Ethnobotanical appraisal and cultural values of medicinally important wild edible vegetables of Lesser Himalayas-Pakistan

Background

The association among food and health is momentous as consumers now demand healthy, tasty and natural functional foods. Knowledge of such food is mainly transmitted through the contribution of individuals of households. Throughout the world the traditions of using wild edible plants as food and medicine are at risk of disappearing, hence present appraisal was conducted to explore ethnomedicinal and cultural importance of wild edible vegetables used by the populace of Lesser Himalayas-Pakistan.

Methods

Data was collected through informed consent semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, market survey and focus group conversation with key respondents of the study sites including 45 female, 30 children and 25 males. Cultural significance of each species was calculated based on use report.

Results

A total of 45 wild edible vegetables belonging to 38 genera and 24 families were used for the treatment of various diseases and consumed. Asteraceae and Papilionoideae were found dominating families with (6 spp. each), followed by Amaranthaceae and Polygonaceae. Vegetables were cooked in water (51%) followed by diluted milk (42%) and both in water and diluted milk (7%). Leaves were among highly utilized plant parts (70%) in medicines followed by seeds (10%), roots (6%), latex (4%), bark, bulb, flowers, tubers and rhizomes (2% each). Modes of preparation fall into seven categories like paste (29%), decoction (24%), powder (14%), eaten fresh (12%), extract (10%), cooked vegetable (8%) and juice (4%). Ficus carica was found most cited species with in top ten vegetables followed by Ficus palmata, Bauhinia variegata, Solanum nigrum, Amaranthus viridis, Medicago polymorpha, Chenopodium album, Cichorium intybus, Amaranthus hybridus and Vicia faba.

Conclusions

Patterns of wild edible plant usage depend mainly on socio-economic factors compare to climatic conditions or wealth of flora but during past few decades have harshly eroded due to change in the life style of the inhabitants. Use reports verified common cultural heritage and cultural worth of quoted taxa is analogous. Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant activities, pharmacological applications; skill training in farming and biotechnological techniques to improve the yield are important feature prospective regarding of wild edible vegetables.

     

Traditionally used wild edible plants of district Udhampur,J&K,India

Background

Wild edible plants (WEPs) refer to edible species that are not cultivated or domesticated. WEPs have an important role to play in poverty eradication, security of food availability, diversification of agriculture, generation of income resources, and alleviating malnutrition. In the present study, an inventory of traditionally used WEPs from Udhampur district of J&K, India, has been prepared.

Methods

A systematic and extensive ethnobotanical survey was carried out in different villages of the district for the collection of information on WEPs. The data collected through questionnaire and interviews was then analyzed for cultural importance index (CI) and factor informant consensus (F_ic) to know the cultural significance of WEPs and consensus for the knowledge of WEPs among the informants.

Results

A total of 90 plant species belonging to 45 families and 78 genera were edible and serve as wild phytofoods in the present study. Species richness of wild edible species was the maximum for vegetables (46 species) followed by fruits (37 species) and medicinal plants (36 species). Culturally (on the basis of CI), the most important vegetable and fruit species were Diplazium esculentum, Fumaria indica, Taraxacum campylodes, Urtica dioica, Phyllanthus emblica, Punica granatum, Cordia dichotoma, Syzygium cumini, Ficus palmata, etc. The highest use-report (626) was recorded for vegetables whereas the maximum mean use-report (14.8) was recorded for fruits. On an average, 20.7 wild edible species were used per informant. Informant consensus index (F_ic) varied between 0.83 and 0.94 for raw vegetables and preserved vegetables, respectively.

Conclusion

One of the most important issues of this era is hunger for which one of the possible solutions is the usage of WEPs. The local populace of Udhampur has good knowledge of WEPs, and this legacy of traditional culture must be conserved.

     

Species richness,cultural importance,and prioritization of wild spices for conservation in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Benin (West Africa)

Background

Spices have always been used for their flavor-enhancement characteristics and for their medicinal properties. In Benin, scientific research on spices is scarce, despite their importance in the local population’s daily needs. This study investigated the diversity of wild spices and documented the associated traditional knowledge that can be used for their valuation, domestication, and sustainable management in the Sudano-Guinean Zone of Benin.

