Comparison of Cultivated and Wild-simulated Astragali Radix Based on Traditional Quality Evaluation / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveBased on the traditional quality evaluation methods summarized in previous dynasties， this paper systematically contrasted cultivated Astragali Radix（CA） and wild-simulated Astragali Radix（WA） from the aspects of character， microstructure and chemical composition by modern technological means. MethodThe collected CA and WA were compared in characters and microscopic characteristics in cross section， and comparative analysis were performed on the contents of cellulose， extracts， carbohydrate， total flavonoids， total saponins， etc. Then ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometer（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS） and desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging（DESI-MSI） were used to comparatively analyze the secondary metabolites and their spatial distributions in the xylem and phloem of CA and WA. ResultIn terms of characters， the characters and sectional features of WA was consistent with the characteristics of high-quality Astragali Radix， while the CA was quite different from the traditional high-quality Astragali Radix. In terms of microscopy， the phellem layer of CA was thin， and the section fissures were mostly distributed through the cambium in a long strip shape without obvious growth ring characteristics. The cork layer of WA was thick， and the cracks in the section were distributed in the center of the xylem and the outer edge of the phloem in an irregular cavity shape. The cambium was tight without cracks， and had obvious characteristics of a growth ring. In terms of chemical composition， the contents of water-soluble extract， 80% ethanol extract and sucrose of CA was significantly higher than those of WA， while the contents of total saponins， lignin and hemicellulose were significantly lower than those of WA. And the contents of 100% ethanol extract， total polysaccharides and total flavonoids in both of them were generally similar， but slightly higher in WA. The contents of 2 kinds of monoacyl-substituted flavonoid glycosides in the xylem of WA was significantly higher than those of CA， while the contents of 2 kinds of flavonoid aglycones and one flavonoid glycoside were on the contrary. The contents of 7 saponins in phloem of WA were significantly higher than those of CA. ConclusionThere are significant differences between CA and WA in characters， microstructure and chemical components， in which CA has a fast growth rate and a short planting period， and the primary metabolites such as water-soluble extracts and sucrose are more enriched， which is the reason for its firm texture and sweetness being significantly higher than those of WA. However， the contents of lignin， hemicellulose and some secondary metabolites in WA are significantly higher than those in the CA， which are close to the traditional description of characters and quality. Based on the results of this study， it is suggested to strengthen the production of WA， improve the supply capacity of WA， and gradually upgrade the current standard. It is recommended to increase the contents of monoacyl-substituted flavonoid glycosides， total saponins and other indicators that can characterize different production methods， so as to guide the high-quality production of Astragali Radix.

Reviews and Recommendations in Comparative Studies on Quality of Wild and Cultivated Chinese Crude Drugs / 中国实验方剂学杂志

By reviewing the research history on quality comparison between wild and cultivated Chinese crude drugs， this paper systematically combed the relevant research reports since the 1950s， and summarized and analyzed the results of existing comparative studies， and found that the existing comparative research on the quality of wild and cultivated Chinese crude drugs were mainly focused on several aspects， including characteristics， microstructures， chemical compositions， pharmacodynamic effects， and genetic diversity. Among these， comparative studies of chemical compositions have been the dominant approach， with a particular emphasis on comparing the contents of index components. However， research on pharmacodynamic effects remained relatively limited. Due to various factors such as sample quantity， sample origin， growth period and cultivation methods， the differences in quality between wild and cultivated Chinese crude drugs vary significantly. In general， most wild Chinese crude drugs exhibited higher quality than cultivated products， with significant differences in their characteristics. The contents and proportions of some chemical components underwent noticeable changes， particularly with a marked increase in the proportion of primary metabolites after cultivation. The quality of cultivated Chinese crude drugs is closely related to the cultivation practices employed. Chinese crude drugs produced through wild nurturing， simulated wild planting， ecological cultivation， and other similar methods demonstrate quality levels comparable to those of wild Chinese crude drugs. Based on the analysis results， it is recommended to explicitly specify the cultivation practices and cultivation period of cultivated Chinese crude drugs in comparative studies of the quality between wild and cultivated Chinese crude drugs. Multiple technical approaches， including characteristics， microscopy， non-targeted metabolomics combined with quantitative analysis of differential components， and bioefficacy evaluation， should be employed to comprehensively assess the quality disparities between wild and cultivated Chinese crude drugs. Moreover， research efforts should be intensified to investigate the changes in pharmacodynamic effects resulting from differences in plant cell wall composition， primary metabolites， and secondary metabolites， in order to guide the production of high-quality Chinese crude drugs.

