Drought and salinity are significant stressors for crop plants, including wheat. The relationship between physiological mechanisms and gene expression is important for stress tolerance. NAC transcription factors (TFs) play vital roles in abiotic stress. In this study, we assessed the expression of four TaNAC genes with some physiological traits of nine Egyptian wheat genotypes under different concentrations of PEG and NaCl. All the physiological traits that we assessed declined under both stress conditions in all genotypes. In addition, all the genes that we measured were induced under both stress conditions in young leaves. Shandaweel 1, Bani Seuf 7, Sakha 95, and Misr 2 genotypes showed higher gene expression and were linked with a better genotypic performance in physiological traits under both stress conditions. In addition, we found an association between the expression of NAC genes and physiological traits. Overall, NAC genes may act as beneficial markers for selecting for genotypic tolerance to these stress conditions in wheat.

Allium L. is one of the largest genera of the Amaryllidaceae family, with more than 920 species including many economically important species used as vegetables, spices, medicines, or ornamental plants. Currently, DNA barcoding tools are being successfully used for the molecular taxonomy of Allium. A total of 46 Allium species were collected from their native areas, and DNA was extracted using the IBRC DNA extraction kit. We used specific primers to PCR amplify matK. DNA sequences were edited and aligned for homology, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed using the neighbor-joining method. The results show thymine (38.5%) was the most frequent and guanine (13.9%) the least frequent nucleotide. The matK regions of the populations were quite highly conserved, and the amount of C and CT was calculated at 0.162 and 0.26, respectively. Analysis of the nucleotide substitution showed C-T (26.22%) and A-G (8.08%) to have the highest and lowest percent, respectively. The natural selection process dN/dS was 1.16, and the naturality test results were -1.5 for Tajima's D and -1.19 for Fu's Fs. The NJ dendrogram generated three distinct clades: the first contained Allium austroiranicum and A. ampeloprasum; the second contained A. iranshahrii, A. bisotunense, and A. cf assadi; and the third contained A. rubellum and other species. In this study, we tested the utility of the matK region as a DNA barcode for discriminating Allium. species.

In maize, immature embryos (IEs) are highly regenerative explants most suitable for producing high frequencies of plantlet regeneration in vitro. Apart from media, explants, and hormones, genotypic variation also influences in vitro characters to a great extent. In the present study, IEs were used to study the distinctive effect of variation of size/stage and hormones in different genotypes on five in vitro characters viz., frequency of callus induction, growth rate of total callus, frequency of E. callus induction, and volume and number of regenerated plantlets. LS medium with different concentrations of 2,4-D (0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 4.0 and 5.0 mg/L) were used to study the former four in vitro characters, and medium with 6-benzylaminopurine and kinetin (0.5 mg/L, each) was used for plantlet regeneration. IEs of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 mm in size were isolated from four inbred lines viz., NM74C, NM81A, NM5883 and NM5884. Two-way ANOVA revealed that explant size and genotypes, as well as hormonal concentrations showed significant effects on in vitro characters. Two millimeter IEs were found to be suitable for in vitro cultures. LS medium with 1.5 mg/L 2,4-D and LS with BAP and Kn (0.5 mg/L, each) were found to be the best hormonal concentrations for callus induction, maintenance, and regeneration, respectively. Among the four genotypes, NM81A and NM5883 yielded more non-embryogenic and Type I E. calli. In contrast, NM74C and NM5884 yielded more highly regenerative Type II calli. Inbred line NM5884 was found to be the best among these four genotypes.

An efficient protocol for multiple shoot induction and plant regeneration from axillary bud culture of Magnolia 'Vulcan' was developed in the present study. Primary shoots were obtained from axillary bud explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 1.0 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BA). To induce multiple shoots effectively, primary shoot tips were cultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of BA and zeatin at 0, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/L. Of these treatments, the MS medium with 0.5 mg/L BA resulted in the highest number of shoots per explant with an average value of 5.9, and it produced the greatest shoot height at 4.8 cm after 12 weeks of culturing. In the rooting of in vitro produced shoots, the greatest percentage of explants forming roots (91.3%), number of roots per explant (9.7), and root length (2.8 cm) were obtained in half-strength MS medium supplemented with 6.0 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Regenerated plantlets were successfully acclimatized and hardened off inside the culture room with 87.5% survival rate. Plants were transferred to a greenhouse with a 97.2% survival rate. The highly efficient shoot multiplication and plant regeneration system reported herein can be used for large-scale clonal propagation of valuable Magnolia species or cultivars.

