Transcriptome Analysis of Inflorescence Development at the Five-Leaf Stage in Castor(Ricinus communis L.)

The yield of castor is influenced by the type of inflorescence and the proportion of female flowers.However,there are few studies on the genetic mechanism involved in the development and differentiation of castor inflorescences.In this study,we performed transcriptomic analyses of three different phenotypes of inflorescences at the five-leaf stage.In comparison to the MI(complete pistil without willow leaves),290 and 89 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were found in the SFI(complete pistil with willow leaves)and the BI(monoecious inflorescence),respectively.Among the DEGs,104 and 88 were upregulated in the SFI and BI,respectively,compared to the MI.In addition,186 DEGs and 1 DEG were downregulated in the SFI and BI compared to the MI.Moreover,we conducted GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of the DEGs.In comparison to the MI,the SFI and BI exhibited the enrichment of functional branches in DEGs,specifically in pollen wall assembly,pollen development,and cellular component assembly involved in morphogenesis.In our study,RADL5 showed low expression levels between SFI-vs.-MI types.In addition,we found that the expression of NAC in the SFI differed from that in MI and BI,and some genes related to hormonal signaling changed their expression levels during inflorescence differentiation.These results reveal the genetic mechanism of sex genotypes in castor,which will not only guide researchers in the breeding of castor but also provide a reference for genetic research on other flowering plants.

Proteomic Analyses of Three Inflorescence Styles of Castor(Ricinus communis L.)at Different Developmental Stages

Castor(Ricinus communis L.)is one of ten oil crops in the world and has complex inflorescence styles.Generally,castor has three inflorescence types:single female inflorescence(SiFF),standard female inflorescence(StFF)and bisexual inflorescence(BF).StFF is realized as a restorer line and as a maintainer line,which was applied to castor hybrid breeding.However,the developmental mechanism of the three inflorescences is not clear.Therefore,we used proteomic techniques to analyze different inflorescence styles.A total of 72 diferentially abundant protein species(DAPs)were detected.These DAPs are primarily involved in carbon and energy metabolism and carbon fixation in the photosynthetic organism pathway.The results showed that DAPs are involved in photosynthesis to control the distribution of imported carbohydrates and exported photoassimilates and thus affect the inflorescence development of castor.In addition,these DAPs are also involved in cysteine and methionine metabolism.Quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)results demonstrated that the proteomics data collected in this study were reliable.Our findings indicate that the carbon cycle and amino acid metabolism influence the inflorescence development of castor.

Effect of methanol extract of Ricinus communis seed on reproduction of male rats

Aim： To investigate the effect of methanol extract of Ricinus communis seed （RCE） on male rats reproductive functions. Methods： Thirty-two male albino rats were divided into four groups. Groups 1, 2 and 3 were gavaged with 0.2 mL of 2.5% tween 80 （RCE vehicle; control） or 20 mg/（kg-d） and 40 mg/（kg-d） of RCE, respectively, for 30 days, and group 4 was also gavaged with 40 mg/（kg.d） of RCE, but was allowed a recovery periold of 30 days. Five untreated female rats were cohabited with male rats in each group from day 25 of RCE treatment for 5 days, except group 4, where cohabitation began on day 25 of the recovery period. All male rats were sacrificed 24 h after the experiments. The female rats were laparatomized on day 19 of pregnancy and the number and weight of litters were recorded. Results： There was a significant decrease （P 〈 0.01） in the weight of the reproductive organs, sperm functions and serum levels of testosterone in RCE treated rats. There was disorganization in the cytoarchitecture of the testes, disruption of the seminiferous tubules and erosion of the germinal epithelium. The number and weight of litters of rats in groups 2 and 4 decreased significantly （P 〈 0.05） but no changes were observed in group 3. RCE caused no changes in liver, kidney, heart or body weights in male rats. Conclusion： RCE has a reversible negative impact on male reproductive functions, which appears to be mediated via gonadal disruption in testosterone secretion. （Asian J Androl 2006 Jan; 8： 115-121）

Genome-wide Identification,Classification and Expression Analysis of Lhc Supergene Family in Castor Bean(Ricinus communis L.)

