Classification of Chenopodium Genus Populations and Species Based on Continuous and Categorical Variables

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 62P10, 62H30The estimation of statistical distance between populations arises in many multivariate analysis techniques. Whereas distance measures for continuous data are well developed, those for mixed discrete and continuous data are less so because of the lack of a standard model for such data. Such mixture of variables arise frequently in the field of medicine, biometry, psychology, econometrics and only comparatively few models have been developed for evaluating distance between populations. The subject of our study were data in the field of botany. The aim of the presented investigation was to apply methods for analysis of dissimilarity between 44 populations of 13 species of Ghenopodium genus,presented by 15 variables - 10 continuous and 5 categorical. The previously developed by another authors distance measures between populations presented by mixed attributes turned out not appropriate for the available data of Chenopodium genus. F or that reason a specific distance measures were applied. The matrices with distances between populations and species were used as input for Hierarchical Cluster Analysis to explore the taxonomic structure of the Chenopodium genus

Bassia hirsuta (L.)’nın Bulgaristan populasyonlarındaki karyolojik ve morfolojik varyasyonlar

This study was performed to determine karyological and morphological variability within and between populations of Bassia hirsuta in Bulgaria and to reveal their ecological preferences and detailed morphological characteristics. The studied Bulgarian B. hirsuta populations have diploid chromosome number 2n=18. The interpopulation variability which could be due to differences in ecological conditions is dominant. Vegetative traits are more variable than generative ones. The least variable are those that characterize the seed and could be used as highest value traits. The data given in the present study are supplementary to the data given about the species in Flora of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria and can be used both for correct identifications of the specimens and for getting familiar with species characteristicsBassia hirsuta’nın Bulgaristan’daki populasyonlarındaki karyolojik ve morfolojik varyasyonu belirlemek ve populasyonların ekolojik tercihlerini ve detaylı morfolojik karakterlerini ortaya koymak amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışmada kullanılan B. hirsuta’nın Bulgaristan populasyonlarındaki diploid kromozom sayısı 2n=18’dir. Ekolojik şartlara bağlı olabilen populasyonlar arası varyasyon baskın durumdadır. Vejetatif özellikler, generatif özelliklere göre çok daha fazla varyasyon göstermektedir. En az varyasyon gösteren özellikler tohumla ilgili olanlardır ve önem dereceleri yüksek özellikler olarak kullanılabilirler. Bu çalışmada elde edilen bulgular, B. hirsute ile ilgili olarak “Flora of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria”da verilen bilgileri tamamlayıcı niteliktedir ve hem örneklerin doğru bir şekilde teşhis edilmeleri hem de türün özelliklerinin daha yakından tanınması amacıyla kullanılabili

Karyological and morphological variation within Petrosimonia brachiata Bunge in Bulgaria

We studied karyological and morphological variability of the only representative of the genus Petrosimonia (Amaranthaceae) in Bulgaria and evaluated the current state of its populations in the country. The results indicated that Bulgarian populations of Petrosimonia brachiata have a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 16. In the population from the Pomorie Lake, the karyotype consists of six pairs of metacentric and two pairs of sub-metacentric chromosomes. In the population from the Atanasovsko Lake, satellites were observed on one pair of sub-metacentric chromosomes. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the main source of phenotype variation in the species is within the populations. Vegetative traits are more variable than generative ones. No significant variability was found in the studied quantitative characteristics or pollen morphology. Given the biological type of the species (annual) and its limited distribution in Bulgaria, the status of the two populations of P. brachiata cannot be regarded as stable, and the danger of a potential threat to them in the future is a possibility not to be excluded

Morphological variability of the Bulgarian endemic Betonica bulgarica Degen et Neič. (Lamiaceae) from Sinite Kamani Natural Park, Eastern Balkan Range

Four populations of Betonica bulgarica Degen et Neič. at Sinite Kamani Natural Park were morphologically tested. Intrapopulation and interpopulation variabilities were established. The rеlationship between morphological variability, number, area and ecological appurtenance of the studied populations were explored. The results demonstrated that the main source of phenotype variation is intrapopulation variability, mainly due to the age structure of populations. The most variable traits are height of stem and dimensions of leaves. The registered interpopulation variability was affected by the differences in altitude, soil type and differences in environmental conditions and soil properties. Indumentum and morphology of generative organs had taxonomic signifi cance for distinguishing B. bulgarica from the other species in the genus, including the species that were morphologically most similar to it – Betonica officinalis L

IAPT/IOPB chromosome data 16

[EN] Inula helenioides DC., I. langeana Beck, I. maletii Maire, I. montana L., I. oculus-christi L., I. salicina L. (Asteraceae)

EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION IN TRITICALE (X TRITICOSECALE WITTM.), CULTIVATED AFTER DIFFERENT PREDECESSORS. NITROGEN UPTAKE AND EFFICIENCY

