The objective of undertaken studies was evaluation in vitro conditions efficiency of eight fungicides from different chemical groups and three preparations of natural origin i.e. Biosept Active, Beta-chikol and Bioczos towards isolate M 365 Boeremia strasseri, obtained from peppermint rhizomes showing symptoms of black rot. Test were performed by poisoning the culture media. The percentage of inhibition of the growth of four- and eight-day-old colonies on the medium with preparations in the control colonies was a measure of activity of the preparations. Moreover, the microscopic observations of morphological structures of fungus were conducted. Within chemical compounds trifloxystrobin, tiophanate methyl and mancozeb pointed to be the most effective. The effectiveness of Beta-chikol and Biosept Active in limiting B. strasseri colony growth was higher than the efficiency of Bioczos.

Demand for Ganoderma lucidum basidiocarps on the global market is increased due to its numerous health benefits. As they are rare in nature and traditional cultivation on logs is not ecologically and economically justified method, current trend is finding of good alternative substrate for production. Whether wheat straw, the most abundant crop residue in Europe, could be a novel substrate for G. lucidum cultivation was the question which led to the definition of the goals. Two wild and one commercial strains were objects of the study. Despite some morphological differences among basidiocarps, all strains belong to G. lucidum sensu stricto, which was confirmed by analyses of ITS, tef1-a and rpb2 gene sequences. Wheat straw showed as a good substrate, namely the periods required for the complete colonisation of wheat straw by mycelium as well as the formation of primordia and basidiocarps were relatively short. The totally fresh and dry yield and biological efficiency were also significant. If it is taken into consideration that untreated wheat straw was used, validities of its introduction in industrial-scale G. lucidum cultivation can be demonstrated.

Ceratophyllum demersum L. is a medical plant of the family Ceratophyllaceae that has been traditionally used for the treatment of diseases such as ulcer, diarrhoea, wounds and fever since ancient times. This study presents antioxidant activities of water and methanol extracts of in vitro propagated C. demersum. Shoot tip explants of C. demersum for in vitro plant regeneration were cultured on liquid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.25–1.25 mg/L 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 0.10 mg/L Thidiazuron (TDZ) combinations for eight weeks. Maximum number of plantlets per explant (110.67) was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 0.75 mg/L BAP + 0.10 mg/L TDZ. In order to determine antioxidant activities of C. demersum, antioxidant contents (β-carotene, flavonoid, lycopene and total phenols), metal chelating and reducing power capacities of methanol and water extracts obtained from C. demersum were investigated. It was detected that water extract was more effective in all activities. Total phenols (76.55 μg/mg) in water extract were measured as the highest antioxidant component. Based on the water extracts data, as IC50 value for chelating on ferrous ions was 9.24 mg/mL, EC50 value for reducing power activity was 8.23 mg/mL. It was also determined that the metal chelating and reducing power activities of the both extracts are increased depending on the concentration. Therefore, all these data suggest that both tested extracts of in vitro propagated C. demersum would exert beneficial effects by virtue of their antioxidant properties and may be utilized as a promising source of therapeutics.

Effects of 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) treatments on chlorophyll (Chl) degradation and postharvest quality of two lime (‘Persian lime’ and ‘Tahiti’) cultivars during chilling-induced storage were studied in this work. EBR at 0, 2.5, 5 and 10 µM were applied to fruit by vacuum infiltration at 30.63 kPa for 7 min and afterward stored at 4°C for 60 days. Postharvest EBR application effectively maintained greater fruit firmness and lessened weight loss during cold storage. The results displayed that EBR treatments efficiently delayed the reduction of the Chl a contents and hue values. EBR treatments significantly increased ascorbic acid content, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, and titratable acidity (TA). On the other hand, the treatments reduced soluble solids concentration (SSC), pH, and SSC/TA ratios during cold storage. Overall, EBR application by vacuum infiltration could be an effective and simple method for maintaining postharvest quality of limes during cold storage.