Light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding （LHC） proteins are a group of nuclear-encoded thylakoid proteins that play a key role in plant photosynthesis and are widely involved in light harvesting, energy transfer to the reaction center, maintenance of thylakoid membrane structure, photoprotection and response to en- vironmental conditions, etc. Although/dw supergene family is well characterized in model plants such as Arabidopsis, rice and poplar, little information is available in castor bean （Ricinus communis L. ）. In this study, a genome-wide search was carried out for the first time to identify castor bean L/w genes and analyze the gene structures, biochemical properties, evolutionary relationships and expression characteristics based on the published data of castor bean genome and ESTs. According to the results, a total of 28 Rclhcs genes representing 13 gene families （ l_hca , l_hcb , Elip , Ohpl , Ohp2 , SEP1, SEP2 , SEP3 , SEP4 , SEP5 , PsbS , Rieske and FCII） and 25 subgene families were identified in castor bean genome; to be specific, 25 and 5 genes were found to have corresponding ESTs in NCBI and have al- ternative splicing isoforlns, respectively. These RcLhcs contain 0 to 9 introns and distribute on 26 of the 25 878 released scaffolds. All RcLhcs genes were found to be expressed in all examined tissues, i.e. leaf, flower, II/III stage endosperm, V/VI stage endosperm and seed, with the highest expression level in leaf tissue.

In vitro establishment of a highly effective method of castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) regeneration using shoot explants

An efficient plant regeneration protocol was established for castor bean （Ricinus communis L.）, in which 0.3 mg L-1 thidiazuron （TDZ） induced shoot clusters and increased the number of adventitious shoots from hypocotyl tissue. Our results showed that treatment under dark conditions significantly promoted the average number of shoots per explant to 37.36±4.54 （with a 6-d treatment）. Modified 1/2 Murashige and Skoog （MS） basal medium supplemented with 440 mg L-1 Ca2＋, 0.2 mg L-1 gibberellic acid and 0.1 mg L-1 TDZ significantly increased shoot elongation rates and lowered vitrification rates. Further- more, 1/2 MS media supplemented with 0.2 mg L-11-naphthaleneacetic acid induced a higher rooting rate compared with other culture conditions.

Therapeutic role of Ricinus communis L. and its bioactive compounds in disease prevention and treatment

Ricinus communis L.(R. communis), commonly known as castor oil plant, is used as a traditional natural remedy or folkloric herb for the control and treatment of a wide range of diseases around the globe. Various studies have revealed the presence of diverse phytochemicals such as alkaloids.flavonoids, terpenes, saponins,phenolic compounds such as kaempferol, gallic acid, ricin, rutin, lupeol, ricinoleic acid, pinene, thujone and gentisic acid.These phytochemicals have been responsible for pharmacological and therapeutic effects,including anticancer, antimicrobial, insecticidal, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, antinociceptive,anti-inflammatory. bone regenerative, analgesic, and anticonvulsant activity. R. communis harbours phytochemicals which have been shown to target peroxisome proliferator activated receptor(PPAR), nuclear factor NF-κ-B, cytochrome p450, P38 mitogen-activated protein kinases kinase(p38 MAPK), tumor protein P53, B-cell lymphoma-extra-large(Bcl-xL) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2(VEGFR-2). Considering its wide variety of phytochemicals, its pharmacological activity and the subsequent clinical trials, R. communis could be a good candidate for discovering novel complementary drugs. Further experimental and advanced clinical studies are required to explore the pharmaceutical, beneficial therapeutic and safety prospects of R. communis with its phytochemicals as a herbal and complementary medicine for combating various diseases and disorders.

Studies on Cell Suspension Culture of Ricinus communis L.

