Vicia Cracca Research Articles

The effect of intensive traffic on soil and vegetation risk element contents as affected by the distance from a highway

The potential effect of intensive traffic on detrimental element contents in soil and vegetation was investigated in the vicinity of a selected section (1 km) of a highly frequented highway as affected by the distance from the roadway (1 m, 35 m, and 70 m). Aqua regia and 0.11 mol/L acetic acid soluble contents of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn in soils and total contents of these elements in the aboveground biomass of Achillea millefolium L. (Asteraceae) and Vicia cracca L. (Fabaceae) were determined. The main physicochemical parameters of the soils were determined, as well. The element contents did not exceed the maximum permissible limits for both soils and plants (evaluated as fodder crops). Moreover, high variability of element contents in soils and plants, and soil characteristics did not allow us to estimate the rate of potential effect of road traffic. Some of the elements however tightly related to atmospheric deposition caused by traffic such as Pb and Zn tended to decrease in soils with increasing distance from the roadway.

Choice of hydrogen uptake (Hup) status in legume‐rhizobia symbioses

The H2 is an obligate by-product of N-fixation. Recycling of H2 through uptake hydrogenase (Hup) inside the root nodules of leguminous plants is often considered an advantage for plants. However, many of the rhizobium-legume symbioses found in nature, especially those used in agriculture are shown to be Hup−, with the plants releasing H2 produced by nitrogenase activity from root nodules into the surrounding rhizosphere. Recent studies have suggested that, H2 induces plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria, which may explain the widespread of Hup− symbioses in spite of the low energy efficiency of such associations. Wild legumes grown in Nova Scotia, Canada, were surveyed to determine if any plant-growth characteristics could give an indication of Hup choice in leguminous plants. Out of the plants sampled, two legumes, Securigera varia and Vicia cracca, showed Hup+ associations. Securigera varia exhibited robust root structure as compared with the other plants surveyed. Data from the literature and the results from this study suggested that plants with established root systems are more likely to form the energy-efficient Hup+ symbiotic relationships with rhizobia. Conversely, Hup− associations could be beneficial to leguminous plants due to H2-oxidizing plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria that allow plants to compete successfully, early in the growing season. However, some nodules from V. cracca tested Hup+, while others were Hup−. This was similar to that observed in Glycine max and Pisum sativum, giving reason to believe that Hup choice might be affected by various internal and environmental factors.

Habitat occurrence and nutrition value of Achillea millefolium L. in grasslands

In 1998-2000, in the area of Olsztyn Lake District, 33 plant communities on seminatural grasslands with a high percentage of Achillea millefolium L. were analyzed. The analyzed objects were located on very light, light, medium and heavy mineral soils. The species composition was evaluated with Braun-Blanquet method. Soil samples were collected for chemicals analyses. In dry matter of Achillea millefolium L. the content of crude protein, crude fibre, crude ash and macroelements was determined. Meadow-pasture communities with high percentage of Achillea millefolium L. in sward are floristically very valuable, particularly those located on light and medium soils. Irrespective of soil type, Achillea millefolium L. was accompanied by Poa pratensis, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Heracleum sibiricum and Taraxacum officinale. The heavy soils had a higher content of P, K, Mg, Ca and Na, whereas very light soils contained more humus. Achillea millefolium L. contained 110-121 g⋅kg-1 crude protein, 249-309 g⋅kg-1 crude fibre and 97-123 g⋅kg-1crude ash, much P, K and Ca irrespective of soil type and much Mg (3.1 g⋅kg -1 ) on very light soils.

Karyological studies of some species of the genusViciaL. (Leguminosae) in Turkey

In this study, 11 Vicia taxa naturally distributed in Turkey were karyologically studied. Chromosome numbers, karyotypes and idiograms of five taxa that belong to section Cracca of the genus Vicia (Vicia cracca subsp. gerardii, V. cracca subsp. atroviolacea, V. cracca subsp. stenophylla, V. canescens subsp. canescens, V. palaestina) and six taxa that belong to section Vicia (Vicia michauxii var. stenophylla, V. pannonica var. pannonica, V. hybrida, Vicia sativa subsp. nigra var. nigra, Vicia sativa subsp. nigra var. segetalis, Vicia sativa subsp. incisa var. cordata) were done. The chromosome numbers of these taxa were found as 2n = 10, 12, 14, 24. The chromosome numbers and karyotype analysis of five of these were reported for the first time and chromosome morphology of two taxa was identified for the first time. Also chromosome numbers of six taxa were verified. These results will contribute to the taxonomy of the genus Vicia which has a high diversity in Turkey.

