Rising global demand for natural resources and the pursuit of sustainable production have amplified interest in the cultivation of valuable wild mushrooms. Concerns over overharvesting pressures on natural populations and the preservation of biodiversity have made the controlled cultivation of these species both a scientific and economic necessity. Concordantly, wild mushrooms are re-evaluated not only for their role in the food industry but also as strategic resources with medical, functional, and biotechnological applications.This study examines the cultivation status of economically important species, focusing on their ecological roles, domestication challenges, and potential uses. Fungi classified as saprotrophic, mycorrhizal, or parasitic exhibit diverse ecological functions. Saprotrophic species such as shiitake and oyster mushrooms have been the most successfully cultivated due to their environmental adaptability. In contrast, mycorrhizal species such as truffles and porcino require complex agroforestry systems due to their symbiotic relationships with host plants.The importance of understanding fungal ecology, substrate requirements, and environmental parameters is emphasized for successful cultivation. It also evaluates the medicinal and functional properties of mushrooms, such as antitumor, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects, underscoring their pharmacological value. Mycelium-based biomaterials and environmental remediation are also addressed as emerging biotechnological applications. Despite recent progress, many species remain uncultivated due to ecological and technical complexities. This review examines global cultivation challenges through the lens of Türkiye, a region with rich ethnomycological value and potential. Thereby, it highlights the need for interdisciplinary approaches to advance cultivation, conserve biodiversity, and realize the economic and scientific potential of wild mushrooms.

Rising global demand for natural resources and the pursuit of sustainable production have amplified interest in the cultivation of valuable wild mushrooms. Concerns over overharvesting pressures on natural populations and the preservation of biodiversity have made the controlled cultivation of these species both a scientific and economic necessity. Concordantly, wild mushrooms are re-evaluated not only for their role in the food industry but also as strategic resources with medical, functional, and biotechnological applications.This study examines the cultivation status of economically important species, focusing on their ecological roles, domestication challenges, and potential uses. Fungi classified as saprotrophic, mycorrhizal, or parasitic exhibit diverse ecological functions. Saprotrophic species such as shiitake and oyster mushrooms have been the most successfully cultivated due to their environmental adaptability. In contrast, mycorrhizal species such as truffles and porcino require complex agroforestry systems due to their symbiotic relationships with host plants.The importance of understanding fungal ecology, substrate requirements, and environmental parameters is emphasized for successful cultivation. It also evaluates the medicinal and functional properties of mushrooms, such as antitumor, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects, underscoring their pharmacological value. Mycelium-based biomaterials and environmental remediation are also addressed as emerging biotechnological applications. Despite recent progress, many species remain uncultivated due to ecological and technical complexities. This review examines global cultivation challenges through the lens of Türkiye, a region with rich ethnomycological value and potential. Thereby, it highlights the need for interdisciplinary approaches to advance cultivation, conserve biodiversity, and realize the economic and scientific potential of wild mushrooms.

The origin and genome composition of tetraploid cultivated Onobrychis viciifolia (2n = 4x = 28) were analyzed using dot-blot and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) techniques. Dot-blot hybridization was used to find a genomic affinity between O. viciifolia and 16 diploid Onobrychis species. The hypothesis on the origin of the O. viciifolia was tested using GISH. Dot-blot analyses suggested a genomic affinity between O. viciifolia and four diploid Onobrychis species (O. kachetica, O. supina, O. pallasii, and O. vaginalis). Hybridization signals were observed on O. viciifolia chromosomes when gDNA of O. kachetica, O. supina, O. pallasi, and O. hypargyrea were used as probes. However, the observed chromosomal distribution of hybridization signals did not resemble GISH results. The observed signals colocalized with 35S rDNA or dispearse signals on all chromosomes were observed depending on the probe. Further investigations using more comprehensive and comparative analysis with both coding and repetitive DNA regions may provide a better understanding of the genome composition and evolution of O. viciifolia.

A microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) process for polyphenols from Allium rumelicum Kocyigit & Ozhatay, Jurinea kilaea Azn. and Peucedanum obtusifolium Sibth. & Sm. was used. This research examined the methanolic extracts made from these three species’ antioxidant, antimicrobial, total phenolic, and flavonoid contents. By using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate free radical method (DPPH), ABTS/Persulfate, and Cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) methods, the total antioxidant activities and capacities were examined. Additionally, the Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3/KAc techniques were used to calculate the total phenolic and flavonoid contents. To ascertain the antibacterial capabilities of plants, the disc diffusion method was applied. The J. kilaea showed the greatest total antioxidant capacity/activity levels when measured using the CUPRAC and ABTS/Persulfate techniques. A. rumelicum was found to have the highest quercetin concentration, while P. obtusifolium had the lowest. In J. kilaea, the gallic acid concentration was highest. The highest antimicrobial activity values were obtained in P. obtusifolium.

