Arsenic content and phenolic compounds in parsley (Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss) and celery (Apium graveolens L.) cultivated in Vojvodina region, Serbia

Randomly collected samples of parsley and celery from different localities were analyzed to determine their quality based on arsenic concentrations, phenolic constituents and the antioxidant capacity of their edible parts. Arsenic concentrations were found in the range: parsley root (0.16 μg/g d.m.) < celery root (0.19 μg/g d.m.) < parsley leaf (0.35 μg/g d.m.) < celery leaf (0.45 μg/g d.m.). Total phenolic contents in roots were similar in both species and varied significantly depending on the cultivation site: 5.03-9.18 mg eqGA/g DE in parsley and 5.04-8.50 mg eqGA/g DE in celery. Lower total flavonoids content was recorded in celery. Among the phenolic acids, ferulic, chlorogenic and several cinnamic acids dominated. Apigenin and its glucosides dominated among flavonoids. Based on the principal component analysis (PCA) it can be concluded that the As content varied depending on the geographical origin of the samples. Also, phenolic compounds showed a significant contribution on PCA clustirng, indicating that cultivation site has a clear significant impact on the metabolites profile, while As content in plants did not significantly affect phenolic compound profile.

PUMPKIN: BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF CUCURBITA SPP. ACCESSIONS FROM THE VIR COLLECTION

The catalogue describes 151 accessions of Cucurbita maxima Duch., Cucurbita moschata Duch. ex. Poir., and Cucurbita pepo L. in the context of their most important biochemical indicators assessed on the cultivation site at Pushkin and Pavlovsk Laboratories of VIR (St. Petersburg). The aim of this catalogue is to assist plant breeders and researchers interested in studying the genetic diversity of Cucurbita spp. in their search for source material that could be used for the development of new pumpkin cultivars with higher content of valuable biochemical compounds in order to expand the assortment of food products in functional, medicinal and prophylactic diets.

INVENTARISASI JENIS TUMBUHAN PAKU (PTERIDOPHYTA) DI DESA PADANG PELASAN KABUPATEN SELUMA

This study aims to determine the types of ferns found in Padang Pelasan Village, Seluma Regency, Bengkulu Province. The research was conducted using a qualitative descriptive method, namely research by collecting data or words. Sampling Pteridophyta was done by the Cruise Method. Data obtained from ferns (Pteridophyta) was then identified by observing samples consisting of roots, stems, leaves, and spores. The ferns found were brought to the nail cultivation site and the planting process was carried out. Based on the research results, the results of the inventory of ferns in Padang Pelasan Village, Seluma Regency, found 30 species of ferns consisting of 12 families, namely 3 species of Blechnaceae, 2 species of Selaginellaceae, 1 species of Dennstaedtiaceae, 1 species of Gleicheniaceae, 6 species of Pteridaceae. 1 species of Lygodiaceae, 4 species of Schizaceae, 1 species of Davalliaceae, 1 species of Athyriaceae, 1 species of Aspleniaceae, 7 species of Polypodiaceae, and 1 species of Equisetaceae. The most dominating ferns are the Polypodiaceae with 7 species.

Effect of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA) on the Biochemical and Physiological Parameters of Postharvest Quality of Polygonatum multiflorum L. All. ‘Variegatum’ Cut Foliage

Due to the dynamic development of the floriculture market, new species and varieties of plants that can potentially be used as a source of cut greenery are constantly being sought. The experiment was conducted to analyze the effect of the cultivation site (unheated foil tunnel and open field) and treatments with the Pentakeep V formulation (0.00%, 0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.06%) on the vase life and postharvest quality of Polygonatum multiflorum ‘Variegatum’ cut foliage. There was a positive effect of the cultivation in the unheated foil tunnel on the vase life and biochemical parameters, namely the electrolyte leakage (EL), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), chlorophyll a + b (Chl. a + b), proline, peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), of P. multiflorum cut foliage. Foliar application of Pentakeep V formulation at concentrations of 0.04% and 0.06% contributed to a decrease in the TBARS content in the P. multiflorum cut leaves, regardless of the plant cultivation site. Additionally, it reduced proline production in cut leaves of P. multiflorum cultivated in the unheated foil tunnel, which was confirmed by the analyses carried out after the 30 days of the experiment. Furthermore, the exogenous application of ALA during P. multiflorum cultivation inhibited POD activity, irrespective of its concentration and the site of plant cultivation.

