Carnation and Dianthus (Dianthus spp) are globally cultivated as a cut flower, yet high summer temperatures in Taiwan significantly reduce the yield and quality of commercial cultivars. To enhance stress tolerance traits such as heat resistance and disease resistance, interspecific and intergeneric hybridization with native species is a viable approach. Since the success of hybridization is influenced by genetic distance, this study aimed to clarify the phylogenetic relationships among native species, commercial cultivars, and interspecific hybrids using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers.

This study explores the continuity and transformation of wild plant foraging practices in Biella, Piedmont (northwestern Italy), over the past 55 years. The aim was to assess how cultural, economic, and environmental shifts have shaped local ethnobotanical knowledge and practices, using a 1970 survey as a baseline for comparison. Ethnobotanical fieldwork was conducted with 15 local informants to document current wild plant uses for food and herbal teas.

Marine-derived microorganisms are renowned for producing structurally diverse secondary metabolites with notable biological activities, serving as a promising reservoir for pharmaceutical development. In this study, the fungal strain Westerdykella dispersa Ca4-13, isolated from the edible oyster Crassostrea angulata, was investigated for its potential anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective properties using BV-2 microglial cells as a model system.

Araceae family is known for its entomophilous reproductive strategies, involving olfactory-driven pollinator attraction and diverse floral rewards. In the Neotropics, genera with unisexually-flowered inflorescences, feature short anthesis and intense thermogenesis, while those with bisexual flowers typically have longer anthesis and varied strategies. However, Monsteroideae, with short anthesis, remains an exception and is underexplored. This study focuses on the floral morphology, pollination ecology, and reproductive strategies of Stenospermation weberbaueri to enhance understanding of Neotropical aroid dynamics.

The inconsistency between morphological and genetic evidence has consistently presented a challenge in taxonomy. The genus Aspidistra (Asparagaceae) comprises perennial herbs found primarily in eastern and southeastern Asia. This group has received limited systematic study despite the continuous publications of new species in recent years. Most species of Aspidistra have narrow distributions, and a large number of them are endemic. This study examined five Aspidistra species in Taiwan, which are part of a total of around 200 Aspidistra species found throughout Asia. In this study, we sampled all Aspidistra taxa in Taiwan to explore their phylogenetic relationships. We utilized transcriptome data for phylogenetic reconstruction and employed gene genealogy interrogation (GGI) to identify conflicts between gene trees and the species tree. Additionally, we tested nine evolutionary scenarios for these taxa by incorporating population-level genetic data. We obtained a well-supported species tree but also detected a high proportion of incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) phenomena.

Drought stress is a major constraint to the growth and productivity of Phaseolus vulgaris, particularly in dry regions. Utilizing natural biostimulants offers an eco-friendly approach to enhancing drought tolerance by modulating plant physio-biochemical responses. This study investigates the effectiveness of diluted lemon fruit juice (DLFJ) and diluted bee honey (DBH) as foliar biostimulants to mitigate drought-induced stress in P. vulgaris under two irrigation regimes: full (100% ETc) and deficit irrigation (60% ETc).

Seeds of temperate terrestrial (hardy) orchids are considered more difficult to germinate compared to their tropical epiphytic counterparts, presumably because they have higher levels of abscisic acid (ABA) in their seed coats which prevents seeds from germinating prematurely during winter dormancy. In nature, ABA is gradually broken down (stripped) by natural weathering, triggering germination. This process can be shortened artificially, however, by using chemical bleaching agents and cold-moist stratification with mixed results. In this study, we explored the use of fluridoneto break seed dormancy in a hardy orchid native to North America, Platanthera leucophaea (Nutt.) Lindl. This organic compound (IUPAC name: 1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-[3-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl] pyridin-4(1H)-one) is a commercial herbicide that inhibits ABA biosynthesis. We added fluridone directly to agar media prior to seed sowing in vitro. Both symbiotic and asymbiotic germination techniques were applied that involved two different agar media, with and without added fluridone. Symbiotic germination was carried out using standard oatmeal agar inoculated with a mycorrhizal fungus (Ceratobasidium), whereas asymbiotic treatments utilized P723 agar medium.

