Direct Phenological Responses but Later Growth Stimulation upon Spring and Summer/Autumn Warming of Prunus spinosa L. in a Common Garden Environment

Future predictions of forest ecosystem responses are a challenge, as global temperatures will further rise in the coming decades at an unprecedented rate. The effect of elevated temperature on growth performance and phenology of three Prunus spinosa L. provenances (originating from Belgium, Spain, and Sweden) in a common garden environment was investigated. One-year-old seedlings were grown in greenhouse conditions and exposed to ambient and elevated temperatures in the spring (on average 5.6 °C difference) and in the late summer/autumn of 2018 (on average 1.9 °C difference), while they were kept hydrated, in a factorial design. In the following years, all plants experienced the same growing conditions. Bud burst, leaf senescence, height, and diameter growth were recorded. Height and radial growth were not affected in the year of the treatments (2018) but were enhanced the year after (2019), whereas phenological responses depended on the temperature treatments in the year of the treatments (2018) with little carry-over effects in the succeeding years. Spring warming enhanced more height growth in the succeeding year, whereas summer/autumn warming stimulated more radial growth. Spring warming advanced bud burst and shortened the leaf opening process whereas summer/autumn warming delayed leaf senescence and enlarged the duration of this phenophase. These results can help predict the putative shifts in species composition of future forests and woody landscape elements.

Vegetation and Environmental Changes on Contaminated Soil Formed on Waste from an Historic Zn-Pb Ore-Washing Plant

Post-mining waste from Zn-Pb ore exploitation undergoes processes of spontaneous succession and changes in soil chemical composition. The Zakawie area was industrially transformed by historical mining activity, ore enrichment, and the metallurgical processing of Zn-Pb ore. The subject of the study was to analyse the rate of vegetation succession (from 1999 to 2019), soil chemistry, and the relationships between them in an anthropogenic habitat with high concentrations of potentially toxic metals. Ecological and geochemical studies were carried out in an area contaminated with waste from a disused Zn-Pb ore-washing plant. Between 1999 and 2019, the transformation of grassland and meadow vegetation into scrub and forest–grassland communities was observed. This transformation led to a decrease in the area of Molinietum caeruleae meadow (from 25.8% in 1999 to 10.7% in 2019), whose place was taken by Prunus spinosa and Rhamnus cathartica. The community of xerothermic limestone grasslands completely disappeared, being replaced in favour of the Diantho-Armerietum and Prunus spinosa community. In this period, the share of lifeforms of plants and species composition (46 and 60, respectively) also changed. The Shannon and Simpson biodiversity index reached high values in the second investigation period, and it was 0.893 and 0.86, respectively. The anthrosols had a high content of Zn—85,360 mg kg−1, Pb—28,300 mg kg−1, Cd—340 mg kg−1, and As—1200 mg kg−1. Carbonates, clay minerals, and fe-oxides are predominant in the mineral composition of the rhizosphere; the metal-bearing phases are stable; and hardly soluble minerals include smithsonite, cerussite, monheimite, hemimorphite, and oxides of Fe and Fe-Mn. Mineralisation/crust processes formed on the epidermis, and their influences on root development were found. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy studies on rhizosphere soil components provide information on the type of minerals and their susceptibility to heavy metals release. The identification of some biotic and mineral structures in rhizospheres can be an interesting source of information on pedogenic processes identified in back-scattered electron images.

Role of Natural Antioxidant Products in Colorectal Cancer Disease: A Focus on a Natural Compound Derived from Prunus spinosa, Trigno Ecotype

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is on the rise in industrialized countries, which is why it is important to find new compounds that are effective, with little or no adverse health effects. CRC arises from some cells of the epithelium which, following a series of genetic or epigenetic mutations, obtain a selective advantage. This work consists of a review on endogenous and exogenous antioxidant products that may have an efficacy in the treatment of CRC and an experimental study, in which the treatment was carried out with a natural compound with antitumor and antiproliferative activity, Prunus spinosa Trigno ecotype, patented by us, on HCT116 colorectal carcinoma cell line. The superoxide content was quantified after the treatments at different concentrations (2, 5, or 10 mg/mL) by means of the DHR123 probe; loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential with the tetramethylrodamine methyl ester (TMRM) cationic probe and reduced glutathione content (GSH) from monochlorobimane (MCB). This study revealed the importance of a careful choice of the concentration of the natural compound to be used in the CRC, due to the presence of a paradoxical effect, both antioxidant and pro-oxidant, depending on the different physiological conditions of the cell.

