Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca
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Genetic diversity assessment and in vitro propagation of some date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties
Get PDFThe evaluation of genetic diversity is crucial for breeders to develop strategies and improve the resilience, quality, and adaptability of the date palm. In this study, the genetic diversity of three date palm varieties was performed using ISSR-PCR molecular markers to determine its relationship with in vitro propagation response of these varieties. The molecular profiling was performed using ISSR-PCR. A total of 49 loci were produced by the PCR reactions, 38 of which were polymorphic while 11 were monomorphic. The level of polymorphism revealed by ISSR-PCR varied from 33.33% to 100%. The three date palm varieties were grouped into two clusters based on the results of cluster analyses that used morphological data and molecular profiles. Cluster I comprised the ‘Barhy’ variety and Cluster II included ‘Magdoul’ and ‘Amri’ varieties. The clustering analyses revealed the independence of the ‘Barhy’ variety in its characteristics from the other varieties based on either morphological or molecular data. The results of in vitro propagation showed that the ‘Amri’ variety exhibited the highest callus induction frequency (86.28%), callus weight (2.33 g), number of somatic embryos (9.32), number of shoots (14.62), number of roots (4.11), root length (4.63 cm), shoot length (13.61 cm) followed by ‘Magdoul’ and ‘Barhy’ varieties. The ‘Amri’ variety had the shortest callus induction period, at 23.26 days while the ‘Barhy’ variety exhibited the longest period of callus induction (28.55). It was deduced from the study that the ISSR marker reproduced trustworthy patterns of bands to determine the genetic diversity among different date palm varieties that are considered the cornerstone for the genetic improvement of date palms. The understanding of the relationship between genetic diversity and in vitro propagation response of date palm is essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability of its crop. This will facilitate better conservation and development of new date palm varieties that fulfil the needs of farmers and consumers
The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on maize (Zea mays L.) under boron toxicity stress
Get PDFA greenhouse study was conducted to investigate the effect of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on maize (Zea mays L.) yield and boron (B) uptake under excessive B concentrations. Four levels of B (0, 10, 20 and 40 mg kg-1 soil) and four levels of microbial inoculation (non-inoculation, Rhizophagus intraradices, Micrococcus yunnanensis and co-inoculation) were applied. In general, elevated B decreased the maize relative yield, plant dry weight, plant height, total leaf area and chlorophyll content. The highest B uptake was recorded in the 20 mg kg-1 B treatments, whereas the lowest uptake was in B treatments of 0 and 40 mg B kg-1. Excessive B supply increased the proline content and electrolyte leakage of maize leaves. Microbial inoculation did not change the yield of B-stressed plants. In addition, mycorrhiza inoculation and co-inoculation increased the shoot and root B uptake. Maize plants growing at high B concentrations with or without microbial inoculation showed leaf edge burning and necrosis when compared with control treatments. Microbial inoculation improved the maize yield under B stress up to 20 mg B kg-1. Thus, inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhiza and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria can increase the maize tolerance under B toxicity. Nonetheless, the inoculation of bacterium and arbuscular mycorrhiza had a more alleviative effect when the plants were exposed to excess B
Ecological control of mycotic pathogens in tomato crops - alternatives to synthetic pesticides
Get PDFThe pathogens Alternaria solani and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici are of significant interest from a pathogenic perspective in the context of tomato cultivation. This study focuses on evaluating the fungicidal and fungistatic effects of different synthetic substances and natural compounds on the development of these two investigated pathogens. The fungicidal agents employed comprised fosetyl aluminum at a concentration of 0.3%, azoxystrobin at 0.2%, and metiram at 0.3%, while the natural extracts investigated included those derived from European birthwort, celandine and sage, each tested at concentrations of 0.5%, 2%, 9%, and 15%. The assessment of mycelial growth inhibition was conducted utilizing Vincent’s formula. Additionally, the total polyphenol content (TPC) within the extracts was determined via the Folin-Ciocalteu spectrophotometric method in accordance with Frum et al. (2022). Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity of the extracts was evaluated using the DPPH radical scavenging method (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Our research findings yielded noteworthy results, specifically, extracts derived from sage and celandine, particularly when present at a concentration of 15%, exhibited a fungistatic effect. This effect was particularly remarkable when compared to the performance of the synthetic fungicide azoxystrobin at a concentration of 0.2% when challenged with the Alternaria pathogen. These results suggest the potential utility of sage and celandine extracts as eco-friendly alternatives for mitigating fungal pathogens in tomato crops, warranting further investigation and consideration within agricultural practices
Arsenate reductase gene from Pityrogramma calomelanos L. enhances tolerance to arsenic in tobacco
