Tuberous Roots Research Articles

The Influence of Technological Factors on the Structure and Chemical Composition of Tuberous Dahlia Roots Determined Using Vibrational Spectroscopy.

This research investigated the structural and chemical modifications of Dahlia 'Kennemerland' across different technological conditions and throughout the vegetation period. Using FT-IR imaging, this study focused on the changes in the inulin, lignin, and suberin contents of tuberous roots. FT-IR maps were generated to visualize the distribution of these compounds across scanned areas, highlighting variations across cultivation methods and seasonal stages. The key compounds analyzed included inulin, lignin, and suberin, which were identified in different root zones. The results showed that inulin was distributed in all analyzed areas, predominantly in zone 1 (periderm), with a distribution that increased with forced cultivation, while lignin and suberin distributions varied with zone and season. Forced tuberous root lignin was detected in all four areas analyzed, in the fall accumulating mainly in area 4 and in suberin starting from summer until autumn. Based on the evaluation of the maps obtained by representing the area ratios of specific bands (inulin/lignin and inulin/suberin), we established where the inulin was present in the highest quantity and concluded that suberin was the constituent with the lowest concentration in tuberous Dahlia roots. These findings emphasize the influence of technological factors and seasonal changes on the biochemical makeup of tuberous Dahlia roots. This detailed biochemical mapping provides insights for optimizing Dahlia cultivation and storage for various industrial applications. This study concludes that FT-IR spectroscopy is an effective tool for monitoring and understanding the biochemical dynamics of Dahlia roots, aiding their agricultural and industrial utilization.

Systematic Review of the Agro-Ecological, Nutritional, and Medicinal Properties of the Neglected and Underutilized Plant Species Tylosema fassoglense

Neglected and Under-utilized plant Species (NUS) can contribute to food system transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa, but many are understudied. Here, we conducted a systematic review of 37 empirical studies to synthesize the evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa about the agro-ecological characteristics, nutritional properties, and medicinal properties of the NUS Tylosema fassoglense. Overall, the evidence is highly fragmented and lacks a comprehensive description of the species characteristics, properties, and benefits. Most reviewed studies focus on the eastern part of Africa and a few on the southern part, suggesting its limited geographic distribution. Studies on agro-ecological properties, and especially on morphological characteristics, indicate that the species’ long tuberous roots and large vegetative systems help it adapt to harsh climatic conditions. The species is also utilized for medicinal and nutrition purposes by different communities across its range due to its phytochemical, macro-, and micronutrient content, along with its favorable physico-chemical properties. In particular, the seeds contain many different amino acids, while their calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and carbohydrate content is comparable to Tylosema esculuntum, the better studied species in the Tylosema genus. These demonstrate the species’ potential to contribute to nutrition and food security. Furthermore, parts of the plant contain many phytochemicals, such as phenolics, alkaloids, flavonoid, terpenoids, and tannins (mainly in the roots), and for this reason local communities use it to treat various conditions. Overall, our systematic review suggests that although Tylosema fassoglense has some potential to contribute towards food security, nutrition, health, and livelihoods, there are many remaining knowledge gaps that constrain its effective integration into agricultural production systems and possible contribution to food system transformation in the region.

Herbal Cellular Concentrate for Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders associated with chronic hyperglycemia in the blood due to defects in insulin secretion, insulin function, or both. Although the proper treatment of diabetes includes insulin injection continuously to maintain blood glucose levels, nowadays, there is an increasing interest in the use of alternative approaches for treating insulin resistance, and T2D Chicory significantly reduces blood sugar and glucose fluctuations, increases metabolism due to inulin in type 2 diabetes patients with excess weight. Equisetum arvense is one of the most effective plants for blood sugar, stabilizing metabolism, and hormone production. Tuberous roots are rich in inulin, enabling glucose utilization in the human body, and can potentially ameliorate insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients. Blueberry leaves improve insulin sensitivity and action. Galega officinalis lowers blood sugar levels for prediabetes and type-2 diabetes patients. Due to the side effects and temporary use of chemical drugs, herbal and natural medicines and chemical drugs are recommended for people with diabetes. However, more scientific studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of herbal supplements in diabetes cases.

