Varietal Level Research Articles

Varietal level comparison of Moringa oleifera Lam. for phytochemical constituents and antifungal properties against Fusarium oxysporum and Albugo candida

Background: The main objective of this work was to examine the chemical components, antioxidant and antifungal activities of an ethanolic extract of three Moringa oleifera varieties (PKM-1, PKM-2, and ODC-3) against selected fungal strains. The ethanolic extract was prepared using the Soxhlet extraction method. The extracts of three different varieties were tested for antioxidant activity as well as antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum and Albugo candida using the disc diffusion method, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined using the micro dilution method. Using the FTIR technique, spectrophotometer equipment was used to identify the distinctive peak values and functional groups. HPLC and GCMS were used to determine the phytochemical profiles of the three variants. Results: The preliminary phytochemical investigation revealed the presence of numerous secondary metabolites in all three M. oleifera types. The PKM-1 cultivar had a considerably higher total phenolic content (99.93 ± 0.239 mg GAE /g) than the PKM-2 and ODC-3 varieties of M. oleifera (81.58 ± 0.369 and 91.73 ± 0.254 mg GAE/g). The flavonoid content of the PKM-1 variety (135.3 ± 0.494 mg QE/g) was maximum than that of the PKM-2 and ODC-3 varieties (106.9 ± 0.553 and 117.1 ± 0.413 mg QE/g). In the DPPH and H2O2 assays, the PKM-1 variant was the most potent inhibitor (IC50) compared to the other two varieties. Antifungal activity testing demonstrated that all the three varieties suppress the growth of both the fungal strains such as F. oxysporum and A. candida with a mean zone of inhibition. FTIR examination of ethanol extract of Moringa types (PKM-1, PKM-2 and ODC-3) revealed the presence of distinct functional chemical classes at a variety of characteristic bands. GCMS analysis confirmed the presence of 25 metabolites in M. oleifera PKM-1 and 23 compounds in PKM-2 varieties. Conclusion: The results showed that M. oleifera has a diverse set of phytoconstituents with considerable antioxidant and antifungal effects, confirming its applicability in a wide range of applications.

Diversity of Volatile Compounds in the Inula candida / I. verbascifolia Group (Asteraceae-Inuleae) and Its Impact on Species Delimitation

The members of the Inula candida / I. verbascifolia group are perennial and chasmophytic plants attributed to four species and eleven entities at subspecific or varietal level. They are mostly confined to Greece. Volatile compounds of above-ground flowering parts of twenty-three populations covering ten taxonomic entities were obtained after hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In most cases, the total percentage of identified constituents reached 89% or above. Seventy-two components were identified. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes prevailed in the I. candida subgroup (47.3–71.5%), with epi-α-cadinol present in all members (13.4–42.7%) but rarely found in the I. verbascifolia subgroup. Considerable amounts of the hydrocarbon aldehydes decanal, undecanal and particularly tridecanal (0.5–35.0%, rarely absent) were predominately found in the I. verbascifolia members but were mostly absent in the I. candida subgroup. Isoalantolactone (12.4–49.5%), identified only in I. subfloccosa, and γ-(Z)-curcumen-12-ol, found only in I. candida subsp. limonella (22.6–42.1%), may serve as chemotaxonomic markers. Two different chemotypes can be distinguished within I. verbascifolia subsp. aschersoniana: a trans-muurola-4(14),5-diene-, γ-cadinene-rich chemotype from north-eastern Greece and a 1-epi-cubenol-, tridecanal-rich chemotype from central Greece. Different statistical algorithms were used to interpret the chemical diversity and identify the most appropriate number of clusters for the taxa. Cluster analyses indicated that the optimum number of clusters that best explain the metabolomic variability of the taxa is two. The degree of membership for each population based on the fuzzy k-means algorithm supported the I. verbascifolia subsp. aschersoniana samples within the I. candida subgroup, whereas I. subfloccosa may belong to any of the two clusters formed, although it also appears to have some unique characteristics.