Ricinus communis L. is a new copper hyperaccumulator growing on Tonglushan copper mine in Hubei Province, China. This study aimed to establish a suspension cell line of R. communis L. with stable and rapid growth for further screening of heavy metal-resistant R. communis L. cells and breeding of hyperaccu- mulators. In this study, cell suspension culture conditions were optimized by using orthogonal experimental design with previously induced R. communis L. embyre- genic calluses as experimental materials, to establish the suspension cell line of R. communis L. Under the optimal conditions, growth curves of suspension cells and changes in pH of culture liquid were determined. The results showed that the optimal culture conditions for R. conmmnis L. suspension cell line were ： MS ＋ O. 5 rag/I, 6-BA ＋ O. 2 mg/L NAA ＋ 50 mg/L sucrose ＋ 350 mg/L casein hydrolysate as basic medium, with callus inoculation amount of 2.5 g/50 ml, dark culture at （26 ±2） ℃ with shaking at 110 r/min. Under these conditions, increment of fresh weight and dry weight ofR. commun/s L. suspension cells reached the maximum of 4.56 g/（50 ml 14 d） and 0.49 g/（50 ml 16 d）, respectively. Growth curves of R. communis L. suspension cells were basically in ＂S＂ shape. Each culture cycle lasted 16 d, and the rapid growth stage was from the 6th d to the 14th d. In a culture cycle, pH of the culture liquid declined first and then increased to the maximum and stabilized gradually.

Rigid foam polyurethane （PU） derived from castor oil （Ricinus communis） for thermal insulation in roof systems

This paper discusses the response of the thermal insulation Lining of rigid foam potyurethane （PU） derived from castor oil （Ricinus communis） in heat conditions, based on dynamic climate approach. Liners have been widely used, because the coverage of buildings is responsible for the greatest absorption of heat by radiation, but the use of PU foam deMved from this vegetal oil is unprecedented and has the advantage of being biodegradable and renewable. The hot wire paraLleL method provided the thermal conductivity vatue of the foam. The thermo- gravimetric analysis enabled the study of the foam decomposition and its Lifetime by kinetic evaLuation that involves the decomposition process. The PU foam thermal behavior analysis was performed by coLlecting experimental data of internal surface temperature measured by thermocouples and assessed by representative episode of the climatic fact. The results Lead to the conclusion that the PU foamderived from castor oit can be applied to thermat insulation of roof systems and is an environmentaLLy friendly materiaL.

Phytochemical, Anti-oxidant, Larvicidal, and Antimicrobial Activities of Castor(Ricinus communis) Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles

Objective Castor possesses the medicinal properties. Hence, castor extract has the reducing power agent was used in nanoparticles synthesis. Extract of castor also produces secondary metabolites （phenolics, reducing agent） and exhibits anti-oxidant property, which was used as larvicide and antimicrobial agent. In the present study the silver nanoparticles （AgNPs） were synthesized using aqueous leaf extract of castor. Methods The synthesized AgNPs were characterized with UV-visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The phenolics, reducing sugar and total sugar were evaluated performing Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method, DNS method and Phenol-sulphuric acid method. Anti-oxidant activity of synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated using DPPH assay. The larvicidal activity of synthesized AgNPs was evaluated against the third instar of Anopheles stephensi and Aedes aegypti. The mortality was observed after 24 h by probit analysis. Further, the antimicrobial activity was reported against Staphylococcus aureus （Gram positive） and Pseudomonas aeruginosa （Gram negative）. Results The UV spectra showed maximum absorbance at 445 nm and TEM analysis indicated spherical shape of nanoparticles with average size of 8.96 nm. The synthesized nanoparticles also possessed anti-oxidant potentials. Thus, it could be used as potential free radical scavenger. The larvae of A. stephensiwere found more susceptible to AgNPs than larvae of A. aegyptL Conclusion Due to the medicinal properties and reducing power activity, in the present study AgNPs have been synthesized using the aqueous leaves extract of castor and access their phytochemical, anti-oxidant, larvicidal and antimicrobial properties.

Sedative and antinociceptive activities of two new sesquiterpenes isolated from Ricinus communis

Two new sesquiterpenes, trivially named ricinusoids A(1) and ricinusoids B(2), were isolated from ethyl acetate fraction of Ricinus communis. The structures of new compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic techniques, including 1 D-and 2 D-NMR, UV, IR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The compounds(1-2) were also assessed for in-vivo sedative and analgesic like effects in open field and acetic acid induced writhing tests respectively at 5, 10, and 20 mg·kg^(–1) i.p. Pretreatment of both test compounds caused significant(P ≤ 0.05) reduction in locomotive activity like sedative agents and abdominal constrictions like analgesics. Both compounds(1-2) possessed marked sedative and antinociceptive effects in animal models.

