Mites of Greenhouses, Identification, Biology and Control

Flowering Plants. Evolution above the Species Level

In the current scenario, it is an urgent requirement to satisfy the nutritional demands of the rapidly growing global population. Using conventional farming, nearly one-third of the crops get damaged mainly due to pest infestation, microbial attacks, natural disasters, poor soil quality, and lesser nutrient availability. More innovative technologies are immediately required to overcome these issues. In this regard, nanotechnology has contributed to the agrotechnological revolution that has imminent potential to reform the resilient agricultural system, while promising food security. Therefore, nanoparticles are becoming a new-age material to transform modern agricultural practices. The variety of nanoparticles-based formulations, including, nano-sized pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and sensors, have been widely investigated for plant health management and soil improvement. In-depth understanding of plant and nanomaterial interactions opens new avenues towards improving crop practices through increased properties like disease resistance, crop yield, and nutrient utilization. In this review, we highlight the critical points to address the current nanotechnology-based agricultural research that could benefit productivity and food security in future.

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Nanoparticle-Based Sustainable Agriculture and Food Science: Recent Advances and Future Outlook

Providing a comprehensive and contemporary overview of the status of this particular genus, this book will be of interest to all those concerned with the study and uses of spices, medicinal and aromatic plants

Saffron: Crocus Sativus

Myrtle (Myrtus communis L., Myrtaceae) is a medicinal herb used worldwide in traditional medicine. A large number of components have been isolated from this herb. Polyphenols, myrtucommulone (MC), semimyrtucommulone (S-MC), 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, myrtenyl acetate, limonene, linalool and α-terpinolene are among the compounds considered to be the main biologically active components. Various parts of this herb such as its berries, leaves and fruits have been used extensively as a folk medicine for several centuries. The herb is used traditionally for the treatment of disorders such as diarrhea, peptic ulcer, hemorrhoid, inflammation, pulmonary and skin diseases, although clinical and experimental studies suggest that it possesses a broader spectrum of pharmacological and therapeutic effects such as antioxidative, anticancer, anti-diabetic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, hepatoprotective and neuroprotective activity. The present review attempts to give an overview on the phytochemical, pharmacological, toxicological and clinical studies of total extracts and the most relevant active ingredients of M. communis.

Review of pharmacological effects of Myrtus communis L. and its active constituents.

With about 700 species, silene L. is one of the largest and perhaps the best known of the family Caryophyllaceae, almost half of which grow in the Mediterranean region. This genus is important for having ecdysteroids, phyto-ecdysteroids, saponins and triterpens. Methanolic extracts from three silene species from Iran, were screened for their possible in vitro antioxidant activities by three complementary test systems, namely DPPH free radical-scavenging, metal chelating activity and �-carotene/linoleic acid. The total phenol and flavonoid contents in the methanolic extracts of the aerial parts were measured by Folin Ciocalteu and Alcl 3 assays. In addition, antibacterial activities of the methanolic extracts were studied by disc diffusion method in order to against 3 gram positive and negative bacteria, respectively. Results showed that the methanolic extract of S. swertiifolia, which contain highest amount of phenol and flavonoid compounds, exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity. Two silene species extracts (S. swertiifolia and S. spergulifolia) showed a higher potency than ascorbic acid in scavenging of DPPH free radical, but S. ginodioca showed a weaker potency. In other hands, results showed that extracts studied are in metal-chelating assay lower active than ascorbic acid as a synthetic antioxidant. In the �-carotene/linoleic acid system, oxidation of linoleic acid was effectively inhibited by S. swertiifolia extract (100%). In addition, results showed that the extracts are great sources of phenolic compounds and represent the highest antibacterial activities against gram-positive bacteria.

