Search Results (4)

The United States Department of Agriculture—Invasive Plant Research Laboratory started limited production of a biological control mite, Floracarus perrepae, in 2008 for release against the invasive fern Lygodium microphyllum. Mass-rearing and release of the biological control agent was initiated in 2014 as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan to address the challenge of low establishment rates observed from 2008 to 2010. In late 2021, we critically analyzed our rearing protocols, focusing on aging galls and increasing plant vigor. These adjustments resulted in an exponential increase in colony productivity. We implemented bi-weekly monitoring of mite numbers within galls and identified the gall age class with the highest mite density. Based on this information, we developed a systematic method involving weekly plant readiness criteria and a predefined sequence of stages to select plants for release, ensuring that galls are correctly aged to maximize mite numbers. These changes have resulted in substantial improvements in gall abundance (165.3%), F. perrepae density per gall (86.0%), and estimated F. perrepae per plant (453.2%). The increase in F. perrepae released throughout the landscape improved the rates of establishment, abundance, and impact of the agent throughout the invaded range of L. microphyllum in Florida. Full article

Natural products serve as a valuable source of antioxidants with potential health benefits for various conditions. Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R. Br., also known as Old World climbing fern, is an invasive climbing fern native to Southeast Asia, Africa, South America, Australia, and Melanesia. It has been reported to possess interesting pharmacological properties including hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. This study analyzed the potential bioactive metabolites that contribute to the antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of L. microphyllum (LM) by profiling the crude extract using high-resolution LC-MS/MS and GC-MS systems. Several classes of compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, macrolides, vitamins, lipids, and other hydrocarbons were found in the crude extract of LM through non-targeted analysis. A total of 74 compounds were detected in LC-MS/MS, whereas a total of nine compounds were identified in GC-MS. Out of the 74 compounds detected in LC-MS/MS, 34 compounds, primarily quercetin, kaempferol, trifolin, pyroglutamic acid, arachidonic acid, and rutin were reported with antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activities. The presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds with reported bioactivities in the crude extract of LM evidence its pharmacological properties. Full article

Hepatotoxicity is a major global public health concern. Despite advances in modern medicine, the demerits of chemically prepared drugs outweigh their merits. In addition, the treatment of liver diseases based on modern medical principles has been found to produce several undesired side effects. Therefore, the exploration of medicinal plants has gained worldwide attention for treating various diseases, including liver diseases, owing to their potential efficacy and cost effectiveness. Several plants, including Andrographis paniculata, Bauhinia purpurea, Commelina nudiflora, Dillenia suffruticosa, Elaeis guineensis, Lygodium microphyllum, and Nephrolepis biserrata, have been reported with hepatoprotection. Moreover, these plants have been shown to play a vital role in ameliorating cellular damage because they contain several phytochemicals, including alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, steroids, polyphenols, and diterpenoid lactones. The following antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and hepatoprotective compounds have been found in these plants: andrographolide, rosmarinic acid, phenol, eugenol, 9,12-octadecadienoic, n-hexadecanoic acid, dihydroxy dimethoxy flavone, sitosterol, demethoxycurcumin, quercetin, linoleic acid, stigmasterol, kojic acid, indole-2-one, α-terpinol, linalool, kaempferol, catechin, ellagic acid, and oleanolic acid. This paper aimed to provide an in-depth review of in vivo studies on Malaysian medicinal plants possessing hepatoprotective properties, phytochemical ingredients, and antioxidant mechanisms, with an emphasis on the species proven particularly useful for treating hepatic disorders. Full article

Lygodium microphyllum (Lygodiaceae) is an invasive climbing fern in peninsular Florida. Two classical biological control agents are currently being released against L. microphyllum: a leaf galling mite, Floracarus perrepae (Acariformes: Eriophyidae), and a moth, Neomusotima conspurcatalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Little is known about how the two species interact in the field; thus we conducted oviposition choice tests to determine the effects of F. perrepae presence on oviposition behavior in N. conspurcatalis. Further, we conducted feeding trials with N. conspurcatalis larvae to establish the effects of gall presence on larval survival and rate of development, and determine whether N. conspurcatalis larvae would directly consume F. perrepae galls. Neomusotima conspurcatalis laid significantly more eggs on mite galled (52.66 ± 6.211) versus ungalled (34.40 ± 5.587) L. microphyllum foliage. Feeding trials revealed higher mortality in N. conspurcatalis larvae raised on galled (60%) versus ungalled (36%) L. microphyllum material. In gall feeding trials, N. conspurcatalis larvae consumed or damaged 13.52% of galls, and the rate of direct gall feeding increased over time as leaf resources were depleted. Our results suggest that, where N. conspurcatalis and F. perrepae co-occur, competitive interactions could be more frequent than previously anticipated; however, we do not expect these antagonistic interactions to affect the establishment of either agent. Full article