Biostimulants containing amino acids in vegetable crop production

Amino acids can induce defence reactions and reduce the impact of abiotic stresses on plants, yet their impact on the yield of vegetable crops is varied. For this reason, an analysis of the published research on the effect of biostimulants containing amino acids (BCAA) on the quantity and quality of vegetable crop yield was carried out. The results of the research indicate the multidirectional effect of BCAA on vegetable plants and they also show that the use of these biostimulants may increase yield quantity and quality as well as influence biometric features and chemical composition of plants. BCAA may also affect the amount of losses caused by pests and during the storage of vegetables. However, the variability of the effects is very large and depends on many factors: composition of BCAA, time, dose, number and method of application, cultivation cycle, weather conditions, and plant species or even cultivar. Therefore, the effective use of BCAA requires further research, while their proper application in horticultural practice will require taking into account many factors.

Influence of the agro zerebra growth regulator on yield and quality of spring barley grain

The results of experiments on studying the effect of the growth regulator Zerebra Agro on the grain yield of spring barley, the chemical composition of plants, the quality of the grain and the amino acid composition of the protein when cultivated according to different predecessors on meadow-chernozem soil in the conditions of the Omsk region are presented. Field studies were carried out in 2014-2016. on the fields of the educational and experimental farm of the Omsk State Agrarian University, and laboratory at the Department of Agrochemistry and Soil Science of Omsk State Agrarian University. Vvariety of spring barley – Gift of Siberia. Predecessors – steam and wheat, agricultural technics – common for the zone The use of the growth regulator Zerebra Agro at a dose of 150 ml/ha made it possible to form an increase in the yield of barley grain when cultivating barley after wheat in steam – 0,27 t/ha and 0,31 t/ha when cultivated with the second crop after steam (in the control variant, the yield was for a pair of 2.82 t/ha, for wheat 1.72 t/ha). The applied growth regulator had a positive effect on the grain quality of spring barley.

Mineral Materials as a Neutralizing Agent Used on Soil Contaminated with Copper

The aim of the investigation was to evaluate the response of plants, using black mustard (Brassica nigra L. Koch) as a model plant, to soil contamination with copper (0, 200, 400, 600 mg Cu kg−1 of soil), and to determine the effectiveness of the Cu immobilization with mineral neutralizing materials, such as lime, clay and zeolite. The plant yield depended on soil contamination and mineral amendments. In the series without neutralizing materials, the level of 600 mg Cu kg−1 reduced the yield and increased leaf greenness. Lime alleviated the toxicity of Cu in objects with 200 mg Cu kg−1. Zeolite slightly mitigated the harmful effects of Cu at the level of 400 and 600 mg kg−1. Zeolite lowered the SPAD index. In the chemical composition of plants, the content of Cu, K, Mg, Na and Ca in plants increased to 400 mg Cu kg−1, while the content of P decreased to 600 mg Cu kg−1. Among the materials, lime reduced the Cu accumulation in plants the most, followed by clay. Cu narrowed the majority of ratios and widened the Ca:P and K:Ca ratios in plants. The applied mineral materials, except lime, did not significantly affect the formation of these indicators.

Plant-matrix reference materials as a tool for ensuring the uniformity of chemical measurements in geochemistry, ecology, agriculture and pharmacology

The population needs reliable information on the chemical composition of plants and products made from them in order to preserve the environment and its safety. With the increase in cross-border trade, there is a growing demand for traceable results of determining the content of chemical elements in plants and not only proteins, fats, carbohydrates, pesticides, moisture, vitamins, etc., which can affect the quality of human life. An urgent but difficult analytical task is to obtain reliable measurements of the elemental composition of agricultural and wild plants and various products made from them. Reference materials (RMs) are a widely recognized tool for ensuring the uniformity of chemical measurements. They are designed for certification (validation) of existing and new methods (techniques) of chemical analysis, certification studies in the development of reference materials, and professional testing of laboratories. The article lists the reputable manufacturers of plant RMs in which the content of chemical elements is certified. The ratio of certified, reference, and quality control samples of plant-matrix has been assessed. The classification of certified reference materials according to the type of plant material used for their food application is provided. The contribution of different countries to the development of plant CRMs is hown. The selection of plants for the development of new RMs is discussed from two points of view, namely food composition databases (AOAC INTERNATIONAL) and the ‘Reference Plant’ chemical fingerprinting (B. Markert). Based on the consolidation of studies devoted to the development and appliance of plant-matrix reference materials, a list of the most important requirements has been compiled for reference materials that ensure the reliability and comparability of the results of chemical analysis in the fields of biology, geochemistry, ecology, agriculture, medicine, and interdisciplinary research.

