Chromosome numbers of invasive and potentially invasive species in the flora of the Republic of Altai. Post V

Chromosome numbers (2n) of 15 invasive and potentially invasive plant species from the families Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Malvaceae, Onagraceae, Papaveraceae, Plantaginaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Portulacaceae, and Rosaceae are reported on the samples collected in the Republic of Altai. To determine the chromosome number (ploidy level), the method of direct counting was used. Among studied species, chromosome complements for Persicaria orientalis (2n = 22), Potentilla norvegica (2n = 42), Veronica persica (2n = 28) were first examined from Russia; for Papaver rhoeas (2n = 14) and Rumex obtusifolius (2n = 20) – from Asian part of Russia; for Bromus squarrosus (2n = 14), Cosmos bipinnatus (2n = 24), and Eriochloa villosa (2n = 54) – from Siberia. Abutilon theophrasti (2n = 42) and Lepidium densiflorum (2n = 32) were first studied from Western Siberia; Epilobium ciliatum subsp. adenocaulon (2n = 36), Portulaca oleracea (2n = 36), Spergularia rubra (2n = 36), and Xanthium strumarium (2n = 36) – from the Republic of Altai. Common distribution and the history of floristic findings of these species in the Republic of Altai are given. Previously published data on chromosome numbers from Russia are cited.

A study on the allelopathic activity and quantitative determination of total phenolicand flavonoid of six plants in the Asteraceae family

This study aims to determine the allelopathic activities of six plants that belong to Asteraceae family such as China wedelia (Wedelia chinensis), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), marigolds (Tagetes erecta), Mexico sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia), and zinnia (Zinnia elegans) by applying their methanolic extracts on barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli L.) and mustard green (Brassica juncea) with different concentrations (0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1 g/ml). Results conducted from the study showed that the aqueous solutions extracted from the above-mentioned plants inhibited shoot and root length of barnyardgrass, mustard green at different intensity ranges in which cosmos aqueous extract gave the strongest impact, says, 23.01 and 97.54% of shoot length inhibition; 56.45 and 93.52% of root length inhibition at 0.3 and 1.0 g/ml respectively for mustard green. In case of barnyradgrass, the same results were also reported, says, 8.5 and 88.15% of shoot length inhibition; 36.35 and 99.99% of root length inhibition at 0.3 and 1.0 g/ml respectively. Total phenolic contents of the fresh plants of cosmos, China wedelia, sunflower, Mexico sunflower, marigolds and zinia were 4.51, 3.96, 1.05, 1.45, 3.61, and 0.99 mg/g, respectively; their total flavonoid contents were 1.58, 0.76, 0.29, 0.39, 0.65, and 0.45 mg/g, respectively. It is obvious that cosmos aqueous extract can be effectively and safely used for biological control of barnyardgrass.

Effects of Three Herbs on Methane Emissions from Beef Cattle

The objectives of the present work were to evaluate the in vivo antimethanogenic effects of Cymbopogon citratus (CC), Matricaria chamomilla (MC) and Cosmos bipinnatus (CB) on beef cattle fed a high in concentrate diet (forage-to-concentrate ratio [F:C] of 19.4:80.6), and the effects of increasing levels of CC (0%, 2%, 3%, and 4% of the daily DM intake (DMI)) on enteric CH4 emissions by beef cattle fed a ration low in concentrate (F:C ratio of 49.3:50.7). Two experiments were conducted to address the objectives. For the first experiment, eight Charolais × Brown Swiss steers distributed in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square experimental design were used. Four treatments were evaluated: (1) control diet (CO), (2) CO + 365 g dry matter (DM)/d CB, (3) CO + 365 g DM/d MC, (4) CO + 100 g DM/d CC. For Experiment 2, four Charolais x Brown Swiss steers distributed in a single 4 × 4 Latin square design were used. It was concluded that 100 g DM per day CC and 365 g DM per day CB (Experiment 1) reduced CH4 yield of beef cattle. In Experiment 2, CC supplementation levels exceeding 2% of DMI reduced daily CH4 emissions but at the expense of decreasing digestibility of DM.

Allergenic Sensitization to pollen extracts in allergic patients. General “Calixto García” University Hospital, 2017.