For breeding purposes, the number of neo-tetraploids of apple cultivars have been derived by in vitro technique. The first attempts at rooting and acclimatization of tetraploid shoots failed. The aim of the study was to develop an effective method for rooting microcuttings of apple neo-tetraploids. In the first stage of the study, in vitro rooting method was optimized for the shoots of diploid donor cultivars. Shoots were rooted on Murashige and Skoog [1962] (MS) medium with a reduced content of nitrogen, in the presence of auxins alone or in combination (indole-3-butyric acid – IBA, 1-naphthaleneacetic acid – NAA and indole- -3-acetic acid – IAA) with addition of putrescine, arginine or ornithine. The compounds were applied continuously for 25 days (one-step rooting system) or for seven days with subsequent transplanting shoots onto a medium without these compounds (two-step rooting method). Tetraploid microcuttings of the cultivars ‘Free Redstar’, ‘Gala Must’, ‘Pinova’ and ‘Redchief’ were evaluated for rooting on the selected medium considered optimal for their diploid counterparts. The shoots of all diploid apple scion cultivars had low rooting capacity. IBA alone poorly stimulated root formation. Significant improvement of rooting to 60–80% was achieved through the application of auxins, 2.5 µM IBA or 1.3 µM NAA combined with 5 µM IAA and 50 µM putrescine in the two-step rooting system with darkness and increased temperature of 26°C during seven-day induction phase. The replacement of benzyladenine (BA) by meta-Topolin (m-T) in the last multiplication subculture influenced positively shoot acclimatization. Tetraploids had comparable or slightly lower rooting and acclimatization ability compared to their diploid counterparts.

Sour cherry is one of the most important fruit crops in Poland and cultivar is an important factor in its cultivation. The experiment was conducted in a commercial family orchard in a year characterized by a warm and wet spring and also by a very hot and dry summer. Fruit yields harvested from well fertilized 19-years old ‘Kelleris 16’, ‘Nefris’ and ‘Łutówka’ trees grafted on Mahaleb cherry and protected against pests using integrated plant protection system were medium high and of good quality, however productivity index of a tree was low. The fruits attained high weight and diameter and contained big amounts of sugars, vit. C, anthocyanins and flavonoids and medium amount of phenolic acids. Among anthocyanins the most important were cyanidin 3-glucosyl-rutinoside and cyanidin 3-rutinoside. Antioxidant activity of fruits measured as percent of DPPH inhibition was high and similar among compared cultivars. Łutówka was the most productive cultivar of medium leaf and fruit size and with fruits of highest vit. C and flavonoids content and lowest total sugars and monosaccharides content. The least productive cultivar was Nefris, though its fruits were the biggest and contained dry matter, soluble solids, anthocyanins and phenolic acids in the highest amounts of all and vit. C at the lowest level of all. Kelleris 16 was the medium productive cultivar characterized by widest leaf blades and smallest fruits. Content of total sugars and monosaccharides in its fruits was the highest and content of anthocyanins and phenolic acids was the lowest. Residues of dodine and thiacloprid determined in the fruits immediately after harvest were much lower than the permissible residue maximum level.

Identification of cultivars is essential both in breeding and to settle cultivar disputes. The purpose of the study has been to examine cultivar identities based on absorption spectra of plant pigments and to confirm a genetic stability with SCoT and RAPD molecular markers in new Polish lines of Chenopodium quinoa Willd. Spectral analysis of pigments extracted from plant inflorescences in quinoa gives an opportunity to confirm the cultivar identity and identification of ‘Faro’ and ‘Titicaca’ cultivars and their new lines. Spectral analysis is an effective method of confirming cultivar identity and it should be used in practice for the identification of cultivars or cultivars lines in Chenopodium quinoa Willd. Analysis of molecular markers indicated by RAPD as well as SCoT technique revealed a high genetic stability of the derivative lines of ‘Faro’ and ‘Titicaca’, while variation was detected in plants representing original cultivars: banding pattern different than predominant was present in three plants of ‘Titicaca’ (genetic distnaces from 7.5% to 55.9%) and in a single plant of ‘Faro’(genetic distance 61.2% as indicated by SCoT technique).

The higher fungi are a rich source of chemical compounds with multi-directional therapeutic and pro-health effects. This review summarizes the results of the most important chemical and biological studies of the fruiting bodies and the mycelial cultures of Laetiporus sulphureus. Numerous studies have demonstrated the antimicrobial, anticancer, cytotoxic, hypoglycemic anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of the extracts. Currently, only a few wood-decay fungi have practical use in medicine. Therefore it seems important to continue research on the effectiveness and safety of extracts and compounds of natural origin, including fungi, whose potential is not still used.

