Flavonoid distribution in Pyracantha coccinea plants at different growth phases

Flavonoid composition during the ontogenetic cycle was examined in Pyracantha coccinea. The flavonoid profiles of plants at different ages showed marked differences in aerial and hypogel parts. In the vegetative phase there are flavonoids (flavanones, flavones and flavonols) only in the aerial parts and they appear gradually during the plant life. These secondary metabolites are detectable in the roots exclusivelyin the reproductive phase

Effect of peat and sugar cane husk mixtures on passion fruit and tomato seedling production

This work was carried out in order to verify the potential of peat and sugar cane husk mixtures for 'Rio Grande' tomato and yellow passion fruit seedling production. The treatments consisted of peat (100%), sugar cane-husks (100%) and mixtures in the following volume rates: 25,50 and 75%. The statistical design was completely randomized with 4 replicates. The tomato emergence was greater with the addition of more sugar cane-husks, which increased the porosity and aeration of the substrate. The results were, however, opposite for the passion fruit emergence, which was better as peat content increased, due to the increased water retention of the substrate. The worse seedlings for both species were obtained with peat and sugar cane-husks alone. The best treatment for passion fruit and tomato growth was the mixture at 50%, therefore being recommended as a good nursery substrate.Com o objetivo de estudar a viabilidade da utilização de turfa e de bagaço-de-cana como substrato para a produção de mudas de tomateiro 'Rio Grande' e maracujá-amarelo realizou-se experimento, cujos tratamentos consistiram de turfa (100%), bagaço-de-cana (100%) e suas misturas em proporções volumétricas de 25, 5O e 75%. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com 4 repetições. A maior quantidade de bagaço-de-cana conferiu maior porosidade e aeração ao substrato, favorecendo a emergência do tomateiro e desfavorecendo a do maracujá-amarelo. Para esta espécie, a emergência foi melhor nos tratamentos com maiores porcentagens de turfa, onde a retenção de água pelo substrato foi superior. Entretanto, a utilização integral de cada um dos substratos não proporcionou condições adequadas ao desenvolvimento de ambas as espécies, resultando mudas piores. O tratamento constituído pela mistura de 50% destes materiais foi superior tanto para o maracujá como para o tomate, sendo recomendada como um bom substrato para uso hortícola

Quercus ilex L.: A rich source of polyacylated flavonoid glucosides

From the methanolic extract of Quercus ilex leaves a series of acylated flavonol glucosides were identified, among them five new naturally occurring compounds. The constituents, which were all p-coumaroyl glucosides of kaempferol, were characterised either as pure compounds or as inseparable, complicated mixtures of cis and trans isomers. Their complete structure elucidation was done by 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, ROESY) and HPLC-DAD-MS analyses. 2D NMR spectral data allowed the discrimination between different isomers. Quantitative analysis of the methanolic extract of the plant revealed that it is a rich source of acylated flavonoid glucosides (1.22%). Under the experimental conditions chosen HPLC-DAD-MS analyses showed that cis isomers are less polar than trans isomers and their detailed identification, the first in the literature so far, could serve as a tool for the detailed characterisation of analogous isomers by HPLC-DAD-MS in other complicated plant extracts. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved