Plant Taxa Research Articles

Range Mapper: An Adaptable Process for Making and Using Interactive, Animated Web Maps of Late-Quaternary Open Paleoecological Data

Here, we describe our process of developing Range Mapper, a new set of online interactive and animated visualizations of plant taxon range shifts since the Last Glacial Maximum. These animated maps of taxa distributions since the last deglaciation, based upon spatiotemporal networks of fossil occurrences, offer adaptable visualizations of species range shifts in response to past climate and other environmental changes. They are designed to be useful both for experts for quick-look insights into past patterns and processes at broad scales and for educators and science communicators interested in sharing knowledge about how species adapt to changing climates. Prior generations of animations, such as Pollen Viewer, lacked open-source code and so were not easy to update, and the underlying software no longer complies with internet security standards. Range Mapper maps data from the Neotoma Paleoecology Database using CARTO VL, an open-source JavaScript library for creating dynamic and modifiable web maps that interoperates with CARTO’s software-as-a-service platform. Specifically, we downloaded, processed, and temporally interpolated 2,635 georeferenced pollen records from Neotoma ranging from 21 thousand years ago (ka) to present. Then, we created maps for North America, Europe, and Oceania using Carto VL’s web mapping features to build the spatiotemporal animated sequences, define visual design parameters, and add interaction controls. Range Mapper illustrates major shifts in taxa distribution over the last 21 k years on all three continents. All workflows are publicly available on GitHub and Zenodo, allowing interested users to extend this approach to other taxa, regions, and times.

The hidden diet – examination of crop content reveals distinct patterns of pollen host use by Central European bees of the genus Hylaeus (Hymenoptera, Colletidae)

Masked or yellow-faced bees of the genus Hylaeus (Colletidae) differ in their mode of pollen transportation from most other bees in that they ingest the pollen directly on the flowers and carry it back to the nest inside the crop located in the anterior half of the metasoma. Due to this hidden mode of pollen transportation, the examination of pollen collected by Hylaeus females requires the dissection of the metasoma. Although this method has never been applied in Europe, the great majority of the Central European Hylaeus species were supposed to be pollen generalists based on observations of flower visits. The microscopical analysis of pollen removed from 30 crops each of 36 Central European Hylaeus species revealed that the proportion of species exhibiting an exclusive or strong preference for pollen from a single plant taxon is much higher than hitherto assumed and that the current assumption of the genus Hylaeus to largely consist of pollen generalists is wrong. Nineteen of the 36 species examined are strictly or largely dependent on a single plant taxon for collecting pollen, such as Apiaceae (n = 11 species), Rosaceae (n = 3), Reseda (Resedaceae) (n = 2), Allium (Amaryllidaceae) (n = 1), Asteraceae (n = 1) and Melilotus (Fabaceae) (n = 1). The 36 Hylaeus species examined collected pollen from the flowers of 31 plant families, of which the Apiaceae and Rosaceae (particularly Potentilla and Rubus) were by far the most important contributing almost 60% to the pollen host spectrum of the entire genus. The comparison between pollen host spectrum and flower visiting records showed that the pollen generalists use the flowers of the Asteraceae as nectar rather than pollen sources, corroborating earlier findings that the digestion of Asteraceae pollen requires physiological adaptations to cope with its unfavourable or protective properties. In summary, the patterns of pollen host use by bees of the genus Hylaeus do not substantially differ from those of other Palaearctic bee taxa despite the masked bees’ unusual habit to ingest the pollen directly on the flowers and to transport it inside their body back to the nest.

