Cold stress is one of the main abiotic stress factors which restricts pepper growth and development. Thus, identifying alternative strategies is critical to reduce cold damage in peppers. This study evaluated the effect of exogenous proline in reducing cold stress damage in pepper callus. For this purpose, cal-lus was obtained from the hypocotyl explants of germinated seedlings under in vitro conditions. 0,12 and 24 mM proline were applied to the callus and devel-oped under the same photoperiodic settings at 4 degrees C, 8 degrees C, 16 degrees C and 24 degrees C. Low temperatures increased H2O2 and MDA production with the highest H2O2 and MDA amounts determined at 4 degrees C. Proline applications decreased the content of H2O2 at low temperatures, whereby 24 mM proline caused a significant decrease in the amount of H2O2 at 4 degrees C. The lowest MDA accumulation was determined in the 12 mM proline application. The data indicated that the total phenolic content of pepper callus decreased with decreasing temperatures. However, the application of proline increased the total phenolic amounts with the increase in its concentration. DPPH radical scavenging activity, FRAC and total protein content decreased with decreasing the temperature to 4 degrees C and 8 degrees C. However, both exogenous proline applications increased DPPH radical scavenging activ-ity, FRAC and total protein at 4 degrees C and 8 degrees C. The results indicated that the meta-bolic pathways are triggered by the application of exogenous proline
A number of advancements have been made in algal technology in different fields, such as medical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical. Green algae (Chlorophyta) are a group of photosynthetic organisms which live in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. They are a potential source of bioactive compounds for the treatment and prevention of a wide range of infectious diseases caused by microorganisms. These compounds also possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticoagulant, antitumor, and immunomodulatory properties. A wide variety of bioactive compounds are produced, including polysaccharides, which exhibit antimicrobial properties capable of interfering with the cell walls, membranes, and nucleic acids of microorganisms. Membrane fluidity, permeability, or integrity can be affected by polyphenols and fatty acids which scavenge free radicals, chelate metal ions, or disrupt enzymes and membranes. Proteins and peptides form pores within the membranes which bind to specific receptors or inhibit enzymes. Adaptation to adverse environmental conditions, such as temperature extremes, photooxidation, salinity, or osmotic stress, results in the formation of bioactive compounds by altering the physiological and biochemical pathways of algae for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. With changing consumer preferences and an increase in the number of resistant microorganisms, it is critical to seek novel antimicrobial compounds from green algae. The search for novel bioactive compounds with antimicrobial properties from green algae may serve as an alternative in the light of increased drug resistance in microorganisms. However, in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action of the antimicrobial compounds from green algae require more research. Providing an overview of previous endeavours in this emerging field, this review provides perspectives and a summary of the bioactive compounds responsible for the antimicrobial properties of green algal extracts.
The in vitro seed propagation of small seeded Campanula species often incurs complications in the manual handling of the tiny seed material from seed sterilisation to seedling transplantation in soil. The lack of a simple and effective protocol which minimises manual operations makes the propagation of such species both challenging and inefficient. This study aimed to develop a protocol for the seed reproduction of threatened Campanula and other threatened small-seed plant species. The method was successfully tested on Campanula bayerniana subsp. bayerniana. The saplings were cultivated over a 5-month period through seed germination under in vitro conditions followed by their transfer to containers with a soil mix. The protocol employs small filter paper discs on which the seeds germinate and continue their development in soil substrate until the full biodegradation of the discs. The method involves surface treatment of the seeds with potassium permanganate solution, thus avoiding additional washing phases and direct contact with the seeds and seedlings, thereby preventing mechanical damage. This also facilitates the handling of each seed separately, minimising seed loss particularly when working with a small number of seeds. This study is also the first known example of the ex situ propagation of Campanula bayerniana.