Methods

Data were collected during field expeditions using semi-structured interviews in ten localities across the three phytodistricts of the zone. Species richness and Shannon’s diversity index were estimated using species accumulation curves. Use report (UR), cultural importance, use value (UV) index, and informant consensus factor (F_ic) were used to assess traditional knowledge on wild species, their local importance, and informants’ agreement among sociolinguistic groups. Priority wild spices were finally identified using an approach combining eight criteria (native status, economic value, ethnobotanical value, global distribution, national distribution, in-situ and ex-situ conservation status, legislation, and threats assessment) in four prioritization methods (point scoring procedure, point scoring procedure with weighting, compound ranking system, and binomial ranking system).

Results

A total of 14 species, belonging to 12 genera and 9 families, were inventoried. The most prominent families were Zingiberaceae (21.43%), Annonaceae (21.43%), and Rutaceae (14.29%). More than 200 specific uses were reported, with the Tchabè people holding the greatest level of knowledge (70 uses; UR?=?5.70?±?0.33). The culturally most important spices differed among sociolinguistic groups. Most of the informants agree on the use of the species among (F_ic = 0.72–0.98) and across the considered use categories (F_ic = 0.88–0.99). The highest UV were registered for Aframomum alboviolaceum (UV?=?0.93), Lippia multiflora (UV?=?0.76), and Aframomum angustifolium (UV?=?0.18). Overall, people perceived wild spices as declining due to agriculture, grazing, and drought. Five species, A. alboviolaceum, L. multiflora, Monodora tenuifolia, Xylopia aethiopica, and Z. zanthoxyloides, were the most prioritized for conservation.

Conclusions

This study provides information relevant for the implementation of conservation and domestication actions of wild spices in Benin. Priority species could be integrated into traditional agroforestry systems (e.g., home gardens). However, for this to be effective, further research should be undertaken on morphological and genetic diversity and propagation methods of priority wild spices.

     

Ethnobotany of the Balti community,Tormik valley,Karakorum range,Baltistan, Pakistan

Background

Limited health facilities and malnutrition are major problems in the Karakorum Range of Northern Pakistan, often resulting in various human disorders. Since centuries, however, local communities in these areas have developed traditional methods for treating various ailments and local foods capes that can be significant for devising public health and nutritional policies. This study was intended to document the ethnobotanical knowledge of the local peoples in the Tormik Valley, especially in the medical and food domains.

Methods

Field trips were undertaken in 14 different villages of the study area from 2010 to 2012. Ethnobotanical data were gathered using semi-structured interviews and group conversation with 69 informants. Details about local uses of plant species were recorded along with demographic characteristics of the visited communities. Relative frequency citation index (RFCi) and preference ranking index (PRi) tools were applied to determine the cultural significance of the reported species.

Results

Sixty-three plant species, with a predominance of Asteraceae and Fabaceae family members, as well as their detailed folk uses were documented. Forty-three percent of the species were used to treat various diseases, 21 % were consumed as wild fruits and vegetables and 53 % of the species had multipurpose applications. Thymus linearis Benth, Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. turkestanica L. and Convolvulus arvensis L. were found to be the most utilized medicinal plant species, i.e. those with significant RFCi values (0.54, 0.51 and 0.48, respectively). Betula utilis D. Don was the most versatile taxon (seven different ways of utilization); being this species a common and easily accessible subalpine tree and then under anthropogenic pressure, the implementation of concrete strategies aimed at its in-situ and ex-situ conservation is strongly recommended.

Conclusion

The valleys in the Karakorum Mountains in the Northern Pakistan host significant Traditional Knowledge on local food and medicinal plant species, which need to be reconsidered and cautiously re-evaluated by ethnopharmacologists, and public health/nutrition actors. Furthermore, germane trans-disciplinary investigations are suggested to ensure the dynamic conservation of precious local knowledge systems, as well as plant diversity in Pakistani mountain regions.

