Search Results (259)

Trichomes, epidermal protrusions in terrestrial plants, play diverse roles in plant defense, metabolism, and development. Arabidopsis thaliana, a model plant with single-celled and non-glandular trichomes, is a valuable system for studying cell differentiation in plants. However, organelle biology in Arabidopsis trichomes is relatively underexplored. Using light and transmission electron microscopy, we investigated the phenotypes of intracellular structures in Arabidopsis trichomes caused by tgd5 mutations, which are known to disrupt lipid transfer from the endoplasmic reticulum to plastids and have a large impact on chloroplast morphology in pavement and guard cells. Significant phenotypic changes in the plastid structure were observed in tgd5 trichome cells, including the absence of plastoglobuli, the emergence of clusters of electron-dense particles in the stroma, and the possibly cup-shaped morphology of plastids. Additionally, the tgd5 mutations triggered the formation of giant, up to 15 µm in diameter, neutral lipid-containing droplets in the trichome cells, as revealed using histochemical staining with lipophilic dyes. These lipid droplets were substantially larger and more frequent in trichome cells than in other types of cells in tgd5. These findings highlight the role of TGD5 in maintaining plastid structure and implicate the unique activity of lipid metabolism in Arabidopsis trichomes. Full article

Cuphea pulchra Moric. is a species native to the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes that grows in environments with high temperatures and low rainfall and can be adapted as an ornamental plant for pots. Tests were carried out on C. pulchra seeds, as well as the cultivation of plants from both seeds and cuttings in a greenhouse. Seeds at different stages of maturity (green, almost ripe, and mature) were placed on agar and paper for germination tests. The cultivated plants were pruned as necessary. Two cutting tests were carried out according to the age of the donor plant. The flowering period was monitored. Germination was successful with the almost ripe seeds. Drastic pruning was able to produce compact plants in pots. Cutting tests had greater sprouting with younger donor plants. Cuphea pulchra stood out in terms of the length of the flowering period, which lasted up to ten months. Greenhouse cultivation produced viable plants for the ornamental plant market. Full article

Skin diseases are a worldwide issue, accounting for approximately 34% of all occupational illnesses. The aim of this study was to investigate medicinal plants used to treat wounds and skin diseases in the eastern Free State Province of South Africa. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted to gather information from traditional healers on plants they use to treat human ailments. Plants were collected and then investigated for antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties using standard assays. Cotyledon orbiculata, Dioscorea sylvatica, and Lycopodium clavatum had the highest frequency of citation (RFC) values among the 22 plants reported. Saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, and tannins were found in the phytochemical examination. L. clavatum had the greatest activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 0.39 mg/mL and 0.098 mg/mL, respectively. C. orbiculata and D. sylvatica extracts showed significant antifungal activity between 0.39 and 1.56 mg/mL. Antioxidant activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals was found in all extracts. The extracts had significant anti-inflammatory action against the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.02 to 0.49 g/mL. The usage of C. orbiculata, D. sylvatica, and L. clavatum in the treatment of skin problems in the Eastern Free State of South Africa was verified in this research. Full article

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) are the most damaging plant pathogens all over the world. Root-knot nematodes (RKNs), considered the most important phytonematodes globally, cause significant agricultural losses. Despite the availability of various strategies to manage these pathogenic agents, excessive use of nematicides poses a threat to human health and the environment. Compounds derived from plant sources are proposed as an alternative to new biocides, potentially offering advantages over synthetic components. Several species within the Fabaceae family, including those within the Arachis genus, have demonstrated potential as sources of nematotoxic compounds. As part of a research program aimed at exploring bioactive compounds and valorizing germplasm banks, this study evaluated the nematicidal and nematostatic effects of aqueous crude extracts (ACEs) obtained from nine Arachis species sourced from the Embrapa Active Germplasm Bank against M. incognita’s second-stage juveniles (J₂). The results indicate that Arachis stenosperma (ACE1) has promising nematocidal potential, with effectiveness exceeding 95% on dead nematodes for doses above 0.5 mg/mL. ACE1 has also demonstrated thermostability and lower harmful effects on bovine cells. This research provides a fresh outlook on the promising use of preserved germplasms to enhance Germplasm Storage Bank’s value, given the underexplored potential of these biological assets. Full article

