

Efficient Decolorization of Anionic Dye (Methyl Blue) by Natural-Based Biosorbent (nano-Magnetic Sophora Japonica Fruit Seed Biochar)

Today, various methods are used to remove the dye pollution in the increasing water. Adsorption is a fast and effective method that has been used since the past. The value of the obtained adsorption capacity varies according to the type of biosorbent material used. The seeds of the fruit of Sophora Japonica (SJfs), a tree commonly found in nature, were pyrolyzed at 450°C to produce biochar (SJfsB) in this study. Iron nanoparticles were immobilized into the SJfsB structure to form a more active biosorbent matrix. The obtained SJfsB and nM-SJfsB were used in the removal of methyl blue, an anionic dye. SJfsB and nM-SJfsB used for dye removal were characterized by FT-IR and SEM instruments. The obtained results revealed that the adsorption process occurred in the pseudo-second-order and was consistent with the Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity for MB removal was 434.783 mg/g for nM-SJfsB and 76.923 mg/g for SJfsB, respectively.

Introduction and Crop Performance of Styphnolobium japonicum in the Absheron Peninsula

In recent years, along with local flora, many ornamental plants have been brought from all over the world, including Japanese Sophora (Styphnolobium japonicum (L.) Schott, genus StyphnolobiumSchott, family Fabaceae). The species is widely used in landscape architecture due to its decorative properties. There are 12,000 species belonging to this family in the world, 1,700 of them exist in the former Soviet Union, 550 in the Caucasus and over 400 species in Azerbaijan. S. japonicum is of particular importance when introduced for the purpose of landscaping the Absheron Peninsula. The studies were carried out in 2020–2021 on the Absheron Peninsula, at the experimental site of the Institute of Dendrology of Azerbaijan NAS. The purpose of the study: development of rules for the introduction and adaptation of Japanese Sophora in the conditions of Absheron, identification of biological characteristics, resistance to environmental factors, phytochemical studies and determination of areas of application. To achieve the goals set during the study, different methods were used and phenological observations were carried out in different areas. In the course of the study, seeds collected on the Absheron Peninsula and brought on exchange from the Romanian garden Hortus Botanicus were used. It has been found that most of the seeds of S. japonicum require the same conditions for germination. The percentage of germination of seeds of a fresh crop is 1.5–2.0 times higher than that of the seeds of the previous year. Therefore, freshly harvested S. japonicum seeds should be used when sowing. The research results showed that Japanese Sophora, introduced in the conditions of Absheron, has normal stages of development and produces seeds with high germination.

UV protection effect of cotton dyed with Flos Sophorae (Sophora Japonica L.) extracted with acid hydrolysis

Flos Sophorae extract was hydrolyzed using a mixed solution of methanol, HCl, and water to convert rutin to quercetin for the purpose of enhancing the UV protective effect of dyed cotton. Relative yield (%) of quercetin in the hydrolyzed extract was determined by the percent ratio of the absorbance of untreated Flos Sophorae extract at 359 nm to the absorbance of hydrolyzed extract at 370–371 nm. Quercetin yield was 93.09% when 1 M HCl was applied and 52.03% when 0.5 M HCl was applied, both with 60 min reaction time. The latter was applied in dyeing cotton with the dyebath containing hydrolyzed Flos Sophorae extract and water by 50:50 or 75:25 ratio. By dyeing with hydrolyzed Flos Sophorae extract the UPF value of cotton was enhanced to 13.80 indicating 92.76% blockage of the UV rays as opposed to 84.78% blockage by the same fabric without Flos Sophorae dyeing. The present method could produce a light-weight summer cotton with yellow color which could provide a moderate UV protection for daily summer attire.

Dye Plants Derived Carbon Dots for Flexible Secure Printing.

Carbon dots (C-dots) are fluorescent nanomaterials, exhibiting excellent structure-dependent optical properties for various types of optical and electrical applications. Although many precursors were used for C-dots production, it is still a challenge to produce high-quality C-dots using environmentally-friendly natural precursors. In this work, multiple-colored colloidal C-dots were synthesized via a heating reaction using natural plant dyes as precursors, for example, Indigo, Carcuma longa, and Sophora japonica L. The as-prepared C-dots have absorption in the UV range of 220 to 450 nm with the typical emission ranging from 350 to 600 nm. The as-obtained C-dots have a quantum yield as high as 3.8% in an aqueous solution. As a proof-of-concept, we used the as-prepared C-dots as fluorescence inks for textile secure printing. The printed patterns are almost invisible under daylight and have distinct and clear patterns under 365 and 395 nm light, proving the great potential in optical anti-counterfeiting. This work demonstrates the advanced strategy for high-performance C-dots production from natural dyes and their potential application in flexible secure printing systems.

