South African Journal of Botany最新文献

{"title":"Building the microbiota in strawberry soilless cultivation systems with on-farm AMF inoculants: Roles in yield, phytochemical profile, and root morphology","authors":"José Luís Trevizan Chiomento ,&nbsp;Fabiola Stockmans De Nardi ,&nbsp;Rudinei Fante ,&nbsp;Emanuele Dal Pizzol ,&nbsp;Thomas dos Santos Trentin ,&nbsp;Aline Chitolina Borba ,&nbsp;Letícia Silva Pereira Basílio ,&nbsp;Vitor Augusto dos Santos Garcia ,&nbsp;Giuseppina Pace Pereira Lima","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.035","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.035","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can be a biostrategy for building up the microbiota of the substrate used to grow strawberries. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the use of on-farm AMF inoculants interferes with the horticultural potential of strawberry, ‘Monterey’ cultivar, in the soilless cultivation system. The treatments tested were the absence (control) and the presence of four on-farm AMF inoculants (<em>Acaulospora morrowiae, Glomus intraradices, Rhizophagus clarus</em>, and mycorrhizal community), in a randomized block design, with four replications. <em>R. clarus</em> and AMF community were more efficient in increasing the monthly fruit yield. Fruits with the best ratio between sugar content and acidity were produced by plants treated with AMF community. Mycorrhized plants produced fruit with the highest total flavonoid and polyphenol contents. The highest amount of phytochemicals detected in ‘Monterey’ leaves was observed in plants cultivated with AMF community. All the plants cultivated with AMF developed a more robust root system, with <em>A. morrowiae</em> and <em>G. intraradices</em> standing out. We conclude that the monospecific and multispecific inoculants used help to build up the microbiota of the growing substrate. This is reflected in the better root volume and in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in the plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"178 ","pages":"Pages 226-234"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The population genetic structure of Ficus craterostoma in South Africa","authors":"Jun-Yin Deng ,&nbsp;Simon van Noort ,&nbsp;Stephen G. Compton ,&nbsp;Yan Chen ,&nbsp;Jaco M. Greeff","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.033","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.033","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the eastern part of its distribution, <em>Ficus craterostoma</em> occurs in Afromontane forests whereas it also occurs in low-lying scarp and Indian Ocean coastal belt forests in South Africa. <em>Ficus craterostoma</em> must have dispersed to these low-lying forests from the Afromontane forests, even though forests became highly fragmented during the Pleistocene. To understand how these ancient changes have impacted the distribution and population structure of <em>F. craterostoma</em> we quantified the genetic variation in its slow-evolving chloroplast DNA with limited dispersal ability via seeds, and its highly variable nuclear microsatellites that reflect exceptional pollen flow. The chloroplast variation was highly structured and frequently monomorphic in nearby forests while the nuclear variation showed little structure and isolation by distance. From these data we reach several conclusions. <em>Ficus craterostoma</em> may have become extinct from South Africa's northern Afromontane forests during the Pleistocene. These forests were possibly subsequently recolonized from southern forests that may have been scarp or Afromontane in nature. Additionally, there was one scarp and one Indian Ocean coastal belt forest refugium, both of which were very isolated and small. Nuclear gene flow caused by pollen flow is very effective along the western part of the South African population, knitting together Afromontane and scarp forest fragments, dispersed over 1000 km, into one genetic population. Conversely, the Indian Ocean coastal belt forest refugium appears to have been isolated in terms of gene flow, but more recent gene flow with two nearby inland forests may have started to homogenize their genetic variation. Due to the unusual pollination system of fig trees, other forest tree species may display very different dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"178 ","pages":"Pages 235-243"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143102865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of early transplanting and topping on glycolysis in the upper leaves of Nicotiana tabacum","authors":"Xianbo Zhao ,&nbsp;Feiyue Yuan ,&nbsp;Yiqiang Chen ,&nbsp;Yiqi Zhang ,&nbsp;Ye Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhuangyi Zhang ,&nbsp;Yongan Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhongyi Zhang ,&nbsp;Qingyuan Cai ,&nbsp;Lijuan Liao ,&nbsp;Tiedong Liu ,&nbsp;Li Gu","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The timing of transplanting and topping significantly affects transcriptional expression, thereby influencing the metabolic and developmental processes of tobacco. The glycolysis pathway plays a central