Effect of salinity stress on quinoa germination. Influence of ionic and osmotic components

Quinoa is a salinity tolerant species that can be used as a complementary crop in saline soils in many parts of the world. Previous studies, mostly referred to the influence of sodium chloride, have shown that according to the genetic material there are different salinity degrees of tolerance. In general, germination decreases with increasing salinity. However, there are few quinoa studies related to the components of saline stress (ionic and osmotic factors). In this study, the influence of both factors, in the presence of NaCl and KCl salts on CICA Var cultivated in the Argentina Northwest was evaluated. The seeds were germinated under different salt concentrations (0, 100, 200, 300, 400 mM NaCl and KCl) and in PEG8000 in solutions osmotically equivalent to the concentrations of sodium and potassium salts. The results showed that up to 200 mM of NaCl and KCl, germination reached values higher than 90% and after 300 mM of salts the rate and final germination decreased. The ionic factor of both salts has the greatest influence on germination. This result can be explained by the physiological adjustment that this variety, originally from the mountainous area of Peru, displayed against the edaphic and microclimatic conditions of the cultivation site in the Argentine Northwest (1,995 m asl).

Lead and cadmium in conventional and organic carrots

Toxic elements like lead and cadmium are considered harmful to human health. These elements do not have any useful function in an organism. They are known only for their negative actions, which can be tolerated by human body only in certain limits. Carrots may absorb these toxic elements from the soil they grow in. The presence of the contaminants depends mainly on the mode and site of cultivation, fertilizer, industrial infrastructure, level of transportation and roads around cultivation site or occurrence of municipal and agricultural waste nearby. The organic food is supposed to be healthier due to, among other things, less content of toxic substances, which results from more sustainable farming. The aim of this research was to determine the content of lead and cadmium in carrots from conventional and organic farming that were available on polish market.The research had been conducted for two years. Both kinds of carrots had been purchased at the same time in different supermarkets in Poland. Altogether, 36 packages, both conventional and organic carrots, were collected. The samples of carrots were dried and then reduced to ashes in 480 °C within few hours. Then the residues were dissolved in 1 M nitric acid and quantitatively transferred to measuring flasks, complemented with deionised water. The content of cadmium and lead was determined by application of electrothermal atomizer (graphite furnace) in iCE 3000 (Thermo Scientific, USA) spectrometer using adequate cathode lamps and Zeeman background correction. Wavelengths for analysis of lead and cadmium were 217 nm and 288.8 nm respectively.The results show that there are statistically significant differences in the average content of lead and cadmium in conventional and organic carrots. The concentrations of lead in conventional and organic carrots were 0.0192 mg kg-1 and 0.0118 mg kg-1 respectively. The concentrations of cadmium in conventional and organic carrots were 0.0050 mg kg-1 and 0.0023 mg kg-1 respectively.The research indicates that toxic elements like Pb and Cd are present in both types of carrots, but their amount is lower than permissible concentrations established by EU ordinance. The conducted experiments also showed that the content of Pb and Cd in organic carrots is lower than in the conventional ones. This may be resulted in the differences in farming.

Short Communication: Variation in chemical constituent of Styrax sumatrana wood growing at different cultivation site in North Sumatra, Indonesia

Iswanto AH, Siregar YS, Susilowati A, Darwis A, Hartono R, Wirjosentono B, Rachmat HH, Hidayat A, Fatriasari W. 2019. Variation in chemical constituent of Styrax sumatrana wood growing at different cultivation site in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 448-452. Kemenyan Toba (Styrax sumatrana) is known as endemic resin-producing trees that naturally grow in North Sumatra and distributed throughout five districts within the province. Different growing site may constitute to different characteristics of the species, e.g. morphological differences, chemical constituent, bioactive substances, etc. Different characteristics of wood chemical constituent are an important factor determining further utilization and potential use of wood in wider spectrums. Information about wood chemical constituent of Styrax sumatrana growing from different site has not been determined yet. Therefore, the objective of this research was to analyze the characteristics of chemical constituent of Styrax sumatrana wood originated from North Tapanuli and Pakpak Bharat according to axial direction of stem (bottom, middle, and top). Chemical properties such as hollocelulose, α-cellulose, hemicellulose, Acid Soluble Lignin (ASL), acid insoluble lignin (AIL), and non-structural component (extractive content in ethanol benzene 1: 2 and ash content) were observed. Results showed that different growth location would yield in different wood chemical constituent. The wood chemical constituent from North Tapanuli and Pakpak Bharat were 52.72 and 69.80% (hollocelulose), 25.94 and 39.87% (α-cellulose), 26.78 and 29.92% (hemicellulose), 5.49 and 4.33% (Acid Soluble Lignin), 4.37 and 20.43% (Acid-Insoluble Lignin), 10.95 and 2.42% (extractive content), 1.37 and 0.8% for ash content.