The study is conducted at the experimental base of Department of Plant productionat Trakia University, Stara Zagora. Triticale is grown after five predecessors anddifferent nitrogen fertilization rates. The predecessors are wintering peas, springpeas, sunflower, common wheat and triticale. Nitrogen fertilization rates are 0 (N0),40 (N40), 80 (N80), 120 (N120) kg ha-1 after legumes and 0 (N0), 60 (N60), 120 (N120),180 (N180) kg ha-1 after the other predecessors. The influence of the predecessorsand nitrogen fertilization on the nitrogen uptake, assimilated nitrogen fromfertilization, nitrogen utilization and nitrogen required for 100 kg produce oftriticale is established. Nitrogen assimilation from fertilization increases with theincrease of the nitrogen fertilizer rates. With the obtained yield from triticale anaverage of 96.53 kg ha-1 N is extracted from the soil with the grain, 18.97 kg ha-1 Nwith the straw or a total of 115.50 kg ha-1 N. When growing triticale afterleguminous predecessors the utilization of nitrogen is 35.39% and afterpredecessors sunflower, wheat and triticale - 28.76%. Nitrogen required for 100 kgyield of grain of triticale is 1.9 kg of nitrogen when growing after legumepredecessors and 2.8 kg of nitrogen after the other predecessors

Antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of methanolic extracts from different parts of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni cultivated in Bulgaria

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a plant species, which is frequently used not only as a sweetener, but also for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Nowadays, there are a large number of studies on the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of S. rebaudiana leaves, but there are almost no data about the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of extracts from the other parts of S. rebaudiana. The aim of the present study is to provide data of the antibacterial and antioxidant potential of methanolic extracts from different parts of S. rebaudiana (flowers, leaves, stems, rhizomes, and tubers) cultivated in Bulgaria. Antibacterial activity of the extracts against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli was evaluated by agar well diffusion method, rutin content - by HPLC method, total phenolic content and radical scavenging potential - by UV-Vis analysis. S. rebaudiana extracts demonstrated antibacterial activity mainly against S. aureus - flower extracts expressed the highest activity, followed by the leaf and stem extracts. Only flower and leaf extracts demonstrated very low antibacterial activity against B. cereus. S. rebaudiana extracts did not show any antibacterial activity against E. coli. Methanolic extracts of this plant are rich in antioxidants. The highest concentrations of rutin and total phenols were found in the rhizomes of the plants, followed by the leaves, tubers, flowers, and stems, which corresponded to the radical scavenging potential of the same plant part. Comparisons between Trolox equivalents and gallic acid equivalents in different parts of S. rebaudiana on one hand, and Trolox equivalents and rutin concentration on the other hand showed a positive dependence and high values of the Pearson correlation - 0.9612 and 0.9707, respectively. The most important part of S. rebaudiana with medicinal significance (the leaves) has both comparatively good antibacterial activity and high antioxidant content, although the flowers and rhizomes expressed higher antibacterial and antioxidant activity, respectively. The experimental results imply that the cultivation area and climatic conditions of Bulgaria are very suitable for cultivation of S. rebaudiana plants with high content of antioxidants

Organic vs conventional farming of oil-bearing rose: Effect on essential oil and antioxidant activity

The aim of this study was to establish whether the type of the agricultural system has any influence on the essential oil production and antioxidant activity of industrial cultivated Rosa damascena Mill. in the Rose valley, Bulgaria. Six private farms from Kazanlak (Rose) Valley, Southern Bulgaria were included in the study conducted in the period 2019–2020. The first three selected farms are designated within the conventional farming and the other three are certificated as organic farms. GC/FID and GC/MS analyses were performed; the contents of total polyphenols and flavonoids in the methanol extracts from rose petals were determined. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of rose extracts was evaluated by four reliable methods: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2´-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assays. The impact of the agricultural system on the essential oil composition and antioxidant activity was evaluated by ANOVA statistical analysis. The results obtained showed that organic farming produced essential oil with a higher linalool and geraniol content and lower β-citronellol + nerol concentrations than conventional farming. It was found that organic farming production demonstrated a better antioxidant activity evaluated by the three DPPH, ABTS, and CUPRAC methods according to the averaged data for two years, 806.82, 797.66 and 1534.40 mM TE/g dw versus 510.34, 521.94 and 917.48 mM TE/g dw for CF, respectively, with high statistical significance for the DPPH and ABTS analyses. Consequentially, the rose extracts from the organic farming accumulated more phenolic compounds that corresponded to the higher antioxidant potential of the organic roses

Rare Variant Analysis of Human and Rodent Obesity Genes in Individuals with Severe Childhood Obesity

Obesity is a genetically heterogeneous disorder. Using targeted and whole-exome sequencing, we studied 32 human and 87 rodent obesity genes in 2,548 severely obese children and 1,117 controls. We identified 52 variants contributing to obesity in 2% of cases including multiple novel variants in GNAS, which were sometimes found with accelerated growth rather than short stature as describedw previously. Nominally significant associations were found for rare functional variants in BBS1, BBS9, GNAS, MKKS, CLOCK and ANGPTL6. The p.S284X variant in ANGPTL6 drives the association signal (rs201622589, MAF∼0.1%, odds ratio = 10.13, p-value = 0.042) and results in complete loss of secretion in cells. Further analysis including additional case-control studies and population controls (N = 260,642) did not support association of this variant with obesity (odds ratio = 2.34, p-value = 2.59 × 10-3), highlighting the challenges of testing rare variant associations and the need for very large sample sizes. Further validation in cohorts with severe obesity and engineering the variants in model organisms will be needed to explore whether human variants in ANGPTL6 and other genes that lead to obesity when deleted in mice, do contribute to obesity. Such studies may yield druggable targets for weight loss therapies