Cytocompatible cellulose nanofibers from invasive plant species Agave americana L.and Ricinus communis L.:a renewable green source of highly crystalline nanocellulose

In this study,the fibers of invasive species Agave americana L.and Ricinus communis L.were successfully used for the first time as new sources to produce cytocompatible and highly crystalline cellulose nanofibers.Cellulose nanofibers were obtained by two methods,based on either alkaline or acid hydrolysis.The morphology,chemical composition,and crystallinity of the obtained materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM)together with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDX),dynamic light scattering(DLS),X-ray diffraction(XRD),and Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy.The crystallinity indexes(CIs)of the cellulose nanofibers extracted from A.americana and R.communis were very high(94.1%and 92.7%,respectively).Biological studies evaluating the cytotoxic effects of the prepared cellulose nanofibers on human embryonic kidney 293 T(HEK293 T)cells were also performed.The nanofibers obtained using the two different extraction methods were all shown to be cytocompatible in the concentration range assayed(i.e.,0-500μg/mL).Our results showed that the nanocellulose extracted from A.americana and R.communis fibers has high potential as a new renewable green source of highly crystalline cellulose-based cytocompatible nanomaterials for biomedical applications.

Silencing of the Nonspecific Phospholipase C6(NPC6)Gene Induces Ricinoleic Acid Accumulation in Castor Seeds

Castor,scientifically known as Ricinus communis L.,is among the top ten oil crops globally.It is considered a renewable resource and is commonly referred to as‘green oil’.Castor seeds contain castor oil as their main component,which is predominantly composed of ricinoleic acid.This study utilized RNAi technology to silence the NPC6 gene in NO.2129 castor,resulting in the creation of mutant plants L1 and L2.The weight of 100 dry seed kernels from L1 and L2 exceeds that from NO.2129.The crude fat and ricinoleic acid levels of L1 and L2 were higher than those of NO.2129 at various developmental stages.In the proteomics analysis of 60-day-old castor seeds,a total of 21 differentially expressed proteins were identified,out of which 19 were successfully recognized.Eleven of the differentially expressed proteins identified were legumins,which play a crucial role in nutrient storage within the seed.Silencing the NPC6 gene results in the accumulation of ricinoleic acid in castor seeds.The findings of this study not only enhance our knowledge of NPC6’s role in regulating castor seed oil synthesis but also offer fresh perspectives for investigating oil synthesis and accumulation in other plant species.

Intraspecific DNA methylation polymorphism in the non-edible oilseed plant castor bean

Investigation of the relationships of phenotypic and epigenetic variations might be a good way to dissect the genetic or molecular basis of phenotypic variation and plasticity in plants. Castor bean(Ricinus communis L.), an important non-edible oilseed crop, is a mono-species genus plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. Since it displays rich phenotypic variations with low genetic diversity, castor bean is a good model to investigate the molecular basis of phenotypic and epigenetic variations. Cytosine DNA methylation represents a major molecular mechanism of epigenetic occurrence. In this study, epigenetic diversity of sixty landrace accessions collected worldwide was investigated using the methylationsensitive amplification polymorphism(MSAP) technique. Results showed that the epigenetic diversity(based on the polymorphism of DNA methylated loci) exhibited a medium variation(Ne=1.395,He=0.242,I=0.366) at the population level though the variation was great, ranging from 3.80% to 34.31% among accessions. Both population structure analysis and the phylogenetic construction(using the neighbor-joining criteria) revealed that the two main clades were identified, but they did not display a distinct geographic structure. After inspecting the location of polymorphic methylated loci on genome we identified that the polymorphic methylated loci occur widely in nuclear and organelle genomes. This study provides new data to understand phenotypic and epigenetic variations in castor bean.

