Centella asiatica L., commonly known as Gotu kola, Indian pennywort, and Asiatic pennyworts, is an herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the family Apiaceae and has long been used in the traditional medicine system. The plant is known to produce a wide range of active metabolites such as triterpenoids including asiatic acid, asiaticoside, brahmoside, and madecassic acid along with other constituents including centellose, centelloside, and madecassoside, etc., which show immense pharmacological activity. Due to its beneficial role in neuroprotection activity, the plant has been considered as a brain tonic. However, limited cultivation, poor seed viability with low germination rate, and overexploitation for decades have led to severe depletion and threatened its wild stocks. The present review aimed to provide up-to-date information on biotechnological tools applied to this endangered medicinal plant for its in vitro propagation, direct or indirect regeneration, synthetic seed production, strategies for secondary metabolite productions including different elicitors. In addition, a proposed mechanism for the biosynthesis of triterpenoids is also discussed.

Wheat is a vital agricultural crop whose phytopathogens include fungi of the genera Fusarium and Alternaria. Synthetic pesticides, which are used to combat them, have a negative impact on the environment. Therefore, there is a need for developing safe and effective biopesticides. We aimed to create a consortium of extremophilic microorganisms isolated from natural sources to protect wheat from the diseases caused by Alternaria and Fusarium fungi. Ten isolates of extremophilic microorganisms were tested for their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and their antagonistic activity against phytopathogens. Based on the results, we developed microbial consortia and evaluated their effectiveness in protecting wheat from phytopathogens. Five of the strains under study showed the highest activity, three of which were biocompatible, namely Leclercia sp., Sphingomonas paucimobilis, and Lactobacillus plantarum. Four consortia were created from these microorganisms, of which consortium B (with a 2:1:1 ratio of the strains, respectively) proved the most effective. In particular, it increased the area free from the phytopathogen by 4.2% compared to the average values of its individual microorganisms. Also, the consortium had a phytostimulating effect on wheat seedlings (germination of 73.2–99.6%) and protected the seeds infected with phytopathogens from morphometric changes. The resulting consortium can be used as a biopesticide since it is highly effective in protecting wheat from Alternaria and Fusarium pathogens.

Wheat (Triticum L.) is a strategically important agricultural crop because its quality and yield provide food security for the population. Biological fertilizers improve the growth and development of agricultural crops. Unlike chemical ones, they have no toxic effect on people and the environment. This research assessed the positive effect of extremophilic microorganisms isolated from coal dump soils of the Kemerovo Region (Russia) on the growth and development of wheat. The study featured bacterial isolates of Achromobacter denitrificans, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Rhizobium radiobacter, as well as their consortia in four different ratios: 1:1:1 (Consortium A), 2:1:1 (Consortium B), 1:2:1 (Consortium C), 1:1:2 (Consortium D), respectively. The beneficial effect was assessed by determining such factors as nitrogen fixation, solubilization of phosphates, potassium, and zinc, and production of gibberellic acid, siderophores, and hydrogen cyanide. The wheat samples were checked for germination, root length, and stem length. R. radiobacter demonstrated the best nitrogen fixation properties. Consortium D, with two shares of R. radiobacter, yielded the best results for zinc solubilization. R. radiobacter proved to be the most efficient potassium solubilizer while the isolate of A. denitrificans was the best phosphate solubilizer. The largest amount of gibberellic acid belonged to K. oxytoca. Consortium C, which included two shares of this isolate, appeared to be the most effective siderophore producer. All samples but A. denitrificans were able to produce hydrogen cyanide. The best seed germination rate (84%) belonged to Consortium C, which contained a double share of K. oxytoca. Consortia C and B (two shares of A. denitrificans) had the greatest positive effect on the root length. Treatment with Consortium B resulted in the longest average stem length. Extremophilic microorganisms isolated from coal dump soils of the Kemerovo Region (Russia) had a good potential as biofertilizers that could improve wheat quality and local food security.