본 실험은 딸기 조직배양 시 BA 처리에 따른 변이 발생 및 변이 연속성을 확인하고자 실시하였다. 본 실험에 사용된 공시 품종은 '고하'이며, 본 실험에 사용한 BA 농도는 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg·L^-1로 처리하였다. 변이는 형태적, 유전적 검정을 실시하였으며, 변이 연속성 검정은 3년간 실시하였다. BA 처리 시 형태적 변이는 10.5 ~ 20.0%로 매우 높게 나타났으나, 유전적 변이는 재배 1년차에 7.0 ~ 15.0%, 재배 2년차에는 1.8 ~ 10.0%, 재배 3년차에는 5.0%로 재배연수가 길어짐에 따라 유전적 변이 발생율이 낮아졌다. 뿐만 아니라 재배1년차와 2년차에는 BA 1.0 mg·L^-1과 BA 2.0 mg·L^-1에서 유전적 변이가 발생한 반면, 재배 3년차에는 BA 2.0 mg·L^-1에서만 유전적 변이가 발생하였다. 따라서 딸기 조직배양묘의 증식을 위해서 BA는 1.0 mg·L^-1미만으로 처리하고, 반드시 변이 검정 후 보급하는 것이 바람직하다고 판단되었다.

Here, we describe an efficient and rapid protocol for the micropropagation of Thymus pallidus Cosson ex Batt., a very rare medicinal and aromatic plant in Morocco. After seed germination, we tested the effect of different macronutrients, cytokinins alone or in combination with gibberellic acid (GA₃) or auxins, on T. pallidus plantlet growth. We found that Margara macronutrients (N₃₀K) had the best effect on the in vitro development of the plantlets. The addition of 0.93 μM/L 1,3-diphenylurea (DPU), 0.46 μM/L adenine (Ad), and 0.46 and 0.93 μM/L kinetin (Kin) resulted in the best shoot multiplication and elongation. In addition, the combination of 0.46 μM/L Kin, DPU, or Ad with gibberellic acid, in particular, 0.46 μM/L Ad + 0.58 μM/L GA₃ and 0.46 μM/L Kin + 1.15 μM/L GA₃, led to better bud and shoot multiplication. Moreover, the integration of the combinations of 0.46 μM/L Kin and auxins, namely 0.46 μM/L Kin + 2.85 μM/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 0.46 μM/L Kin + 2.85 or 5.71 μM/L indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and 0.46 μM/L Kin + 0.3 or 0.57 μM/L 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), in the culture medium led to better root development and optimized aerial growth. Finally, the in vitro plants from the medium containing N₃₀K + 0.46 μM/L Kin + 2.85 μM/L IAA were successfully acclimatized; these plants served as a source for repeating in vitro culture.

Alstroemeria plants were transformed by using an improved particle-gun-mediated transformation system. Friable embryogenic callus (FEC) induced from the leaves with axil tissues of Alstroemeria plant was used as the target tissue. Also, FEC was transformed with the bar gene was used as a selectable marker. In the case of plasmid pAHC25, 7.5% of the twice-bombarded FEC clumps showed blue foci, whereas the clumps with single bombardment showed only 2.3%. Additionally, a 90° rotation with double bombardment led to a higher frequency (6 times) of luciferase gene expression in PBL9780 than the control treatment. After 8 weeks of bombardment, more than 60 independent transgenic lines were obtained for pAHC25 and nearly 150 independent transgenic lines were obtained for PBL9780, all of which were resistant to PPT and demonstrated either GUS or luciferase activity. Regarding effect of osmotic treatment (0.2 M mannitol) with 7 different periods, the highest transient gene expression was obtained in 8 h before and 16 h after transformation in both pAHC25 and PBL9780. Compared with the control, at least three times more GUS foci and photons were observed in this treatment. With respect to different combinations of mannitol and sorbitol with 8 h before and 16 h after transformation, high numbers of transient and stable transgene expressions were observed in both 0.2 M mannitol and 0.2 M sorbitol used in the osmotic pre-culture. This combination showed the highest transformation efficiency in both pAHC25 (8.5%) and PBL9780 (14.5%). In the control treatment, only 10% of the FEC clumps produced somatic embryos. However, by using 0.2 M mannitol and 0.2 M sorbitol, the frequency of somatic embryos increased to 36.5% (pAHC25) and 22.9% (PBL9780). Of the somatic embryos produced, at least 60% germinated. Approximately 100 somatic embryos from these 210 independent transgenic lines from 2 plasmids developed into shoots, which were then transferred to the greenhouse. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of the bar gene. This is the report on the production of transgenic Alstroemeria plants by using particle bombardment with a high efficiency, thereby providing a new alternative for the transferring of gene of interests in Alstroemeria in the breeding program in the future.

