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BackgroundStrawberries are a common crop whose yield success depends on the availability of pollinators. Invasive alien plants, such asImpatiens glanduliferaandI. parviflora, are also attractive for bees and hoverflies, respectively, and occur in close proximity to strawberry cultivation areas. The aim of the study was to test whether alien plants may decrease pollination of strawberry cultivation. However, even if the pollinators are abundant, efficiency of their pollination may decrease as a result of revisits of flowers that were already probed. It is addressed by pollinators by scent marking. Moreover, such revisits can be determined by nectar replenishment, which may occur rapidly in nectar-rich flowers. We studied revisits toI. glanduliferaby bumblebees and defined the factors that influence the probability of revisits (air temperature; pollinator species; family caste and size; flower area; sun radiation; and time of day).ResultsWe found that the two alien species decreased the number of pollinators visiting strawberries. Apoidea, Bombini and Syrphidae significantly decreased onFragaria×ananassawhen alienImpatienswere present. We also revealed the influence of increasing air temperature on bumblebee foraging, which was particularly significant for female workers. At very high temperatures (> 37°C), bumblebee males revisited probed flowers less often than female workers.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that in experimental conditions attractive alien species decrease pollination of strawberries, which may negatively affect production of this crop. Although the results have not been verified in real-life strawberry fields yet, we recommend that alien plant species that share the same pollinators and occur in close proximity of strawberries are controlled. Moreover, we found that revisits of probed flowers may weaken feeding efficiency of bumblebees. If revisits are not induced by nectar replenishment, then global warming may pose a serious threat to the survival of colonies, which may have consequences also for the plants that attract them, e.g., for strawberries.

Seeds of Impatiens hainanensis were stored in three different environments: ambient (25°C, 70-80% RH), dry (25°C, 2-5% RH) and cold (4°C, 40-50% RH). The seeds maintained their germination for 90 days in the three storage conditions, albeit at relatively low levels, particularly for seeds in cold storage. Seed vigour was maintained for 45 days for seeds in cold storage, 60 days for seeds in ambient storage, and 90 days for seeds in dry storage. A moisture content around 3.8% is suggested as appropriate for the storage of I. hainanensis seeds. During storage (up to 90 days) under ambient and cold storage conditions, soluble sugar content, SOD and CAT activity all decreased, and were lower than seeds in dry storage. Relative conductivity and TBARS content both increased during ambient and cold storage and were higher than seeds in dry storage after the same storage period. Dry storage better maintained the antioxidant enzyme system of I. hainanensis seeds.

To meet the high demand of the consumer market for ornamental plants, various techniques are used to increase production and flowers quality, through growth regulators. Despite all the benefits arising from the use of regulators, it is essential to establish concentrations that meet the purpose of their use. The aim of the study was to evaluate the growing and flowering characteristics of Impatiens hawkeri, after the exogenous application of different dosages of spermine, spermidine and gibberellic acid. Two pulverizations were made separated by 15 days, with polyamines (500/2,000 and 1,000 μM), or gibberellic acid (50 and 100 μM), and for the control, water was used. The evaluated parameters were the number of leaves, plant height, number of flower buds, dry and fresh weights of the root system and the aerial parts, and also volume of the root system and the chlorophyll content (SPAD). The treatments with gibberellin caused higher averages in all measurements, except for SPAD. Based on the results obtained, the use of gibberellin with the dosage of 100 µM as a regulator is the most appropriate to meet the needs of the Impatiens hawkeri market with more vigorous plants and with a greater number of flowers. Resumo Para atender a alta demanda do mercado consumidor de plantas ornamentais, variadas técnicas são empregadas para incremento produtivo e na qualidade das flores, por meio de reguladores de crescimento. Apesar de todos os benefícios oriundos do uso dos reguladores, é imprescindível estabelecer dosagens e concentrações que atendam a finalidade do seu uso. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar crescimento e o florescimento de Impatiens hawkeri, após a aplicação de diferentes dosagens de espermina, espermidina e ácido giberélico. Foram feitas duas pulverizações, com poliaminas (500/2000 e 1000 μM), ou ácido giberélico (50 e 100 μM), e para o controle foi utilizado a água. Os parâmetros avaliados foram o número de folhas, altura da planta, número de botões florais, massa seca e fresca do sistema radicular e da parte aérea, e ainda volume do sistema radicular e o teor de clorofila (SPAD). A análise dos dados foi por meio de modelos mistos com as principais matrizes de covariância e estudo qualitativo por médias. Os tratamentos com giberelina obtiveram maiores médias em todas as medições, com exceção do SPAD. Com base nos resultados obtidos, o uso da giberelina como regulador a 100 µM é o mais adequado para atender as necessidades do mercado de Impatiens hawkeri com plantas mais vigorosas e com maior número de flores.

Balinese Hindu community cannot be separated from plant in their life. The information on plant species and how to utilize them are easy to find but limited information about the potency of flowers in the Balinese Hindu community. Flowers have a meaning as sincerity, a symbol of Sang Hyang Widhi , the valour, and also have mythological values. This research aimed to determine the species of flowering plants that are often used for ceremonial and understand the meaning, the cultural conception related to conservation education. The study was carried out in four locations in Tabanan Regency (Baturiti, Penebel, Marga, and Tabanan). Data were collected using an interview with purposive sampling. Data analysis based on the value of Relative Frequency (FR) which is indicated plant most widely used. Â A total of 36 species of flowers are used in traditional Hindu religious ceremonies, of which 29 species are cultivated plants and 7 species are still wild. There are ten of plants which have high FR value, such as: Cananga odorata (FR 0.069), Impatiens balsamina (FR 0.069), Hydrangea macrophylla (FR 0.069), Plumeria acuminata (FR 0.069), Tagetes erecta (FR 0.069), Magnolia champaca (FR 0.069), Gomphrena globosa / bunga ratna (FR 0.047), Gardenia jasminoides / jempiring (FR 0.039), Nymphaea spp./ tunjung (FR 0.030), and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L./ pucuk (FR 0.030). This research revealed the role of flower in Hindu ceremony and describe the strategic plant conservation due to culture of Balinese Hindu community. Finally, this research expected to documented local knowledge about flowers used as Hindu religious ceremonies, to provide an understanding of the meaning and conceptions of culture related to conservation education.