Promoter of Cassava MeAHL31 Responds to Diverse Abiotic Stresses and Hormone Signals in Transgenic Arabidopsis.

The AT-hook motif nuclear-localized (AHL) family is pivotal for the abiotic stress response in plants. However, the function of the cassava AHL genes has not been elucidated. Promoters, as important regulatory elements of gene expression, play a crucial role in stress resistance. In this study, the promoter of the cassava MeAHL31 gene was cloned. The MeAHL31 protein was localized to the cytoplasm and the nucleus. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the MeAHL31 gene was expressed in almost all tissues tested, and the expression in tuber roots was 321.3 times higher than that in petioles. Promoter analysis showed that the MeAHL31 promoter contains drought, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellin (GA) cis-acting elements. Expression analysis indicated that the MeAHL31 gene is dramatically affected by treatments with salt, drought, MeJA, ABA, and GA3. Histochemical staining in the proMeAHL31-GUS transgenic Arabidopsis corroborated that the GUS staining was found in most tissues and organs, excluding seeds. Beta-glucuronidase (GUS) activity assays showed that the activities in the proMeAHL31-GUS transgenic Arabidopsis were enhanced by different concentrations of NaCl, mannitol (for simulating drought), and MeJA treatments. The integrated findings suggest that the MeAHL31 promoter responds to the abiotic stresses of salt and drought, and its activity is regulated by the MeJA hormone signal.

Hot air treatment alleviates chilling injury of sweet potato tuberous roots by regulating osmoregulatory substances and inducing antioxidant defense system

Sweet potato tuberous roots are susceptible to chilling injury (CI) when stored below 10 °C. In this study, we investigated the mitigating effects of hot air (HA) treatment on CI. Results showed that HA45°C-3h treatment delayed the CI and internal browning during cold storage. After HA45°C-3h treatment, the cells' structural integrity was maintained, malondialdehyde accumulation and ion leakage were inhibited. Additionally, the osmoregulatory substances, such as total soluble solids, proline were maintained, and soluble protein was enhanced. Higher activity of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, and the antioxidant substances including ascorbic acid, glutathione, total phenols, and flavonoids were observed in sweet potato tuberous roots treated by HA45°C-3h than untreated group. Our study suggested that HA45°C-3h treatment could reduce CI and maintain a better quality of sweet potato tuberous roots following cold storage.

Spatial distribution of differential metabolites in different parts of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg (T. hemsleyanum) is a homology medicine and food that is rich in bioactive ingredients such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. A strategy that integrates ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UHPLC–ESI/MS) and desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) spatial metabolomics analysis was proposed and applied to different parts of T. hemsleyanum for the first time. A total of 132 compounds were tentatively identified, and 3, 7, and 24 components were found only in tuberous roots (TRs), fibrous roots (FRs), and leaves, respectively, using UHPLC–ESI/MS. The DESI-MSI results showed that the spatial distribution of flavonoids between the aerial and underground parts was diverse; for example, vitexin-2″-O-glucoside was largely localized in the epidermis and xylem of TRs, while a small amount was restricted to the xylem of the leaf margin and FRs. There was a higher abundance of most organic acids and flavonoids in the leaves than in the underground parts. Some flavonoids showed the same abundance in FRs and TRs, but the levels of most compounds were considerably higher in FRs. It is possible for leaves and FRs to become new medicinal parts of T. hemsleyanum. Through chemometrics statistics analysis, 19 key differential compounds in different parts of T. hemsleyanum were found, and the pharmacological mechanisms of the main differential metabolites were predicted by network pharmacology. This study provides a novel method for the medicinal development of T. hemsleyanum, showing its great potential in the development of medicinal resources.