Vincetoxicum members offer important qualities in both conventional and modern medicine. In the present study, V. scandens from the northeast of Tur-key (Trabzon city) was investigated for its phenolic compounds, antioxidant activities, DNA cleavage and binding effects. Phenolic compounds of the V. scandens methanol extract were analysed by high performance liquid chroma-tography (HPLC-DAD), while their total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were determined spectrophotometrically. The antioxidant potential of the ex-tract was characterised using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2 -Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), and FRAP (ferric re-ducing antioxidant power assay) tests. In addition, the DNA cleavage and bind-ing features of the V. scandens extract were studied using pBR322 DNA and CT-DNA, respectively. The results indicated that the V. scandens methanol extract contained a large amount of catechin, as well as a high total phenolic and total flavonoid content. On the other hand, the DPPH and ABTS antioxidant tests revealed that V. scandens did not exhibit high antioxidant activity. The metha-nol extract of the studied plant was also rich in catechin, p-coumaric acid and vanillic acid. While the V. scandens methanol extract exhibited weak antioxi-dant and DNA cleavage activity, it showed DNA binding activity at 50 mu M, thus demonstrating the potential to be an intercalation agent in this concentration. This study provides the first report on the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, DNA cleavage and DNA binding activity as well as antioxidant activity of V. scandens.
This paper presents new records and noteworthy data on the following taxa in SE Europe and adjacent regions: mycorrhizal fungus Russula sapinea, para-sitic fungus Podosphaera polemonii, saprotrophic fungi Ophiognomonia mela-nostyla and Plagiostoma apiculatum, diatomalga Nitzschia reskoi, stonewortNitellopsis obtusa, liverwort Mannia triandra, mosses Buxbaumia viridis andLeptodon smithii, monocots Epipactis purpurata and Orchis x beyrichii and di-cots Euphorbia orjeni, Fallopia x bohemica, Nuphar lutea and Saxifraga pede-montana subsp. cymosa.
Junipers are one of the most diverse groups of gymnosperms today. They are adapted to arid areas of the world. In this study, we analysed the chemical composition of the leaf n-alkanes of 170 individuals belonging to Juniperus communis subsp. communis, J. communis var. saxatilis, J. deltoides and J. macrocarpa from the Balkans. Localities with at least two sympatric populations were chosen to study the chemical composition in order to limit the influence of environmental factors on the chemical composition. The leaf n-alkanes were extracted from the leaves with n-hexane and analysed using GC-MS. In all of the samples, n-C33 was the dominant alkane, with n-C29, n-C31 and n-C35 comprising over 80% of the n-alkane profile. The percentages of these dominant n-alkanes were taxon-specific, thus indicating their chemotaxonomic significance. In all the multivariate statistical analyses, samples belonging to different taxa were separated from each other. While the n-alkane profile can be used as a chemotaxonomic tool in the differentiation of these four taxa, it did not carry a phylogenetic signal. Instead, it reflected ecological adaptations, showing how different taxa have adapted to different arid environments within the study area.
This paper presents new records and noteworthy data on the following taxa in SE Europe and adjacent regions: cyanobacteria Pseudanabaena thermalis, lichenised fungi Acrocordiagemmata, parasitic fungi Peniophora tamaricicola, saprotrophic fungi Hyphonectria buxi, diatom alga Diatoma elongata, mosses Sphagnum medium, Rhizomnium magnifolium, and Weissia squarrosa,mono-cots Gymnadenia frivaldii, Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus, Orchis x angusticru-ris and Pistia stratiotes, and dicots Astragalus angustifolius subsp. balcanicus,Broussonetia papyrifera, Datura innoxia and Montia arvensis
In this study an ethnobotanical survey was conducted in western Serbia (Mt. Tara) with the aim of collecting and preserving the traditional botanical knowledge. A group of local inhabitants (56) was interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. The Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) and Jaccard Index (JI) were calculated. There are 78 wild plant species recorded. The reported plant species belong to 34 families, where the families Rosaceae (41.18%), Asteraceae (23.53%) and Lamiaceae (20.59%) were dominant. Out of 78 documented plants, 70 plants (89.74%) are used in folk medicine, 42 (53.85%) in human nutrition, 22 (28.20%) in animal nutrition, 14 (17.95%) plants are used for miscellaneous purposes, while two plants (2.56%) are used in ethnoveterinary medicine. The highest RFC was recorded for Vaccinium myrtillus (0.38), followed by Urtica dioica (0.34), and Hypericum perforatum (0.25) and Fragaria vesca (0.25). The most frequently used mode of preparation was as an infusion (70.51%), while the most used plant part was the leaf (56.41%) followed by the flower/inflorescences (37.18%) and aboveground parts (28.21%). The highest degree of similarity was determined with studies conducted in close proximity (Mt. Zlatibor, JI 33.04). Local recipes and new usage of some well-known traditional plants in Serbia and the Balkans were documented.