Plants are the sources of many bioactive secondary metabolites which are present in plant organs including leaves, stems, roots, and flowers. Although they provide advantages to the plants in many cases, they are not necessary for metabolisms related to growth, development, and reproduction. They are specific to plant species and are precursor substances, which can be modified for generations of various compounds in different plant species. Secondary metabolites are used in many industries, including dye, food processing and cosmetic industries, and in agricultural control as well as being used as pharmaceutical raw materials by humans. For this reason, the demand is high; therefore, they are needed to be obtained in large volumes and the large productions can be achieved using biotechnological methods in addition to production, being done with classical methods. For this, plant biotechnology can be put in action through using different methods. The most important of these methods include tissue culture and gene transfer. The genetically modified plants are agriculturally more productive and are commercially more effective and are valuable tools for industrial and medical purposes as well as being the sources of many secondary metabolites of therapeutic importance. With plant tissue culture applications, which are also the first step in obtaining transgenic plants with having desirable characteristics, it is possible to produce specific secondary metabolites in large-scale through using whole plants or using specific tissues of these plants in laboratory conditions. Currently, many studies are going on this subject, and some of them receiving attention are found to be taken place in plant biotechnology and having promising applications. In this work, particularly benefits of secondary metabolites, and their productions through tissue culture-based biotechnological applications are discussed using literature with presence of current studies.

A new species of Festuca from the Western Taurus Mountains (Antalya, Turkey) is described here and named F. albomontana. The new species can clearly be distinguished from the other species included in the F. alpina group by its leaf anatomical features. It has a geographically isolated position in the Western Tauruses whereas a closely related species, F. sommieri , is very local in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. It is suggested that it should be in the “critically endangered” threat category according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria. Observations on the ecology of the population are noted.

In this study, it is aimed to determine the terrestrial European Union Nature Information System (EUNIS) habitat types of Mount Ganos (Işıklar) and its surroundings. Field studies were carried out from April to October 2021. Reference areas were determined for Maximum Likelihood (ML) classification during the field studies. To increase the accuracy and obtain the highest possible level of EUNIS habitat types, we used both reference areas observed in the field studies and processed land cover and habitat maps. These are; Landsat Satellite Images classified with ML, Corine Land Cover, and European ecosystem maps. Regarding both biodiversity and social activities, Mount Ganos is among the most significant natural areas in the Tekirdağ district. The northern slopes of the mountain have a rainier and more humid climate than the southern slopes which Mediterranean climate is dominant. The presence of various climate types and the remarkable altitude variations also contribute to the habitat diversity of the Mount Ganos. Many natural areas have been degraded due to anthropogenic effects such as mineral extraction, agricultural, tourism, and urbanization activities in the Mount Ganos region until today. In this study, a total of 9 ecosystems and 29 habitat types were determined for Mount Ganos according to the EUNIS classification. 21 of them were identified at level 3 and 8 of them ranged between 2 and 6 levels. The intensive unmixed crops (I1.1) are the most-covered EUNIS habitat type with 16173.16 hectares. This is followed by low and medium altitude hay meadows (E2.2, 9350.63 ha), Meso- and eutrophic Quercus, Carpinus, Fraxinus, Acer, Tilia, Ulmus, and related woodland (G1.A, 7548.73 ha) and Pseudomaquis (F5.3, 5926.65 ha). With this study, a portrait of the habitat destruction created by humans has also been drawn. The results of this study can be used by decision-makers to conserve the remaining natural habitats on Mount Ganos.

