The utilisation potential of Brachypterum microphyllum, a fast-growing species introduced into plantation trials in Malaysia, remains relatively underexplored. Samples in this study were obtained from a Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) plantation trial in Selandar, Melaka, established using wild seedlings collected from Kampung Ulu Groh, Perak, where the species has been traditionally used by the Semai Orang Asli community. The plantation trial was initiated to assess its cultivation potential and to support sustainable raw material supply, thereby reducing reliance on natural forest resources. To date, research has mainly focused on the medicinal properties of the bark, while the wood characteristics and utilisation potential remain less studied. This study investigated the anatomical, chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of seven-year-old plantation-grown B. microphyllum. Microscopic analysis revealed diffuse-porous wood with very large solitary vessels, aliform to confluent parenchyma, medium-sized rays, and non-septate fibres. The absence of tyloses and silica may indicate favourable treatability and machinability, although this requires further confirmation through processing studies. Chemical analysis showed high holocellulose content (79.5%–81.9%), α-cellulose (~44%), moderate lignin content (22.6%–23.9%), and low extractives (0.9%–2.1%), indicating a high carbohydrate composition. Preliminary phytochemical screening identified flavonoids, tannins/polyphenols, and triterpenes/steroids, which may be relevant to further investigation of its reported traditional uses. The wood density ranged from 441.4 to 606.8 kg/m3 (mean: 524.1 kg/m3), classifying it as light to moderately heavy timber. Shrinkage values at 15% moisture content were 2.2% (tangential), 1.3% (radial), and 0.6% (longitudinal), with a T/R ratio of 1.6, indicating moderate dimensional stability. Mechanical properties were comparable to or higher than values reported for several plantation-grown species in the literature. Overall, the findings indicate that seven-year-old B. microphyllum has potential as a fast-growing plantation timber species with favourable physical and mechanical properties.
Handroanthus chrysanthus (Jacq.) S.O. Grose is a Neotropical tree species highly valued for its ornamental beauty, durable timber, and medicinal properties. However, overexploitation and the recalcitrant nature of its seeds have constrained propagation and conservation efforts, and the species has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2020. In this study, a direct adventitious shoot regeneration system was developed for H. chrysanthus by systematically evaluating explant type, basal medium, plant growth regulator combination, and light quality. Hypocotyls were identified as the most responsive explants for shoot induction, and the highest adventitious shoot induction frequency, 51.79%, was obtained on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with 5 mg·L−1 6-benzylaminopurine, 0.5 mg·L−1 indole-3-butyric acid, and 0.2 mg·L−1 thidiazuron under white fluorescent light. The highest shoot multiplication coefficient, 3.27, was obtained on MS medium containing 4 mg·L−1 6-benzylaminopurine and 0.3 mg·L−1 gibberellic acid. The maximum rooting frequency, 80%, was obtained on R14 medium after 30 days of culture. After acclimatization, 95% of the regenerated plantlets survived and grew vigorously under greenhouse conditions. To our knowledge, no direct adventitious shoot regeneration system has been reported for the Tabebuia alliance. This efficient regeneration protocol provides a practical platform for clonal propagation, germplasm conservation, and genetic improvement of H. chrysanthus and may also support regeneration and conservation in related endangered taxa within the Tabebuia alliance.
Huiting Fang, Bin Chen, Junjie Zhang et al.· Plants· 0 citations
This review compiles and synthesizes information on the morphological, anatomical, phytochemical, physical, and mechanical properties of the species, as well as its reproductive biology, propagation techniques, agroforestry applications, carbon sequestration potential, and genomics, to support the sustainable utilization and long-term conservation of D. strictus.
C. D. Sreedevi, D. James, V. Sreekumar et al.· Frontiers in Ecology and Evo...· 0 citations
Aim of study: To evaluate the effect of inoculating Pinus teocote Schiede ex Schltdl. & Cham. plants, a neotropical pine species highly resilient to stress conditions, with two edible ectomycorrhizal mushrooms, Laccaria proxima (Boud.) Pat. and Suillus pungens Thiers & A.H.Sm., on their growth and physiological quality. The plants were grown in different environmentally friendly substrate combinations. Area of study: Bioassays were conducted in the greenhouses of the Colegio de Postgraduados in Texcoco, Mexico. Material and methods: The influence of L. proxima and S. pungens on P. teocote was assessed through growth and physiological parameters using three distinct substrate formulations, two of which incorporated mixtures of sawdust and compost. The evaluated variables included plant biomass, photosynthesis, transpiration, chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll content, as well as carotenoids and ectomycorrhizal colonization, measured 570 days after sowing. Main results: High ectomycorrhizal colonization, exceeding 84%, was recorded in the plants grown in sawdust and compost mixtures. Additionally, increases in biomass and physiological quality were observed in these plants compared to non-inoculated plants. Depending on the substrate mixtures evaluated, the inoculation with S. pungens produced higher transpiration and chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid content than that with L. proxima. Research highlights: It was demonstrated that the production of ectomycorrhizal Pinus teocote plants in greenhouse, with high morphophysiological quality and elevated mycorrhization rates, is feasible when using environmentally friendly substrates.