Comparison of inorganic solute accumulation in shoots, radicles and cotyledons of Vicia cracca during the seedling stage under NaCl stress

In the present study, differences in inorganic solute accumulation in shoots, radicles and cotyledons during the seedling stage of Vicia cracca Linn were evaluated in response to a range of sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations. Seeds were sown in Petri dishes, germinated and grown with NaCl treatment for 10 days in a growth chamber, with a temperature of 20°C and a 12 h light/dark cycle. Results showed that percentage germination, germination rate, fresh weight and dry weight, and relative water content decreased as the NaCl concentration increased in shoots, radicles and cotyledons. There were no significant differences in dry weight/fresh weight ratios in shoots and radicles among treatments. However, the dry weight/fresh weight ratio in cotyledons was significantly higher at 200 mM NaCl compared to treatments with lower NaCl concentrations. Sodium+ and Cl− concentrations in shoots and radicles increased as the NaCl concentration increased. Sodium+ and Cl− concentrations in shoots and radicles were much higher than those in cotyledons. Similar trends were found for K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, . By contrast, concentrations were lower in shoots and radicles than in cotyledons, while concentrations were similar in shoots, radicles and cotyledons. In particular, K+ efflux was observed in shoots, radicles and cotyledons when no salt stress was imposed. In summary, increased NaCl concentration had adverse effects on germination and post-germination growth. Inorganic ion accumulation in shoots and radicles was high, which might function in osmotic adjustment in those plant organs. By contrast, inorganic ion accumulation did not occur in cotyledons, suggesting that in cotyledons osmotic adjustment might not function the same way as in shoots and radicles, because cotyledons function mainly as storage for carbohydrates or inorganic ions.

Optimum Harvest Time of Vicia cracca under Stress Condition

Timely harvest is critical to achieve maximum seed viability, vigour and yield. Many native grasses display seed shat-tering and other seed production problems. Shattering during harvest is a major problem in seed production of Vicia. cracca (L.). The objective of this study was to further determine the optimum harvest time of V. cracca by simultaneously analyzing pod and seed morphological and physiological characters, as well as seed stress tolerance. Pods were harvested at three-day intervals from peak anthesis until pod shattering in pod development. The results showed that pod dry weight (DWT) and thousand seed weight (TSW) reached the maximum, as well as pod moisture content (PMC) reached the minimum from 36 to 42 days after peak anthe-sis (DAPA). The maximum percentage germination, germination rate and radicle length were at about 36 DAPA under NaCl and Na2CO3 stresses. Therefore, V. cracca can be harvested at six days before pod shattering without affecting yields and seed quality.

The Adaptability of Three Local Legumes Species to Lead-Zinc Tailings

Pot experiments with three local legumes (Trifolium repens L., Vicia Cracca L., Medicago sativa L.) were conducted in five different amendment substrates to research into the revegetation in Lanping, Yunnan province. The main factors of restrict growing of vegetation are lack of nutrient, high concentration of Pb 2+ and Zn2+ , poor in water-holding capacity in lead-zinc tailings. Trifolium repens L. and Vicia Cracca L. are taken as pioneer plants of lead-zinc tailings according to characteristics of the three local legumes species during the growth periods about indexes of the seeding survival, height, biomass, chlorophyll content, SOD (superoxide dismutase) and CAT (catalase) activity, TF75 (75 percent tailings soil + 25 percent rural soil) amendment approach is more reasonable for the revegetation of lead-zinc tailings in Lanping based on three local legumes species growth indexes and feasibility.