Numerous adverse factors may violate the human immune system and trigger various diseases. Immune-response modulating agents, or immunomodulators, help the immune system to function properly. Biologically active substances extracted from medicinal plants are especially promising in this respect. The article reviews traditional and novel methods for extracting biologically active immune-response modulating agents from plant raw materials. The review covered articles published in English and Russian in 2019–2023 and indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and eLIBRARY. Extraction efficiency depends on such factors as solvent, temperature, and particle size, but the method is the most important one. Traditional extraction methods include percolation, maceration, Soxhlet extraction, heat reflux extraction, and decoction. However, they are solvent-consuming and expensive. Modern extraction methods rely on carbon dioxide, microwave treatment, ultrasonic processing, and pressure. They proved quite efficient in extracting biologically active substances from ginseng (Panax ginseng). Carbon dioxide, or supercritical, extraction was able to isolate polyphenol quercetin from quince fruit (Cydonia oblonga) and other biologically active substances from alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Maceration with methanol was applied to meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) while Soxhlet extraction proved especially effective with smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria), moorland spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata), and greater butterfly-orchid (Platanthera chlorantha). Both traditional and novel extraction methods find their application in medicine and food science, where they yield plant extracts of biologically active immune-response modulating agents.

The anatomical and morphological parameters of needles of Picea obovata Ledeb. under the influence of emissions from the industrial zone of the city of Kemerovo are studied. The following changes of a negative character are revealed: a decrease in length, area, and surface of the needles and the thickness of the cuticle and hypodermis; an increase in asymmetry of the central vascular bundle; and a decrease in the number of resin ducts. The following changes of an adaptive nature are detected: an increase in the thickness of the epidermis and endoderm and an increase in the area of resin ducts and the central cylinder. Significant correlations between the complex index of air pollution with anatomical and morphological characteristics of needles are revealed. This confirms the fact that emissions of the Kemerovo industrial zone significantly impact the anatomical structure of needles of Picea obovata Ledeb.

Introduction. Canning requires thermophysical calculations for thermal or cold processing. These calculations are based on thermophysical characteristics of raw materials. The research objective was to analyze the thermophysical characteristics of tropical fruits. Study objects and methods. The study featured kiwi, papaya, avocado, and figs. Their thermal conductivity was analyzed with the help of stationary fiber plate method. The cryoscopic temperature was determined from the flat area of the thermogram obtained during freezing. The heat capacity and the amount of frozen moisture were determined by calculation based on the available data on the chemical composition of the fruits. The density was defined by using the hydrostatic weighing method, the sugar content – by the refractometric method, the moisture content – by drying to constant mass. Results and discussion. The research revealed the physicochemical parameters of kiwi, avocado, papaya, and figs. Papaya demonstrated the highest moisture content – 86.32 ± 0.02%, while kiwi appeared to have the highest density – 1,065 ± 1 kg/m3. Figs had the highest sugar content – 16.0 ± 0.1%. The thermal conductivity coefficient of fresh and frozen tropical fruits was determined experimentally and increased after freezing. Frozen avocado showed only a slight increase in thermal conductivity coefficient because of its low moisture content while frozen figs demonstrated a significant increase in the thermal conductivity coefficient – by 3.3 times. This product possessed the highest thermal conductivity: 0.63 ± 0.02 W/(m·K) for the fresh samples and 2.06 ± 0.02 W/(m·K) for the frozen samples. The thermal conductivity coefficient of kiwi and papaya increased by 2 and 4.2 times, respectively. The experiment also examined the effect of protective plastic wrap and ripeness on the thermal conductivity coefficient. The film proved to have a negative effect on the reliability of thermophysical analysis. The cryoscopic temperature was determined empirically. Such thermophysical properties as heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and frozen moisture were based on the available chemical composition. Conclusion. The research revealed the physicochemical parameters of kiwi, avocado, papaya, and figs. It included a set of experiments on the thermal conductivity coefficient of fresh and frozen tropical fruits. The obtained values can be used to develop the optimal parameters of thermal processing, refrigeration, and thermal treatment of new products. They can also be useful for fortifying dairy and bakery products with exotic fruits.