, used in traditional medicine and as a nutraceutical, requires external chemical stimuli for seed germination, similar to other Orobanchaceae species. This study aims to explore the effects of plant growth regulators conditioning and non-conditioning on its seed germination. Seeds collected from mature plants parasitizing were stored at 4 °C to induce dormancy and sterilized with NaOCl. Seeds were sterilized with NaOCl and Tween 20, and preconditioned on agar with gibberellic acid (GA3), fluridone, norflurazon, or brassinolide, and incubated at 4–18 °C for 3–7 days in darkness. Afterward, seeds were transferred to GR24 or SD HO agar, and incubated at 23 ± 2 °C. Non-conditioned sterilized seeds were directly germinated on agar with various substances and incubated for 180 days.

Understanding plant adaptation to extreme environments is crucial for conservation and evolutionary biology. Ammopiptanthus mongolicus, a drought-resistant evergreen shrub native to northwestern China, provides an excellent model for studying genetic and ecological responses to arid conditions. Climatic fluctuations, especially during the Quaternary, have shaped its distribution and genetic diversity, influencing its ability to survive in desert environments. However, the mechanisms underlying its adaptation remain insufficiently explored.

The cognitive decline is one of the age-associated physical dysfunctions and also found in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The whole plants of Dicliptera chinensis (L.) Nees (DC) are belonged to edible materials as fresh vegetables, and dried DC powders as tea materials or used as folk medicines for clearing heat and removing toxic substance in Taiwan. However, DC extracts and the active compounds on anti-ageing and attenuating cognitive declines are not clear.

Understanding the reproductive barriers in natural plant hybrids is fundamental for comprehending mechanisms of speciation and evolutionary divergence. Most studies focus on reproductive barriers and gene exchange material between parental species, whereas fewer emphasize the biological significance of hybrid viability and their ability to interbreed with each other or with the parental species. To address this gap, the present study focuses on the hybrid Serapias x kelleri and its parental species, Serapias vomeracea and Serapias cordigera to evaluate reproductive success and the role of prezygotic and postzygotic barriers. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to investigate and evaluate the reproductive success, the biological and evolutionary implications of Serapias x kelleri, in terms of fruit production and seeds produced through hand pollination of any possible bidirectional cross combinations between hybrid plants and both parental species.

Crop wild relatives (CWR) represent a valuable resource for ensuring food security. Although they are negatively affected by the loss of habitats due to climate change and land use change, they are underrepresented in conservation programmes. The establishment of genetic reserve (GR) networks has been put forward as an approach to protect CWR. The objective of this study was to identify CWR hotspots in Germany, which are suitable candidates for the establishment of GRs. CWR observation data were collected on a national scale from various sources and a hotspot analysis was performed to identify potential GR sites. A number of these sites were visited and the plant species occurring were recorded.

OsYchF1 belongs to the YchF subfamily in the Obg family of G proteins, and comprises a core G domain, an α-helical domain, and a TGS domain from the N-terminus to the C-terminus. The C2-domain GTPase-activating protein (OsGAP1) binds to and accelerates the enzyme activity of OsYchF1. The OsYchF1–OsGAP1 module plays a pivotal role in the response of rice to environmental stress. Nonetheless, how OsYchF1 anchors OsGAP1 has remained elusive. Our results demonstrate that OsYchF1 interacts with OsGAP1 through its N-terminal G domain and C-terminal TGS domain, while the inserted helical domain imposes a steric hindrance, as shown by yeast two-hybrid and isothermal titration calorimetry assays. Also, we implemented the AlphaFold2 artificial intelligence system to predict the structure of the OsYchF1–OsGAP1 complex. However, AlphaFold2 could not capture these dynamic conformational changes, likely due to the weak (=102.6 ± 11.7 µM) and transient nature of the OsYchF1-OsGAP1 interaction, which is primarily driven by hydrophobic interactions. Unexpectedly, the protein-protein docking by a fully automated algorithm ClusPro accurately recapitulated both the experimental evidence for G/TGS domain-mediated binding and the known cluster regions on OsGAP1, whereas AlphaFold2 failed to align with these findings.

