Integrative biogeography: Validating hypotheses of species distribution

DEAR EDITOR,Biogeography is a scientific field dedicated to the investigation of the origins and distribution patterns of organisms,as well as predicting future alterations in their geographical distributions(Cox&Moore,2005).However,the majority of conclusions drawn within the field of biogeography are hypothetical.Rigorous testing of these biogeographic hypotheses remains a considerable challenge.This paper presents the concept of“integrative biogeography”,which emphasizes the experimental testing of biogeographic hypotheses through studies on geological history,as well as biotic and abiotic factors(Figure 1).

A Comparison of Microbial Communities in Three Morphs of the Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier), a Key Pest of Date Palms

The invasive insect pest, red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, poses a significant threat to date production, causing substantial economic damage. If uncontrolled, RPW leads the severely infested host tree to collapse and eventually die. The symbiotic associations with microorganisms and RPW in their gut may help their host insects’ establishment, development, nutrition assimilation, and survival. The objective of this research was the molecular characterization of the microbiome of RPW. In this study, the microbiome was compared among different tissues in females and males of RPW of three different morphs and larvae collected from date palm plantations in the Kingdom of Bahrain. A 251-bp segment of bacterial 16S rRNA was amplified by PCR, sequenced, and processed using the bioinformatics platform QIIME2. One ASV, corresponding to the obligate weevil symbiont Nardonella, predominated in adult female samples, constituting 56 ± 7% of total reads, but was less dominant in male samples (12 ± 3%) and larval samples (2.6 ± 1.9%). For females, samples that included reproductive tissues were almost entirely composed of Nardonella (88% - 99%). When Nardonella was excluded from analyses, there were no differences between adult females and adult males, but larval samples were more species-rich and differed in microbial composition from adults. There were no consistent differences in the microbiomes among morphs. Several specimens showed evidence of infection with host-specific strains of Spiroplasma-like members of the Entomoplasmatales, which are often pathogens or vertically transmitted symbionts. Such close microbial associates deserve additional attention as potential routes to control this destructive date palm pest.

U-Pb dating of monazite in the Bainiuchang silver polymetallic deposit,Yunnan Province,and its limitation on Mesozoic mineralization

1.Objective The Gejiu-Bozhushan-Laojunshan tin-tungsten polymetallic metallogenic belt is located in southeastern Yunnan.It is bounded by the Mile-Shizong Fault and the Yangzi Plate to the north and west,respectively,while the Honghe Fault represents its southwestern boundary.It is adjacent to the Ailaoshan Fault,and extends to Guangxi and Vietnam to the southeast(Fig.1a;Liu JP et al.,2021).

Muscovite^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar isotopic dating of pegmatite veins in the Bieyesamas rare metal deposit in the Altay Mountain,Xinjiang,northwestern China

1.Objective The Altay Orogenic Belt in Xinjiang,China is located in the west of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and in the transition zone between the Siberian Plate and the Kazakhstan-Junggar Plate,extending approximately 500 km in northern Xinjiang,China(Fig.1a).The Altay Orogenic Belt has undergone two-way accretion of the Paleozoic crust and the Meso-Cenozoic intracontinental orogeny,leading to the formation of large numbers of intermediate-acid intrusions.More than 100000 pegmatite veins have been discovered in the intermediate-acid intrusions,and they constitute an important rare metal metallogenic belt of China(Fig.1b).

Cassiterite U-Pb dating of the Yelonggou pegmatite-type lithium deposit in western Sichuan and its metallogenic age constraints

1.Objective Pegmatite hosts important resource of rare metals,e.g.,lithium(Li)and beryllium(Be).In recent years,increasingly more studies were dedicated to characterize and unravel the formation of pegmatite-type deposits,for which accurate dating of pegmatite formation and mineralization is essential.The Songpan-Ganzi orogenic belt is a major rare metal metallogenic belt in China,hosting many important pegmatite-type Li deposits,including the Lijiagou,Dangba,Jiajika,Yelonggou,Cuola,and Declalongba.Radiometric age data(mica Ar-Ar and zircon/cassiterite U-Pb)from these Li deposits are sparse,ranging from 210 to 152 Ma.However,obtaining reliable zircon U-Pb dates can be a challenge due to the strong decidualization in pegmatites.As a result,the formation and mineralization ages of these rare metal pegmatites remain controversial,which hampers the development of pegmatite-type metallogenic model for the Songpan-Ganzi orogenic belt.