Herbaceous stock plant production and cutting harvest methods affect the performance of cuttings harvested from those stock plants. Specifically, the effect of daily light integral (DLI), ethephon spray applications, and the stock plant node position (NPSP) of hybrid impatiens (Impatiens ×hybrida) ‘Compact Electric Orange’ stock plants on the flowering of the harvested cuttings was examined. The DLI treatments were grouped in ranges of low (5.1–5.5 mol·m–2·d–1), medium (7.6–8.8 mol·m–2·d–1), and high (10.3–12.0 mol·m–2·d–1) levels. The stock plants were treated weekly with 0, 50, 100, 200, or 300 mg·L–1 ethephon. Cuttings were harvested from six NPSP, which refers to the location on the stock plants from which the cuttings were harvested. Time to flower of the harvested cuttings decreased as DLI increased from 5.1 to 12.0 mol·m–2·d–1, as ethephon concentrations decreased from 300 to 0 mg·L–1, and as NPSP moved from lower to upper positions within the stock plant canopy. Time to flower was highly correlated with the node position on the cutting (NPC) where the first flower appeared. For example, when flowers appeared in the lowest NPC on the shoot (NPC 1), the first flower opened 2.5 weeks after sticking the unrooted cuttings in propagation, while flowers that appeared in NPC 7, the seventh-oldest node from the base of the cutting, opened at 9.0 weeks. The results demonstrate how stock plant management practices can be manipulated to produce cuttings that allow growers to produce flowering plants on different schedules, i.e., production time can be shortened from conventional production schedules, which may allow hybrid impatiens to be marketed like bedding plant species such as impatiens (Impatiens walleriana).

To assess the cadmium (Cd) phytoremediation of three native plant species from Padeang zinc (Zn) mine area (Chromolaena odorata, Impatiens patula, and Gynura pseudochina), a hydroponic experiment w...

Impatiens is an ornamental member of family Balsaminaceae. This plant mostly propagated by vegetative technique, which generally time wasting process. It is often multiplicities via seed but is barricaded by F1 seed sterility. In vitro culture of Impatiens walleriana has much significant function in fast proliferation with useful features and elicitation of healthful and disease-free plants. This experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of medium and different hormones on in vitro propagation of Impatiens walleriana by using a completely randomized design. MS medium was prepared along with various concentrations of BAP, TDZ and ZEA. Callus was induced and grew well in media supplemented with 0.5 mg/l NAA + 1 mg/l BAP. In order to indirect propagation, explants were cultured in same media containing BAP, ZEA and TDZ in combination with NAA. These treatments have ability to organogenesis. The results revealed that the control treatment had the lowest effect on traits including shoot percentage, number of shoots, number of leaves, shoot length, fresh and dry weight, and it lead to maximum proliferations in medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l NAA + 1 mg/l BAP. The highest root length and rooting percentage was observed in 0.5 mg/l IBA + 0.5 mg/l BAP. In addition, the effect of mutation agents was studied. Aseptic samples were treated with γ- irradiation, Ethyl Methane Sulfonate and colchicines at growth chamber. Treatments with 30 and 60 grey respectively had the lower survival rate, growth rate and polyploidy while colchicines with 0.1 and 0.2 had the highest rats. Regarding to these, the present technique illustrate an effective system for in vitro reproduction of Impatiens walleriana by hypocotyls cultures. In addition, colchicines proved to be effective in induction of polyploidy in this plantlet.

Soilless cultivation of strawberry is in expansion in Brazil due to factors like the reduction of phytosanitary problems and the possibility of extending the crop period, as well as the ergonometric facility for management of the culture. However, black fungus gnats (Sciaridae, Diptera) are ubiquitous pests in the greenhouse production system, causing direct and indirect damage to plants. ThIS study evaluated the occurrence of black fungus gnats species in semi-hydroponic cultivation of strawberry and to identify the species, as well as to describe the symptoms in infested plants. The research was developed in commercial productions of strawberry, in five municipalities (Arroio do Padre, Canguçu, Capão do Leão, Pelotas and Turuçu) during July to December 2017, where adult samples were collected twice a month, with petri dish traps containing water and neutral detergent placed inside the greenhouses between the plants. A total of 2030 adult gnats belonging to two species were collected. Bradysia aff. impatiens, accounted with 90.79% of the total, and Bradysia aff. ocellaris, accounted with 9.21%. In order to assist the correct determination of species, males of both species were identified and illustrated. With respect to the symptoms observed during the research, it was possible to verify since the wilted crown of plants to the death of plants, which were confirmed by the presence of larvae in the root system. As the occurrence of these insects is recent in strawberry, there is no pesticide registered in Brazil, so management strategies (cultural, physical, and sanitary) also are discussed. RESUMO: O cultivo de morango sem solo esta em expansão no Brasil, devido a fatores como a redução de problemas fitossanitários e a possibilidade de produção por um período maior, assim como a facilidade ergométrica para o manejo da cultura. No entanto, black fungus gnats (Diptera: Sciaridae) são pragas onipresentes no sistema de produção de estufas, causando danos diretos e indiretos às plantas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a ocorrência de espécies de black fungus gnats em cultivo de morango semi-hidropônico e identificar as espécies, assim como descrever os sintomas observados em plantas infestadas. O trabalho foi desenvolvido em produção de morango comercial, em cinco municípios (Arroio do Padre, Canguçu, Capão do Leão, Pelotas e Turuçu) durante Julho a Dezembro de 2017, onde os adultos foram coletados duas vezes por mês, com armadilhas de placa de Petri, contendo água e detergente neutro, as quais eram colocadas dentro das estufas entre as plantas. Um total de 2.030 mosquitos adultos pertencentes a duas espécies foram coletados. Bradysia aff. impatiens, com 90,79% do total, e Bradysia aff. ocellaris, com 9,21%. Para auxiliar na correta determinação das espécies, os machos de ambas as espécies foram identificados e ilustrados. Com relação aos sintomas observados durante o trabalho, foi possível verificar desde a coroa murcha até a morte das plantas, em que foram confirmados pela presença de larvas no sistema radicular. Como a ocorrência desses insetos é recente em morango, não há agrotóxico registrado no Brasil, então estratégias de manejo (cultural, físico e sanitário) também são discutidas.