The Morphological and Anatomical Traits of the Leaf in Representative Vinca Species Observed on Indoor- and Outdoor-Grown Plants

Morphological and anatomical traits of the Vinca leaf were examined using microscopy techniques. Outdoor Vinca minor and V. herbacea plants and greenhouse cultivated V. major and V. major var. variegata plants had interspecific variations. All Vinca species leaves are hypostomatic. However, except for V. minor leaf, few stomata were also present on the upper epidermis. V. minor leaf had the highest stomatal index and V. major had the lowest, while the distribution of trichomes on the upper epidermis was species-specific. Differentiated palisade and spongy parenchyma tissues were present in all Vinca species’ leaves. However, V. minor and V. herbacea leaves had a more organized anatomical aspect, compared to V. major and V. major var. variegata leaves. Additionally, as a novelty, the cellular to intercellular space ratio of the Vinca leaf’s mesophyll was revealed herein with the help of computational analysis. Lipid droplets of different sizes and aspects were localized in the spongy parenchyma cells. Ultrastructural characteristics of the cuticle and its epicuticular waxes were described for the first time. Moreover, thick layers of cutin seemed to be characteristic of the outdoor plants only. This could be an adaptation to the unpredictable environmental conditions, but nevertheless, it might influence the chemical composition of plants.

Biologically active substances of some species of the genus Asteraceae

Currently, 40% of drugs used in modern medicine are obtained from plant raw materials. Among the wild flora there are medicinal plant species containing a variety of chemical composition, including biologically active substances with antimicrobial activity and phytoncidal properties. This article presents biologically active substances of some species of the genus Asteraceae . The chemical composition of plants belonging to the Asteraceae family is represented by anthocyanins, inulins, pectins, flavonoids, proteins, cloves, fatty oils, coumarins, carotenes and polyphenols. The plant of the Asteraceae family is used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory, antitumor and cardiotonic agent.

Habitat conditions strongly affect macro- and microelement concentrations in Taraxacum microspecies growing on coastal meadows along a soil salinity gradient

Wild greens can contribute to the human diet as an important source of essential nutrients and drugs. Since environmental factors, including soil properties, may affect the chemical composition of plants, it is necessary among others to assess various habitats in terms of their usefulness for wild plant harvesting and to study impact of environmental factors on the qualitative and quantitative chemical composition of plants. This study was aimed at (1) examining the mineral composition of leaves of three dandelion microspecies, (2) determining the variability of macro- and microelement concentrations in dandelion leaves from populations growing on salty, brackish and non-saline coastal meadows, and (3) assessing the effects of different habitat conditions on the mineral composition of dandelion leaves. It was hypothesized that dandelion microspecies would differ significantly in the mineral composition of leaves. It was also expected that soil conditions would significantly affect nutrient concentrations in dandelion leaves, with soil salinity being the most important factor that differentiated studied populations. Leaves of three dandelion microspecies (Taraxacum balticum, T. nordstedtii, T. haematicum) were harvested in Baltic costal grasslands, along the soil salinity gradient, to determine macro- and microelement concentrations. Soil samples collected in the closest vicinity of the harvested plants showed the study sites to differ significantly in their soil properties. Moderately saline and organic soils, rich in potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca), supported T. balticum. Moderately or weakly saline and non-saline, organic or mineral soils, with lower median values of K, Mg, and Ca, were typical of T. nordstedtii sites, while the lowest median values of all the soil properties studied were found for T. haematicum sites. Our results proved that dandelion microspecies differ significantly in the mineral composition of their leaves. The between-microspecies differences were significant for all the macroelements except magnesium and all the microelements except molybdenum. Most of the macro- and microelements in leaves of the dandelion microspecies correlated positively and significantly with the soil properties, the strongest correlations being found for soil salinity and the leaf Na, Mn, Ca, Fe, K and Zn contents, followed by soil pH and the leaf Na, Mn, Fe, K, Ca, Zn and Mg. Moreover, the impact of soil properties on the mineral contents in leaves of the dandelions we examined seems to be stronger than the genetic differences between dandelion microspecies. Results of our studies on mineral composition of dandelion leaves lend support to the contention that wild greens provide essential mineral nutrients to the diet. Coastal meadows, fed by the brackish water of the Baltic Sea and free of anthropogenic pollution, are a good habitat to collect wild greens from.

