Underground Parts Research Articles

Carbon Sequestration in Sugarcane Plant-soil System as Influenced by Nutrient Integration Practices under Indo-Gangetic Plains of India

Sugarcane is a multi-purpose crop. The capability of sugarcane crop to sequestrate carbon into soil and plant is of great importance. Under this study the carbon sequestration in planted sugarcane and their rhizospheric soil under different nutrient management practices was assessed. As IPCC reported, that the rising temperature of earth surface resulted of GHGs emission which causes global warming. In order to stabilize the global temperature, the anthropogenic CO2 has to be mitigated to a significant level and the surplus atmospheric CO2 in plants and soil has to be sunk, under this circumstance, sugarcane cultivation plays pivotal role in utilising CO2 since it is a C4 plant having high efficiency of utilising CO2 during photosynthesis. There is another intervention might be enhancing the CO2 capture by changing the nutrient management practices which enhances chlorophyll synthesis by the way of increasing nitrogen efficiency in sugarcane. The different treatment composition enhances photosynthesis where more CO2 has been captured. Thus the sugarcane crop and rhizospheric soils act as important carbon sinks in decarbonisation of atmosphere that ultimately reduces carbon level and causes the global cooling. Soil Properties and Carbon Storage: The results showed that soil physical properties and chemical properties were significantly differed among treatments due to application of different organic amendments over control. Soil organic carbon (SOC) was analysed which ranges from 0.47 to 0.67%. The different organic amendments treatments had a considerable effect on soil bulk density and porosity with significant improvement in soil carbon storage. Plant Carbon Storage: The carbon stocks in different sugarcane plant parts, including roots, shoots and leaves were significantly different. The highest amount of carbon stock was found in leaves (877.08 kg ha-1) under T6 followed by roots (668.74 kg ha-1) in T2 and carbon stock in shoots (422.77 kg ha-1) in T5 showing that 30.41% and 107.58% more carbons were stored in the leaves as compared to the roots and shoots while in roots 58.18% more carbon stored in comparison to shoots. The total carbon storage in sugarcane biomass including aboveground parts and belowground part i.e. roots, in different treatment was significantly different. The mean value of carbon stored in the aboveground parts (leaves and stalks) was significantly higher (1239.65 kg ha-1) than that of underground plant part (621.73 kg ha-1) (roots). The results showed that the sugarcane farming practices have promising effect for carbon sequestration and consequently enhancing the mitigation of climate change impacts.

Biological effects and phytochemical study of the underground part of Iris scariosa Willd. ex Link extract: A new source of bioactive constituents

The expected toxicity and resistance of chemotherapeutic agents necessitate and encourage for the use of natural chemotherapeutic sources of plant origin in the clinical stage of cancer therapy. Plants of the genus Iris (Iridaceae) used by local populations for the treatment of cancer, bacterial and viral infections. In this study, an ethanol extract of rhizomes of I. scariosa was prepared and tested for the cytotoxicity using the MTT assay. The extract exhibited the most potent cytotoxicity against the breast cancer cell line MCF7 (IC50 = 9.28 ± 0.49 μg/ml, selectively index ˃5), and induced apoptosis in MCF7 lines. Notably, the extract significantly inhibited the colony formation of MCF7 and HepG2 cancer cells at a concentration range from 10.6 to 85.0 μg/ml, including non-toxic concentrations for HepG2 cells. The ethanol extract was analyzed by HPLC, revealed the identification of 5 secondary metabolites (quercetin, rutin, myricetin, apigenin, artemisetin), the content of which was shown to reach around 15% of the extract. The petroleum ether (PE) part of the extract (yield 2.62%) was analyzed by GC–MS. The composition of tert-butyl methyl ether (TBME) part of the extract (yield 23.72%) was studied. Total of 15 individual compounds: two benzophenones, eight isoflavones, four flavones and a (2R)-flavanone were isolated. The pentamethoxyflavone artemisetin and flavanone pinocembrin were isolated for the first from Iris sp. The readily available isoflavones from the TBME part of extract (irilone, iriflogenin, irigenin and tectorigenin) may serve as new leads for the discovery of anticancer drugs.

