The current state of the introduction coenopopulation of Gymnospermium odessanum on the botanical-geographical plot “Steppes of Ukraine” at the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine

Gymnospermium odessanum is a rare relict endemic plant species. The research was carried out during G. odessanum flowering in 2019–2021 at the botanical-geographical plot “Steppes of Ukraine” of the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NBG). Ecological and coenotic conditions of introduction at the NBG differ from natural habitats of the species and are not optimal for its vegetation. However, this species demonstrated ecological-coenotic plasticity and, over the decades, has formed a stable homeostatic introduction coenopopulation here. As of 2021, the area of introduction coenopopulation of G. odessanum at the NBG was 2,075 m2. It comprises 412 individuals of this species (including 40 seedlings, 241 juvenile, 45 immature, 40 virginal, 45 generative, and 1 sub-senile plants). Coenopopulation fragments with a high density of G. odessanum individuals are rare here, so the average density is low – only 0.2 individuals per 1 m2. In 2021, in the spectrum of age states, the total percentage of pregenerative individuals was very high and reached 88.8 %; the share of generative individuals was 10.9 %.In general, the age structure of the introduction coenopopulation of G. odessanum is characterized by long-term (2010–2021) stability. The spatial distribution of individuals in the introduction coenopopulation is of two kinds – random and in groups. This is due to combined myrmecochoric and barochoric propagation. Also due to myrmecochory, this coenopopulation tends to spread the area. Compared to natural coenopopulations, the introduction coenopopulation of G. odessanum at the NBG is characterized by a larger area, a much significant number, and, at the same time, a low average density of individuals. However, like in most of natural populations, its age spectrum is left-sided.The conducted research testifies the successful formation of the introduction coenopopulation of G. odessanum in the meadow-steppe cultural phytocoenosis of the NBG. This introduction coenopopulation is an example of a successful multi-year scientific experiment and effective ex situ protection and preservation of G. odessanum on the northern border of the Right Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, far beyond the natural range of this endemic plant species.

A review on the book “Leonid Rubtsov – a prominent landscape architect” by O. L. Rubtsova and N. V. Chuvikina

A monograph devoted to the life and work of the outstanding landscape architect Leonid Ivanovich Rubtsov has been recently published. The book provides information about the projects developed and implemented by professor Rubtsov, as well as the main theoretical principles of landscape architecture, which were proposed by him.

Effect of analcite on cadmium phytoavailability and phytotoxity

The interactive effects of Cd and natural siliceous mineral analcite on Cd phytotoxicity and rate of accumulation in plant tissues have been analyzed. The test-plants of corn and hemp were grown in pots under controlled conditions of light, temperature, and soil moisture for 21 days in experiments modeling the following treatments: (1) without any amendments (control); (2) with the application of 0.1 % and 0.5 % (by weight) of CdSO4; (3) Cd salts (CdSO4) + analcite 0.1 g, 0.25 g, and 0.5 g per container. Test-plants performance was assessed by their growth characteristics (shoot height and root length), the content of photosynthetic pigments, macro- and micronutrients in leaves. The effect of Cd on maize and hemp plants inhibited their growth, chlorophyll biosynthesis in the leaves, led to a change in the balance of macro- and microelements, which leads to the accumulation of Cd in the tissues of shoots of both studied crops. Application of analcite partially compensated for the negative effects of Cd salts on the crop’s growth, chlorophyll content, and balance of nutrients and reduced Cd accumulation significantly in shoots.

Essay on the prospects for the use of decorative perennials of the spontaneous flora of the local landscape Feofaniya

The taxonomic and ecological structure of an artificial set of species of spontaneous flora of the local landscape Feofaniya, distinguished by decorative features, is presented. Decorative perennials, with the exception of aquatic and coastal ones, number 147 species. They are considered taking into account the adaptive characteristics, as a potentially basic component of the regional assortment of ornamental plants for landscaping. In terms of taxonomic composition, the species belong to 100 genera from 38 families. A significant part of perennials is rare in ornamental gardening. Among the studied perennials, the rare fraction includes 13 species with international (four species), state (seven species), or regional (six species) conservation status. According to the results of bioecological analysis, the predominance of mesophytic (76 %), heliophytic (44 %), mesotrophic (82 %), and neutrophilic (65 %) species is shown. When considering the ecological affiliation, the studied species are united into 15 principal ecomorphological groups. The use of plants represented in such groups as the main assortment in the landscaping of the corresponding ecotopes is a prerequisite for the stability and durability of such artificial communities as flower arrangements. The proposed assortment ensures the creation of modern low-cost flower arrangements, as well as the preservation of the biodiversity of the local flora by expanding the cultigen range of these species.

