Profiling and characterization by LC-MSn of the galloylquinic acids of green tea, tara tannin, and tannic acid

Green tea, tara tannin, and tannic acid have been profiled for their contents of galloylquinic acids using LC-MS8. These procedures have provided evidence for the first observation of (i) 1-galloylquinic acid (11), 1,3,5-trigalloylquinic acid (22), 4-(digalloyl)quinic acid (28), 5-(digalloyl)quinic acid (29), and either 3-galloyl-5-(digalloyl)quinic acid (32) or 3-(digalloyl)-5-galloylquinic acid (33) from any source; (ii) 4-galloyl-5-(digalloyl)quinic acid (34), 5-galloyl-4-(digalloyl)quinic acid (35), 3-(digalloyl)-4,5-digalloylquinic acid (41), 4-(digalloyl)-3,5-digalloylquinic acid (40), 5-(digalloyl)-3,4-digalloylquinic acid (39), and 1,3,4-trigalloylquinic acid (21) from tara tannin; and (iii) 3-galloylquinic acid (12) and 4-galloylquinic acid (14) from green tea. The first mass spectrometric fragmentation data are reported for galloylquinic acids containing between five and eight gallic acid residues. For each of these mass ranges at least two isomers based on the 1,3,4,5-tetragalloylquinic acid core (25) and at least three based on the 3,4,5-trigalloylquinic acid core (24) were observed. Methanolysis of tara tannin yielded methyl gallate, methyl digallate, and methyl trigallate, demonstrating that some of these galloylquinic acids contained at least one side chain of up to four galloyl residues.     

Effect of plant development during first and second growth cycle on chemical composition,condensed tannins and nutritive value of three sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) varieties and lucerne

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) is a temperate legume that contains condensed tannins (CT), i.e., polyphenols that are able to bind proteins and thus reduce protein degradation in the rumen. Few studies have investigated the relation between plant phenology, CT characteristics and nutritive value of sainfoin. In this study we investigated differences among three sainfoin varieties (Esparcette, Ambra and Villahoz) that were of different geographical origin, and which were cultivated at the same site over the course of two growth cycles and compared with a tannin‐free legume, lucerne (Aubigny). Plants were harvested on nine dates in the first and four dates in the second growth cycle. Phenological stages were analysed for leaf‐to‐whole‐plant ratio, nitrogen (N), organic matter digestibility (OMd) by the pepsin‐cellulase method, cell‐wall concentration, N solubility (solN) plus CT concentration, biological activity and structures. Leaf‐to‐whole‐plant, cell‐wall concentration, N of sainfoin and lucerne were closely related to the phenological stage. Although sainfoin developed earlier than lucerne, its pepsin‐cellulase digestibility was higher than or close to lucerne. Esparcette had the lowest OMd, N and solN and the highest CT concentration. CT concentration, proportion of prodelphinidins (PD) and mean degree of polymerization (mDP) increased with the phenological stage (or plant maturity), and these parameters were associated with lower biological activity of CT. Sainfoin varieties differed in their relationships between phenological stages, nutritional parameters and CT characteristics. The results demonstrated that sainfoin can be a valuable alternative forage legume to lucerne.     

Evaluation of compost amendments for suppressiveness against Verticillium wilt of eggplant and study of mode of action using a novel Arabidopsis pathosystem

The induced resistance potential of eleven compost samples that originated from four different countries (Greece, France, Netherlands and Israel) and were manufactured from various raw materials, was evaluated in an Arabidopsis thaliana–Verticillium dahliae pathosystem under greenhouse conditions using a novel Plexiglas chamber. Five out of eleven composts tested showed significant disease suppressiveness compared to the control treatment; three composts exhibited disease severity equal to the control, while in the other three composts, disease severity was higher than the control treatment. Two of the tested composts that showed strong or medium suppressiveness were further evaluated under field conditions against Verticillium wilt of eggplant. Neither of them significantly reduced disease severity or resulted in higher fruit yield in a semi-commercial field test although they could induce a systemic resistance response in the greenhouse. However, as a consequence of a growth-promoting effect, one of the compost samples tested in the field resulted in a significant yield increase compared with the other.     