     

High-throughput sequencing of African <Emphasis Type="Italic">chikanda</Emphasis> cake highlights conservation challenges in orchids

Chikanda is a traditional dish made with wild-harvested ground orchid tubers belonging to three orchidioid genera, Disa, Satyrium and Habenaria, all of which are CITES appendix II-listed. Identification of collected orchid tubers is very difficult and documentation of constituent species in prepared chikanda has hitherto been impossible. Here amplicon metabarcoding was used in samples of six prepared chikanda cakes to study genetic sequence diversity and species diversity in this product. Molecular operational taxonomic unit identification using similarity-matching reveals that species of all three genera were present in the chikanda samples studied. Disa was present in all of the samples, Satyrium in five out of six and Habenaria in one of the samples, as well as a number of other plants. The fact that each sample contained orchids and the presence of a wide variety of species from all genera in this traditional dish raise serious concerns about the sustainability of this trade and the future of wild orchid populations in the main harvest areas. This proof-of-concept study shows that Ion-Torrent PGM is a cost-effective scalable platform for metabarcoding using the relatively long nrITS1 and nrITS2 regions. Furthermore, nrITS metabarcoding can be successfully used for the detection of specific ingredients in a highly-processed food product at genus level, and this makes it a useful tool in the detection of possible conservation issues arising from commercialized trade or processed plant products.     

Genome-Wide Analysis in Wild and Cultivated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza</Emphasis> Species Reveals Abundance of NBS Genes in Progenitors of Cultivated Rice

NBS-encoding genes play a critical role in the plant defense system. Wild relatives of crop plants are rich reservoirs of plant defense genes. Here, we performed a stringent genome-wide identification of NBS-encoding genes in three cultivated and eight wild Oryza species, representing three different genomes (AA, BB, and FF) from four continents. A total of 2688 NBS-encoding genes were identified from 11 Oryza genomes. All the three progenitor species of cultivated rice, namely O. barthii, O. rufipogon, and O. nivara, were the richest reservoir of NBS-encoding genes (214, 313, and 307 respectively). Interestingly, the two Asian cultivated species showed a contrasting pattern in the number of NBS-encoding genes. While indica subspecies maintained nearly equal number of NBS genes as its progenitor (309 and 313), the japonica subspecies had retained only two third in the course of evolution (213 and 307). Other major sources for NBS-encoding genes could be (i) O. longistaminata since it had the highest proportion of NBS-encoding genes and (ii) O. glumaepatula as it clustered distinctly away from the rest of the AA genome species. The present study thus revealed that NBS-encoding genes can be exploited from the primary gene pool for disease resistance breeding in rice.     

Prevalence and Phylogenetic Analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bartonella</Emphasis> Species of Wild Carnivores and Their Fleas in Northwestern Mexico

The host–parasite–vector relationship of Bartonella spp. system in wild carnivores and their fleas from northwestern Mexico was investigated. Sixty-six carnivores belonging to eight species were sampled, and 285 fleas belonging to three species were collected during spring (April–May) and fall (October–November) seasons. We detected Bartonella species in 7 carnivores (10.6%) and 27 fleas (9.5%) through either blood culture or PCR. Of the 27 Bartonella-positive fleas, twenty-two were Pulex simulans, three were Pulex irritans and one was Echidnophaga gallinacea. The gltA gene and ITS region sequences alignment revealed six and eight genetic variants of Bartonella spp., respectively. These variants were clustered into Bartonella rochalimae, Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii and another genotype, which likely represents a novel species of Bartonella spp. Although experimental infection studies are required to prove the vector role of P. simulans, our results suggest that this flea may play an important role in the Bartonella transmission. The results indicated possible host-specific relationships between Bartonella genotypes and the families of the carnivores, but further studies are needed to verify this finding. The presence of zoonotic species of Bartonella spp. in wild carnivores raises the issue of their potential risk for humans in fragmented ecosystems.     

Botanical ethnoveterinary therapies in three districts of the Lesser Himalayas of Pakistan

Background

Ethnoveterinary knowledge is highly significant for persistence of traditional community-based approaches to veterinary care. This is of particular importance in the context of developing and emerging countries, where animal health (that of livestock, especially) is crucial to local economies and food security. The current survey documents the traditional veterinary uses of medicinal plants in the Lesser Himalayas-Pakistan.

Methods

Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and by administering questionnaires. A total of 105 informants aged between 20–75 years old who were familiar with livestock health issues (i.e. farmers, shepherds, housewives and herbalists) participated in the study.

Results

A total of 89 botanical taxa, belonging to 46 families, were reported to have ethnoveterinary applications. The most quoted families were Poaceae (6 taxa), Fabaceae (6), Asteraceae (5), and Polygonaceae (5). Adhatoda vasica was the most cited species (43%), followed by Trachyspermum ammi (37%), and Zanthoxylum armatum var. armatum (36%). About 126 medications were recorded against more than 50 veterinary conditions grouped into seven categories. The highest cultural index values were recorded for Trachyspermum ammi, Curcuma longa, Melia azedarach, Zanthoxylum armatum var. armatum and Adhatoda vasica. The highest informant consensus factor was found for pathologies related to respiratory and reproductive disorders. Comparison with the local plant-based remedies used in human folk medicine revealed that many of remedies were used in similar ways in local human phytotherapy. Comparison with other field surveys conducted in surrounding areas demonstrated that approximately one-half of the recorded plants uses are novel to the ethnoveterinary literature of the Himalayas.