This study was conducted to examine the vitality of Bletilla striata Rchb.f. seed treated with different concentrations sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) for different lengths of time. This study also examined the effect of NaOCl treatment times and concentrations on swelling formation and seed germination of B. striata seed. The non-treated B. striata seed had the highest survival rate (82.7%) Treatment with more than 1.5% NaOCl negatively affected the seed survival rate, as compared to concentrations of less than 1%. The swelling formation and seed germination percentages were highest (90.1% and 94.1%, respectively) when seeds were treated with 0.5% NaOCl for 20 min. These results can be used as important basic data for the growth and restoration of B. striata and further suggest the possibility of individual restoration in habitats.

기능성 성분이 향상된 토마토 품종 개발을 위해서는 성분 정량분석법과 토마토 유전자원 간 대사성분 변이에 대한 정보의 확보가 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 토마토 유전자원23개 계통과 12개 상용 F₁ 품종을 이용하여 수용성 비타민 7종(vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9)과 폴리페놀계 성분 5종(quercetin, rutin, kaempferol, myricetin, and naringenin chalcone)에 대한 함량을 비교 분석 하였다. HPLC와 LC-MS 분석 결과, 수용성 비타민과 폴리페놀계의 주요 성분으로 vitamin C와 naringenin chalcone이 각각 검출되었으며 품종 간 높은 수준의 함량 변이가 존재함을 알 수 있었다. 반면에 vitamin B1, quercetin 과 kaempferol은 전 품종에 있어 함량이 가장 낮았다. 대사성분 함량과 토마토 과실특성 간 상관관계에 있어 서 과크기(과중)와 높은 유의성이 관찰되었는데 대부분의 성분에 있어 방울토마토 품종이 완숙용 토마토 품종보다 높은 함량을 보였다. 하지만 naringenin chalcone을 제외하고 대사성분과 과색 간의 상관관계는 뚜렷하게 나타나지 않았다. 본 결과는 토마토 육종과정에 활용될 수 있는 효율적인 대사성분 정량분석법을 제시할 뿐만 아니라 기능성 성분 고함량 육종소재 선발에 중요한 정보를 제공한다.

This study aimed to screen for plants with antimicrobial potential among the evergreen woody species of South Korea that are used for horticulture and landscaping and to provide basic information about plants with proven antimicrobial activity to underpin future research. The plant materials were extracted under various conditions, and the antimicrobial activities of the extracts were evaluated by agar diffusion assay. The screening tests demonstrated that the crude extracts of 43 species had inhibitory effects against S. aureus. The inhibitory activities of four species (Elaeocarpus sylvestris, Camellia japonica, Cleyera japonica, and Quercus salicina) were relatively higher than that of the synthetic antimicrobial agents methylparaben and phenoxyethanol. The highest inhibitory activity was observed with the leaf extracts (extracted with methanol for 30 minutes) of E. sylvestris, based on induction of the largest inhibition zone of 23.3 mm in size. In addition, solvent fractions of E. sylvestris were evaluated. The largest inhibitory zone of 23.1 mm was observed for the n-butanol fraction, which is likely to contain effective compounds that exhibit inhibitory activity against S. aureus. In contrast, n-hexane and residual aqueous fractions showed no antimicrobial activity. Overall, our findings confirm that evergreen woody plants native to South Korea have potential antimicrobial activity.

Coix lacryma-jobi (Hanjeli) is known to posses anti-microbial properties. Therefore, phytochemical compounds of C. lacryma-jobi have been studied to produce novel antimicrobial agents as treatments against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.The objective of this study was to determine the phytochemical composition and antibacterial activity of the C. lacryma-jobi oil against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis. The phytochemical composition of the oil was determined via gas chromatography mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS). Moreover, agar disk and agar well diffusion were employed to screen the antibacterial activity of the oil. An agar well diffusion test was implemented to determinate MIC's (minimum inhibitory concentrations). Dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, 2,3-dihydroxypropylester, 1,3-dioctanoin, N-methoxy-N-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thiopyran6-carboxamide, propanamide, 5-Amino-1-(quinolin-8-yl)-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxamide, and pyridine were identified in the C. lacryma-jobi oil. The MIC value of the oil was 0.031 g/L and the MBC of the oil was 0.125 g/L effective in all test bacteria. Dodecanoic acid displayed inhibitory activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, our research demonstrated C. lacryma-jobi (Hanjeli) oil exhibited antibacterial activity against E. coli, S. aureus, and B. subtilis. These research suggest that C. lacryma-jobi root oil could be used for medicinal purposes; however clinical and in vivo tests must be performed to evaluate its potential as an antibacterial agent.