Early rice disease detection is vital in preventing damage to agricultural product output and quantity in the agricultural field. Manual observations of rice diseases are tedious, costly, and time-consuming, especially when classifying disease patterns and color while dealing with non-native diseases. Hence, image processing and Machine Learning (ML) techniques are used to detect rice disease early and within a relatively brief time period. This article aims to demonstrate the performance of different ML algorithms in rice disease detection through image processing. We critically examined different techniques, and the outcomes of previous research have been reviewed to compare the performance of rice disease classifications. Performance has been evaluated based on the criteria of feature extraction, clustering, segmentation, noise reduction, and level of accuracy of disease detection techniques. This paper also showcases various algorithms for different datasets in terms of training methods, image preprocessing with clustering and filtering criteria, and testing with reliable outcomes. Through this review, we provide valuable insights into the current state of ML-based approaches for the early detection of rice diseases, and assist future research and improvement. In addition, we discuss several challenges that must be overcome in order to achieve effective identification of rice diseases. Full article

In vitro regeneration of passion fruit has great prospects for mass production of disease-free planting materials. The objective of this study was to develop an in vitro regeneration system through somatic embryogenesis for farmer-preferred genotypes grown in Kenya. Callus induction and somatic embryogenesis were carried out using leaf and immature seed explants. The explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium augmented with different concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) alone and 2,4-D combined with 1.0 mg L⁻¹ thidiazuron (TDZ). Data were recorded and subjected to analysis of variance. The highest number of somatic embryos was obtained from KPF4 genotype using MS medium supplemented with 8 mg L⁻¹ 2,4-D and 1 mg L⁻¹ TDZ^. The embryos were converted to plants on germination medium comprising of MS augmented with 0.5 mg L⁻¹ 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP). The plantlets were hardened for 4 weeks in plastic pots. The survival rate during hardening of in vitro regenerated plants was 77.8%. The present study reports a regeneration system through somatic embryogenesis for KPF4 passion fruit grown in Kenya. The in vitro regeneration system can be utilized for mass propagation and genetic improvement of KPF4 variety grown in Kenya. Full article

Agriculture in the Andean region is mainly small-scale and rainfed, especially in Peru where almost 80% of its population depends on agriculture-related activities. Climate change in addition to social factors threatens the food security of this region. The forecast of more frequent dry spells would especially affect potato crops, domesticated centuries ago in the Andes, where there remains a great genetic diversity. This study aimed to characterize the response to drought stress of 79 potato landraces traditionally grown in the Central Andes of Peru (Pasco region) as a first selection for future breeding evaluations. The used indices were mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), stress tolerance (STI), stress susceptibility (SSI), and tolerance index (TOL), and a scoring methodology that integrates all of them into a single descriptor in a simple and fast way. The varied responses showed a wide genetic diversity within the assessed landraces, where at least nine of them own high resilience and productivity qualities, and many others are highly vulnerable to drought. It is recommended to complement these studies with physiological and molecular evaluations in stress situations, especially in those with tolerance qualities highlighted in this study, and thus promote the conservation of the biodiversity of this region. Full article

Bacterial leaf blight (Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae) is a significant rice disease. Aqueous crude extracts of Kalanchoe pinnata were shown to induce rice resistance against the disease. This study aims at testing the disease-reducing effects of K. pinnata leaf extracts using the liquid–liquid extraction method with three different solvents (dichloromethane, methanol, and water). This serves as a basis to select appropriate extracts for effective disease control. Three concentrations (1, 1.5, and 2%) of each extract were tested using seed soaking. The extracts did not show adverse effects on seed germination and seedling growth. Methanol extracts showed significantly different effects compared to those of the untreated control. The involvement of induced resistance in the disease reduction was shown through activities of the four defense-related and antioxidant enzymes, i.e., peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). Using 1% methanol extract, activities of POX and CAT involved in hydrogen peroxide production in rice tissues increased 1–4 days after pathogen inoculation (DAI) and remained at high levels until 6 DAI. Activities of PPO and PAL involved in resistance signaling pathways significantly increased after pathogen inoculation. Activities of the four enzymes generally increased after pathogen inoculation and reached higher levels with extract applications. Full article