M. Martínez‐Reyes, Karla I. Luciano-Dorado, J. L. Barragán-Soriano et al.· Forest Systems· 0 citations
Phoebe zhennan is one of the main cultivated tree species on Longquan Mountain. P. zhennan is a precious timber species endemic to China with significant economic importance. Its fine-grained, durable, and fragrant wood is highly prized for high-end furniture, traditional architecture, and handicrafts, commanding premium market prices. The species also supports rural economic development through timber production, seedling cultivation, and understory forestry industries. Additionally, it has ornamental value for landscape gardening. May 8, 2025, leaf lesions were found on 20% of P. zhennan trees within the approximately 45.5-ha survey area (Location: 30°35′50.25″N, 104°22′58.76″E, altitude 680 m). Black fruiting bodies, semi-immersed, solitary, and scattered, were produced on the diseased leaf parts. A total of 80 diseased leaves were collected from 20 P. zhennan plants showing typical symptoms. Five fungal isolates were obtained by single-conidium isolation and cultured on PDA. After 7 days of growth on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25 °C, the colony diameter reached 50 mm. After 30 days, fruiting bodies were produced, which were black, solitary or clustered, spherical, and released black conidial masses. Conidiophores were inconspicuous and reduced to conidiogenous cells. Conidiogenous cells were cylindrical, hyaline to pale olive. Conidia were fusiform to elliptical, mostly straight, occasionally slightly curved, with 4 septa, measuring 19–27 × 6–8 μm (x̄ = 23 ± 2.1 × 7 ± 0.4 μm, n = 50); the basal cell was conical to obconical, hyaline, 3–5 μm long (x̄ = 4 ± 0.7 μm, n = 50); the three middle cells were polygonal to cylindrical, 13–19 μm long (x̄ = 15 ± 1.5 μm, n = 50), slightly constricted at the septa, pale olive to dark brown, with the central cell darker and the flanking cells slightly lighter, thick-walled, wrinkled, and dark brown to black; the apical cell was hyaline, conical to trapezoidal, thin-walled, and smooth; it possessed 2–4 tubular apical appendages, unbranched, filamentous, hyaline, 18–29 μm long (x̄ = 23 ± 2.9 μm, n = 50); the basal appendage was solitary, tubular, straight, occasionally slightly curved, hyaline, 2–4 μm long (x̄ = 3 ± 0.5 μm, n = 50). The detailed symptoms observed after inoculation on detached healthy P. zhennan leaves with mycelial plugs of N. chiangmaiensis were recorded. The morphological characteristics were similar to those of species in the genus Neopestalotiopsis (Maharachchikumbura et al. 2014). Two representative isolates (TXC202505-1 and TXC202505-2) were selected for DNA extraction, and the ITS, tef1-α, and tub2 gene regions were amplified and sequenced (White et al. 1990; Glass and Donaldson 1995; Carbone and Kohn 1999; Maharachchikumbura et al. 2014). All sequences have been deposited in GenBank (ITS: PX930896–PX930897; tub2: PX938982–PX938983; tef1-α: PX938978–PX938979). BLAST analysis showed that these sequences shared 93.55%–99.32% similarity with the species N. chiangmaiensis (type strain MFLUCC 18-0113): ITS: 174/186 bp (93.55% and 93.55%); tef1-α: 925/927 bp (99.78% and 99.78%); tub2: 438/441 bp (99.32% and 99.32%). Based on multi-gene phylogenetic analysis, the isolates clustered together with N. chiangmaiensis with a support rate of 72%. Morphologically, the isolated strains were consistent with N. chiangmaiensis, and their nucleotide sequences exhibited high similarity. Integrating morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence, the isolates were identified as N. chiangmaiensis. To confirm pathogenicity, three healthy two-year-old seedlings were inoculated with 500 μl of a spore suspension (1 × 10⁵ conidia/ml) on five leaves each. Three control seedlings were inoculated with sterile distilled water. All treated leaves were bagged and maintained in a greenhouse at 25°C and 70% relative humidity. The test was repeated three times. The detailed symptoms observed after inoculation are as follows: Initial symptoms appeared as small, water-soaked, light brown spots at the inoculation sites 3–5 days after inoculation. The spots gradually expanded into circular or irregular necrotic lesions with dark brown margins and grayish-white centers. Under high humidity conditions, black acervuli (asexual