Quantification and Diversity of Cultivated Bacteria in Root Endosphere and Rhizosphere of Bamboo Species Fargesia nitida in Association with the Tree Succession

Fargesia nitida is a cold-resistant evergreen bamboo and is a pioneer plant in the secondary succession after the native trees were destroyed in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. However, little is known about the effects of this plant on soil conditions and about its microbiomes. Aiming at learning the interactions among the soil characteristics, the plants and the microbes in relation to the plant succession, a study on cultivated microbes associated with the rhizocompartments of F. nitida was performed in the present study to reveal the preference of this plant to the root associated microbes, in comparison with that associated with the successive spruce (Picea asperata Mast.) trees. The results demonstrated that growth of F. nitida could improve the soil nutrient contents, especially increasing total nitrogen, NH4+-N, total carbon, and microbial biomass carbon, and maintained more soil bacteria than the successive spruce trees. Based upon the study of F. nitida root-associated cultivated microbial community, the nutrient improvement in F. nitida growing soils might be from the root endophytic bacteria, which presented greater abundance (3.8, 1.7, and 12.6 folds) than that of bacteria in its rhizosphere, root zone soil, and spruce root zone soil, respectively. Pseudomonas members, especially species related to P. baetica and P. vancouverensis, were strongly selected by F. nitida as root endophytes.

Ecological Suitability and Quality Zoning of Panax ginseng Cultivated Under Forest in Liaoning Province / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo identify potential distribution areas for wild Panax ginseng cultivated under forest in Liaoning province， China， and analyze the ecological factors of spatial stratified heterogeneity affecting its ecological suitability and quality suitability. MethodWild Panax ginseng samples cultivated under forest were collected from 33 cultivation bases in Liaoning province. The Maxent maximum entropy model and ArcGIS were used to delineate the ecological suitability zones. Correlation analysis was performed on seven indicators and 110 ecological factors. Variables with significant correlation （P<0.05） were used to build partial least squares regression analysis models. A comprehensive quality zoning was conducted using the analytic hierarchy process （AHP）. The geographic detector was employed to analyze the interactions among dominant ecological factors of spatial stratified heterogeneity affecting habitat suitability， quality suitability， and the ecological driving factors. ResultVegetation type was the most influential ecological factor for delineating the ecological suitability zones for wild Panax ginseng in Liaoning province. The main ecological suitability areas for wild Panax ginseng cultivated under forest were located in the northeast， east， and southeast regions along the line from Xifeng County to Gaizhou City. The comprehensive quality suitability of wild Panax ginseng cultivated under forest was highest in Kuandian County and Huanren County and gradually decreased to the northwest and southwest. Within the delineated regions， the suitability conditions and comprehensive quality of wild Panax ginseng cultivated under forest were primarily influenced by the interactions between radiation and precipitation factors. The content of the measured samples was significantly higher than the standards in the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia， indicating the high overall quality of wild Panax ginseng in Liaoning Province. ConclusionAccording to the zoning and prediction results， areas in Fengcheng City， Xiuyan County， Zhuanghe City， Liaoyang County， Tieling County， Xifeng County， Gaizhou City， Haicheng City， and Dashiqiao City showed large potential distribution areas with high quality， making them highly promising for wild Panax ginseng cultivation. However， further experimental verification is required. The zoning results can provide insights for research on habitat suitability and comprehensive quality accumulation of wild Panax ginseng cultivated under forest， as well as guidance for the search for potential cultivation areas and industrial development of wild Panax ginseng in Liaoning Province.

Comparison of growth and quality of wild and cultivated Artemisia stolonifera / 中国中药杂志

This paper aims to compare the difference of growth and quality between wild and cultivated Artemisia stolonifera, thereby providing references for further development and utilization of A. stolonifera. The wild and cultivated A. stolonifera from different altitudes were collected, and the agronomic characters, moxa yield, volatile components, flavonoids, and phenolic acids were determined. The results showed that the cultivated species were taller and stronger, with more leaves and branches, than the wild species. The moxa yield and combustion quality of wild products were higher than those of cultivated products. The content of main volatile components in cultivated products was higher than that in wild products. The content of flavonoids and phenolic acids in wild products was higher than that in cultivated products. At high altitude, the ignition performance, combustion persistence, comprehensive combustion performance, and heat release during combustion of the wild and cultivated A. stolonifera. were optimal. At middle altitude, the content of main characteristic volatile components and flavone phenolic acids in the leaves of the cultivated and wild A. stolonifera were the highest. At low altitude, the combustion quality and the content of the above components of the cultivated A. stolonifera decrease significantly. Considering the combustion quality and the content of the internal components of the leaf lint, the middle and high altitude areas are suitable for the artificial cultivation of A. stolonifera.