Seasonal Growth, Physiological and Biochemical Characterization of Five Prunus spinosa Ecotypes

Prunus spinosa species is distributed across wide range of geographical areas which are subject to climatic, edaphic factors and long-term divergent selection. This could lead to local adaptation hence ecotypes in terms of morphological, physiologically and or biochemical inclination to their local environment. To investigate whether the species (Prunus spinosa) has been influenced by their local environmental conditions and whether populations (ecotypes) are adapted to local conditions, cuttings from different demarcated areas of origin in Germany and Italy were sourced and cultivated optimally in common container area. Growth, bud sprout and bud set were evaluated in spring, summer and autumn respectively. Soluble sugars (Glucose, fructose, sucrose and starch), N, P, K, and proline concentrations were analysed in spring and autumn for three years. The findings indicated that plants grown from different locations mostly differed in N, P, K, soluble sugars and starch in spring. Nonetheless, these geographic variations were hardly observed either in summer or in autumn. On phenology, German populations did not differ at all in phenology (flushing and growth cessation) while the Italian population always sprouted earlier and ceased growth later. The results indicate that the German populations are not differentiated by climatic variations across latitude or altitude. In contrast the Italian population is differentiated from German population Brandenburg mostly by latitudinal differentiation. Nevertheless, their inherent ability to sprout earlier and late growth cessation might expose the population to frequent frost damage when transplanted to more northern latitude.

The Influence of the Extraction Conditions of Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) Fruits and Leaves on the Yield of Phenolic Compounds

Plant extracts used in food production significantly improve the quality of food. Chemical composition is the main prerequisites for the final use of plant extracts. The chemical composition of the extracts is affected by the extraction method and conditions - temperature, duration and solvent. On the basis of experimental data optimal conditions for the extraction of phenolic compounds from the fruits and leaves of blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) were selected. Among the extraction methods used in the experiment, the highest content of phenolic compounds in obtained extracts was observed during the ultrasonic extraction. A mixture of 0.25 parts of water and 0.75 parts of 96% ethanol showed best results from different volume ratios of water and ethanol. The optimal extraction time was 90 minutes. And the optimum temperature is 45°C. The total content of phenolic compounds in the extracts obtained by the abovementioned method amounted is 35.62±0.17 mgg -1(dry weight) for blackthorn fruits and 44,76 ± 0.08mgg -1(dry weight) for the leaves.

The assessment of dispersal potential of the wax cicada Say. (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea: Flatidae) in the agricultural landscape of the Krasnodar Territory vineyards

Цель исследований заключалась в уточнении перечня кормовых растений восковой (белой, цитрусовой) цикадки ( Metcalfa pruinosa Say.) в агроландшафте виноградников и анализе состояния популяции путем определения гендерной структуры в основных зонах виноградарства Краснодарского края. Исследования проводили в 2015-2020 гг. на промышленных насаждениях винограда, в лесополосах и на другой растительности в агроландшафте виноградников согласно общепринятым методикам. Уточнена гостальная пищевая специализация вредителя, к наиболее заселяемым растениям отнесены Gleditsia triacanthos L., Crataegus laevigata Poir., Rosa majalis Herrm., Prunus spinosa L., Rubus fruticosus L., Prunus armeniaca L., Prunus domestica L., Prunus cerasifera Ehrh., Abutilon theophrasti Medik.; установлено отсутствие сортовых предпочтений M. pruinosa при развитии на растениях винограда. Результаты изучения гендерной структуры популяций M. pruinosa показали преобладание самок над самцами в Анапо-Таманской, Черноморской и Южно-предгорной зонах виноградарства Краснодарского края, что позволяет сделать предположение о том, что потенциал расселения восковой цикадки еще не исчерпан, вид продолжает осваивать данную территорию. The aim of the research was to adjust the list of forage plants of the wax (white, citrus) cicada ( Metcalfa pruinosa Say.) in the agricultural landscape of vineyards and to analyze the population conditions by determining the gender structure in the main viticultural zones of the Krasnodar Territory. The research was carried out in 2015-2020 in industrial grape plantings, forest belts and other vegetation in the agricultural landscape of vineyards according to generally accepted methods. The official nutrition specialization of the pest was adjusted, the most populated plants were Gleditsia triacanthos L., Crataegus laevigata Poir., Rosa majalis Herrm., Prunus spinosa L., Rubus fruticosus L., Prunus armeniaca L., Prunus domestica L., Prunus cerasifera Ehrh., Abutilon theophrasti Medik.; the absence of varietal preferences of M. pruinosa when developing on grape plants was established. Results of the study of the gender structure of M. pruinosa populations showed the predominance of females over males in the Anapa-Taman, Black Sea and South-Piedmont zones of viticulture in the Krasnodar Territory, suggesting the potential for dispersal of the wax cicada has not yet been exhausted, the species continues to develop this territory.