Germplasm screening of Myrtus communius Var. Italica l. for cultivar development from dir lower (Malakand Division), Pakistan

Habb-ul-Aas is a commercial drug obtained from Myrtus communis L and widely used for abdominal disorders in Pakistan. This sclerophyllous shrub is commonly found in the Lower Dir, Malakand Division, Pakistan. This plant is used as crude drug in herbal as well as pharmaceutical industry due to presence of aromatic oil obtained from various parts of the plant. Two varieties viz., italic and baetica of the plant exist in the world; however, no study reported before about the existence of this species up to the varietal level from Pakistan. The current study was undertaken to characterize the existing germplasm by using certain morphometric parameters in relation to physiognomic features. They exhibit high variability among characters, especially for characteristics useful in selecting cultivars for commercial production. Among the various ecotypes, MBT3 possessed high shoot length (29.96cm), leaf area (2.3cm), fruit volume (0.97ml) & fruit weight (0.88g) and pulp (0.87g) and therefore recommended for the cultivar development.

A revision of the red algal genus Ahnfeltia on the Russian coast of the North Pacific

ABSTRACT Until recently, three species of the genus Ahnfeltia were recorded from the Russian Pacific coast: A. fastigiata, A. plicata and A. tobuchiensis. A morphological analysis and DNA-barcoding of Ahnfeltia have revealed another species occurring in this area, A. borealis. The endemic taxon of this region, A. tobuchiensis, is conspecific with A. fastigiata and should be reduced to the varietal level, A. fastigiata var. tobuchiensis, as was previously suggested by Maggs et al. The occurrence of A. plicata in the Northwest Pacific requires confirmation by molecular and morphological data.

Wheat Seed Classification: Utilizing Ensemble Machine Learning Approach

Recognizing and authenticating wheat varieties is critical for quality evaluation in the grain supply chain, particularly for methods for seed inspection. Recognition and verification of grains are carried out manually through direct visual examination. Automatic categorization techniques based on machine learning and computer vision offered fast and high-throughput solutions. Even yet, categorization remains a complicated process at the varietal level. The paper utilized machine learning approaches for classifying wheat seeds. The seed classification is performed based on 7 physical features: area of wheat, perimeter of wheat, compactness, length of the kernel, width of the kernel, asymmetry coefficient, and kernel groove length. The dataset is collected from the UCI library and has 210 occurrences of wheat kernels. The dataset contains kernels from three wheat varieties Kama, Rosa, and Canadian, with 70 components chosen at random for the experiment. In the first phase, K-nearest neighbor, classification and regression tree, and Gaussian Naïve Bayes algorithms are implemented for classification. The results of these algorithms are compared with the ensemble approach of machine learning. The results reveal that accuracies calculated for KNN, decision, and Naïve Bayes classifiers are 92%, 94%, and 92%, respectively. The highest accuracy of 95% is achieved through the ensemble classifier in which decision is made based on hard voting.

Fungal diversity in the tropics: Entoloma spp. in Panama

Entoloma (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) is a species-rich genus with approximately 2000 species known worldwide. In Central America, however, information about the species of this genus is sparse, despite the generally high biodiversity in this region. Recently, 124 specimens of Entoloma were collected in Panama, Chiriquí Province. In the present publication, the morphology of 20 species represented by more than one specimen is described and depicted with photographs, line drawings, and scanning electron micrographs. Molecular phylograms based on ITS or concatenated ITS and partial nc LSU rDNA sequences are provided. The taxonomic status of these species is evaluated and 17 species of Entoloma are described as new to science. Only one species could be assigned to an already known species, viz. Entoloma belouvense. Nolanea albertinae, described from Brazil, appeared similar and is combined in E. belouvense on varietal level. The identifications of two further species are uncertain. At least 30 other species, including potentially new species, cannot formally be described due to insufficient material. A preliminary key to the species of the genus Entoloma in Panama is provided. The spatial shape of the polyhedroid basidiospores of Entoloma spp. is discussed based on literature and the micrographs generated for the present study. Our re-evaluations indicate that the type of polyhedroid basidiospore and the structure of its base are not reliable as diagnostic characters for the delimitation of subgenera in Entoloma.