fruiting bodies) developed on the lesion surfaces. In severe cases, the lesions coalesced, leading to large areas of leaf necrosis and blight. Control leaves inoculated with sterile water remained asymptomatic throughout the experiment. After ten days, symptoms similar to those observed in the field developed on the inoculated leaves, while no symptoms were observed on the control plants. N. chiangmaiensis was reisolated from symptomatic leaves (100% frequency) and identified based on morphological and molecular characters, fulfilling Koch’s postulates. N. chiangmaiensis has been previously reported on plants such as orchids, roses, and nuts (Guterres et al. 2023; Sun et al. 2023). N. chiangmaiensis was originally described from Thailand and has also been reported in southern China as a saprobe on Pandanaceae plants (Tibpromma et al. 2018). However, this is the first report of N. chiangmaiensis causing leaf spot disease on P. zhennan, representing a new host record in China. This is the first report of this fungus causing leaf blight on P. zhennan in Longquan Mountain, Sichuan Province.
Yingxing. Li, Wen-Yan Ma, Chen-Yu Ju et al.· Plant Disease· 0 citations
The wild dragon fruit (Selenicereus spp.) with orange peel and fuchsia pulp, known as “Naranja de Churuja”, represents a promising plant genetic resource from the Amazonas region of Peru. The objective of this study was to develop an in vitro micropropagation protocol for this local accession by evaluating shoot induction and proliferation, in vitro rooting, and ex vitro acclimatization. During the multiplication phase, nine combinations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) were evaluated using cladode segments. Shoot induction was high in most treatments (95.56–100.00%), and the combination of 2.0 mg L−1 BAP + 0.1 mg L−1 IBA produced the highest number of shoots per explant (9.67), whereas 1.0 mg L−1 BAP without IBA promoted the greatest shoot elongation (2.34 cm). During the rooting phase, 1.50 mg L−1 IBA produced the highest number of roots per explant (3.41), whereas 1.00 mg L−1 IBA generated the greatest shoot length (4.12 cm). During ex vitro acclimatization, all plants survived (100% survival), but growth depended significantly on the substrate, with the moss treatment promoting the greatest development. In conclusion, an efficient micropropagation protocol was established for the wild “Naranja de Churuja” accession, with potential for mass propagation, germplasm conservation, and future biotechnological applications, including genetic transformation and genome editing.
José Maximino Saavedra-García, Ángel David Hernández-Amasifuen, Alexandra Jherina Pineda-Lázaro et al.· Plants· 0 citations
Prunus mahaleb L. is an important cherry rootstock because of its tolerance to drought and poor soils. Despite its horticultural importance, efficient in vitro multiplication of P. mahaleb remains challenging. Therefore, this study compared conventional agar-solidified culture with the PlantFormTM temporary immersion system (TIS) for micropropagation of a Bulgarian local form of P. mahaleb. Three basal media, Murashige and Skoog (MS), Woody Plant Medium (WPM), and Driver and Kuniyuki Walnut (DKW), were initially evaluated in both cultivation systems. The media were subsequently supplemented with ascorbic and citric acids to determine whether these antioxidants could further improve culture performance. Compared with agar-solidified culture, the PlantFormTM TIS significantly enhanced explant proliferation, achieving the highest number of new shoots (6.69 ± 1.82) and biomass production on antioxidant-supplemented DKW medium. The same treatment also resulted in the greatest accumulation of photosynthetic pigments, with maximum total chlorophyll (0.991 ± 0.025 mg g−1 FW) and carotenoid (0.349 ± 0.050 mg g−1 FW) contents. Rooting efficiency ranged from 38.89% to 51.85% and did not differ significantly among treatments, whereas acclimatization was not achieved under the conditions tested. These findings demonstrate that PlantFormTM TIS combined with antioxidant-supplemented DKW medium provides a promising approach for the multiplication of this P. mahaleb form. However, the rooting and acclimatization stages require further optimization.
Rumyana Valkova, L. Nacheva, Ivaylo N. Tsvetkov et al.· Horticulturae· 0 citations