Phytoremediation Potential of Flax Grown on Multimetal Contaminated Soils: A Field Experiment

The aim of this study was to assess the phytoremediation potential of fiber flax (Linum usitatissimatum L., var. Calista) cultivated in a soil contaminated with multiple metals, under real field conditions. A two-year (2022 and 2023) field experiment was conducted in a site contaminated with elevated concentrations of Cd, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Zn due to mining and metallurgical activities. Three different nitrogen fertilization levels were tested (N0: 0 kg N ha−1, N1: 30 kg N ha−1, N2: 60 kg N ha−1), and both spring and winter sowings were conducted. At full maturity, growth parameters and yields were measured. The phytoremediation potential of flax was assessed in terms of the metal concentrations in the above-ground biomass and of the metal uptake (i.e., the potential removal of the soil metals in g ha−1 and per year). Flax demonstrated a shorter growth cycle, with shorter and thicker plants and higher yields when sown in spring compared to winter sowing. Plant growth and productivity were not evidently influenced by additional nitrogen fertilization during plant growth. The cadmium bioaccumulation factor was 1.06, indicating that flax accumulates this metal. For Ni, Cu, Pb, and Zn, the corresponding values were 0.0, 0.04, 0.004, and 0.02, suggesting that this crop excludes these metals. The order of the higher uptake in plant tissues was as follows: Zn > Pb > Cd > Cu > Ni. In conclusion, flax demonstrated tolerance to heavy metals in the soil, effectively supporting soil restoration through cultivation. Additionally, flax showed potential as a cadmium accumulator while excluding nickel, copper, lead, and zinc

Long-term studies on switchgrass grown on a marginal area in Greece under different varieties and nitrogen fertilization rates

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a perennial grass that has been selected as a candidate bioenergy crop for USA in the early 80s, while the research in Europe started a decade later. A long-term study on switchgrass had been carried out (1998\ue2\u80\u932015) on a marginal area in Greece comparing five varieties (having lowland or upland ecotype) at increasing nitrogen fertilization rates (0, 75 and 150 kg N ha\ue2\u88\u921). Due to the successful establishment of the plantation quite satisfactory yields were recorded even at the establishment year (8.9 Mg DM ha\ue2\u88\u921) and the ceiling yields were recorded in the 2nd year and came up to 20 Mg DM ha\ue2\u88\u921. The under study lowland varieties (Alamo, Kanlow and Pangburn) were more productive compared to the upland varieties (Blackwell and CIR) with mean dry yields 12.37 and 11.39 Mg ha\ue2\u88\u921, respectively and showed higher resistance to lodging. Among the five under study varieties, Alamo was the best performing giving an average yield of 12.7 Mg DM ha\ue2\u88\u921, averaged over all treatments and years, while CIR was the least performing producing a corresponding average yield of 10.8 Mg DM ha\ue2\u88\u921. From the fourth growing season and onwards significantly higher yields were recorded under increasing N fertilization up to 150 kg N ha\ue2\u88\u921 with an average yield of 13.9 Mg DM ha\ue2\u88\u921 (150 kg N/ha) over all varieties and years. The corresponding yields for the other two tested nitrogen rates (0 and 75 kg N/ha) were 10.31 and 11.69 Mg DM ha\ue2\u88\u921, respectively

Evaluation of the effectiveness of an ointment based on Alkannins/Shikonins on second intention wound healing in the dog

The enantiomeric naphthoquinones alkannins and shikonins (A/S) have been established as potent wound healing agents. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an A/S based ointment for humans on second intention wound healing in the dog, as compared to wound flushing with Lactated Ringer’s solution (LRS). Ten mixed breed dogs, aged 2 to 5 y, were used. One 2.5 × 2.5 cm full-thickness skin defect was created on the lateral aspect of each arm for subjective evaluation, laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF), and planimetry. Additionally, 3 matching 2 × 2 cm wounds were created on opposite sides of the dorsal midline for histologic evaluation. Wounds were treated once daily with the A/S based ointment on the right side and by flushing with LRS on the left until healed (about 20 d). During the healing process, tissue perfusion (mean LDF value) was found to be significantly higher on the side treated with the A/S based ointment compared with the LRS-treated side. Histologically, angiogenesis (on days 4 and 11), collagen production score (on days 4, 11, and 20), and epithelial thickness score (on day 11) were significantly higher in the wounds treated with the A/S based ointment. Wound size, as evaluated by planimetry, decreased significantly from day 0 to day 20 on both sides, but no significant differences were found between the A/S based ointment and LRS-treated wounds

Switchgrass

The knowledge that has been collected on switchgrass at world level, covering the whole production chain, is presented in this chapter. Although several breeding programs have been carried out in the United States, switchgrass is still considered primarily as an undomesticated plant with great potential for agronomic and biofuel trait improvements. There are a large number of available varieties (lowland and upland) covering latitudes from Mexico to the far north of North America. When switchgrass had been successfully established the celling yields could be anticipated as early as the second or third year, and its lifespan could be longer than 15years. In most studies, lowland varieties have been reported as more productive than upland varieties. Nitrogen fertilization should be avoided at the establishment year but should be applied from the second year and thereafter on an annual basis. Most studies agreed that the final harvest should be done a few weeks after a killing frost (winter). The harvested biomass is characterized by a high portion of leaf material (∼40%), while its moisture content may be quite low (∼20%). The lignocellulosic biomass of switchgrass is suitable for energy production through thermochemical (gasification, combustion, and pyrolysis) and biochemical (advanced biofuels: bioethanol and biogas) processes

Assessment of genetic diversity in different accessions of Jatropha curcas

The aim of this work was to estimate the genetic diversity among 273 Jatropha curcas L. accessions and to develop a new SNP-based multi-allelic marker assay (Intra-Locus SNP Haplotype, or LSH) to enhance the genetic discriminatory power of the SNP marker system. The accessions were collected in 15 countries of 3 continents (Africa, Asia and America) and analyzed with SSR, EST-SSR and SNP markers. Cluster analysis revealed the presence of two main genetic groups with an extreme high genetic uniformity and homozygosity of accessions grown in all countries of Africa, Asia, South America, and in some states of Mexico. Differently, an increased genetic variability and heterozygosity was observed in other states of Mexico and Guatemala. The newly developed LSH assay successfully identifies multiple alleles at the same locus and increased the average polymorphic information content of the SNP system. These results confirm the general idea recognizing the Central America region as the center of origin of the species and the genetic homogeneity of the world-wide cultivated accessions, and propose a new powerful SNP-based multi-allelic marker assay for enhancing genetic diversity analysis and selection methods in breeding programs

RA-PI-NE-U

This volume, in honour of one of the Odysseuses in Aegean archaeology, Professor Robert Laffineur, comprises a combination of papers presented during a seminar series on recent developments in Mycenaean archaeology at the Université de Louvain during the academic year 2015-2016. These were organised within the frame of the ARC13/18-049 (concerted research action) ’A World in Crisis?’To these are added a series of papers by friends of Robert Laffineur who were keen to offer a contribution to honour him foremost as a friend and scholar in his own right but also as editor of a respected international series founded by him - Aegaeum - and as the driving force and inspiration behind the biannual Aegean meetings that have travelled the world. Several papers within touch scientific domains close to Robert’s heart while others present new excavations or new interpretations of known data