Background: Nowadays, the allergic diseases are affecting the population at worldwide level and Cuba does not escape to this, inside the aeroallergens that trigger the crises we can find the pollens. The main goals of this study were to determine the allergenic sensitization to pollens in allergic patients and their relationship with the presence of allergic diseases.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was performed in patients suffering from asthma, rhinitis, allergic rhino-conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis and allergic conjunctivitis. All patients underwent an allergic clinical history and skin prick test with allergenic extracts of Helianthus annus, Cosmos bipinnatus, Cynodon dactylon, Quercus sp, Eucalyptus sp . Frequencies and percentages were determined for its analysis.Results: Thirty-three patients were studied. The average age was found in the third decade of life, with a predominance in women. More than half of the patients were sensitized to pollens and 24.24% of them were polysensitized; the most frequent pollen was the cynodon dactylon . The patients with rhinitis were the most sensitized with the pollens.Conclusions: There is sensitization to pollen in our patients.

Reduced Expression of CbUFO Is Associated with the Phenotype of a Flower-Defective Cosmos bipinnatus

LEAFY (LFY) and UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO) homologous genes have been reported to play key roles in promoting the initiation of floral meristems in raceme- and cyme-type plants. Asteraceae, a large family of plants with more than 23,000 species, has a unique head-like inflorescence termed capitulum. Here, we report a floral defective plant of the garden cosmos named green head (gh), which shows homogeneous inflorescence, indistinguishable inflorescence periphery and center, and the replacement of flower meristems by indeterminate inflorescence meristems, coupled with iterative production of bract-like organs and higher order of inflorescences. A comparison of the LFY- and UFO-like genes (CbFLY and CbUFO) isolated from both the wild-type and gh cosmos revealed that CbUFO may play an important role in inflorescence differentiation into different structures and promotion of flower initiation, and the reduced expression of CbUFO in the gh cosmos could be associated with the phenotypes of the flower-defective plants. Further expression analysis indicated that CbUFO may promote the conversion of inflorescence meristem into floral meristem in early ray flower formation, but does not play a role in its later growth period.

STUDY OF ADSORPTION AND KINETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF NATURAL SORBENTS WITH RESPECT TO PLUMBUM (II) IONS

The studies conducted are devoted to the study of the sorption capacity of water-soluble polysaccharides with respect to plumbum (II) cations and the establishment of the kinetic characteristics of the process. Fractions of water-soluble polysaccharides derived from the herb Cosmos bipinnatus Cav. (Asteraceae) of two different varieties "Dazzler" and "Purity". Raw materials were harvested during the flowering period of the plant in the Botanical Garden of the Pyatigorsk Medical and Pharmaceutical Institute. As a result of the research, the adsorption capacity of the obtained water-soluble polysaccharides to lead ions was studied. The chemical composition of Cosmos bipinnatus is not well understood. Phenolic compounds (the presence of chalcones, aurones, phenolic acids, flavonoids) and essential oils have been studied, while information about the carbohydrate composition has hardly been found, although often this group of compounds plays a significant role in pharmacological action. The physicochemical properties of polysaccharides are practically not studied. In this study, we established a rather high sorption capacity of water-soluble polysaccharides obtained from cosmetically doubly-circular two different grades "Dazzler" and "Purity" relative to plumbum (II) ions (90 and 92.5%, respectively). The concentration of lead ions was determined at different time intervals by complexometric titration. The process of complexation proceeds in the first order. The analysis of the obtained data allows us to conclude that it is possible to use the VRPS obtained from the cosmetically doubly-circular "Purity" and "Dazzler" varieties to extract plumbum (II) ions, and as natural detoxicants.

Tasa relativa de crecimiento de herbáceas con potencial de restauración en suelos degradados del bosque La Primavera, Jalisco, México

39 especies herbáceas fueron sembradas en suelos degradados del bosque La Primavera, con dos tratamientos, 1: siembra con todas las especies y 2: siembra con las fabáceas y 15 días después se agregó el resto de las especies, en parcelas de 1 m-2. Con Análisis de Varianza (Anova) analizamos cobertura, densidad y tasa de crecimiento (cociente del área foliar y tasa de asimilación neta). La Dalea leporina registró la cobertura más alta y la Cosmos bipinnatus la mayor densidad. Las asteráceas registraron el crecimiento más alto. Desmodium sericophyllum y D. aparines mostraron el cociente del área foliar más alto y Cosmos bipinnatus la tasa de asimilación mayor. La presencia de otras especies no afectó la densidad ni el crecimiento de las fabáceas; además, mostraron ajustes morfológicos y fisiológicos con ventajas competitivas para establecerse en suelos degradados, por lo que son la mejor opción para iniciar procesos de sucesión vegetal para restaurar suelos en La Primavera.