Comprehensive HRMS Screening and Risk Assessments of Aristolochic Acid Analogues in Asari Radix et Rhizoma and Related Commercial Health Products.

Aristolochic acid analogues (AAAs) are well-known toxins. We performed the first comprehensive screening on AAAs in Asari Radix et Rhizoma (underground part of Asarum heterotropoides Schmidt), the only Aristolochiaceae plant widely used in clinical practice. LC-HRMS revealed 70 trace AAAs using polygonal mass defect filtering and precursor ion list strategies, 38 of which were newly discovered in A. heterotropoides. UHPLC-QTrap-MS/MS was then utilized for quantitative/semiquantitative analysis of 26 abundant compounds. Seventeen AAAs were detected from 91 batches of A. heterotropoides and 20 AAAs from 166 consumable products. For 141 Asari-containing proprietary products, aristolactam I and aristolactam II-glucoside exhibited the widest distribution, present in 98% products. AA IVa was the most abundant, detected in 91%. Notably, 60% of the products contained AA I (0.03-0.79 ppm). The safety was assessed using linear extrapolation, permitted daily exposure, cumulative amount, and the margin of exposure. It is recommended that AA I content be limited to 3 ppm.

Physiological and Transcriptional Characteristics of Banana Seedlings in Response to Nitrogen Deficiency Stress

Nitrogen is a crucial element for the growth and development of plants, directly affecting crop growth and yield. To investigate the physiological and molecular mechanism of nitrogen-deficiency stress, we conducted an investigation into the effects of different nitrogen levels on the growth, photosynthetic characteristics, and gene transcription levels of banana seedlings. Compared with the control group with normal nitrogen levels (NN), the height of plants receiving Reduced-N (NR), Low-N (LN), and N-Free (NF) treatments was decreased by 0.45 cm, 2.5 cm, and 3.25 cm, respectively. Their dry weight was reduced by 1.63 g, 2.99 g, and 2.88 g, respectively. Conversely, the dry weight of the underground plant part in the LN and NF treatment groups exhibited an increase of 0.13 g and 0.16 g, respectively. Regarding photosynthetic characteristics, the Specialty Products Agricultural Division (SPAD) values of the NR, LN, and NF treatments showed reductions of 15.5%, 30.4%, and 35.9%, respectively, compared with those of the control treatments. The values of maximum photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), actual photosynthetic efficiency (Y(Ⅱ)), and relative electron transfer (ETR) of the banana seedlings decreased to different degrees after NR, LN, and NF treatment, and their values were positively correlated with N levels. Gene transcription analysis showed that N transport-related proteins, including NRT1.7, NRT2.3a, NRT2.3b, and NRT2.5, were significantly up-regulated to increase the nitrogen absorption capacity of plant roots. On the other hand, various transcription factors including GRAS, MYB, and WRKY were notably up-regulated, facilitating root growth and the expanding root absorption area, thereby enhancing nitrogen uptake. Furthermore, genes associated with endogenous hormone metabolic pathways such as gibberellin (GA), strigolactone (SL), and brassinosteroids (BR) were activated in banana plants subjected to low nitrogen stress, enhancing the plant’s ability to adapt to nitrogen-deficient conditions. These findings offer valuable insights into understanding the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms governing banana responses to low nitrogen stress and breeding new varieties with improved nutrient utilization.

