In this article, a new cornflower, Centaurea turhanii Uysal & Hamzaoğlu (Asteraceae) from Türkiye was described and reported. Morphological, karyological, and molecular analyses were used to reveal the taxonomic status of the new species with the species thought to be related to taxa. A modified determination key was submitted and its ecology and phenology were given.

Pollen morphology of 34 taxa belonging to genera Scabiosa and Lomelosia were investigated using a light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Pollen grains of Scabiosa and Lomelosia taxa are tricolpate and triporate, respectively. Pollen shapes vary from oblate to prolate. The exine surface ornamentation can be divided into five types, namely echinate, echinatemicroechinate, echinate-gemmate, echinate-microechinate/gemmate and microechinate-gemmate. Pollen grain sizes were classified as very large in three species of Lomelosia and large in the rest. Statistical analyses revealed some quantitative morphological features, such as equatorial axes, L (polar view amb), and t (apocolpium) as the primary characters for separating the examined taxa. The taxa were separated from each other by clustering analysis of selected pollen characters, and the investigated species were placed within two clusters. Present findings revealed that some Scabiosa species should be transferred to Lomelosia depending on palynological characters.

are one of the Rosaceae family, considered economically and nutritionally important berry fruits. Phytochemicals are crucial ingredients that contribute to characteristics such as the fruit's aroma and flavor. The current study investigated the phytochemical characteristics of strawberry fruit at three developmental stages (green, white, and red). HPLC measurements determined the glucose, fructose, and sucrose concentrations significantly increased in the red fruit, whereas glucose was identified as the major sugar in ripe fruit (2.8 g.g -1 FW). Evaluation of the phenylpropanoid pathway implied that the amount of total phenol and flavonoid following phenylalanine ammonia-lyase enzyme activity decreased during fruit development. Unlike phenolic compounds, vitamin C was considerably increased in the red stage, while antioxidant capacity was almost constant in all stages of fruit development. The activities of all antioxidant enzymes at the ripe fruit stage were higher than in the green fruit. At the final stage, the superoxide dismutase enzyme had the highest activity. Increasing carbohydrates in the red fruit is due to the role of these compounds in regulating metabolic pathways during fruit ripening. The reduction of phenolic contents and the stability of antioxidant capacity indicates the role of nonphenolic antioxidant compounds such as vitamin C in the ripening and preservation of antioxidant properties. Identifying the phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity of strawberries during ripening reveals the role of various compounds and oxidative stress pathway signaling in fruit ripening; it can also contribute to the widespread application of strawberries in the edible and nonedible industries at different stages of fruit development.

Soil metal pollution is a concern in bauxite tailing areas. This study aimed to effectively screen plants with strong tolerance to metal contamination by analyzing the levels of metals in Barbula rigidula (Hedw.) Mild. (BR), Barbula indica (Hook.) Spreng. (BI), and Barbula vinealis Brid. (BV) and in soils. The contents of metals in mosses obtained from the bauxite tailing area followed the following order: Al > Fe > Zn > Cu. Furthermore, the levels of these metals were highest in BR, followed by BI and BV. However, concentrations of Al (12,220-87,080 mg/kg), Fe (8520-62,690 mg/kg), Cu (98.5-185.4 mg/kg), and Zn (208.2-352.6 mg/kg) in soils greatly exceeded the background values. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) analysis showed that the uptake ability of mosses was 0.44-1.51, with BR having the highest uptake ability, especially for Al and Fe. The metal contamination factor (CF) in soils was 2.04-15.12, indicating that the soil was exposed to moderate to severe contamination. Correlation analyses found that Al and Fe levels in BR and soil were significantly positively correlated (r = 0.898). PCA also confirmed that BR is a bioindicator and phytoremediation material of polluted soil in an abandoned karst bauxite tailing.

Solanum melongena is susceptible to diverse diseases and parasites, in particular the wilts (bacterial, Fusarium and Verticillium), nematodes, and some insects. Solanum torvum is robust to Verticillium and some bacterial wilts and root-knot nematode. It was reported that interspecific hybrid plants originated out of the hybridization of these species were sterile. In our previous studies that have been carried out to overcome this interspecific hybridization barrier, only from Faselis F1 that was used as the female parent, many interspecific hybrid seeds were obtained and 9.07% of the seeds grew into plants in vitro. The percentage of pollen viability and germination of tetraploid interspecific hybrid (amphidiploid) genotypes that have been produced by in vitro colchicine treatment, were 6.8 and 3.4 fold of its source diploid genotype, respectively. However, the increment was not high enough to overcome the interspecific hybridization barrier between S. torvum and S. melongena. In this study, the changes in pollen fertility of diploid interspecific hybrids and tetraploid plants, which have grafted on Pala or Faselis F1 , were investigated. Pollen viability and germination percentage in diploid genotypes were not affected by grafting, although they increased significantly (51.54% and 119.73%, respectively) in tetraploid genotypes by grafting. It was determined that the fertile diploid rootstock used for the tetraploid genotypes that produced by chromosome doubling from cultured eggplants could increase the number of seeds per fruit. It was concluded that some fertile diploid varieties can be used as rootstocks in order to increase pollen viability, germination rate and seed yield of tetraploid genotypes with low pollen yield obtained from cultivated eggplant by chromosome doubling.