Conclusion

The current survey shows a remarkable resilience of ethnoveterinary botanical knowledge in the study area. Most of the species reported for ethnoveterinary applications are wild and under threat. Thus, not only is it imperative to conserve traditional local knowledge of folk veterinary therapies for bio-cultural conservation motives, but also to assist with in-situ and ex-situ environmental conservation initiatives, which are urgently needed. Future studies that focus on the validation of efficacy of these ethnoveterinary remedies can help to substantiate emic concepts regarding the management of animal health care and for rural development programs.

     

Partitioning of vegetative trophic resources in the rodent community in the Terek-Kuma Lowland in the Republic of Daghestan

We have studied the quantitative and qualitative diet features of the rodent species in arid conditions of the Terek-Kuma Lowland in the Republic of Daghestan. We have determined the species composition, proportion, and diversity of food resources in the diets of the studied rodent species. The diet of rodents consists of various plants species. For example, the diet of Meriones tamariscinus consists of 29 plant species; M. meridianus, 40 species; Cricetulus migratorius, 26 species; Sylvaemus fulvipectus, 34 species; and Mus musculus, 30 species. The share of exclusively consumed plant species did not exceed 10% of the total amount of food. All pairs of rodent species have low or medium rate of diet overlapping.     

An ethnobotany of the Lukomir Highlanders of Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina

Background

This aim of this study is to report upon traditional knowledge and use of wild medicinal plants by the Highlanders of Lukomir, Bjela?nica, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). The Highlanders are an indigenous community of approximately 60 transhumant pastoralist families who speak Bosnian (Bosanski) and inhabit a highly biodiverse region of Europe. This paper adds to the growing record of traditional use of wild plants within isolated communities in the Balkans.

Methods

An ethnobotanical study using consensus methodology was conducted in Lukomir in Bjela?nica’s mountains and canyons. Field work involved individual semi-structured interviews during which informants described plants, natural product remedies, and preparation methods on field trips, garden tours, while shepherding, or in settings of their choice. Plant use categories were ranked with informant consensus factor and incorporated into a phylogenetic tree. Plants cited were compared to other ethnobotanical surveys of the country.

Results

Twenty five people were interviewed, resulting in identification of 58 species (including two subspecies) from 35 families, which were cited in 307 medicinal, 40 food, and seven material use reports. Individual plant uses had an average consensus of five and a maximum consensus of 15 out of 25. There were a number of rare and endangered species used as poisons or medicine that are endemic to Flora Europaea and found in Lukomir. Ten species (including subspecies) cited in our research have not previously been reported in the systematic ethnobotanical surveys of medicinal plant use in B&H: (Elymus repens (L.) Gould, Euphorbia myrsinites L., Jovibarba hirta (L.) Opiz, Lilium bosniacum (Beck) Fritsch, Matricaria matricarioides (Less.) Porter ex Britton, Phyllitis scolopendrium (L.) Newman, Rubus saxatilis L., Silene uniflora Roth ssp. glareosa (Jord.) Chater & Walters, Silene uniflora Roth ssp. prostrata (Gaudin) Chater & Walters, Smyrnium perfoliatum L.). New uses not reported in any of the aforementioned systematic surveys were cited for a total of 28 species. Thirteen percent of medicinal plants cited are endemic: Helleborus odorus Waldst. et Kit., Gentiana lutea L., Lilium bosniacum (Beck) Fritsch, Silene uniflora Roth ssp. glareosa (Jord.) Chater & Walters., Silene uniflora Roth ssp. prostrata (Gaudin) Chater & Walters, Salvia officinalis L., Jovibarba hirta (L.) Opiz, and Satureja montana L.

Conclusions

These results report on the cohesive tradition of medicinal plant use among healers in Lukomir, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This work facilitates the community’s development by facilitating local and international conversations about their traditional medicine and sharing insight for conservation in one of Europe’s most diverse endemic floristic regions, stewarded by one of Europe’s last traditional Highland peoples.