Beetle rearing for food or feed is a growing area of agriculture that produces considerable wastes. This frass is a putative soil amendment anecdotally applied directly as fertilizer. To determine if beetle waste can be used as a soil amendment without pre-treatment, a series of chemical, physical, microbiological, and plant-growth assays were performed on waste from the coconut rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), fed cocopeat. Beetle diet and frass NPK levels, C:N ratio, and particle size were measured. Microbiota was identified with metabarcoding, and functional profile analysis done to identify pathways associated with wood digestion or plant growth. Cultivation tests were done with Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicales: Brassicaceae) and frass incorporation into potting soil at 0, 20, or 40%, followed by elemental concentration measurement of the soil, frass, and plant matter.

The purpose of our study was to arrange the monthly temperature and precipitation in order of importance for the growth of Scots pine young trees. Model 25-year-old 405 individuals were selected in 27 forested former agricultural lands. Annual tree height increment in 2009-2013, a period with contrasting amounts of summer precipitation, was measured.

Dolichandrone spathacea (D. spathacea) is a traditional medicine used to treat chronic bronchitis (CB) in Vietnam and India. However, phytochemicals and potential mechanisms of this species against CB have not been fully illuminated. Therefore, this study aimed to isolate and elucidate the phytochemicals of D. spathacea, clarify its potential molecular mechanisms and key therapeutic targets in treating CB through network pharmacology and validate these findings using molecular docking, and experimental approaches.

Powdery mildews (Erysiphaceae, Ascomycota) belong to the most important plant pathogenic fungi that cause stress to forest and fruit trees and lead to a considerable loss of economic crops worldwide as well as in Taiwan. The checklist of Erysiphaceae in Taiwan is an important basis to control these pathogens. However, it has been published 25 years ago without any updating, while taxonomic concepts of genera and species changed and many new fungus and host records have been published. We update the checklist of Erysiphaceae by applying new taxonomical concepts and we add several new host records worldwide or for Taiwan based on own, recent collections.

Galls are abnormal plant tissues that result from the interaction between the defense responses of plants and the activities of galling herbivores. During infection, secondary metabolites are synthesized to mitigate the oxidative stress whereas growth and cellular processes in infected tissues are reprogrammed. Although the regulatory networks of growth-related phytohormones are recognized as the main component in gall formation, other factors like oxidative stress might also being critical in gall development. In this study, we focused on the spherical psyllid galls found in the leaves of Machilus japonica var. kusanoi to analyze the differences in transcript, protein content, and several metabolites between galls and leaves.

Rice production faces relentless threat from the brown plant hopper (), particularly in Asian subcontinents like India, where the highly damaging biotype-4 is prevalent. Developing rice varieties with long-lasting resistance is crucial to combat this threat sustainably. This study aimed to identify stable novel resistant sources and associate molecular markers with resistant loci present in the new sources of resistance. In this study, 152 rice genotypes were screened against , and further genotyping was done using 82 SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) markers linked to 28 -resistant genes and QTLs.

Trechispora (Hydnodontaceae) comprises a diverse group of wood- and soil-inhabiting fungi, primarily functioning as saprotrophs, with some species forming symbiotic associations with plants and animals. Despite the recognition of over 100 species worldwide, its diversity in Taiwan remains understudied. This study presents the first comprehensive taxonomic revision of Trechispora in Taiwan, integrating morphological and phylogenetic analyses based on sequence data from the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS) region and the nuc 28S rDNA (28S).