Mineral Chemistry,Trace Elements,Isotopic Analysis and Zircon U-Pb Dating in the Hesar Pluton,Northern UDMA,Iran:Implications for Pre-Collisional Magma Mixing

The Hesar pluton in the northern Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic arc hosts numerous mafic-microgranular enclaves(MMEs).Whole rock geochemistry,mineral chemistry,zircon U-Pb and Sr-Nd isotopes were measured.It is suggested that the rocks are metaluminous(A/CNK=1.32-1.45),subduction-related I-type calc-alkaline gabbro to diorite with similar mineral assemblages and geochemical signatures.The host rocks yielded an U-Pb crystallization age of 37.3±0.4 Ma for gabbro-diorite.MMEs have relatively low SiO_(2) contents(52.9-56.6 wt%)and high Mg^(#)(49.8-58.7),probably reflecting a mantle-derived origin.Chondrite-and mantle-normalized trace element patterns are characterized by LREE and LILE enrichment,HREE and HFSE depletion with slight negative Eu anomalies(Eu/Eu^(*)=0.86-1.03).The host rocks yield(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)_(i) ratios of 0.70492-0.70510,positive ε_(Nd)(t)values of+1.55-+2.06 and T_(DM2)of 707-736 Ma,which is consistent with the associated mafic microgranular enclaves((^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)_(i)=0.705014,ε_(Nd)(t)=+1.75,T_(DM2)=729 Ma).All data suggest magma-mixing for enclave and host rock formation,showing a complete equilibration between mixed-mafic and felsic magmas,followed by rapid diffusion.The T_(DM1)(Nd)and T_(DM2)(Nd)model ages and U-Pb dating indicate that the host pluton was produced by partial melting of the lower continental crust and subsequent mixing with injected lithospheric mantlederived magmas in a pre-collisional setting of Arabian-Eurasian plates.Clinopyroxene composition indicates a crystallization temperature of~1000℃ and a depth of~9 km.

Estimating Key Phenological Dates of Multiple Rice Accessions Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Plant Height Dynamics for Breeding

Efficient and high-quality estimation of key phenological dates in rice is of great significance in breeding work. Plant height(PH) dynamics are valuable for estimating phenological dates. However, research on estimating the key phenological dates of multiple rice accessions based on PH dynamics has been limited. In 2022, field traits were collected using unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)-based images across 435 plots, including 364 rice varieties. PH, dates of initial heading(IH) and full heading(FH), and panicle initiation(PI), and growth period after transplanting(GPAT) were collected during the rice growth stage. PHs were extracted using a digital surface model(DSM) and fitted using Fourier and logistic models. Machine learning algorithms, including multiple linear regression, random forest(RF), support vector regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and elastic net regression, were employed to estimate phenological dates. Results indicated that the optimal percentile of the DSM for extracting rice PH was the 95th(R^(2) = 0.934, RMSE = 0.056 m). The Fourier model provided a better fit for PH dynamics compared with the logistic models. Additionally, curve features(CF) and GPAT were significantly associated with PI, IH, and FH. The combination of CF and GPAT outperformed the use of CF alone, with RF demonstrating the best performance among the algorithms. Specifically, the combination of CF extracted from the logistic models, GPAT, and RF yielded the best performance for estimating PI(R^(2) = 0.834, RMSE = 4.344 d), IH(R^(2) = 0.877, RMSE = 2.721 d), and FH(R^(2) = 0.883, RMSE = 2.694 d). Overall, UAV-based rice PH dynamics combined with machine learning effectively estimated the key phenological dates of multiple rice accessions, providing a novel approach for investigating key phenological dates in breeding work.

