Maria Geneva

Effects of foliar fertilization and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization on Salvia officinalis L. growth, antioxidant capacity, and essential oil composition

BACKGROUND The effect of foliar fertilization and Glomus intraradices inoculation on the growth, qualitative and quantitative pattern of essential oil in Salvia officinalis was determined. Sage plants were grown in a glass house on a soil/sand mixture (w/w = 3:1). Agroleaf total, N:P:K = 20:20:20 + microelements, was used at the whole vegetative growth stage as a 0.3% solution. Inoculation with Glomus intraradices was done at the sowing stage. RESULTS Application of foliar fertilization and/or mycorrhizal colonization improved dry biomass accumulation and increased the content of antioxidant metabolites (ascorbate and reduced glutathione). Applied treatments lowered the activities of the antioxidants enzymes catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, while guaiacol peroxidase increased. The relative quantity of essential oil pattern was also altered as a result of the applied treatments. Combined application (FF + Gi) significantly promoted 1,8-cineole and alpha-thujone, mycorrhizal colonization enhanced bornyl acetate, 1,8-cineole, alpha- and beta-thujones, while foliar fertilization increased bornyl acetate and camphor. The favorable effect of root colonization by Glomus intraradices was determined both on quantitative and qualitative pattern of sage essential oil. CONCLUSION We conclude that inoculation with Glomus intraradices resulted in improved essential oil yield and quality, while combined application of foliar fertilizer and mycorrhizal fungi predominantly enhanced shoot biomass accumulation.

Antioxidant capacity of sage grown on heavy metal-polluted soil

Oxidative stress response and essential oil composition of sage (Salvia officinalis L.), grown on industrially polluted soil were studied. Sage plants were grown on the soil polluted with Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, and non-polluted control soil. One-year-old sage possessed a high potential for heavy metal accumulation mainly in the roots. Heavy metal pollution resulted in root and shoot dry biomass inhibition. The increased levels of hydrogen peroxide and MDA showed that the heavy metal uptake caused oxidative stress. The increase towards the control was observed in the levels of glutathione, ascorbate, dehydroascorbate, catalase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione peroxidase. Weak activities of the most enzymes of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle allowed to suppose that H2O2 neutralization is rather non-enzymatic than enzymatic process. Observed decline in α- and β-thujones and elevated camphor content in the sage leaves did not indicate a deterioration of the essential oil quality. Sage grown on heavy metal-polluted soil successfully accumulated cadmium, lead, and zinc, which is resulted in plant biomass inhibition, but essential oil yield and quality was not declined.

INFLUENCE OF FOLIAR FERTILIZATION AND GROWTH REGULATOR ON MILK THISTLE SEED YIELD AND QUALITY

The effects of foliar fertilization and a growth regulator 5-tert-butyl-N-m-tolylpyrazine-2-carboxamide (MD148/II) on the growth, seed yield, and silymarin content of milk thistle (Silybum marianum Gaertn.) plants were evaluated. The study was conducted over two years at an experimental field on a slightly acid-leached cinnamonic meadow soil. The MD148/II was applied in the beginning of milk thistle flowering stage. Foliar fertilizer was applied at different plant developmental stages with different proportions of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Treatments with foliar fertilizer and MD148/II resulted in improvement of plant biomass, number of plant lateral shoots, flowering rate, and seed yield and the content of some active substances in milk thistle seeds. A reduction of high molecular fatty acids was observed. The increase of seed yield was a result of the flower head setting enhancement. Therefore the combined treatment of foliar fertilizer and MD148/II was efficient in elicitation milk thistle production under field conditions.

Nitrogen Assimilatory Enzymes and Amino Acid Content in Inoculated Foliar Fertilized Pea Plants Grown at Reduced Molybdenum Concentration

ABSTRACT A possibility to improve nitrogen assimilation in nitrogen fixing Molybdenum (Mo) deficient pea plants was shown. The influence of foliar supplied nutrients in addition to root nutrition resulted in reducing the unfavorable effects of inorganic nitrogen on nodule function and Mo deficiency on the nitrogen assimilatory enzymes. Inoculated pea plants were grown on liquid nutrient solution both with and without Mo. The following variants were tested: Mo supplied plants with root nutrition (F1 + Mo); Mo supplied plants with root and foliar nutrition (F2 + Mo); Mo deficient plants with root nutrition (F1 − Mo); and Mo deficient plants with root and foliar nutrition (F2 − Mo). Foliar application of nutrients had a positive effect on the glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase enzyme activities in the roots and nodules of Mo deficient plants. It was found that the foliar fertilization reduced the inhibitory effect of Mo shortage on the aspartate/asparagine content in the pea shoots.