Get PDFArsenic (As) contamination in soil, water and air is an alarming issue worldwide and has serious effects on human health and environment. Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, soil, and water, and exposure to high levels of arsenic can lead to a range of health problems. The effects of arsenic contamination can also be felt in the environment, as it can harm plants and animals and disrupt ecological systems. The major purpose of this study was to produce transgenic plants with improved tolerance to and accumulation of arsenic via transformation of arsenate reductase gene (ArsC) into tobacco genome. Transgenic plants were screen by PCR and southern blot. Further, their tolerance and accumulation to arsenic were evaluated. In the result, we have cloned, characterized, and transformed the ArsC gene from Pityrogramma calomelanos L. (PcArsC). Its phylogenetic analysis revealed 99% homology to ArsC gene in GenBank (accession number X80057.1). Moreover, Southern blot analysis showed that ArsC gene was integrated into the tobacco genome as a single-copy. These single-copy transgenic lines showed much higher tolerance to and accumulation of As than wild type, with no other phenotypes observed. These results demonstrated that Pityrogramma calomelanos ArsC gene can improve arsenic tolerance and accumulation in transgenic tobacco lines. Thus, using Pityrogramma calomelanos L. ArsC gene for genetic engineering has potential implications in the decontamination of arsenic-containing soil
Asexual propagation for sustainable utilization of Greek indigenous germplasm of common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea L.), a neglected but noteworthy ornamental and nutraceutical species
Get PDFThe common dogwood (Cornus sanguinea L., Cornaceae) across the European continent represents a species with validated ornamental and nutraceutical value that has been utilized by humans for thousands of years but has been abandoned during modern times. It still represents however, a valuable but neglected native germplasm resource. The development of an asexual propagation protocol as a first step towards utilization of Greek C. sanguinea germplasm is presented herein for the first time. Plant material was collected from C. sanguinea‘s natural habitat during winter dormancy (hardwood cuttings) as well as during early vegetative growth (softwood cuttings). The propagation protocol was developed through preliminary trials for the successful propagation of the material sourced directly from the wild to establish enough starting material (ex situ adapted mother plants); consecutively, cutting propagation experiments over a two-year period coupled with early plant growth and survival assessment were conducted. The results showed that the use of external indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) rooting hormone application between 2,000 and 4,000 ppm delivered very high rooting rates (80-100%) via the use of primary softwood, leafy cuttings with minimum amount of lignification under mist. The proposed protocol is considered fast, reliable, easy to implement and economically viable. The study provides first time data on domestication and propagation of Greek C. sanguinea germplasm and at the same time paves the way for further research on the sustainable utilization of this species
Characterization of ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate in the state of Chihuahua, México
Get PDFThe consumption of fruits rich in antioxidants has increased in recent years, a clear example of this is the pomegranate (Punica granatum L.). The cultivation of the pomegranate shows great expectations due to its profitability and its adaptability to development in arid zones. In this research, ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate fruits from Coyame Chihuahua, México were used. Quality parameters and bioactive compounds were evaluated to characterize the pomegranate produced in the state of Chihuahua, six different lots from local producers were used. The results showed significance between the different treatments, lot 5 (L5) presented the best quality characteristics such as: weight, diameter, lower percentage of shell and cartilage, as well as one of the highest percentages of arils, in addition, it had a high Total Soluble Solids (TSS) content, a high Titratable Acidity (TA) and a low sugar-acidity ratio, however, lot 3 (L3) showed the highest antioxidant capacity. In general, the qualities and attributes of the Chihuahua pomegranates, obtained higher values in most of the evaluated variables in comparison with other reported results. On the other hand, as a result of this research, the implementation of the color index in the peel is proposed as a tool for the prediction of the maturity index of the pomegranate. This study contributes to the producers of this fruit tree because there is little information on the production and characterization of the pomegranate
Lycium species and variety recognition technology based on electrochemical sensing of leaf signals
Get PDFIdentification of plant species and variety has important application value in the process of agricultural production. In this work, we try to use electrochemical fingerprinting technology to collect the electrochemical behavior of electrochemically active substances in plant leaf tissues. Twenty Lycium species and varieties were specifically selected to investigate the recognition ability of electrochemical fingerprinting. Two different extraction solvents and electrolytes were used to create different collection environments. The results show that different Lycium spp. can exhibit different electrochemical fingerprints. Different species of the same species exhibit relatively similar electrochemical fingerprints. After the second derivative processing, the electrochemical fingerprint of plants can be used for classification and recognition by different machine learning models. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), k-nearest neighbor, (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF) and stochastic gradient boosting (SGB) were used to establish recognition model of Lycium spp. The results show that SGB has the best identification accuracy for electrochemical fingerprint after second derivative treatment