감잎, 녹차, 회화나무 열매 추출 복합물 (BLH308)의 탈모 개선 효과

Background: Persimmon leaf (Diospyros kaki), green tea (Camellia sinensis), and sophora fruit (Sophora japonica) are traditional food sources known to prevent oxidative stress and inflammation. However, research on their effect in reducing hair loss is lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an extract mading using these plants, BLH308 could help reduce hair loss.BRMethods and Results: The antioxidant activity of BLH308 in vitro was investigated as well as its anti-inflammatory effect in RAW 264.7 cells and its effect on the expression of 5-alpha reductase Ⅱ in human dermal papilla cells. BLH308 showed significant antioxidant activity owing to its ability to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2

Water Soluble Silicon Nanoparticles as a Fluorescent Probe for Highly Sensitive Detection of Rutin.

In this work, water-soluble fluorescent silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) were prepared by one-pot hydrothermal method using 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyldimethoxymethylsilane (AEAPDMMS) as a silicon source and amidol as a reducing agent. The prepared SiNPs showed bright green fluorescence, excellent stability against photobleaching, salt tolerance, temperature stability, and good water solubility. Due to the internal filtration effect (IFE), rutin could selectively quench the fluorescence of the SiNPs. Based on such phenomena, a highly sensitive fluorescence method was established for rutin detection. The linear range and limit of detection (LOD) were 0.05–400 μM and 15.2 nM, respectively. This method was successfully applied to detect rutin in the samples of rutin tablets, Sophora japonica, fry Sophora japonica, and S. japonica carbon with satisfactory recovery.

Metabolomic analysis reveals dynamic changes in secondary metabolites of Sophora japonica L. during flower maturation.

Sophora japonica L. is widely consumed in China because of its medicinal and nutritional value. Its quality is greatly affected by the accumulation of metabolites, which varies with the stage of flower development. However, changes in the characteristics of the secondary metabolites during flower maturity remain unclear. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometry (UPLC–ESI–QTRAP–MS/MS) revealed dynamic changes in the secondary metabolites of S. japonica during the five flower-maturity stages. We monitored 331 metabolites and screened 164. The differential metabolites showed seven trends during flower maturation, with flavonoids and phenolic acids having the most varied expressions. Flower buds (S2–S3) are rich in flavonoids and are thus suitable for use in high-quality medicine or industrial extraction. Our study provides an empirical basis for the informed harvesting of S. japonica based on its mode of utilization.

Sophora japonica L. flower mediated carbon dots with nitrogen and sulfur co-doped as a sensitive fluorescent probe for amoxicillin detection

This article first reported the green synthesis of N, S co-doped fluorescent carbon dots (N, S-CDs-Sop) and sought to establish the fluorescence detection system for amoxicillin (AMX). By using Sophorajaponica L. flower as the green precursor and dl-homocystine as the co-dopant, N, S-CDs-Sop were successfully prepared via a one-pot hydrothermal method, exhibiting good water solubility and excellent photoluminescence. It was revealed that the surface of N, S-CDs-Sop was abundant in amino, hydroxyl and carboxyl groups after being characterized by a variety of techniques. When Fe3+ was added, Fe3+ could be complexed with N, S-CDs-Sop to from N, S-CDs-Sop-Fe3+ chelation leading to a significant static quenching of fluorescence. However, when N, S-CDs-Sop, Fe3+ and AMX coexisted, AMX would coordinate with Fe3+ and form the strong chelate due to the favorable chemical structure, resulting in the rapid fluorescence recovery. Such a fast, simple and sensitive fluorescence “off–on” strategy with a low LOD and a relatively wide range was successfully applied to the detection of AMX, which is closely correlated with human health.