Sunda–Sahul floristic exchange and pathways into the Southwest Pacific: New insights from wet tropical forest trees

AbstractAimRecent investigations on the floristic exchange between Southeast Asia and Australia have shown a clear dispersal directionality bias (West to East) of wet‐adapted plant taxa. However, dispersal routes and directions of wet forest taxa into the South Pacific remain insufficiently known. We here aimed to establish the most likely routes and directions of plant dispersal into the Southwest Pacific islands.LocationSoutheast Asia, East Asia, Australia, Southwest Pacific.TaxonDysoxylum s.l. (Meliaceae). This includes Dysoxylum s.s., Didymocheton, Epicharis, Goniocheton, Pseudocarapa, and Prasoxylon.MethodWe sampled 75% of the species diversity in Dysoxylum s.l., covering the entire distribution range, all genera and major lineages. Phylogenetic relationships of 149 accessions were reconstructed using Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis and two internal constraints. The dispersal–extinction–cladogenesis variant, founder‐event speciation (DEC+J), was used for reconstructing the biogeographic history, and 100 Biogeographical Stochastic Mappings were simulated.ResultsDysoxylum s.l. originated and firstly diversified in the western part of its current distribution range (including Indochina) during the Miocene to Pliocene, followed by an overall eastern range expansion towards Malesia, Australia and the Southwest Pacific in the Pliocene.Main ConclusionsThe south‐eastward expansion of lineages into Wallacea and Australia is in temporal agreement with the convergence of the Asian and Australian tectonic plates since the Miocene. Long‐distance dispersal is the main mechanism that led to the current distribution. Two dispersal pathways into the Southwest Pacific are identified, (1) through New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to Fiji, and (2) from New Zealand to Fiji. For both routes, Fiji was an important secondary source area for dispersal into the Southwest Pacific.

Differences in the intraspecies copy number variation of Arabidopsis thaliana conserved and nonconserved miRNA genes

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by RNA interference mechanism. In plants, miRNA genes (MIRs) which are grouped into conserved families, i.e. they are present among the different plant taxa, are involved in the regulation of many developmental and physiological processes. The roles of the nonconserved MIRs—which are MIRs restricted to one plant family, genus, or even species—are less recognized; however, many of them participate in the responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Both over- and underproduction of miRNAs may influence various biological processes. Consequently, maintaining intracellular miRNA homeostasis seems to be crucial for the organism. Deletions and duplications in the genomic sequence may alter gene dosage and/or activity. We evaluated the extent of copy number variations (CNVs) among Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) MIRs in over 1000 natural accessions, using population-based analysis of the short-read sequencing data. We showed that the conserved MIRs were unlikely to display CNVs and their deletions were extremely rare, whereas nonconserved MIRs presented moderate variation. Transposon-derived MIRs displayed exceptionally high diversity. Conversely, MIRs involved in the epigenetic control of transposons reactivated during development were mostly invariable. MIR overlap with the protein-coding genes also limited their variability. At the expression level, a higher rate of nonvariable, nonconserved miRNAs was detectable in Col-0 leaves, inflorescence, and siliques compared to nonconserved variable miRNAs, although the expression of both groups was much lower than that of the conserved MIRs. Our data indicate that CNV rate of Arabidopsis MIRs is related with their age, function, and genomic localization.

Sustainable Growth of Medicinal and Aromatic Mediterranean Plants Growing as Communities in Shallow Substrate Urban Green Roof Systems

To date, the evaluation of the performance of Mediterranean native plants under urban green roof conditions has been limited to monoculture studies. However, plants grow naturally in plant communities and therefore it is of interest to evaluate their growth under realistic conditions, including interactions among plant species. The present study aims to evaluate the growth, flowering, and self-reproduction capacity of three artificially created plant communities consisting of native Mediterranean plants, as exemplified in Greece under shallow green roof substrate depths (8 and 15 cm) and two irrigation regimes (high, 20% ETo and low, 10% ETo). The plant communities (PC) were designed to resemble xerophytic vegetation found either in Chania, Crete (PC-1), as a combined pattern with plants from Attica, Crete, and the Cyclades (Kythnos) (PC-2), or to resemble the coastal vegetation of Attica and Cyclades (Kythnos) (PC-3). Each of the three artificial plant communities (PC-1, PC-2 and PC-3) consisted of nine species and subspecies. The deeper substrate significantly improved the growth, flowering and survival of most plant taxa. The irrigation regime was not significant for all species except one, indicating that minimal amounts of irrigation are required. Four species did not manage to bloom while 15 species were able to self-reproduce.