Fatty acids and chlorogenic acid content in Plectranthus edulis root tubers.

This study quantified the fatty acid profile and total chlorogenic acid content of various Ethiopian cultivars of the Plectranthus edulis tuber, traditionally known as 'Agew Dinich'. Lipid extraction utilized the Folch method and the acid-catalyzed derivatization method to derivatize the fatty acids into fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) were used. Whereas maceration was used to extract chlorogenic acid from the fresh and freeze- dried tuber samples. Analysis revealed a total of thirteen fatty acids in all P. edulis samples, with nine classified as saturated and four as unsaturated. Palmitic acid was the most abundant fatty acid in P. edulis and accounted for 40.57%-50.21% of the total fatty acid content. The second and third most abundant fatty acids in the P. edulis sample were stearic and linoleic acids, which accounted for 8.38%-12.92% and 8.12%-11.28%, respectively. We reported chlorogenic acid for the first time in this potato species and found it to contain a concentration of 211± 4.2-300±24.7 mg/100g of dry weight basis when the determination was made using fresh samples. On the other hand, these samples yielded a chlorogenic acid concentration ranging from 115 ±8.6 mg/100g-175±3.9 mg/100g of freeze-dried powder samples. These findings suggest that P. edulis tubers could represent a significant dietary source of both chlorogenic acid and fatty acids.

Cassava Flour as a Possible Replacement for Wheat Flour: A Comprehensive Review Considering the Sri Lankan Scenario

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a long tuberous starch-containing root crop that stands as a significant staple food globally. Its adaptability to various climates has increased its commercial growth. However, challenges such as toxic cyanogenic glucosides and rapid perishability in cassava demand its processing for safety and extended shelf-life. In Sri Lanka, where cassava is widely consumed, surplus production can be a highly prospective revenue. This review summarizes the utilization of cassava flour as a potential alternative for wheat flour emphasizing the Sri Lankan scenario. The cassava flour production process involves cleaning, peeling, slicing, drying, grinding, and sieving. Nutritional composition varies among cultivars, with variations in starch, amylase, fiber, protein, and ash. The cyanogenic levels also depend on the cultivars. Cassava flour emerges as a promising wheat flour substitute due to its abundance, effortless cultivation practices, nutritional profile, and unique functional properties. Furthermore, cassava flour is gluten-free and considered as the most comparable gluten-free substitute to wheat flour in terms of texture and taste. The incorporation of cassava flour into bakery products shows an opportunity to reduce the massive dependence on costly wheat flour imports in developing countries, which improves the country’s revenues. This review focuses on diverse food applications of cassava flour, including cookies rackers, biscuits, and commercial products, highlighting cassava flour's market potential in Sri Lanka amidst the increasing demand for gluten-free products.Keywords: Cassava Flour, Wheat Flour, Substitute, Sri Lanka, Food Products

Widely targeted metabolomics reveals differential metabolites between root tuber and leaf of Fallopia multiflora

This study aims to reveal the differences in the species and relative content of metabolites in the leaf and root tuber of Fallopia multiflora and improve the comprehensive utilization rate of F. multiflora resources. The metabolites in the root tubers and leaves of F. multiflora were detected by widely targeted metabolomics based on ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS). The principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis were carried out to screen the differential metabolites between the leaf and root tuber of F. multiflora. The result showed that a total of 1 942 metabolites in 15 categories were detected in the leaf and root tuber of F. multiflora, including 1 861 metabolites in the root tuber, 1 901 metabolites in the leaf, and 1 820 metabolites in both. The metabolites were mainly phenolic acids, flavonoids, amino acids and derivatives, and alkaloids. A total of 1 200 differential metabolites were screened out, accounting for 65.9% of the total metabolites. Among these differential metabolites, 813 and 387 showed higher content in the leaf and root tuber, respectively. Flavonoids were the metabolites with the largest number and the most significant differences between the leaf and root tuber, and stilbenes and anthraquinones as the main active compounds mainly existed in the root tuber. The KEGG enrichment results suggested that the differential metabolites were mainly enriched in flavonoid and flavonol biosynthesis pathways and linoleic acid metabolism pathway. This study discovered abundant metabolites in F. multiflora. The metabolites were similar but had great differences in the content between the leaf and root tuber. The research results provide theoretical guidance for the development and utilization of F. multiflora resources.