This work was aimed to explore the efficacy of activated charcoal (5 mg g-1 soil) in abating fluoride (25 mg L-1 NaF) stress in rice seedlings, since the protective role of charcoal is widely reported against other forms of abiotic stress. Application of NaF solution reduced germination rate, dry and fresh weight, and shoot and root length of seedlings. Extensive fluoride accumulation lowered the chlorophyll level along with higher electrolyte leakage and formation of H2 O2 , malondialdehyde, and methylglyoxal. Administration of activated charcoal lowered the extent of oxidative damages by inhibiting the uptake of fluoride ions. Exogenous application of activated charcoal also restored the activity of Kreb's cycle enzymes, i.e. PDH, IDH, MDH, and SDH, thereby overcoming the burden of carbon utilization and energy depletion occurring during stress. Additionally, the osmolyte (soluble sugar, proline, glycine-betaine, and amino acid) level was further escalated in presence of activated charcoal. The inhibition in catalase activity in fluoride-stressed seedlings was also restored. The activity of a range of enzymatic antioxidants (guaiacol peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbate peroxidase) along with the glyoxalase system associated-enzymes (glyoxalase I and II) was further triggered in stressed seedlings treated with activated charcoal. The enhanced level of carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and total phenolics also enabled efficient scavenging of reactive oxygen species, thereby reducing cellular necrosis in the leaves. Based on the current investigation, it can be concluded that activated charcoal application appears a promising strategy to improve growth and mitigate damages in rice plants, growing in fluoride-polluted soil.

The present study includes the results of the second benthic macrophytes? monitoring period of a survey of ecological status from the Turkish coasts. The biotic index Ecological Evaluation Index (EEI-c) was used to assess the ecological status classes (ESC) and MA-LUSI the anthropogenic pressures. Sampling was made by the quadrat (20 × 20 cm) method, and the samples were collected from 93 sites in Turkish coastal waters between 2017 and 2019. In total, 240 taxa were found in the Turkish marine waters. Forty sites were classified into High ESC, 24 sites into Good, 12 sites into Moderate, 13 sites into Poor, and 4 sites into Bad ESC. The relationship between the pressure index MA-LUSI and EEIeqr values was also tested, and a negative correlation (R²= 0.62) was found.

Coastal dunes are characterised by plant species adapted to harsh conditions. Salinity and other factors (soil pH, nutrients, and climate events) vary along the landward gradient. The current study investigated the effects of environmental factors on the occurrence and composition of coastal dune plants. Ellenberg ecological indicator values (EIVs), species tolerance values (TVs), and species niche models for salinity, nutrient availability, and soil reaction were determined. EIVs were estimated using weighted averages based on the species cover-abundance for each plot. Species TVs were calculated considering the cover-abundance and EIVs (pH, nutrient, and salinity). Species niche models were determined with the general linear model (GLM). GLM was computed using mean community EIVs, canopy height, and climatic variables. We found that salinity (S) and pH (R) EIVs decreased along the seaside-inland gradient while nitrogen (N) EIVs increased. TVs for S increased landward while S and R TVs decreased. According to GLM, niche models of 28 species for salinity, 25 species for pH, and 21 species for nutrient were significant. In summary, salinity and pH are the main drivers shaping coastal dune zonation and plant community.

Genome size, i.e. the total amount of DNA in an unreplicated somatic nucleus is considered an important character in the biology of organisms, and it is especially relevant for land plants given the extraordinary diversity reported. Despite the continuous growth of data and the efforts aimed at increasing our understanding of plant genome size diversity, more data are needed to have an evenly representation across lineages. With this premise in mind, in this work, we investigated genome size, complemented with chromosome data in eight species of the genus Petrorhagia (Caryophyllaceae) from Turkey. Chromosome counts made indicate that the species studied are diploid except for one species, P. saxifraga, which is probably a tetraploid, based on previously published estimations of nuclear DNA contents. The presence of both basic chromosome numbers x = 15 and x = 13 is confirmed, the latter being restricted to the species P. hispidula and P. cretica. The counts carried out for the Turkish endemic species, in P. hispidula (2n = 26), P. pamphylica (2n = 30) and P. peroninii (2n = 30) represent novel data for the genus. Nuclear DNA contents ranged from 1.24 to 2.32 pg/2C (varying 1.87-fold). Based on available data, genome expansions in the genus seem to have occurred through different evolutionary mechanisms, such as polyploidy and differential repetitive DNA activation, evidencing contrasting genomic trajectories between closely related taxa

The new lichen species Shackletonia backorii Halıcı, Güllü & Kahraman is described from James Ross Island, which is located in the North-East Antarctic Peninsula region. The new species is morphologically most similar to S. insignis (Søchting & Øvstedal) Søchting, Frödén & Arup, which was described from Livingstone Island (North-West Antarctic Peninsula region). These two species have a similar bluish grey to blackish thallus with a microfruticose and coralloid structure and red brown or almost black zeorine apothecia, but S. backorii has rhomboid ascospores and grows on soil whereas S. insignis has ellipsoid ascospores and occurs in sheltered crevices of rocks. The nrITS and mtSSU gene regions of the new species are studied and the phylogenetic position of the species is in the genus Shackletonia within the subfamily Xanthorioideae and it is clearly separated from the other species of the genus.