蓖麻主茎叶片着生节位与主茎及叶片性状指标的回归分析

2018—2020年连续3年以蓖麻品种(Ricinus communis L.)滇蓖麻2号为试材,对蓖麻主茎叶片节位与其节间性状、叶片性状和质量性状等指标进行回归分析,为蓖麻合理采叶提供理论依据。结果显示,①相关系数分析,蓖麻主茎叶片不同着生节位与主茎节位长度、叶片长度、叶片宽度、叶柄长度、叶柄宽横径、叶基腺长度、叶片质量和叶片净质量之间均呈极显著正相关,与主茎节间厚横径和叶柄厚横径之间呈显著正相关,与每千克叶片数量之间呈极显著负相关,与其他指标之间呈不显著正相关。②方差分析,蓖麻主茎叶片着生节位与主茎节位长度、叶片长度、叶片宽度和叶柄长度等指标之间均存在极显著差异,与主茎节间厚横径、叶基腺长度和叶片净质量之间均存在显著差异,与其他指标之间差异不显著。③蓖麻主茎叶片着生节位与主茎性状、叶片性状和质量性状之间拟合的回归方程都符合二次曲线规律;由数据拟合得到,主茎叶片着生最好节位为9.20节时,拟合方程中叶片净质量达89.15 g。蓖麻主茎上着生节位对主茎叶片质量的影响表现为,在一定节位范围内,叶片在蓖麻主茎上着生节位越高,叶片长度、叶片宽度、叶柄长度、叶柄宽横径、叶柄基腺长度、叶片质量和叶片净质量等指标均极显著增加,到第9节位的叶片净质量最大,为采叶时合理采叶提供参考。

Integration of morpho-physico-biochemical traits with SSR and SRAP markers for characterization of castor genotypes of Indian origin

Castor(Ricinus communis L.)is an important tropical oilseed crop,whose oil has versatile,practical value,especially in industries.The present study aimed to estimate the nature and magnitude of variability in the castor germplasm concerning yield and its component traits and physico-biochemical characters.Seed yield per plant and oil content ranged from 80.90 g(ICS-165)to 248.30 g(RG-3216),and 34.7%(ICS-172)to 58.7%(JI-277),respectively.The iodine value of oil ranged from 76.36(JI-370)to 89.84(P2-135)with an average value of 83.02.The mean saponification value of oil was 182.24.The genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation were high for acid value,capsules on the main raceme,seed yield per plant,and total length of the main raceme.A positive association of porosity,average unit volume,and total length of the main raceme with seed yield per plant showed that these characters might be directly attributed to seed yield improvement.By Manhattan distances,the 30 genotypes were grouped into 3 clusters.Their genetic diversity was elucidated using SSR and SRAP markers.SRAP marker produced higher mean number of total bands(5.71),polymorphic bands(4.57),percentage polymorphism(83.10%),PIC(1.72),RP(5.90),mean RP(1.02),MR(5.71),EMR(4.57)and MI(1.44)values when compared to SSR(2.89,2.11,79.63%,0.61,1.90,0.72,2.89,2.11 and 0.49,respectively)marker.The highest genetic distance(0.77)was between 48-1 and JI-370,which indicated that these genotypes could be used in biparental mating schemes,QTL map development,and hybridization programmes to increase oil content and quality for industrial purposes.

Response of Castor Bean Plants to Different Row Spacings and Planting Seasons

The cultivation of the castor bean plant is prominent and important because of its potential for producing vegetable oils with special properties. However, research on cultivating castor bean plants is scarce, especially in areas with altitudes of 300 m or below. Moreover, the currently available cultivars have not been widely tested in Brazil. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the response of the castor bean cultivar BRS Nordestina to different spacings at low altitudes during two cropping seasons. The study was conducted in the municipality of Itaocara, in the northwest Fluminense region, Brazil, which has an altitude of 60 m. The treatments consisted of five row spacings (1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 m) with 1 m between plants. The plants were cultivated in the 2007/2008 spring/summer season or in the 2008 autumn/winter season. A randomised block design with four replicates was used. The following parameters were assessed: plant height, height of insertion of primary raceme, number of racemes per plant, raceme length, number of fruits per raceme and grain yield. The spacing of 2.5 m between rows had the highest yield of castor beans during the two cropping seasons. The average yield of the cultivar BRS Nordestina indicates its potential for cultivation in northern Rio de Janeiro, below an altitude of 300 m. The yield was higher during the summer cropping season. The less-dense arrangement of the plant population contributed to the cultivation of plants with more racemes in both growing seasons.