Trace Element Analysis of Some Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Species by ICP-MS

In this study, analysis of trace elements (Al, V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ag, Cd, Sn, Hg, Pb) of taxa, such as Alkanna trichophila Hub.-Mor. var. trichophila, Anchusa azurea Mill. var. azurea ( Boraginaceae ), Achillea biebersteinii Afan., Centaurea iberica Trev. ex Sprengel (Asteraceae), Ajuga vestita Boiss.(Endemic), Teucrium polium L. ( Lamiaceae ) by ICP-MS technique, collected in Çermik district of Turkey's Diyarbakır province and used for folk or medicinal purposes, was conducted quantitatively and qualitatively using the ICP-MS technique. As a result of the analysis, Sn, Hg, Pb elements in all six plant taxa could not be determined since they were below the lod value. It is essential for consumers that these three toxic elements are not specified in plant species. The highest concentration was determined in element Al (26.04-193.5 mg/kg). With this study, some metal characterisations and concentrations of medicinal plants were determined.

Elucidating the Anatomical Features, Adaptive and Ecological Significance of Kopsia fruticosa Roxb. (Apocynaceae)

Anatomical characteristics play a pivotal role in understanding the evolutionary relationship among various plant taxa and identifying species of pharmacological importance. Though the anatomical features of the family Apocynaceae have been widely recognized, there is limited research on the stem wood anatomy of Kopsia fruticosa, whereas nothing was previously known about its root wood anatomy. The present work describes and analyses its anatomy and correlates the anatomical features with the habitat and ecology of this plant. The oval shape of the young stem and the presence of unicellular trichomes, stone cells in the pith region, laticiferous canals, calcium oxalate crystals, and vascular bundles of two different sizes, viz., smaller in the broad, flattened region and more prominent on the two narrow sides, are remarkable features of the plant, which collectively may often be helpful in distinguishing K. fruticosa from other species of this genus. Apart from the previously known qualitative characteristics of the family Apocynaceae, the coalescence of pit aperture and storied pattern of vessels of K. fruticosa are newly observed features of the subfamily Rauvofiòideae. On the other hand, in the root wood, vessels are wider (33–64 μm), less frequent (about 53% more in the stem), and shorter, and the rays are larger (21–46 cells in height) and more frequent than those of stem wood; these are the valuable findings which strongly support the non-climbing nature of the studied plant. The vulnerability and mesomorphy indices for stem wood are 0.914 and 349, respectively, indicating plants’ adaptation toward a mesic habitat. The correlation of the anatomical traits of plants with the habitat and ecology represents their survivability in different situations. Consequently, anatomical features such as intraxylary phloem, vessel grouping, the storied pattern of vessels, the simple perforation plate, and intervascular vestured pits suggest that plants can tolerate drought. We firmly believe that the present study’s outcome can fulfil the research gaps of this hardy plant.

Deciphering the antimicrobial activity of multifaceted rhizospheric biocontrol agents of solanaceous crops viz., Trichoderma harzianum MC2, and Trichoderma harzianum NBG.