Identification and Genetic Variation Analysis of Wild and Cultivated Germplasm of Angelica sinensis Based on cp DNA / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo conduct genetic variation analysis of 11 cultivars and 7 wild populations of Angelica sinensis in Gansu province based on the chloroplast gene （cp DNA）， and provide references for germplasm identification and breeding of new cultivars of A. sinensis. MethodThree pairs of cp DNA primers were used for polymerase chain reaction （PCR） amplification and sequencing of A. sinensis samples. MegaX was used to perform statistics on sequence characteristics and calculate mean genetic distances among A. sinensis populations. Unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means （UPGMA） clustering tree based on genetic distance was constructed by NTSYS 2.10e. DanSP v6 was used to calculate sequence polymorphism and Tajima's D of A. sinensis. PERMUT was used to calculate the population structure of A. sinensis. Arlequin v3.5 was used to perform molecular variation analysis， and PopART1.7 was used to construct TCS haplotype network. ResultThree pairs of cp DNA primers were amplified， sequenced， compared， and combined to give a sequence length of 1 759 bp. One variable site was detected in the wild A. sinensis and 480 variable sites were detected in the cultivated A. sinensis， including 97 singleton variable sites， 383 parsimony informative sites， and 152 insertion-deletion sites. In the three regions of matK， psbA-trnH， and rbcL of cp DNA in the wild and cultivated A. sinensis， matK was the region with the highest polymorphism. Tajima’s D of all the combined sequences of A. sinensis were not significantly negative， but psbA-trnH and rbcL genes of the cultivated A. sinensis were significantly negative， indicating that the A. sinensis followed neutral evolution on a whole， while psbA-trnH and rbcL genes had undergone selection. The degree of genetic differentiation （Fst=0） among wild populations was lower than that among cultivated populations （Fst=0.114 19， P<0.05）. The degree of genetic differentiation between wild and cultivated A. sinensis was relatively high （Fst=0.942 55， P<0.01）. Genetic variation in the cultivated A. sinensis was mainly found within the populations （89%）. UPGMA cluster tree based on genetic distance showed that the wild A. sinensis and the cultivated A. sinensis were clustered into one branch， respectively， with a distant genetic relationship， and the population 3 in the cultivated A. sinensis was far from other cultivated populations. The TCS haplotype network consisted of 15 haplotypes and 4 unknown haplotypes， which was divided into 3 parts， with a large number of variations among each part. Shared haplotypes were only found in the wild or cultivated groups， and there were no shared haplotypes between groups. ConclusionThe genetic diversity of A. sinensis was low at species level， and the population diversity of the wild was lower than that of the cultivated. The degree of genetic differentiation between the wild and the cultivated A. sinensis was high， but that in the wild and the cultivated populations were low. Genetic variation in the cultivated A. sinensis was mainly found within populations.

Effects of Exogenous Fusarium oxysporum and Trichoderma viride on Soil Fungal Community of Panax ginseng / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of exogenous Fusarium oxysporum and Trichoderma viride on the diversity of soil fungal community and carbon metabolic function of cultivated Panax ginseng. MethodIllumina HiSeq 2500 high-throughput sequencing combined with Biolog-ECO was used to analyze the species diversity and functional diversity of soil fungal communities in P. ginseng soil under different exogenous treatments. ResultThe results of high-throughput sequencing showed that the number and species of microorganisms in the soil were significantly changed after exogenous microorganisms were added. The soil fungi with relative abundance greater than 1% included Mortierella sp.，Fusarium sp.，Humicola sp.，and Simplicillium sp. Mortierella sp. in each treatment group significantly increased. Humicola sp. and Simplicillium sp. could be induced to increase by exogenous addition of F. oxysporum，while T. viride at a high concentration could significantly inhibit the growth of F. oxysporum. As revealed by Biolog and principal component analysis （PCA），the average well color development （AWCD） in the high-dose T. viride group （MG） was significantly higher than that in the control group （QS）and the low-dose F. oxysporum group（LD）. The utilization abilities for amino acids，carboxylic acids，polymers， and amines were enhanced in the MG group，but the microbial metabolic activity was reduced in the high-dose F. oxysporum group （LG）. There was no significant increase in the utilization of phenolic acids by soil microorganisms in both groups. ConclusionExogenous addition of F. oxysporum can lead to the growth and reproduction of other pathogenic fungi. Exogenous addition of T. viride can enhance the soil fungal community structure and metabolic diversity，inhibit the proliferation of F. oxysporum，and improve the soil microbial environment of cultivated P. ginseng.

Immunomodulatory activity of ethanol extracts of cultivated Cistanche deserticola in Xinjiang / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Objective:To explore the immunomodulatory activity of ethanol extract of cultivated Cistanche deserticola (EECCD) in Xinjiang. Methods:Ovalbumin (OVA) was used antigen, ICR mice were divided into 9 g/L NaCl group (blank control group), EECCD group (1 200 μg EECCD), OVA group (10 μg OVA), low-dose EECCD/OVA group (400 μg EECCD+10 μg OVA), medium-dose EECCD/OVA group (800 μg EECCD+10 μg OVA), high-dose EECCD/OVA group (1 200 μg EECCD+10 μg OVA) and aluminum adjuvant (Alum)/OVA group (200 μg Alum+10 μg OVA). Mice were immunized subcutaneously, and the immunization was strengthened once 14 days after the initial immunization. The level of splenocyte proliferation was determined by thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method, and interferon γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in CD4 + T cell, dendritic cells (DCs) surface markers and CD4 +CD25 +Foxp3 + Treg were evaluated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Results:Three dose of EECCD can enhance OVA-specific IgG titers in serum. The antibody titer in medium-dose EECCD/OVA group was 250 000, which was the same as that in the Alum/OVA group. The medium-dose EECCD/OVA significantly improve IgG1 and IgG2a (both P<0.01). Therefore, the medium dose EECCD was selected as the best dose. MTT results displayed that splenocyte proliferation were significantly stimulated by medium-dose EECCD/OVA ( P<0.05), and the levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ in CD4 + T cells were promoted in groups administered with medium-dose EECCD/OVA (both P<0.01). Furthermore, medium-dose EECCD/OVA significantly up-regulated the levels of CD40, CD80, CD86 and major histocompatibility complex class Ⅱ (MHCⅡ) on DCs and down-regulated the frequency of CD4 +CD25 +Foxp3 + Treg (all P<0.05). Conclusions:EECCD has good immunomodulatory activity, can promote Th1-biased response, and has the therapeutic potential for the prevention of diseases.

