Transcriptome analysis of maca (Lepidium meyenii) root at different developmental stages

Not All Maca Is Created Equal: A Review of Colors, Nutrition, Phytochemicals, and Clinical Uses

Maca (Lepidium meyenii, Lepidium peruvianum) is part of the Brassicaceae family and grows at high altitudes in the Peruvian Andes mountain range (3500-5000 m). Historically, it has been used as a nutrient-dense food and for its medicinal properties, primarily in enhancing energy and fertility. Scientific research has validated these traditional uses and other clinical applications by elucidating maca's mechanisms of action, nutrition, and phytochemical content. However, research over the last twenty years has identified up to seventeen different colors (phenotypes) of maca. The color, hypocotyl size, growing location, cultivation, and post-harvest processing methods can have a significant effect on the nutrition content, phytochemical profile, and clinical application. Yet, research differentiating the colors of maca and clinical applications remains limited. In this review, research on the nutrition, phytochemicals, and various colors of maca, including black, red, yellow (predominant colors), purple, gray (lesser-known colors), and any combination of colors, including proprietary formulations, will be discussed based on available preclinical and clinical trials. The gaps, deficiencies, and conflicts in the studies will be detailed, along with quality, safety, and efficacy criteria, highlighting the need for future research to specify all these factors of the maca used in publications.

Pseudomonas fluorescens BsEB-1: an endophytic bacterium isolated from the root of Bletilla striata that can promote its growth

An endophytic Pseudomonas fluorescens (BsEB-1) was obtained from the roots of Bletilla striata. We investigated its growth-promoting properties and observed the impact of its inoculation on both the growth and polysaccharide content of Bletilla striata tubers. It was found that BsEB-1 possessed three growth-promoting activities: phosphate-solubilizing, produced indoleacetic acid (IAA) and siderophores, but had no nitrogen-fixing activity. BsEB-1 could rapidly attach to the root hairs of Bletilla striata tissue culture seedlings and endophytically colonize the region of maturation in the roots. It also significantly promoted the rooting and transplant survival rate of the seedlings, as well as the growth and expansion of the tubers, but did not increase their polysaccharide content. Pseudomonas fluorescens BsEB-1 exhibits potential for applications in the artificial planting of Bletilla striata.

Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) Region of Nuclear Ribosomal DNA as a Suitable DNA Barcode for Identification of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. from Manipur

Zanthoxylum armatum DC. is a plant with many medicinal values which is extensively used in traditional system of medicine for curing various diseases and ailments, including cancer. The aim of the present study is to identify Zanthoxylum armatum collected from different parts of Manipur, India, at molecular level. Molecular markers like internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and other DNA barcoding genes such as matK, rbcL, psbA-trnH and trnL-trnF were targeted to find out the most suitable DNA barcode for identifying this species. Sequences obtained using the five primer pairs-ITS An5 and ITS An4, matK-413f-1 and matK-1227r-1, rbcL-1F and rbcL-724R, psbA-F and trnH-R and trnL-F and trnF-R were submitted to GenBank, NCBI. Amongst the five DNA barcoding targets, one nuclear and four chloroplast genes were successfully amplified by PCR (100%) and sequencing (100%) in all the eight plant samples. Sequence similarity of total ITS region (620 bp) when compared to the reference sequence were found to be between 98.55 and 99.68%. In our study, ITS sequence in combination with DNA barcoding sequences of rbcL, trnH-psbA and trnL-trnF was very successful in identification of Z. armatum and differentiate other species clearly in the phylogeny analysis. Our work shows ITS region to be the most suitable DNA barcode which formed a monophyletic group of the species in the phylogenetic tree analysis. The sequences of the barcoding genes of Z. armatum DC. obtained from this study adds to the already available resources which will be helpful in the future research endeavours.