Wild chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) mouthwashes in methotrexate-induced oral mucositis

Oral mucositis is a known complication of methotrexate (MTX) therapy, but a single efficacious intervention or agent for prophylaxis or management of this side effect has not yet been identified. We report a case of MTX-induced oral mucositis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, who was successfully treated with Wild chamomile mouthwashes.     

Development of Ty1-copia retrotransposon-based SSAP molecular markers for the study of genetic diversity in peach

Sequence-specific amplified polymorphism (SSAP) technology is a novel, anchored PCR approach derived from AFLP, which amplifies the region between a transposon insertion and an adjacent restriction site and have higher levels of polymorphism. In the current study, we developed 16 SSAP markers based on the long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences of Ty1-copia retrotransposons in the peach and used them for DNA profiling of 52 individual peaches: 44 peach cultivars and 8 ornamental peaches. These primer combinations produced a total of 1,553 fragments and 1,517 polymorphic bands with a polymorphism percentage of 97.7%. Furthermore, the Shannon's information index of each primer combination ranged from 0.1593 to 0.4456. Neighbor-joining analyses revealed two main genetic clusters, corresponding to the fruit flesh types: (A-1) MF (melting flesh) with clingstone and ornamental peaches; (A-2) MF with freestone and NMF (non-melting flesh) with clingstone. Finally, cluster analyses revealed that all ornamental peaches are closely related to the MF with clingstone peach cultivars. The application of these primer combinations identified using SSAP will facilitate future cultivar identification and germplasm management in peaches.     

Morphometric variation in nearly unstudied populations of the most studied mammal: The non-commensal house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) in the Near East and Northern Africa

The phenotypic consequences in the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) of the transition from an ordinary field-dwelling rodent to a species that is dependent on human populations was studied by investigating the morphometric variation of non-commensal populations of M. m. domesticus from Syria, Jordan, SW Iran, and Libya and comparing them with that of conspecific commensal populations from Eastern Turkey, Greece, and Bulgaria. Commensal populations of M. musculus musculus from the Czech Republic were used as an outgroup. About 849 adult specimens of M. musculus were analysed by multivariate procedures based on standard molar, skull and body measurements. As expected, there was considerable variation among the studied populations and a good correspondence between morphometric and geographic distances. The resulting morphometric tree was consistent with the hypothesis that the original radiation of M. m. domesticus took place somewhere in the Near East. Commensal populations of M. m. domesticus form a single derived branch. Specimens originating from four different sites in eastern Syria showed the greatest similarity to one another and possessed relatively bigger molars than the other studied populations. Commensal populations were characterised by longer tails when compared to non-commensal populations, which suggests an adaptation for living in a more three-dimensionally heterogeneous environment for commensal populations.     

Nationalization and Globalization Trends in the Wild Mushroom Commerce of Italy with Emphasis on Porcini (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Boletus edulis</Emphasis> and Allied Species)

Nationalization and Globalization Trends in the Wild Mushroom Commerce of Italy with Emphasis on Porcini ( Boletus edulis and Allied Species). This paper presents an historical overview of wild mushroom commerce in Italy, with a focus on recent trends in the production of porcini (Boletus edulis and closely allied species). Over the past century, two major trends—nationalization and globalization—have been apparent in the wild mushroom commerce of Italy. First, a simplified national mushroom menu has emerged through processes of governmental regulation and culinary fashion, but it has come at the expense of differing, localized mushroom traditions which may suffer under the European Union’s free trade principles. Second, Italy has emerged as a focal point of a global market for a small number of mushroom species—particular porcini. While the name porcini has become synonymous with Italian cuisine, and in spite of a vibrant tradition of recreational mushroom collecting in Italy, most of the porcini commercially available in Italy or exported by Italy are no longer of Italian origin. Porcini and other mushrooms now flow into Italy from all over the world—especially from China and eastern Europe—and are then often exported as “Italian porcini.” This globalization of the wild mushroom trade, while offering significant income to rural producers and processors around the globe, has other effects as well, for example, a kind of national branding as “Italian” of globally-produced products, of which porcini is one, that is in direct opposition to some of the European Union’s rules for regional denominations.

