The relationship between RAPD marker-by-marker interactions and quantitative traits of caraway (Carum carvi L.)

Application of molecular markers makes the selection process much more effective. Marker assisted selection is an important tool for plant breeders to increase the efficiency of a breeding process, especially for multigenic traits, highly influenced by the environment. Epistasis is the interaction between alleles from two or more loci determining the complex traits, and thus plays an important role in the development of quantitative traits of crops. In this paper, the relationships between RAPD marker-by-marker interactions and 22 quantitative traits of caraway (Carum carvi L.) were analyzed. Significant associations of 116 epistatic markers with at least one trait in 2004 as well as 112 in 2005 were found on the basis of multivariate regression analysis. The proportion of total phenotypic variances of individual trait explained by the marker-by-marker interactions ranged from 25.3% to 96.0%

Yield and quality of sweet basil, savory, marjoram and thyme raw materials from organic cultivation on the composted manure

W latach 2006-2007, w doświadczeniach polowych oceniono plonowanie i jakość surowców polskich odmian bazylii, cząbru, majeranku oraz tymianku uprawianych na stanowiskach w pierwszym i drugim roku po oborniku. W doświadczeniach badano następujące cechy: plon surowca świeżego oraz otartego, zawartość łodyg w surowcu, zawartość olejku eterycznego i składników mineralnych w surowcu oraz czystość mikrobiologiczną surowca. Uzyskane wyniki wskazują, że cząber, majeranek i tymianek lepiej plonowały w uprawie po oborniku. Uprawa na stanowiskach po oborniku nie wpływała na zawartość łodyg w surowców wszystkich badanych gatunków. Surowce badanych gatunków uprawiane po oborniku zawierały więcej olejków eterycznych niż pochodzące z uprawy konwencjonalnej. Surowce bazylii, majeranku i tymianku uprawiane w pierwszym roku po oborniku gromadziły najwięcej azotanów. Surowiec bazylii uprawianej po oborniku, w porównaniu z innymi gatunkami, zawierał najwięcej fosforu, potasu, wapnia, magnezu, manganu i cynku. Surowce uprawiane w pierwszym roku po oborniku charakteryzowały się zwiększoną liczbą bakterii tlenowych oraz grzybów drożdżoidalnych i pleśniowych, ale ich czystość mikrobiologiczna nie przekraczała dopuszczalnych norm.In 2006-2007, yield and quality of sweet basil, savory, marjoram and thyme raw materials cultivated in I and II years on the composted manure were evaluated in the field experiments. The following traits were estimated: yield of fresh herb, yield of dried herb without stems, stem content in herb, essential oil content, mineral elements content and microbiological contamination. Savory, marjoram and thyme cultivated on the composted manure gave better yields of herb. Cultivation on the composted manure did not affect on the content of stems in the dried herb. The raw materials of the tested herbs obtained from the field composted manure contained more essential oils in compared with these from conventional cultivation. The raw materials of sweet basil, marjoram and thyme from the first year cultivation after manure application contained more nitrate. Herb of sweet basil cultivated on the composted manure contained more phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc compared to other tested herbs. The raw materials of all herbs obtained from the first year cultivation after manure application were characterized by the highest microbiological contamination, although it was still below the accepted level of standard one

Pharmacological properties of fireweed ( Epilobium angustifolium

Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium L.) is a well-known medicinal plant traditionally used in the treatment of urogenital diseases, stomach and liver disorders, skin problems, etc. E. angustifolium extracts show antiandrogenic, antiproliferative, cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial activities. The unique combination of biological properties demonstrated by the results of some studies indicates that fireweed has a positive effect in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and potentially in the prostate cancer chemoprevention. However, the efficacy of E. angustifolium phytotherapy is still poorly tested in clinical trials, while numerous beneficial effects of extracts have been documented in the in vitro and in vivo tests. Fireweed is rich in polyphenolic compounds, particularly ellagitannins. Currently, polyphenols are considered to be modulators of beneficial gut microbiota. The literature data support the use of ellagitannins in the prostate cancer chemoprevention, but caution is advised due to the highly variable production of urolithins by the individual microbiota. A better understanding of the microbiota’s role and the mechanisms of its action are crucial for an optimal therapeutic effect. This paper aims to summarize and discuss experimental data concerning pharmacological properties of E. angustifolium and bioavailability of ellagitannins – important bioactive compounds of this plant

Does time of protective procedure and genotype of chamomile affect yield?