     

Exposure of Free-Ranging Wild Carnivores and Domestic Dogs to Canine Distemper Virus and Parvovirus in the Cerrado of Central Brazil

Human population growth around protected areas increases the contact between wild and domestic animals, promoting disease transmission between them. This study investigates the exposure of free-ranging wild carnivores and domestic dogs to canine distemper virus (CDV) and parvovirus in Emas National Park (ENP) in the Cerrado savanna of central Brazil. Serum samples were collected from 169 wild carnivores, including the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), hoary fox (Pseudalopex vetulus), puma (Puma concolor), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), pampas cat (Leopardus colocolo), jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), striped hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus semistriatus) and coati (Nasua nasua), and from 35 domestic dogs living on rural properties bordering ENP. Serological tests showed that 10.6% of wild carnivores (maned wolves, crab-eating foxes and ocelots) and 71.4% of domestic dogs were exposed to CDV, and 56.8% of wild carnivores, including all species sampled except coatis, and 57.1% of domestic dogs were exposed to parvovirus. This report is the first to indicate that the free-ranging pampas cat, jaguarundi and striped hog-nosed skunk are exposed to parvovirus. CDV and parvovirus deserve attention in ENP, and it is extremely important to monitor the health of carnivore populations and perform molecular diagnosis of the viruses to determine the possible involvement of the domestic dog in their transmission.     

Wild plant seed storage at Neolithic Çatalhöyük East,Turkey

Full analysis of eight seed samples collected in the 1960's excavations at Neolithic Çatalhöyük East, Turkey, is presented. Detailed investigation of the composition and context of the samples suggests that the Neolithic population collected, processed and stored seeds from Capsella sp. and Descurainia sp. (wild crucifers) for food use. In addition seeds of Vicia/Lathyrus sp. (wild vetch), Helianthemum spp. and Taeniatherum caput-medusae mixed with Eremopyrum type (grasses) were also found, some of which may have been used for food or other purposes. The analysis demonstrates that wild seed exploitation was a regular part of subsistence practice alongside the economic staple of crop production, and again demonstrates how diverse plant use practices were at the site.     

Morphological variation,management and domestication of ‘maguey alto’ (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agave inaequidens</Emphasis>) and ‘maguey manso’ (<Emphasis Type="Italic">A. hookeri</Emphasis>) in Michoacán,México

Background

Agave inaequidens and A. hookeri are anciently used species for producing the fermented beverage ‘pulque’, food and fiber in central Mexico. A. inaequidens is wild and cultivated and A. hookeri only cultivated, A. inaequidens being its putative wild relative. We analysed purposes and mechanisms of artificial selection and phenotypic divergences between wild and managed populations of A. inaequidens and between them and A. hookeri, hypothesizing phenotypic divergence between wild and domesticated populations of A. inaequidens in characters associated to domestication, and that A. hookeri would be phenotypically similar to cultivated A. inaequidens.

Methods

We studied five wild and five cultivated populations of A. inaequidens, and three cultivated populations of A. hookeri. We interviewed agave managers documenting mechanisms of artificial selection, and measured 25 morphological characters. Morphological similarity and differentiation among plants and populations were analysed through multivariate methods and ANOVAs.

Results

People recognized 2–8 variants of A. inaequidens; for cultivation they select young plants collected in wild areas recognized as producing the best quality mescal agaves. Also, they collect seeds of the largest and most vigorous plants, sowing seeds in plant beds and then transplanting the most vigorous plantlets into plantations. Multivariate methods classified separately the wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens and these from A. hookeri, mainly because of characters related with plant and teeth size. The cultivated plants of A. inaequidens are significantly bigger with larger teeth than wild plants. A. hookeri are also significatly bigger plants with larger leaves but lower teeth density and size than A. inaequidens. Some cultivated plants of A. inaequidens were classified as A. hookeri, and nearly 10% of A. hookeri as cultivated A. inaequidens. Wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens differed in 13 characters, whereas A. hookeri differed in 23 characters with wild populations and only in 6 characters with cultivated populations of A. inaequidens.

Conclusions

Divergence between wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens reflect artificial selection. A. hookeri is similar to the cultivated A. inaequidens, which supports the hypothesis that A. hookeri could be the extreme of a domestication gradient of a species complex.