Chemical Composition of Vegetables and Diet-dependent Intensity of Caries in Residents of Chervonograd (Ukraine) and Kraśnik (Poland)

BackgroundNutrition is one of the major determinants of human health. Consuming plant foods provides not only nutrients but also bioactive substances that reduce disease. The health of the oral cavity is determined by the quality of food, including vegetable food.ObjectiveTo study the effects of macro and microelements in vegetables on the status of mineralised dental tissues in relation to the hygiene and nutritional habits in 15-year-old adolescents living in Lublin Province and Lviv Oblast.MethodsThe chemical composition of plants was assessed (macro and microelements) of carrots and potatoes, vegetables consumed by 15-year-old inhabitants of Poland and Ukraine. The status of mineralised dental tissues was assessed based on caries severity expressed by the mean D3MFT number and the SIC index value. Another part of the study was a socio-medical survey focused on assessment of patients' eating habits.The respondents answered questions about the frequency of consumption of fruit and vegetables and fruit juices.ResultsThe chemical composition of plants depended on the species and place of cultivation. The present study showed higher caries frequency in the group of the 15-year-olds living in Kraśnik, i.e. 88% vs. 75% in the group from Chervonograd. The intensity of caries measured by the mean D3MFT value in the 15-year-old teenagers from Chervonograd who declared everyday consumption of fresh vegetables and fruit was 3.77, and from Krasnik 5.17.ConclusionThe present results show that carrots are a good source of microelements for humans, whereas potatoes provide potassium and calcium. The impact of the frequency of consuming plant products on the health of the oral cavity, which depended on the place of youth research.

THE CHANGES OF CHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF PEAT-FORMING PLANTS DURING DECOMPOSITION PRO-CESSES ON KARST-SUFFUSION MIRES OF THE MIDDLE-RUSSIAN UPLAND

The variety of biosphere functions of mire ecosystems is associated with the intensity of vertical growth of peat deposits, which is correlated with the rate of decomposition of plant remains. This process depends on the complex of ecological conditions and accompanies by changes in the chemical composition of plants. For studying of dynamics of the chemical parameters of the main peat-forming plants on the model karst-suffusion mire, an experiment was conducted with the laying of plant material in the peat. Plant samples were placed in peat to a depth of 5–7 cm in different parts of the mire, which is corresponded to the original place of species growing. After 1 and 2 years, the samples were removed from the peat and elemental analysis was carried out on the CHN-analyzer Carlo Erba 1100, ash content was determined by weight method and the degree of decomposition of plant remains was done by microscopy method. The results shows, that during the 2-year experiment the degree of decomposition of plants remains was changed by different ways. The herbs are least resistant for decomposition in the peat, but sphagnum mosses are the most resistant. The process of decomposition of plant remains is accompanied by a decreasing of ash content in vascular plants and increasing in sphagnum mosses, which is associated with their ability to accumulate surface runoff substances and atmospheric dust. During the transformation of plant material the content of carbon and nitrogen are changing. The C/N ratio indicates an uneven proportion of carbon and nitrogen at different stages of decomposition in different plant species, which correlates with the degree of decomposition.