Intelligent Wheat Types Classification Model Using New Voting Classifier

When assessing the quality of the grain supply chain's quality, it is essential to identify and authenticate wheat types, as this is where the process begins with the examination of seeds. Manual inspection by eye is used for both grain identification and confirmation. High-speed, low-effort options became available thanks to automatic classification methods based on machine learning and computer vision. To this day, classifying at the varietal level is still challenging. Classification of wheat seeds was performed using machine learning techniques in this work. Wheat area, wheat perimeter, compactness, kernel length, kernel width, asymmetry coefficient, and kernel groove length are the 7 physical parameters used to categorize the seeds. The dataset includes 210 separate instances of wheat kernels, and was compiled from the UCI library. The 70 components of the dataset were selected randomly and included wheat kernels from three different varieties: Kama, Rosa, and Canadian. In the first stage, we use single machine learning models for classification, including multilayer neural networks, decision trees, and support vector machines. Each algorithm's output is measured against that of the machine learning ensemble method, which is optimized using the whale optimization and stochastic fractal search algorithms. In the end, the findings show that the proposed optimized ensemble is achieving promising results when compared to single machine learning models.

Measuring Consumers’ Perceived Risk on Varietal Level: A Mixed Methods Approach Applied to Wine

Perceived risk (PR) is a product-specific factor in consumer decision-making. With different varietals, the complex wine category causes significant consumer uncertainty. However, research on consumers’ varietal-specific PR is scant. The study followed a novel exploratory sequential mixed methods approach to investigate consumers’ PR of South African Chenin blanc wine. Qualitative interviews enhanced the content validity of two PR scales used in a sequential quantitative online survey. Confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling (SEM) tested construct validity (n = 1669), and ANOVA identified Chenin blanc perceived risks. Outcomes suggest that strategies should aim to reduce consumers’ perceived functional, time and financial risks of Chenin blanc wine. This study’s findings illustrate the importance of a qualitative phase in PR research, previously a quantitative-dominant domain. Existing PR scales cannot be blindly adopted to investigate varietal-specific risk. The methodology paves the way for future varietal-specific PR studies and contributes to food and agricultural marketing literature.

Biodiversity of South Indian tea clones with detection of plant-based adulterants in tea dust using DNA barcoding

Tea is by and large a highly penetrated product in south India. Hence the adulteration risk in tea dust gets hiked in the markets. We constructed a standard database using plant plastid markers (rbcL, matK, trnH-psbA, rpoC, rpoB, ycf 1) and nuclear (ITS2) locus from prominent south Indian tea clones representing Assam, China, and Cambod varieties. These barcodes were used as reference algorithm to investigate the authenticity of 10 sampled commercial tea dust by recovering its DNA barcodes using rbcL, matK, and ITS2 loci. PCR amplification success, sequencing efficiency, genetic polymorphisms, BLAST search, and phylogenetic analysis were performed to enhance genotypic information on south tea cultivars and in authenticating the commercial samples of Camellia sinensis. Findings suggest that the chloroplast and nuclear loci can identify tea plant at the genus and varietal level respectively and rbcL as the potential marker for detecting plant-based admixtures coupled with TA cloning after DNA barcoding.

Seed Priming with Mg(NO3)2 and ZnSO4 Salts Triggers the Germination and Growth Attributes Synergistically in Wheat Varieties