The Solanaceae family is generally known to be the third most economically important plant taxon, but also harbors a host of plant pathogens. Diseases like wilt and fruit rot of solanaceous crops cause huge yield losses in the field as well as in storage. In the present study, eight isolates of Trichoderma spp. were obtained from rhizospheric micro-flora of three solanaceous crops: tomato, brinjal, and chili plants, and were subsequently screened for pre-eminent biocontrol activity against three fungal (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersicum, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and Rhizoctonia solani) and one bacterial (Ralstonia solanacearum) pathogen. Morphological, ITS, and tef1α marker-based molecular identification revealed eight isolates were different strains of Trichoderma. Seven isolates were distinguished as T. harzianum while one was identified as T. asperellum. In vitro antagonistic and biochemical assays indicated significant biocontrol activity governed by all eight isolates. Two fungal isolates, T. harzianum MC2 and T. harzianum NBG were further evaluated to decipher their best biological control activity. Preliminary insights into the secondary metabolic profile of both isolates were retrieved by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Further, a field experiment was conducted with the isolates T. harzianum MC2 and T. harzianum NBG which successfully resulted in suppression of bacterial wilt disease in tomato. Which possibly confer biocontrol properties to the identified isolates. The efficacy of these two strains in suppressing bacterial wilt and promoting plant growth in the tomato crop was also tested in the field. The disease incidence was significantly reduced by 47.50% and yield incremented by 54.49% in plants treated in combination with both the bioagents. The results of scanning electron microscopy were also in consensus with the in planta results. The results altogether prove that T. harzianum MC2 and T. harzianum NBG are promising microbes for their prospective use in agricultural biopesticide formulations.

Genome-Wide Characterization and Expression Profiling of ABA Biosynthesis Genes in a Desert Moss Syntrichia caninervis

Syntrichia caninervis can survive under 80-90% protoplasmic water losses, and it is a model plant in desiccation tolerance research. A previous study has revealed that S. caninervis would accumulate ABA under dehydration stress, while the ABA biosynthesis genes in S. caninervis are still unknown. This study identified one ScABA1, two ScABA4s, five ScNCEDs, twenty-nine ScABA2s, one ScABA3, and four ScAAOs genes, indicating that the ABA biosynthesis genes were complete in S. caninervis. Gene location analysis showed that the ABA biosynthesis genes were evenly distributed in chromosomes but were not allocated to sex chromosomes. Collinear analysis revealed that ScABA1, ScNCED, and ScABA2 had homologous genes in Physcomitrella patens. RT-qPCR detection found that all of the ABA biosynthesis genes responded to abiotic stress; it further indicated that ABA plays an important role in S. caninervis. Moreover, the ABA biosynthesis genes in 19 representative plants were compared to study their phylogenetic and conserved motifs; the results suggested that the ABA biosynthesis genes were closely associated with plant taxa, but these genes had the same conserved domain in each plant. In contrast, there is a huge variation in the exon number between different plant taxa; it revealed that ABA biosynthesis gene structures are closely related to plant taxa. Above all, this study provides strong evidence demonstrating that ABA biosynthesis genes were conserved in the plant kingdom and deepens our understanding of the evolution of the phytohormone ABA.

Phyllosphere Microbiome.

The aboveground parts of terrestrial plants are colonized by a variety of microbes that collectively constitute the phyllosphere microbiota. Decades of pioneering work using individual phyllosphere microbes, including commensals and pathogens, have provided foundational knowledge about how individual microbes adapt to the phyllosphere environment and their role in providing biological control against pathogens. Recent studies have revealed a more complete repertoire of phyllosphere microbiota across plant taxa and how plants respond to and regulate the level and composition of phyllosphere microbiota. Importantly, the development of several gnotobiotic systems is allowing causative and mechanistic studies to determine the contributions of microbiota to phyllosphere health and productivity. New insights into how the phyllosphere carries out key biological processes, including photosynthesis, biomass accumulation, reproduction, and defense against biotic and abiotic insults, in either the presence or absence of a normal microbiota could unleash novel plant- and microbiota-based technologies to improve agriculturally relevant traits of crop plants. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Plant Biology, Volume 74 is May 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Stratification and recovery time jointly shape ant functional reassembly in a neotropical forest.