Effect of dates on blood glucose and lipid profile among patients with type 2 diabetes

Poor fruit and vegetable consumption is one of the 10 major risk factors for mortality.There is a misconception regarding the consumption of dates among patients with diabetes.This manuscript assessed the effects of date consumption on fasting and postprandial blood glucose,glycated hemoglobin,total cholesterol,triglycerides,low-density lipoproteins,high-density lipoproteins,and microbial markers.Four literature databases were searched for relevant articles.Of the 595 studies retrieved,24 assessed the effects of dates on glycemic control and lipids.Overall,the evidence suggests that dates have a lowering effect on blood glucose.Dates reduce total cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increase high-density lipoprotein levels.Dates also promote the abundance of beneficial gut microbiota.Therefore,patients with diabetes and dyslipidemia can consume dates to reduce their blood glucose,cholesterol,and triglycerides.

Effects of Seeding Date and Density on Yield and Agronomic Traits of Millet : A Case Study of Wangu 098 Variety of Millet

[Objectives]To find out a suitable cultivation technique of Wangu 098 in Nanyang area,speed up the popularization,demonstration and application of Wangu 098,and provide a theoretical and practical basis for adjusting the planting structure and realizing the matching of improved varieties and methods.[Methods]The new self-bred millet variety Wangu 098 was used as the material,and the two-factor split zone experimental design was adopted.The effects of different sowing dates and densities on the yield,growth period and agronomic characters of millet were studied.[Results]The interaction of seeding date and density had a great effect on the yield and plant traits of millet.Millet yield was significantly and positively correlated with plant height,panicle length,single panicle weight,panicle grain weight and tiller number.[Conclusions]The reasonable combination of seeding date and density could give full play to the yield potential of millet.According to the experimental results and cultivation experience,the suitable seeding date of millet in Nanyang area is in the first and middle ten days of June,and the best density is about 750000 plants/ha.However,after June 30,the seeding millet did not tiller,so the density should be increased to more than 900000 plants/ha to obtain higher yield.In terms of cultivation and management,timely seeding,reasonable close planting,and coordination of vegetative growth and reproductive growth can make the plant tall and strong,panicle long and thick,and improve the yield of millet.

Dating Suborder Polypodiineae (Eupolypods I) with Its Oldest Fossil

Inferring divergence times between lineages is crucial for understanding biological evolutionary processes. The extraordinary species diversity of Eupolypods within the fern lineage has been interpreted as an ecological opportunistic response to the emergence of more complex, angiosperm-dominated ecosystems. This co-adaptation between Eupolypods and angiosperms has prompted ongoing investigations into the phylogenetic and diversification timelines of Eupolypods. In this study, we incorporate newly discovered fossils of Dryopteridaceae, including two species from both the stem and crown groups, to reanalyze the phylogenetic and diversification times of Eupolypods using total-evidence dating (TED or tip-dating) methods. Our analyses confirm that Eupolypods first diversified during the Jurassic and suggest that both subclades, Polypodiineae and Aspleniineae, underwent their earliest diversification during this period, challenging recent claims that Polypodiineae diversified no earlier than the Cretaceous. These results support a “long fuse” model, indicating that the initial emergence of Polypodiales preceded their diversification and extensive fossil record. Furthermore, our findings clarify the systematic position of Hypodematiaceae, indicating that it, along with Didymochlaenaceae, represents the basal lineages of Polypodiineae. This study highlights the critical role of fossil abundance and taxonomic composition in molecular dating analyses.