Method Establishment for Content Determination of 8 Nucleosides in Wild and Cultivated Pinellia ternata and the Difference Analysis / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE：To establish the metho d for the content determination of 8 nucleosides in wild and cultivated Pinellia ternate，and to conduct the difference analysis. METHODS ：The contents of uracil ，uridine，inosine，xanthine，adenine， guanosine，β-thymidine and adenosine in 20 batches of P. ternate （wild product YS 1-YS8，cultivated product ZP 1-ZP12）were determined by HPLC method. Based on the contents of the above 8 nucleosides，cluster analysis ，principal component analysis （PCA），partial least squares analysis （OPLS-DA）were used to comprehensively evaluate the wild and cultivated P. ternata . RESULTS：The contents of uracil ，uridine，inosine，xanthine，adenine，guanosine，β-thymidine and adenosine in 20 batches of P. ternate were 0.02-0.24，0.01-0.24，0.06-0.37，0.02-0.14，0.04-0.22，0.14-0.42，0.01-0.09，0-0.32 mg/g，respectively. Cluster analysis，PCA and OPLS-DA showed that 8 batches of wild P. ternate （YS1-YS8）were clustered into one category ，and 12 batches of cultivated P. ternate （ZP1-ZP12）were clustered into one category. Main characteristic markers of wild P. ternate were guanosine，uridine，adenosine and adenine ，while the main characteristic markers of cultivated P. ternate were urinine ，xanthine， inosine，and β-thymidine. CONCLUSIONS：The method for the content determination of 8 nucleosides in P. ternate is established. Nucleosides as quality markers can effectively distinguish wild and cultivated P. ternata ，and the quality of the wild P. ternate was better than that of cultivated P. ternate .

Monogenoidea parasites of Oreochromis niloticus submitted to ractopamine supplemented diet from cultivated system / [Monogenoidea parasitos de Oreochromis niloticus provenientes de sistema de cultivo submetidos a uma dieta suplementada com ractopamina]

Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus) (Perciformes: Cichlidae), commonly named "tilapia", is the second most cultivated species in the world. Among the diseases that affect tilapia are parasitic diseases caused by parasites of the class Monogenoidea. The aim of the present study was to analyze parasitism rates among specimens of O. niloticus in farming systems, after dietary supplementation with ractopamine, a growth promoter that is used for fattening fish. The action of this substance on the quantitative parameters of infestation by Monogenoidea was evaluated. Samples of O. niloticus were obtained from a fish farm in Brasília, Federal District, Brazil. Their gills were removed and fixed. Four species of monogenoideans were collected: Cichlidogyrus halli, C. sclerosus, C. thurstonae and Scutogyrus longicornis. The results from this study indicate that the monogenoidean parasites of tilapias examined here presented different behaviors in relation to the ractopamine concentrations that were added to the food. The parasitological indexes did not present significant reductions through using ractopamine, thus leading to the conclusion that administration of ractopamine is not efficient as a method for controlling infestations of monogenoidean parasites.(AU)

Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus) (Perciformes: Cichlidae), tilápia, é a segunda espécie mais cultivada no mundo. Entre outras doenças que afetam a tilápia, estão as doenças provocadas por parasitos da classe Monogenoidea. O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar os índices de parasitismo em espécies de O. niloticus provenientes de sistemas de cultivo, submetidos a uma dieta com suplementação de ractopamina, usada como promotor de crescimento no estágio de engorda dos peixes, para avaliar as ações dessa substância nos parâmetros quantitativos da infestação por Monogenoidea. Exemplares de O. niloticus obtidos na piscicultura "Agropecuária do Buriti Perdido", em Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasil, foram examinados; as brânquias foram removidas e fixadas. Quatro espécies foram coletadas: Cichlidogyrus halli, C. sclerosus, C. thurstonae e Scutogyrus longicornis. Os resultados obtidos no presente estudo indicaram que as espécies de Monogenoidea parasitos de tilápia examinadas apresentam diferentes comportamentos relacionados à concentração de ractopamina adicionada ao alimento. Os índices parasitológicos não apresentaram redução significativa pelo uso da ractopamina, levando à conclusão de que a ractopamina não é eficiente como método de controle parasitário em infestações por Monogenoidea.(AU)