Identification and quantification of flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids in yellow wood anemone (<i>Anemone ranunculoides</i> L.) by UHPLC-DAD-HESI/MS analysis

Introduction. Yellow wood anemone (Anemone ranunculoides L.) is a herbaceous perennial. This plant grows in the European parts of Russia, Ciscaucasia, Siberia, Central Europe and other regions. It has many different pharmacological activities: immunomodulatory, sedative, anti-inflammatory, antitoxic, diuretic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antitumor and antirheumatic activity. These various effects are due to their biologically active compounds, which include ephemeroids, protoanemonin, saponins, tannins, resins, ascorbic acid, ranunculin, oils lipids and triterpene glycosides. As to phenolic compounds, currently there is no sufficient information on flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) profiles in different species of genus Anemone. Because these groups of compounds are quite specific for yellow wood anemone, their detailed study seems to be relevant.Aim. The objective of this research is to identify and quantify flavonoids, HCAs, and their conjugates in Yellow wood anemone leaves, flowers and rhizomes with roots.Materials and methods. The identification was carried out by using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometric detection (UHPLC–DAD–ESI-MS) with quantification of individual compounds by external calibration method.Results and discussion. Among the 47 compounds, 30 flavonoids and 17 derivatives of HCAs were detected. Quercetin glycosides were found to be the major flavonoids in aerial parts whereas chalcone glycosides – in underground parts. The major HCA in rhizomes with roots was feruloyltartaric acid (1.18 mg/g) whereas chlorogenic acid was predominant in leaves and flowers (8.68 mg/g and 2.62 mg/g accordingly). The total content of phenolic compounds was estimated at 60 mg/g on a dry weight basis.Conclusion. As a result of the research a detailed profile of flavonoids and HCAs acids of anemon was described. The data obtained can serve to identify this species in the standardization of medicinal plant materials and taxonomic studies.

Influence of conditioner and straw on the herbaceous plant-based phytoremediation copper tailings: a field trial at Liujiagou tailings pond, China.

A field trial was performed to carry out an enhanced phytoremediation technique for multi-metal contaminated copper tailings by Sudan grass (Sorghum Sudanese), ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), using conditioner (TH-LZ01) and straw combination into composite amendments as soil amendments, aimed to obtain the maximum of phytoremediation effect. The results showed that compared with untreated herbaceous plants, the application of conditioner and straw planted with herbaceous plants reduced the pH and conductivity and increased the organic matter and water content of the copper tailings to different degrees. With the addition of conditioner and straw, the DTPA-Cd, DTPA-Cu, DTPA-Pb, and DTPA-Zn contents in the copper tailings showed a decreasing trend compared with the untreated group. The herbaceous plants were promoted to reduce the percentage contents of acid soluble fractions Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn and to increase the percentage contents of reducible, oxidizable, and residual fractions heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in the copper tailings to different degrees. The contents of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the underground part of herbaceous plants were higher than those in the aboveground part, and the contents of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the aboveground part and underground part decreased after adding conditioner and straw, which indicated that the conditioner and straw inhibited the transport of heavy metals in the plant. Furthermore, the principal component analysis showed that the application of conditioner and straw with planting ryegrass had more potential for improving the physicochemical properties of copper tailings and reducing heavy metal toxicity, followed by Bermuda grass and Sudan grass.

CHEMICAL ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF DATURA STRAMONIUM L. GROWING IN UZBEKISTAN

Inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to study the elemental composition of the underground and aboveground parts of the Datura stramonium growing on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The obtained data show that 41 elements were found in the composition of the vegetative organs of the D. stramonium, including 6 macroelements (Ca, P, K, Na, S, Mg), 8 essential microelements (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, Zn, Mo), and 6 conditionally essential. Moreover, 6 trace elements (B, Si, Ni, V, As, Li), 16 toxic (Pb, Cd, Ge, Sr, Zr, Tl, Bi, Sn, Sb, W, Ag, Ba, Al, Ga, Ti, Be) and 5 little studied elements (Nb, Cs, Ta, Rb, Re) were identified. It was revealed that among the detected elements in D. stramonium, 3 macroelements (Ca, K and Fe) are contained in a concentration of more than 1000 mg/kg, 4 elements (P, S, Mg, Si) are from 100 to 1000 mg/kg, 3 elements (Na, Mn, B), ranging from 10 to 100 mg/kg and the rest were in the range of less than 10 mg/kg. The macroelements were located between each other in the following order: in the roots of the plant Ca (40%)>K (39%)>P (9%)>Mg (6%)>S (4%)>Na (2%), and in the aerial part of the plant Ca (50%)>K (30%)>Mg (9%)>P (7%)>S (3%)>Na (1%). The highest content of essential trace elements in the composition of the roots and aboveground parts of the D. stramonium falls on the share of Fe (n/h 2015.4521 mg/kg, n/h 1516.3041 mg/kg), and among the conditionally essential microelements Si (n/h 397.8607, n/ch 234.4246). It has been established that the higher content of toxic elements in the composition in the underground part of D. stramonium falls on the proportion of A1 (36.92%) and Ti (35.54%), and in the aboveground part of Ga (48.57%) and Al (17.37%), relative to the total content toxic elements. According to the content of salts of heavy metals of the D. stramonium growing in Uzbekistan meets the requirements established by the Global Fund XIV and WHO. Salts of toxic elements Hg were not found. Comparative data showed that in both organs of D. stramonium growing in Uzbekistan, the content of the considered elements is lower than amount of the element of D. stramonium growing in Kazakhstan and South Africa.