Inferring Eupolypods Divergence Time Using Bayesian Tip-Dating

According to the most recent Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group (PPG), eupolypods, or eupolypod ferns, are the most differentiated and diversified of all major lineages of ferns, accounting for more than half of extant fern diversity. However, the evolutionary history of eupolypods remains incompletely understood, and conflicting ideas and scenarios exist in the literature about many aspects of this history. Due to a scarce fossil record, the diversification time of eupolypods mainly inferred from molecular dating approaches. Currently, there are two molecular dating results: the diversification of eupolypods occurred either in the Late Cretaceous or as early as in the Jurassic. This study uses the Bayesian tip-dating approach for the first time to infer the diversification time for eupolypods. Our analyses support the Jurassic diversification for eupolypods. The age estimations for the diversifications of the whole clade and one of its two subclades (the eupolypods II) are both in the Jurassic, which adds to the growing body of data on a much earlier diversification of Polypodiales in the Mesozoic than previously suspected.

以学生为中心的BOPPPS教学模型+DATE监控模式在药理学教学中的应用探索

随着教育改革的推广和深入,当前教学的模式开始逐渐的丰富化和多元化,各个教学理念、教学模型层出不穷,在这样的背景下,结合学科的特质和需求,设计良好的教学模式,认知理论和构建主义是BOPPPS教学模型的理论和依据,该模型是一个能够帮助教师分解并分析教学过程、找出教学盲点、改善并提升教学成效的工具。如何使学生在课堂上最大限度的掌握知识,是其关注的重点,教学互动和反馈是其突出的特点。BOPPPS教学模型就是一个基于体验式学习模型的教学框架,是一种有效的课程设计模式,强调学生主动参与式学习,体现“以学生为中心、教师为主导”教学理念设计,为高质量的有效课堂提供了理论基础。因此,本文旨在探讨以学生为中心的BOPPPS教学模型与DATE监控模式在药理学教学中的应用及其效果。通过实践与研究,发现BOPPPS模型能够有效地提高学生的主动参与度和学习效果,而DATE监控模式则有助于及时发现和解决学生学习中的问题。以供一线教学教师作为教学提供参考和依据,有效提升药理学教学质量。

Effects of sowing date and ecological points on yield and the temperature and radiation resources of semi-winter wheat

Exploring the effects of sowing date and ecological points on the yield of semi-winter wheat is of great significance.This study aims to reveal the effects of sowing date and ecological points on the climate resources associated with wheat yield in the Rice–Wheat Rotation System.With six sowing dates,the experiments were carried out in Donghai and Jianhu counties,Jiangsu Province,China using two semi-winter wheat varieties as the objects of this study.The basic seedlings of the first sowing date (S1) were planted at 300×10^(4)plants ha^(-1),which was increased by 10%for each of the delayed sowing dates (S2–S6).The results showed that the delay of sowing date decreased the number of days,the effective accumulated temperature and the cumulative solar radiation in the whole growth period.The yields of S1 were higher than those of S2 to S6 by 0.22–0.31,0.5–0.78,0.86–0.98,1.14–1.38,and 1.36–1.59 t ha^(–1),respectively.For a given sowing date,the growth days increased as the ecological point was moved north,while both mean daily temperature and effective accumulative temperature decreased,but the cumulative radiation increased.As a result,the yields at Donghai County were 0.01–0.39 t ha–1lower than those of Jianhu County for the six sowing dates.The effective accumulative temperature and cumulative radiation both had significant positive correlations with yield.The average temperature was significantly negatively correlated with the yield.The decrease in grain yield was mainly due to the declines in grains per spike and 1 000-grain weight caused by the increase in the daily temperature and the decrease in the effective accumulative temperature.

Phylogeny,molecular evolution,and dating of divergences in Lagerstroemia using plastome sequences

