Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L. ssp. caucasica Rousi) is one of the most important wild edible fruits, grown in Turkey for centuries without any chemical treatments. The plant is extremely ...resistant to adverse environmental conditions. In this study, the main agro-morphological and biochemical berry traits and, to a lesser extent, other plant morphological traits of 10 sea buckthorn genotypes sampled from the eastern Anatolia (Sivas province) region were assessed. Among the 10 genotypes, five of them presented a shrub growth habit, whereas five of them presented tree growth habit, with leaf area ranging from 2.56 to 4.22 cm2. The majority of genotypes had an oblong berry shape with variable berry skin color ranging from dark orange to orange, light orange, and yellow. The weight of 100 berries varied from 13.85 to 23.87 g, while juice yield and vitamin C content was found to be 44.87–57.15% and 37.45–62.85 mg/100 g fresh berry base, respectively. Soluble solid content (SSC) was in the range of 12.56–14.67%. The genotypes exhibited a great variability in total anthocyanin content (from 9.1 to 38.7 mg/L), with relatively dark-orange sea buckthorn berries containing more anthocyanin than orange, light-orange, and yellow berries. Linoleic acid was the main fatty acid detected in the pulp of sea buckthorn berries, ranging from 24.11% to 36.37%, depending on the genotype. Investigated genotypes proved also to be rich in total phenolic content, showing at the same time great variability in this trait. The results obtained from the relatively limited number of genotypes show promising traits for further valorization of both horticultural and nutritional traits, suggesting potentially even higher variability, if more genotypes are going to be considered in the future.
Carob tree (
L.) is a perennial leguminous evergreen tree native to the coastal regions of the Mediterranean basin and is considered to be an important component of vegetation for economic and ...environmental reasons. Two constituents of the pod, pulp and seeds, can be used as feed or in food production. In this study, drying characteristics, texture and microstructure of carob pods were studied. Three different carob samples were prepared: whole carob pod, carob pod parts and carob seed. The drying experiments and the modelling showed that carob seeds had the highest drying rate, followed by pod parts and the whole, intact carob fruit. Texture studies showed that the maximum compression force depended on the area of the carob fruit on which compression tests were performed. The seeds showed the highest compression force, followed by the stem zone, the tip and the centre of the fruit. Differences in drying behaviour and texture of carob pods can successfully be interpreted by the micromorphology of the carob pods and seeds. Determining the drying rate, maximum compressive force and micromorphological traits is of great importance for further carob processing (
milling, sieving, carob bean gum production or usage in food or feed products).
AFLP analysis separated the eleven investigated populations into two groups based primarily on their geographical distance, while two chemotypes could be distinguished based on their essential oil ...profile. Display omitted
•Teucrium arduini is an endemic Illyric-Balcanic species.•Morphological, genetic and essential oil traits from eleven populations were shown.•AFLP shown two groups of populations based on their geographical distance.•Two chemotypes were distinguished based on the essential oil profile.
Analysis of the morphological traits of leaves, genetic variability (analyzed by AFLP) and chemical composition of essential oils (analyzed by GC–MS) was conducted on eleven populations of the endemic Illyric-Balcanic species Teucrium arduini L. in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Average blade length and width ranged from 20.00 to 31.47mm and from 11.58 to 15.66mm, respectively. Multivariate analysis (PCA, UPGMA) of morphological traits distinguished two continental Bosnian populations from the remaining populations. AFLP analysis separated the investigated populations into two groups based primarily on geographical distance. Essential oil analysis showed a total of 52 compounds, with two chemotypes distinguished based on the essential oil profile. The first was a sesquiterpene chemotype, with β-caryophyllene, germacrene D or caryophyllene oxide as the major compounds, while the second was an oxygenated monoterpene chemotype, with pulegone and piperitone oxide as the main components. The Mantel test showed a stronger correlation between the morphological traits and AFLP than between the essential oil profile and AFLP. The test also showed a stronger association between the essential oil profile and geographical position than between the morphological traits and geographical position.