An experiment was conducted in both laboratory (germinative attributes) and field conditions (growth attributes) with completely randomized design (CRD) and randomized block design, respectively, to view the responses of different priming treatments in two wheat varieties: HUW-234 (V1) and BHU-3(V2). In the present study, seeds were primed with water (hydro; T2), Mg (NO3)2 (T3), ZnSO4 (T4), and a combination of both salts (T5). Their carry over effects were observed on the germinative and vegetative phases of growth. All treatments were compared with the performance of nonprimed control seeds (T1). Maximum germination percentage (98.33, 100%) was noted with T3, whereas length of shoot (8.83, 10.23 cm) and root (9.47, 10.73 cm) and their fresh (0.34, 0.45 g) and dry weights (0.05, 0.07 g) were recorded maximum in T5 for both varieties; however, the vigor index I and II showed varietal difference, but primed sets were found always superior with respect to nonprimed control. Study of plant height, leaf number and area, fresh and dry weights of total leaves and stem showed the best performance under combined use of both salts, i.e., Mg (NO3)2 and ZnSO4 as priming agents, followed by ZnSO4, Mg (NO3)2, hydro, and the nonprimed one. The study of biochemical parameters such as protein content and nitrate reductase activity of leaves showed the highest increment in combined priming treatment and increased 63.77, 90.37, 37.44% and 12.81, 5.61, 7.75%, respectively, after 35, 45, and 60 days after sowing. It is likely that chlorophyll, nitrogen, iron, and zinc content also followed a similar pattern and were enhanced in combined priming treatments as compared to nonpriming treatment. Therefore, the result suggests that priming seeds with Mg (NO3)2 and ZnSO4 worked synergistically at varietal level and improved growth attributes at field conditions.

(2841) Proposal to conserve Lechea verticillata (Bergia ammannioides) (Elatinaceae) with a conserved type

(2841) Proposal to conserve <i>Lechea verticillata</i> (<i>Bergia ammannioides</i>) (<i>Elatinaceae</i>) with a conserved type

Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complex

Humiria balsamifera is an infraspecific complex of high phenotypic variation and widely distributed in northern South America. Leaf traits are traditionally considered the most relevant taxonomic characters for varietal level delimitation in the group. However, substantial phenotypic overlap among vegetative characters complicates taxonomic diagnoses in this complex. The objective of this study was to quantify and analyze phenotypic variation among individuals of the complex at a continental scale using uni- and multivariable analyses to assess whether morphometric analyses detect discontinuities. Secondarily, these quantitative data were used to test whether phenotypic similarity was related to geographic distance. Twenty- five quantitative and 27 qualitative character traits did not overtly reveal a topology corresponding to traditional varietal classification, nor to geographic structure. However, petiole length alone revealed a definitive separation of H. balsamifera var. guianensis (together with another recognized species Humiria wurdackii, and variety H. balsamifera var. laurina) from the rest of the taxa. Our results highlight substantial morphological overlap among vegetative and reproductive characters including those used in identification keys, and no morphological discontinuities suitable for clearly separating taxa within the complex were encountered demonstrating a future need to integrate multiple sources of information, including molecular data, to resolve this complex.

Accurate classification of fresh and charred grape seeds to the varietal level, using machine learning based classification method

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) currently includes thousands of cultivars. Discrimination between these varieties, historically done by ampelography, is done in recent decades mostly by genetic analysis. However, when aiming to identify archaeobotanical remains, which are mostly charred with extremely low genomic preservation, the application of the genomic approach is rarely successful. As a result, variety-level identification of most grape remains is currently prevented. Because grape pips are highly polymorphic, several attempts were made to utilize their morphological diversity as a classification tool, mostly using 2D image analysis technics. Here, we present a highly accurate varietal classification tool using an innovative and accessible 3D seed scanning approach. The suggested classification methodology is machine-learning-based, applied with the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) registration algorithm and the Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) technique. This methodology achieved classification results of 91% to 93% accuracy in average when trained by fresh or charred seeds to test fresh or charred seeds, respectively. We show that when classifying 8 groups, enhanced accuracy levels can be achieved using a "tournament" approach. Future development of this new methodology can lead to an effective seed classification tool, significantly improving the fields of archaeobotany, as well as general taxonomy.