A High Multi-drug Resistance to Chemically Unrelated Oomycete Fungicides in Phytophthora infestans

Mutants of Phytophthora infestans with high resistance to the amidocarbamates iprovalicarb and benthiavalicarb and to the cyanoimidazole cyazofamid were isolated after UV-mutagenesis and selection on media containing one of the above fungicides. In vitro fungitoxicity tests showed that all resistant strains presented a highly reduced sensitivity to both cyazofamid and to the amidocarbamates. Cross-resistance studies with other oomycete fungicides from different chemical groups showed that the mutation(s) for resistance to iprovalicarb (IPV), benthiavalicarb (BVC) and cyazofamid (CZF) also greatly reduced the sensitivity of mutant strains to the phenylamide metalaxyl, acetamide cymoxanil, morpholine dimethomorph, benzamide zoxamide and to chlorothalonil. A lower reduction of sensitivity of mutant strains to the strobilurins azoxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl, pyraclostrobin and trifloxystrobin, azolones famoxadone and fenamidone and to antimycin A was observed. A resistance correlation was not apparent for the dithiocarbamate propineb and phenylpyridinamine fluazinam. Studies of fitness parameters in the wild-type and mutant strains of P. infestans showed that most resistant isolates had significantly reduced sporulation and sporangial germination, but not in the differentiation of sporangia into zoospores. Pathogenicity tests on tomato seedlings showed that most resistant isolates were significantly less pathogenic compared to the wild-type parent strain. However, experiments on the stability of the resistant phenotypes did not show a reduction in resistance when the mutants were grown for more than eleven generations on inhibitor-free medium. This is believed to be the first report of high level multi-drug resistance in fungal pathogens to chemically unrelated fungicides inhibiting different sites of cellular pathway.     

Anthropogenic Heavy Metal Pollution in the Surficial Sediments of the Keratsini Harbor, Saronikos Gulf, Greece

The contents of ten elements [Cd, Pb, W, Zn, Mn, As, Se, Cr, Cu, and organic carbon (C_org)] have been determined in the surficial sediments of Keratsini harbor, Saronikos Gulf, Greece. The contamination of the sediments was assessed on the basis of geoaccumulation index and to corresponding sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) effects range low/effects range median. The results revealed highly elevated Cd, Pb, W, Zn, As, Se, Cr, Cu, and C_org values (Cd, 190–1,763 mg kg^?1; Pb, 521–1,263 mg kg^?1; W, 38–100 mg kg^?1; Zn, 409–6,725 mg kg^?1; Mn, 95–1,101 mg kg^?1; As, not detectable–1,813 mg kg^?1; Se, not detectable–58 mg kg^?1; Cr, 264–860 mg kg^?1; Cu, 195–518 mg kg^?1; and C_org, 0.69–4.41%). The enrichment of metals in the sediments results from the contribution of the central Athens sewage outfall through which the waste of the Attica basin ends up in Keratsini harbor as well as from industrial and ship contaminants.     

Composition and seasonal variation of the essential oil from leaves and peel of a Cretan lemon variety.

The essential oil of leaves and peel from the Cretan variety Zambetakis (Citrus limon) was obtained by steam distillation with a Clevenger apparatus. The essential oil was subjected to GC-MS analysis, and 35 substances were identified. The main component in both essential oils was limonene. beta-Pinene, myrcene, neral, geranial, neryl acetate, geranyl acetate, and beta-caryophyllene have been identified in the leaf oil. The peel oil contained gamma-terpinene, beta-pinene, myrcene, neral, and geranial. The quantification of volatile substances was based on the internal standard method, using octyl acetate as internal standard, and expressed in milligrams per kilogram of the essential oil. The high contents of neral and geranial were indicative of the high quality of both essential oils. The aroma profile and quantitative variations among the essential oil components were measured at six different time intervals over a period of greater than one year. Differences between the components of lemon leaves and peel were observed.