---

Processi di Nazionalizzazione e Globalizzazione nel Commercio Italiano dei Funghi spontanei, con Particolare Riguardo ai Porcini ( Boletus edulis e Specie Affini). Questo articolo presenta una panoramica storica sul commercio dei funghi spontanei in Italia, con particolare riguardo alle recenti tendenze nella produzione dei porcini (Boletus edulis e specie affini). Nello scorso secolo si sono osservate due tendenze principali—di nazionalizzazione e di globalizzazione—nel commercio dei funghi spontanei in Italia. In primo luogo si è affermata nel territorio nazionale una tradizione limitata al consumo di un numero contenuto di specie, sia per effetto di alcune normative che di mode culinarie, ma ciò è avvenuto a discapito di tradizioni locali più ricche, che potrebbero ulteriormente risentire dei principi per il libero scambio all’interno dell’Unione Europea. In secondo luogo, l’Italia si è posta in evidenza come un punto nodale per il mercato globale di alcune specie fungine, in particolare dei porcini. Nonostante quest’ultimo termine sia tradizionalmente associato alla cucina italiana, e nonostante esista in Italia una vivace e radicata tradizione nella raccolta amatoriale dei funghi, la maggior parte dei porcini ivi commercializzati (allo stato fresco, essiccati o variamente conservati) o esportati verso altri paesi non sono più di origine locale. I porcini e altre specie fungine giungono attualmente in Italia da ogni parte del mondo—in modo particolare dalla Cina e dall’Europa orientale—e sono successivamente spesso esportati come “prodotti Italiani.” Questo processo di globalizzazione del mercato dei funghi spontanei, pur offrendo un significativo introito ai raccoglitori e commercianti rurali su tutto il globo, è responsabile di altri effetti, come per l’appunto una sorta di marchio nazionale “Italiano” su alcuni prodotti di provenienza globale, come per l’appunto i porcini, cosa che contrasta con alcune delle regole dell’Unione Europea in materia di denominazioni regionali.

     

Competence of the pollen of wild species and the cultivar of tomato to affect fertilization at low temperature

Summary The competitive ability of the pollen of wild tomato species (Solanum pennellii, Lycopersicum hirsutum and L. minutum) and a cultivar of tomato to affect fertilization at low temperature was investigated. Pollen grains of wild species were mixed with those of the cultivar and pollinated onto the stigma of the cultivar. The number of seedlings resembling the wild species, excluding L. minutum, were significantly higher when the plants were maintained at a low temperature (8°–12° C) than when they were maintained at a normal temperature (22°–28° C). This indicates that the pollen of S. pennellii and L. hirsutum wild species can compete better with pollen of the cultivar at a low temperature, while there was no change in the competitive ability of L. minutum pollen under these conditions.     

Dormancy in peach (Prunus persica L.) flower buds

Morphological studies were carried out with peach flower buds collected monthly in 1989 and 1990, from two months before leaf fall (7 March) until two to three weeks before bloom (7/8 August). Chilled (2–4°C for 30 days) and unchilled buds were exposed to 20 to 25°C, 100% RH and continuous light. Gibberellin A₃ (3 ng or 30 ng) was applied to some of the non-chilled cuttings at three days intervals. Then, 12, 19, and 26 days after they were planted, the buds were sampled and processed for histological studies. Cultured flower buds (chilled or unchilled) had accelerated anther and gynoecium morphogenesis after 12 days under controlled conditions, compared to buds processed immediately after collection from the field. Chilling treatment augmented the bud culture effect, while Gibberellin A₃ applications to the excised buds retarded bud morphogenesis to a stage comparable to that of buds collected directly from the field. This, suggests that the comparatively high levels of Gibberellin A_1/3 we previously found in mid winter [15, 18] could be at least one of the factors that controls floral bud dormancy by retarding anther and gynoecium development.     

L'epoca Della Differenziazione Delle Gemme Fiorali Nell'olivo

Abstract

Calcium, as in general for all plants, is very important for fruit trees and a tight correlation between leaf content and cropping efficiency has been found.

The annual removal of calcium oxide of an orchard has been estimated in kg per hectare: pear 200, apple 180, peach 150, grape 60–130, olive 35–70, kiwi 55–60.

The rootstock affects the calcium uptake from the soil and content of the scion; frequently a higher calcium content is found in trees grafted an dwarfing rootstocks as pear on quince, apple on M9 and M26, peach on Damas.