Growth, Gas Exchange, and Mineral Nutrients of Albizia julibrissin and Sophora japonica Irrigated with Saline Water

Albizia julibrissin (mimosa tree) and Sophora japonica (Japanese pagoda tree) are drought-tolerant landscape plants; however, salinity responses of these two species are not well documented. The objective of this study was to investigate the morphological and physiological responses of these two species to three salinity levels in greenhouse conditions. Two studies were conducted in the summer/early fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021. In 2020, uniform plants were irrigated weekly for the first 2 weeks and every other day for the following 3 weeks with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m−1 as a control or saline solution at ECs of 5.0 or 10.0 dS·m−1. In 2021, plants were irrigated weekly for 8 weeks with the same treatment solutions as described previously. Albizia julibrissin and S. japonica survived in both experiments with minimal foliar salt damage (leaf burn or necrosis). Irrigation water at ECs of 5.0 and 10.0 dS·m−1 reduced plant height and dry weight (DW) of both species. In the fall experiment, A. julibrissin irrigated with a saline solution at an EC of 10.0 dS·m−1 had the highest reduction in plant height (61%) compared with the control. Albizia julibrissin and S. japonica irrigated with a saline solution at an EC of 10.0 dS·m−1 had 52% and 47% reductions in shoot DW compared with the control, respectively. In the spring experiment, compared with the control, there were 72% and 45% reductions in height of A. julibrissin and S. japonica, respectively, when irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 10.0 dS·m−1. In addition, compared with the control, A. julibrissin and S. japonica had 58% and 64% reductions in shoot DW, respectively, when irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 10.0 dS·m−1. Increasing salinity levels in the irrigation water also reduced leaf greenness [Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD)], leaf net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gS), and transpiration rate (E) of both species. Furthermore, sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) concentrations in leaves were affected by elevated salinity levels in the irrigation water. Visual score, Pn, gS, and E negatively correlated to Na+ and Cl− concentrations in leaves. But Cl− accumulation had more impact on the growth of A. julibrissin and S. japonica. In summary, both species were tolerant to saline solution irrigation up to 5.0 dS⋅m−1 and moderately tolerant to saline solution irrigation up to 10.0 dS⋅m−1.

КОМПЛЕКСНА ОЦІНКА СКВЕРУ ІМ. І. ЧЕРНЯХОВСЬКОГО М. УМАНЬ ЧЕРКАСЬКОЇ ОБЛАСТІ ТА ПРОПОЗИЦІЇ ЩОДО ЙОГО ВІДНОВЛЕННЯ

The article presents an analysis of the dendrological composition, spatial and phytocenotic structure of the plantations of I. Chernyakhovsky park in Uman, Cherkasy region. During plantation inventory in the park were found 18 taxa of trees, 2 species of shrubs and 3 species of perennial flowering plants. The dendrological structure of the park is mainly represented by the genera Aceraceae (17,1 %), Tiliaceae (17,6 %), Rosaceae (4,8 %), Hippocastanaceae (1,7 %), the share of other genera is insignificant. The main tree species in the groups are Aesculus hippocastanum L. The accompanying species are Styphnolobium japonicum L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Tilia cordata L. and others. The composition of the park is dominated by simple groups. Green plantations make up 76.2% and occupy a significant part of the park's territory, 36.4% belong to artificial coverings. The project of reconstruction of the territory envisages increase of species composition and improvement of decorative qualities of the park plantations. For this purpose we suggest using the most ornamental plants (Picea pungens f. "Glauca", Larix decidua f. "Pendul", Picea omorika L., Picea abies f. "Ohlendorffii", Catalpa bignonioides L., Platanus occidentalis L., Prunus serrulata f. "Kiku shidare", Stachys lanata, Juniperus communis f. "Repanda", Buxus microphylla f. "Folker", Rhododendron impeditum L., etc.).

A novel and specific molecular imprinted polymer using cellulose as a carrier for the targeted separation of quercetin from Sophora Japonica

In this study, a quercetin molecular imprinted polymer using cellulose as a carrier (CMMs@MPS@MIPs) with high selectivity for quercetin was prepared. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TG), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffraction （XRD） were used to analyze the material. The adsorption conditions were optimized, resulting in a CMMs@MPS@MIPs adsorption quantity of 13.19 mg g−1. The adsorption conditions were optimized and the adsorption amount of CMMs@MPS@MIPs could reach 13.19 mg g−1. Furthermore, the material could still retain 83.5 % of the adsorption performance after five cycles. CMMs@MPS@MIPs was used as an adsorbent to enrich quercetin in Sophora Japonica extract, and its content was greatly increased from 15.73 % to 68.79 %, which proved that CMMs@MPS@MIPs can efficiently separate and enrich quercetin. This research also provides a scientific basis for the targeted separation of target compounds in the food and pharmaceutical by molecularly imprinted polymers using natural polysaccharides as carriers.