Microhabitat differentiation of species communities such as vertical stratification in tropical forests contributes to species coexistence and thus biodiversity. However, little is known about how the extent of stratification changes during forest recovery and influences community reassembly. Environmental filtering determines community reassembly in time (succession) and in space (stratification), hence functional and phylogenetic composition of species communities are highly dynamic. It is poorly understood if and how these two concurrent filters-forest recovery and stratification-interact. In a tropical forest chronosequence in Ecuador spanning 34 years of natural recovery, we investigated the recovery trajectory of ant communities in three overlapping strata (ground, leaf litter, lower tree trunk) by quantifying 13 traits, as well as the functional and phylogenetic diversity of the ants. We expected that functional and phylogenetic diversity would increase with recovery time and that each ant community within each stratum would show a distinct functional reassembly. We predicted that traits related to ant diet would show divergent trajectories reflecting an increase in niche differentiation with recovery time. On the other hand, traits related to the abiotic environment were predicted to show convergent trajectories due to a more similar microclimate across strata with increasing recovery age. Most of the functional traits and the phylogenetic diversity of the ants were clearly stratified, confirming previous findings. However, neither functional nor phylogenetic diversity increased with recovery time. Community-weighted trait means had complex relationships to recovery time and the majority were shaped by a statistical interaction between recovery time and stratum, confirming our expectations. However, most trait trajectories converged among strata with increasing recovery time regardless of whether they were related to ant diet or environmental conditions. We confirm the hypothesized interaction among environmental filters during the functional reassembly in tropical forests. Communities in individual strata respond differently to recovery, and possible filter mechanisms likely arise from both abiotic (e.g. microclimate) and biotic (e.g. diet) conditions. Since vertical stratification is prevalent across animal and plant taxa, our results highlight the importance of stratum-specific analysis in dynamic ecosystems and may generalize beyond ants.

Root structure syndromes of four families of monocots in the Middle Urals

The present article tests the following general assumption: plant taxa with different specializations towards mycorrhizal interactions should have different root syndromes. Roots of 61 species common in boreal zone were studied: 16 species of Poaceae, 24 species of Cyperaceae, 14 species of Orchidaceae, and 7 species of Iridaceae. Using a fixed material of 5 individuals of each species, the following was determined: number of orders of branching roots; transverse dimensions of root, stele and cortex; number of primary xylem vessels and exodermis layers; length of root hairs; abundance of mycorrhiza. Species of each family had well-defined syndromes. Roots of Orchidaceae and Iridaceae were thick with a large stele and developed exodermis. Orchidaceae had no branching roots and had long root hairs. In Iridaceae, roots were branched, and root hairs were short. Roots of Poaceae and Cyperaceae were thin with a relatively thin stele. Root hairs were short in Poaceae and long in Cyperaceae. Our finding that root syndromes of four families of monocots differed is a new and unexpected discovery. The high specificity of root syndromes in Cyperaceae, Iridaceae, Poaceae, and Orchidaceae indicates that species of these families use different strategies to obtain water and soil nutrients.

Occurrence and nutrient retention of aquatic macrophytes in roadside streams in the Mount Cameroon region

Roadside streams in the Mount Cameroon region are predisposed to nutrient enrichment from different anthropogenic activities carried out around catchment areas. The composition and diversity of aquatic macrophytes in three roadside streams in the MCR, the biomass, and nutrient accumulation of the most abundant aquatic macrophytes in one of the streams were assessed in order to better understand and quantify the benefits accruing from these macrophytes. Vegetation sampling was carried out along the transects at 50 m intervals, within which plots were laid. Quadrats of 1m by 1m were sub-sampled within each plot and all plants were identified and enumerated. Water, sediment, and plant samples were collected and analysed for nutrients using standard procedures (nitrogen and phosphorus). The results show that the aquatic vegetation of the roadside streams is limited to emergent (> 98%) and floating-leaved life forms. A total of 47 aquatic macrophytes from 18 plant families were identified from the 3 studied wetlands in the Mount Cameroon region. Plant taxa with many representative species included Poaceae (8 species), Araceae (6), Acanthaceae (5), and Asteraceae (4). A high Shannon-Wiener diversity was recorded across study sites (H ≥ 2.9) with the highest in Ombe and the least in Bota. P. purpureum showed significantly higher biomass (p < 0.05) compared to the other macrophytes. It had the highest fresh weight and dry weights (FW: 12.8±1.45 kg/m2 and DW: 0.81± 0.11kg/m2) relative to C. benghalensis and I. aquatica.TN content was highest in C. benghalensis (12.92 ± 0.67 g/kg). P. pupureum and I. aquatica didn’t differ significantly in their nitrogen content (P≤ 0.05) while all three species contained high phosphorus concentrations in their above-ground tissues. TP storage was in the order C. benghalensis >P. purpureum>I. aquatica. This suggests that aquatic macrophytes play vital roles in retaining phosphorus and nitrogen hence affecting water quality and nutrient dynamics of these streams. These nutrient-rich plants can be removed from the aquatic system by harvesting and used as fodder to prevent nutrient release into the water column through decomposition after plant dieback.