Role of Non-cultivated Flowering Plants in Conservation of Pollinators

A study was conducted to emphasize the importance of non-cultivated plants/weeds in North Bangalore, Karnataka from October 2014 to March 2015 in three locations. The pollinators were collected using sweep net method on cultivated and non-cultivated flowering plants. A total of 22 non-cultivated plant species and 11 cultivated plant species were observed on which 85 and 56 pollinator species were collected respectively belonging to the four families (Apidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae and Scoliidae) of Hymenoptera and two families (Syrphidae and Bombyliidae) of Diptera. It is found that association of pollinators were more towards non-cultivated plants than cultivated plants. Among cultivated flowering plants, Ocimum americanum was highly attractive followed by Field bean and Lavandula angustifolia. Among non-cultivated flowering plants, Alternanthera sessilis was highly attractive on which majority were Dipterans followed by Leucas aspera and Hyptis suaveolens indicating the importance of non-cultivated flowering plants/weeds in conservation of pollinators.

Correlation Analysis Between Bulb Quality and Rhizosphere Soil Factors of Fritillaria taibaiensis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::To explore the correlation between bulb quality and rhizosphere soil factors of Fritillaria taibaiensis of different origins and years, in order to provide theoretical basis for the high quality and safe production of F. taibaiensis. Method::Totally 11 samples of bulb and rhizospheric soil of F. taipaiensis of different origins and years were taken as the research objects. Available N, available P, available K, organic matter, pH and six soil enzyme activities in rhizosphere soils were determined by soil agrochemical analysis method. Peimisine and nine nucleosides in F. taibaiensis bulbs were determined by HPLC, and total alkaloid content was determined by UV. SPSS 22.0 software was used to analyze the correlation of the measured data. Result::There were significant differences in rhizosphere soil factors and bulb quality between F. taibaiensis of different origins and years (P<0.05). In terms of soil factors, the contents of available N, available K, organic matter and six soil enzyme activities in rhizosphere soil of wild varieties were higher than those of cultivated varieties, while the contents of available P and pH were lower than those of cultivated varieties. With the increase of growth years, the soil nutrient index of cultivated varieties showed different change trends, while that of wild varieties did not change significantly. However, most of the soil enzymes in both groups decreased in varying degrees. In terms of bulb quality, the contents of nine nucleosides and alkaloids in F. taibaiensis bulbs decreased with the increase of growth years, with larger change trends of cultivated varieties, while that of wild varieties was not significant. The contents of nucleosides and alkaloids in most cultivated varieties were higher than those in wild varieties. The correlation analysis showed certain correlations between soil factors in rhizosphere as well as soil factors and bulb quality. In general, soil nutrient status and bulb quality decreased with the increase of years. Conclusion::The quality of F. taibaiensis is mainly affected by its rhizosphere soil factors. In the process of field conservation and artificial cultivation, attention shall be paid to increase or decrease of the content of soil nutrients and their proportional relationship according to actual situations, so as to ensure the quality of F. taibaiensis.

Research on Natural Boundary of Traditional Geo-authentic Origin of Ligusticum chuanxiong via Soil Elements Characteristics Along Same Longitude / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To find the natural environmental boundary of the origin of the authentic Ligusticum chuanxiong by analyzing the distribution characteristics of soil elements in the traditional geo-authentic area and the southern continuous expanding areas along the same longitude. Method:The contents of 24 elements both in soil and plant L. chuanxiong samples were determined by using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry （XRF） and ICP-MS，etc. Spearman correlation test was used to evaluate the correlations of rhizosphere soil and each portion of L. chuanxiong，to screen out “characteristic elements”. Bray-Curtis similarity indexes based on all elements and "characteristic elements" were used for hierarchical cluster analysis of soil samples, to identify the sample range with similar soil element charateristics to the traditional geo-authentic area of L. chuanxiong. Result:K，Mg，Mn and Rb elements were significantly correlated in rhizosphere soil and plant L. chuanxiong. Geographical differentiation of all elements and four characteristic elements showed that there was a highest similarity between geo-authentic area and its neighbor plots S1-S6 (except plot S4) in soil elements distribution, followed by plots S14-S16. The middle section plots S7-S13 in the expansion areas were quite different from the traditional geo-authentic production areas. Conclusion:The soil element characteristics in the study areas were not completely controlled by geographical distance，but demonstrated the "fault" variation in the areas along longitude. This study provides a theoretical basis for the detrrmination of suitable cultivation area for Ligusticum Chuanxiong, and the natural boundary of its geo-authentic area may be extended an additional 60 km southward along longitude beyond the traditional origin. Additionally， K，Mg，Mn and Rb characteristic elements may be the potential markers to evaluate the suitable soil environment for cultivating L. chuanxiong.