Wheat varieties identification based on a deep learning approach

Wheat variety recognition and authentication are essential tasks of the quality assessment in the grain chain industry, especially for seed testing and certification processes. Recognition and authentication by direct visual analysis of grains are still achieved manually. The automatic approach, based on computer vision and machine learning classification, provided rapid and high throughput methods. Even thus, the classification task stays a complex and challenging case at the varietal level. The present work proposes a deep learning-based approach that provides an accurate classification for wheat varietal level classification (VLC). Particularly, the Convolutional Neural network (CNN) was used to classify the wheat grain image into four varieties (Simeto, Vitron, ARZ, and HD). Furthermore, five standard CNN architectures were trained based on Transfer Learning to boost the classification performance. To assess the proposed models' quality, we used a dataset of 31,606 single-grain images collected from different Algeria regions, and their images were captured using different scanners. The results showed that the test accuracy ranged from 85% to 95.68% for varietal level classification. The best test accuracy was obtained with the DensNet201 architecture (95.68%), Inception V3 (95.62%), and MobileNet (95.49%). Hence, the proposed approach results are accurate and reliable, encouraging the deployment of such an approach in practice.

Fluoride toxicity variably affects overall physiology and grain development in three contrasting rice genotypes, representing a potential biohazard.

Ingestion of fluoride through consumption of contaminated food grains has been regarded to be hazardous for consumer health. The current study indicated the possible occurrence of such biohazard due to fluoride bioaccumulation in rice grains and straw (cattle feed). The effects of fluoride toxicity at three stages of grain development in three rice genotypes, viz., IR-64, Gobindobhog (aromatic), and Khitish, were also studied. Irrigation with fluoride-infested water inhibited grain formation in IR-64 and reduced grain yield in Gobindobhog. Fluoride toxicity promoted seed sterility in IR-64 by triggering reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cellular necrosis, suppressing genes like GIF1, DEP1, and SPL14 (positively controlling seed formation) and inducing GW2 (negatively mediating grain development). Gobindobhog showed intermediate fluoride sensitivity and accumulated high levels of proline, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolics due to the induction of genes like P5CS, ANS, and PAL in developing grains. The agronomic attributes in Khitish were unaffected by fluoride stress due to regulated fluoride uptake and high expression of GIF1, DEP1, and SPL14 along with an increased synthesis of anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolics. Khitish also accumulated low ROS as a result of which lowest lipoxygenase expression (among selected cultivars) was observed in developing grains. Fluoride entry was accelerated in the straw of Khitish, possibly due to the absence of regulated uptake mechanism in dead seedlings. Furthermore, the ecological concerns regarding fluoride bioaccumulation and reduced grain yield at the varietal level were also established, based on statistical modelling.

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Notes on the genus &lt;em&gt;Euastrum&lt;/em&gt; (Desmidiaceae) in Brazil, with description of a new species&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

We report here seven interesting taxa of Euastrum from the periphytic material of three macrophyte species (Cabomba haynesii, Eichhornia azurea, and Utricularia foliosa) occurring in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia State, Brazil. Of those Euastrum taxa, E. westenii is new to science; E. bidentatum var. scottii, E. elegans var. prescottii, and E. informe var. oculatum were raised to the varietal level; E. ansatum var. concavum, E. ciastonii, and E. sibiricum had their geographic distributions enlarged to northeastern Brazil. Taxonomic notes and ecological information are provided for all taxa.

Pollen morphology of selected Indian species from subfamily Polygonoidae (Polygonaceae)

Pollen morphology of 28 species and 5 varieties representing 8 genera of subfamily Polygonoidae (Polygonaceae), collected from various altitudinal ranges of Darjeeling Himalaya, sub-Himalayan Terai, Duars, Gangetic plains, Sundarbans and Western plateau of West Bengal and NE India, were examined critically under light (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to explore their distinctive features. Anthers were processed through acetolysis method and obtained grains were properly studied, measured and photographed. The shape, size, aperture type and exine ornamentation of pollen grains served as a reliable features in current study as taxonomic tool for the authentic identification at species and varietal level. The studied characters under LM and SEM were further statistically analyzed through ANOVA, PCA, Pearson Correlation Matrix to understand the interrelationship among the taxa and pollen grains were recorded monad, isopolar and radiosymmetric type. Pantoporate, tricolpate, tricolporate aperture type and exine ornamentation appears to be valuable and unique characters were found useful tool for the delimitation and differentiation of closely related taxa.

