Botanical control of citrus green mold and peach brown rot on fruits assays using a persicaria acuminata phytochemically characterized extract

Persicaria acuminata (Polygonaceae) is a perennial herb that grows in the central area of Argentina and it is commonly used by native populations to heal infected wounds and other conditions related to fungal infections. In this article, we explored the in vitro antifungal activity of its ethyl acetate extract against a panel of three fruit phytopathogenic fungi including: Penicillium digitatum, P. italicum, and Monilinia fructicola. The sesquiterpenes isolated from the extract were also evaluated against these strains, demonstrating that the dialdehyde polygodial was the responsible for this activity. In order to encourage the use of the extract rather than the pure compound, we displayed ex vivo assays using fresh oranges and peaches inoculated with P. digitatum and M. fructicola, respectively, and subsequently treated by immersion with an extract solution of 250 and 62.5 µg/mL, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the treatments with commercial fungicides and the extract over the control of both fruit rots. The concentration of the active compound present in the extract used on fruit experiments was determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy. Finally, cytotoxicity evaluation against Huh7 cells showed that P. acuminata extract was less cytotoxic than the commercial fungicides at the assayed concentrations. After these findings we could conclude that a chemically characterized extract of P. acuminata should be further developed to treat fungal diseases in fruits from an agro-ecological model.Fil: Di Liberto, Melina Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Departamento de Química Orgánica. Área Farmacognosia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Seimandi, Gisela Marisol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Laura Noemí. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz, Verónica Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Svetaz, Laura Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Departamento de Química Orgánica. Área Farmacognosia; ArgentinaFil: Derita, Marcos Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Departamento de Química Orgánica. Área Farmacognosia; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentin

Effect of rotational grazing management on vegetation of floodplain wetlands

In Argentina, the expansion of soybean production has forced the relocation of cattle to marginal sites for agriculture, such as the wetlands of the Parana River floodplain, constituting a threat to the vegetation of these ecosystems. In this context, the aims of this study were (1) to assess the effect of different resting/grazing periods on the composition, richness, diversity and dominance of functional groups of wetlands vegetation assemblages and (2) to analyze the influence of cattle exclusion on these parameters. For these purposes, three wetlands subjected to rotational grazing management included in different paddocks with different resting and grazing periods were selected. Exclosures were established in upland and lowland zones. Samples of vegetation cover were collected in these zones with quadrats of 4m2. Our results demonstrated that vegetation parameters did not differ as grazing and resting time period differed. Both the wetland with short resting/long grazing period as well as the wetland with long resting/short grazing period had lower diversity and richness in comparison with the wetland without cattle grazing. Grazing exclusion favoured the survival of species in upland zones, increasing total richness and diversity and the development of unpalatable non-forage and shrub/subshrub species. Exclosures would be beneficial to the ecological condition of the vegetation of the wetlands, allowing grazing-sensitive species to recover from grazing and trampling.Fil: Seimandi, Gisela Marisol. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Mesa, Leticia Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Sánchez, María Luz. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias; ArgentinaFil: Saigo, Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Gutiérrez, Hugo Francisco. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias; Argentin

Antifungal Activity Validation of Wild Plants used in Argentine Ethnomedicine

The discovery of new antifungal compounds is an urgent need due to the increase of immunocompromised patients and the ineffectiveness/toxicity of existing drugs in clinical use. The plant kingdom represents a huge source of novel molecules and particularly the Argentine Republic has great plant diversity and only a small percentage of which has been investigated phytochemically and for its antifungal properties. However, the great diversity of species makes it difficult to select them with probabilities of success. In this chapter we demonstrated that selecting plants based on ethnopharmacological use related to antifungal activity, offers a greater probability to find antifungal plants than when they are randomly selected. Furthermore, a revision regarding to ethnopharmacological uses, bioactive compounds isolated and biological activities displayed by Polygonum genus (one of the most important wild plants that grows in Argentina) was analyzed. Finally, chemotaxonomic importance of sesquiterpenes and flavonoids as well as their relationships with the antifungal activity of the Persicaria section within Polygonum genus was reviewed.Fil: Alvarez, Norma Hortensia. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Cultivos Intensivos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Laura Noemí. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Cs.agrarias. Cátedra de Fitopatologia; ArgentinaFil: Seimandi, Gisela Marisol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Stegmayer, María Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz, Verónica Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Derita, Marcos Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Departamento de Química Orgánica. Área Farmacognosia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentin

In Vitro Antifungal Screening of Argentine Native or Naturalized Plants against the Phytopathogen Monilinia fructicola

Background: One of the main problems that fruit health has gone through in recent years is the problematic eradication of their fungal pathogens during crops or the post-harvest stage. This concerns the whole world because it represents huge production losses, fruit export restrictions, and consumer distrust. Consequently, new alternatives are sought to avoid the increasing use of fungicides that cause important damage to fruit consumers and the environment. One of the alternatives to solve this problem could be exploring plants and their active compounds applied to the treatment of fruit health. Materials and Methods: This article describes peach production worldwide and particularly in Argentina, in addition to the main fungal rot that causes the greatest economic losses. Furthermore, experimental in-vitro studies of 69 extracts obtained from 18 plants growing in the central region of Argentina were displayed against the devastating fungus Monilinia fructicola, which greatly affects stone fruits. A simple and effective method developed in agar plate was applied to evaluate a large number of samples in a short time. Results: The results showed that approximately 36% of the samples tested were strongly active against this pathogen, 12% were moderately active, and 52% demonstrated to be inactive. Conclusion: These findings support the possible use of natural products for fruit health and the importance of deepening in this field of science.Fil: Stegmayer, María Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Laura Noemí. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Norma Hortensia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Seimandi, Gisela Marisol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Reutemann Arnolfo, Andrea Guadalupe. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Derita, Marcos Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Departamento de Química Orgánica. Área Farmacognosia; Argentin