Lagerstroemia L.(Lythraceae)is a widely distributed genus of trees and shrubs native to tropical and subtropical environments from Southeast Asia to Australia,with numerous species highly valued as ornamentals.Although the plastomes of many species in this genus have been sequenced,the rates of functional gene evolution and their effect on phylogenetic analyses have not been thoroughly examined.We compared three plastome sequence matrices to elucidate how differences in these datasets affected phylogenetic analyses.Robust phylogenetic relationships for Lagerstroemia species were reconstructed based on different plastome sequence partitions and multiple phylogenetic methods.Identification of single-nucleotide variants within different genes also provides basic data on the patterns of functional gene evolution in Lagerstroemia and may provide insights into how those mutations affect protein structure and potentially drive divergence via cytonuclear incompatibility.These results as well as analyses of non-synonymous and synonymous mutations,indicate that heterotachic modes of evolution are present in functional plastome genes and should be accounted for in the analyses of molecular evolution.In addition,divergence events within the Lagerstroemia were dated for the first time.Several of the divergence estimates corresponded to well-known Earth history events,such as the reduction in global temperatures at the Eocene/Oligocene boundary.Our analyses conducted in Lagerstroemia here dissects the various patterns in the divergence of Lagerstroemia and may provide a useful guide to help plant breeders,as well as the necessity of using plastomic data and as possible as to combine evidence from morphological characteristics to investigate the complicated interspecies relationship and the evolutionary dynamics of species.

Diffusion of Sm-Nd in Scheelite and its Significance to Isotopic Dating and Tracing

As the principal ore mineral in various tungsten(-gold)deposits,scheelite(CaWO_(4))plays an important role in directly dating the timing of ore formation,and in tracing associated material sources through the study of its Sm-Nd geochronology and Nd isotopic characteristics.Since the retention of Sm-Nd systematics within scheelite is presently unconstrained,equivocal interpretations for isotopic data resulting from this method have occurred quite often in previous studies that apply these isotopic data.In order to better elucidate the closure of Sm-Nd in scheelite,the kinetics of Sm and Nd within this mineral lattice were investigated through calculation of diffusion constants presented herein.The following Arrhenius relations were obtained:D_(Nd)=4.00exp(-438 kJ·mol^(–1)/RT)cm^(2)/s D_(Sm)=1.85exp(-427 kJ·mol^(–1)/RT)cm^(2)/s showing diffusion rate of Nd is near identical to Sm in scheelite when at the same temperature.However,compared to other rare earth elements(REEs),which have markedly different atomic radii to either Nd or Sm,these are shown to exhibit a great variation in diffusivities.The observed trends in our data are in excellent agreement with the diffusion characteristics of REEs in other tetragonal ABO4 minerals,indicating that ionic radius is a key constraint to the diffusivity of REEs in the various crystal lattices.With this in mind,the same substitution mechanism and a very slight discrepancy in radii will allow us to infer that significant Sm/Nd diffusional fractionation in scheelite is unlikely to occur during most geological processes.Based upon the diffusion data determined herein,Sm and Nd closure temperatures and retention times in scheelite are discussed in terms of diffusion dynamics.Those results suggest that closure temperatures for Sm-Nd within this mineral are relatively high in contrast to the temperature ranges of ore-formation responsible for scheelite-related deposits,and any later thermal environments.It is likely,therefore,that relevant isotopic information could be easily retained under most geological conditions,since initial crystallization of the scheelite.In addition,comparison of this mineral-element pair over a range of temperatures with some other common minerals used as geochronometers(e.g.,zircon and apatite)indicates that Sm-Nd system has a slower diffusive rate in scheelite than for Sr in apatite or Ar in quartz,and only a little faster than for Pb in zircon.It should be noted,within most hydrothermal deposits where zircon has crystallized,its size is typically no more than 100μm,whereas scheelite commonly occurs as macroscopic grains.For this reason,the larger dimensions of scheelite would provide a robust Sm-Nd system more able to resist perturbations,relating to any later thermal process.As such Sm-Nd investigations of scheelite are akin to U-Pb within zircon samples used in isotopic dating.These observations indicate that Sm-Nd age and isotopic information can provide reliable data in all but the most extreme case,especially when data are extracted from macroscopic grains of scheelite that are chosen to be“pristine”(i.e.,free of surface alteration and/or fractures).

