Identification and taxonomy of the West Palaearctic species of Tachina Meigen (Diptera: Tachinidae) based on male terminalia and molecular analyses

The male postabdominal structures of the West Palaearctic species of the genus Tachina are described. A new identification key is given. Characters are illustrated by original pen drawings and deep focus micrographs, some of them for the first time. The results are documented by molecular analyses (based on CO°I, Cyt°b, 12S, and 16S rDNA). This approach solves old taxonomical discrepancies, which resulted in these conclusions: 1) the taxonomic concept ofthe genus was evaluated; 2) the position ofthe present subgenus Tachina s.str. seems to be untenable: T. grossa (Linnaeus, 1758) could be categorized inside existing subgenus Tachina s.str. and a new subgenus could be created for T. magna (Giglio- Tos, 1890); 3) an expected new species from subgenus Eudoromyia was confirmed; 4) T. nigrohirta (Stein, 1924) having been resurrected from synonymy was confirmed as a valid species; 5) some differences between central European and Japanese specimens of T. nupta (Rondani, 1859) were found

Hodnotenie obsahu sekundárnych metabolitov a ďalších vybraných zložek v odrodách bazalky pravej pestovaných v skleníkových podmienkach

The variety of Ocimum basilicum plays a primary role among culinary herbs in world trade. The main objective of this study was to determine yield and chemical composition of the essential oil, total phenolic and flavonoid content, total antioxidant capacity, L-ascorbic acid, crude fiber, nitrates, chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids content. This work should be verified what influence had the variety, the seasonal, and the external factors affecting to said substances. Experiment was established in the greenhouse of the Faculty of Horticulture, Mendel University in Brno. The basil varieties, namely 'Ohře', 'Lettuce Leaf', 'Purple Opaal', 'Dark Green', 'Mammolo Genovese', 'Manes', and 'Red Rubin' were grown as a pot culture during the years 2014-2016. The essential oil were isolated by distillation and analysed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The total phenolic content (TPC) was determinated spectrophotometrically according to Folin-Ciocalteau colorimetric method. Determinations of the total flavonoid content (TFC) were measured with the aluminium chloride colorimetric assay. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was evaluated by their ability to scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) stable radicals. The ascorbic acid content was determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The crude ?ber content was determined by the enzymatic gravimetric method. The nitrates content was determined by Ion Selective Electrode (ISE). Chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids were determinated spectrophototmetrically in the acetone extracts. The essential oil production was from 2.45 to 18.12 mg.kg-1 d. w., depending on variety and season. GC-MS analysis showed that the essential oil from 7 basil varieties consist of 41 components. Main constituents of the essential oil were methyleugenol (4.59-48.13 %), followed by methylchavicol (4.59-48.13 %), ß-linalool (0.43-33.25 %), eugenol (0.45-33.52 %), ?-bergamotene (0.07-13.40 %), eucalyptol (0.71-11.70 %), and ?-cadinene (0.24-8.90 %). The 'Purple Opaal', 'Dark Green', 'Mammolo Genovese', 'Mánes' and 'Red Rubin' varieties were identified as methyleugenol chemotypes while 'Ohře' varied according to the seasonal prevalence of linalool / methyleugenol. Variety 'Lettuce Leaf' was specific by the methylchavicol domination. The amount of TPC observed in methanol extracts were from 364.07 to 5606.43 mg GAE.100 g-1 d. w. TFC varied from 430.14-5979.69 mg CE.100 g-1 d. w. TAC were measured from 2.40 to 44.48 mM TE.100 g-1 d. w. L-ascorbic acid was ranged between 34.27-234.47 mg.kg-1 f. w. Content of crude fiber varied from 9.57 to 21.74 %. The mean levels of nitates were from 178.67-17918.21 mg.kg-1 f. w. The average contents of chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids were 3.01-5.15, 1.26-2.65, and 0.65-1.53 mg.g-1 f. w., respectively. The influence of the variety and the season on the evaluated substances was significantly confirmed. The external factors on growth (temperature, relative humidity and solar irradiance) had an impact on all evaluated parameters with the exception of the contents of essential oils and TAC. For further cultivation of basil in pots, the most suitable are varieties 'Mánes' (excellent source of essential oil), 'Lettuce Leaf' and 'Red Rubin' (for their antioxidant capacity, and high contents of crude fiber). On the contrary, prone to the accumulation of nitrates were purple leaves varieties 'Purple Opaal' and 'Red Rubin'

Characterization of Essential Oil Composition in Different Basil Species and Pot Cultures by a GC-MS Method

Basil (Ocimum L.) species are used as medicinal plants due to their essential oils exhibiting specific biological activity. The present work demonstrated that both the variety and season/conditions of cultivation had a significant effect on (i) the produced amount (extraction yield), (ii) qualitative, as well as (iii) quantitative profile of basil essential oil. Among studied basil varieties, a new variety, ‘Mánes’, was characterized for the first time. Based on our quantitative evaluation of GC-MS profiles, the following chemotypes and average concentrations of a main component were detected in the studied basil varieties: ‘Ohře’, ‘Lettuce Leaf’, ‘Purple Opaal’, ‘Dark Green’ (linalool, 5.99, 2.49, 2.34, 2.01 mg/mL, respectively), and ‘Mammolo Genovese’, ‘Mánes’, ‘Red Rubin’ (eucalyptol, 1.34, 0.96, 0.76 mg/mL, respectively). At the same time, when considering other compounds identified in GC-MS profiles, all the studied varieties, except from ‘Lettuce Leaf’, were methyl eugenol-rich with a strong dependence of the eugenol:methyl eugenol ratio on the seasonal changes (mainly solar irradiation, but also temperature and relative humidity). More complex and/or variable (depending on the season and cultivation) chemotypes were observed with ‘Lettuce Leaf’ (plus estragole, 2.27 mg/mL), ‘Dark Green’ (plus eucalyptol, 1.36 mg/mL), ‘Mammolo Genovese’ (plus eugenol, 1.19 mg/mL), ‘Red Rubin’ (plus linalool and eugenol, 0.46 and 0.56 mg/mL, respectively), and ‘Mánes’ (plus linalool and eugenol, 0.58 and 0.40 mg/mL, respectively). When considering superior extraction yield (ca. 17 mL·kg−1, i.e., two to five times higher than other examined varieties) and consistent amounts (yields) of essential oil when comparing inter-seasonal or inter-year data (RSD and inter-year difference in mean yield values ˂2.5%), this new basil variety is very promising for use in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries