Allelopathic effect of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) root on some crops and weeds was investigated in two independent experiments. First, the effect of concentrations aqueous extract of apricot root (AAR) was assayed on the seed germination of Cicer arietinum L., Phaseolus vulgaris L., Triticum aestivum L., Zea mays L., Amaranthus retroflexus L., Secale cereal L., and Avena ludoviciana Durieu. ...

Herbivorous insects are characterized by a great diversity of host plant associations, yet, the processes driving host range evolution are not fully understood. When herbivores encounter a novel host, local selection pressures are expected to shape traits that mediate plant–insect interactions. I show that a leafmining fly, Amauromyza flavifrons (Meigen) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), suffers a profou...

Berberis vulgaris L (B. vulgaris) and its main constituent berberine have been used in traditional medicine for a long time. This medicinal plant and berberine have many properties that have attracted the attention of researchers over the time. According to several studies, B. vulgaris and berberine exhibited anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, anti-Alzheimer, anti-c...

Algal biofuels and valuable co-products are being produced in both open and closed cultivation systems. Growing algae in open pond systems may be a more economical alternative, but this approach allows environmental microorganisms to colonize the pond and potentially infect or outcompete the algal "crop." In this study, we monitored the microbial community of an outdoor, open raceway pond inocu...

Beta vulgaris L. accumulates a large amount of glycinebetaine (betaine), a metabolite that is related to salttolerance. Production of betaine involves expression of many genes that encode enzymes such as betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, choline monooxygenase, phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase, S-adenosyl-L-methionine synthetase, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, and methionine synthase....

The essential oil from the aerial parts of Iranian and British Thymus vulgaris L. were obtained by hydro distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS). Forty two components were identified in the Iranian Th. vulgaris essential oil that represented 99.06% of the oils. The major components were thymol (60.54%), γTerpinene (9.47%), p-cymene (8...

BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic diseases in humans, affecting 100 million people around the world. OBJECTIVE Investigating the effects of Citrullus colocynthis pulp on oxidant and antioxidant factors of testes and epididymis in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty two male rats were divided into four groups (n=8) 1) N (norm...