Lettuce is the most cultivated leafy salad vegetable in Colombia, being the municipality of Madrid, in the Department of Cundinamarca, the second largest producer. In this region, lettuce plants with foliar symptoms characterized by brown necrotic spots forming an extended necrotic area, chlorosis, leaf distortion and plant stunting have been detected, possibly caused by a viral infection associated with the Orthotospovirus genus. This study aimed to identify the orthotospovirus species associated with those symptoms, contributing to updating the lettuce phytosanitary status in this region. The presence of orthotospovirus was confirmed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA), although the sequence of the nucleocapsid (N) gene confirmed the presence of Alstroemeria necrotic streak orthotospovirus, disregarding the Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus and Impatiens necrotic spot orthotospovirus previously reported for this crop, being this its first report in lettuce crops in Colombia. RESUMO A alface é o vegetal folhoso para salada mais cultivado na Colômbia, sendo o município de Madrid, no Departamento de Cundinamarca, o segundo maior produtor. Nessa região, foram detectadas plantas com sintomas foliares caracterizados por manchas necróticas de coloração castanha formando uma extensa área necrótica, clorose, distorção foliar e atrofia das plantas, causados por infecção viral possivelmente associada ao gênero Orthotospovirus. Objetivou-se identificar as espécies de orthotospovirus associadas aos sintomas, contribuindo para a atualização do estatuto fitossanitário da alface nessa região. Foi constatada a presença de orthotospovirus pelo ensaio de imunoabsorção enzimática (DAS-ELISA), embora a sequência do gene nucleocapsid (N) tenha confirmado a presença de Alstroemeria necrotic streak orthotospovirus, desconsiderando-se o Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus e Impatiens necrotic spot orthotospovirus previamente relatados para essa cultura, sendo este o seu primeiro relato para o cultivo de alface na Colômbia.

Although microplastic (MP) pollution has become an environmental issue worldwide, most related research has been confined to marine ecosystems. The impacts of MPs on terrestrial ecosystems, and especially on terrestrial plants, are poorly studied. In our study, different particle sizes (2 μm and 80 nm) and different concentrations (0, 10, 50, 100, and 500 mg·L−1) of polystyrene MPs were selected as the experimental materials, and their effects on three herbaceous ornamental plants, Trifolium repens, Orychophragmus violaceus, and Impatiens balsamina, were investigated. Seed germination tendency, germination rate, and various physiological and biochemical indicators were observed in the treated plants. The germination rates and germination potentials of these plants decreased significantly as the polystyrene MP concentration increased. Root formation, as well as a decrease in root hair density, was observed. The catalase, superoxide dismutase, hydrogen peroxide, proline, soluble protein, and soluble sugar contents all showed overall trends that increased first and then decreased, which conformed to the “Plant-ES” equation. Thus, polystyrene MPs appeared to have significant inhibitory effects on the seed germination processes of herbaceous ornamental plants.

Floriculture crops can lose their aesthetic quality due to water deficit during postproduction. Calcium is a secondary messenger in plant stress signaling, and the treatment of calcium has been proposed to alleviate damage by various abiotic stresses. The objective of this research was to evaluate application methods of calcium to delay plant wilting under water deficiency in three species of bedding plants: viola (Viola cornuta), impatiens (Impatiens walleriana), and petunia (Petunia grandiflora). Three application methods were compared including spray, drench, and pre-drench. Calcium was applied as CaCl2 and Ca(NO3)2 at three concentrations ranging from 50 to 300 mM. The effect of calcium on shelf life was species-dependent, increasing shelf life in viola and impatiens, but not in petunia. Viola showed increased shelf life up to 154% and 400% in drench and pre-drench applications, respectively, compared to the control. In impatiens, spray and pre-drench applications delayed wilting symptoms by 53% and 200%, respectively. Comparing calcium sources, CaCl2 was the most effective as a drench, while Ca(NO3)2 pre-drench application effectively delayed wilting. There was no difference between CaCl2 and Ca(NO3)2 in spray application. These results provided the optimum application methods to delay plant witling and the potential of calcium application on enhancing water deficit tolerance in floriculture crops.

Two new series of Impatiens walleriana (impatiens) cultivars, Beacon and Imara XDR, were released to commercial growers in the United States in 2019 to 2020. Field trials show these new cultivar series are highly resistant to impatiens downy mildew (IDM). However, neither of these two impatiens series are completely immune to the disease, and preventive fungicide programs are still recommended for use throughout production to maintain plant health. Here we report two destructive outbreaks of IDM from Imara XDR in two commercial production facilities in California, one in 2019 and one in 2020. The disease outbreaks were caused by a known rDNA genotype of Plasmopara destructor (synonym = P. obducens). Modified Koch’s postulates showed that the pathogen could infect and cause disease in both Beacon and Imara XDR plants. Mefenoxam applied by both growers may have been ineffective due to resistance in P. destructor populations, which has been demonstrated on several previous occasions. Given these findings, fungicide programs intended to supplement genetic resistance should not be overly reliant upon application of mefenoxam and should utilize effective materials from different mode of action groups, in rotation. Fungicides to supplement genetic resistance are particularly appropriate in frost-free areas or in any circumstances that provide a potential inoculum source.

The study was aimed to determine the response of bacterial growth of Ralstonia solanacearum Race I of biovar III phylotype I treated with flower extract of Garden Balsam (Impatiens balsamina L.) on different color of flower, that was able to give the strongest antibacterial compound and to determine the physical characteristics of I. balsamina in order to facilitate the purpose of the garden balsam cultivation as antibacterial. In addition, this study also aimed to determine the highest total anthocyanin content (TAC) and to determine the molecular characteristics of anthocyanin-coding genes and DNA base sequences of I. balsamina that indicated antibacterial properties. The research used Completely Randomized Design (CRD) 2 X 4 each with 3 replications. The first factor was the method of plating bacteria culture (pour plate and streak plate method), the second factor was the color of the garden balsam flower extracts consisted of white, red, purple and magenta. Therefore, the experiment consisted of 8 treatments of combination. Data were analyzed using CRD (α = 0.05). The results showed that the average combination of pour plate and red flower extract gave the value of resistance velocity on the 3rd day with the diameter of the inhibition zone was 33.46 mm, with the inhibitory zone diameter of the garden balsam extract of 22.90 mm. Red flower plants showed a bright red stem on the braches and the pointed leaf edge. Although this red does not show the total content of anthocyanin compounds higher than purple, however from RAPD analysis for red color indicated the anthocyanin of pelargonidin as an anthocyanin compound responsible for its antibacterial properties.

