Density, distribution, and nutritional quality of plants are the causal basis of host plant selection in aphids. Nutritional qualities of a plant vary according to its growth stage and also in response to seasonal variation. How host plant growth stages shape aphid performance was studied in Aphis spiraecola Patch (Homoptera: Aphididae) on the perennial Siam weed, Chromolaena odorata (L.) King ...

Climate change is recognized as an important threat to global biodiversity because it increases the risk of extinction of many species on the planet. Mexico is a megadiverse country and native tree species such as red cedar (Cedrela odorata) can be used to maintain forests while helping mitigate climate change, because it is considered a fast growing pioneer species with great economic potentia...

Background: The antioxidant defense in the pancreas is low because they are exposed to toxic substances daily. This study aimed to evaluate the ameliorating effect of Viola odorata flowers Extract (VOE) on the pancreas histology and function in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Forty male rats were divided into five groups, consisting of controls; STZ; and STZ plus various d...

Pratylenchus vulnus is involved in a desease of Rosa noisettiana 'Manetti' rose rootstock characterized by darkening of roots, death of feeder roots, and stunting of entire plants. The disease is more severe when plants are grown in silt loam soil than when they are grown in sandy loam soil. The nematodes reproduce best in silt loam soil at 20 C. Meloidogyne hapla did not affect the growh of Ma...

The forest tree Spanish cedar (Cedrela odorata L.) is well-known for its high-value timber; however, this species is attacked by the shoot borer (Hypsipyla grandella) during its early years of development, resulting in branched stems and making the plants useless for high-quality wood production. The generation of resistant varieties expressing entomotoxic proteins may be an alternative to pest...

The evolution of competitive ability of invasive plant species is generally studied in the context of adaptive responses to novel biotic environments (enemy release) in introduced ranges. However, invasive plants may also respond to novel abiotic environments. Here we studied differences in competitive ability between Chromolaena odorata plants of populations from nonnative versus native ranges...

Cyclotides are a fascinating family of plant-derived peptides characterized by their head-to-tail cyclized backbone and knotted arrangement of three disulfide bonds. This conserved structural architecture, termed the CCK (cyclic cystine knot), is responsible for their exceptional resistance to thermal, chemical and enzymatic degradation. Cyclotides have a variety of biological activities, but t...

Exceptional components of the cultural landscape Central Europe include archaeological sites, e.g., castle ruins, prehistoric or medieval fortified settlements, other settlements and burial mounds. The plants associated with them help us explain processes species persistence on habitat islands as well process naturalization crop species, which escape from fields are abandoned. This study descri...

Chromolaena odorata L (Asteraceae) is a bad invasive plant, found in the humid tropics and sub-tropics worldwide. It is used against dysentery, diarrhea, malaria, wound healing, headache and toothache in traditional medicine. In the present study, we investigated the antibacterial activities of different leaves extracts of Chromolaena odorata L. (cyclohexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and ...