Comparison of Flavonoid Content, Antioxidant Potential, Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition Activity and Volatile Components Based on HS-SPME-GC-MS of Different Parts from Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Todaro.

Matteuccia struthiopteris is one of the most globally consumed edible ferns and widely used in folk medicine. Reports mainly focus on young fronds and the rhizome which are common edible medicinal parts. However, there are few detailed reports on other parts. Therefore, the volatile components of different parts based on HS-SPME-GC-MS were identified, and total flavonoid contents, antioxidant activities and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities were compared in order to reveal the difference of volatile components and potential medicinal value of different parts. The results showed that total flavonoid contents, antioxidant activities and volatile components of different parts were obviously different. The crozier exhibited the strongest antioxidant activities, but only underground parts exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition potential against AChE. Common volatile compounds were furfural and 2-furancarboxaldehyde, 5-methyl-. In addition, it was found that some volatile components from adventitious root, trophophyll, sporophyll and petiole were important ingredients in food, cosmetics, industrial manufacturing and pharmaceutical applications.

Endophytic Fungal Diversity of Mangrove Ferns Acrostichum speciosum and A. aureum in China.

Microbial communities are an important component of mangrove ecosystems. In order to reveal the diversity of endophytic fungi in the mangrove ferns Acrostichum speciosum and A. aureum in China, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of endophytic fungi in four plant tissues (leaves, petioles, roots, and rhizomes) from three locations (Zhanjiang, Haikou, and Wenchang) were sequenced. The richness, species composition, and community similarity were analyzed. The main results are as follows: the dominant fungi in A. speciosum and A. aureum belonged to the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, accounting for more than 75% of the total identified fungi; in terms of species composition at the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) level, the endophytic fungi in A. aureum were more diverse than those in A. speciosum, and the endophytic fungi in rhizomes were more diverse than in other tissues. In Zhanjiang, both A. speciosum and A. aureum showed the richest diversity of endophytic fungi, both at the OTU classification level and in terms of species composition. Conversely, the richness of endophytic fungi in the samples of A. speciosum from Wenchang and Haikou is extremely low. The regional differences in dominant fungi increase with the degrading of taxonomic levels, and there were also significant differences in the number of unique fungi among different origins, with Zhanjiang samples having a larger number of unique fungi than the other locations. There were significant differences in the dominant fungi among different tissues, with Xylariales being the dominant fungi in rhizomes of A. speciosum and Hypocreales being the dominant fungi in the petioles, roots, and rhizomes of A. aureum. Overall, the community similarity of endophytic fungi among locations is moderately dissimilar (26-50%), while the similarity between tissues is moderately similar (51-75%). The low diversity of endophytic fungi could be one of the main reasons for the endangerment of A. speciosum. The protection of the diversity of endophytic fungi in the underground parts of A. speciosum is essential for the conservation of this critically endangered mangrove fern.