The Grassland Fragmentation Experiment in the Swiss Jura Mountains: A Synthesis

We synthesize findings from a 7-year fragmentation experiment in species-rich, nutrient-poor, dry calcareous grasslands in the north-western Jura mountains, Switzerland. We used a standardized approach with 48 fragments (0.25–20.25 m2) and corresponding control plots in three sites. The 5-m-wide isolation area around the fragments was maintained by frequent mowing. Fragments experienced various ecological changes, e.g., plant biomass increased along fragment edges. We examined fragmentation effects on species richness and composition, abundance, genetic diversity, functional diversity, species traits and species interactions (pollination, herbivory, parasitism, disease) in a wide array of invertebrate (gastropods, spiders, woodlice, various insect groups) and plant taxa. Responses to fragmentation differed between taxonomical groups and species. While species richness and individual density were lower in fragments in some groups, the opposite was true for other groups. Fragmentation effects were most pronounced on species interactions; however, some effects only occurred with a delay. For example, fragmentation influenced foraging patterns of bumblebees, affecting pollination, which in turn resulted in a decreased outcrossing frequency and reduced genetic diversity in a focal plant species. We highlight key findings of the experiment and emphasize their implications for grassland conservation.

Morphology of Hoya megalaster Warb. Ex K. Schumann & Lauterb and Hoya pachyphylla Warb. Ex K. Schumann & Lauterb (Apocynaceae) from New Guinea, Indonesia

New Guinea is one the mega-diverse regions of the world and a host to 6% of the world’s biodiversity. Recently, land clearing and forest fragmentation associated with rapid economic growth have become growing threats to biodiversity in New Guinea. One of the several taxa of plants that is affected due to the rapid destruction of its known host plants is the genus Hoya. We describe the vegetative and reproductive morphology of two species of Hoya that are found in the primary forest of Papua in Ubiyau Village, a remote area in West Papua, Indonesia: Hoya megalaster and H. pachyphylla. Both species are perennial climbing epiphytes with opposite phyllotaxy, and short-lived cymes that are positively geotropic. The two species differ in leaf morphology. Hoya megalaster has a thin lamina, while the leaves of H. pachyphylla are succulent. We provide a list of characters that can potentially be used for future morphometric and phylogenetic studies on these two species.

Materijal za kritičku listu vrsta vaskularne flore Srbije - nomenklaturni, taksonomski i floristički prilozi V

In this paper we suggest three new nomenclatural combinations and specify two new synonyms. There are five taxa (species and subspecies) of the vascular plants that are new for the flora of Serbia, and four species that have been confirmed for the flora of our country. Five plant taxa are a novelty for proper Serbia, Vojvodina, or Kosovo and Metohija, of which four are autochthonous and one is an allochthonous and invasive plant. There are twelve taxa whose presence in Serbia or in its territorial units has been refuted. the name Viola ×foliosa Čelak., which was proposed in the previous issue of this scientific journal, has been corrected to the currently accepted V. ×kerneri Wiesb.