role in driving internal chemical changes that shape alterations in the tobacco's metabolic pathways. Transcriptome analysis revealed that early transplanting and topping treatments resulted in 4,534 differentially expressed genes. KEGG annotation identified 32 differentially expressed genes associated with glycolysis metabolism. Specifically, the aldehyde dehydrogenase (NAD(+)) (EC 1.2.1.3) pathway was significantly upregulated, whereas the fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (EC 4.1.2.13) was significantly downregulated. KEGG-GSEA gene set analysis indicated that early transplanting and topping enhanced expression of gene sets involved in glycolysis metabolism. Additionally, two core enrichment genes, <em>KPYC-l</em> and Gal<em>-l</em>, were identified as being involved in glycolysis metabolism. Across the glycolysis metabolic pathway, enzyme activities were predominantly downregulated before phosphoenolpyruvate and upregulated thereafter. This suggests that tobacco likely enhanced phosphoenolpyruvate production through increased activity in the pentose phosphate pathway and gluconeogenesis. These alterations promoted heightened metabolic pathways involving pyruvate, acetate, and acetyl-CoA. A newly identified gene, <em>LOC107803480</em>, belonging to the SCF family, was found to be enriched in glycolysis metabolism according to the KEGG database. This gene contains three conserved motifs: PS00184 (GARS), PS00337 (BETA_LACTAMASE_D), and PS10049 (PSI_RSU). In conclusion, transcriptional analysis and the discovery of novel genes suggest that early transplanting and topping significantly impacts the glycolysis pathway, underscoring its importance in carbohydrate metabolism in tobacco.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"178 ","pages":"Pages 217-225"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond plant physiology: Cu and Fe as factors in mangiferin degradation during honeybush processing","authors":"Chantelle Human ,&nbsp;Dalene De Beer ,&nbsp;Marieta Van Der Rijst ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Joubert","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.025","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.025","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Honeybush herbal tea, produced from <em>Cyclopia</em> species, undergoes high-temperature oxidation to develop its characteristic sensory qualities and brown leaf colour. Besides its sensory appeal, honeybush tea contains high levels of the pharmacologically active xanthone, mangiferin. Essential plant micronutrients, copper (Cu) and iron (Fe), can act as catalysts of oxidation reactions. Their role in the stability of mangiferin and other polyphenols during the high-temperature oxidation step of honeybush processing has not yet been investigated. For this study, a large set of <em>Cyclopia subternata</em> plant material (<em>n</em> = 34) with variation in the Cu (3.7–17.6 mg/kg) and Fe (95.3–152.7 mg/kg) content was subjected to the typical high-temperature oxidation conditions (90 °C/16 h). Of these, three samples were selected for kinetic modelling of phenolic degradation over time. The phenolic degradation varied significantly across samples (reaction rate constant, K, for mangiferin differed up to 4.4-fold), which differed in phenolic and metal content. To elucidate the effect of Cu and Fe in a simplified system, mangiferin was degraded in heated (90 °C) model solutions containing Fe(II), Fe(III) or Cu(II), present at levels in the <em>C. subternata</em> plant material samples. Cu(II) accelerated mangiferin degradation (8.6–29.0-fold increase in K), attributed to enhanced recycling of Cu(II) to Cu(I) and formation of radical species. Fe(II/III) marginally increased mangiferin stability (1.1–2.5-fold decrease in K), attributed to the formation of inert metal-polyphenol complexes. The formation of different ratios of mangiferin isomers and dimers highlighted these different mechanisms. This study has advanced the understanding of the stability of mangiferin and other phenolic compounds during honeybush tea processing, particularly elucidating the role of Fe and Cu.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"178 ","pages":"Pages 187-197"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Larger trees facilitate understory herbaceous biomass but not diversity in a South African savanna","authors":"Piet Monegi ,&nbsp;Igshaan Samuels","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Large single-standing trees contribute to the structural diversity of savannas as they strongly influence their immediate surroundings including soils and understory plant communities. The influence of woody vegetation at a stand level on the understory vegetation has been extensively studied; however, the understanding of the role of single large trees is limited. The objectives of the study were to 1) evaluate the impact of large trees on understory plant species diversity and composition, herbaceous cover and grass standing biomass, and 2) to establish if plant size and functional qualities such as N-fixing ability modulate understory vegetation responses to overstory trees over two growing seasons (January 2022 and 2023). <em>Vachellia tortilis</em> (a leguminous tree) and non-leguminous woody species (<em>Searsia lancea</em> and <em>Z</em>iziphus <em>mucronata</em>) were studied. We systematically selected 30 trees for each woody species and divided them into two size classes (i.e. small and large trees). Understory plant vegetation was assessed using quadrats under and outside the tree canopies. Plant species diversity and abundance were highest under small tree canopies and outside tree canopies, compared to large trees, likely due to the dominance of <em>Megathyrsus maximus</em> under large trees. <em>Megathyrsus maximus</em> dominated under large trees regardless of N-fixing ability. Grass cover increased under large <em>V. tortilis</em> and <em>Z. mucronata</em>, suggesting that evergreen species like <em>S. lancea</em> negatively impact grass cover. Standing grass biomass was higher under large tree canopies than under small trees or outside canopies, with N-fixing ability having no significant effect (<em>p</em> &gt; 0.05), thus, indicating that large trees of both leguminous and non-leguminous woody plants improve grass productivity. The current findings imply that in agrosilvopastoral systems and game farming, where ecological conservation is a priority for farmers, it is essential to have an overstorey composed of both small and large trees to sustain understory diversity and biomass.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"178 ","pages":"Pages 178-186"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143163794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation and identification of Nutritional factors, cytotoxic condition, and protodioscin in Dioscorea alata tuber","authors":"Gnanaselvan Suvathika,&nbsp;Sowmya Priya Manoharan,&nbsp;Santhoshraman Baskar,&nbsp;Ashvika Rajiv,&nbsp;Harshini Swaminathan,&nbsp;Sangilimuthu Alagar Yadav","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>Dioscorea alata (tuber) is used as food and medicine among the tribal communities. Still, its enormous phytochemical profiles, active ingredients, and nutritive factors need to be explored more to get complete nutritional factors present in the tuber.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Soxhlet extraction was made to assess the phytochemical profile by Trease and Evan methods. The qualitative and quantitative microelements, macro elements, and nutritional factors were analysed. MTT assay was used to assess its toxicity conditions. Also, the ultra HPLC technique was used for qualitative assessment of the bioactive molecule protodioscin.</div></div><div><h3>Result</h3><div>The phytochemical screening of the tubers revealed the presence of alkaloids, sterols, steroids, proteins, carbohydrates, cardio glycosides, and terpenoids. Further, it has a high level of total phenolic content in the methanolic extract. The proximate crude fiber, vitamin, and mineral estimation revealed a significantly high crude fiber content based on the dry weight along with greater amounts of vitamin C and considerable amounts of the micro (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, B, Mb, and Cl) and macro minerals (K, Cl₂, P, Ca, Mg, and Na) in D. alata. Moreover, the extracts have a non-toxic nature via cell cytotoxicity assessment on the L929 normal fibroblast cell line.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Organic solvent extracts of <em>D.alata</em> tuber contain major secondary metabolites and there is no toxicity. Furthermore, all the extracts except ethanol extract revealed the presence of a pharmacologically bioactive compound, protodioscin. Therefore, these results imply that tuber can be explored for empirical research that paves the way for futuristic nutritional and therapeutic usage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"178 ","pages":"Pages 131-138"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143163793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimising stock plant nutrition to improve rooting success of reseeder and resprouter species of honeybush (Cyclopia spp.) as an emerging indigenous South African herbal tea","authors":"Pippa A. Karsen ,&nbsp;Elmi Lötze ,&nbsp;Alexander J. Valentine ,&nbsp;Eleanor W. Hoffman","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Honeybush tea (<em>Cyclopia</em> sp.), an indigenous South African herbal tea, is celebrated for its health benefits. However, the increasing reliance on wild harvesting poses a threat to natural populations, highlighting the necessity for sustainable cultivation. Optimising the propagation process, particularly the rooting success of cuttings, is key to enhancing sustainable production practices. This study aimed to investigate how seasonal variations in mineral nutrient content of stock plants, specifically <em>Cyclopia genistoides</em> (resprouter) and <em>C. subternata</em> (reseeder), affect the rooting dynamics of cuttings. The hypothesis tested was that seasonal nutrient fluctuations significantly impact the rooting success of cuttings and that specific nutrient levels promote better root development. Cuttings from <em>C. genistoides</em> and <em>C. subternata</em> stock