Fungus gnats are small, dark colored, mosquito like fragile insects. They can be encountered all around the world, excluding places with extreme climate. Gnats prefer habitats that are damp with high relative humidity and rich in organic debris. Most of the species are not considered to be harmful in agriculture, but some may cause serious damage, especially in forcing of vegetable or ornamental plants. In mushroom production, however, they are considered as the most destructive pests; the damage caused by them alone can result in huge loss for mushroom farmers. In the Hungarian mushroom industry, fungus gnats damage mainly white-button mushroom, oyster mushroom and pioppino productions. Lycoriella ingenua (Dufour, 1839) and Bradysia impatiens (Johannsen, 1912) are the two most commonly found fungus gnat species from the family Sciaridae on Hungarian mushroom farms. We have conducted an experiment with the two aforementioned species, to find out, whether they can fully develop into adults, feeding purely on Agaricus compost diet. We used unspawned white button mushroom compost (phase 2) and spawned compost which has been colonized by the mycelia of Agaricus bisporus (phase 3). We did not conduct any experiment with the first compost phase, as it undergoes pasteurization, which eliminates any pests in it. We recorded emerging gnats only from phase 2 compost. Neither L. ingenua, nor B. impatiens could complete its development on phase 3 compost diet, furthermore not even pupae were observed in these breeding pots. From pots containing phase 2 compost, a total of 1607 adults emerged. The number of B. impatiens adults was 653, and 954 for L. ingenua. Sex ratios for the two species were different. For B. impatiens, the number of females was 1.36 times greater than that of males, in L. ingenua there were 1.7 times more males than females in total. Swarming took approximately 6 days for B. impatiens and 10 days for L. ingenua. From the experiment we can conclude that phase 3 compost, which is well interwoven with Agaricus bisporus mycelia is not suitable for B. impatiens and L. ingenua to complete their whole life cycle.

Impatiens scullyi Hook.f. is reported here as a new record for India as well as for the western Himalaya from Kullu and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh. To facilitate its identification, detailed description along with colour images are provided here.

Bumble bees are commonly used to provide pollination services within crop fields and greenhouses, with Bombus impatiens Cresson; Hymenoptera: Apidae, a bee native to the eastern United States, being the only managed bumble bee available commercially in the United States. Although many researchers have explored managed bumble bees’ ability to pollinate various crops and the potential spread of pathogens by managed bumble bees, scant research is available on how managed bumble bee colony health is affected after foraging within crop fields. We measured 10 B. impatiens colony health parameters: 1) colony weight; number of 2) honey/pollen pots, 3) workers, 4) queens, 5) drones, 6) immatures, 7) eggs; and weight of 8) workers, 9) drones, and 10) queens from colonies that foraged within blueberry or watermelon fields, and compared them to control colonies that were purchased and immediately frozen upon receipt. Bees that foraged within blueberry increased in colony weight and in the number of immatures and eggs during the bloom period compared to control colonies. In contrast, bee colonies placed within watermelon decreased in colony weight, number of workers and immature bees, and individual bee weight compared to control colonies. Blueberry appeared to provide bees with sufficient nectar and pollen, whereas watermelon may not have provided adequate resources for the bees. Bees foraging within watermelon were probably forced to search for other sources of pollen and nectar, resulting in colony health parameter declines. Our data suggest that some crops (e.g., blueberry) can support managed B. impatiens, potentially adding to localized bumble bee populations, while others (e.g., watermelon) cannot.

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) intercropping with floricultural cadmium (Cd) accumulator plants (Helianthus annuus L., Cosmos sulphureus Cav., Cosmos bipinnata Cav., and Impatiens balsamina L.) in Cd-contaminated soils (5 mg/kg) was conducted in pot experiment to screen the floricultural Cd-accumulator plants that can effectively reduce Cd uptake in grapevine. Intercropping with H. annuus, C. sulphureus, and I. balsamina decreased the biomass of grape plants compared with that of the grape monoculture, whereas intercropping with C. bipinnata did not show differences in grape plant biomass both as compared to monoculture in Cd-contaminated soils and to control plants, grown in the same soil without Cd spiking. The superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, as well as soluble protein content, were increased by intercropping with C. bipinnata compared with the grape monoculture, but were decreased by the other intercropping treatments. In general, intercropping with the four floricultural Cd-accumulator plants decreased the Cd content in grape plants compared with the monoculture, and the Cd content in grapevine for the different treatments was as follows: monoculture > intercropped with I. balsamina > intercropped with C. bipinnata > intercropped with H. annuus > intercropped with C. sulphureus. As for the amount of Cd accumulated by shoots of the floricultural plants, the ranking was as follows: I. balsamina > C. sulphureus > H. annuus > C. bipinnata. Therefore, intercropping with floricultural Cd-accumulator plants could effectively decrease Cd accumulation in grape plants, and intercropping with C. sulphureus gave the best results in this study.

The plasticity and physiological functions of metabolic nitrogen (N) and carbohydrate pools in the tissues of axillary shoot tip cuttings are poorly understood despite their pivotal role in pre-harvest growth, post-harvest abiotic stress resilience, survival and adventitious root (AR) formation in young plant supply chains for ornamental crops. Therefore, we studied the N and carbohydrate pools in response to contrasting experimental environments by both the graduated N supply of stock plants and the different dark storage amounts of the cuttings as well as during multi-seasonal transport of commercial cuttings from low-latitude stock plant facilities. The initial survey of cuttings from the supply chains confirmed species-specific optimal total nitrogen (Nt) levels and indicated further species differences both in Nt allocation to metabolic N pools and in the total carbon (Ct)/Nt ratio in Chrysanthemum (CHRY), Euphorbia (POI), Impatiens (IMP), Osteospermum (OSTEO) and Pelargonium (PEL). For CHRY and PEL, frequency distributions of the Nt content revealed that a significant percentage of commercial cuttings is not optimally supplied. The PEL cuttings responded to experimental dark storage with a gradual increase in mobile organic N pools at the expense of the proportion of Nt of the matrix protein pool, which corresponded to reduced survival and rooting capacity, whereas the Nt and nitrate levels remained unchanged. Analyses of commercial cuttings confirmed regular incidents of shifts in Nt allocation from insoluble protein-N to mobile N pools; these shifts coincided with severe carbohydrate depletions during transport. Therefore, compared with leaf tissues, stem tissues displayed a higher resilience against carbohydrate depletion. In conclusion, monitoring deviation ranges and changes among N pools in addition to carbohydrates and Nt is suggested. This monitoring is appropriate not only during growth before harvest but also throughout postharvest and helps to identify risks of low survival rate and low rooting before cuttings are planted. As a first parameter, a set of indicators for decision support is suggested. In this regard, the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is discussed as rapid diagnostic tool that can easily be applied at critical points of the supply chains.