Trace Elements of Multi-stage Minerals and Titanite U-Pb Dating for the Gneisses from Liansan Island,Sulu UHPM Belt

Gneisses with anatectic characteristics from the Liansan island in the Sulu UHPM(ultra-high pressure metamorphic)belt were studied for petrography,titanite U-Pb dating and mineral geochemistry.Three origins of garnets are distinguished:metamorphic garnet,peritectic garnet and anatectic garnet,which are formed in the stages of peak metamorphism,retrograde anatexis and melt crystallization,respectively.The euhedral titanite has a high content of REE and high Th/U ratios,which is interpreted as indicating that it was newly-formed from an anatectic melt.The LA-ICP-MS titanite U-Pb dating yields 214-217 Ma ages for the titanite(melt)crystallization.The distribution of trace elements varies in response to the different host minerals at different stages.At the peak metamorphic stage,Y and HREE are mainly hosted by garnet,Ba and Rb by phengite,Sr,Nb,Ta,Pb,Th,U and LREE by allanite and Y,U and HREE by zircon.During partial melting,Y,Pb,Th,U and REE are released into the melt,which causes a dramatic decline of these element contents in the retrograde minerals.Finally,titanite absorbs most of the Nb,U,LREE and HREE from the melt.Therefore,the different stages of metamorphism have different mineral assemblages,which host different trace elements.

Restoration of reservoir diagenesis and hydrocarbon accumulation process by calcite in-situ U-Pb dating and fluid inclusion analysis: A case study on Cretaceous Qingshuihe Formation in Gaoquan Structure, southern Junggar Basin, NW China

The complexity of diagenesis and hydrocarbon accumulation in the deep reservoirs in southern Junggar Basin restricts hydrocarbon exploration in the lower reservoir assemblage. The lithofacies and diagenesis of reservoirs in the Cretaceous Qingshuihe Formation in the Gaoquan structure of the Sikeshu Sag, southern Junggar Basin were analyzed. On this basis, the thermal history was calibrated using calcite in-situ U-Pb dating and fluid inclusion analysis to depict the hydrocarbon accumulation process in the Gaoquan structure. The results show that the Qingshuihe reservoir experienced two phases of calcite cementation and three phases of hydrocarbon charging. The calcite cements are dated to be (122.1±6.4) Ma, (14.4±1.0) Ma - (14.2±0.3) Ma. The hydrocarbon charging events occurred at around 14.2-30.0 Ma (low-mature oil), 14.2 Ma (mature oil), and 2 Ma (high-mature gas). The latter two phases of hydrocarbon charging contributed dominantly to the formation of reservoir. Due to the S-N compressive thrust activity during the late Himalayan period since 2 Ma, the traps in the Gaoquan structure were reshaped, especially the effective traps which developed in the main reservoir-forming period were decreased significantly in scale, resulting in weak hydrocarbon shows in the middle-lower part of the structure. This indicates that the effective traps in key reservoir-forming period controlled hydrocarbon enrichment and distribution in the lower reservoir assemblage. Calcite U-Pb dating combined with fluid inclusion analysis can help effectively describe the complex diagenesis and hydrocarbon accumulation process in the central-west part of the basin.

Phylogenetic Relationship and Molecular Divergence Dating Using SRY Gene Polymorphism about Four Ladoum Sheep Lineages in Senegal

Animal genetic resources are playing a vital role in livestock production and are essential to food security. The present study aims to contribute to a better understanding genetic local sheep breeds and to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships through the evolution of the SRY gene in four different lineages of Ladoum sheep raised in Senegal. After a brief analysis of genetic diversity, the phylogenetic relationships and molecular dating were inferred through haplotype networks and four phylogenetic reconstruction methods. The different haplotype networks are constructed with NETWORK ver. 5.0.0.0 using the Median-Joining method. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using neighbor-joining, maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The robustness of the nodes in phylogenetic trees of the three first methods was assessed by 1000 bootstraps. For Bayesian inference, the posterior probability distribution of the trees was estimated by 4 MCMC chains. 5,000,000 generations were performed for each of the chains by sampling the different parameters every 1000 generations. Results show a low polymorphism. Haplotypic diversity is much higher than the average nucleotide divergence between all pairs of haplotypes. The majority and central haplotype indicates a close relationship between “Batling” and “Tyson” individuals. “Birahim” lineage is very distinct from the rest. Phylogenetic trees confirm two genetically separate clades between “Birahim” and the other lineages. The period of divergence between “Birahim” lineage versus the common ancestor of the other three lineages was 2504 years ago. The polyphyly revealed in “Birahim” lindicates that this lineage does not contain the common ancestor of all individuals who compose it. It could therefore be derived from two or more sheep breeds with a common ancestor, Ovis aries. The monophyletic clade appears to be a group including a common ancestor and all of its genetic descendants. This group, bringing together the other three lineages, is in the process of being structured into sub-lineages. This study is the first to show that there are only two genetic lines within ladoum sheep in Senegal.