     

Genomic clues to the parental origin of the wild flowering cherry <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus yedoensis</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">nudiflora</Emphasis> (Rosaceae)

Prunus yedoensis Matsumura is one of the popular ornamental flowering cherry trees native to northeastern Asia, and its wild populations have only been found on Jeju Island, Korea. Previous studies suggested that wild P. yedoensis (P. yedoensis var. nudiflora) is a hybrid species; however, there is no solid evidence on its exact parental origin and genomic organization. In this study, we developed a total of 38 nuclear gene-based DNA markers that can be universally amplifiable in the Prunus species using 586 Prunus Conserved Orthologous Gene Set (Prunus COS). Using the Prunus COS markers, we investigated the genetic structure of wild P. yedoensis populations and evaluated the putative parental species of wild P. yedoensis. Population structure and phylogenetic analysis of 73 wild P. yedoensis accessions and 54 accessions of other Prunus species revealed that the wild P. yedoensis on Jeju Island is a natural homoploid hybrid. Sequence-level comparison of Prunus COS markers between species suggested that wild P. yedoensis might originate from a cross between maternal P. pendula f. ascendens and paternal P. jamasakura. Moreover, approximately 81% of the wild P. yedoensis accessions examined were likely F1 hybrids, whereas the remaining 19% were backcross hybrids resulting from additional asymmetric introgression of parental genotypes. These findings suggest that complex hybridization of the Prunus species on Jeju Island can produce a range of variable hybrid offspring. Overall, this study makes a significant contribution to address issues of the origin, nomenclature, and genetic relationship of ornamental P. yedoensis.     

Identification and Expression Analysis of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">YABBY1</Emphasis> Gene in Wild Tomato Species

The YABBY1 genes were identified in one cultivated and ten wild tomato species of the Lycopersicon section of the Solanum genus. The structural analysis of genes and encoded proteins was carried out, and the YABBY1 interspecies functional conservation in tomato was proposed. It was shown that the YABBY1 gene sequence can be used for phylogenetic dividing of tomatoes into self- and cross-pollinated species, as well as green- and red-fruited species. The significant YABBY1 expression level was detected in S. peruvianum fruits, indicating the possibility of abaxial properties preservation in the fruit skin. The obtained data confirmed the conservation of the YABBY1-mediated organ polarity control during the process of the evolutionary diversification and domestication of tomato species.     

Multigene phylogeny reveals a new species and novel records and hosts in the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ramularia</Emphasis> from Iran

Ramularia is a species-rich genus in the order Capnodiales (Dothideomycetes, Ascomycota) that includes numerous phytopathogenic taxa, several of which are economically important plant pathogens. In this study, six isolates of Ramularia were recovered from leaf spot symptoms on six herbaceous and woody plants from Guilan, East and West Azarbaijan provinces in the north and northwest of Iran. The isolates were studied by a polyphasic approach involving morphological and cultural data, and multi-gene phylogeny (ITS, TEF1-α, ACT, HIS, RPB2 and GAPDH). The isolates were grouped in three species clades of the R. eucalypti species complex. Of these, R. mali is recorded for the first time in Asia and R. glennii represents a new record for the mycobiota of Iran. Ramularia taleshina on Alnus subcordata is described as a new species. Ramularia taleshina is phylogenetically related to R. mali, but they can be differentiated by morphological and cultural characters as well as molecular data. Acalypha australis, Ficus carica and Platanus sp. are reported as new hosts of R. glennii, and Prunus cerasus and Vitis vinifera as new hosts of R. mali.     

Diversity and distribution of lepidopteran stemborer species and their host plants in Botswana

Lepidopteran stemborers are amongst the most important insect pests of maize, sorghum and sugarcane in sub-Saharan Africa. With the exception of Chilo partellus (Swinhoe), which was accidentally introduced into Africa, the other stemborer pests are indigenous to the continent and have co-evolved with native grasses and sedges. In addition to pest species, wild habitats harbour diverse non-economic stemborer species, some of which are new to science. However, the diversity and distribution of both non-economic and pest species of stemborer are currently mostly unknown in Botswana. Accordingly, country-wide surveys were conducted during 2014/15 and 2015/16 austral summer to determine species diversity and distribution in cultivated and wild host plants of stemborers in Botswana. A total of 1597 stemborer larvae and 228 pupae were collected, constituting 63.1 and 36.9 larvae and 84.8 and 15.2% pupae from cultivated versus wild habitats, respectively. In addition to C. partellus, Sesamia calamistis Hampson and Eldana saccharina Walker which were previously reported, 12 more stemborer species were recorded for the first time in Botswana, including nine undescribed species. These species were from the Sciomesa, Sesamia and Conicofrontia genera and Tortricidae and Pyralidae families. Fourteen wild host and two cultivated host plant species of stemborers were recorded. Chilo partellus was most abundant (89.5%) in cultivated habitats whilst E. saccharina (33.6%) was most abundant in wild habitats. Stemborer species diversity was higher in wild habitats than cultivated. Current results highlight the significance of wild, especially wetland habitats for ecological functions and conservation of lepidopteran stemborer biodiversity.     