Background We have recently developed a simple, rapid, and relatively-cheap method for matrix-assisted laser-desorption and ionisation time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF MS) sample preparation that is applicable to plant material (in addition to microbial and insect material), and have used this to discriminate between closely-related Impatiens species and between regional biotypes of the invasive weed Impatiens glandulifera (commonly known as Himalayan balsam) using leaf samples. In the current paper, we have developed a complementary MALDI-TOF MS-based method for use with seeds. We have employed a combination of principal-component analysis and blind-tested comparison between reference-sample MALDI-TOF MS spectra and test-sample spectra to discriminate, on the basis of the acid-soluble seed-protein spectra generated by our method, between four regional biotypes of I. glandulifera from within the UK that differ in their susceptibility to the biological control agent Himalayan balsam rust (Puccinia komarovii var. glanduliferae). Results Peak-rich and highly-reproducible spectra were obtained and, in blind testing with test seeds collected in 2017 against reference seeds collected in 2017, we observed 100% identification accuracy in 12 blind tests. In blind testing with test seeds collected in 2016 against reference seeds collected in 2017, we observed 92% identification accuracy in 12 blind tests. Conclusions MALDI-TOF MS analysis of seed material is able to discriminate between regional biotypes of I. glandulifera. MALDI-TOF MS therefore has the potential to improve the efficiency and efficacy of weed biological control using co-evolved natural enemies of invasive non-native plant species, through the matching of biological control agents with susceptible regional biotypes.

Pot ornamental plant productivity is related to the environmental growth facilities but negatively affected by the pot root restriction syndrome so during nursery as the post-transplant stage. The physiological mechanism involved included both the synthesis and translocation of auxins and cytokinins. However, clear sink-source and dose-response relationships of exogenous plant regulators such as indole acetic acid (AIA) and benzyl amino purine (BAP) and environment on biomass accumulation in most ornamental foliage plants, including New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) are lacking. The aim of this work was to analyze the effects of an exogenously shoot-applied auxin and a cytokinin, separately or successively, on the post-transplant biomass accumulation of I. hawkeri through the anatomical, morphological and physiological changes observed. Two experiments were performed. The first experiment included the response to only BAP-sprayed plants (0, 5, 50, or 100 mg L-1). For the second experiment, rooting cuttings of I. hawkeri were sprayed with different concentrations of IAA (0, 5, 50, or 100 mg L-1) followed by different BAP concentrations (0, 5, 50, or 100 mg L-1) one week later to run-off at sunset. Results showed that (a) a single BAP or AIA dose increased increase post-transplant biomass accumulation through a higher leaf area expansion and photo assimilate production, (b) as a result of both AIA and BAP spray, the higher NAR the higher post-transplant biomass accumulation, (c) leaf anatomical changes (leaf thickness, intercellular spaces) let a higher carbon dioxide diffusion and fixation with a correlative increase in photo assimilates, (d) a higher root system would be related to a higher cytokinin synthesis. In summary, similarities between responses to either hormone, together with the lack of any IAA - BAP interaction, provide two independent routes for commercial growers to increase the productivity of I. hawkeri ornamental plants by using early foliar sprays.

High-quality young plant production in northern latitudes requires supplemental lighting (SL) to achieve a recommended daily light integral (DLI) of 10 to 12 mol·m−2·d−1. High-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps have been the industry standard for providing SL in greenhouses. However, high-intensity light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures providing blue, white, red, and/or far-red radiation have recently emerged as a possible alternative to HPS lamps for greenhouse SL. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to 1) quantify the morphology and nutrient concentration of common and specialty bedding plant seedlings grown under no SL, or SL from HPS lamps or LED fixtures; and 2) determine whether SL source during propagation or finishing influences finished plant quality or flowering. The experiment was conducted at a commercial greenhouse in West Lafayette, IN. Seeds of New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri ‘Divine Blue Pearl’), French marigold (Tagetes patula ‘Bonanza Deep Orange’), gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii ‘Terracotta’), petunia (Petunia ×hybrida ‘Single Dreams White’), ornamental millet (Pennisetum glaucum ‘Jester’), pepper (Capsicum annuum ‘Hot Long Red Thin Cayenne’), and zinnia (Zinnia elegans ‘Zahara Fire’) were sown in 128-cell trays. On germination, trays were placed in a double-poly greenhouse under a 16-hour photoperiod of ambient solar radiation and photoperiodic lighting from compact fluorescent lamps providing a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 2 µmol·m−2·s−1 (ambient conditions) or SL from either HPS lamps or LED fixtures providing a PPFD of 70 µmol·m−2·s−1. After propagation, seedlings were transplanted and finished under SL provided by the same HPS lamps or LED fixtures in a separate greenhouse environment. Overall, seedlings produced under SL were of greater quality [larger stem caliper, increased number of nodes, lower leaf area ratio (LAR), and greater dry mass accumulation] than those produced under no SL. However, seedlings produced under HPS or LED SL were comparable in quality. Although nutrient concentrations were greatest under ambient conditions, select macro- and micronutrient concentrations also were greater under HPS compared with LED SL. SL source during propagation and finishing had little effect on flowering and finished plant quality. Although these results indicate little difference in plant quality based on SL source, they further confirm the benefits gained from using SL for bedding plant production. In addition, with both SL sources producing a similar finished product, growers can prioritize other factors related to SL installations such as energy savings, fixture price, and fixture lifespan.

An acid-base titration is one of the quantitative analysis methods involving a high-polluting, harmful, hazardous, and relatively expensive synthetic indicator. The development of the concept of green chemistry encourages research to invent natural indicators that are more environmentally friendly. Impatiens balsamina L. flower has a variety of colors and contains anthocyanin pigments. Rose pink, red, violet, orangish red, and pink Impatiens balsamina L. flower were extracted with acidified ethanol solvent. All five I. balsamina L. flower extracts indicate discoloration on pH range 10-12. Violet flower extract has an error percentage of strong acid-strong base titration which was 50.48 ± 2.18%, while in strong acid-weak base titration was 19.27 ± 1.15%. Meanwhile, it cannot be applied in weak acids-strong base titration. Thus, I. balsamina L. flowers can be used as an alternative to environment-friendly natural acid-base indicators.

Water stress decreases the health and quality of horticulture crops by inhibiting photosynthesis, transpiration, and nutrient uptake. Application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can increase the growth, stress tolerance, and overall quality of field and greenhouse grown crops subjected to water stress. Here, we evaluatedSerratia plymuthicaMBSA-MJ1 for its ability to increase plant growth and quality ofPetunia×hybrida(petunia),Impatiens walleriana(impatiens), andViola×wittrockiana(pansy) plants recovering from severe water stress. Plants were treated weekly with inoculum of MBSA-MJ1, and plant growth and quality were evaluated 2 weeks after recovery from water stress. Application ofS. plymuthicaMBSA-MJ1 increased the visual quality and shoot biomass of petunia and impatiens and increased the flower number of petunia after recovery from water stress. In addition,in vitrocharacterizations showed that MBSA-MJ1 is a motile bacterium with moderate levels of antibiotic resistance that can withstand osmotic stress. Further, comprehensive genomic analyses identified genes putatively involved in bacterial osmotic and oxidative stress responses and the synthesis of osmoprotectants and vitamins that could potentially be involved in increasing plant water stress tolerance. This work provides a better understanding of potential mechanisms involved in beneficial plant-microbe interactions under abiotic stress using a novelS. plymuthicastrain as a model.