Assessing the attractiveness of native wildflower species to bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) in the southeastern United States

Abstract Habitat loss, agricultural intensification, pesticide use, disease and climate change have contributed to the decline of numerous insect groups. Recent government initiatives have recognized the importance of supplementary wildflower plantings to support native bee populations, yet little information exists on the attractiveness of recommended plant species to bees. With the use of network analysis and generalized linear mixed models, we evaluated the attractiveness of 18 wildflower species belonging to 6 families (Apiaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae and Verbenaceae) planted in a randomized block design by conducting timed targeted sweep netting surveys. We also evaluated the floral preferences of four bee species (Apis mellifera, Halictus poeyi/ligatus, Bombus griseocollis and Bombus impatiens) to the planted wildflower species with the use of GLMs. We found that Asclepias tuberosa, Gaillardia pulchella and Verbena hastata attracted the greatest abundance, richness and diversity of native bees compared to the other wildflower species. Collectively, Asclepias tuberosa, Gaillardia pulchella and Verbena hastata attracted 89% of all bee taxa in the study, which exemplifies the importance of including them in a wildflower mixture to attract native bees. While several wildflower species attracted low abundance, richness and diversity of native bees such as Monarda fistulosa, Symphyotrichum pilosum and Eryngium yuccifolium, they are still ecologically important for attracting uncommon or specialist bee species and should be included in seed mixes for this reason. Solution. Our results highlight that each species of native wildflower varies in the abundance, richness and diversity of native bees they attract; this could be considered in the decision‐making of landowners and land managers to promote wildflower plantings to reflect the needs of certain groups of bees of conservation interest.

<i>Loni Shaka</i> (<i>Portulaca oleracea</i> Linn.): A Potential Ethno-Medicinal Vegan Herb

Ghol bhaji, a commonly used vegetable in Maharashtra, which is known as Loni shaka (Portulaca oleracea Linn.; family: Portulacaceae) in Ayurveda has high nutritious value containing potassium, magnesium, calcium etc, in good amounts. It is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Different pre-clinical studies proved its activities anti-inflammatory (leaf), and antimicrobial (leaf, seed, and root tuber), also whole plant extract proved to be having estrogenic activity in female rats. Ethanol is medicinally used in different ailments i.e. diarrhoea, asthma, dysentery, obesity, jaundice, throat infections, ulcers, snake bites, toothache and diabetes. Clinically, the herb has proved effective in diabetes, Perimenopausal syndrome, PCOD Wound healing etc. Loni shaka is the best antioxidant having good nutritional value. It demonstrated the herb’s enormous nutritional potential and suggested possible uses in the future. It is mentioned in Ayurvedic texts in Shaka Varga with the name of Lonika. Traditionally used as a vegetable having amla rasa which is responsible for its vatahar property and shows the effect on jarajanya vyadhi (geriatric diseases). It blooms in the summer season, especially in the morning hours.