Evolution of sex in crops: recurrent scrap and rebuild.

Sexuality is the main strategy for maintaining genetic diversity within a species. In flowering plants (angiosperms), sexuality is derived from ancestral hermaphroditism and multiple sexualities can be expressed in an individual. The mechanisms conferring chromosomal sex determination in plants (or dioecy) have been studied for over a century by both biologists and agricultural scientists, given the importance of this field for crop cultivation and breeding. Despite extensive research, the sex determining gene(s) in plants had not been identified until recently. In this review, we dissect plant sex evolution and determining systems, with a focus on crop species. We introduced classic studies with theoretical, genetic, and cytogenic approaches, as well as more recent research using advanced molecular and genomic techniques. Plants have undergone very frequent transitions into, and out of, dioecy. Although only a few sex determinants have been identified in plants, an integrative viewpoint on their evolutionary trends suggests that recurrent neofunctionalization events are potentially common, in a "scrap and (re)build" cycle. We also discuss the potential association between crop domestication and transitions in sexual systems. We focus on the contribution of duplication events, which are particularly frequent in plant taxa, as a trigger for the creation of new sexual systems.

Assessment of palynological spectrum of air in Kazan

This article presents the results of a palynological air monitoring study in Kazan during the period of plant dusting from 2019 to 2022. The aeropalynological spectrum was assessed using a Lanzoni pollen trap. The data obtained during the monitoring demonstrates a rich spore-pollen composition in the air. Twenty-five different plant taxa, as well as two fungal taxa, were identified. Betula and Poaceae have been identified as dominant taxa. The variability in pollen concentrations confirms the need for timely information for the pollen-sensitive population.

Peculiarity of currant and perpetual repair cell culture

Perpetual raspberry is a group of raspberry varieties distinguished by their ability to bear fruit on two-year and one-year stem shoots. Black currant (Ríbes nígrum) is a deciduous shrub, family Gooseberry (Grossulariaceae), related to currants (Ribes). The article presents methods of cell selection of perpetual raspberries and currants. Crop varieties resistant to extreme natural factors, obtaining high harvest, and two harvests per year were considered. The chemical composition of the used nutrient medium, the content of micro- and macroelements, and organic substances were taken into account. The qualitative composition of callus shoots extracted from plant cells was determined. A strong relationship between the frequency of callusogenesis in black currant and the balance of phytohormones in the nutrient medium has been shown. Progress in the field of gene and cell biotechnology is directly related to the development of the basics of the cultivation of plant cells and tissues under in vitro conditions. In addition, it is of particular interest to choose a suitable nutrient medium, to establish the mode of cultivation in order to determine the species and volume of explants, the totipotency of representatives of different taxonomic groups of plants. At present, this unique ability of somatic cells is found in various cultures, most of which are annual and practically vegetative propagating plants. These are vegetable crops and ornamental plants, the list of which grows annually. The scientific novelty of the work is the possibility of obtaining somatic hybrids and transgenic plants of repair raspberry and black currant using biotechnology methods. Therefore, the study of theoretical foundations and development of applied aspects of cells and tissues of perennial plants, in particular fruit and berry and agricultural crops, their accelerated reproduction, obtaining somatic hybrids and transgenic plants are considered relevant.

Morphological and Molecular Identification Of Endophytic Fungi Isolated From Zingiber Officinale Rosc.

This study was conducted to discover wide spectrum of endophyte diversity from the Zingiber officinale Rosc. Endophytic fungi were obtained from different plant tissues. All the isolated strains were identified up to genus level following described colony morphology. The recognized five different morphotypes were subjected to sequence analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene. Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium solani and Cladosporium cladosporoides were identified based on comparison of the BLAST results and phylogenetic identification. The presented study provides the comprehensive explanation of the interrelation of morphological and molecular homologies for the identification of the prospective fungi. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 29(2): 361-371, 2022 (December)