Spatial structure characteristics of plain ecological plantation in Tongzhou District, Beijing, China

Forest spatial structure (FSS) directly reflects resource competition and growth space distribution among different trees. The characteristics of FSS play an important role in mastering the growth status of ecological forest, formulating stand structure regulation measures, and improving forest quality and ecological services. In this study, seven plain ecological plantations including Pinus tabuliformis, Fraxinus chinensis, Salix matsudana, Populus tomentosa, Sophora japonica, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Salix babylonica in Tongzhou District, Beijing were selected as the research objects. The spatial structure characteristics of plain ecological plantations were evaluated by aggregation degree, angle index, neighborhood comparison, open degree, canopy index, competition index, edge benefit, and spatial structure comprehensive index. The horizontal distribution pattern of stand was well, with the aggregation degree of 0.32-1.41, the angle index of 0.4, and the neighborhood comparison mainly around 0.5. The vertical distribution pattern of stand was not well and needed to be improved, with the open degree of 0.19-0.52, most canopy indexes of about 0.7. The competition index presented a high competitive status with the all values of >50. Except the comprehensive evaluation index of R. pseudoacacia plantation presented in grade Ⅲ, the other six kinds of plain ecological plantations fell to grade Ⅱ, with low stand openness and low vitality. The comprehensive evaluation indices of FSS followed the order of R. pseudoacacia > S. babylonica > P. tabuliformis > S. matsudana > F. chinensis > S. japonica > P. tomentosa.

Punicalagin: a monomer with anti-Eimeria tenella effect from fruit peel of Punica granatum L.

Poultry production was long plagued by coccidiosis, and the development of alternative therapies will make practical sense. In this work, 2 battery experiments were designed. In battery experiment 1, the best effect of 7 anticoccidial herbs (Sophora japonica Linn, Citrus aurantium L, leaf of Acer palmatum, bark of Magnolia officinalis, fruit peel of Punica granatum L., Eclipta prostrata L., and Piper sarmentosum Roxb.) against Eimeria tenella infection of 21-day-old male Chinese Guangxi yellow-feathered chickens were screened out by clinic indexes (bloody feces scores, cecal lesion scores, oocysts output, relative weight gain rate, and survival rate). According to the results from battery experiment 1 and other literature research, we selected 2 monomers which were extracted from fruit peel of Punica granatum L. for further battery experiment 2 which were similar with battery experiment 1. Clinic results showed that Punicalagin had better anticoccidial effect than Ellagic acid. The anticoccidial mechanism exploration results of Elisa, antioxidant test, and pathological observation showed that Punicalagin reduced the cecal inflammation, improved the expression of immunoglobulin in cecal tissue, improved cecal integrity, and restored its REDOX state. Results of 16S rRNA sequencing analysis showed that Punicalagin also maintained the fecal flora health during E. tenella infection through insignificantly increasing the proportion of Lactobacillus and Faecalibacterium as well as significantly reducing the proportion of pathogenic bacteria, Escherichia–Shigella. RNA-Seq analysis results suggested that Punicalagin may play a role in controlling E. tenella infection by interaction with cytochrome P450 family enzymes. Overall, Punicalagin has promising potential as an alternative therapy for chicken Eimeria tenella infection.

Effect of different lignocellulosic biomasses on laccase production by Pleurotus species

The laccase activity of three cultivated Pleurotus strains was investigated using different lignocellulosic biomasses for solid-state fermentation. The lignocellulosic biomasses were Sophora japonica, Salix babylonica, Populus beijingensis, and Pinus tabuliformis, which were selected because of their laccase producing ability and low cost. The maximum laccase activities from P. ostreatus Han 1189, P. citrinopileatus Han 1192, and P. eryngii Han 1205 using Sophora japonica were 768.74 U/L ± 11.25 U/L, 144.77 U/L ± 9.70 U/L, and 200.42 U/L ± 6.85 U/L, respectively. The three species of Pleurotus showed consistency in having a preference of hardwood to secret laccase under solid-state fermentation when facing hardwood and softwood as substrates. Furthermore, the presence of Sophora japonica was beneficial to improving the laccase activity for three Pleurotus strains. The capacity of the laccase secretion of P. ostreatus Han 1189 was superior to the capacity of P. citrinopileatus Han 1192 and P. eryngii Han 1205. The discovery was helpful for obtaining new high-producing strains and suitable wood materials, as well as expanding these high-producing strains for industrial applications to obtain high laccase activity, high laccase yield, and low cost laccase.