Untargeted metabolomics analysis of four date palm(Phoenix dactylifera L.)cultivars using MS and NMR

Since ancient times,the inhabitants of dry areas have depended on the date palm(Phoenix dactylifera L.)as a staple food and means of economic security.For example,dates have been a staple diet for the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula and Sahara Desert in North Africa for millennia and the local culture is rich in knowledge and experience with the benefits of dates,suggesting that dates contain many substances essential for the human body.Madinah dates are considered one of the most important types of dates in the Arabian Peninsula,with Ajwa being one of the most famous types and grown only in Madinah,Saudi Arabia.Date seeds are traditionally used for animal feed,seed oil production,cosmetics,and as a coffee substitute.Phytochemical compounds that have been detected in date fruits and date seeds include phenolic acids,carotenoids,and flavonoids.Phenolic acids are the most prevalent bioactive constituents that contribute to the antioxidant activity of date fruits.The bioactive properties of these phytochemicals are believed to promote human health by reducing the risk of diseases such as chronic inflammation.Ajwa dates especially are thought to have superior bioactivity properties.To investigate these claims,in this study,we compare the metabolic profiles of Ajwa with different types of dates collected from Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.We show by UHPLC-MS that date seeds contain several classes of flavonoids,phenolic acids,and amino acid derivatives,including citric acid,malic acid,lactic acid,and hydroxyadipic acid.Additionally,GC-MS profiling showed that date seeds are richer in metabolite classes,such as hydrocinnamic acids(caffeic,ferulic and sinapic acids),than flesh samples.Deglet N fruit extract(minimum inhibitory concentration:27 MIC/μM)and Sukkari fruit extract(IC_(50):479±0.58μg/mL)have higher levels of antibacterial and antioxidative activity than Ajwa fruits.However,the seed analysis showed that seed extracts have better bioactivity effects than fruit extracts.Specifically,Ajwa extract showed the best MIC and strongest ABTS radical-scavenging activity among examined seed extracts(minimum inhibitory concentration:20μM;IC_(50):54±3.61μg/mL).Our assays are a starting point for more advanced in vitro antibacterial models and investigation into the specific molecules that are responsible for the antioxidative and anti-bacterial activities of dates.

Influence of Planting Date on the Incidence and Severity of Leaf Spot Disease in Telfairia occidentalis Hook f.

Telfairia occidentalis Hook f. is attacked by a destructive fungal pathogen Epicoccum sorghinum which causes leaf spot disease in the field. In Came-roon, this critically important seed and leaf vegetable is predominantly culti-vated under natural environmental conditions. An experiment was conducted in 2019 and 2020 during the long and short rainy seasons in Santchou to de-termine the influence of planting dates between seasons on the incidence and severity of leaf spot disease. The design used was a 2 by 4 factorial random-ized complete block design with three replications and four sowing dates. Data for disease incidence and severity documented fortnightly, were submitted to analysis of variance using SPSS version 23, and the means were separated by Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) at a 95% confidence interval. Statistical analysis revealed that the long rainy season registered a significantly (p p < 0.05) disease incidences and severities to other planting dates investi-gated. We established that the first three planting dates in the long rainy season could be a management practice to reduce disease prevalence.