Objective: Chamomile plants (Chamomilla recutita L. Rausch) are often attacked by pests, which usually cause the decrease of raw material yield and its quality. The objects of field trial were two chamomile cultivars: Złoty Łan (4n) and Promyk (2n) cultivated under organic regime. The aim of this study was to evaluate of impact of the spinosad treatment and its time of application on two chamomile cultivars: cv. Promyk – 2n and cv. Złoty Łan – 4n exposed to insect pests. Methods: The first treatment with spinosad as a preventative control (P) was performed in the early phase of plant development (seven leaves). Intervention (I) treatment was made in green bud phase. In both terms of observation insect pests were observed and collected. In each spraying application of 0.06 g of spinosad per 1 liter of water was used. Results: Spinosad was able to limit the number of pest population and finally increased yielding of the treated cultivars as compared to the untreated plants. Time of spinosad application for cv. Złoty Łan plants was not statistically siginificant, although was more effective for the preventative treatment of cv. Promyk in the increasing of the plant biomass (283.8 g · m-2) and seed (32 g · m-2) yields than intervention. Conclusion: Protection treatment with spinosad might be recommended in chamomile cultivation and it is more effective than intervention in diploid cultivar which begin blooming earlier than tetraploid. Essential oil content was not related with protection treatment for diploid cultivar, although intervention in tetraploid cultivar caused higher content of oil

Pharmacological properties of fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium L.) and bioavailability of ellagitannins. A review

Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium L.) is a well-known medicinal plant traditionally used in the treatment of urogenital diseases, stomach and liver disorders, skin problems, etc. E. angustifolium extracts show antiandrogenic, antiproliferative, cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial activities. The unique combination of biological properties demonstrated by the results of some studies indicates that fireweed has a positive effect in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and potentially in the prostate cancer chemoprevention. However, the efficacy of E. angustifolium phytotherapy is still poorly tested in clinical trials, while numerous beneficial effects of extracts have been documented in the in vitro and in vivo tests. Fireweed is rich in polyphenolic compounds, particularly ellagitannins. Currently, polyphenols are considered to be modulators of beneficial gut microbiota. The literature data support the use of ellagitannins in the prostate cancer chemoprevention, but caution is advised due to the highly variable production of urolithins by the individual microbiota. A better understanding of the microbiota’s role and the mechanisms of its action are crucial for an optimal therapeutic effect. This paper aims to summarize and discuss experimental data concerning pharmacological properties of E. angustifolium and bioavailability of ellagitannins – important bioactive compounds of this plant

Does time of protective procedure and genotype of chamomile affect yield?

Objective: Chamomile plants (Chamomilla recutita L. Rausch) are often attacked by pests, which usually cause the decrease of raw material yield and its quality. The objects of field trial were two chamomile cultivars: Złoty Łan (4n) and Promyk (2n) cultivated under organic regime. The aim of this study was to evaluate of impact of the spinosad treatment and its time of application on two chamomile cultivars: cv. Promyk – 2n and cv. Złoty Łan – 4n exposed to insect pests. Methods: The first treatment with spinosad as a preventative control (P) was performed in the early phase of plant development (seven leaves). Intervention (I) treatment was made in green bud phase. In both terms of observation insect pests were observed and collected. In each spraying application of 0.06 g of spinosad per 1 liter of water was used. Results: Spinosad was able to limit the number of pest population and finally increased yielding of the treated cultivars as compared to the untreated plants. Time of spinosad application for cv. Złoty Łan plants was not statistically siginificant, although was more effective for the preventative treatment of cv. Promyk in the increasing of the plant biomass (283.8 g · m-2) and seed (32 g · m-2) yields than intervention. Conclusion: Protection treatment with spinosad might be recommended in chamomile cultivation and it is more effective than intervention in diploid cultivar which begin blooming earlier than tetraploid. Essential oil content was not related with protection treatment for diploid cultivar, although intervention in tetraploid cultivar caused higher content of oil