The aim of the research was to determine the influence of biostimulants amino acids and amino acids + Ascophyllum nodosum filtrate on two broccoli cultivars ‘Agassi’ and ‘Tiburon’ and their response to soil drought. The plants were watered with Ascophyllum nodosum filtrate before planting and sprayed with amino acids after planting three times. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were performed before, during and after stress. They showed a considerable difference in cultivars’ response to stress, with ‘Agassi’ being more sensitive. Application of biostimulants enhanced the tolerance to drought stress. Maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII was unchanged, whereas the quantum yield of electron transport and photochemical fluorescence quenching values increased and the non-photochemical fluorescence quenching decreased. Moreover, the apparent photosynthetic electron transport rate rose. Chlorophyll content index was affected by the cultivar and application of biostimulants.

The Asian pear tree (Nashi), originated in China and Japan, where it is commonly grown. In Europe, in Poland in particular, it remains almost unknown, despite the fact that its cultivation has been proven to be possible there. The aim of the experiment – carried out between 2008 and 2015 at the Fruit Experimental Station Samotwór, next to Wrocław – was to evaluate the growth intensity and yielding of several Asian pear tree cultivars: ‘Kosui’, ‘Shinseiki’, ‘Nijisseiki’, ‘Chojuro’, ‘Hosui’, and ‘Shu Li’; as well as the quality and biological value of their fruits. ‘Conference’, which is widespread in Europe, was chosen as the control variety. ‘Conference’, ‘Shu Li’, and ‘Hosui’ showed highest growth intensity, whereas the trees of ‘Shinseiki’ were the smallest. In terms of yields over the period of eight years following the planting, ‘Chojuro’ and ‘Shinseiki’ performed best, while the least fruits were obtained from the ‘Nijisseiki’ cultivar. Significantly heaviest and biggest fruits were collected from the Chinese ‘Shu Li’ cultivar. In 2012, Nashi fruits had similar carotenoid, calcium, and magnesium contents as the fruits of ‘Conference’.

The experiments were designed to evaluate the impact of two mineral oils: Sunspray 850 EC (85% of mineral oil) and Sunspray Ultra-Fine (98.8% of mineral oil) applied for a prolonged time (2 vegetation seasons) on yields of tulip of ‘Leen van der Mark’ cv. Tulips were treated 3 times (since the mid of April till the beginning of May) at weekly intervals with the oils at concentrations: 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%. The oil preparations used at concentrations 1.0–1.5% had no negative influence on stem and tepals lengths at tulips grown in the field. No phytotoxicity symptoms on stems nor leaves were found. On plots protected with mineral oils, percentage of virus-infected plants was lower than for control, while high efficiency was recorded only in 2011 when using Sunspray 850 EC at 1.0–2.0% concentration. The oil preparations applied for a prolonged time at concentration of 2.0% caused a decline in commercial and the first choice bulb yields. No negative sequential effects of oils on quality of obtained flowers during tulip forcing in a greenhouse, was observed. The efficiency of mineral oils in reducing the virus spread evaluated based on the number of virus-infected flowers during forcing in the greenhouse depended on the year of study and type of the oil. The best results were achieved applying Sunspray 850 EC at concentrations of 1.0–1.5%. Oil preparations can be safely applied for tulip cultivation for a prolonged time if concentration does not exceed 1.5%. Despite of positive effects in reducing the virus spread in the field growing and forcing, three spraying treatments using mineral oils during vegetation season did not ensure a complete plant protection against viral infections.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different concentration and combination of potassium [1.0 g/l (K1), 2.5 g/l (K2) and 5.0 g/l (K3)] and gibberellic acid [0.005 g/l (G1), 0.01 g/l (G2) and 0.015 g/l (G3)] foliar application on growth characteristics, quality and yield of F1hybrid cucumber (cv. KUK-9).The results showed that the highest amounts for growth, biochemical attributes, fruit maturity, quality belonged to K2 (2.5 g/l) plus G2 (0.01 g/l) combination treatment. Plant height as well as chlorophyll content attained their greatest quantities under G2K2 treatment. Dry matter, TSS % and antioxidant activity showed significant differences compared with control, G1K1 and G2K2 treatment showed the greatest sum of data. Fruit mineral content were also significantly affected by different treatments. Higher fruit potassium was recorded with G3K3 treatment.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of sucrose concentration in the preculture medium, as well as the duration of osmotic dehydration on the efficiency of chrysanthemum ‘Richmond’, ‘Lady Orange’ and ‘Lady Salmon’ cryopreservation by encapsulation-dehydration technique. For all cultivars tested, the best regrowth of cryopreserved shot tips was recorded with 0.25 M sucrose concentration and 10 µM ABA during a two-week preculture, followed by a 4- or 7-day osmotic dehydration. The survival rate ranged from 56.8–58.0% (the Lady group) to 63.6% (‘Richmond’). However, the ability to grow was smaller and reached 18.2–50.7%. It was found that higher sucrose concentration during the preculture slowed the growth of chrysanthemum shoot tips and led to an increased formation of multiple shoots (by activating axillary buds) or deformed adventitious shoots (incapable of further growth). The frequency of tissue hyperhydricity also increased, while the rhizogenesis efficiency decreased when higher sucrose concentration in the preculture medium was applied. The influence of osmotic dehydration duration on the explants morphogenetic response was cultivar-dependent.

