Article
Plant Sciences
Nora E. Anghelescu, Mihaela Balogh, Lori Balogh, Nicoleta Kigyossy, Mihaela I. Georgescu, Sorina A. Petra, Florin Toma, Adrian G. Peticila
Summary: A new species of Epipactis, named Epipactis bucegensis, was discovered in Bucegi Natural Park ROSCI0013 in Central Romania. Detailed morphological measurements were conducted to distinguish it from other Romanian Epipactis species. The key differences between Epipactis bucegensis and other European Epipactis taxa lie in its bipartite, wide labellum that lacks the mesochile. Information regarding its distribution, habitat, ecology, and IUCN conservation assessments are also provided.
Article
Horticulture
Sagheer Ahmad, Fei Wang, Aqeel Ahmad, Sezai Ercisli, Jinliao Chen, Yunxiao Guan, Kai Zhao, Yuzhen Zhou, Siren Lan, Zhongjian Liu, Donghui Peng
Summary: Abiotic stress is a major hindrance to the growth of ornamental plants, and melatonin homeostasis has been neglected in orchids. This study achieved in-vitro leafless flowering in three Cymbidium orchids and identified genes related to the tryptophan pathway and melatonin biosynthesis.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Leigh-Anne Bullough, Nga Nguyen, Rebecca Drury, Amy Hinsley
Summary: Illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade is a well-known conservation issue, but the under-reported and under-researched global plant trade, especially within countries' borders, also poses a significant threat. Using a mixed-methods approach, researchers in Northern Vietnam identified five groups of actors involved in trading wild-harvested orchids, highlighting the complexity and demand for rare, wild plants in both domestic and international trade. Addressing this issue requires recognizing it as a growing conservation concern and developing diverse approaches to understand and intervene in the full supply chain.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Anna Jakubska-Busse, Anna Kedziora, Gabriela Cieniuch, Agnieszka Korzeniowska-Kowal, Gabriela Bugla-Ploskonska
Summary: Using proteomics-based identification, we analyzed the composition of endophytic bacteria isolated from different parts of Epipactis species, identifying aerobic and anaerobic bacteria that may promote plant growth and aid orchids in adapting to their environment. We also found distinct differences in microbiomes between closely related taxa.
SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Pavel Travnicek, Zuzana Chumova, Eliska Zaveska, Johana Hanzlickova, Lucie Kupkova (Jankolova), Jaromir Kucera, Eliska Gburova Stubnova, Ludmila Rejlova, Terezie Mandakova, Jan Ponert
Summary: Knowledge of population variation across species' ranges is crucial for understanding evolutionary history, taxonomy, and conservation strategies. In this study, the genus Neotinea was examined using various biosystematic methods, revealing four major lineages with distinct phenotypic variations. Relationships within the genus were identified, highlighting the importance of considering both morphological and phylogenetic data when delineating cryptic taxa among orchids.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
R. A. Rodriguez-villarreal, O. G. Alvarado-gomez, K. Pena-carrillo, E. r robledo -leal
Summary: This study determined the biodiversity of cultivable micromycetes in the soil of five avocado orchards located in two municipalities of the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. A total of 518 isolates were obtained and classified into 291 morphotypes, grouped into 44 genera and 7 groups with common characteristics. Additionally, 28 new genera associated with avocado orchard soil were reported.
APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Marc-Andre Selosse, Remi Petrolli, Maria Isabel Mujica, Liam Laurent, Benoit Perez-Lamarque, Tomas Figura, Amelia Bourceret, Hans Jacquemyn, Taiqiang Li, Jiangyun Gao, Julita Minasiewicz, Florent Martos
Summary: The roots of orchids associate with a variety of soil fungi, including a group called rhizoctonias that is most frequently found. However, there are also orchid species that target other fungal taxa with different phylogenetic positions and ecological traits. This study offers an evolutionary framework for understanding these symbiotic associations.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zahra Mahdavi, Shirin Dianati Daylami, Ali Fadavi, Kourosh Vahdati
Summary: Artificial seed production is an important technology that can preserve elite plant germplasm. This study found that using optimal concentrations of sodium alginates and calcium chloride can produce high-quality artificial seeds, while storing synthetic seeds at appropriate temperature and duration can maintain their good germination performance.
PLANT CELL TISSUE AND ORGAN CULTURE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marco F. Cerna, Mariela M. Moreno, Byron G. Fuertes, Mario L. Iza, Gerardo E. Medina, Celso G. Recalde
Summary: The tropical Andes serve as a natural barrier between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic, with a variety of ecosystems and biodiversity, including the unique Dracula orchids. Geographical patterns and geophysical conditions in the Andes play a crucial role in shaping the biodiversity of the Dracula genus.
ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Sujit Shah, Biva Shah, Rohit Sharma, Bhagwan Rekadwad, Yogesh S. Shouche, Jyotsna Sharma, Bijaya Pant
Summary: This study isolated endophytic fungi from the roots of Dendrobium longicornu and investigated their ability to promote plant growth and development. The identified fungal species were Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp., Coniochaeta sp., Alternaria sp., and Cladosporium sp. The dominant species were Coniochaeta sp. and Cladosporium sp. The results showed that these fungi were able to colonize the roots of Cymbidium aloifolium and enhance the acclimatization of plantlets. Bioactive compounds detected in the fungal colonized plant extract may play a potential role in plant-microbe interaction. All fungal endophytes were able to synthesize the indole acetic acid (IAA) in presence of tryptophan.
Article
Ecology
Claire Ellwanger, Laura Steger, Cathy Pollack, Rachel Wells, Jeremie Benjamin Fant
Summary: This study focuses on how anthropogenic changes impact genetic processes associated with extinction risk in the orchid Platanthera leucophaea. It found that genetic parameters were strongly linked to population size, with habitat loss and patch isolation playing a role in genetic diversity and structure. Small populations showed lower genetic diversity, indicating the need for continued monitoring by resource managers to prevent genetic declines. Contrary to expectations, critically small populations exhibited negative inbreeding values, suggesting non-random mating and selection for less inbred individuals.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Wicharuj Tongkham, Supalak Pumikong, Nuttha Potapohn, Weenun Bundithya
Summary: A new endemic slipper orchid, Paphiopedilum charlesworthii var. lannaense, was described from Northern Thailand. Morphological and molecular analyses confirmed its similarity to Paphiopedilum charlesworthii, but with distinct differences in the staminode morphology and molecular characteristics compared to related species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xin-Ju Wang, Yi-Hua Wu, Xing-Jia Ming, Gang Wang, Jiang-Yun Gao
Summary: This study developed an easy-to-use solution by isolating fungi and using fungus-seed bags to promote protocorm formation and seedling development in D. officinale, providing an effective method for restoration-friendly cultivation of this critically endangered orchid. The fungus-seed bags showed advantages such as low-cost mass production, convenience in transportation, and environmentally-friendly materials, making it a universal application for conservation translocations of epiphytic orchids based on symbiotic seeds germination.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jaspreet Kaur, Caleb Phillips, Jyotsna Sharma
Summary: Interaction with orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF) is crucial for all members of the Orchidaceae family, and it has been found that soil chemistry is closely linked to OMF communities, potentially impacting orchid populations.
Article
Plant Sciences
S. Diantina, C. McGill, J. Millner, J. Nadarajan, H. W. Pritchard, L. Colville, A. Clavijo McCormick
Summary: The changes in seed lipid composition during ageing can lead to loss of seed viability in many plant species. In this study, it was found that all orchid species examined experienced significant viability loss after ageing, along with a decrease in fatty acid content. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between fatty acid degradation and seed viability loss in orchids.
Article
Plant Sciences
Anna Jakubska-Busse, Spyros Tsiftsis, Michal Sliwinski, Zdenka Krenova, Vladan Djordjevic, Corina Steiu, Marta Kolanowska, Petr Efimov, Sebastian Hennigs, Pavel Lustyk, Karel (C A. J) Kreutz
Summary: This article discusses the main threats to the natural populations of Cypripedium calceolus in Europe and proposes conservation strategies and directions for protective actions. It evaluates the effectiveness of the Natura 2000 network in the EU and highlights the importance of expert knowledge in botany, including orchid biology, for the conservation of C. calceolus in Natura 2000 sites.
Review
Plant Sciences
Zbigniew Lobas, Anatoliy Khapugin, Elzbieta Zolubak, Anna Jakubska-Busse
Summary: The Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz group is one of the most taxonomically challenging species complexes within the genus Epipactis, with high morphological variability and potential for hybridization with other species leading to uncertainty and dispute over its taxonomic status. Based on recent research and online databases, an updated list of 10 accepted taxa in this group, including two species, six subspecies, and two varieties, has been proposed.
Article
Biology
Justyna Borzecka, Agata Piecuch, Tomasz Kokurewicz, Kathleen H. Lavoie, Rafal Ogorek
Summary: The study found that airborne fungi were present near hibernating greater mouse-eared bats, but do not pose a threat to human health. Greater mouse-eared bats are a common bat species in Europe and may contribute to an increase in airborne fungi in underground ecosystems.