Downy mildew (DM), caused by obligate parasitic oomycetes, is a destructive disease for a wide range of crops worldwide. Recent outbreaks of impatiens downy mildew (IDM) in many countries have caused huge economic losses. A system to reveal plant–pathogen interactions in the early stage of infection and quickly assess resistance/susceptibility of plants to DM is desired. In this study, we established an early and rapid system to achieve these goals using impatiens as a model. Thirty-two cultivars ofImpatiens wallerianaandI. hawkeriwere evaluated for their responses to IDM at cotyledon, first/second pair of true leaf, and mature plant stages. AllI. wallerianacultivars were highly susceptible to IDM. While allI. hawkericultivars were resistant to IDM starting at the first true leaf stage, many (14/16) were susceptible to IDM at the cotyledon stage. Two cultivars showed resistance even at the cotyledon stage. Histological characterization showed that the resistance mechanism of theI. hawkericultivars resembles that in grapevine and type II resistance in sunflower. By integrating full-length transcriptome sequencing (Iso-Seq) and RNA-Seq, we constructed the first reference transcriptome forImpatienscomprised of 48,758 sequences with an N50 length of 2060 bp. Comparative transcriptome and qRT-PCR analyses revealed strong candidate genes for IDM resistance, including three resistance genes orthologous to the sunflower geneRGC203, a potential candidate associated with DM resistance. Our approach of integrating early disease-resistance phenotyping, histological characterization, and transcriptome analysis lay a solid foundation to improve DM resistance in impatiens and may provide a model for other crops.

Mosquitoes rely upon plant nectars for their energy needs, a trait that has the potential to allow nectar to serve as a platform for producing and delivering toxins to nuisance and/or vector mosquito species. Impatiens walleriana (Order: Ericales, Family: Balsaminaceae) is a readily transformable and widely planted nectar plant that has been previously shown to attract mosquito nectar-feeding. However, those feeding studies were only conducted indoors and did not test if variable environmental conditions will affect nectar feeding. In this study, we tested incidence of nectar feeding from the extrafloral nectaries of I. walleriana with the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus (Order: Diptera, Family: Culicidae) in simulated, outdoor garden settings in Mississippi and Florida. I. walleriana and other common garden plants (in a 1:4 ratio) were placed into a mesh-lined 4'x7' mesocosm along with 50 mosquitoes. To track nectar feeding, the nectar of I. walleriana was tagged with red dye and mosquitoes were analyzed for red dye fluorescence after feeding. Fluorescence analysis demonstrated that 81.9% of male and 86.6% of female mosquitoes fed on the nectar of I. walleriana within 24 h. This suggests that mosquitoes may readily feed on impatiens nectar in outdoor garden settings at temperate and semi-tropical sites, even when alternate common garden plants are available. This attraction capacity is essential for the further consideration of I. walleriana for development as a transgenic, mosquitocidal nectar plant.

The chive maggot Bradysia cellarum and the fungus gnat B. impatiens are two primary root pests of plants, which can coexist on the same host plants and are the devastating pests on liliaceous crops and edible fungi. Their growth and development are affected by the nutrient contents of their host plants. In this study, we assessed the effects of different host plant nutrients on the nutrient contents of these two Bradysia species. The nutrients of the chive (Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng.), board bean (Vicia faba L.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. ramosa Hort.), cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.), wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata rubra) and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) roots were determined, and their effect on nutrient content of the two Bradysia species after feeding on the host plant for three continuous generations were evaluated. The results show that chive and B-bean contained higher levels of protein, free amino acid, soluble sugar and starch than others. As a result, the soluble sugar, fat and protein contents were significantly higher in both Bradysia species reared on chive and B-bean than on cabbage, lettuce, W-cabbage and pepper, suggesting nutritional preference of these insects. Based on our results, we concluded that the two Bradysia species displayed nutrient preference toward chive and B-bean, which provides a reference for understanding their host plant range and for control of the insect species via field crop rotations.

Bradysia spp. are major pests of undercover crops, to which they can cause considerable economic loss. The use of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) for the control of Bradysia spp. has proven to be relatively advantageous, since sciarids are mostly pests of undercover crops that have a short lifecycle, or for which the application of pesticides is unsuitable. In this study, eight South African local EPN species and a non-native EPN species, namely Steinernema feltiae, were tested for their ability to kill Bradysia impatiens larvae at different temperatures. The results showed four local EPN species, Steinernema yirgalemense, Heterorhabditis noenieputensis, Heterorhabditis indica and Heterorhabditis zealandica, achieving higher than 80 % mortality, at 25 °C and 30 °C, from the different bioassays performed. Heterorhabditis zealandica had the lowest LD50 of 2.60 infective juveniles (IJs) per larva and LD90 of 18.68 IJs/larva. Steinernema yirgalemense had an LD50 of 8.98 and an LD90 of 64.16, which were similar to those of H. indica. Steinernema yirgalemense, H. indica and H. zealandica were all able to reproduce inside the fourth-instar larvae of B. impatiens, and to produce IJs. The relatively larger nematodes, Steinernema jeffreyense, Steinernema khoisanae, and Steinernema litchii were unable to infect the fourth-instar larvae of B. impatiens, which indicated that the size of the EPNs affected their ability to infect fungus gnat larvae. This study demonstrated the high potential for the use of locally isolated EPNs for the control of fungus gnats in South Africa.

A lack of application of photoperiod and light intensity to manipulate the growth of current spring annuals has, in part, been due to the lack of information identifying the photoperiodic and light intensities requirements of various species. Present pot experiment was carried out at Horticulture Garden, Department of Horticulture, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, during spring 2017, which was laid out in a three replicated Complete Randomized Design (CRD). Two varieties of balsam (V1= Tom Thumb, V2 = Double Camcellia) were studied under NP1= Control (Normal day length), NP2=3 hrs (8:00 am- 11:00 am), NP3= 6 hrs (8:00 am – 2:00 pm), NP4= 9 hrs (8:00 am-5:00 pm), NP5= Natural shade. Results from the research data revealed significant (P

Garden impatiens (Impatiens walleriana), a very important floricultural crop in the United States, has been devastated by impatiens downy mildew (IDM) in recent years. This study was conducted to determine if induced tetraploidy could improve impatiens resistance to downy mildew. Tetraploids were induced by colchicine and confirmed by chromosome counting. Compared with diploids, induced tetraploids showed significant morphological changes, including larger and thicker leaves with larger and fewer stomata; thicker and fewer stems; larger and fewer flowers; and larger pollen grains with higher stainability. In detached leaf and in vivo inoculation assays, tetraploids exhibited improved downy mildew resistance, with lower disease severity, disease incidences, and sporangia densities. Plasmopara obducens, the causal agent of IDM, underwent a similar development process in the leaf tissue of diploids and tetraploids. These results suggest that induced tetraploidy can result in significant changes in impatiens leaf and plant morphology and can increase impatiens resistance to downy mildew to a certain extent.