A Chromosome-level Genome Assembly of Wild Castor Provides New Insights into Its Adaptive Evolution in Tropical Desert

Wild castor grows in the high-altitude tropical desert of the African Plateau,a region known for high ultraviolet radiation,strong light,and extremely dry condition.To investigate the potential genetic basis of adaptation to both highland and tropical deserts,we generated a chromosome-level genome sequence assembly of the wild castor accession WT05,with a genome size of 316 Mb,a scaffold N50 of 31.93 Mb,and a contig N50 of 8.96 Mb,respectively.Compared with cultivated castor and other Euphorbiaceae species,the wild castor exhibits positive selection and gene family expansion for genes involved in DNA repair,photosynthesis,and abiotic stress responses.Genetic variations associated with positive selection were identified in several key genes,such as LIG1,DDB2,and RECG1,involved in nucleotide excision repair.Moreover,a study of genomic diversity among wild and cultivated accessions revealed genomic regions containing selection signatures associated with the adaptation to extreme environments.The identification of the genes and alleles with selection signatures provides insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying the adaptation of wild castor to the high-altitude tropical desert and would facilitate direct improvement of modern castor varieties.

Medicinal significance,pharmacological activities,and analytical aspects of ricinine:A concise report

Ricinine(3-cyano-4-methoxy-N-methyl-2-pyridone)is an alkaloid present in leaves and seeds of castor plant i.e.Ricinus communis.It can cause vomiting,convulsions,hypotension,liver and kidney damage and several other complications in human.Ricinine presents mainly in young plant and it is the only cyano-substituted pyridine compounds occurred naturally.Ricinine also found in some other plants such as Piper nigrum,Discocleidion rufescens,Aparisthmium cordatum and Nicotiana tabacum.Accidental and intended Ricinus communis intoxications in humans and animals have been known for centuries.In the present review,we summarize the information regarding its medicinal uses,pharmacological activities,analytical techniques and intended and unintended poisoning cases in humans and animals.This review will be beneficial for the researcher in the field of herbal medicine and other allied sciences.

Effects of deficit irrigation on soil microorganisms and growth of Arabica coffee(Coffea arabica L.)under different shading cultivation modes

In the present research,the rational coupling mode of irrigation and shading cultivation for rapid growth and water saving of young Arabica coffee shrubs was investigated from 2016 to 2017.Taking full irrigation(FI,1.2Ep)as the control,the effects of three deficit irrigation(DI)(DI1,DI2 and DI3,with 1.0Ep,0.8Ep and 0.6Ep)on soil water content,temperature,microorganism population density,photosynthetic characteristics,canopy structure and dry mass of Arabica coffee under three shading cultivation modes(S0,monoculture coffee;S1,mild shading cultivation,intercropping with one line of Arabica coffee and one line of castor(Ricinus communis L.);S2,severe shading cultivation,intercropping with one line of Arabica coffee and two lines of castor)were investigated using plot experiments.Compared to FI,DI1 not obviously changed the population density of soil bacteria and actinomycetes,but increased net photosynthetic rate(Pn),crown area and dry mass of Arabica coffee by 7.0%,9.53%and 10.46%,respectively.In addition,DI1 also decreased total radiation under canopy(TRUC)by 5.51%.DI2 and DI3 reduced the population density of soil bacteria,fungi and actinomycetes ranging 8.94%-47.06%.Compared to S0,S1 increased the population density of soil fungi,bacteria and actinomycetes by 13.99%,30.77%and 9.72%,respectively.S1 also increased Pn,transpiration rate(Tr),leaf apparent radiation use efficiency(ARUE),leaf area index(LAI)and dry mass by 9.29%,5.39%,60.98%,10.31%and 30.02%,respectively.DI1S1 obtained the highest Pn and dry mass and higher LAI and the lowest TRUC.DI1S1 increased Pn,ARUE and dry mass by 18.98%,72.37%and 62.90%respectively but decreased TRUC by 21.77%when compared to FIS0.Thus,DI1S1 was found to be the rational mode of irrigation and shading cultivation for young Arabica coffee.