Винос поживних речовин як показник потреби плодових культур у мінеральному живленні

The studies were devoted to determining the parameters of the nitrogen absorption and boom by of pome fruit crops intense in the conditions of Southern Ukraine and to assessing the expediency of these indices using to establish the plants requirements in mineral nutrition and rational fertilizers doses. The size and structure of the nitrogen boom by apple and pear trees, that is, the ratio between the nitrogen boom from pruned trees and fruits proved to depend on the varietal signs level of the crop yield, as well as on the doses, terms and methods of the mineral fertilizers application. However, the average nitrogen boom rates by these crops on the irrigated southern black soil did not exceed 25-52 kg N/ha, and this element absorption rate from mineral fertilizers was no more than 14-22 %. The investigations also showned that, with the maximum doses of the N90-120 fertilizer, the nitrogen boom with pruned trees increased by 11-31 % depending on the crop without significant increase of the orchard yield. In addition, when using nitrogen at doses significantly exceeding its boom, the soil accumulated an excess of nitrate compounds beyond the location of the bulk of the trees root system on vegetative rootstocks. Their amount achieved 17-35 % of the total nitrogen supplied to the soil during the entire fertilizer application period. This can cause both the increase of unproductive nitrogen loss, of environmental stress and the reduction of fertilizer payback, in agrocenoses due to the soil water contamination by nitrates. Considering the above mentioned facts as well as taking into account the ability of fruit crops to re-utilize the nutrients from the vegetative organs, the complex processes of the nitrogenous fund transformation of irrigated southern black soil, in particular, its ability to nitrogen mineralization, and the risk of the environmental contamination with nitrate compounds, the application of nitrogenous fertilizers doses higher than N60 in intense pome orchards in the south of Ukraine are not advisable in agronomic or environmental terms.

A varietal-specific approach to investigate wine risk perception in South Africa

Purpose This study aims to describe South African consumers’ wine risk perception on varietal level with recommendations for Chenin blanc. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory mixed methods approach was followed where qualitative data were used to develop the questionnaire. Quantitative data were collected from 2,051 respondents using an online survey. ANOVA and Fischer least significance difference tests were used to indicate statistical significance. Findings Significant perceived risks (PRs) associated with Chenin blanc across age and ethnic groups were functional, time and financial risks. Risk-reducing strategies (RRS) in the white wine category were favourite brands and a trusted store, while Sauvignon blanc was also described as an RRS. Recommended Chenin blanc RRS include tastings and events with food. Research limitations/implications Measurement of PR remains challenging. This research approach can be reproduced and/or adapted to investigate other struggling varietals and/or regions-of-origin. The convenience sample limits generalisability. Practical implications Segments were identified to develop new markets for Chenin blanc. RRS emphasise the importance of real sensory experience rather than media exposure to build knowledge and familiarity. Originality/value This study is a pioneering endeavour in terms of using an exploratory mixed methods research approach to investigate and describe risk perception of a specific wine varietal. Recommendations, with implications for strategic marketing decisions, are made for South African Chenin blanc.

A consistent taxonomic treatment for dimorphic variation in New Zealand Adiantum species

ABSTRACTRecent treatments have recognised seven species indigenous to New Zealand in the fern genus Adiantum. Most of these species display dimorphism with respect to the presence or absence of hairs on the abaxial pinna surfaces, or the nature of the hairs themselves. Taxonomic treatment of these dimorphisms has not been consistent, with variation sometimes treated at the specific or varietal levels, or not recognised at all. Morphological variation in the pinna hair characters of all indigenous species is examined here, and the taxonomic significance of the variation reassessed to bring a consistent approach to classification in New Zealand Adiantum. It is concluded that glabrous and hairy variants should not be given taxonomic recognition, but should be considered dimorphisms within those species that are distinguished on the basis of other morphological characters. As a consequence, A. viridescens is reduced to synonymy with A. fulvum, since the two cannot be distinguished by any character other than the glabrous or hairy nature of the pinnae.