By using HPLC/UV-VIS, Croatian barberry (Berberis croatica Horvat) was found to be a new source of the bioactive alkaloid berberine. Comparison of berberine content in roots, leaves, and twigs ...between wild specimens of B. croatica and B. vulgaris collected in Croatia showed that the roots of both species contained the highest berberine content (B. croatica 1.120-1.217%; B. vulgaris 0.805-1.424%), followed by twigs (B. croatica 0.049-0.216%; B. vulgaris 0.077-0.112%). While the berberine content in the leaves of both species was very low (between 0.002% and 0.044%), they were found to be rich in phenols and flavonols. The Student's t-test showed a significant difference at P < 0.05 for phenol and flavonol content in the plant organs, both between species and within species. Leaf samples were most variable, while root samples were the least. Extracts from the roots of both barberry species expressed antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis NCTC 8236, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Escherichia coli ATCC 10535, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. Antimicrobial activity of leaf extracts was species-dependent. Root extracts of both species also showed lower MIC values than other extracts (MIC <= 87.5 mg/ml).
Porast gradskog stanovništva uz istovremeno smanjenje zelenih površina ima za posljedicu da se od urbanog zelenila traži da ispuni što veći broj funkcija. Osim ukrasne funkcije, od biljnih vrsta se ...traži da što više doprinose uslugama koje pruža urbani ekosustav, pokazuju otpornost na biotički i abiotički stres te imaju minimalni negativni utjecaj na čovjeka i okoliš. Zbog dugog životnog vijeka, podnošenja raznolikih okolišnih uvjeta, pridonošenja kvaliteti zraka i tla u gradu te visoke dekorativnosti, božikovina se može ubrojiti u multifunkcionalne biljne vrste pogodne za oblikovanje zelenih urbanih površina. Osim adaptiranosti na lokalne uvjete, kao hrvatska autohtona vrsta s dugom tradicijom primjene u uređenju interijera, privatnih i javnih zelenih površina, božikovina ujedno odražava karakter i običaje okruženja u kojem se koristi. Potencijalno štetni utjecaj vrste ogleda se u emisiji biogenih hlapivih organskih spojeva, otrovnosti te umjerenoj alergenosti muških primjeraka.
In Croatia, two indigenous species of the genus Berberis L. occur: common barberry (B. vulgaris L.) and Croatian barberry (B. croatica Horvat), endemic to the Balkano-Illyric region. As a ...contribution to the chemotaxonomy of the two species, differences of their RP-HPLC chromatograms were investigated. A HPLC method combined with Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic means (UPGMA) was developed for species differentiation and compared to several previously described procedures for the differentiation of other species. The results indicate that common and Croatian barberry are closely related species, but can be differentiated according to their HPLC fingerprints under appropriate chromatographic conditions and selection of clustering variables. Generally, the amount of berberine was higher in samples obtained from B. vulgaris than from B. croatica. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
The quantitative analysis of bioactive phenolic compounds was carried out for the first time in aboveground plant parts of Geranium dalmaticum (Beck) Rech. f. and G. macrorrhizum L. (Geraniaceae) ...from Croatia by means of UV-Vis spectrophotometric methods and HPLC analysis. Both species had similar contents of polyphenolic substances expressed as mg of standard equivalent /g of dried herbal sample: total polyphenols (217.60 ± 1.08 and 215.53 ± 1.10 mg/g), tannins (155.83 ± 0.60 and 157.73 ± 0.61 mg/g), total flavonoids (5.10 ± 0.10 and 5.53 ± 0.10 mg/g), and total phenolic acids (13.27 ± 1.34 and 15.33 ± 0.45 mg/g), respectively for G. dalmaticum and G. macrorrhizum. Only the content of phenolic acids was somewhat higher in G. macrorrhizum but it was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). HPLC analysis showed that, among seven tested phenolic compounds, only quercetin was quantified in G. dalmaticum (0.23 % of dry weight), and rutin in G. macrorrhizum (1.12 % of dry weight). The obtained results represent a useful basis for further research of phytochemicals and biological activities of G. dalmaticum and G. macrorrhizum extracts.
Introdukcija u ukrasne svrhe najčešći je razlog unosa stranih biljnih vrsta iz drugih krajeva svijeta pri čemu ukrasne vrste ujedno čine i najveći broj „vrtnih prebjega“, vrsta koje su se proširile ...izvan mjesta sadnje. Jedna od takvih biljaka je i pajasen (Ailanthus altissima) koji je u Europu unesen 1740-tih godina kao ukrasna vrsta da bi se zatim raširio izvan mjesta uzgoja i postao jedno od najagresivnijih invazivnih stabala Europe. Prisutnost pajasena usko je povezana s područjima narušenim antropogenim aktivnostima tako da su devastirana područja, naročito u urbanim sredinama, glavno mjesto njegova širenja. Literaturni podaci pokazuju njegovu zastupljenost u svim hrvatskim županijama, naročito u mediteranskom dijelu naše zemlje. U radu je dat pregled glavnih morfoloških karakteristika, uzgojnih uvjeta i zastupljenosti pajasena na području Hrvatske.
