Mentha × piperita is a widely cultivated perennial, medicinal, culinary, and aromatic plant valued for its essential oil and used in cosmetic, pharmacy, and aromatherapy. Considering that zeolite and biofertilizers can positively influence plant growth, their use has been increasing recently in plant production. For that reason, this study examined the single and combined effects of zeolite, Slavol, and Osmocote on early growth of the peppermint cultivar ‘Cinderella’. The obtained results showed that zeolite, Osmocote, or Slavol applied individually did not affect plant growth, as their results did not differ from the control. However, the combined Osmocote and zeolite treatment improved seedling growth, producing the greatest shoot length and highest leaf number, compared to other treatments. The best results were achieved with the substrate containing Osmocote, zeolite, and Slavol, which yielded the longest roots and highest shoot dry weight.
This study aimed to assess the strain-specific and cultivation-dependent bioactivity of Schizophyllum commune ethanol extracts in promoting seed germination and early seedling performance of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.). The work contributes to the search for sustainable, biologically based plant growth promoters. Two dikaryotic strains of S. commune originating from Serbia and Italy were cultivated under submerged conditions for 7–28 days. Ethanol extracts were prepared from fungal biomass and culture filtrates at concentrations of 10 mg/mL and 50 mg/mL. Seeds of P. sativum cv. Dunav were bioprimed for 6 h and tested under controlled laboratory conditions following ISTA procedures. Germination parameters, shoot and root growth, elongation rates, biomass accumulation, and seedling vigor index were determined. All extracts significantly enhanced pea seedling performance relative to the control (p ≤ 0.001). The strongest effects were observed for the SRB strain, particularly filtrate and biomass extracts from 14- and 21-day cultures. Treatments 21F1 and 21F5 increased shoot elongation rate up to 7.6 mm day⁻¹ and seedling vigor index to 705, compared with 3.3 mm day⁻¹ and 412.5, respectively, in the control. The ITA strain showed delayed but notable stimulatory effects after longer cultivation (21–28 days). The results confirm that the biostimulant potential of S. commune depends on strain origin and cultivation period, identifying mid-cultivation SRB extracts as the most effective biopriming agents for enhancing legume seedling vigor.
Trichoderma harzianum DEMf 1V and Тrichoderma citrinoviride DEMf: TR3 are confirmed biocontrol agents used in this study to estimate the effects of selenium enrichment on their antifungal activity. Se-enriched cultures were prepared by growing on potato-dextrose broth supplemented with 2.5 and 5 mg Se/L added in the form of Na2SeO3. The antifungal activity of Se-enriched and control cultures was estimated by their ability to produce hydrolytic enzymes, which were detected using API ZYM, cellulase and protease tests. The antagonistic potential and impact of volatile compounds were observed in interactions with Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, and Fusarium graminearum. In Se-enriched T. harzianum DEMf 1V, the production of esterase, lipase, and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase was inhibited, while in Se-enriched Т. citrinoviride DEMf: TR3, only lipase production was interrupted. All cultures maintained the ability to produce cellulase and protease. Cultures of T. harzianum DEMf 1V grown with and without Se enrichment exhibited a high inhibition rate against B. cinerea (68–74%) and F. oxysporum (62–70%). The antagonistic activity of Se-enriched T. harzianum DEMf 1V against F. graminearum (65–66%) was higher compared to the control (60%). Se-enriched Т. citrinoviride DEMf: TR3 expressed lower inhibition against B. cinerea and F. graminearum compared to the control. Volatile compounds caused a low level of inhibition, indicating that they are among the antifungal mechanisms employed by the isolates, but not the dominant one. Further research should be directed towards the precise determination of metabolic changes induced by Se enrichment and the implications thereof for Trichoderma's antagonistic activities.
This study proposes an interdisciplinary, data-driven approach to understanding historical and future trends in plant biodiversity in Italian rewilded mountain areas. We produced spatially explicit assessments of vegetation change between 1990 and 2020 in three mountain protected areas spanning the Italian Peninsula: 1) Eastern Alps (Lagorai mountain range); 2) Northern Apennines (Foreste Casentinesi Monte Falterona e Campigna NP), and 3) Central Apennines (Velino Massif). The methodology included generalized dissimilarity modeling (GDMs) to model the dissimilarity of plant assemblages as a function of their geographical distances, ecological dissimilarities, and differences in land cover derived by remote sensing. After calibrating the GDMs with historical and newly collected vegetation plot data, the maps of predicted species composition at different times were created, and their comparison allowed highlighting areas where change in land cover induced the largest changes in species composition and quantifying the consequences for regional plant diversity.
Ammonia is a central component in ruminant nitrogen metabolism and serves as a sensitive indicator of the dynamic balance between nitrogen intake, rumen microbial activity, and hepatic detoxification efficiency. Once produced in the rumen, ammonia is absorbed into the bloodstream and must be rapidly cleared by the liver via the urea cycle. As such, blood ammonia concentration reflects both the rate of ammonia production and the liver’s detoxification capacity, making it a valuable marker for evaluating protein metabolism and liver function. This study aimed to assess how different lactation stages and the presence of ketosis/hepatic lipidosis affect blood ammonia levels in dairy cows. A total of 50 Holstein-Friesian cows were examined, with 10 animals assigned to each experimental group. Ammonia levels (μmol/L) in blood plasma varied significantly depending on lactation stage and metabolic condition. In early lactation, the mean concentration was 67.64±6.52, which significantly decreased at peak lactation (34.11±7.5), followed by mid-lactation (29.93±7.9), and reached its lowest in the dry period (21.61±6.1). Cows diagnosed with ketosis exhibited significantly higher ammonia levels (96.52 ± 8.2). A significant positive correlation was found between ammonia and BHB (r = 0.54) as well as with the index of hepatocyte steatosis index (nonesterified fatty acid: cholesterol, NEFA:CHOL ratio) (r = 0.81), and significant negative correlations with the liver functionality index (r = –0.82), urea (r = –0.47), total protein (r = –0.38), and albumin (r = –0.36). These findings support the use of ammonia concentration as a reliable biomarker for metabolic and liver function assessment in dairy cows.