The chemical stoichiometry characteristics of plant-soil carbon and nitrogen in subtropical Pinus massoniana natural forests

Ecological stoichiometry is essential for understanding changes in ecosystem structure and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. However, the stoichiometric characteristics of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in different organs or layers, such as leaves, branches, trunks, roots, understory vegetation, litter, and soil within a forest ecosystem, have remained poorly understood. In this study, four age groups of Pinus massoniana natural forest including young, middle-aged, near-mature, and mature were selected as research subjects to illustrate the C and N stoichiometry interactions among different layers and organs in the forest ecosystem. The results showed that the average C and N concentrations in the leaves of the tree layer, shrub layer, and herb aboveground parts (HAP) were higher than that of other tree and shrub organs, as well as the herb underground parts (HUP), respectively. The N concentrations of tree branches and trunks showed a trend of increase first and decrease later from young to mature phases, but the C:N ratios presented an opposite trend. The C concentrations.in all tissues in shrubs showed a first decline and then a rise with age. As age progressed, the N concentration in each ecosystem layer increased gradually and demonstrated high synergy. The mineralization of organic matter in the soil was generally slow. The C concentrations in the understory vegetation layer were significantly positively correlated with the C concentrations in the litter layer but negatively correlated with the soil layer, and the C concentrations in the litter layer were also significantly negatively correlated with the C concentrations in the soil layer. The research findings can provide a reference basis for the formulation of nutrient regulation and sustainable management measures in the natural forests of P. massoniana in the study area.

Isolation of the major compounds and determination of biological activities of the underground parts of Trachystemon orientalis

Isolation of the major compounds and determination of biological activities of the underground parts of Trachystemon orientalis

Effect of weeds on pea (Pisum sativum) seed germination

Segetal vegetation should be controlled both during crop growing season and after harvesting. The reason is that undesirable vegetation accumulates a significant mass, one that will later become a threat to the following crop in crop rotation. Mixtures of substances of biogenic origin, called allopathic, are constantly changing subject to abiotic factors and environmental conditions. Therefore, their effects on organisms are characterized by significant variability. According to the biotesting results, we found that allopathically active substances of all experimental weed species had a negative effect on pea seed germination. In the control variant, all seeds germinated in 4 days, but in some experimental variants 2–3% of the seeds were in the phase of swelling. Water extracts from different species and parts of weeds had significant inhibitory effect on the germination of pea seeds and further growth. The water-soluble extracts from the underground organs of perennial weeds such as Elytrigia repens L. and Cirsium arvense L. were particularly strong, leading to 58.2% and 53.1% reduction in the length of the embryonic root. Water-soluble extracts from the leaves of these weeds had slightly lower effects on pea germination, and the lags in root growth were 33.5% and 31.4%, respectively. Extracts from weed stems also inhibited pea germination and had an intermediate effect between the effect of water-soluble extracts from the underground part and leaf blades. The effect of extracts from roots of annual weeds on the length of the germinal root ranged 36.6% in common stork’s-bill (Erodium cicutarium L.) to 13.9% in chickweed (Stellaria media L.). The allopathic effect of the substances from the leaves of chickweed (Stellaria media L.) and potato weed (Galinsoga parviflora Cav.) had the lowest effect on the growth of pea root. The lag of the indicator in the control was 7.2% and 12.9% for the variants.

Growth Performance and Osmolyte Regulation of Drought-Stressed Walnut Plants Are Improved by Mycorrhiza