A Review of Zoonotic Infection Risks Associated with the Wild Meat Trade in Malaysia

The overhunting of wildlife for food and commercial gain presents a major threat to biodiversity in tropical forests and poses health risks to humans from contact with wild animals. Using a recent survey of wildlife offered at wild meat markets in Malaysia as a basis, we review the literature to determine the potential zoonotic infection risks from hunting, butchering and consuming the species offered. We also determine which taxa potentially host the highest number of pathogens and discuss the significant disease risks from traded wildlife, considering how cultural practices influence zoonotic transmission. We identify 51 zoonotic pathogens (16 viruses, 19 bacteria and 16 parasites) potentially hosted by wildlife and describe the human health risks. The Suidae and the Cervidae families potentially host the highest number of pathogens. We conclude that there are substantial gaps in our knowledge of zoonotic pathogens and recommend performing microbial food safety risk assessments to assess the hazards of wild meat consumption. Overall, there may be considerable zoonotic risks to people involved in the hunting, butchering or consumption of wild meat in Southeast Asia, and these should be considered in public health strategies.     

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">SPL</Emphasis> gene family with <Emphasis Type="Italic">BpSPL9</Emphasis> transgenic lines found to confer tolerance to abiotic stress in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Betula platyphylla</Emphasis> Suk.

Christolea crassifolia HARDY: gene (CcHRD) belongs to the AP2/ERF-like tanscritpion factor family, and overexpression of HRD gene has been proved to result in improved water use efficiency and enhanced drought resistance in multiple plant species. In the present study, we cloned the CcHRD gene from Christolea crassifolia, which shares 99.1% sequence similarity with the HRD gene from Arabidopsis thaliana. We generated transgenic tomato plants expressing CcHRD gene by agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. Our results revealed that the transgenic tomato plants showed a more developed root system and higher fruit yield than the wild-type plants. Furthermore, the leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content and Fv/Fm value in transgenic plants were significantly higher than the wild type, while the relative conductivity and MDA content of transgenic plant leaves were markedly lower than those of wild type under drought stress. We also observed that the major agronomic traits of transgenic tomato plants were improved under natural drought stress compared with those of the wild type. In summary, results in this transgenic study showed that the CcHRD gene could enhance the drought resistance in tomato, and also provided important information for the application of drought-responsive genes in improving crop plant resistance to abiotic stresses.     

Identifying the ecological and societal consequences of a decline in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Buxus</Emphasis> forests in Europe and the Caucasus

The potential impact of new invasive tree pests and diseases is usually quantified in economic terms. The ecological and social impacts are less often assessed. Using a comprehensive literature review we assess the potential ecological and social impact of two non-native invasive species (the box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis and the fungus Calonectria pseudonaviculata) that threaten the survival of box tree, Buxus spp. in forests in Europe and the Caucasus. A total of 132 fungi, 12 chromista (algae), 98 invertebrate and 44 lichens were found to use Buxus spp. Of these, 43 fungi, 3 chromista and 18 invertebrate species have only been recorded on Buxus spp., suggesting that these species are obligate on Buxus spp. and are most at risk from in the loss of Buxus spp. due to these invasive pest and disease species. Buxus spp. was shown to be important for soil stability and water quality but there was no information on other ecosystem functions provided by Buxus spp. Buxus was found to be of considerable historical cultural importance but there was very limited information on current social values and uses. Buxus trees, wood and leaves are associated with different folklore and sacred rites which are still particularly important in the Caucasus. While we could not find any assessment of the economic value of Buxus forests the biodiversity, cultural and social values of Buxus identified here indicate that its loss could have major indirect and non-market economic effects. This work highlights the importance of studying the ecological and societal implications of biological invasions.