Centaurea sect. Acrocentron comprises several taxonomically intricate groups of taxa, including the Balkan endemic obligate serpentinophytes: C. melanocephala, C. candelabrum and C. albertii. Despite its distinctive morphological characteristics, C. candelabrum was considered conspecific with C. melanocephala. A similar situation pertains to C. albertii, which has largely been considered a synonym of C. melanocephala. Considering that several recent floristic works treat these taxa as separate species distributed in different serpentinite areas of the Balkans, the main objectives of our study were to analyse the taxonomic and chorological relationships between them, and to propose a new taxonomic concept. Our study was based on an extensive revision of herbarium material, including the type specimens, personal field data and observations of living plants. Our comprehensive study showed that the plants previously recognised as C. melanocephala from the Stolovi mountain in central Serbia and those previously recognised as C. candelabrum from northern Albania deserve the rank of distinct species. These species can be easily distinguished from each other by a number of characters, including their general habitus, the dimensions and shape of the basal leaves, and the indumentum of the involucral bracts. Given the only slight differences observed between the populations in Kosovo and Albania, the question of whether C. albertii is conspecific with C. candelabrum or deserves an independent taxonomic status remains unresolved until further detailed integrative studies are conducted. In view of the clear differences in morphological and ecological characteristics which exist within this group compared to other representatives of sect. Acrocentron, we propose the separation of the studied taxa into a separate C. melanocephala complex, as outlined in this paper.
A new species of Centaurea sect. Acrocentron (Asteraceae) was found on the Ozren mountain in southwestern Serbia near Sjenica and named as Centaurea ozrenii. It inhabits xerophilous and steppe-like habitats, on ultramafic geological substrate. Morphologically, it is close to C.calocephala, C.chrysolepis, C. orientalis, C. murbeckii, C.kotschyana and the recently described C. zlatiborensis. The most distinctive morphological features of the new species are undivided to simply pinnatisect (non lyrate) subglabrous leaves, with linear segments, upper leaves with an aristate apex and cream coloured to pale yellow florets of which the outer are much longer than the inner ones. The phyllaries are intermediate in relation to C. calocephala and C. kotschyana. The chromosome number of the new species is 2n = 22. Thorough field investigations confirmed the presence of C. ozrenii only at this localized site on Mt. Ozren with a population of 13 clusters of individuals with 23-52 flowering stems in an area of about 50 m2. Applying the IUCN Red List categories and criteria to the available data categorised C. ozrenii as a Critically Endangered (CR) species.
While soil pH is known to be a key driver of plant species composition, we still have a poor understanding of the quantification of the responses of leaf traits to different soil types, especially in highly sensitive alpine environments susceptible to global environmental changes. By combining traditional and modern geometric morphometrics we aimed to bridge the existing gap and determine whether certain leaf traits reliably separate evergreen Dryas octopetala populations residing in the subalpine-alpine zone of the Kazbegi region, in the eastern part of the Central Great Caucasus in Georgia. To achieve this aim, three populations of D. octopetala were analysed through traditional and, for the first time, modern geometric morphometrics. Both methods revealed congruent results indicating significant differences in leaf shape and size in locations with similar climatic conditions but different soil pH environments (acid vs neutral to slightly alkaline) thus suggesting that D. octopetala exhibits stronger leaf morphological plasticity (wider and larger leaves vs narrower and smaller leaves) to respond to changes in the soil pH gradient. In addition, modern geometric morphometrics, with its high degree of precision as an accessible and inexpensive method, could be advantageous for researchers and scientists seeking to gain a deeper understanding of plant species’ unique responses to varying environmental conditions.