plants were collected during different seasons to assess variations in rooting potential. Rooting success was measured based on rooting percent and primary and secondary root formation, while nutrient analysis focused on key minerals like nitrogen, potassium, boron, and iron. Comparative analysis between the two species and across seasons was conducted to identify optimal nutrient ranges for rooting. Autumn-harvested <em>C. subternata</em> cuttings exhibited significantly more primary and secondary roots compared to <em>C. genistoides</em>, with <em>C. subternata</em> producing twice the primary roots and five times more secondary roots. <em>Cyclopia subternata</em> also had higher levels of copper, iron, boron, and magnesium in autumn, whereas <em>C. genistoides</em> showed less nutrient accumulation. Spring-harvested cuttings in both species showed lower rooting success, linked to reduced nitrogen and potassium levels and elevated boron and aluminium concentrations. Overall, <em>C. genistoides</em> rooted more successfully in summer and autumn, while <em>C. subternata</em> demonstrated superior rooting and mineral nutrient accumulation during autumn. Seasonal nutrient variations play a critical role in determining the rooting success of honeybush cuttings. Autumn provides the most favourable conditions for rooting, particularly for <em>C. subternata</em>. Nutrient imbalances, such as low potassium combined with high boron, iron, and aluminium, may inhibit root formation in both species. Ensuring optimal nutrient levels in stock plants is essential for enhancing propagation success. These findings underscore the need for targeted nutrient management in honeybush cultivation, particularly in relation to seasonal variations. This study provides valuable insights for improving sustainable propagation practices by identifying nutrient ranges that promote optimal rooting. Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms of nutrient-affected rooting dynamics and to refine cultivation guidelines for commercial honeybush production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"178 ","pages":"Pages 162-177"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthetic bacterial communities regulate polyamine metabolism and genes encoding antioxidant defense system to enhance arsenic tolerance of rice","authors":"Hamad Khan ,&nbsp;Zeeshan Khan ,&nbsp;Ishmal Eman ,&nbsp;Ijaz Ahmad ,&nbsp;Tariq Shah ,&nbsp;Guoping Wang ,&nbsp;Lu Feng ,&nbsp;Abdullah A. Alarfaj ,&nbsp;Sulaiman Ali Alharbi ,&nbsp;Muhammad Javed Ansari","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Arsenic (As) contamination in soil represents a major challenge to global agriculture, threatening crop productivity and food security, making the development of effective mitigation strategies essential for sustainable farming. Synthetic bacterial communities (SynCom) improve host plants ability to withstand As stress by several mechanisms. It is well known that polyamines (PAs) strengthen the antioxidant defence system, prevent ethylene formation, preserve cell pH, and shield plant cells from the damaging effects of As, and so forth; nevertheless, it is still unknown how SynCom modify PA metabolism to improve plant resistance to As. Pot experiment was carried out to evaluate how SynCom affects root PA homeostasis, hydrogen peroxide (metabolite associated with PA), genes encoding antioxidant system and expression and activities of PA-associated degrading and synthesizing enzymes in rice subjected to As. SynCom inoculated plants exhibited maximum growth attributes, gene expression of two plasma membrane intrinsic protein, leaf water potential, and chlorophyll contents than non-inoculated plants exposed to As stress. With increased activity of PA catabolic enzymes (copper-containing diamine oxidase, CuAO; polyamine oxidase, PAO) and putrescine synthases (ornithine decarboxylase; arginine decarboxylase, ADC), SynCom inoculated plants resulted in higher putrescine and cadaverine concentrations but lower spermidine and spermine contents. Under As stress, the SynCom inoculated plants resulted in up-regulation of spermine synthase gene, <em>OsSPMS</em>, and down-regulation of PA catabolic enzyme genes (<em>OsCuAO6, OsCuAO8, OsCuAO1</em> and <em>OsCuAO2</em>) and PA synthase genes (<em>OsADC2</em> and <em>OsADC1</em>). As stressed plants inoculated with SynCom had higher level of expression in <em>OsPAO1, OsPAO2, OsPAO3</em> as compared to non-inoculated plants, stimulating reactive oxygen species-associated stress responsiveness signaling through low H₂O₂ levels by enhancing the genes encoding antioxidant defence system (<em>OsCu/</em>Zn<em>-SOD, OsCAT1</em> and <em>OsMn-SOD</em>). The results of this study showed that SynCom can alter PA metabolism to improve plants' resistance to heavy metals like As. The inoculation of SynCom emerges as a promising strategy to enhance plant resilience against As toxicity by promoting positive interactions and regulatory stress-responsive pathways. Furthermore, the inoculation of SynCom is a viable approach capable of ameliorating heavy metal stress and improving the productivity of crops in the contaminated soil by fostering