Potential for phytoextraction of PCBs from contaminated soils using weeds

A comprehensive investigation of the potential of twenty-seven different species of weeds to phytoextract polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from contaminated soil was conducted at two field sites (Etobicoke and Lindsay) in southern Ontario, Canada. Soil concentrations were 31 μg/g and 4.7 μg/g at each site respectively. All species accumulated PCBs in their root and shoot tissues. Mean shoot concentrations at the two sites ranged from 0.42 μg/g for Chenopodium album to 35 μg/g for Vicia cracca (dry weight). Bioaccumulation factors (BAF = [PCB] plant tissue/[PCB] mean soil) at the two sites ranged from 0.08 for Cirsium vulgare to 1.1 for V. cracca. Maximum shoot extractions were 420 µg for Solidago canadensis at the Etobicoke site, and 120 µg for Chrysanthemum leucanthemum at the Lindsay site. When plant density was taken into account with a theoretical density value, seventeen species appeared to be able to extract a similar or greater quantity of PCBs into the shoot tissue than pumpkins ( Curcurbita pepo ssp. pepo) which are known PCB accumulators. Therefore, some of these weed species are promising candidates for future phytoremediation studies.

Estimation of ionizing radiation impact on natural Vicia cracca populations inhabiting areas contaminated with uranium mill tailings and radium production wastes

Industrial areas in proximity to the Vodny settlement in the Komi Republic, Russia, have been contaminated by uranium mill tailings and radium production wastes. These areas, exhibiting high activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides in soils, constitute a field laboratory where the effects of combined chronic exposures to α-, β- and γ-emitting radionuclides on natural plant populations can be studied. The aim of the present work was to determine dose–effect relationships and the range of doses that cause biological effects in natural Vicia cracca L. populations inhabiting the study area. The studied plant species is native to the area and is found ubiquitously. Soil and vegetation samples were taken at a reference location and six contaminated sites characterized by distinct floodplain depositional units with different enhanced levels of naturally occurring radionuclides. A large fraction of the dose at the study sites (including the reference location) was attributable to internal irradiation and 226Ra was found to be an important contributor to this component of dose. The relationship between the frequency of chromosome aberrations in seedlings' root tip cells and the absorbed dose was found to be quadratic. An exponential model provided the best result in describing the empirical dependence between the absorbed dose and both the germination capacity of seeds and the survival rate of sprouts of V. cracca. For V. cracca plants inhabiting areas contaminated with uranium mill tailings and radium production wastes, a weighted absorbed dose of 0.2 Gy (weighting factor for alpha particles = 5) during the vegetation period could be considered to be a level below which no increase in genetic variability and decrease in reproductive capacity might be observed above background.

Biosynthetic origin of the nitrogen atom in cyanamide in Vicia villosa subsp. varia

Natural cyanamide (NH2CN) has recently been found in three Leguminosae plants: Vicia villosa subsp. varia, Vicia cracca and Robinia pseudo-acacia. As cyanamide has long been thought to be absent in nature, its physiological role and biosynthesis are totally unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated the incorporation of 15N from [15N]nitrate and [15N]ammonium into cyanamide using shoots of V. villosa subsp. varia, which ruled out the possibility that nodules are essential in cyanamide biosynthesis. We also applied [15N2]cyanamide to shoots of V. villosa subsp. varia to monitor its turnover, and detected [15N2]cyanamide in the leaves within 4 h; it was present without detectable degradation for more than 4 days. In contrast, maximum incorporation of 15N into cyanamide molecules was observed after 4 days of feeding the shoots with 15N-labeled inorganic ions and l-[amide-15N]-glutamine, indicating that these nitrogenous compounds are distant precursors of cyanamide. Although the guanidino group of l-arginine (-NH-C(NH2)=NH) and urea (NH2C(=O)NH2) were candidate precursors of cyanamide on the basis of structural similarity, direct incorporation of the guanidino group of l-[13C6,15N4]-arginine and [13C,15N2]urea into cyanamide was not observed. These results eliminated the possibility that cyanamide is biosynthesized by the addition of ammonia to an electrophilic carbon or by the conversion of the tested compounds that were structurally relevant to cyanamide.