Bradysia impatiens Johannsen (Diptera: Scaridae) has recently been identified as a pest, in various greenhouse-cultured crops in South Africa. The control potential for different concentrations of a local entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), Steinernema yirgalemense Nguyen, Tesfamariam, Gozel, Gaugler and Adams, on a natural population of B. impatiens was determined in a cucumber greenhouse. Additionally, the effect of potting media on nematode movement to control an artificial population of fungus gnats was tested. Doubling the EPN dosage, from that recommended by a commercial product (5 × 105 IJs m−2), reduced the fungus gnats significantly after 21 days. The three different types of potting media, consisting of pine sawdust, coco coir, and a mixture of both coir bale and vermiculite, all had a positive effect on the movement of S. yirgalemense. A significant mortality was achieved for the introduced fungus gnat larvae.

Production of quality greenhouse and nursery crops is dependent on high quality and quantities of water. At present, in some regions, insufficient water supply is a growing concern. This study was conducted to evaluate growth of New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkerii 'Celebrate Salmon'), when watered with a polyoxyethylenesorbitan monolaurate (C58H114O26) solution commercially known as Tween 20, at differing irrigation levels compared with a conventional water regimen without the surfactant, and also to determine how Tween 20 would affect photosynthesis and transpiration. The treatment design was a 3 by 6 complete factorial design plus a control. The two factors were irrigation and Tween 20. Irrigation levels of 20%, 40%, or 60% of the full crop evapotranspiration (ET) requirements were used in combination with Tween 20 concentrations of either 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, or 125 mg·L−1 (0, 0.003338, 0.00668, 0.0100145, 0.01335, or 0.01669 oz per gallon). The control group was watered with tap water to container capacity with about 30% leachate. Evapotranspiration was determined as the difference of the applied water amount minus the leachate of the control. Plants irrigated with Tween 20 from 25 to 125 mg·L−1 (0.003338 to 0.01669 oz per gallon) at the 40% or 60% irrigation level had the same height and growth index as plants in the control after three months of growth. Plant fresh and dry weights were not different between the control and the treatments of Tween 20 from 50 to 125 mg·L−1 (0.00668 to 0.01669 oz per gallon) at the 60% irrigation level or the treatment of Tween 20 at 100 mg·L−1 (0.01335 oz per gallon) at the 40% irrigation level. Tween 20 had no effect on net photosynthetic rate. Tween 20 decreased the amount of transpired water of New Guinea impatiens 'Celebrate Salmon'. When the Tween 20 concentration increased from 0 to 100 mg·L−1 (0 to 0.01335 oz per gallon) at the 60% irrigation level, the transpiration rate and stomatal conductance decreased markedly by 43% and 47%, respectively, and water use efficiency was increased by 47%. Results from this study suggest that Tween 20 is able to increase plant water use efficiency through regulation of stomatal conductance or transpiration under deficit irrigation.Index words: irrigation management, chemigation, source-sink physiology, deficit irrigation, wetting agent, Tween 20, adjuvant.Species used in this study: New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hawkerii W. Bull. 'Celebrate Salmon').Chemicals used in this study: Tween 20 (polyoxyethylenesorbitan monolaurate). (aka: polysorbate 20, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate)

Impatiens acuminata Benth. ex Hook.f. & Thomson, endemic to Meghalaya in North-Eastern India, is lectotypified here. The species was collected/observed only five times in the 20th century. A detailed description and photographic illustrations based on live plant material is provided for its easy identification along with its comparison to closely related species I. parkinsonii C. E. C. Fisch. Geographical distribution, conservation status and horticultural potentials of the species are also discussed.

Chemical plant growth retardants (PGRs) are commonly used to produce compact bedding plants. Few PGRs are labeled for sensitive species because of the concern of excessive restriction of stem elongation or phytotoxicity. Growers are therefore presented with a dilemma: produce untreated plants that may be too tall or risk applying a PGR that can potentially lead to irreversible aesthetic damage to the plant. Nutrient restriction, specifically of phosphorus (P), may be used to control plant height. This study was conducted to determine if restricting P fertilization yielded comparable growth control to plants produced with PGRs. Two cultivars each of new guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) and angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia) were grown using five fertilizers that varied by P concentration (0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 ppm). Half of the plants from each P fertilizer concentration were treated with paclobutrazol at 4 and 5 weeks after transplant for angelonia and new guinea impatiens, respectively. On termination of the experiment, data were collected for height, diameter, and dry weight, which were used to determine a growth index (GI). Angelonia GI values were maximized with 7–9 ppm P, whereas new guinea impatiens GI was maximized with 8–11 ppm P. Concentrations of 3–5 ppm P provided similar height control to plants grown with nonlimiting P and a paclobutrazol application. Concentrations of ≤2.5 ppm P resulted in low-quality plants with visual symptoms of P deficiency. These results indicate that a narrow range of P concentrations may be used to control stem elongation and keep plants compact.

The propagation success of cuttings can be influenced by the stage of development at which they are shipped and stored, storage duration and exposure to ethylene inhibitors and/or ethylene. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the propagation stage and ethylene inhibitor 1-MCP on the sensitivity of Impatiens hawkeri 'Super Sonic White' and 'Super Sonic Red' to ethylene and simulated shipment. Nine combinations of the propagation stage (1 = unrooted; 2 = callused; 3 = rooted), 1-MCP treatment (0 or 700 nL L-1) followed by ethylene treatment (0 or 1 µL L-1), and storage duration (0 or 2 days) were administered. Impatiens cuttings that were stored after being propagated to Stage 3 had the most yellow/necrotic leaves, while overall, 'Super Sonic White' had more than 'Super Sonic Red'. In both cultivars, cuttings propagated until Stage 3, before any gas treatment or storage, took the most propagation days to reach Stage 3 and had the lowest root fresh and dry weights. Stage 1 cuttings stored for 2 days reached Stage 3 in fewer days than unstored cuttings, such that if the 2-day storage was counted towards propagation days, the difference between unstored and stored cuttings was negligible. Cuttings treated with ethylene, and stored for 2 days at Stage 2, reached Stage 3 in the least number of propagation days. Most postharvest parameters were not significantly affected by 1-MCP. Cuttings treated with 1-MCP prior to ethylene took slightly longer to root than cuttings just treated with ethylene, but differences were ≤0.6 days. In summary, root development continued on cuttings in storage indicated that short term storage may be beneficial.

Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) is a major disease in peanut, Arachis hypogaea L., across peanut producing regions of the United States and elsewhere. Two thrips, Frankliniella fusca Hinds and Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), are considered important vectors of TSWV in peanut in the Southeast. We compared the efficiency of acquisition (by larvae) and transmission (adults) of both thrips species for TSWV (Texas peanut-strain) to leaf disks of peanut (Florunner), as well as to Impatiens walleriana Hook. f. (Dwarf White Baby) and Petunia hybrida Juss. 'Fire Chief' using double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). Both species were competent TSWV vectors in peanut and Impatiens, although F. fusca was the more efficient vector overall, i.e., virus acquisition and transmission rates for F. fusca averaged over several bioassays were 51.7 and 26.6%, respectively, compared with 20.0 and 15.3% for F. occidentalis. Neither species effectively transmitted this TSWV strain to Petunia (i.e., ≤3.6% transmission). We found statistically similar virus acquisition and transmission rates between both sexes for each species. We also detected no differences in TSWV-acquisition and transmission frequency between macropterous and brachypterous (short-wing) forms of F. fusca collected from a field population in south Texas. DAS-ELISA failed to detect low levels of TSWV in a few thrips that subsequently proved to be competent vectors.

This research was conducted in the Laboratory of Plant Tissue Culture, Vegetable and Floriculture Department, Mansoura University, Egypt during 2016/2017. The aim was to use tissue culture technique for callus production and enhancing total phenolics (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC) content in suspension culture of garden balsam(Impatiens balsamina L.) which belongs to Family Balsaminaceae, which has many important secondary metabolites in its different organs. Callus was initiated on leaf discs cultured on MS medium supplemented with either 2,4-D or NAA at different concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg/l), besides the control (MS-free hormone medium) with a fixed BAP concentration (0.5 mg/l). Also, suspensions were supplemented with either yeast extract or chitosan (0, 50, 100 and 200 mg/l) for enhancing accumulation of phenolics and flavonoids content for two separated elicitation periods (24 and 48hrs.). Data showed that the highest callus formation percentage (100%) was obtained from leaf explants cultured on MS medium supplemented with either 1.0 mg/l 2,4-D+0.5 mg/l BAP or 1.5 mg/l NAA+0.5 mg/l BAP. Also, these superior treatments produced the biggest callus volume (9.38 and 9.19 mm3, respectively). The heaviest callus fresh and dry weights (8.25 and 1.15 g/jar) were recorded for MS medium fortified with 1.0 mg/l 2,4-D+0.5 mg/l BAP. In addition, after 24hrs from the suspensions elicitation, the highest TPC value of 8.298 mg/gdw with 4.18 fold higher than the control was recorded for suspensions which received 50 mg/l yeast extract. In the same time, 50 mg/l chitosan increased TFC (3.929 mg/gdw). The matter was partially similar after 48hrs, with a slight increase in all the elicitation treatments, since the superior treatments after 24hrs still giving a higher TPC and TFC.

Historically, Tomato spotted wilt virus and Impatiens necrotic spot virus have been significant constraints to crop production worldwide. With the emergence of Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV) and a natural Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV) reassortant in Florida and the Caribbean region, the significance of tospoviruses in production of major solanaceous vegetables including tomato and pepper has increased. In addition, TCSV has been reported in common solanaceous weeds including American black nightshade (Solanum americanum) and jimsonweed (Datura stramonium), in Florida and/or Puerto Rico. Experimental host range studies demonstrated that TCSV and/or GRSV can also infect solanaceous (Petunia and Brugmansia) and non-solanaceous (Garden Impatiens) ornamentals. During 2014, the first natural TCSV infections of non-solanaceous ornamentals porcelainflower (Hoya wayetii), false Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) and annual vinca (Catharanthus roseus) were detected in Florida. Since then, TCSV has been documented in other important crop and weed species, indicating host and geographic range expansion of this tospovirus. Several other viruses have also been detected in plants with symptoms similar to those induced by TCSV. In view of projected climate change-driven shifts in cropping systems, further knowledge of emerging plant viruses in Florida and the Caribbean region will help strengthen agricultural security.

Soil contaminated with used lubricant oil (ULO) has become an emerging environmental threat. Phytoremediation is a cost effective, environmentally friendly and novel technique with great potential for remediation of soils contaminated with used lubricating oil (ULO). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the phytoremediation potentials of Crotalaria retusa L. and Impatiens balsamina for ULO contaminated soil. A randomized block pot experiment was conducted for each species under plant house conditions in soil contaminated with ULO at a concentration of 5,000 mg kg−1 (0.5% w/w)-30,000 mg kg−1 (3% w/w). The percentage biodegradation of ULO in the rhizosphere soil of both species following 90 days exposure indicated significant (p

Coal bottom ash (BA) is a by-product of coal-fired power generation and can be utilized as a growing substrate for ornamental plants. The physical and hydraulic properties of BA-mixed substrates (coir dust:BA, 10:0, 9:1, 8:2, 7:3, and 6:4, v/v) and commercial germinating media (BM2, Berger Peatmoss) were investigated, and the effects of the substrate mixtures on seed germination, seedling growth, and heavy metal concentrations (Cd and Pb) were evaluated for four common bedding plants (periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), globe amaranth (Gomphrena globose), impatiens (Impatiens walleriana), and petunia (Petunia multiflora)). As the BA:coir dust increased, the air space rate in the substrate increased from 25.5 to 28.0%, providing the substrate with sufficient porosity. However, the container capacity and amount of easily available water decreased from 63.1 to 53.7% as BA proportions increased. In the final germination percentage and days to germination of the four bedding plants, no significant differences were detected among the substrate mixtures. Although the impatiens and petunias displayed poor growth (46–55% and 42–56% of dry weight, respectively) in the BA-mixed substrates compared to the BM2, no apparent differences in the seedling growth of periwinkles and globe amaranths were found between 7:3 (coir dust:BA) substrate and BM2. These results indicated that the BA-mixed substrates had the potential to replace the commercial germinating media. The plants grown in the BA-mixed substrates contained Cd, but it was unlikely to be derived from the BA.

Two new species of Impatiens ( Impatiens kotebettii and Impatiens madapurae) under the Section: ‘Annuae’ were discovered from Kotebetta, Bramhagiri mountains in the Western Ghats, India. They are c...