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Lepidium khalkhalicum, a new species from northwestern Iran, is described. It appears to be a local endemic restricted to open slopes of marl hills in the Khalkhal region (Ardabil province). The novel species is easily distinguished from similar species by a set of both vegetative and generative characters such as less developed indumentum, undivided leaves, much longer style, more divaricate, non‐thickened pedicels exceeding silicles, poorly developed fruit wing, etc. A detailed description accompanied by color photographs, distribution and habitat data, and a proposed conservation status of the new species are provided. The particular interest of the discovery in view of its close relationship to the garden cress, L. sativum, is stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to analyze the effects of traffic volumes on Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn contents in roadside soils and in two dominant herbaceous species (Achillea wilhelmsii and Cardaria draba) along highways and to evaluate the dynamic characteristics of these elements and their accumulation by the aerial parts and roots of these herbaceous species. The plant samples were collected along 700 m of a 9-km segment of each of the three major highways in Hamedan Province (West Iran) with different traffic volumes: Hamedan-Goltapeh (HG), Hamedan-Razan (HR), and Hamedan-Kermanshah (HK). The results indicated that the mean contents of Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn in the soil samples were 0.26, 18.74, 14.98, 18.21, and 62.25 mg kg−1, respectively. Furthermore, the mean contents of elements (mg kg−1) in aerial parts of A. wilhelmsii were 0.16 for Cd, 4.52 for Cu, 1.91 for Pb, 1.70 for Ni, and 44.80 for Zn, while in the aerial part samples of C. draba, the concentrations (mg kg−1) and the mean contents were 0.16, 2.29, 2.58, 1.60, and 31.29, respectively. This meant that the traffic volume affected the contents of the metals in the soil and the herbaceous species. The metal content in herbaceous tissues varied significantly between plant species. A. wilhelmsii tended to accumulate the metals in the roots while C. draba retained them mostly in the aerial parts. The significant positive correlations of Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn content in root and aerial parts of the herbaceous plant with those found in the soil samples showed the potential of the studied species for application in biomonitoring studies. Comprehensive analysis (effect of traffic volumes and relationships between the content of elements in plant tissues and soil samples) indicated that Cu in both herbaceous plants was mainly derived from soil, while A. wilhelmsii absorbed Cd and C. draba absorbed Zn mainly through the stomata from atmospheric depositions. Without considering atmospheric depositions due to intense traffic volumes, in A. wilhelmsii, the translocation factor (TF) values of Cu and Zn were 1.06 and 1.44, respectively and in C. draba, the TF values of Cd, Cu, and Pb were 1.06, 1.09, and 1.13, respectively, thus suggesting that both herbaceous species had high potentials for transferring metals from the roots to aerial parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) is considered as a medicinal plant with various applications in pharmaceutical and food industries. Mucilage and lepidine as the most secondary metabolites in garden cress were optimized by callus culture. Firstly, the callus was induced under the treatment of 2, 4-D (1 mg l−1) + BAP (2 mg l−1). Then, in vitro synthesis of mucilage and lepidine from the callus and seeds of 10 different garden cress genotypes were evaluated under two different of light conditions (light and darkness). The in vitro synthesis of mucilage and lipidine from callus samples showed higher efficiency in most Iranian genotypes by about two-fold increase compared with one in the seed and leaf tissues respectively. L.s(4) and L.s(9) genotypes with 246.7 and 73.8 mg g−1 Dw had the highest and lowest contents of mucilage in callus tissue. The content of lepidine in L.s(6) (12.16 g g−1Dw) and L.s(5) (1.05 g g−1Dw) genotypes showed the highest and lowest content compared to those of callus. The findings of this research can be applied to high-throughput production of mucilage and lepidine using in vitro callus culture in Lepidium sativum. • In the present study, in vitro production of mucilage and lepidine from callus culture of ten native garden cress genotypes were investigated and compared with those in the seed and leave respectively. • The mucilage of callus was significantly higher (two-fold) than the mucilage of seed. This finding could be applicable of traditional extraction of mucilage from callus in L. sativum in a shorter time and huge scale. • Lepidine content in callus of most studied L. sativum genotypes was about three times higher than that of the leaves. • Due to higher quantity and efficiency of in vitro production of the plant secondary metabolite, the superior genotypes suggested to be used in bioreactor systems for commercial production of mucilage and lepidine for pharmaceutical and food aims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Iran, potato cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) jeopardizes the traditionally high yields of potatoes in Hamadan Province in the west of Iran. Biofumigation is an eco-friendly method for integrated management of plant parasitic nematodes. In the laboratory, water extracts of water cress, fenugreek and dill similarly reduced viability of second stage juveniles after 3 h of exposure, and decreased hatching of encysted eggs to less than 1%. Pre-treatment and combined tests similarly decreased hatch. The nematicidal efficiency of top green manure of Lepidium sativum on the survival of nematode was tested on a susceptible cv in microplots. The weights of biofumigated plants increased. Anti-hatching properties of water cress applied as a biofumigant reduced hatch by average of 56%. Reproduction rates were lowered to below one, and final populations of cysts and their egg contents were reduced by nearly 60% in treated soil. Biofumigation at a 1% amendment rate was sufficient to bring about these results, which were comparable with those achieved with 2 and 3% rates. Nematicidal isothiocyanates released after incorporating glucosinolate-containing brassica plants are fully biodegradable and less toxic than their synthetic equivalents, and their use is considered a safer alternative to soil fumigants such as methyl bromide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]