Molecular and ecological study of Eryngium species in Syria

Morphological diversity, phenolic acids, and antioxidant properties in eryngo ( Eryngium caucasicum Trautv): Selection of superior populations for agri‐food industry

Eryngo (Eryngium caucasicum Trautv) a widespread species of the Apiaceae reveals high nutritional value and therapeutic properties due to the significant content of biologically active metabolites such as essential oils, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids. The present study was performed to evaluate the morphological and biochemical variability and antioxidant properties of naturally grown populations of eryngo. One‐way ANOVA showed significant (p < .01) differences in the majority of parameters measured among the studied populations. The range of fresh weight was from 1.3 to 12.0 g/plant, while dry weight varied from 0.01 to 6.0 g/plant. The highest variation was observed for essential oil yield (CV = 205.32%) followed by essential oil content (CV = 126.23%) and chicoric acid content (CV = 71.18%). Total phenolics content varied from 8.85 to 88.15 mg GAE/g extract. Total flavonoids value ranged from 5.41 to 134.40 mg QE/g extract. Rosmarinic acid and chicoric acid contents varied from 0.118–1.234 and 0.014–0.597 μg/g DW, respectively. DPPH free radical scavenging activity varied from 76.12 to 513.5 μg/mL, while it ranged from 156.7 to 477.1 μg/mL with the ferrous ions (Fe²⁺) chelating assay. Rosmarinic acid and chicoric acid showed a significant and positive correlation (r_0.01 = 0.81 and r_0.05 = 0.40) with total phenolics, respectively. The Ward dendrogram analysis revealed two different clusters based on the parameters measured, confirming high morpho‐phytochemical variability among the individuals and populations. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed eight PCs which contributed to 99.97% of the overall variance, and leaf length, essential oil content, and antioxidant activity in terms of DPPH and Fe²⁺ chelating techniques were the most effective attributes for characterizing and selecting the studied population. Based on the traits related to vegetative yield and antioxidant properties, eight individuals from two populations were superior for breeding and/or farming programs.

Analysis of genetic relationships of genotypes of the genus Rosa L. from the collection of Nikita Botanical Gardens using ISSR and IRAP DNA markers

In connection with the development of breeding and the creation of new plant varieties, the problem of their genotyping and identification is becoming increasingly important, therefore the use of molecular methods to identify genetic originality and assess plant genetic diversity appears to be relevant. As part of the work performed, informative ISSR and IRAP DNA markers promising for the study of genetic diversity of the Rosa L. genus were sought and applied to analysis of genetic relationships among 26 accessions of the genus Rosa L. from the gene pool collection of Nikita Botanical Gardens. They included 18 cultivated varieties and 8 accessions of wild species. The species sample included representatives of two subgenera, Rosa and Platyrhodon. The subgenus Platyrhodon was represented by one accession of the species R. roxburghii Tratt. Cultivated roses were represented by varieties of garden groups hybrid tea, floribunda, and grandiflora. The tested markers included 32 ISSRs and 13 IRAPs. Five ISSR markers (UBC 824, ASSR29, 3A21, UBC 864, and UBC 843) and three IRAPs (TDK 2R, Сass1, and Сass2) were chosen as the most promising. They were used for genotyping the studied sample of genotypes. In general, they appeared to be suitable for further use in studying the genetic diversity of the genus Rosa L. The numbers of polymorphic fragments ranged from 12 to 31, averaging 19.25 fragments per marker. For markers UBC 864 and UBC 843, unique fingerprints were identified in each accession studied. The genetic relationships of the studied species and varieties of roses analyzed by the UPGMA, PCoA, and Bayesian methods performed on the basis of IRAP and ISSR genotyping are consistent with their taxonomic positions. The genotype of the species R. roxburghii of the subgenus Platyrhodon was determined genetically as the most distant. According to clustering methods, the representative of the species R. bengalensis did not stand out from the group of cultivated varieties. When assessing the level of genetic similarity among the cultivated varieties of garden roses, the most genetically isolated varieties were ‘Flamingo’, ‘Queen Elizabeth’, and ‘Kordes Sondermeldung’; for most of the other varieties, groups of the greatest genetic similarity were identified. This assessment reflects general trends in phylogenetic relationships, both among the studied species of the genus and among cultivated varieties.

Search of effective IRAP markers for sakura genotyping

The aim of this study is to find and use effective IRAP markers for DNA genotyping of representatives of sakura species (ornamental cherries). The work demonstrates the results of testing ISSR markers on the genotypes of the species P. serrulata. Also, based on the testing data, the selection of effective IRAP markers was carried out. The selected IRAP markers were used in the genetic analysis of 12 sakura genotypes.

IRAP-analysis for evaluating the genetic stability of endemic and endangered species of the Western Caucasus flora in the collection in vitro

The characterization of genetic diversity is one of the main components of the genetic resources collection and management. Molecular markers are the most effective tool for characterizing and assessing genetic diversity in plant collections. IRAP (inter-retrotransposons amplified polymorphism) markers have proven to be some of the most effective for characterizing and evaluating germplasm, confirming the genetic fidelity of in vitro preserved cultivars and species. In this regard, the aim of this work is to test several IRAP primers to identify genetic polymorphism and study the genetic fidelity of three rare and endemic flora species of the Western Caucasus during in vitro conservation. Approbation of 16 IRAP-primers on the investigated species was carried out for Eryngium maritimum L., Galanthus woronowii Losinsk. and Campanula sclerophylla Kolak. The results made it possible to select the most efficient of them for genetic fidelity analysis of micropropagated plants. Out of 16 IRAP primers 8 amplified PCR products in Eryngium maritimum. In Galanthus woronowii as well 8 of 16 IRAP primers resulted in the amplification with the number of DNA fragments ranging from 2 to 12. In Campanula sclerophylla 9 of 16 IRAP primers amplified 1 to 11 fragments, depending on the marker. The results of the genotyping of regenerants were compared with data on stock in situ plants, which were the source of explants for in vitro conservation. In total, 60 regenerants for each species of the natural flora of the Western Caucasus were involved in the study. The results obtained demonstrated no genetic changes of the regenerants in all the studied species. These results were confirmed using ISSR analysis of an extended sample set of microplants for each species. The results obtained can serve as evidence of a low probability of genetic disorders during in vitro propagation and conservation of the species Eryngium maritimum L., Galanthus woronowii Losinsk. and Campanula sclerophylla Kolak.

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil from Aerial Parts and Roots of Eryngium barrelieri Boiss. and Eryngium glomeratum Lam. from Tunisia

The study of chemical composition and biological activity of unexplored essential oils may open new perspectives on their potential use in facing major health concerns such as drug-resistant infections. The present study investigates the chemical composition and antimicrobial effects of previously unstudied essential oils obtained from genus Eryngium: Eryngium glomeratum Lam. and Eryngium barrelieri Boiss. The chemical compositions of the essential oils from aerial parts and roots of both species were studied using GC and GC/MS analytical technics. The analysis led to the identification of 102 compounds totalizing 85 - 94% of all detected compounds. Essential oils were characterized by the predominance of oxygenated sesquiterpenes. The oils obtained from aerial parts were tested against 36 microbial strains by agar dilution method and showed minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) in the range of 2 - 625 μg/ml. A strong antibacterial activity against multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed especially from E. glomeratum essential oil with MIC value up to 2 μg/ml. These findings give significant information about the pharmacological activity of these essential oils, which suggest their potential use to develop new remedies, or as sources of active compounds.

Molecular and ecological investigations on the wild populations of Glycyrrhiza L. taxa distributed in the East Mediterranean Area of Turkey

This paper covers studies on the molecular and ecological aspects of G. glabra var. glandulifera, G. flavescens ssp. flavescens and G. echinata collected from Hatay (Turkey); with the aim to better understand their genetic variation and ecological requirements for possible conservation programs. The material including total genomic DNA was extracted by the CTAB, and for PCR reaction, a total of 14 SSR primers developed for Medicago truncatula were used. PCR amplifications were performed in a Multigen^® Thermal Cycler. Soil samples were analysed for their texture, pH, total soluble salts, calcium carbonate, total N content, total phosphorus and organic matter content. In order to see the association between genetic, ecological and geographical data, a similarity matrix was generated. Genetic similarity distances between genotypes were correlated with those of Eucledian distances obtained from ecological and geographical data. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) was performed using GenAlEx 6.5 software to determine variation among and within genetic variations. The genetic analysis showed that the highest expected heterozygosity values were obtained from G. glabra while the lowest were obtained from G. echinata. In general heterozygosity values were low, especially for G. echinata. Therefore, variation appears to be lower within each species than among three species. The physical and chemical analysis of soil and plant samples indicates that mineral accumulation in plants is substantially affected by the soil characteristics. There is a need for identification of better strategies for the improvement of varieties, especially for small farmers managing marginal soils. More studies should be conducted in order to safeguard these taxa, especially G. glabra var. glandulifera which is collected intensively due to its economic value, the same is true for endemic taxon G. flavescens ssp. flavescens.