The influence of fertilization on the morpho-decorative characteristics of geraniums (Pelargonium zonale)
Get PDFGeraniums (pelargoniums or storksbills, officially named as Pelargonium zonale (L.) L'Hér. Ex Aiton) are appreciated worldwide due to their ornamental potential and versatility. The research was conducted to emphasize the evolution of morpho-decorative and qualitative traits of two geranium cultivars of high aesthetic value, namely ‘Tango Salmon’ (Montevideo) and ‘Tango Dark Red’, depending on two different fertilization, conventional-chemical fertilization, and unconventional scheme, with a homeopathic solution respectively. It is excessive repetitiveness and is not the case.) cultivar, unconventional fertilization scheme tested conducted to the best results regarding most morpho-decorative characters investigated (33.40 cm height, 21.10 leaves/plant, 34.75 flowers/inflorescence, 2.35% nitrogen, and 48.34 SPAD). For cultivar ‘Tango Dark Red’, the conventional fertilization conducted to the best results in terms of height (18.90 cm), stems/plant (5.90), leaves/plant (14.95), and flowers/inflorescence (37.55), while unconventional fertilization led to higher nitrogen accumulation (2.18%) and enhanced chlorophyll synthesis (47.08 SPAD). Between nitrogen and chlorophyll contents within geranium leaves, strong positive correlations were identified in ‘Tango Salmon’, and weak to moderate in ‘Tango Dark Red’ cultivar. Higher scores were attributed to aesthetic indicators for ‘Tango Salomon’ compared to ‘Tango Dark Red’. The unconventional fertilization of geranium cultivars is an eco-friendly solution for enhancing their morpho-decorative characteristics
In vitro regeneration, transplantation and phytochemical profiles of Kaempferia angustifolia Roscoe
Get PDFKaempferia angustifolia Roscoe is a medicinal plant in the family Zingiberaceae, with wild occurrence decreasing as a result of both natural and human threats. Tissue culture techniques provide an alternative method of propagation for mass production. Microshoots of K. angustifolia (1 cm in length) were cultured on MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of cytokinins (BA and Kinetin) and auxins (NAA and IAA) for 8 weeks. Phytochemical profiles were evaluated by total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), antioxidant activity (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing ⁄ antioxidant power (FRAP) assay) and Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. Maximum number of shoots was observed in medium supplemented with 2 mg/l BA plus 0.5 mg/l NAA (6.33 shoots/explant) and optimal rooting was induced in MS medium with 2 mg/l Kinetin plus 1 mg/l NAA (35.70 roots/explant). Highest numbers of shoots and roots were obtained when cultured on liquid MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/l BA, 2 mg/l Kinetin and 1 mg/l NAA (8.73 shoots/explant and 29.67 roots/explant, respectively). Regenerated plantlets of K. angustifolia were transferred to pots containing different types of plant materials under natural conditions for 8 weeks. Optimal survival rate was 100% when transplanting K. angustifolia to soil, sand, soil and sand (1:1) or soil and small pieces of rock (1:1) ratio. The methanol extract of leaves K. angustifolia from natural plants and in vitro derives plants showed a significantly higher amount of TFC and antioxidant activity. GC-MS analysis identified 52 phytochemical compounds in leaves of K. angustifolia. This study may be helpful to increase the value of commercial production of K. angustifolia, pharmaceutical and medicinal purpose
The impact of cultivation system on nutritional quality of Jerusalem artichoke tubers cultivated in semiarid marginal areas
Get PDFJerusalem artichoke grows underground tubers that store fructans, primarily inulin, which are considered as prebiotics and functional dietary fibre with positive physiological benefits on human health. The aim of this study was to assess the yield and nutritional quality of Jerusalem artichoke tubers according to different cropping systems on dry sandy soils from Southern Romania. The experiments were carried out during 2018-2020 at the Research and Development Station for Plant Culture on Sands Dăbuleni, using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experimental combined factors applied were fertilization with plants density (5×2). After the tubers were harvested, their quality was evaluated using standard methods. The results suggest that Jerusalem artichoke crop has minimal requirements for fertilization and tolerates very well high plants density without affecting significantly the yield and the nutritional features analysed, respectively the contents in total dry matter, soluble dry matter, inulin, soluble carbo-hydrates and C vitamin. A significant positive correlation was determined between the soluble dry matter and soluble carbohydrates content. The assessed biochemical compounds displayed high values in both fertilized and unfertilized conditions and in both densities, showing that Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial crop with multifunctional high growing potential in marginal terrains usually improper for the conventional crops