Investigation of Ecological Environment of Mountain Cultivated Panax ginseng and Their Associated Plants / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the ecological environment and associated plants of mountain cultivated Panax ginseng were investigated in Xifeng county，Kuandian Manchu autonomous county and Huanren Manchu autonomous county of Liaoning province，in order to provided suggestions on the development of the mountain cultivated P. ginseng in these areas and necessary reference materials for the analysis of ecological suitability of mountain cultivated P. ginseng. Method:The field survey was conducted through sample plot survey in the survey pattern ofbased on representative area-sample plot-quadrat，literature review and data collation， were conducted to record indicators， calculate relevant parameters and make summary. Result:The associated plants were investigated based on 42 samples of mountain cultivated ginseng collected. A total of 95 plant species were identified. The correlation analysis was made on the six main species with an occurrence frequency of higher than 33%， and they were all positively correlated. Asarum heterotropoides var. mandshuricum was the strongest，which was followed by Schisandra chinensis， and Tilia tuan was the strongest in the arbor layer. The survey also found many problems in these areas，such as fewer large-scale planting bases， more scattered households，mixed germplasms，irregular planting techniques，simple planting mode and less sources of economic income generation. Conclusion:Xifeng county，Kuandian county and Huanren county of Liaoning province boast a superior ecological environment and abundant resources of mountain cultivated P. ginseng. The survey gets the whole picture of the ecological environment and associated plants of mountain cultivated P. ginseng in representative areas of Liaoning province，so as to provide the basis for the further development of mountain cultivated P. ginseng cultivation industry and the promotion of mountain cultivated Panax ginseng economy.

Volatiles induction in response to mechanical damage is reduced by domestication in murtilla / La inducción de volátiles en respuesta al daño mecánico es reducida por la domesticación en murtilla

Volatiles compounds are involved in defensive induction against insects, playing an important role in insect-plant interaction being induced by response to mechanical damage. However, they could decrease according to the domestication degree in cultivated plants. Currently, it has been established that secondary metabolites are reduced due to the domestication process in murtilla. Hence, the follow question emerges: Are volatile organic compounds induced by mechanical damage reduced in cultivated murtilla plants in relation to wild plants? Two cultivated ecotypes and their respective wild counterparts were sampled. Volatiles compounds were obtained using Porapak-Q columns and analyzed by gas chromatography. Results showed that compounds as 2-hexanone, α-pinene, 2-thujene, 3-thujene and 1,8- cineole were more abundant in wild plants exposed to a mechanical damage than cultivated plants. Hence, these compounds have been associated to induced defense, these results suggest that domestication reduced the induction of defensive volatiles in cultivated murtilla in response to mechanical damage.

Los compuestos volátiles están implicados en la defensa inducida contra insectos, desempeñando un papel importante en esta interacción. Sin embargo, estos compuestos podrían disminuir según el grado de domesticación. Actualmente, se ha reportado que algunos metabolitos secundarios son reducidos en plantas de murtilla domesticadas. Por lo tanto, surge la siguiente pregunta de investigación: ¿Los compuestos orgánicos volátiles inducidos por el daño mecánico son reducidos en plantas cultivadas de murtilla en comparación con plantas silvestres? Para dos ecotipos cultivados y sus respectivas contrapartes silvestres, los compuestos volátiles fueron capturados usando columnas de Porapak-Q y las muestras analizadas por cromatografía gaseosa. Los resultados mostraron que compuestos tales como 2- hexanona, α-pineno, 2-tujeno, 3-tujeno y 1,8-cineol fueron más abundantes en plantas silvestres expuestas a daño mecánico que en cultivadas. Debido a que estos compuestos se han asociado a defensa inducida, estos resultados sugieren que la domesticación reduce la inducción de volátiles en plantas cultivadas sometidas a daño mecánico.

HPLC Fingerprint Analysis and Chemistry Pattern Recognition of Wild and Cultivated Notholirion bulbuliferum from Different Regions / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To establish the HPLC fingerprint of wild and cultivated Notholirion bulbuliferum,and recognize them according to the chemical pattern, in the expectation of providing the basis for the quality control and domestication cultivation of N. bulbuliferum of origins. Method: Twenty samples of wild and cultivated N. bulbuliferum collected from different origins were detected by HPLC, and a common mode of fingerprint was established. The Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of TCM (2012A edition) was used to evaluate the similarity of the samples. The differences among the samples were identified by chemical pattern recognition methods, including principal component analysis (PCA),cluster analysis (HCA) and partial least squares discriminate analysis (PLS-DA). Result: The HPLC fingerprint of N. bulbuliferum was obtained,and 26 common peaks were found in the chromatograph. Similarities of all samples were over 0.9,PCA,and HCA and PLS-DA results demonstrated obvious distinctions between wild and cultivated N. bulbuliferum. Eight constituents,such as pcoumaric acid were identified as biomarkers,representing major differences between the two varieties. Conclusion: The HPLC chromatogram of N. bulbuliferum developed in this paper has strong characteristics and repeatability. After being combined with the pattern recognition mode, it can be used as an effective method for evaluating the quality of N. bulbuliferum and distinguishing wild and cultivated N. bulbuliferum,and provide a reference for the quality control and domestication introduction of N. bulbuliferum.