Puerariae lobatae Radix: Progress in Extraction, Separation Methods and Pharmacological Activities Research

Kudzu root (Puerariae lobatae Radix) is the tuberous root of Pueraria lobata, family Leguminosae. Kudzu root contains a variety of beneficial active ingredients such as puerarin, daidzin, daidzein, genistenin, 3′-hydroxy puerarin, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, arachidic acid, and so on. Modern medical research shows that active ingredients in kudzu root are widely used clinically as raw materials for the treatment of hyperglycemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, myocardial infarction, alcohol addiction, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and retinal blockage due to their various pharmacological effects such as improving cardiovascular circulation, lowering blood lipids, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood sugar, being antipyretic, being estrogen-like, and relieving alcohol. China has rich resources of kudzu root, and active ingredients are usually extracted before it is made into a preparation, so whether the extraction and separation process is reasonable will directly affect the ease of preparation and the efficacy of the treatment. This paper reviews the process methods for the extraction and separation of active ingredients in kudzu root and its common pharmacological activities. The aim is to provide some references for readers to compare the advantages and disadvantages of various extraction and separation methods as well as understand the active ingredients and pharmacological activities of kudzu root.

Brackish Water, Phosphate Fertilization and Trichoderma in the Agronomic Performance of Beet Crops

The study hypothesis proposes that the use of Trichoderma, associated with fertilization with 100% of the recommended phosphorus, may mitigate saline stress and maximize the productivity and quality of the tuberous root. This study aims to evaluate the mitigating effects of phosphate fertilization and Trichoderma harzianum in beet plants under salt stress, by measuring the initial growth, leaf gas exchange, productivity and quality of the beet. The experimental design used was entirely randomized, in a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial scheme, referring to three doses of phosphate fertilization (25%, 50% and 100%), with and without the use of Trichoderma-based inoculation, and two levels of electrical conductivity of the irrigation water (0.5 and 6.2 dS m−1). Salt stress negatively affected the leaf area of the beet. The shoots’ dry mass was reduced as the electrical conductivity of the irrigation water increased, especially in the treatment with the 25% P2O5 dose. Salt stress reduced photosynthesis to a greater extent at the 25% P2O5 dose and in the absence of Trichoderma harzianum. Increasing the electrical conductivity of the irrigation water reduced transpiration and increased leaf temperature at the 25% P2O5 dose and in the presence of Trichoderma harzianum. The 25% P2O5 dose increased the stomatal conductance of the beet. The higher electrical conductivity of the irrigation water negatively affected water use efficiency, most significantly at the 25% P2O5 dose. Our data showed that the doses of 50% and 100% P2O5 were more efficient at increasing the productivity and quality of the beet, with the tuberous root diameter being higher under the lower electrical conductivity of the water and the absence of Trichoderma harzianum. The pH was high under the lowest electrical conductivity of the water, with a dose of 25% P2O5 and the absence of Trichoderma harzianum.

Short- and medium-term impacts of small-scale vegetable support on food security: evidence from Syria

Small-scale agricultural and horticultural interventions play a critical role in improving nutrition and food security of vulnerable households in peaceful settings. However, scant rigorous evidence exists on the impacts and sustainability of such interventions in conflict settings. In this paper, we address this knowledge gap by analyzing the short- and medium-term impacts of a small-scale vegetable input support program involving asset transfers on food security and diets in war-time Syria. We use longitudinal panel household survey data from a quasi-experimental study collected at three rounds: before, one year, and two years after the horticultural intervention ended. We use propensity score matching and fixed-effect regression models to estimate the average treatment effects on the treated. We find that the vegetable support significantly improves food security by 21% and 19% in the short- and medium-term, respectively. More specifically, we find that the intervention significantly increased the consumption of nutrient-rich food groups such as vegetables, root tubers, fruits, eggs, pulses and nuts, milk, and oil and fats. Moreover, we find that the intervention reduces in the short-term the use of harmful coping strategies by 17%. However, this effect dissipates two years after the end of the intervention. The findings underscore the importance of small-scale vegetable support in addressing food insecurity in protracted conflict settings.