Simple and cheap photosystem for herbarium digitization

The digitization of the natural history collections is a crucial task of today. It allows not only sharing the data but also virtually preserving the specimens. This is especially important for small collections that suffer from limited financial support and can be easily lost. Here we share our experience of the building of cheap and simple photosystem that can be used for routine digitization of local herbaria with low or without incomes. This photosystem is modular and based on the regular components that can be easily purchased and/or updated. It is compact and can be conveniently assembled and disassembled, and transported. This photosystem consists of horizontal tripod Beike Q999H with two led lamps Yongnuo YN-300 Air mounted on the 11” Magic Arm handles. The camera Canon EOS 800D was chosen due to presence of fully rotated display, the high resolution, modern focusing system, RAW format support, and low price on the market. The lens Tokina AT-X M35 PRO DX AF 35 mm f/2.8 Macro was chosen due to extreme sharpness along the whole capturing field, low aberrations and optical distortion, high light sensitivity, and fast autofocus. We also tested light box as an option for herbarium specimens’ digitization. However, we found that light box is inconvenient for herbarium digitization dues several reasons, among which its massive sizes, limited access to working space, and necessity of application of huge mounting system that should hold the camera far higher over the center of light box. In general, work with light box significantly decelerated the digitization process. We did not find any advantaged in use of the light box and therefore it was rejected. We hope that our experience will be useful for other curators wanting to digitize their collections and having limited budget.

Green synthesis and characterization of silver and iron nanoparticles using Nerium oleander extracts and their antibacterial and anticancer activities

Medicinal plants can be used as reducing agents in the preparation of metal nanoparticles by green synthesis because of the chemotherapeutic and anti-infectious properties of natural compounds. Therefore, this paper reports the green synthesis of silver and iron nanoparticles from leaf and flower extracts of Nerium oleander and their capacity as anticancer and antimicrobial agents. Nanoparticle manufacturing and structural characterization of silver and iron nanoparticles are reported. The formation of nanoparticles is characterized by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, UV-Vis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Nanoparticles formation was also investigated the surface charge, particle size, and distribution using zeta sizer analysis by DLS. Green synthesis of silver and iron nanoparticles using N. oleander showed different levels of selective cytotoxicity against K562 (human chronic myeloid leukemia cells) in low concentrations and were not cytotoxic to the HUVEC (human umbilical vein endothelial cells) in the same concentrations. Silver nanoparticles showed antibacterial activity against multidrug pathogens, while iron nanoparticles failed to show such activity. Results of the present research demonstrate the potential use of green synthesized nanoparticles in various biomedicine and pharmaceuticals fields in the future.

Appearance of phenotypic plasticity of leaves in psammophyte Corynephorus canescens during flooding

The results of the study of the leaf structure in psammophyte Corynephorus canescens, which grew under controlled conditions and flooding using the methods of light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and laser confocal microscopy, are presented. This study revealed common and distinctive signs of morphological and anatomical parameters of C. canescens leaves in the phase of vegetative growth. Among the common features were the shape and size of the leaf laminas, hypostomatic type of the leaf, isolateral structure of the parenchyma, the thick-walled epidermis, and the bilayered hypodermis. Among the distinctive features were the signs of the destruction of cells in the photosynthetic parenchyma, change in their shape with the formation of protuberances at the cells’ poles, and almost doubling area of the aerenchyma in C. canescens leaves under flooding conditions. Scanning electron microscopy showed the similarity of ultrastructure and density of trichomes on the adaxial surface, excepting the formation of cuticular wax structures on the epidermal surface of the leaves in flooded plants. The subcellular localization of silicon inclusions was studied for the first time. The presence of amorphous and small crystalline silicon inclusions in the periclinal walls of the main epidermal cells and amorphous silicon inclusions in leaf trichomes was established. An increase in the relative silicon content along the trichomes in the leaves’ epidermis after flooding was revealed. It was assumed that the phenotypic plasticity of C. canescens, is realized through the increasing area of aerenchyma in leaves and increasing silicon content in trichomes. Such plasticity helps to optimize both the oxygen balance of plants and water balance in flooded plants, thus increasing the species’ resistance to prolonged flooding.