Variation Pattern of Rhizospheric Soil Nutrient for Fritillaria taipaiensis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To study the variation patterns of rhizospheric soil nutrient and the content of nutrient elements for Fritillaria taipaiensis,in order to provide the theoretical base for the soil improvement and balanced fertilization during the artificial cultivation. Method: Totally 14 samples of rhizospheric soil of Fritillaria taipaiensis from different origins and years were taken as the research objects. Total N,available N,total P,available P,total K,available K,organic matter,pH and 7 nutrient element contents (Ca,Mg,Na,Mn,Zn,Cu and Ni) were analyzed by the soil agrochemical analysis method combined with the atomic absorption spectrophotometry. SPSS 22.0 software was applied for data multiple comparison and correlation analysis. Result: The all results showed significant differences (PF. taipaiensis. The content of total N,available N,total P,available P and organic matter of rhizospheric soil collected from cultivated varieties decreased with the increase of years,and the content of total K,available K and pH decreased first and then increased. However,the soil physical and chemical properties of wild varieties had no obvious change with the increase of years. The content of Ca,Mg,Na and Cu of soil from cultivated varieties decreased with the increase of years,while the content of Mn decreased first and then increased. And Zn and Ni showed no significant change with the increase of years. Compared with cultivated varieties,the content of Ca,Mg,Na,Mn and Cu increased first and then decreased. The content of Zn and Ni showed no obvious change. In general,the rhizospheric soil nutrient and the content of nutrient elements for wild F. taipaiensis were superior to those of cultivated varieties. Conclusion: The third year is the turning point of F. taipaiensis growth. The rhizospheric soil nutrient and the content of nutrient elements decreased obviously after three years. Attention shall be given to the balanced fertilization,the improvement of soil quality and the prevention of the cropping during cultivation of F. taipaiensis.

Population analysis of white grubs (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae) throughout the Brazilian Pampa biome

ABSTRACT The replacement of natural grassland by cultivated areas might favor the increase in abundance of some root-feeding species such as the white grubs, which may become a constraint for field crop production. This research aimed to assay the population density and geographical distribution of white grubs pest and other species in natural grassland and cultivated areas throughout the Brazilian Pampa biome. White grubs were sampled in 18 locations in both landscape use types and identified. Population density (number of larvae m-2) was calculated for each recorded species and sorted within two groups (pest species and other species), compared between natural grasslands and cultivated areas, as well as among locations. A dendrogram to evaluate species similarity among locations was built based on combined data obtained from both landscape use types throughout the region. In total, 31 species were found in the Brazilian Pampa, and four of them are considered as crop pests: Diloboderus abderus (Sturm, 1826), Euetheola humilis (Burmeister, 1847), Lyogenys fusca (Blanchard, 1830), and Phyllophaga triticophaga Morón & Salvadori, 1998. The average population density of pest species in cultivated areas was less than five larvae m-2, at most of locations. Some species had a wide geographical distribution (e.g. D. abderus and Cyclocephala modesta Burmeister), while other melolontids occurred at only one location. The knowledge of which white grub species are present in a field and its population densities assist farmers to take proper management decisions.

Comparación de la digestibilidad de tres especies forrajeras estimada mediante diferentes técnicas / Comparison of the digestibility of three forage species estimated by different techniques / Comparação da digestibilidade de três espécies forrageiras estimadas por diferentes técnicas

Resumen Esta investigación se realizó en el municipio de Villavicencio, en la Universidad de los Llanos, cuyo objetivo fue determinar la digestibilidad de tres forrajes para bovinos mediante cuatro técnicas diferentes: una in situ y tres in vitro (inoculación con líquido ruminal, producción de gas, y enzimática) con el fin de validar las técnicas y los equipos que se están usando para estos procedimientos; se evaluaron las especies forrajeras y arbóreas: Pennisetum purpureum (PP), Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (HR) y Gliricidia sepium (GS), además se valoró en todas las técnicas, la curva y tasa de degradación de la materia seca (MS), fibra detergente neutro (FDN) y proteína cruda (PC) (0 a 72 horas). Se utilizó un diseño completamente al azar con arreglo de medidas repetidas, bajo el cual se realizó el análisis de varianza para determinar los rangos de desviación entre las técnicas y así establecer la tendencia de los datos; las variables evaluadas fueron las digestibilidades de la MS, FDN y PC de los tres forrajes de las cuatro técnicas; luego de verificar las diferencias entre las varianzas de las digestibilidades, y comprobar el supuesto de esfericidad con el test de Mauchly, se realizó la comparación múltiple con la prueba de Bonferroni. La digestibilidad de la MS, FDN y PC varió entre 39.89-44.22, 54.18-64.26 y 47.54-57.05%; 79.29-84.18, 76.30-86.95 y 72.81-89.03%; 32.52-62.14, 69.12-76.52 y 42.00-66.54% respectivamente en los forrajes PP, HR y GS, en función de la técnica empleada para su estimación. A pesar de encontrar diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre varias de las comparaciones realizadas en las técnicas de digestibilidad, se encontró un alto coeficiente de determinación y alta correlación entre las estimaciones in vitro: inoculación con líquido ruminal, producción de gas y enzimática con respecto a la estimación in situ.