Diaporthe ueckeri causing cassava root rot in Pernambuco, Brazil

Cassava root rot is a highly destructive disease that causes great damage in Brazil. Identification of the causal agents is essential for the management of this disease. Roots of cassava plants (Manihot esculenta Crantz) with symptoms of root rot were collected from a cassava crop in the municipality of Garanhuns, Pernambuco State, Brazil. This study aimed to identify a Diaporthe species isolated from cassava root rot in Brazil and evaluate pathogenicity in cassava plants and roots. At 7 days after inoculation (DAI), tuberous roots showed necrotic lesions, a soft appearance, and pink color in the center and brown to greenish at the edges, while seedlings showed root rot, wilting, yellowing, drying out, and leaf fall at 66 DAI in the soil. All plants in the control group were asymptomatic. After reisolations and confirmation of Koch's postulates, the causal agent was conclusively identified as Diaporthe ueckeri through the multilocus phylogenetic analyses involving the ITS, TEF1-α, TUB2, CAL, and HIS genes. The results showed that the morphological characteristics, such as colonies with abundant aerial mycelium, formation of pycnidia and alpha conidia, were consistent with those described for species of the genus Diaporthe. This is the first report of D. ueckeri causing cassava root rot in Brazil and worldwide.

Yield performance and anthocyanin content of several purple-fleshed sweet potato clones grown in two locations in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Abstract. Arsa IGBA, Mau YS, Ndiwa ASS, Gandut YRY, Ishaq LF, Mahayasa INW. 2024. Yield performance and anthocyanin content of several purple-fleshed sweet potato clones grown in two locations in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 2276-2289. Several promising purple-fleshed sweet potato hybrid clones were identified to have high yield potential and, thus, can be evaluated for other superior traits and later be further processed for varietal registration and release. This study aimed to determine the tuber yield performance and anthocyanin content of several purple-fleshed sweet potato clones across two locations and to identify the best clones based on mean performance and stability. The study was conducted in the farmer's field in two different altitudes in West Timor, i.e., Mata Air Village, Kupang District (86 masl) and Netpala Village, Timor Tengah Selatan (TTS) District (1,090 masl) from April to September 2023. Six purple-fleshed sweet potato clones/varieties were assigned as treatment. The experiment was laid out in a complete block design in each location, and each treatment consisted of three replicates. Observed data included fresh storage root yield, number of storage roots per plant, storage root length, storage root tuber diameter, and tuber anthocyanin content. Observed data from the two trial locations were subjected to a combined ANOVA, cluster analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and GGE biplot analysis. The results showed that the genotype-by-location interaction effect was significant in all studied traits. Meanwhile, location or genotype significantly affected all traits except for the location, which did not significantly affect the anthocyanin content. The storage root yield ranged from ~19.95 t ha-1 to ~49.33 t ha-1, while the anthocyanin content ranged from ~28,64 mg/100 g to ~157,65 mg/100 g. The ranks of the tested genotypes based on the mean performance and stability are Undana UJ 7>Undana UJ 1>JPV-1>Antin 3>Undana UJ 6>Undana UJ 3 for storage root yield and JPV-1>Antin 3>Undana UJ 7>Undana UJ 6>Undana UJ 3>Undana UJ 1 for anthocyanin content.

The influence of prolonged but low intensity blue light on the physiological properties of root tubers and the accumulation of flavonoids in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diel et Gilg is a perennial herbaceous plant native to subtropical China with multiple medicinal applications. Supplementing with low-density blue light (BL) for 45 days (3 h/day) can not only significantly increase the yields of root tubers but also significantly increase the flavonoid content and its antioxidant activity. The chlorophyll content in the leaves of T. hemsleyanum significantly decreased, but the photosynthetic efficiency significantly increased after reaching the light saturation point. The production rate of superoxide anion radical in the leaves reached the highest peak after 1.5 h in BL and decreased at 3 h. The H2O2 content in the leaves decreased significantly, while the H2O2 content in the root tubers increased significantly at 3 h in BL. The objective of this research was to determine how the scavenging system, including antioxidant enzymes, antioxidants, and flavonoids respond to the oxidative stress induced by BL in root tubers. After exposure to BL, significant differences in the activity of APX and SOD were observed in the leaves and tubers within 3 h. By analyzing the upregulated flavonoids metabolites and key genes in metabolic pathways through the combined analysis of the flavonoid metabolic group and transcriptome in the root tubers, the upregulated accumulation of flavanols was found to be the main reason for the improvement in the antioxidant properties of flavonoids.

