Mineral nutrition and plant ontogeny influence both the physiological balance between nutrients in a plant and determine the proper nutritional status of a plant, which is necessary to realize the yielding potential of a cultivated species. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of nitrogen doses (0, 4, 8, 12, 16 g N·m⁻²) and plant development phases (the beginning and full flowering) on the content of macroelements and changes in ionic ratios occurring in the herb of the summer savory cv. ‘Saturn’. The two-factor experiment was carried out in a random-block design with five replications. The mineral nitrogen nutrition applied increased the concentration of total nitrogen and its mineral forms in the plants. There was a change in ion homeostasis in the individual stages of the ontogenesis process, i.e., a higher content of P, K, Ca, and S in the initial flowering phase as well as Mg and Cl in the full flowering phase. The increase in the availability of mineral nitrogen in the soil solution caused a decrease in total sorption capacity, reducing the potential of the soil for saturation with alkaline cations.

Magnolia raw materials have long been used in Chinese folk medicine. The biologically active chemical compounds in Magnolia, mainly lignans, e.g., honokiol, exert health-enhancing effects in certain diseases, including skin conditions. Since the scientific literature does not provide a comparative analysis of the therapeutic properties of honokiol on the skin in various biological models, an attempt was made to supplement the knowledge in this field. This review presents the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and photoprotective properties of honokiol used in dermatological problems and its anticancer activity in melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. Honokiol reduces the expression of HSV-1 genes, inhibits DNA replication, lowers the level of proteins, regulates the colonisation of viral glycoproteins with high membrane selectivity, and inhibits the endocytosis process. It has antibacterial activity, as it destroys bacterial cell walls and membranes. It disrupts vacuolar functioning and intracellular calcium homeostasis in dermatophyte cells and inhibits fungal growth by delaying germination, altering membrane permeability, and reducing hyphal growth. It reduces inflammatory cytokines and stimulates anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Honokiol prevents UV-B induced skin cancer through targeting cell cycle regulators, inflammatory mediators, and cell survival signals. It induces apoptosis via extrinsic and intrinsic pathways, activating proapoptotic proteins. It acts as an inhibitor of the oncogenic protein KRT18 in melanoma and prevents the progression of highly metastatic melanoma. Future research should explore the signalling pathways and molecular mechanisms of honokiol action and its synergistic effects at the cellular level and help to develop methods for delivering honokiol to the organism by nanocarriers to improve selective therapies in some diseases.

Background: This study of the large-flowered azalea cv. ‘Anneke’ investigated the impact of two factors, i.e., methods of fertilization and mycorrhization, on the nutritional status of plants during three years of nursery cultivation. Methods: Single mineral fertilizers, a slow-release fertilizer Hortiform pH (SRF), and fertigation in combination with mycorrhization of plants, were applied. Plant roots were inoculated with fungi from the genera Oidiodendron and Hymenoscyphus sp. The nutritional status of the large-flowered azalea in the first three years of cultivation was assessed based on macroelements. Results: The analyses revealed significantly higher content of nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium in the leaves of plants inoculated with fungal mycelium. A beneficial effect of plant mycorrhization on plant nutritional status, i.e., higher levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, was noted in the second and third years of azalea cultivation. Conclusions: Significant amounts of the nutrients were utilized in the middle of the growing season and almost fully utilized after the season. Hence, the necessity to supplement nutrients in each subsequent year of plant vegetation was postulated. Fertigation was shown to require further improvement of the nutrient solution.

Tanacetum vulgare and Satureja montana essential oils (EOs) on Aronia melanocarpa before the flowering period were used against Acrobasis advenella. We hypothesised that the use of the aforementioned EOs (1.5%, 3% and 4.5%) would simultaneously improve yield and fruit quality. The profile of the EO constituents was determined by GC-MS analysis. Thujone (66.62%) was identified as the most abundant component in tansy EO, while thymol (40.04%) was dominant in savory EO. The mean weight of 100 berries ranged from 82.40 g to 88.00 g. A loss in fruit weight was recorded after the addition of 4.5% S. montana EO. A. melanocarpa shrubs treated with 4.5% tansy EO showed the highest content of phenols (848.03 mg per 100 g FW), along with high levels of anthocyanins (310.19 mg/100 g), tannins (1884 mg/100 g) and chlorogenic acid (187.38 mg/100 g) but exerted negative effects on the mineral fruit content (Mg, K). T. vulgare oil, particularly at higher concentrations, has shown promise for increasing the content of valuable compounds with strong antioxidant properties. The application of S. montana EOs positively affected minerals and chlorogenic acid content. However, their phytotoxic effects on A. melanocarpa preclude them from further use, even at low concentrations.

In the cultivation of herbal plants, besides the size of the crop, the quality of obtained raw material is extremely important, which is proven not only by the appearance and taste, but also biological value. Factors that affect these parameters include plant nutrition. The main nutrient affecting the correct course of metabolic processes in a plant is potassium. To obtain high yield in terms of quantity and quality, the nutritional requirements of plants must be met. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of potassium nutrition on the quality of basil herb. The experiment was established in a two-factor scheme, in which the factors were: potassium dose (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 g K·dm–3) and the type of potassium fertilizer (KCl, K2SO4, KCl + K2SO4). The yield of basil plants was influenced by the dose and type of potassium fertilizers used (0.5 g K·dm–3 – 92.5; 1.0 g K – 67.3; 1.5 g K – 69.75 g·plant–1). The highest content of L-ascorbic acid was found in basil plants fed with the average potassium dose (65.9 mg·100 g–1 FW). The least nitrates (V) were contained in basil fertilized with KCl in the highest dose of K (63 mg·100 g–1 FW). No effect of the dose and type of potassium fertilizer on the content of phosphorus and sulfur in the plant material, was recorded. The content of Ca and Mg was influenced by both the potassium dose and the type of potassium fertilizer. The most of these components was revealed by plants fed with KCl, and with the increase of the dose, the content of both these mineral components decreased. Chlorine content in the herb increased with the applied potassium dose, the effect on the concentration of chlorine in the plant material was exerted by the type of potassium fertilizer applied – the highest concentration of this element was recorded. The content of macroelements in the substrate from basil cultivation was influenced by the dose and type of potassium fertilizers used. The best quality parameters of basil were obtained after application of 1.0 g K·dm–3 substrate in the form of KCl + K2SO4.

Climate changes increase environmental stress pressure, limiting the yields of crops, e.g., strawberries. The green transformation introduced in the European Union, eliminating the use of chemical plant protection agents, requires the development of a technology that will simultaneously mitigate stresses and increase plant yields. The basis of this type of technology may be the targeted application of stabilized orthosilicic acid. The validation of this silicon-based technology was carried out through the pot cultivation of strawberries cv. ‘Falco’ in controlled conditions, compatible with their production. The experiment consisted of the foliar and intra-root (A) application of stabilized orthosilicic acid at concentrations of 0, 240, and 360 g Si·ha⁻¹ (B). A significant increase in the total and marketable yield, the weight of single fruits, and the number of fruits in the silicon-treated variants was noted in this study. The intra-root application of silicon had a more potent effect on the yield performance than foliar feeding. The intra-root application of the tested silicon doses significantly reduced the occurrence of gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) during the fruit harvest period. The application of the tested silicon doses in strawberry cultivation exerted a positive effect on the post-harvest shelf life of the fruits. Higher levels of Lascorbic acid, nitrates (V), and TSS were determined in strawberry fruits treated with stabilized orthosilicic acid. The leaves of plants treated with stabilized orthosilicic acid had lower contents of nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and boron and higher levels of potassium and copper.