Free radical scavenging properties and phenolic characterization of some edible plants

Antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extracts of the fruits of Fritillaria pontica Wahlenb. (Liliaceae), Euonymus latifolius (L.) Mill. ssp. latifolius (Celastraceae), and Vicia sativa L. ssp. nigra (L.) Ehrh. var. nigra L. (Fabaceae), the aerial parts of Turritis laxa (Sibth & Sm.) Hayek (Brassicaceae), Vicia cracca L. (Fabaceae), and Oxyria digyna (L.) Hill. (Polygonaceae) was screened by 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg ml −1 concentrations. Total phenolic contents of the extracts were determined using Folin-Ciocalteau reagent. T. laxa was also tested for its anti-acetylcholinesterase activity. The extracts were analyzed by LC–DAD–MS for their flavonoid content and the ethanolic extract of T. laxa has been found to contain rutin in appreciable amounts (7.63 ± 0.2%). Rutin and hyperoside were detected qualitatively in F. pontica, where vitexin was identified in O. digyna. It was also the most active in the antioxidant tests.

Optimum Harvest Time of Vicia cracca in Relation to High Seed Quality during Pod Development

Shattering during harvest is a major problem in seed production of Vicia cracca (L.). The aim of this study was to evaluate a simple empirical relationship and determine optimum harvest time by simultaneously analyzing pod and seed morphological and physiological properties, as well as seed quality. Pods were harvested at three‐day intervals from peak anthesis until shattering. Pod and seed sizes from 36 to 42 d after peak anthesis (DAPA) were significantly smaller than at other sampling dates after reaching maximum size. Pods and seeds lost their green color and turned light brown and black, respectively from 36 to 42 DAPA. Seed dry weight (DWT) reached maximum values, and seed moisture content (SMC) reached the minimum and suitable values, respectively from 36 to 42 DAPA. Seeds reached maximum percent germination and germination rate at about 36 DAPA. Thus, V. cracca can be harvested six days before shattering (shattering begins at 42 DAPA) without affecting yield.

Response of Seedling Bird Vetch (Vicia Cracca) to Six Herbicides

Bird vetch is a perennial Eurasian plant which, unlike many exotic weed species, can invade low fertility areas that have not been disturbed. It also is common in pastures, woodland, and tall forb communities. Bird vetch is expanding along Alaskan roadsides, in urbanized areas, and in low density forests. A greenhouse study was conducted to determine efficacy of six herbicide treatments applied at reduced rates in 2005 and again in 2006 for bird vetch seedling control. Bird vetch seedlings were tolerant of reduced rates of chlorsulfuron and 2,4-DB; however, complete control was achieved with rates of clopyralid, dicamba plus diflufenzopyr, triclopyr, and 2,4-D that were a fourth to an eighth of the full registered rate. These results will be important for developing effective, low-cost methods for controlling bird vetch in Alaska, especially on the outer margins of infestations.Nomenclature: Chlorsulfuron, clopyralid, dicamba, diflufenzopyr, triclopyr, 2,4-D, 2,4-DB, bird vetch, Vicia cracca L. VICCR

Lipid peroxidation rates in Taraxacum officinale Wigg. and Vicia cracca L. from biotopes with different levels of soil pollution with heavy metals

The rates of lipid peroxidation (LPO) have been studied in Taraxacum officinale Wigg. (Asteraceae) and Vicia cracca L. (Fabaceae) from urban ecosystems with different levels of soil pollution with heavy metals (HMs), including Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cr. The former species responds to the increased HM contents by intensification of LPO processes, with their parameters correlating with the concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cu in the soil. In the latter species from the same biotopes, conversely, LPO homeostasis remains actually undisturbed.

Allelopathic Effects of Medicago sativa L. and Vicia cracca L. Leaf and Root Extracts on Weeds

In this study, the allelopathic potential of different concentration (5, 25 and 50%) of M. sativa and V. cracca leaf and root extracts were evaluated on germination and radicle length of four weed species (Amaranthus retroflexus L., Lolium perenne L., Ipomoea hederacea L. and Portulaca oleracea L.) in laboratory condition. As a result, germination and radicle length of all species were reduced by the extract from M. sativa and V. cracca leaf and root at different percentage. Increasing the water extract concentrations from 5 to 50% of test plants parts significantly increased the inhibition of all weed species germination and radicle length.