The present study was conducted in 2014 vegetation season in a vineyard of Giresun Hazelnut Research Institute. Isabella (Vitis labrusca L.) grape cultivar were treated with four different boric acid (H3BO3) doses (control, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%) at two different periods (a week before and after full-bloom). The effects of foliar boron treatments on yield, quality and leaf nutrients were investigated. Boric acid treatments positively influenced cluster weight, width and volumes and increasing values were observed with increasing boron doses. Boric acid treatments also influenced berry homogeneity and yielded more homogeneous appearance. Chlorophyll contents increased with increasing boron treatments. The greatest yield, cluster length, cluster volume, cluster size, cluster width, berry width and leaf area were obtained from 0.3% boric acid treatments. In general, leaf nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper concentrations increased, but potassium and iron concentrations decreased with increasing boron doses. As compared to control treatment, all treatments had broader leaf sizes and higher chlorophyll contents. Especially 0.3% boric acid treatments had quite positive influences on quality, size and color homogeneity. Considering the nutrients and pH level of experimental soils, it was concluded that foliar nutrient treatments may support plant growth and development and 0.3% boric acid treatments were recommended for high quality and quantity yields in Isabella grape cultivar.

Drosera L. is a genus of carnivorous plants that comprises approximately 250 species, although this number is probably not complete. Some of these taxa exhibit only small differences in morphological traits that can be partly influenced if the taxa are propagated in vitro. Here, we focus on the verification of putative clones of Drosera spathulata Labill., Drosera rotundifolia L. and Drosera binata var. Dichotoma species cultivated in vitro using molecular markers covering the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of 45S ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Following the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of ~360-bp DNA fragments and sequencing, the sequences were aligned with corresponding sequences in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. In addition, each of tested PCR amplicons had a specific restriction profile that predominantly enables the differentiation of D. rotundifolia and D. spathulata; the shape of the leaves does not have to be a clear morphologically distinguishable trait.

The present study aimed to identify the response of melon accessions and cultivars to salt stress in terms of ion exchange, enzyme activity, lipid peroxidation and photosynthetic pigment contents by mixture modelling. In mixture modeling, it is expected that the data set demonstrates a heterogeneous structure. This heterogeneity is characterized as unobservable heterogeneity. The data set’s heterogeneity produces severe deviations in the parameter assessments and the standard deviations. Heterogeneity is overcome when the data set separates itself into homogeneous sub-populations. Mixture modeling was performed using the Mclust mixture cluster program of the statistical software package R 5.2.3. Sub-populations were constructed by evaluating genotypes according to studied traits and correlation analysis was performed using the SPSS software package. The seedlings of 13 melon genotypes were harvested two weeks after salt application (0 mM or 50 mM NaCl) when symptoms of salt stress were observed. Nutrient contents and ratios (K, Ca, Na, K : Na and Ca : Na); superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities malondialdehyde (MDA) chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents were measured. Mixture modeling and correlation analysis were used in evaluating the experimental data sets. Differences in responses to salt application were observed among genotypes. While all genotypes exhibited negative responses in terms of K : Na ratio, which is an important parameter of salt tolerance, the smallest decreases in K : Na ratios were observed in the YYU-11 (–57.09%) and YYU-4 (–58.78%) genotypes, indicating them to be the most tolerant to salt stress. In general, enzyme activity decreased in response to salt application, although the responses varied among genotypes, especially with regard to CAT and APX activity. The YYU-29 genotype was notable as the genotype with the highest K : Na ratio (1.79) as well as the smallest change in MDA content under salt stress.