Abstract This research was conducted in the Villavicencio city, at the Universidad de los Llanos, whose objective was to determine the digestibility of three forages for cattle through four different techniques: one in situ and three in vitro (inoculation with ruminal fluid, gas production, and enzymatic), in order to validate the techniques and equipment that are being used for these procedures; the forage species were evaluated: Pennisetum purpureum, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis y Gliricidia sepium, in addition it was evaluated both in all techniques: the curve and rate of degradation of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and crude protein (PC) (0 to 72 hours). A repeated measures design was used, under which the analysis of variance was performed to determine the ranges of deviation between the techniques and thus establish the trend of the data; the variables evaluated were the digestibilities of DM, NDF and PC of the three forages of the four techniques; after verifying the differences between the variances of the digestibilities, and check the assumption of sphericity with the Mauchly test, the multiple comparison was performed with the Bonferroni test. The digestibility of DM, NDF and PC varied between 39.89-44.22, 54.18-64.26 and 47.54-57.05%; 79.29-84.18, 76.30-86.95 and 72.81-89.03%; 32.52-62.14, 69.12-76.52 and 42.00-66.54% respectively in the PP, HR and GS forages, depending on the technique used for their estimation. Despite finding statistically significant differences among several of the comparisons made in the techniques of digestibility, it was found a high determination coefficient and correlation between estimates in vitro: inoculation with ruminal fluid, gas production and enzymatic with respect to the in situ estimate.

Resumo Esta pesquisa foi realizada na cidade de Villavicencio, na Universidad de los Llanos, cujo objetivo foi determinar a digestibilidade de três forragens em bovinos através de quatro técnicas in vitro diferentes: um in situ e três in vitro (inoculação com fluido ruminai, produção de gás, e enzimática), com a fim de validar as técnicas e equipamentos que estão sendo usados para estes procedimentos; foram avaliadas espécies forrageiras e árvore: Pennisetum purpureum (PP), Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (HR) y Gliricidia sepium (GS), além disso foi avaliado em todas as técnicas: curva e a taxa de degradação de matéria seca (MS), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e proteína bruta (PB) (0 a 72 horas). Utilizou-se um desenho de medidas repetidas, sob as quais foi realizado o análise de variância para determinar as gamas de desvio entre as técnicas e assim estabelecer a tendência dos dados; as variáveis avaliadas foram a digestibilidade da MS, FDN e PB dos três forragens das quatro técnicas; depois de verificar as diferenças entre as variâncias de digestibilidade, e verificar a hipótese de esfericidade com o teste de Mauchly, foi realizado a comparação múltipla com o teste de Bonferroni. A digestibilidade de MS, FDN e PB variou entre 39,89-44,22, 54,18-64,26 e 47,54-57,05%; 79,29-84,18, 76,30-86,95 e 72,81-89,03%; 32,52-62,14, 69,12-76,52 e 42,00-66,54%, respectivamente nas forragens PP, HR e GS, dependendo da técnica utilizada para sua estimação. Apesar de encontrar diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre varios das comparações realizadas nas técnicas de digestibilidade, foi encontrado un alto coeficiente de determinação y uma elevada correlação entre as estimativas in vitro: inoculação líquido ruminal, produção de gás e enzimática com respeito à estimativa in situ.

Comparative Studies of the Impacts of Freshwater, Cultivated and Preserved Tiger Shrimps on Consumers’ Health

Aim: The study was aimed at comparing the levels of heavy metals in Tiger shrimps- Penaeus monodon from different source categories, to ascertain the impacts of the selected heavy metals on the consumers’ health. Hypothesis: Heavy metals in blood serum of shrimp consumers were accumulated solely from the shrimps. Methodology: Tiger shrimps obtained from Ekpan Creek, Shrimp industry and shrimp farm were tested for metals (iron, manganese, nickel, and lead) concentrations using a Perkin Elmer 3110 model Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Blood samples of respondents were analyzed for the levels of iron, manganese, nickel and lead using Inductively Coupled Plasma MassSpectrometer (ICP-MS). Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test for the significant differences in the heavy metals in the shrimps and consumers’ blood samples at probability level of 0.05. Duncan Multiple Range (DMR) test was used to identify the source of variance using SPSS version 19.1. Health Risk Indices of heavy metals were noted as significant from 1 and above and insignificant at below 1. Results: The shrimps exhibited different trends of heavy metals according to their sources. Results showed that the safety in consumption of the shrimps was is in the order of cultivate (pond) shrimps > freshwater shrimps > preserved shrimps. Shrimp consumption had corresponding impacts on the health of the consumers. Processed shrimps should be properly examined for fitness of consumption prior to marketing, while chemicals such as sodium bisulfate, tripolyphosphate should be discouraged. Conclusion: Metallic construction materials should be discouraged and stringent water quality monitoring is recommended in Tiger shrimp aquaculture while incorporating adoption of environment friendly agricultural practices. Perturbed aquatic environments such as Ekpan Creek require protection from anthropogenic activities and impactful remediation process with a view to protecting the Tiger shrimps and other aquatic biota.