Article
Biology
Rafal Ogorek, Mateusz Speruda, Justyna Borzecka, Agata Piecuch, Magdalena Cal
Summary: Fungi in underground environments are usually in the form of spores suspended in the air, potentially hazardous to mammals. The research found that the fungal species in the air inside the cave do not pose a risk to healthy tourists, but the distribution of fungal species differs inside and outside the cave.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emil Paluch, Paulina Sobierajska, Piotr Okinczyc, Jaroslaw Widelski, Anna Duda-Madej, Barbara Krzyzanowska, Pawel Krzyzek, Rafal Ogorek, Jakub Szperlik, Jacek Chmielowiec, Grazyna Gosciniak, Rafal J. Wiglusz
Summary: The aim of this research was to investigate the antiadhesive and antibiofilm properties of nanocrystalline apatites doped and co-doped with noble metal ions against drug-resistant strains of bacteria. The results showed that these materials effectively inhibit adhesion and biofilm formation of the bacteria strains, and have no significant cytotoxic effect on fibroblasts.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mateusz Speruda, Agata Piecuch, Justyna Borzecka, Marcin Kadej, Rafal Ogorek
Summary: Forensic microbiology, an emerging field in criminal investigations, focuses on studying the microbiome and mycobiome associated with decaying corpses. The composition of these microbial communities can provide valuable information about the crime, including the post-mortem interval and cause of death. Microbial traces found at the crime scene can serve as clear evidence of guilt. Current identification methods rely on metagenome and rRNA gene sequencing.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rafal Ogorek, Jakub Suchodolski, Agata Piecuch, Katarzyna Przywara, Zuzana Visnovska
Summary: Despite decades of research, the biodiversity of certain groups of micromycetes in underground sites is still unknown. This study provides the first report of keratinophilic and keratinolytic fungal species isolated from caves in Tatra Mts., Slovakia. The study finds that the caves have a greater diversity of fungal species compared to the surrounding area, and temperature is negatively correlated with the number of isolated keratinophilic and keratinolytic fungi.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Anna Jakubska-Busse, Izabela Czelusniak, Michal J. Kobylka, Marek Hojniak
Summary: During five years of field research, no true pollinating insects were observed visiting the flowers of E. albensis, which produces nectar containing compounds that may not attract pollinating insects.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Rafal Ogorek, Justyna Borzecka, Katarzyna Klosinska, Agata Piecuch, Marcin Przymencki, Klaudia Litwiniak, Jakub Suchodolski
Summary: This study investigated cultivable fungi in the nests of grey herons and identified 10 different fungal species, which can pose potential threats to humans, animals, and plants. Some of these fungi were directly related to visible fungal growth in the nests.
Article
Medicine, Legal
Lukasz Szleszkowski, Marcin Kadej, Rafal Ogorek, Agata Thannhauser, Michal A. Dobrowolski, Tomasz Jurek
Summary: It is extremely rare for table salt to be used as a preservation method for a dead body in criminal cases. In this particular case, a son preserved his 85-year-old mother's body in table salt for about 2 years in order to extort social benefits. The conditions in which the body was stored were unusual, resulting in limited colonization of the body by necrophagous and biolysis insects. Most fungi, which are normally present on a corpse stored in ambient conditions, were inhibited by the use of table salt, and a halophilic fungus colonized the body's surface.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Agnieszka Lejman, Rafal Ogorek, Danuta Parylak
Summary: This study investigated the morphological characteristics and chemical composition of silky bent grass from different cultivation fields in Poland, and found that soil macronutrient content had an impact on its morphology, while habitat conditions did not significantly influence its chemical composition and morphology.
Article
Biology
Justyna Borzecka, Jakub Suchodolski, Bartlomiej Dudek, Lena Matyaszczyk, Klaudyna Spychala, Rafal Ogorek
Summary: This study provides the first report of fungal communities in cryoconite holes on the Werenskiold Glacier, detecting 21 species and 2 unassigned species with potential human-health risks and biotechnological importance. Additionally, the research suggests that the number of fungal spores decreases as one moves down the glacier, highlighting the glacier environments' potential as reservoirs of fungal diversity.
Article
Entomology
Anna Jakubska-Busse, Mariusz Dziadas, Iwona Gruss, Michal J. Kobylka
Summary: This study investigates the pollination biology of F. baldschuanica in Europe by analyzing the volatile organic compounds emitted by its flowers and studying its pollinator populations. The findings suggest that the floral aroma of F. baldschuanica attracts a diverse range of potential pollinators, contributing to its rapid expansion.
Article
Microbiology
Agata Piecuch, Sara Targonska, Justyna Rewak-Sorczynska, Rafal Ogorek, Rafal J. Wiglusz
Summary: Silver ion-doped silicate-substituted hydroxyapatite (HAp) has shown antifungal activity against various strains of fungi.
Article
Ecology
Rafal Ogorek, Jakub Suchodolski, Bartlomiej Dudek
Summary: This study aimed to analyze the fungal diversity in the droppings of Arctic reindeer. The results identified 16 fungal species, including some that may be potentially harmful to humans, plants, and insects.
POLISH POLAR RESEARCH
(2022)