Response of 12 weedy species to elevated CO2 in low‐phosphorus‐availability soil

AbstractWe conducted an experiment on responses of weedy species from an orchard ecosystem to elevated CO2 (700–800 μmol mol−1) under low phosphorus (P) soil in an environment‐controlled growth chamber. Twelve local weedy species, Poa annua L., Lolium perenne L., Avena fatua L., Vicia cracca L., Medicago lupulina L., Kummerowia striata (Thunb.) Schindl., Veronica didyma Ten., Plantago virginica L., Gnaphalium affine D.Don., Echinochloa crusgalli var. mitis (L.) Beauv., Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. and Setaria glauca (L.) P. Beauv., grouped into four functional groups (C3 grass, C3 forb, legume and C4 grass), were used in the experiment. The total plant biomass, P uptake, and mycorrhizal colonization were measured. The results showed that the total biomass of the 12 weedy species tended to increase under elevated CO2. But changes in the total biomass under elevated CO2 significantly differed among functional groups: legumes showed the greatest increase in the total biomass of all functional groups, following the order C3 forbs > C4 grasses > C3 grasses. Elevated CO2 significantly increased mycorrhizal colonization and P uptake of legumes, C3 forbs and C4 grasses but did not change C3 grasses. Positive correlations between mycorrhizal colonization and shoot P concentration, and between total P uptake and total biomass were found under elevated CO2. The results suggested that the interspecific difference in CO2 response at low P availability was caused by the difference in CO2 response in mycorrhizae and P uptake. These differences among species imply that plant interaction in orchard ecosystems may change under future CO2 enrichment.

Influences of elevated ozone and carbon dioxide in growth responses of lowland hay meadow mesocosms

We studied the effects of relatively low levels of O3 (40–50ppb) and CO2-enrichment (+100ppm) on a northern European lowland hay meadow during the summers 2002–2004 using open-top chambers (OTCs) and ground-planted mesocosms. Ozone reduced the aboveground biomass of the community (up to 40%), and four out of seven species (Campanula rotundifolia, Fragaria vesca, Trifolium medium, Vicia cracca) showed either significant growth reduction and/or visible injuries under elevated O3. However, the reductions in aboveground biomass were not reflected as changes in the dominance of different functional groups or in the total community root biomass. Elevated CO2 did not amend the detrimental effects of O3 on aboveground biomass. Elevated CO2 alone had only minor effects. An O3-induced reduction in the aboveground biomass and N pool of the community are likely to have important consequences in the nutrient cycling of the ecosystem.

Experimental invasion by legumes reveals non‐random assembly rules in grassland communities

Summary Although experimental studies usually reveal that resistance to invasion increases with species diversity, observational studies sometimes show the opposite trend. The higher resistance of diverse plots to invasion may be partly due to the increased probability of a plot containing a species with similar resource requirements to the invader. We conducted a study of the invasibility of monocultures belonging to three different functional groups by seven sown species of legume. By only using experimentally established monocultures, rather than manipulating the abundance of particular functional groups, we removed both species diversity and differences in underlying abiotic conditions as potentially confounding variables. We found that legume monocultures were more resistant than monocultures of grasses or non‐leguminous forbs to invasion by sown legumes but not to invasion by other unsown species. The functional group effect remained after controlling for differences in total biomass and the average height of the above‐ground biomass. The relative success of legume species and types also varied with monoculture characteristics. The proportional biomass of climbing legumes increased strongly with biomass height in non‐leguminous forb monocultures, while it declined with biomass height in grass monocultures. Trifolium pratense was the most successful invader in grass monocultures, while Vicia cracca was the most successful in non‐leguminous forb monocultures. Our results suggest that non‐random assembly rules operate in grassland communities both between and within functional groups. Legume invaders found it much more difficult to invade legume plots, while grass and non‐leguminous forb plots favoured non‐climbing and climbing legumes, respectively. If plots mimic monospecific patches, the effect of these assembly rules in diverse communities might depend upon the patch structure of diverse communities. This dependency on patch structure may contribute to differences in results of research from experimental vs. natural communities.