U radu je istraživan utjecaj kultivara i tipa reznice na postotak ukorjenjivanja i duljinu korijena reznica američke tuje (Thuja occidentalis). U pokus su bili uključeni kultivari 'Columna' i ...'Smaragd' u kombinaciji s tri tipa reznice tj. jednostavne reznice, reznice s petom te reznice s dijelom grane. Postotak ukorjenjivanja reznica bio je pod značajnim utjecajem kultivara i tipa reznice, dok je duljina korijena bila pod značajnim utjecajem tipa reznice. Kod kultivara 'Smaragd' zabilježen je veći prosječni postotak ukorjenjivanja nego kod kultivara 'Columna'. Veći postotak ukorjenjivanja zabilježen je kod oba kultivara uz upotrebu reznica s dijelom grane i jednostavnih reznica, u usporedbi s reznicama s petom. Prosječna duljina korijena reznica s dijelom grane bila je signifikantno veća i od prosječne duljine korijena jednostavnih, i reznica s petom, neovisno o kultivaru. Kako bi se postiglo bolje ukorjenjivanje, u rasadničarskoj proizvodnji oba kultivara preporučuje se upotreba reznica s dijelom grane.
Influence of cultivar and type of cuttings on rooting percentage and root length in northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) was investigated. Two cultivars ('Columna' and 'Smaragd') with three types of cuttings (simple, heel and mallet cuttings) were included in the trial. Rooting percentage was significantly influenced by the cultivar and type of cuttings while the root length was significantly influenced by the type of cuttings. Higher average percentage of rooted cuttings was recorded in cultivar 'Smaragd' compared to 'Columna' cultivar. Average percentage of rooted cuttings was higher in both cultivars with the use of mallet and simple cuttings, compared to heel cuttings. Average root length of mallet cuttings was significantly longer than average root length of both simple and heel cuttings, independently of cultivar. In order to achieve better rooting, in the nursery production of both cultivars, use of mallet cuttings is recommended.
Uređenje gradskih zelenih površina u Hrvatskoj karakterizira primjena egzotičnih ukrasnih vrsta dok je upotreba hrvatskih samoniklih vrsta sporadična i oslanja se na manji broj dobro poznatih vrsta. ...Istraživanja pokazuju da Europljani pozitivno percipiraju egzotične vrste te ih smatraju atraktivnijim i zanimljivijim od samoniklih vrsta. Neke zemlje su siromašne samoniklom florom te je stoga razumljivo njihovo oslanjanje na alohtone vrste. Nasuprot tomu, hrvatska flora je bogata samoniklim vrstama te kao takva predstavlja nepresušan izvor za introdukciju novih vrsta u uzgoj i primjenu. Osim slabe osviještenosti šire javnosti, ali i profesionalaca, o važnosti upotrebe samoniklih vrsta u uređenju gradskih zelenih površina, velik problem predstavlja i njihova dostupnost. Trenutno se ponuda hrvatskih rasadnika bazira uglavnom na stranim ukrasnim vrstama. Slabo ulaganje u znanstvena istraživanja čiji bi cilj bio uvođenje novih vrsta u uzgoj i upotrebu je dodatan problem. U cilju procjene potencijala hrvatske bresine (Micromeria croatica) za uvođenje u uzgoj, sakupljeni su osnovni podaci o ovoj samonikloj, endemskoj vrsti Dinarida. U radu je dat pregled njene rasprostranjenosti, morfoloških značajki, ekologije i moguće primjene.
Landscaping of urban green spaces in Croatia is characterized by the use of exotic plant species while the use of Croatian native plants is sporadic and relies on small number of well-known species. Studies show that Europeans perceive positively exotic species and find them more attractive and interesting than native plants. Some countries are characterized by species-poor flora and it is therefore understandable that they rely on non-native species. However, Croatian flora is rich in native species and in that way represents inexhaustible source for introduction of new species into cultivation and landscape use. Apart from low public and professional awareness of the significance of using native plants in landscaping urban green areas, a major problem represents the availability of native plants. Currently, Croatian nurseries offer mostly non-native ornamentals. Poor investment in scientific research aiming at introduction of new species into cultivation and use is another problem. In order to evaluate potential of Micromeria croatica for introduction into cultivation, basic data on this endemic species of the Dinarides mountain range were gathered. In the paper its distribution, morphological traits, ecology and possible landscape use are discussed.