Silphium perfoliatum—A Herbaceous Crop with Increased Interest in Recent Years for Multi-Purpose Use

Silphium perfoliatum is a perennial crop native to North America that has been the subject of increased scientific interest in recent years, especially in Europe. It is drought- and frost-resistant, which makes it suitable for cultivation in Europe on marginal lands that are not used for growing other crops. This review analyzed the distribution and purposes of the cultivation of Silphium perfoliatum worldwide, as well as its biomass yields and characteristics as a feedstock for biogas production and other purposes. A total of 121 scientific publications on Silphium perfoliatum were identified, with the highest number (20 papers) published in 2019. It was found that higher biomass yields can be obtained at higher precipitation levels, with the use of fertilizers and an adequate type of plantation. The mean dry matter yield of Silphium perfoliatum was 13.3 Mg ha−1 DM (dry matter), and it ranged from 2 to over 32 Mg ha−1 DM. In some countries, Silphium is used as a forage crop mainly due to its high crude protein content (from 4.9% to 15% DM), depending on the vegetation phase. Silphium perfoliatum is a promising perennial crop in terms of energy and other benefits for biodiversity, soil quality and applications in medicine and pharmacology.

Особенности вегетации интродуцированного сорта винограда Кёхо в стрессовых погодных условиях умеренно континентального климата юга России

Исследования интродуцированного японского сорта винограда Кёхо выполнены в нестабильных погодных условиях умеренно континентального климата юга России, в Черноморской зоне виноградарства Краснодарского края в условиях температурного и водного стрессов 2018 года. В период активной вегетации (май - август) сумма активных температур воздуха была на 197 °С больше среднемноголетней нормы, количество атмосферных осадков было меньше нормы в 3,7 раза и составило 47 мм. В аномальных погодных условиях интродуцированный сорт винограда Кёхо показал высокую адаптивность к нестабильным погодным условиям в форме активного роста и прохождения фенологических циклов. При остром дефиците атмосферных осадков и повышенной инсоляции продолжительность вегетации винограда Кёхо от распускания почек до полной физиологической зрелости ягод была равна 119 дней, на 5 дней меньше, чем у контрольного сорта Бригантина и на 3 дня меньше, чем в среднем по большой группе столовых сортов разного эколого-географического происхождения, расположенных рядом на Анапской ампелографической коллекции. Начало фазы распускания почек, роста побегов и соцветий наблюдалось 15 апреля, у контрольного сорта на 4 дня раньше, у сортов ампелографической коллекции на 6 дней позже. Продолжительность этой фазы вегетации у изучаемого сорта составила 54 дня, больше на 11 дней чем у контрольного сорта и на 9 дней чем у столовых сортов ампелоколлекции. Цветение у сорта Кёхо начиналось 7 июня, на 15 дней позже чем у контрольного сорта Бригантина и на 3 дня чем у группы столовых сортов на ампелоколлекции. Продолжительность периода от начала цветения до начала созревания ягод у сорта Кёхо в экологических условиях 2018 года составила 50 дней, что на 4 дня короче, чем у контрольного сорта и на 3 дня короче, чем у сортов на ампелоколлекции. Интенсивность роста ягод была более высокой по сравнению с контролем и группой столовых сортов в ампелоколлекции. Полная физиологическая зрелость ягод у изучаемого сорта наступила 11 августа, практически одновременно с контролем - 12 августа.The study of introduced Japanese grapevine cultivar ‘Kёho’ was carried out in unstable weather conditions of moderately continental climate of the South of Russia, in the Black Sea viticultural zone of the Krasnodar Krai under temperature and water stress of 2018. During the active vegetation season (May - August), the accumulated effective temperatures made 197 ° С above the long-time average annual, the amount of precipitation was 3.7 times less than normal, and amounted to 47 mm. Under the effect of abnormal weather conditions, the introduced grapevine cultivar ‘Kёho’ demonstrated high adaptability to erratic weather conditions during the active growth phase and passage of phenological cycles. Under acute atmospheric precipitation deficit and increased insolation, the duration of ‘Kёho’ grapevine vegetation from bud break to full physiological berry ripeness made 119 days, which is 5 days less as compared to control cultivar ‘Brigantina’ and 3 days less than the average for a large group of table cultivars of various ecological and geographical origin, located in the nearby Anapa ampelographic collection. The start of the bud break, shoot and inflorescence growth phase was observed on April 15; it happened 4 days earlier for the control cultivar, and 6 days later for the cultivars in the ampelographic collection. The duration of this vegetation phase for the studied cultivar was 54 days, which by 11 days exceeded that of the control cultivar and by 9 days that of the table cultivars in the ampelographic collection. The bloom of ‘Kёho’ began on June 7 - 15 days later than that of the control cultivar ‘Brigantina’ and 3 days later as compared to the group of table cultivars in the ampelographic collection. Duration of the early bloom to veraison period of ‘Kёho’ grapes in the ecological conditions of 2018 made 50 days, which was 4 days shorter than that of the control cultivar and 3 days shorter as compared to the cultivars in the ampelographic collection. The berry growth was more intensive as compared to the control and the group of table cultivars in the ampelographic collection. Berries of the studied cultivar reached full physiological ripeness on August 11, almost simultaneously with the control - on August 12.

Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium L.): botany, phytochemistry and traditional uses. A review

Summary Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium L., Onagraceae) is one of important medicinal plants used especially in the treatment of urogenital disorders, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis. The therapeutic effects of E. angustifolium extracts comprise antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and also antimicrobial activities. The aim of the present review was to provide the information on the botany, phytochemistry and traditional uses of E. angustifolium. This plant is a widespread circumboreal species of North America and Eurasia, tolerant in terms of habitat conditions, and often occupying man-made open habitats. Phytochemical studies on E. angustifolium resulted in the identification of about 250 different metabolites, including about 170 substances found for the first time in this plant in the last six years (2014–2019). Fireweed has an abundance of polyphenolic compounds, particularly ellagitannins. Oenothein B and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide are proposed as markers for the identification and standardization of the plant raw material. E. angustifolium exhibits significant phytochemical variability in relation to the geographical origin, plant part and time of harvest/vegetation phase. Survey of the ethnobotanical literature showed that the above-mentioned species has been widely used not only as a medicinal, but also as an edible, honey and decorative plant.

МОНІТОРИНГ СІЛЬСЬКОГОСПОДАРСЬКИХ КУЛЬТУР ІЗ ЗАСТОСУВАННЯМ КОСМІЧНИХ ЗНІМКІВ SENTINEL-2

The subject of the study in the article is the growing need for the use of spatial information for efficient agricultural production, due to the growing tendency of Earth remote sensing data accessibility, which, due to the spatial and temporal resolution improvement, can be used in the land cover analysis and other related jobs. The goal is to review the obtaining process of satellite multispectral space imagery from Sentinel-2 and to consider the possibility of their use for monitoring crops during the entire vegetation phase. The tasks: to study the modern needs of agricultural producers in the field of analysis of land cover occupied by agricultural crops; the analysis of the European Space Agency programs and the global land program Copernicus, which uses spatial information from Sentinel-2 for use in the agricultural sector; estimation of the constellation characteristics of Sentinel-2, imaging equipment and remote sensing data processing results by ground services received from Internet services; the use of Sentinel-2 multispectral space imagery for monitoring crops during the entire vegetation phase. The following results were obtained. After analyzing agricultural producers needs and the European Space Agency program, the feasibility of using multispectral space images taken by the Multispectral Instrument installed on satellites Sentinel-2 was established. Free access to the space imagery database is provided through the Copernicus Open Access Hub Internet Service. For the researched territory, Poltava region, Chutov district, the village of Vilkhovatka, various time space images were obtained and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was calculated. Histogram analysis of the obtained vegetation index values distribution within a single field (corn to grain) allows to reveal a quantitative and qualitative change in biomass, indicating a change in the vegetative phase. Conclusions. The approach described in this paper allows to conduct monitoring of the cropping state during the vegetation phase using both qualitative – visual analysis and quantitative – NDVI index, criteria. The change in the values of the normalized difference vegetation index can reveal a change in the biomass state. However, for calculating the NDVI index, data from near-infrared and red channels is needed, which complicates the acquisition of the original image. Therefore, in order to obtain the quantitative criteria in subsequent jobs, it is expedient to consider the possibility of using fractal dimension, which will reduce the amount of input data required for calculations.

