<Emphasis Type="Italic">Samardala</Emphasis>: specificities and changes in the ethnobotanical knowledge about <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allium siculum</Emphasis> subsp<Emphasis Type="Italic">. dioscoridis</Emphasis> (Sm.) K. Richt. in Bulgaria

Allium siculum Ucria is a perennial bulbous plant that occurs in Bulgaria as A. siculum subsp. dioscoridis (Sm.) K. Richt. The plant is locally known as “samardala”. Its herbage is used traditionally by local communities in Bulgaria as edible green and for preparation of salty spice mixtures. The study was focused on the documentation of traditional knowledge about samardala, covering local collection and cultivation practices, processing methods and consumption preferences. The respondents (aged 30–86 years, 50% over 65) were local producers and small-scale salesmen of the herbage and samardala-containing spices. To assess the health features of samardala spices the total phenol and flavonoid content was measured in home-consumed or marketed flavoured salts. Overall appreciation of the plant and related food products was found to be very high; presenting a considerable engagement of the locals in plant cultivation and gathering, laborious processing and consumption. Traditional ecological knowledge about the biology, phenology and ecology of the samardala plant and methods for its processing is still preserved by elderly people who rely mostly on their own cultivated plants. Although the introduction of modern appliances has altered the method of production, its main stages and the recipes are preserved. Modernization of the processing method has not affected the quality of the products and faster processing could be a contributing factor for the higher content of biologically active substances. Phenolic content was about twice as low as the flavonoid content, following the same pattern for all tested flavoured salts. Measures for better management of natural populations and promotion of cultivation practices of A. siculum subsp. dioscoridis would ensure the sustainable quality of traditional products as well as conservation of the natural plant resources.     

Formation of humic acids during plant residue humification and their nature

The process of humic acid formation during humification of plant residues (clover leaves and roots as well as timothy roots) was studied. According to some characteristics (elementary composition, IR-spectra, the content of COOH-groups) the newly-formed humic acids may be defined as “young forms”. The comparison of the new forms with more mature soil humic acids revealed the following specific features of the latter: (a) a higher degree of aromatic nuclei condensation; (b) a higher content of carboxyl groups; and (c) a more uniform structure.The authors discuss some defects of the methods used for extraction of humic acids from fresh and slightly humified plant residues by alkaline solutions. An artificial formation of humus-like substances and their extraction as admixtures together with true humic acids are inevitable with these methods. This should be taken into account in studying and systematizing such forms of humic acids.     

Utilization of Wastes from the Coke-Chemical Production and Sewage Sludge as Additives in the Brick-Clay

Current modern building technologies use a greater variety of building materials and elements of these. Lately, intensive work has been done on investigating possibilities for using different wastes as additives in the production of new ceramic building products. This demonstrates that the raw material base can be enlarged and some environmental problems solved.The present work investigates the possibility of combined utilization of sludge from the Sofia wastewater treatment plant and waste products from coke-chemical production as additives to brick clay. The most appropriate combinations and concentrations of the materials used, and the means of preparing and firing the brick masses are determined. The strength characteristics of the resulting products are studied. The results obtained are useful in showing possibilities for the solution of environmental problems.     

Colletotrichum coccodes in potato and tomato leaves in Russia

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Colletotrichum coccodes is a plant pathogenic fungus affecting different organs of potato, tomato, and some other plants. The leaf infection with C....     

Phylogeny of Vicia Subgenus Vicia (Fabaceae) Based on Analysis of RAPDs and RFLP of PCR-Amplified Chloroplast Genes

We report the results of two methods of DNA analysis to elucidate phylogenetic relationships among 29 Vicia subgen. Vicia species in comparison with two species of subgenus Vicilla sect. Vicilla. The methods employed were RAPD analysis of total genomic DNA and PCR-RFLP analysis of five chloroplast genes, rbcL, rpoB, 16S, psaA and trnK. The results of each method were similar and complementary, and support the current taxonomic systems of subsp. Vicia. According to RAPD and PCR-RFLP analysis the Narbonensis complex can be considered a well separated section, which may be related to section Vicia. Sections Vicia, Atossa and Wiggersia are separate, but closely related sections. Species of the section Hypechusa form a single monophyletic section, where V. lutea, V. anatolica and V. hyrcanica are quite remote from other species. Our results suggest that within the subgenus Vicia, V. faba is more closely related to V. bithynica and that these two species are most closely related to section Peregrinae. We found that PCR-RFLP of cp DNA provided more precise information concerning relationships between Vicia sections than RAPD analysis. However, RAPD analysis was more informative concerning diversity of closely related Vicia taxa, such as the variable groups, section Narbonensis and V. sativa aggregate.     

Micropropagation of switchgrass by node culture

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is naturally outcrossing; therefore, maintenance of genotype is difficult through sexual propagation. The objective of this study was to develop a micropropagation procedure for the multiplication of desired or selected genotypes. Nodal segments were surface sterilized, split longitudinally, and placed with the cut surface on solid MS medium containing 30 g L-1 maltose and different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) as the only growth regulator. Best shoot proliferation was obtained with 12.5 micromoles BAP and culture at 29 degrees C. Shoots were easily rooted on MS medium without BAP. Under optimum conditions, it is possible to produce approximately 500 plantlets from one parent plant in 12 wk.     

Regulation of cell polarity and protrusion formation by targeting RhoA for degradation

The Rho family of small guanosine triphosphatases regulates actin cytoskeleton dynamics that underlie cellular functions such as cell shape changes, migration, and polarity. We found that Smurf1, a HECT domain E3 ubiquitin ligase, regulated cell polarity and protrusive activity and was required to maintain the transformed morphology and motility of a tumor cell. Atypical protein kinase C zeta (PKCzeta), an effector of the Cdc42/Rac1-PAR6 polarity complex, recruited Smurf1 to cellular protrusions, where it controlled the local level of RhoA. Smurf1 thus links the polarity complex to degradation of RhoA in lamellipodia and filopodia to prevent RhoA signaling during dynamic membrane movements.