By the horticultural point of view, calcium is responsible of two main problems: chlorosis due to high active Ca content in the soil and bitter pit, on the apposite, due to a low Ca level in the fruits.

From soil and leaf studies it seems clear that lime-induced Fe chlorosis results from two conditions: a) slow availability of Fe in the soil, and b) immobilization of Fe in the tree in forms that are not available for chlorophyll formation.

Breeding tolerant rootstocks has been the practical solution of chlorosis for most of the susceptible species.

Bitter pit is a physiological disorder of apple fruits, sometime already evident before picking, more frequently after harvesting, during the storage.

The prevention of the disorder is, essentially, a good horticultural practice (pruning, fertilization, irrigation, fruit thinning). Very effective are also Ca sprays as chloride or nitrate, or citrate, or phosphate, starting after setting, 4–5 times every 10–12 days.     

Effects of peach branches returning on autotoxins and microbes in soil and tree growth of peaches

Aims This study aimed to investigate the effects of branch returning on the growth of peach (Amygdalus persica "Chunmei/Maotao") saplings, soil enzyme activity, and soil contents of phenolic acids and amygdalin, thereby providing scientific evidence against the application of branch returning for peach trees. Methods One-year-old potted peach tree (Amygdalus persica "Chunmei/Maotao") was used in this study with four agricultural treatments applied, including soil coverage by fragmented peach tree branches (fragment treatment;1.5 and 22.5 g·kg^-1) and applying leachate solutions of peach tree branches to soil (leachate treatment; 1.5 and 22.5 g·kg^-1). No branch addition was used as control (CK). Solid phase extraction, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), biological high-throughput sequencing was used to determine the content of autotoxic substances, and microbial community structure in soil. Soil coverage and leachate solution treatments of 30 g and 450 g branches applied to the peach trees were described as 1.5 and 22.5 g·kg^-1, respectively in this paper.Important findings Compared with CK, the phenolic acid and amygdalin contents significantly increased after both fragment and leachate treatments in high quantities (22.5 g·kg^-1). Soil microbial community structure altered in both treatments, with the proportion of fungi (particularly Agaricomycetes, Tubeufia and Cystofilobasidiaceae) increased significantly and bacteria decreased accordingly. Invertase activity in both high-quantity treatments exceeded that in the CK significantly. The activity of catalase and urease was higher at first and then decreased relative to CK under high-quantity fragment and leachate treatments. Specifically, the effect of leachate treatment on enzyme activity was higher than the fragment treatment in the short term. Chlorophyll content, ground diameter (diameter of 5 cm from the ground) growth and net photosynthesis rate of plants were lower in high-quantity fragment and leachate treatments than those in CK, with earlier retardation of new shoot growth. We observed an increase in soil phenolic acids and enzymes in treatments in normal pruning quantity, while no inhibition effect was found on the tree growth. In conclusion, autotoxins (such as phenolic acid and amygdalin) inhibited the growth of peach trees both directly and indirectly through changing soil enzyme activity and microbial community.     

Variability and structure of natural populations of Elymus caninus (L.) L. and their possible relationship with Hordelymus europaeus (L.) Jess. ex Harz as revealed by AFLP analysis

The AFLP method was used to study the inter-population variability of eight populations of Elymus caninus (L.) L. as well as three populations of Hordelymus europaeus (L.) Jess. ex Harz. In these studies a clear distinction was found between two phenotypes of E. caninus collected in the same locality. It also appeared that two populations of E. caninus representing the “pauciflorum” morphotype were clustered together, similarly as two populations of E. caninus exhibiting morphotype “caninus”. Additionally, the populations of the “pauciflorum” type were clustered together with all samples of H. europaeus. Furthermore, the same approach was applied to analyze the intra-population variability of E. caninus. The populations ranged from nearly uniform to as diverse as the samples collected from different localities. In some populations of this species the presence of off-type plants was revealed. Our data indicate the predominantly self-pollinating character of E. caninus and the possible genetic relationship between of E. caninus and H. europaeus. It is the second paper from the series: Biodiversity of wild Triticeae (Poaceae) in Poland, the first is: Mizianty M. 2005. Variability and structure of natural populations of Elymus caninus (l.) L. based on morphology. Pl. Syst. Evol. 251: 199–216.