Floristic characteristics of some synanthropic plant communities of the Kobuleti lowland (Adjara, Georgia)

The materials of the field research of synanthropic vegetation in the territory of the Kobuleti in the 2016–2020 years are provided. In particular, 134 taxa belonging to 49 families and 97 genera were revealed in the three different plant communities (Cryptomerietum japonicae, Eucalyptetum-viminali-globulo-cinerei, and Cinnamomo glanduliferae-Cryptomerietum japonicae) in the Kobuleti lowland. The community Cryptomerietum japonicae comprises 66 taxa, 33 of which are native, and 33 have an alien origin. Woody plants in Cryptomerietum japonicae are represented by 15 taxa. The community Eucalyptetum-viminali-globulo-cinerei comprises 91 taxa, 36 of which are native and 55 are alien. Woody plants in Eucalyptetum-viminali-globulo-cinerei are represented with 17 taxa, while the rest 74 taxa are herbaceous. In Cinnamomo glanduliferae-Cryptomerietum japonicae there are discovered 49 plant taxa, including 25 native and 24 aliens. In this community, 16 taxa are represented by woody plants and 33 taxa – by herbaceous ones.Therefore, in the investigated region, 60 taxa (44.77%) were found to be native and 74 taxa (55.23%) alien. Among aliens, 31 taxa have East Asian origin, 16 taxa are from the Mediterranean, 13 taxa originated from Europe, ten taxa originated from North American, and four – originated from Australia.Despite cuttings and artificial planting of alien representatives, some indigenous woody species (i.e., Corylus avellana, Frangula alnus, Vaccinium arctostaphylos, Smilax excelsa, Quercus hartwissiana, Carpinus caucasica, Castanea sativa, and Hedera colchica) still occur in this territory. Both native and alien taxa participate in the formation of the described landscape structure. Successional events have started in the Kolkheti Lowland in ancient times. It is a long-term process, which is still ongoing, as our observations confirmed it.

Comparison of reproductive organs structure in various genotypes of Phaseolus vulgaris grown under the same conditions in Mersin, Turkey

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is a plant having hermaphroditic flowers, which are self-fertilizing. Common bean is a important commercial crop and one of Turkey’s most valuable grain legumes for human consumption. Genetic variation exists within and between bean populations. These variations can have an impact on the plants morphology, including reproductive organs. Variations in size and length of reproductive organs may cause different cell numbers and various fertilization successes. In this study, the response of four determinate common bean genotypes (Akman, Bitlis 117, Göksun, and Karacaşehir) to reproductive organ structure was studied. Plants were grown at 21/16 °C (day/night) and 12 h photoperiod in a greenhouse in Mersin, Turkey. Besides focusing mainly on pollen development, fertilization success factors such as pod and seed set were also assessed. Pod and seed set were evaluated numerically for each genotype. For pollen morphology, flower buds of the equal growth stage of all four bean genotypes were collected, and these samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The species have distinct morphological characteristics concerning pollen size, ornamentation patterns of the exine, and endoaperture type. It is also crucial to examine pollen dispersion in the pollinated flowers, as it may influence reproductive success. However, pollen wall architecture was similar in all genotypes tested. Despite general morphological similarity, differences in pollen viability and pod and seed number were observed. Although Akman genotype had the largest flowers, the Karacaşehir genotype was found to be the most productive one. The findings presented here can be helpful for researchers studying bean breeding and those investigating the morphological variation in different Phaseolus genotypes.

The prognostication of the rooting ability of apple stem cuttings by indices of seasonal growth of shoots

The study involved seven species and cultivars of ornamental apple trees including Malus × floribunda, M. halliana, M. niedzwetzkyana, M. × purpurea, M. × purpurea ‘Ola’, M. × purpurea ‘Royalty’, and M. × purpurea ‘Selkirk’. The average value of increment, average length, and duration of shoots’ growth were determined to characterize the seasonal growth of Malus shoots. The percentages of rooted cuttings, callus formation without roots, and unviable cuttings were registered for each investigated taxon. Statistical analysis was performed in Microsoft Excel 2007 following Zaitsev (1990), and Atramentova & Utevskaya (2014).The total duration of shoots growth of the studied species and varieties ranged from 72 (M. × purpurea ‘Ola’) to 118 days (M. niedzwetzkyana); annual shoots reached a length from 213.75 mm (M. × purpurea) to 448.75 mm (M. niedzwetzkyana); the average increment of shoots ranged from 3.90 mm (M. × purpurea ‘Ola’) to 14.70 mm (M. floribunda).The rooting ability of Malus stem cuttings was limited to a reasonably short period of cutting procedure and depended on the application of biologically active substances, their concentrations, and complexes. The highest rooting rate (33.33 %) was observed in M. × purpurea ‘Ola’ after the treatment of its cuttings by 0.6 % indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) at the end of June. A slightly lower rooting rate (20.00 %) was observed in M. halliana cuttings treated by 0.4 % IBA and M. × purpurea ‘Selkirk’ cuttings treated by Podkorzen AB aqua at the end of June. Finally, 7.69 % of M. × floribunda cuttings were rooted with Podkorzen AB aqua at the beginning of July.The prediction of the rooting ability of Malus stem cuttings was confirmed by a strong negative correlation between the percentage of rooted cuttings and the duration of shoots’ growth (r = –0.88). Hence, the percentage of rooted cuttings increases with decreasing duration of shoots growth, depending on the genotype.