Seasonal food of Ceratomegilla notata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in mountain environments of Northern Italian Alps

The aim of this study was to clarify the diet of Ceratomegilla notata (Laicharting), a common species in different mountain habitats of the Palearctic region. In Italy it is found only in alpine ecosystems between 800-1700 m. In these areas, up to 1200 m, various crops (e.g., maize, potatoes) are present. The high meadows are cut for hay. From 2002 to 2003 investigations on the foraging behaviour of this ladybird were carried out in mountain habitats (six near Villabassa, in Bolzano province, and six near Soraga, in Trento province) and in the "Paradisia" Botanic Garden (Gran Paradiso National Park). C. notata adults and larvae were found on the flowering plants, especially those infested by aphids. The study of their diet was done taking random D-Vac samples of 20 adults and 20 larvae/habitat every 15 days, between July and September. The influence of the haymaking on C. notata populations was also evaluated.In agricultural fields the ladybirds prey on Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch), R. padi (L.) on maize and on Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) and Therioaphis luteola (Born.) on Trifolium pratense L. In the natural pastures, adults and larvae feed on Cavariella theobaldi G. & B. found on Heracleum sphondylium (Umbelliferae), Sitobion avenae L. on Avena sativa L., Megoura viciae (B.) and A. pisum on Vicia cracca L., Uroleucon jaceae (L.) on Cirsium arvense Scop., U. cichorii (Koch) on Hypochaeris radicata L. and Macrosiphum weberi Born. on Scabiosa sp. A study of the gut contents revealed the presence of aphids, Umbelliferae pollens and spores of fungi (e.g., Alternaria spp., Helminthosporium spp., Puccinia spp.). Statistically significant associations between different food sources were more frequent for adults than for larvae in both 2002 and 2003. Thrips are an important prey of this ladybird in the absence of aphids. C. notata is an important aphidophagous species in Alpine habitats.

Differences in accumulation of soluble α-galactosides during seed maturation of several Vicia species

Composition and levels of soluble α-galactosides: raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) and galactosyl cyclitols (Gal-C) in developing seeds were measured by high resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) method. The studies were performed on maturing seeds of several wild and cultivated Vicia species: Vicia angustifolia L. (common vetch), Vicia cracca L. (bird vetch), Vicia grandiflora Scop. (large yellow vetch), Vicia hirsuta (L.) S.F.Gray (tiny vetch), Vicia sativa L. (garden vetch, spring-growing cultivar Kwarta), and Vicia villosa Roth (winter vetch). In all Vicia species similar patterns in the accumulation of RFOs were observed. Galactinol — the donor of galactosyl moieties in α-galactosides biosynthesis was present in the middle stage of seed development, before appearing measurable levels of RFOs. Accumulation of RFOs started parallel with seed desiccation process. At first accumulation of the raffinose, then few days later stachyose and finally verbascose was noticed. In the final stage of seed maturation the verbascose was the main soluble α-galactoside (up to 3% of dry weight, V. sativa). Besides the RFOs seeds of three Vicia species (V. cracca, V. hirsuta, and V. villosa) accumulated d-pinitol and its α-galactosides (Gal-C). Mono-galactosylpinitols (similar to raffinose) appeared in these species 2–4 days after galactinol, di-galactosyl pinitol A (common name: ciceritol) and di-galactosyl myo-inositol were present several days later than raffinose, and accumulation of tri-galactosyl pinitol A (TGPA) began after accumulation of stachyose. Matured seeds of V. hirsuta contained much more RFOs than Gal-C, opposite to seeds of V. villosa, and V. cracca where concentration of Gal-C was 4–8-fold higher than RFOs. In V. cracca seeds RFOs were almost replaced by Gal-C. In seeds of V. cracca and V. villosa the level of d-pinitol was significantly higher, than the level of myo-inositol. Contents of both cyclitols declined rapidly at the beginning of seed desiccation, when accumulation of RFOs and Gal-C quickly increased. We suggest that α-galactosides of d-pinitol can substitute raffinose family oligosaccharides and play similar role during seed maturation and storage.