Perilla, also termed as purple mint, Chinese basil, or Perilla mint, is a flavoring herb widely used in East Asia. Both crude oil and essential oil are employed for consumption as well as industrial purposes. Fatty acids (FAs) biosynthesis and oil body assemblies in Perilla have been extensively investigated over the last three decades. Recent advances have been made in order to reveal the enzymes involved in the fatty acid biosynthesis in Perilla. Among those fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid retained the attention of scientists mainly due to its medicinal and nutraceutical properties. Lipids synthesis in Perilla exhibited similarities with Arabidopsis thaliana lipids’ pathway. The homologous coding genes for polyunsaturated fatty acid desaturases, transcription factors, and major acyl-related enzymes have been found in Perilla via de novo transcriptome profiling, genome-wide association study, and in silico whole-genome screening. The identified genes covered de novo fatty acid synthesis, acyl-CoA dependent Kennedy pathway, acyl-CoA independent pathway, Triacylglycerols (TAGs) assembly, and acyl editing of phosphatidylcholine. In addition to the enzymes, transcription factors including WRINKLED, FUSCA3, LEAFY COTYLEDON1, and ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 have been suggested. Meanwhile, the epigenome aspect impacting the transcriptional regulation of FAs is still unclear and might require more attention from the scientific community. This review mainly outlines the identification of the key gene master players involved in Perilla FAs biosynthesis and TAGs assembly that have been identified in recent years. With the recent advances in genomics resources regarding this orphan crop, we provided an updated overview of the recent contributions into the comprehension of the genetic background of fatty acid biosynthesis. The provided resources can be useful for further usage in oil-bioengineering and the design of alpha-linolenic acid-boosted Perilla genotypes in the future.

(1) Background: Since microplastics in aquatic environments are difficult to prevent and can cause adverse physiological and biochemical reactions to various organisms, we aimed to analyze the effectiveness of using aquatic plants with well-developed roots and excellent water purification capabilities to remove microplastics in an eco-friendly manner. Additionally, we examined the differences in removal efficiency based on the sizes of the microplastic particles and the types of aquatic plants used. (2) Methods: Two types of polyethylene (PE) microplastic particles (46 µm and 140 µm) and two types of aquatic plants (Iris pseudacorus and Lythrum anceps) were used in this study. These plants were cultivated in tap water containing microplastics for a duration of four months in an aquatic setup without soil. Water samples from the cultivation area were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) to determine the reduction in microplastics. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to examine the adsorption of microplastics on the plants’ roots. Plant growth was assessed by measuring plant height, plant width, and the number of branches (number of leaves). (3) Results: The results revealed significant reductions in the numbers of microplastics in the water of the cultivation boxes containing Iris pseudacorus and Lythrum anceps, irrespective of the microplastic particle size or plant type. These reductions were further confirmed by the adsorption of microplastics on the roots of both plant species. Moreover, the presence of microplastics had no significant negative effects on the plants’ growth. These findings suggest that Iris pseudacorus and Lythrum anceps are suitable plants for removing microplastics in aquatic environments. (4) Conclusions: To effectively reduce aquatic microplastics using plants, it is essential to establish a sustainable vegetation cover using perennial plants with well-developed roots and rapid reproductive capabilities. Follow-up research should consider not only the type of plant but also various aspects related to their tolerance to different environmental conditions.

Roses are one of the most highly produced and purchased ornamental plants worldwide. Procurement and preservation of pollen is essential for the production of diverse rose varieties. In this study, we analyzed pollen management conditions, such as the pollen collection stage, drying time, and storage temperature, to determine optimal conditions for rose pollen management. Pollens were stored under different conditions and the pollen vitality and germination rate were investigated through an optical microscope. The vitality of pollen was an essential factor for rose breeding and depended on the storage conditions. Collecting pollen in the seventh flowering stage resulted in a relatively higher pollen yield. Drying the flower for 5 h after the anther opened improved pollen germination. The germination rate of freshly collected pollen was similar to that of pollen stored at temperatures between −20 °C and −72 °C for up to 30 days, indicating the efficacy of pollen storage at sub-zero temperatures. Since the rate of fruiting increases when pollination is performed three times, considering the time and cost of breeding, it is appropriate to pollinate three times to increase the number of seeds. This study provides an efficient pollen management method to collect and store pollen for breeding.

Cut roses are grown throughout the four distinct seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter in Korea. Especially in the very hot or cold seasons of summer or winter, the temperature and light environments inside a greenhouse cause abiotic stress on the growth of horticultural crops. In a greenhouse where shade cultivation is performed in summer, the temperature is high and the light intensity is low, whereas in winter when shade cultivation is not performed, both temperature and light intensity are low. This experiment investigated the year-round growth and yield changes of cut roses grafted onto three rootstocks. The root activity of rootstocks was generally higher than that of the scion. The stomata of the grafted cut roses showed morphological changes according to the seasons. Compared with the scion, the stomata of grafted cut roses became smaller and their number increased in summer, whereas only the stomata size increased in winter. The grafted cut roses had characteristics of high photosynthetic efficiency such as photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate from rootstocks under harsh environmental conditions including temperature and light intensity, and thus the photosynthetic efficiency was higher than that of the scion. There was no significant change in the yield of grafted cut roses, but flower quality parameters such as the stem height, stem thickness, and weight of grafted cut roses were improved according to the rootstocks compared with those of the scion. In particular, in cut roses grafted with R. multiflora cv. Natal Briar and Rosa indica ‘Major’ rootstocks, the weight increased as the stem lengthened and thickened in spring, autumn, and winter. Therefore, grafting is effective in improving the quality of cut roses grown under abiotic stress caused by harsh temperature and light intensity conditions during winter.

(1) Background: Since microplastics in the aquatic environment are difficult to prevent and can cause adverse physiological and biochemical reactions to various organisms, we aimed to analyze the effectiveness of an eco-friendly removal method using aquatic plants with high ornamental value and excellent water purification ability. (2) Methods: Iris pseudacorus and Lythrum anceps were planted in tap water contaminated with microplastics to analyze the removal rate and root adsorption of microplastics. (3) Results: The amount of microplastics in the planting boxes of Iris pseudacorus and Lythrum anceps was significantly reduced, and the adsorption of microplastics on the roots was confirmed. (4) Conclusions: It was found that the removal of microplastics in water by aquatic plants is effective and that microplastic pollution does not significantly affect plant growth. However, the removal of microplastics by adsorption on plant roots may be affected by various environmental factors, so it is necessary to consider various limitations.