Habitat loss and simplification lower arthropod richness but not diversity

AbstractHabitat loss is rarely truly random and often occurs selectively with respect to the plant species comprising the habitat. Such selective habitat removal that decreases plant species diversity, that is, habitat simplification or homogenization, may have two negative effects on other species. First, the reduction in plant community size (number of individuals) represents habitat loss for species at higher trophic levels who use plants as habitat. Second, when plants are removed selectively, the resulting habitat simplification decreases the diversity of resources available to species at higher trophic levels. It follows that habitat loss combined with simplification will reduce biodiversity more than habitat loss without simplification. To test this, we experimentally implemented two types of habitat loss at the plant community level and compared biodiversity of resident arthropods between habitat loss types. In the first type of habitat loss, we reduced habitats by 50% nonselectively, maintaining original relative abundance and diversity of plant species and therefore habitat and resource diversity for arthropods. In the second type of habitat loss, we reduced habitats by 50% selectively, removing all but one common plant species, dramatically simplifying habitat and resources for arthropods. We replicated this experiment across three common plant species: Asclepias tuberosa, Solidago altissima, and Baptisia alba. While habitat loss with simplification reduced arthropod species richness compared with habitat loss without simplification, neither type of habitat loss affected diversity, measured as effective number of species (ENS), or species evenness as compared with controls. Instead, differences in ENS and evenness were explained by the identity of the common plant species. Our results indicate that the quality of remaining habitat, in our case plant species identity, may be more important for multi‐trophic diversity than habitat diversity per se.

Tinosporae radix: A Review of Traditional Use, Botany, Phytochemistry, Bioactivity, and Quality Marker.

Tinosporae radix is the root tuber of Tinospora capillipes Gagnep of the Menispermaceae family. It has the effects of clearing away heat and toxins, benefiting the throat, relieving pain, and treating sore throat, carbuncle and boils, and other diseases in clinical practice. The related references about T. radix in this review were collected by online databases, including PubMed, Elsevier, Web of Science, Willy, SciFinder, SpringLink, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, ACS publications, Scopus, and CNKI. The other information about T. radix was acquired from ancient books and classical works. T. radix is an important medicinal plant with a variety of traditional uses according to the theory of Chinese medicine. Previous studies revealed that T. radix contained a variety of chemical components, including diterpenoids, alkaloids, steroids, cinnamic acid derivatives, and other compounds. Many pharmacological researches have exhibited that T. radix possesses various biological activities, including anti-cancer, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-ulcer, and anti-oxidant activities. Furthermore, the quality markers of T. radix were summarized and analyzed in this paper. The traditional use, botany, phytochemistry, bioactivity, and quality markers of T. radix were reviewed in this paper. It will not only provide an important clue for further studying T. radix, but also supply an important theoretical basis and a valuable reference for in-depth research and exploitations of this plant in the future.

NEPETA MARGALLAICA (MENTHEAE: NEPETOIDEAE: LAMIACEAE): A NEW SPECIES FROM THE MARGALLA HILLS, PAKISTAN

A new species of Nepeta L. (Lamiaceae) from the Margalla Hills, in Pakistan, is described and illustrated. It belongs to Nepeta sect. Cataria sensu Bentham and is characterised by tuberous roots up to 3 cm in diameter, the presence of long multicellular flattened eglandular hairs, a spike-like inflorescence, an oblique calyx throat, unequal calyx teeth, and a 9 mm long white corolla. It is closely related to Nepeta cataria L., from which it differs in the root, indumentum, calyx and inflorescence characters. A distribution map of the new species is presented, as is an updated key to Nepeta sect. Cataria.