The question of the effect of the anion type on halophyte salt tolerance and ion accumulation is still far from the necessary generalization due to the lack of comparative studies. The aim of the present study was to compare the relatively long-term effect of treatment with various salts formed by different anions on the growth and ion accumulation of several halophyte species in controlled conditions. The main experiments with the largest variety of individual salt types were performed with Cochlearia officinalis L. and two cultivars of Limonium sinuatum (L.) Mill. In addition, experiments with Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv., Plantago maritima L., and Tripolium pannonicum (Jacq.) Dobrocz. focused on the comparison of neutral (NaCl) and alkaline (NaHCO₃) salts as well as NaNO₃. Acetate salts appeared to be the most toxic, with only Plantago and Tripolium plants being able to withstand full treatment while having a pronounced inhibition in growth. Only the two Limonium cultivars were more susceptible to treatment with alkaline salts in comparison to that with neutral salts. In treatments with alkaline salts, the ion accumulation potential was lower in comparison to plants treated with chlorides and nitrates. It can be concluded that the type of anion is a significant determinant of salinity tolerance and ion accumulation in halophytes, but a high genotype dependence of the responses makes it difficult to generalize the obtained results. Full article

Rose flowers have been cultivated for their fragrance and their garden value since ancient times. Very ancient cultivars became famous locally for their specific use, and competitive horticultural activities progressively established, leading, with time, to landraces with limited polymorphism. The most famous examples are the oil-bearing Damask roses from Iran and the Yueyue Fen garden strain from China. In 1817, a new rose, allegedly a hybrid from the two previous lineages, was discovered at Reunion. From this plant, as early as the 1820s, a new founder group, the Bourbon roses, was developed in France, which immediately stirred up deep passions among botanists and skilled enthusiasts. Today, more than 30,000 named cultivars have been raised either as garden and landscape plants for the cut rose market or as indoor pot plants. The market handles billions of euros a year, making the rose the most economically important crop worldwide. Following the inheritance of SSR DNA markers, we here propose a reconstitution of the very early lineage of Bourbon roses, clarifying one of the major steps, if not the major one, that links these very ancient heritage roses to modern roses. Full article

Farmers hoping to manage cropping systems sustainably are turning to cover crops to help mitigate plant pathogens. Plants with biofumigant properties are used to control soil-borne pathogens in agricultural settings, especially in till systems, where the brassicas are incorporated into the soil as green manure or seed meal. The effect of these crops is not well studied in no-till systems; thus, it is hard to know if they are as effective as green manure. Whether or not these cover crops can effect changes during a single growth season has not yet been studied. This study compared the response of the soil microbial community to four different brassica cover crops, two of which are commonly used in vineyards (Sinapis alba L. (white mustard) and Raphanus sativus (L.) Domin (tillage radish)) as well as two brassicas that are native or naturalized to the Okanagan (Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. (Shepherd’s purse) and Boechera holboelli (Hornem.) Á. Löve and D. Löve (Holbøll’s rockcress)). Cover crops did not affect fungal species richness, but B. holboelli recover crops were associated with increased evenness among fungal taxa. Both C. bursa-pastoris and S. alba had lower levels of plant parasitic nematodes compared to non-brassica controls. These results were apparent only after a single growing season, which indicates growers could use this approach as needed, minimizing long-term exposure to biofumigants for beneficial soil microbes. Full article

Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV)-based vectors are frequently used in virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and, more recently, viral overexpression (VOX) studies in wheat. Two general strategies are employed to initiate infection in wheat plants with BSMV in VIGS and VOX studies. One method involves the direct infection of wheat using viral RNA produced via the in vitro transcription of BSMV constructs. The second class utilizes viral replication in an intermediate host plant to produce large amounts of BSMV viral particles that are then used to inoculate wheat plants. This study was designed to examine the potential for BSMV-VIGS constructs to rearrange during replication in the intermediate host and result in initiating the VIGS studies with a virus that is significantly different from the original experimental construct. It is shown that in the case of BSMV-VIGS constructs harboring a PDS-silencing fragment, significant rearrangement can occur during replication in the intermediate host that has the potential to introduce artifactual experimental outcomes. Full article