The evolution of chromosome number and ribosomal DNA (rDNA) loci number and localisation were studied in Onobrychis Mill. Diploid and tetraploid species, as well as two basic chromosome numbers, x = 7 and x = 8, were observed among analysed taxa. The chromosomal distribution of rDNA loci was presented here for the first time using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) with 5S and 35S rDNA probes. Onobrychis species showed a high polymorphism in the number and localisation of rDNA loci among diploids, whereas the rDNA loci pattern was very similar in polyploids. Phylogenetic relationships among the species, inferred from nrITS sequences, were used as a framework to reconstruct the patterns of basic chromosome number and rDNA loci evolution. Analysis of the evolution of the basic chromosome numbers allowed the inference of x = 8 as the ancestral number and the descending dysploidy and polyploidisation as the major mechanisms of the chromosome number evolution. Analyses of chromosomal patterns of rRNA gene loci in a phylogenetic context resulted in the reconstruction of one locus of 5S rDNA and one locus of 35S rDNA in the interstitial chromosomal position as the ancestral state in this genus.

The current study aimed to determine Styrax officinalis L. (SO) leaf's nutritive value, collected at four phenological stages, pre-flowering (PF), flowering (FL), seed linkage (SL), and fruiting (FR) by in situ and in vitro experiments. The ruminal degradability of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) and in vitro gas production (GP) of SO leaves were measured using three rumen fistulated mature Saanen goats. Significant differences between chemical compositions of the SO leaves collected at different phenological stages were observed (P<0.001). The DM, CP, ether extract (EE), and ash values of SO leaves ranged between 29.16 to 45.63%, 10.11 to 19.79%, 3.40 to 5.85%, and 4.71 to 6.49% during the different phenological stages (PF, FL, SL and FR, respectively). Cell wall components of SO leaves showed a cubic trend due to their capability to form new shoots after grazing. The effective DM and CP degradability of SO leaves ranged between 66.91 to 77.93% and 64.92 to 84.57%, which means an average value for animals fed at approximately maintenance level when rumen outflow rate (r) is equal to 0.02 h−1. Significant differences between the SO leaves collected at different phenological stages were observed in GP at all incubation times (P<0.05 and P<0.001). After 96 h incubation, the gas produced ranged between 20.68 to 27.53 ml/200 mg DM of the substrate. The research findings clearly indicate that degradability of DM, CP, and ME content of SO leaves ranged between moderate to high and significantly affected by phenological stages, however, they could be utilized until the end of the FL stage as forage sources.

Aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate antibacterial activities of methanol (MetOH), acetone (Ace), petroleum ether (PE) and aqueous (dw) leaf (L), root (R), and seed (S) extracts of Corchorus olitorius L. on both food- and plant-borne pathogens, with DPPH radical scavenging activities (DRSA), and quantitative and qualitative constituent analysis. Leaf PE has the highest strain susceptibility on both food- and plant-borne pathogens. Clavibacter michiganensis, Pseudomonas tomato, and Erwinia caratovora were susceptible to nearly all the leaf and seed extracts. Very low minimum inhibitory concentration (8-128 μg mL−1) and minimum bactericidal concentration (32-2048 μg mL−1) were determined for both leaf and seed extracts against C. michiganensis. Total phenolic contents were correlated to DRSA. The phenolic compounds tested were higher in the leaf MetOH, cholorogenic acid being the most abundant one. Palmitic acid was determined in leaf PE and seed PE extracts. Results presented here demonstrate high antibacterial activity of C. olitorius leaf seed extracts against phytopathogens for the first time, and provide the most comprehensive data on the antibacterial activity screening against food-borne pathogens. Considering limitations in plant disease control, antibacterial activities of these extracts would be important in plant disease control.

In this investigation, the aim was to examine the impact of freeze-dried kefir culture (KC) on fermentation characteristics, aerobic stability, nutritive value, in vitro digestibility, some micro- and macronutrient concentration, and fatty acid (FA) composition of white clover (WC) silages. White clover silages were either uninoculated (Con) or inoculated with KC at the following application rates: 10 mg/kg (K10), 50 mg/kg (K50), 100 mg/kg (K100) on a fresh basis, and ensiled in laboratory-scale silos for 270 days, followed by 5 days of aerobic exposure. Changes in fermentation characteristics and nutritive value, in vitro digestibility and gas production (GP), mineral concentrations, and FA composition were assessed in terminal silages. The results showed that KC could effectively reduce neutral detergent fiber, hemicellulose, and ammonia-N contents. The increased acetic acid content of KC-treated silages improved aerobic stability. Freeze-dried kefir culture made no significant difference in cumulative GP and estimated parameters except for 48 and 72 h. It is evidently clear from the findings that KC reduced the K, Na, Se, and B concentrations of WC silages, whereas Ca, Zn, and Fe concentrations increased. In addition, KC significantly increased the proportion of saturated FA (SFA) in WC silages, whereas the proportion of polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) decreased. However, KC did not significantly affect the monounsaturated FA proportion of WC silages. Overall, it is concluded that adding 50–100 mg/kg of KC on a fresh basis is appropriate to improve the nutritional value of WC silages.