Macroelements and essential oil content in the raw material of the selected medicinal plant species from organic cultivation

W wybranych surowcach zielarskich z rodziny jasnowatych (Lamiaceae) uzyskanych z upraw ekologicznych rozmieszczonych na terenie Polski oraz z uprawy konwencjonalnej porównywano zawartość makroskładników i olejku eterycznego. Największe ilości wszystkich badanych makroskładników stwierdzono w surowcu bazylii, najmniej natomiast N, K i Mg zawierało ziele majeranku, a N, P, Ca - ziele tymianku. Średnie zawartości makroskładników u roślin z upraw ekologicznych przekraczały zawartości składników z uprawy konwencjonalnej. Wyjątek stanowiły majeranek i tymianek w przypadku fosforu oraz bazylia, cząber i tymianek w przypadku wapnia. Zawartość olejku eterycznego w surowcach badanych gatunków pochodzących z upraw ekologicznych była większa od średnich podawanych w literaturze i za wyjątkiem bazylii przewyższała zawartości oznaczone w próbach z uprawy konwencjonalnej.The content of macroelements in the raw material of the selected medicinal plants obtained from organic and conventional cultivations was investigated. The highest content of all macroelements was found in basil, while the lowest of N, K and Mg were detected in marjoram and N, P, Ca in thyme. Average content of macroelements in raw materials from organic cultivation was higher than that from conventional cultivation

Czy Trichoderma asperellum [T1] może stymulować wzrost melisy lekarskiej (Melissa officinalis L.) uprawianej w różnych systemach rolniczych?

The need to obtaining of healthy plant material and very small range of plant protection products in organic farming forces to searching for alternative means of plant production. Evaluation of Trichoderma asperellum as a growth promoter and the control effects of T. asperellum to Septoria melissae was evaluated. Also the fungi infesting lemon balm were identified.The experiment covered various combinations depending on the farming systems (conventional and organic system) and application of T. asperellum.The microorganism was used three times with one month interval as foliar spraying only in organically growing plants. T. asperellum was applied as water solution at a concentration of 10 g˙l-1 byshoulder-carried sprayer. Control plots were treated only with water, no chemical fungicides were used. Plant development and its healthiness were assessed in respect of the effect of Trichoderma. T. asperellum was capable of stimulating the plant growth and in consequence causing an increase of dried mass of herb. There was no influence on essential oil content and proportion of leaves in the dried herb. The possibility of using of Trichoderma could be promising; especially for organic farming. Among pathogens naturally infesting of lemon balm Septoria melissae was identified most commonly.Konieczność uzyskania zdrowego materiału roślinnego i bardzo niewielki zakres Środków ochrony roślin w systemie ekologicznym zmusza do poszukiwania alter-natywnych Środków produkcji roślinnej. Oceniono Trichoderma asperellum jako stymulator wzrostu, który stosowano poprzez nalistne opryskiwanie w trakcie sezonu wegetacyjnego oraz jego wpływ na występowanie Septoria melissae. Zidentyfikowano takie naturalnie występujące grzyby chorobotwórcze zasiedlające melisę lekarską. Doświadczenia poletkowe obejmowały kombinacje dwóch systemów rolniczych (konwencjonalny i ekologiczny) oraz aplikowanie T. asperellum. Mikroorganizm stosowano trzy razy w odstępie jednego miesiąca. Poletka kontrolne były traktowane wodą, nie stosowano chemicznych Środków grzybobójczych. Rośliny zielarskie (2- i 3-letnie) oceniano pod kątem ich rozwoju i zdrowotności. W efekcie T. asperellum stosowany jako roztwór wodny o stężeniu 10 g˙L-1 stymulowana wzrost roślin, powodując intensywniejszy ich rozwój i w konsekwencji wzrost suchej masy ziela, nie wpływa jednak na zawartość olejku i zwiększenie udziału liści w zielu. Możliwość wykorzystania T. asperellum może być obiecująca, szczególnie dla producentów upraw ekologicznych. Spośród patogenów naturalnie zasiedlających melisę najczęściej identyfikowano Septoria melissae