This study aims to evaluate whether a selected arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Diversispora spurca, improves growth in drought-stressed walnut (Juglans regia L. cv. Qingxiang) plants and whether this improvement is associated with changes in osmolyte (fructose, glucose, sucrose, soluble protein, proline, and betaine) levels. After 60 days of soil drought treatment (50% of maximum field water-holding capacity), root D. spurca colonization rate and soil mycelium length decreased by 13.57% and 64.03%, respectively. Soil drought also inhibited the growth performance of aboveground (stem diameter, leaf number, leaf biomass, and stem biomass) and underground (root projected area, surface area, and average diameter) parts, with uninoculated plants showing a stronger inhibition than D. spurca-inoculated plants. D. spurca significantly increased these growth variables, along with aboveground part variables and root areas being more prominent under drought stress versus non-stress conditions. Although drought treatment suppressed the chlorophyll index and nitrogen balance index in leaves, mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased these indices. Walnut plants were able to actively increase leaf fructose, glucose, sucrose, betaine, and proline levels under such drought stress. Inoculation of D. spurca also significantly increased leaf fructose, glucose, sucrose, betaine, proline, and soluble protein levels under drought stress and non-stress, with the increasing trend in betaine and soluble protein being higher under drought stress versus non-stress. Drought stress dramatically raised leaf hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels in both inoculated and uninoculated plants, while mycorrhizal plants presented significantly lower H2O2 levels, with the decreasing trend higher under drought stress versus non-stress. In conclusion, D. spurca symbiosis can increase the growth of drought-stressed walnut plants, associated with increased osmolyte levels and decreased H2O2 levels.

Valeriana officinalis (Valerian) – review

Valeriana officinalis L. s.l. is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Valerianaceae family. It is widely distributed in Ukraine and around the world. The official medicinal raw material derived from Valeriana officinalis consists of the dried, whole, or fragmented underground parts of the plant, including the rhizome along with the roots and stolons. To meet the standards outlined in the European Pharmacopoeia, this raw material must be standardized based on its essential oil content (a minimum of 4 ml/kg in dried preparations) and sesquiterpenic acids (a minimum of 0.17 percent by weight, calculated as valeric acid, in dried preparations). The aim of the work was searching, systematizing, and generalizing information from the specialized literature on the chemical composition, biological activity and therapeutic use of Valeriana officinalis. Valeriana officinalis has sedative, mild analgesic, hypnotic, antispasmodic, carminative, and hypotensive effects. Historically, it was used for hysterical conditions, hyperexcitability, insomnia, hypochondria, migraine, spasms, intestinal colic, rheumatic pains, dysmenorrhea, and especially for conditions accompanied by nervous excitability. The main classes of biological substances identified in Valeriana officinalis are valepotriates, iridolactones, alkaloids, phenolic acids, sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, terpene coumarins, lignans, terpene and flavonol glycosides. It has not yet been established which components of Valeriana officinalis are responsible for its pharmacological effects. Current opinion is that the overall effect of valerian is due to several different groups of components and their different mechanisms of action. Therefore, the activity of different preparations of valerian will depend on their content and concentration of several types of components. Conclusions. Summarized and systematized original works related to pharmacognostic study, phytochemical analysis, and medicinal use of underground and aerial parts of various species of Valeriana genus. The analysis of the material shows that in recent years, scientists from all over the world have paid attention to the above-ground part of valerian and have chosen it as an object of in-depth study. This approach opens new possibilities for the use of the herb Valeriana officinalis in medicine.

DETERMINATION OF THE AMOUNT OF LOAD ON PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES OF CIVIL DEFENSE AGAINST THE INFLUENCE OF A SHOCK WAVE ACCORDING TO DBN V.2.2-5:2023

The main types of explosions and their differences between each other are considered, as well as the difference in excess pressure in the air shock wave is shown. The definition of the calculated load on various load-bearing elements depending on the type of building, its location and structural inhomogeneities of building structures according to DBN B.2.2-5:20023 [1] is given. One of the extreme effects, the danger of which must be taken into account when designing protective structures of civil protection, is an external explosion, which can be caused by both man-made and military factors. The explosion generates a whole complex of loads and impacts. The pressure at the front of the air shock wave, as well as the duration of the compression and rarefaction phases, depend on the amount of explosives and the distance to the center of the explosion or cloud boundary. In general, a detonation explosion is characterized by the possibility of significant pressure on the front of the air shock wave and the short duration of the action (tenths and even hundredths of a second). The air shock wave, when interacting with the structure, affects its above-ground and underground parts. This process is complex: at the beginning of the interaction process, the air shock wave affects the external structures of the above-ground part of the building and the surface of the soil in front of the building, causing a compression wave in it, which, in turn, affects the front outer face of the underground part. Further, the air shock wave, passing through the structural inhomogeneities of building structures in the form of window and door openings, affects the internal load-bearing and non-load-bearing structures of the building, as well as the covering of the underground part. At the same time, compression waves in the soil affect the side and rear walls of the underground part.