Ensuring the quality attributes of cashew kernels is essential for selecting superior genotypes with agro-industrial potential. Therefore, this study characterized cashew nut accessions from the Cashew Germplasm Bank regarding kernel quality standards and identified genotypes with optimal characteristics for the industry. The characterization included key industrial indicators such as peeling efficiency, average kernel mass, class, type, and industrial yield, evaluated in 47 different accessions. Through multivariate cluster analysis and principal component analysis, the accessions revealed four distinct groups, exposing correlations among various industrial indicators. The analysis revealed a diverse genetic profile within the Cashew Germplasm Bank. A notable finding is that 80.85% of the accessions group together, displaying predominant features—easy peeling, an average mass exceeding 2.5 g, categorized as super large (SLW) and large (LW), and uniformly white-colored kernels. Correlations found include a negative relationship between kernel mass and class and positive associations between class and industrial yield, as well as between industrial yield and peeling efficiency. The study reveals substantial variability in cashew nut germplasm with respect to quality traits, highlighting its invaluable potential for identifying and selecting superior genotypes adapted for agro-industrial purposes. Particularly promising are Group 4 accessions, such as BGC632, BGC589 and BGC127, presenting attributes indicative of high-quality kernels. Full article

Estimation of carbon (C) stocks revealed a very high carbon sequestration potential of mangroves, which play a major role in the global C cycle. The C stored in the biomass of live trees can be estimated from above- and below-ground measurements, i.e., tree diameter and height, leaf litter, root biomass, necromass, and soil. The allocation of biomass and C in the scrub mangrove forest is influenced by various factors, including low structural development. The objective of this study was to estimate the carbon stock (in relation to biomass) and storage in the soil of the San Ignacio and El Dátil lagoons in an arid region of the north Pacific. Above-ground biomass (AGB) was estimated based on mangrove structure and leaf litter; below-ground biomass (BGB) was measured by extracting root cores (45 cm depth) and soil (1.2 m depth). Biomass values were converted to carbon with allometric equations. We found an inverse relationship between BGB content (roots) and above-ground structural development, with a mean total biomass (AGB + BGB) of 101.7 MgC ha⁻¹. Below-ground carbon content (roots, necromass, and soil) was 2.8 times higher than above-ground carbon content (trees and litter). Control sites (devoid of vegetation) adjacent to the mangrove have recorded low carbon stocks of 7.3 MgC ha⁻¹, which supports the recommendations for conserving and restoring degraded areas. The present study contributes valuable information on carbon related to mangrove biomass and stored in the soil of arid mangrove areas of northwestern Mexico. Full article

In plants, an increasing number of traits and new characteristics are being developed using gene editing. Simple traits represented by a single gene can be managed through backcross breeding, but this is typically not the case for more complex traits which may result from the function of a large number of genes. Here, we demonstrate two case studies of improving oleic oil content and developing pod shatter reduction in Brassica napus by using gene editing tools on an industrial scale. There are four BnaFAD2 genes involved in oleic oil content and eight BnaSHP genes involved in pod shatter tolerance. In order to develop these two traits, we delivered nuclease ribonucleoproteins with Gene Repair OligoNucleotides (GRONs) into protoplasts, with subsequent regeneration into plants on an industrial scale, which encompassed robust tissue culture protocols, efficient gene editing, robotics sampling, and molecular screening, vigorous plant regeneration, growth, and phenotyping. We can produce precise loss-of-function-edited plants with two improved agronomically important complex traits, high oleic oil or pod shatter reduction, in elite canola varieties within 1–3 years, depending on the trait complexity. In the edited plants carrying loss of function of four BnaFAD2 genes, the seed fatty acid oleic acid content reached 89% compared to 61% in the non-edited wildtype control. The plants carrying eight edited BnaSHP genes achieved 51% pod shatter reduction in multiple year field testing in the target environment compared to the wildtype control. Full article