Morphological evaluation and antioxidant activity of in vitro - and in vivo -derived Echinacea purpurea plants

An effective in vitro protocol for rapid clonal propagation of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench through tissue culture was described. The in vitro propagation procedure consisted of four stages: 1) an initial stage - obtaining seedlings on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium with 0.1 mg L−1 6-benzylaminopurine, 0.1 mg L−1 α-naphthalene acetic acid and 0.2 mg L−1 gibberellic acid; 2) a propagation stage — shoot formation on MS medium supplemented with 1 mg L−1 6-benzylaminopurine alone resulted in 9.8 shoots per explant and in combination with 0.1 mg L−1 α-naphthalene acetic acid resulted in 16.2 shoots per explant; 3) rooting stage — shoot rooting on half strength MS medium with 0.1 mg L−1 indole-3-butyric acid resulted in 90% rooted microplants; 4) ex vitro acclimatization of plants. The mix of peat and perlite was the most suitable planting substrate for hardening and ensured high survival frequency of propagated plants. Significant higher levels were observed regarding water-soluble and lipid-soluble antioxidant capacities (expressed as equivalents of ascorbate and α-tocopherol) and total pnenols content in extracts of Echinaceae flowers derived from in vitro propagated plants and adapted to field conditions in comparison with traditionally cultivated plants.

Effect of Soil Fertilizer, Foliar Fertilizer, and Growth Regulator Application on Milk Thistle Development, Seed Yield, and Silymarin Content

Abstract An important consideration for milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) cultivation is regulating development to lengthen the reproductive stage and increase seed yield with high silymarin content. The treatment of milk thistle with foliar fertilizers and growth regulators—thidiazuron (Dropp®), 2,3,5‐triiodobenzoic acid (Tiba®), mepiquat chloride (Pix®), and prohexadione‐Ca (Regalis®)—resulted in an increase in the proportion of mature flower heads. Highest seed yield was observed in plants treated with Pix® and mineral soil fertilization, whereas in plants treated with foliar fertilizers, highest yields were observed with Pix® and Regalis®. The highest content of silymarin was found in plants treated with Dropp® and foliar fertilizer. Generally, treatment of milk thistle with plant‐growth regulators in combination with soil or foliar mineral fertilizers increased the total amount of silymarin by increasing seed yield per hectare.

Utilization of related wild species (Echinacea purpurea) for genetic enhancement of cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

* Correspondence: bkraptchev@yahoo.com

EDTA reduces heavy metal impacts on Tribulus terrestris photosynthesis and antioxidants

The effects of EDTA application to heavy metal-polluted soil on phytoextraction of heavy metals, leaf anatomy, gas exchange parameters, enzyme activities of C4 carbon cycle, antioxidant defense, and active compounds of Tribulus terrestris L. were evaluated. The addition of EDTA to the soil polluted with Cd and Pb markedly increased dry weight and Pb, Zn, and Cd contents in shoots. Plants responded to the action of EDTA by an increased stomatal conductance, photosynthetic and transpiration rates, water use efficiency, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents. The activities of C4 carbon cycle enzymes simultaneously increased, thus concentrating CO2 for enhanced CO2 assimilation and providing NADPH for the antioxidant system. Antioxidants, such as ascorbate, reduced glutathione, and flavonoids, increased more in the shoots of T. terrestris after the addition of EDTA. The activities of guaiacol peroxidase, catalase, and the enzymes of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle enhanced significantly in the presence of EDTA. Increased activities of antioxidant enzymes suggest that they have some additive functions in the mechanism of metal tolerance. EDTA application lowered the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and the content of total phenols, MDA, hydrogen peroxide, dehydroascorbate, and lipid-soluble antioxidant capacity expressed as α-tocopherol. Increased levels of total radical-scavenging activity are in correspondence with the activity of water-soluble antioxidant compounds in T. terrestris tissues. The content of furostanol saponins protodioscin, prototribestin, and rutin increased as a result of EDTA addition. The results obtained allowed us to assume that applied EDTA reduced a negative heavy metal impact on puncture vine photosynthesis and antioxidant potential.

Essential Oil Variation of Salvia officinalis Leaves during Vegetation after Treatment with Foliar Fertilizer and Thidiazuron

The essential oil yield and chemical composition of Salvia officinalis L. (Dalmatica origin) have been analyzed. Leaf samples for essential oil analysis were harvested at different developmental stages after treatment with foliar fertilizer Agroleaf® and foliar fertilizer + thidiazuron. In total, 10 constituents were identified and quantified. The main compounds in the essential oil that increased during the vegetative to the fruiting‐set stage are α‐thujon and camphor, whereas borneol, viridoflorol, and manool decreased. The effect of thidiazuron applied together with foliar fertilizer was established mainly at the flowering stage, increased essential oil yield by 16% over the control, and positively affected the percentage of β‐caryiophylene, α‐humulene, viridoflorol, and manool. Application of foliar fertilizer resulted in a greater increase of essential oil yield at the flowering stage in the combined foliar and thidiazuron application over the control. Both treatments decreased camphor at flowering and fruiting stages.

EFFECT OF FOLIAR FEEDING ON NITROGEN ASSIMILATION IN ALFALFA PLANTS AT INSUFFICIENT MOLYBDENUM SUPPLY

The influence of foliar feeding on the nitrogen assimilation in alfalfa plants under conditions of Mo shortage was studied. It was established that foliar fertilization with 0.3% solution of Agroleaf® resulted in increase of nitrogen fixation and nitrogen assimilation in the absence of Mo. Insufficient molybdenum supply leads to significant reduction of plant Mo content and nitrogen-fixing activity, while stress induced amino acids as alanine, GABA, threonine, proline and serine increased repeatedly. The negative effect of Mo deficiency on the enzyme activities related to the primary nitrogen assimilation (NR, GS, GOGAT) and plant growth diminished due to the foliar absorbed nutrients.