Method of parametric optimization of hydraulic structures for subzero temperatures

A method for optimizing design and geometric parameters using a "simplified" simulation of the water-cooling process is presented. This method allows solving the issues of operational manufacturability in the aspect of creating energy- and resource-saving constructions of water storage tanks. In the study to determine the size of underground and above-ground parts of the water storage tank the criterion of heat loss minimization is accepted and the mathematical model of water heat exchange with the ground under the condition of its homogeneity and stationarity of the thermal regime is compiled. The relationship between the height and the radius of the underground part at the minimum value of the heat transfer coefficient from water to the ground through the metal wall is established. Using the heat balance equation, an analytical expression is found that determines the aboveground fluid temperature for any instant of time. On the basis of the theory of differential calculus the condition of minimality of the cooling rate of water, which gives up heat through the side walls to the environment and air space under the roof of the vessel, was revealed, which made possible to optimize the size of its above-ground part. The relationship of the radius and the total volume of the water holding capacity was determined for the average values of ambient temperature and wind speed recorded in the region of the research. The developed algorithm of the method of "simplified" modeling and its representation in the form of a block diagram can be implemented at digitalization of calculation-analytical procedures for selection of structural and geometrical parameters of the vessel according to the criterion of minimum heat losses. The functions of the radius and the height of the underground and above-ground parts of the vessel from the argument of its total volume are graphically illustrated.

PECULIARITIES OF THE ACCUMULATION OF GLUCOFRUCTANS IN THE ABOVE-GROUND PART OF THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS ALLIUM (AMARYLLIDACEAE)

The specifics of the accumulation of fructose-containing carbohydrates (glucofructans) in the above-ground parts of Allium L. species were studied. High molecular weight glucofructans (polyfructans) were present in significant amounts (6.9–10.1%) during the spring regrowth period in the leaves of A. jesdianum Boiss. & Buhse and A. victorialis L. During active growth and budding, their content dropped sharply (up to 0–3.6%). In A. victorialis, at the end of the growing season, the amount of polyfructans in the leaves of the second generation increased markedly (up to 9.7–11.8%). Since the leaves of this species are preserved under the snow all winter, fructans, probably, have a protective function, increasing their resistance to low temperatures.
 In all the studied species, polyfructans were accumulated in the underground part in much greater quantities than in the leaves, except for A. victorialis, where their content in the aboveground and underground parts was similar in the same phenophases, or in the leaves they were contained in larger quantities.
 The content of low molecular weight glucofructans (oligofructans) in leaves at the beginning of the growing season varied from 2.9 to 11.7% in different species. During the period of active growth and budding their content increased significantly up to 4.6–18.9%. The leaves of A. aflatunense B. Fedtsch., A. jesdianum, A. hollandicum R.M. Fritsch, A. rosenbachianum Regel, belonging to the subgenus Melanocrommyum (Webb & Berthel.) Rouy, and A. victorialis, belonging to the subgenus Anguinum (G.Don ex W.D.J.Koch) N.Friesen, are the richest in oligofructans. In A. obliguum L. and A. saxatile M. Bieb., belonging to the subgenus Polyprason Radić, the content of oligofructans in the leaves was significantly lower than in the previous species.
 Considerable amounts of fructans were accumulated in the inflorescences of A. victorialis and A. obliquum.