Efficiency of Nicandra physaloides (variety Nakhodka) under the conditions of the steppe zone of the Volga region

The results of long-term studies of botanical, biological and agrotechnical features of the new introduced fodder culture Nicandra physaloides are presented. The maximum field germination (76.5%) was after sowing with a row spacing of 30 cm and a seeding rate of 0.15 million pcs / ha. The assimilation apparatus of Nikandra is formed in close dependence on weather conditions, the vegetation phase, and growing techniques. The maximum rates of leaf surface formation were in the budding – flowering phase. With an increase in planting density, the leaf surface increases and reaches the highest rates (45.50 thousand m2 / ha) with a seeding rate of 0.25 million pcs / ha in sowing with a row spacing of 45 cm, which is 1.4 times lower than with a minimum seeding rate (0.15 million pcs / ha) and the same sowing method. The accumulation of green and dry biomass took place analogously to the formation of the leaf surface. On average, over the years of research, maximum results on the yield of green mass (40.3 t / ha), the number of feed units (7.52 t / ha), digestible protein (1.06 t / ha), the content of digestible protein in 1 fodder unit (140.8 g) was after a wide-row sowing method (45.0 cm) and a seeding rate of 0.2 million pcs / ha. It is shown that a decrease and an increase in the seeding rate leads to a decrease in the biomass yield of the Nikandra by 12–15%.

Дослідження органічних кислот у сировині амброзії полинолистої

Introduction. Organic acids are a prospective group of biologically active compounds of natural origin. Organic acids show anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial activity, as well as take part in metabolic processes and improve the state of intestinal microflora. The data on the organic acids of common ragweed are rather limited, thus the research upon this group of biologically active compounds in common ragweed plant material is of great current interest.The aim of the study – to learnthe organic acids in common ragweed plant material by the vegetation stages of the plant.Research Methods. The study of organic acids was carried out using gas chromatography in common ragweed leaves and roots, collected in the vegetation phase, beginning of flower-bud formation and fruiting phase.Results and Discussion. Citric (4769.3 mg/kg) and oxalic (2046.8 mg/kg) acids were found in the highest quantity in common ragweed leaves in the vegetation stage, in the roots – fumaric (2580.9 mg/kg) andcitric (782.3 mg/kg) acids. In the leaves at the beginning of flower-bud formation oxalic (1374.4 mg/kg) andcitric (813.0 mg/kg) acids prevailed, and in the roots at the same stage – citric (1705.1 mg/kg) andmalic (1399.5 mg/kg) acids. In the leaves pre-readied at the fruiting phase citric (2879.4 mg/kg) andoxalic (513.5 mg/kg) acids dominated. Such organic acids as fumaric (242.2 mg/kg) andmalic (186.7 mg/kg) prevailed in the roots at the fruiting phase.Conclusions. Organic acids in common ragweed leaves and roots, collected in the vegetation phase, beginning of flower-bud formation and fruiting phase, were studied using gas chromatography. Aliphatic carboxylic acids, in particular, citric, oxalic, malonic, fumaric and malic acids, quantitatively dominated in the plant material. The highest content of organic acids was determined in the leaves collected during the vegetation phase. The results obtained allow expecting antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of herbal medicines on the basis of common ragweed plant material.