The suction traps of aquatic Utricularia species are discoid bladders, 1-6 mm long, with their lumen isolated by a mobile trapdoor from the ambient medium. Water is pumped out of the traps to maintain the negative pressure in the reset traps. When a prey animal touches the sensory hairs on the trapdoor it opens, the ambient water along with the prey is sucked inside and the trapdoor is closed again. Utricularia humboldtii is a robust, semiaquatic-epiphytic or terrestrial species from the generic section Orchidioides from South America. The efficiency of its aquatic traps was measured based on trap firing and resetting rates as well as changes in trap thickness due to both mechanically stimulated and spontaneous firings using an electronic sensor. The U. humboldtii traps exhibited relatively low firing and resetting rates. These values are 2 to 20 times lower than those in other aquatic Utricularia species reported in the literature. These results together with the low aerobic respiration rate of sliced traps indicate that the less efficient aquatic traps in U. humboldtii are specialised for catching fine prey items in bromeliad water tanks. A marked lag-period in trap resetting was found to occur during the first 30 min after firing, contradicting the accepted concept of continuous water pumping. Spontaneous trap firings were also observed with the same magnitude as that in stimulated firings. This implies that spontaneous firings occur consistently in all the tested aquatic Utricularia species. However, although they relate to the continuous water pumping mechanism of the traps, their physiological importance has not been fully elucidated.
Aegilops tauschii is a wild diploid goat-grass which occupies a vast range in Central Eurasia and comprises three different gene-pools: TauL1, TauL2, and TauL3. Multivariate statistical analysis of the transcriptomes from the leaf tissue of 40 A. tauschii accessions, 18 of TauL1, 20 of TauL2, and 2 of TauL3, revealed that the gene-pools of A. tauschii distinctly and essentially differ in their genetic expression patterns. Statistically significant differential gene expression of 2349, 376, and 272 were observed between TauL1 and TauL2; TauL1 and TauL3; TauL2 and TauL3, respectively. These findings indicate substantial adaptive intraspecies divergence in A. tauschii.
The new extinction risk assessments of the mosses of Serbia have been completed. Based on the available data, 27.18% of Serbian moss flora (174 species) is under threat (status 2024). Nearly 20% (129 species) of Serbian moss flora is considered to be Data Deficient (DD) and 5.16% (33 species) Near Threatened (NT). These findings clearly indicate the urgent need for field investigation and species biology research in order to define the major threats and adequate conservation measures.
The compositional dependency of the essential oil of Clinopodium menthifolium subsp. menthifolium (Lamiaceae) on ecological conditions has not yet been investigated. In pursuit of this objective, we assessed the quantity and quality of the essential oil in plants from 11 natural populations from the Central Balkans and one cultivated plant. In order to determine the correlations between essential oil variations and environmental conditions, each habitat was characterised by 36 climatic and 19 bioclimatic parameters. Despite inhabiting diverse climatic zones, altitudes, and biogeographical regions, no significant differences were observed in the yield and qualitative and quantitative composition of the essential oils among the analysed plants. All the samples exhibited essential oil yield ? 0.5%, V/w, with piperitone epoxide as the major compound. Among the identified compounds, only limonene and (E)-caryophyllene demonstrated dependence on bioclimatic parameters. The bioclimatic parameters which influence the presence of a larger number of compounds are annual temperature range and the precipitation of the wettest quarter. The consistent quantity and quality of the essential oils of C. menthifolium subsp. menthifolium indicate their probable adaptive significance and could serve as chemotaxonomic features of this taxon.
The agricultural industry is constantly searching for new solutions to increase the productivity and nutritional value of crops under various conditions. Microbial inoculants have emerged as an alternative to traditional chemical fertilisers which could enhance crop productivity in acid soils - a major problem in modern agriculture. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of Bacillus megaterium and Mesorhizobium sp. on the seed germination of bird’s foot trefoil and orchardgrass under low pH (in vitro), as well as the nutrient composition of plants grown in acid soil. A positive impact of bacterial inoculation on seed germination was observed at pH 5 and 6 for both plant species. The content of macro- and microelements was within the range of optimal values for both plant species. This research provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of using bacterial inoculants to improve the seed germination and nutrient composition of plants grown in acid soils.
Waterlogging caused by climate change has threatened the growth and production yield of crops. Although morphological and physiological changes in major crops under waterlogging have been well-defined, the effect of waterlogging on the quality of medicinal plants remains largely unknown. In this study, we analysed waterlogging-induced variations in the anti-melanogenic properties of Platycodon grandiflorus roots. Based on the analysis of melanin production and the expression levels of melanogenic enzymes, we found that waterlogging negatively impacted the anti-melanogenic properties of P. grandiflorus roots. Using UPLC-ESI-Q-TOFMS, we identified 12 compounds including platycodin D3 and platycodin A, which showed differences between untreated and waterlogging-treated roots. In addition, waterlogging led to the suppression of the triterpenoid saponin biosynthetic pathway. Taken together, our results will form an important basis for understanding the impact of climate change on the quality of medicinal plants.