We conducted a biogeographic analysis of the PPAM clade of Poeae Plastid DNA Group 2, which includes 12 subtribes of C-3 grasses. One hundred and eighty-four species sampled represent 42 of 43 accepted genera and taxonomic diversity in large genera. We analyzed plastid sequences of matK, trnC-rpoB, and trnT-trnL-trnF using BEAST to produce a dated tree and MrBayes to produce a Bayesian tree, on which we ran Bayesian-Binary-Markov-Chain analyses on a worldwide biogeographic data set of 12 areas. PPAM split in southwestern Asia into subtribe Coleanthinae and PAM clades in the Early Miocene. PAM diversified rapidly in the Middle Miocene in southwestern Asia into four monogeneric lineages, Avenulinae, Phleinae, Miliinae, Poinae, and the Alopecurinae superclade (seven subtribes with 27 genera). In the Late Miocene, Pliocene, and mostly Pleistocene, the latter four lineages diversified and dispersed across Eurasia and established in North America. Dispersals to the southern hemisphere occurred in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Annuals occur in 15 Mediterranean and southwestern Asia genera, but in few genera in other regions. Beyond phylogenetically isolated annual species dating to the Miocene, all other annuals evolved in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Cold tolerance is high among perennial species, many occurring in the alpine, nine genera ranging into the Arctic. We suggest that alpine and subalpine habitats were ancestral. High tolerance of saline and alkaline conditions arose between the Pliocene and Pleistocene in Coleanthinae, Alopecurinae, Poinae, Hookerochloinae, Beckmanniinae, and Arctopoa. Combinations are proposed for Cornucopiae alopecuroides in Alopecurus and for Paracolpodium colchicum in Hyalopodium. A nothogenus x Catanellia is proposed for Catabrosa x Puccinellia.

Abstract In this study, we determined the macrophyte diversity, ecological quality based on Macrophyte Biological Index for Rivers (IBMR), and the correlations between macrophytes and physicochemical variables in 17 rivers in the Western Mediterranean Basin in Türkiye. In addition to these, we performed hierarchical clustering analysis to determine similarities of stations according to the macrophyte diversity and physicochemical variables. The IBMR values ranged between 6 and 12. Consequently, we found that the basin is at the mesotrophic-eutrophic level. The high levels of biological oxygen demand, total phosphorus, and suspended solids associated with organic and physical pollution in most stations and the frequency of the emergent taxa support the IBMR results and trophic level of rivers. Also, we found that water bodies chemically similar are relatively floristically similar.

Rivasığırkuyruğu (Verbascum bugulifolium Lam.) Avrupa-Sibirya fitocoğrafik bölgesine ait olan, Türkiye’nin nadir bitkilerinden biridir. Bu çalışmada türün, Kırklareli ilinde tespit edilen 12 farklı lokasyondaki popülasyonlarının, toprak özellikleri ile dağılım gösterdiği alanın topografik ve iklimsel özellikleri incelenmiştir. İncelenen veriler ışığında, V. bugulufolium türünün kireç ve magnezyum değerleri açısından düşük seviyede, pH, tuzluluk, potasyum ve kalsiyum değerleri açısından orta seviyede, organik madde, toplam azot, fosfor, demir, bakır, çinko ve mangan bakımından yüksek seviyede olan topraklarda yetiştiği görülür. Türün genellikle eğimin düşük olduğu (x= %4,16), deniz seviyesine yakın alanlarda (x= 70,5 m) yayılış gösterdiği tespit edilmiştir. İklimsel özellikler bakımından incelendiğinde ise daha çok ılıman iklimin hakim olduğu, neredeyse her mevsim yağış alan bölgelerde hakim olduğu görülmüştür. Ayrıca türün yaşam alanları olarak orman altı açıklıkları, kuru fundalık ve asit karakterli kayalıkları özellikle meşe türlerinin baskın olduğu orman açıklıklarını tercih ettiği gözlenmiştir. Bu çalışmada, ülkemizde nadir bir bitki olan V. bugulifolium türünün, izlenmesi, korunması (in-situ ve ex-situ) ve sürdürülebilirliği için yapılacak olan çalışmalara temel oluşturması amaçlanmaktadır.