Chemical profile and difference analysis of four parts of Strobilanthes sarcorrhiza by ultrafast flow liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and multivariate statistical analysis

AbstractStrobilanthes sarcorrhiza (CTS) is a medicinal plant with various pharmacological effects such as tonifying kidney and anti‐inflammatory. However, the chemical composition and difference of its four parts (leaves, stems, rhizomes, and root tubers) have been rarely reported. In this study, ultrafast flow liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight MS was applied to analyze the chemical profile of CTS and identify 55 compounds, including terpenoids, phenylethanol glycosides, fatty acid derivatives, chain glycosides, flavonoid glycosides, and others. Among these compounds, 34 compounds were first identified in CTS. They were mainly terpenoids, phenylethanol glycosides, fatty acid derivatives, and so forth. Multivariate statistical analysis, such as principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares‐discriminant analysis were also used to evaluate the difference in chemical compounds from the four parts of CTS. The results showed that phenylethanol glycosides were the main compounds of the underground parts, while terpenoids were the main compounds of the aboveground parts. This study revealed the chemical diversity and similarity of CTS and suggested that the rhizomes could be used as an alternative medicinal part to improve the resource utilization of CTS.

Determination of Phenethyl Isothiocyanate, Erucin, Iberverin, and Erucin Nitrile Concentrations in Healthy and Pieris rapae-Infected Broccoli Tissues Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Cruciferous vegetables (Brassicaceae family) are a rich source of phytochemicals, in particular glucosinolates (GLS) and their hydrolysis products, isothiocyanates and nitriles. These phytochemicals may act as chemosensors, attracting insects, such as Pieris rapae, and stimulating oviposition. There is a lack of information on the concentrations of isothiocyanates and nitriles when an insect affects a Brassicaceae plant. In the current study, some GLS hydrolysis products were determined in healthy and Pieris rapae-infected organic cultivated broccoli plants, as well as the infesting insects’ larvae, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This study investigated the following phytochemicals: phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), erucin (ER), 3-(methylthio)propyl isothiocyanate (3MIC), and 1-cyano-4-(methylthio)butane (5MITN). All these components were quantified in the aerial and underground parts of the plants and were found in high concentrations in the roots. Among the phytochemicals studied, 5MITN presented the highest concentration in all the broccoli samples but was especially high in the stalks of the infected plants. Moreover, the analysis of a sample of Pieris rapae larvae, fed from the hosted broccoli, revealed the presence of PEITC and ER. These findings indicate that the infestation of broccoli with Pieris rapae may affect the distribution of PEITC, ER, 3MIC, and 5MITN throughout the plant. An extension of our study to conventional cultivated broccoli showed that the roots are indeed rich in GLS hydrolysis products.

Optimizing cotton yield through appropriate irrigation water salinity: Coordinating above- and below-ground growth and enhancing photosynthetic capacity

The employment of brackish water for irrigation holds considerable potential for addressing the shortfall of freshwater resources in arid regions. It is crucial to discern the impact of salinity on agricultural output and its mechanisms when irrigating with brackish water. Here, a two-year field experiment (2021–2022) was undertaken in Xinjiang, China to assess the effects of water salinity (0.85 g L−1, CK; 3 g L−1, S1; 5 g L−1, S2; and 8 g L−1, S3) on the growth, photosynthesis, carbon accumulation, and cotton yield under mulched drip irrigation. Results showed that, compared to CK, the S1 treatment led to increased biomass, the boll capacity of the root system (BCR), and a reduced root-to-shoot ratio (R/S). In addition, the S1 treatment enhanced the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and chlorophyll content (Chl) of cotton, enhancing the total carbon accumulation of boll (Cboll) and consequently, the seed cotton yield. However, the higher salinity treatments, S2 and S3, demonstrated a detrimental impact on these indicators. In comparison to CK, the S1 treatment showed a yield increase of 5.92% and 4.76% in the respective two years, yet the S2 and S3 treatments showed a yield decrease of 5.55–15.77% and 5.06–16.74%. The application of a structural equation model (SEM) elucidated a direct effect of photosynthetic parameters (Pn and Chl) and biomass characteristics (total biomass, R/S, and BCR) on yield. These factors also indirectly modulated seed cotton yield through the Cboll/Croot ratio. These results suggest that irrigation with brackish water of 3 g L−1 optimizes cotton production by coordinating crop growth of aboveground and underground parts. This study offers practical strategies for the cotton industry to enhance yields under brackish water irrigation.