Comparison of leaf anatomical structure and photosynthetic characteristics between weedy rice and cultivated rice at the seedling stage.

To explore the internal factors related to the strong growth and competitive ability of weedy rice during the seedling period, we collected two biotypes of Japonica weedy rice from Northeast China, four biotypes of Indica weedy rice from Eastern China and Southern China, and two biotypes of cultivated rice, Zhendao-8 (ZD-8) and Shanyou-63 (SY-63), which were used as controls in a pot experiment. Under homogeneous garden planting conditions, we measured the vascular bundle size (VBS), vascular bundle number (VBN), leaf thickness (LT), air cavity size (ACS), stomatal size (SS), stomatal density (SD), net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and stomatal conductance (Gs) of the weedy and cultivated rice biotypes. A comprehensive analysis was performed to explore the correlation between the seedling leaf structure and the photosynthetic indices of the biotypes.

and Fermentation Effects on Various Active Ingredient Contents in Fruit.

Microbial fermentation has been widely used to improve the quality and functional composition of food and edibles; however, the approach has rarely been applied to traditional Chinese medicines. In this study, to understand the effect of microbial fermentation on the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicines, we used and to ferment the traditional Chinese medicine, fruit (COF), and determined the levels of active ingredients using HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography). According to the results, both and substantially increased the amount of gallic acid in the COF culture broth after fermentation; however, the two species of bacteria had no effect on the loganin content.

Effects of water extracts of Flaveria bidentis on the seed germination and seedling growth of three plants.

To further explore the mechanism behind the allelopathic effects of Flaveria bidentis, we investigated the allelopathic effects of water extracts from Flaveria bidentis leaves on three plants, Shanghai green, barnyard grass and wheat. The results showed that the water extracts inhibited the germination potential, germination rate, seedling height, root length, chlorophyll content, fresh weight and dry weight of the three plants, and increasing the extract concentration further increased the inhibitory effect. The allelopathic effects of the water extracts from Flaveria bidentis leaves on the three receptor plants differed in strength from strong to weak as follows: Shanghai green > barnyard grass > wheat.

Effects of various artificial agarwood-induction techniques on the metabolome of Aquilaria sinensis.

Background: Agarwood is a highly sought-after resinous wood for uses in medicine, incense, and perfume production. To overcome challenges associated with agarwood production in Aquilaria sinensis, several artificial agarwood-induction treatments have been developed. However, the effects of these techniques on the metabolome of the treated wood samples are unknown.

Photosynthetic and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Characteristics of Isodon rubescens (Hemsley) H. Hara.

The ecological and economic cultivation of Isodon rubescens is currently being carried out. The demand of I. rubescens for light intensity should be made clear to estimate whether the environmental conditions of an area are suitable for cultivating I.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of .

In this study, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of was determined through Illumina sequencing method. The complete cp genome of was 143,896 bp in length and contained a pair of IR regions (25,210 bp) separated by a small single-copy region (10,292 bp) and a large single-copy region (83,184 bp). The cp genome of encoded 117 genes including 78 protein-coding genes, 31 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes.

Two thymol derivatives from the flower buds of Lonicera japonica and their antibacterial activity.

A new monoterpenoid, 7-acetyl-8,9-dihydroxy thymol (1), together with a known one 7,8-dihydroxy-9-buyryl thymol (2), were isolated from the dried flower buds of Lonicera japonica Thunb. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data analyses. The potential antibacterial effects of these compounds on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, and Bacillus cereus were evaluated.

Isolation and identification of a 10-deacetyl baccatin-III-producing endophyte from Taxus wallichiana.

Endophytic fungi of inner root bark of Taxus wallichiana var. mairei were investigated in order to find endophytes producing 10-DABIII (10-deacetyl baccatin III). Purified colonies were cultured in potato dextrose broth (PDB), and then the organic extracts from fungi were analyzed with HPLC, LC-MS, and (1)H NMR.

Isolation of an endophytic fungus producing baccatin III from Taxus wallichiana var. mairei.

The objective of this study was to isolate endophytic fungi producing baccatin III from yew for the purpose of baccatin III and paclitaxel manufacture. Surface sterilized bark of Taxus wallichiana var. mairei was used as source material with potato dextrose agar culture medium for isolation of endophytic fungi.

Altered expression patterns of TCP and MYB genes relating to the floral developmental transition from initial zygomorphy to actinomorphy in Bournea (Gesneriaceae).

The shift from zygomorphy to actinomorphy has been intensively studied in molecular genetic model organisms. However, it is still a key challenge to explain the great morphological diversity of derived actinomorphy in angiosperms, since different underlying mechanisms may be responsible for similar external morphologies. Bournea (Gesneriaceae) is of particular interest in addressing this question, as it is a representative of primarily derived actinomorphy characteristic of a unique developmental transition from zygomorphy to actinomorphic flowers at anthesis.