Screening of total phenol and flavonoid content, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the methanolic extracts of three Silene species from

Herein novel crab-like biological-based glycoluril with sulfonic acid tags, namely glycoluril tetrakis(butane-1-sulfonic acid) (GTBSA), was prepared in nano-size form and fully characterized via several techniques, such as 1H and 13C NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), CHNS analysis, mass spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal gravimetric analysis (DTG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is proved that this novel nanostructured catalyst is an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of novel spiropyrans via the one-pot multi-component condensation of isatine, naphthalene-2,3-diol or 2,5-dihydroxycyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione, and malononitrile or 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds in refluxing water. The mild reaction conditions, easy work-up, good to excellent yields and reusability of the catalyst are the major advantages of the described procedure. Results from DPPH radical scavenging assays showed that the synthesized compounds have eminent antioxidant efficacies (IC50 : 0.16 ± 0.01 to 0.55 ± 0.02 mg mL−1). Moreover, the in vitro antibacterial activities of the compounds were assessed against 4 Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains via a disc diffusion method. The results showed that compounds 2S and 3S possess high suitability for E. coli growth inhibition, comparable to the positive control gentamicin.

Novel nano-size and crab-like biological-based glycoluril with sulfonic acid tags as a reusable catalyst: its application to the synthesis of new mono- and bis-spiropyrans and their in vitro biological studies

Plant regeneration from protoplast culture of Crocus cancellatus was investigated using regenerable embryogenic calli obtained from shoot meristem culture on LS (Linsmaier and Skoog, 1965) medium containing 4 mg l−1 kinetin and 1 mg l−1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Protoplasts were isolated directly from embryogenic calli. The best protoplast growth was found on those embedded in Ca-alginate beads and cultured with nurse cells in MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) medium supplemented with 2 mg l−1 kinetin, 1 mg l−1 2,4-D and 100 mg l−1 ascorbic acid at 25 °C in darkness. After 4–5 weeks of culture, microcalli appeared on the surface of the Ca-alginate beads, but the protoplasts without immobilization in Ca-alginate beads showed very low cell division. Growth of the microcalli in the medium with nurse cells was much better than in the medium without nurse cells. Transferring beads onto half strength MS medium supplemented with 0.2 mg l−1 kinetin and 0.1 mg l−1 2,4-D, increased the growth of embryogenic calli. Somatic embryo development was observed either on half strength MS medium growth regulator free or with 1 mg l−1 abscisic acid. Matured embryos germinated on half strength MS medium containing 25 mg l−1 of gibberelic acid. Plantlet formation was obtained on half strength MS medium containing 1 mg l−1 6-benzyladenine and 1 mg l−1 α-naphthaleneacetic acid at 20 °C in a 16/8 h light/dark cycle.

Plantlet regeneration from protoplast-derived embryogenic calli of Crocus cancellatus

Astragalus zarreianus. is described and illustrated from Iran. It belongs to section Astragalus. This new species confined to western part of Iran (Prov. Illam) from only one location. A key to the species of the section known from Iran is prepared. Differences between the section and the closely related sections are discussed. On the basis of some important trends, an informal grouping is undertaken for yellow flower Astragali. Moreover, A. pseudo-orthocarpus is considered as a valid species in this treatment and differences with its closest relatives are described.

Astragalus sect. Astragalus (Fabaceae) in Iran, complementary notes with a key to the species

Ranjbar, M., Amirabadizadeh, H., Karamian, R. & Ghahremani, M. A.: Notes on Onobrychis sect. Heliobrychis (Fabaceae) in Iran. — Willdenowia 34: 187–190. — ISSN 0511-9618; © 2004 BGBM Berlin-Dahlem. Onobrychis aurea, confined to W Iran (Prov. Azarbayjan) and known from only two localities, is described as a species new to science and illustrated. O. heterophylla is reported for the first time from Iran.

Roya Karamian

Papers

Screening of total phenol and flavonoid content, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the methanolic extracts of three Silene species from

Novel nano-size and crab-like biological-based glycoluril with sulfonic acid tags as a reusable catalyst: its application to the synthesis of new mono- and bis-spiropyrans and their in vitro biological studies

Plantlet regeneration from protoplast-derived embryogenic calli of Crocus cancellatus

Astragalus sect. Astragalus (Fabaceae) in Iran, complementary notes with a key to the species

Notes on Onobrychis sect. Heliobrychis (Fabaceae) in Iran