positive interactions and stress responsive regulatory mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"178 ","pages":"Pages 148-161"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regulatory mechanism of the fine root morphology of Clematis fruticosa in response to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation and nitrogen addition","authors":"Longfei Hao ,&nbsp;Ye Zheng ,&nbsp;Tingyan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>How do arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) regulate the adaptation mechanism of plant roots at different levels of nitrogen (N) deposition under global climate change? Our study explored the relationships among root morphology construction, gene expression and hormone synthesis regulation of the plant under N addition and AMF inoculation treatments. One-year-old potted <em>Clematis fruticosa</em> was selected as the study object, and inoculation (including inoculation without and with AMF) treatments and N addition (including control, low N, medium N and high N with N application amounts of 0, 3, 6 and 9 g·m⁻²·a⁻¹, respectively) treatments were set up. The regulatory mechanism of differential gene expression and phytohormone metabolism on fine root morphology was analyzed under the inoculation and N addition treatments. In all of the N addition treatments, the total root length, root surface area and total volume of seedlings inoculated with AMF were significantly increased in the control treatment compared with those not inoculated. AMF inoculation and N addition significantly affected the differential gene expression of fine roots, while the no-inoculation treatment had a lesser effect. Four phytohormones (jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, gibberellin A₁ and gibberellin A₇) and 43 genes related to hormone synthesis were identified by PLS-PM pathway analysis, and phytohormones had the greatest effect on fine root morphology. The contents of jasmonic acid and abscisic acid decreased based on the expression of related genes (LOX, AOC, OPR, and NCED) that were down-regulated after AMF inoculation, which promoted root growth. The fine root morphology of <em>C. fruticosa</em> was directly regulated by AMF inoculation, gene expression and phytohormone content. The regulatory mechanisms of phytohormones in the AMF inoculation and N addition treatments showed antagonistic effects. Gene expression positively regulated root morphology, while phytohormones had a negative regulatory effect. Results could provide a reference for understanding the regulatory mechanism with mycorrhizal fungi on plant ecological resilience under N input conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"178 ","pages":"Pages 139-147"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pharmacognostic and pharmacological evaluation of Podranea ricasoliana (tanfani) sprague: Exploring its antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties","authors":"Soumya Kiran Mishra ,&nbsp;Padmaja Kota ,&nbsp;Prafulla Kumar Sahu ,&nbsp;Roja Sahu ,&nbsp;Biswajeet Acharya","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.01.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study investigated <em>Podranea ricasoliana</em>, a shrub with pinkish violet flowers known as “tecoma pink” or “pink trumpet,” from the Bignoniaceae family. It involved pharmacognostic profiling through macroscopic and microscopic characterization and evaluation of antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential of ethanolic extracts of aerial parts of the plant <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> models. The extract's inhibitory activity was tested against bacteria (both gram-positive and gram-negative) and fungi using the cup-plate method. <em>In vitro</em> antioxidant potency was assessed through H₂O₂, DPPH, and NO scavenging methods. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities were evaluated using <em>in vitro</em> (protein denaturation inhibition assays and proteinase activity) and <em>in vivo</em> methods (via different animal models). The results demonstrated a dose-dependent and significant inhibitory activity, against <em>B. subtilis</em> and <em>E. coli</em>, with moderate inhibition against <em>B. pumilus, P. aeruginosa, C. albicans</em>, and <em>A. niger</em>. The extract exhibited strong antioxidant potential, scavenging H₂O₂, DPPH, and NO radicals with IC₅₀ values of 26.84 µg/mL, 524.28 µg/mL, and 99.84 µg/mL, respectively. <em>In vitro</em> studies indicated dose-dependent protein denaturation activity, showing potency comparable to the standard. <em>In vivo</em> studies revealed dose-dependent analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, significantly reducing acid-induced writhing, rat paw edema, and formalin-induced nociception compared to the disease control (<em>p</em> <em>&lt;</em> <em>0.001</em>). This comprehensive examination of <em>P. ricasoliana</em>'s pharmacognostic profile and bioactivity suggests its potential as a natural alternative to synthetic drugs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"178 ","pages":"Pages 113-126"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}