For sustainable sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berry production, the task at hand is to find an application for the large amount of biomass waste arising at harvesting. Sea buckthorn (SBT) vegetation is currently poorly studied. The purpose of this research was to assess the composition and potential of SBT twigs as a source of valuable biologically active substances. Water and 50% EtOH extracts of twigs of three Latvian SBT cultivars with a high berry yield and quality, popular for cultivation in many countries (H. rhamnoides ‘Maria Bruvele’, ‘Tatiana’, ‘Botanicheskaya Lubitelskaya’), were investigated for the first time. The phytochemical composition (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis) and biological activity of the obtained hydrophilic extracts were determined. The highest yield of polyphenolic compounds and serotonin was observed for ‘Maria Bruvele’. Hydrophilic extracts were investigated for radical scavenging activity (DPPH˙ test), antibacterial/antifungal activity against five pathogenic bacteria/yeast, cytotoxicity, and the enzymatic activity of alpha-amylase (via in vitro testing), which is extremely important for the treatment of people with underweight, wasting, and malabsorption. The results showed a high potential of sea buckthorn biomass as a source of valuable biologically active compounds for the creation of preparations for the food industry, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics.

Purpose: The manipulation of soil microbiota can involve changes in microbial diversity and microbial activities, and it is carried out for practical purposes. The microbial diversity can be modified by the inoculation of beneficial microorganisms into soil or by agricultural management practices. This study provides information on the influence of introducing beneficial soil microorganisms on soil indigenous microbiota. The aim of this study was to determine how biocontrol and plant growth promoting agents Trichoderma asperellum and Bacillus subtilis and their consortium affect indigenous soil microbiota without placing emphasis on the plant as a determinant of change. Methods: Experimental soil samples were treated with B. subtilis and T. asperellum and their consortium. The shift of number of bacterial and fungal CFUs in soil was determined. Biolog EcoPlate assay demonstrated the metabolic activity of microorganisms in soil. The concentration of Trichoderma genus, Firmicutes, Gammaproteobacteria and Acidobacteria DNA in soil samples was determined by molecular methods. A correlation analysis was performed between microbiological and molecular data. Results: Soil treatment with T. asperellum, B. subtilis and the plant pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea changed the number of CFUs and amplified DNA fragments of certain taxa. The study showed that added microorganisms did not significantly affect the metabolic diversity of the community and Shannon-Wiener biodiversity index but change the utilization of carbohydrates, complex carbon compounds and organic phosphorus compounds. Conclusion: Introduced biocontrol and plant growth promoting agents T. asperellum and B. subtilis survive in soil during a 60-day experiment and influence composition and functionality of indigenous populations. Whereas B. subtilis and T. asperellum and their consortium are inhibitors of the pathogenic fungus B. cinerea, this could further positively affect specific crops.

Aromatic and medicinal plants are a great source of useful bioactive compounds for use in cosmetics, drugs, and dietary supplements. This study investigated the potential of using supercritical fluid extracts obtained from Matricaria chamomilla white ray florets, a kind of industrial herbal byproduct, as a source of bioactive cosmetic ingredients. Response surface methodology to optimize the supercritical fluid extraction process by analyzing the impact of pressure and temperature on yield and the main bioactive compound groups were used. High-throughput 96-well plate spectrophotometric methods were used to analyze the extracts for total phenols, flavonoids, tannins, and sugars, as well as their antioxidant capacity. Gas chromatography and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to determine the phytochemical composition of the extracts. The extracts were also analyzed for antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, phototoxicity, and melanin content. Statistical analysis was performed to establish correlations between the extracts and develop models to predict the targeted phytochemical recovery and chemical and biological activities. The results show that the extracts contained a diverse range of phytochemical classes and had cytotoxic, proliferation-reducing, and antimicrobial activities, making them potentially useful in cosmetic formulations. This study provides valuable insights for further research on the uses and mechanisms of action of these extracts.

Fungi colonizing the surface and endosphere of two widespread Poaceae weed species, Avena fatua and Echinochloa crus-galli, were isolated to compare the taxonomic composition between the plant species, location, and year of the seed collection. The seed-degrading potential of Fusarium isolated from the seeds was tested by inoculating seeds of E. crus-galli with spore suspension. Molecular identification of epiphytic and endophytic fungal genera was performed by sequencing the ITS region of rDNA. Endophytes comprised of significantly lower fungal richness compared to epiphytes. A significant taxonomic overlap was observed between the endosphere and seed surface. The most abundant genera were Alternaria, Fusarium, Cladosporium, and Sarocladium. Analysis of similarities and hierarchical clustering showed that microbial communities were more dissimilar between the two plant species than between the years. Fusarium isolates with a high potential to infect and degrade E. crus-galli seeds in laboratory conditions belong to F. sporotrichioides and F. culmorum.

In this research, we have reported the valorization possibilities of Matricaria recutita white ray florets using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO₂. Experiments were conducted at temperatures of 35–55 °C and separation pressures of 5–9 MPa to evaluate their impact on the chemical composition and biological activity of the extracts. The total obtained extraction yields varied from 9.76 to 18.21 g 100 g⁻¹ DW input. The greatest extraction yield obtained was at 9 MPa separation pressure and 55 °C in the separation tank. In all obtained extracts, the contents of total phenols, flavonoids, tannins, and sugars were determined. The influence of the supercritical CO₂ extraction conditions on the extract antioxidant capacity was evaluated using the quenching activity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The chemical composition of the extracts was identified using both gas and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry methods, whereas analyses of major and minor elements as well as heavy metals by microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometer were provided. Moreover, extracts were compared with respect to their antimicrobial activity, as well as the cytotoxicity and phototoxicity of the extracts. The results revealed a considerable diversity in the phytochemical classes among all extracts investigated in the present study and showed that the Matricaria recutita white ray floret by-product possesses cytotoxic and proliferation-reducing activity in immortalized cell lines, as well as antimicrobial activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper presenting such comprehensive data on the chemical profile, antioxidant properties, and biological properties of SFE derived from Matricaria recutita white ray florets. For the first time, these effects have been studied in processing by-products, and the results generated in this study provide valuable preconditions for further studies in specific test systems to fully elucidate the mechanisms of action and potential applications, such as potential use in cosmetic formulations.

As excellent biocontrol agents and plant growth promoters, Trichoderma species are agriculturally important. Trichoderma spp. cultures can be produced using solid-state or submerged cultivation, the latter being much less labor intensive and easier to control and automate. The aim of the study was to investigate the ability to increase the shelf-life of T. asperellum cells by optimizing cultivation media and upscaling the submerged cultivation process. Four different cultivation media were used with or without the addition of Tween 80 and stored with or without incorporation into peat, and viability, expressed as CFU/g, was assessed during one year of storage in an industrial warehouse. The addition of Tween 80 had a positive effect on the biomass yield. The culture medium played a major role in the ability of the mycelium to produce spores, which in turn influenced the amount of CFU. This effect was less pronounced when the biomass was mixed with peat prior to storage. A procedure that increases the number of CFU in a peat-based product formulation is recommended, namely, incubation of the mixture at 30 °C for 10 days prior to storage at 15 °C over an extended period of time.