Pigmented Potatoes: A Potential Panacea for Food and Nutrition Security and Health?

Although there are over 4000 potato cultivars in the world, only a few have been commercialized due to their marketability and shelf-life. Most noncommercialized cultivars are pigmented and found in remote regions of the world. White-fleshed potatoes are well known for their energy-enhancing complex carbohydrates; however, pigmented cultivars are potentially high in health-promoting polyphenolic compounds. Therefore, we reveal the comprehensive compositions of pigmented cultivars and associated potential health benefits, including their potential role in ameliorating hunger, food, and nutrition insecurity, and their prospects. The underutilization of such resources is a direct threat to plant-biodiversity and local traditions and cultures.

Bryophyta (Mosses) of Senegal: the case of Mosses in Herbaria and databases

In Senegal, Mosses constitute a large and diverse systematic group. This work is a contribution to the knowledge of Bryophyta in the herbaria of Senegal. It specifically proposes to determine the structure of the Bryophyta on the prospected sites in order to provide basic knowledge for a better sustainable management. This study is carried out in the first place in the herbaria of the University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar/Senegal: the herbarium of the Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire Cheikh Anta Diop (IFAN) and the herbarium DAKAR of the Department of Plant Biology of the Faculty of Sciences and Techniques. Secondly, a consultation of different checklists and databases was conducted to collect more information. This research work on the flora of the mosses allowed us to identify a total of 70 species divided into 44 genera, 24 families and 12 orders. The orders Hypnales, Dicranales and Hookeriales are the most represented. Bryaceae are dominant followed by Pottiaceae, Calymperaceae, Dicranaceae and Hypnaceae. The genera Fissidens, Calymperes, Bryum, Gemmabruym and Leucoloma are more diversified. These results are important for the conservation of the environment and the enhancement of plant biodiversity in Senegal.

Contribution to the biosystematic study of liverworts (Marchantiophyta) of Senegal: Case of Senegaleses herbaria and check-lists

The aim of this work is to contribute to a better knowledge of liverworts in the herbaria of Senegal in order to provide basic knowledge for a better sustainable management. This study is carried out in the firstly in the herbaria of the University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar/Senegal: the herbarium of the Herbarium of the Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire (IFAN UCAD) and the herbarium DAKAR of the Department of Plant Biology of the Faculty of Sciences and Techniques. Secondly, a consultation of different checklists and databases was conducted to collect more information. This research work on the flora of liverworts is rich with nearly 39 species divided into 24 genera and 13 families. The order Jungermanniales is dominant in terms of families and the Porellales Jubulineae in terms of genera and species. The family Lejeuneaceae is in the majority in this flora before the families Ricciaceae, Plagiochilaceae and Metzgeriaceae. These results are important for the conservation of the environment and the development of the plant biodiversity of Senegal.

Assessment of Plant Biodiversity around the Tobolsk Industrial Site

The article presents the results of comprehensive studies of the plant biodiversity near the industrial zone of the city of Tobolsk, Tyumen Oblast, Russia. Nine species of formation communities were identified: Abies sibirica Ledeb, Pineta (sylvestris), Betuleta (pendula), Betuleta (pubescens), Tilieta (cordata), Populeta (tremula), Saliceta, Prata, Emersiherbosa. Also, eleven associations were identified for the studied communities: fir forest with sedges, linden and birch; mixed small-leaved dark coniferous forest with sedges; low-shrub sphagnum pine forest; steppe birch forest; swampy low-shrub sphagnum birch forest; swampy reedgrass birch forest; linden-birch forest; cereal-horsetail-fern aspen forest; aspen forest with grass layer; aspen forest mixed with birch and sedges; mixed birch-aspen forb forest; maturing aspen-birch forest with hygrophilous grasses.

IMPACT OF THE INVASIVE CUSCUTA CAMPESTRIS ON VEGETATIVE COVER AND PLANT BIODIVERSITY IN HOMA- BAY COUNTY

Purpose: This research paper focused on the impact of Cuscuta campestris on vegetative cover and plant biodiversity in Homa-Bay County. The specific objective was to investigate the impact on plant growth and development with indicator as photosynthetic capacity of preferred host plants and chlorophyll content and leaf weight as the parameters. Methodology: The study was conducted in hot-spot areas of invasion, Rachuonyo North, Homa Bay town and Suba North using Completely Randomized Experimental Block Design. The data was collected through field observation and laboratory analysis. The study used descriptive and correlation data analysis procedures to show the impact on photosynthetic capacity, ANOVA to determine statistical significant difference among the obtained results for each parameter of the infected and uninfected samples. Variance analysis were conducted using SPSS 20 (IBM Corp. Armonk, NY, USA) and differences between means tested by ANOVA. Values of P ≤ 0.05 were considered significantly different. Findings: The results showed that the invasion was more intense in Theveta peruvinia and Euphorbia tirucalli species. Mean leaf amounts of chlorophyll were observed to decline with chlorophyll a from 3.97 to 1.59 mg/g and chlorophyll b from 2.65 to 1.18 mg/g and total chlorophyll value from 6.62 to 2.76 mg/g on infection resulting to reduced photosynthetic efficiency and low organic material formation. Leaf wet and dry weight significantly decreased in both infected varieties. The mean wet weight of 17.61g in infected was significantly different, F (1, 4) = 235.74, p< .05, from the mean wet weight of 24.23g in the uninfected Yellow Oleander while the mean dry weight of 5.55g in infected was significantly different, F (1, 4) = 159.72, p< .05, from mean dry weight of 7.87g in uninfected Yellow Oleander. Similarly, significant difference, F (1, 4) = 714.64, p< .05, was observed in Calliandra calothyrsus variety. These demonstrated how C. campestris is detrimental causing ecological impacts with direct effects on plant biodiversity by reducing growth and development of infected host plant and even leading to death. Unique Contributions to Theory, Practice and Policy: The paper recommends intense sensitization of the community on the impacts of dodder from the findings for an enhanced understanding and need for management and control. The findings to be disseminated through workshops involving farmers, NGOs and community based organisations, academic conferences and publications to help create awareness on the impacts and mobilize the entire public on management and possible total eradication. Further research to investigate on nutrients of attraction in the preferred host plants with an aim of permanent solution for total eradication in order to restore the vegetative cover and plant biodiversity.

Plant biodiversity and the regeneration of soil fertility

Fertile soils have been an essential resource for humanity for 10,000 y, but the ecological mechanisms involved in the creation and restoration of fertile soils, and especially the role of plant diversity, are poorly understood. Here we use results of a long-term, unfertilized plant biodiversity experiment to determine whether biodiversity, especially plant functional biodiversity, impacted the regeneration of fertility on a degraded sandy soil. After 23 y, plots containing 16 perennial grassland plant species had, relative to monocultures of these same species, ∼30 to 90% greater increases in soil nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, cation exchange capacity, and carbon and had ∼150 to 370% greater amounts of N, K, Ca, and Mg in plant biomass. Our results suggest that biodiversity, likely in combination with the increased plant productivity caused by higher biodiversity, led to greater soil fertility. Moreover, plots with high plant functional diversity, those containing grasses, legumes, and forbs, accumulated significantly greater N, K, Ca, and Mg in the total nutrient pool (plant biomass and soil) than did plots containing just one of these three functional groups. Plant species in these functional groups had trade-offs between their tissue N content, tissue K content, and root mass, suggesting why species from all three functional groups were essential for regenerating soil fertility. Our findings suggest that efforts to regenerate soil C stores and soil fertility may be aided by creative uses of plant diversity.