Rhododendron simsii plays important roles in maintaining ecological system stability in the north temperate zone. However, its natural growth is greatly affected by soil microorganisms, particularly rhizosphere microbes. In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted of the bacterial community structure in the rhizosphere of R. simsii at the old, adult, juvenile, and seedlings stages. The results showed that Proteobacteria (38.53%?47.63%), Actinobacteria (23.45%?34.03%), and Acidobacteria (10.33%?17.79%) were the dominant phyla in the R. simsii rhizosphere. In particular, 3, 5, 42, and 33 OTUs were unique to the soil samples of ?old trees?, ?adult trees?, ?juvenile trees?, and ?seedlings?, respectively. Across four sets of R. simsii rhizosphere microbes sampled from seedlings to old trees, the OTUs first increased, then decreased, and finally increased. Overall, alpha diversity (Chao, ACE, and Sobs) revealed similar trends with the highest value i?n recorded for the rhizosphere sample of ?adult trees? and the lowest for the ?seedlings? sample. The bacterial genera in the rhizosphere samples from ?old trees? and ?adult trees? exhibited close clustering. Notably, the R. simsii population of ?juvenile trees?, demonstrating the highest genetic diversity, were rich in Bradyrhizobium and Streptomycetes. This research serves to benefit the domestication of wild R. simsii and other Rhododendron resources.
This study aimed to analyse and evaluate the antimicrobial activity and phenolic compounds in the leaf extracts of five Artemisia species (A. alba, A. annua, A. campestris, A. pontica, and A. vulgaris), of which A. annua is of significant medical importance. Although many Artemisia plants are well known from ethnobotanical and phytochemical studies, the biological activity of Artemisia species against phytopathogenic strains is scarcely investigated. Therefore, the presence of phenolic compounds and the antimicrobial activity of dichloromethane-methanol (1:1) leaf extracts of five Artemisia species against phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria were analysed. The phenolic compounds were determined by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In total, 13 phenolic compounds and quinic acid were identified and quantified. Chlorogenic acid was the dominant compound in all the samples, while the second dominant compounds were rutin in the A. alba, A. campestris, and A. pontica extracts, vitexin in A. annua, and esculin in the A. vulgaris extracts. Antifungal activity was tested against 12 micromycetes a using mycelial growth assay and the microdilution method. Antibacterial activity was tested against 18 bacterial strains using the well diffusion and microdilution methods. In each test, the highest activity was shown for the extracts of different Artemisia species. The most sensitive micromycetes were Monillinia laxa, Penicillium citreonigrum, and Botrytis cinerea, while Fusarium graminearum B1 was the most resistant. The analysed extracts showed moderate antibacterial activity only against Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris compared with all the other tested phytopathogens. The study shows that the leaf extracts of certain Artemisia species contain phenolic compounds and showed moderate antimicrobial activity against some species of fungi and bacteria.
Aldrovanda vesiculosa is an endangered aquatic species in Romania which grows in shallow waters where competition with other aquatic species is limited or absent. A comprehensive overview of the species? distribution and habitat preferences in Romania is currently lacking. In this context, this study aimed to update the distribution and habitat preferences of the species. Localities from Dobrogea, Oltenia, Muntenia, Transylvania, and Cri?ana represented the study areas. For the vegetation classification, 71 releves with A. vesiculosa were analysed. The size of the sample areas ranged from 4 m2 to 25 m2. Vegetation syntaxonomic assignment was performed by agglomerative hierarchical clustering. The optimal number of clusters was chosen using the corrected Rand and Silhouette indices. Diagnostic species were identified for each cluster based on the indicator value index (IndVal). The study results showed that the dominant majority of the previous populations of A. vesiculosa (89%) were no longer identified from Romania in the 2008?2021 period. Recently (2021?2023), they were found only in six localities in the Dobrogea, Transylvania, and Oltenia regions. The causes of the disappearance of the species are eutrophication and the lowering of the water level. From a phytocoenological point of view, 11 plant communities were identified where A. vesiculosa is found. According to the EUNIS classification, this species inhabits wetlands (Q) and inland surface waters (C). In conclusion, translocation is suggested as the primary conservation measure for protecting the species.
