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In continuation of our work on Tagetes spp., the current study deals with the nematicidal activity of flavonoids, which are structurally related to two marker compounds, patuletin and patulitrin isolated from Tagetes patula flowers. The activity was determined against root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita to establish structure activity relationship. In vitro examination of flavonoids belonging to flavone and flavonol classes revealed significant differences in nematicidal ability depending on their structural motif, concentration, and time of exposure. In case of flavonols the most efficient compounds were found to be fisetin, galangin, isorhamnetin, morin, and myricetin which exhibited 100% mortality of 2nd stage juveniles after 24 h of incubation. Whereas, among flavones which showed the same excellent activity parameters, were simple flavone, 6-hydroxy flavone, chrysin, 6-methoxy apigenin, apigenin-7-O-glucoside and 6-methoxy luteolin. These results revealed that flavonoids possess promising nematicidal activity and may have potential use in crop management as active agents.

French marigold is an aromatic plant rich in polyphenolic secondary metabolites, which pesticidal potential was examined in this study. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) connected with OrbiTrap mass spectrometer (MS) identified 113 phenolics and revealed the most detailed phytochemistry of French marigold published so far. Depending on plant material (flowers or leaves) and solvents used for extraction (water, methanol, dichloromethane), the phenolic composition varied. Methanol extract of flowers, with 89 identified phenolics and high antioxidant activity statistically comparable with positive control Trolox, was chosen for testing of antifeedant potential against the 3rd and 4th instars of Colorado potato beetle (CPB). A significant reduction in final body mass of 4th larval stage fed with potato leaves coated with methanol extract of flowers in the concentration of 10 mg/mL was observed (157.67 mg vs. 182.26 mg of controls fed with non-treated leaves). This caused delayed molting since treated larvae reached the maximal mass a day after controls and this delay persisted during the entire larval development. Continuous feeding caused a 25% decline in digestive proteolytic activity of the 4th instar in comparison to controls. The results suggest that French marigold methanol extract of flowers could be proposed as a promising antifeedant for CPB management, with an impact on the reduction in the environmental footprint associated with synthetic pesticide application.

As áreas agrícolas vêm sendo constantemente contaminadas pelo excesso de aplicações de produtos agrícolas, entre eles o cobre (Cu), nas áreas vitivinícolas. Assim, buscando uma agricultura de baixo impacto ambiental, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desenvolvimento vegetativo de tagetes (Tagetes patula L.) em resposta ao excesso de Cu em diferentes pH no solo. O experimento ocorreu na casa de vegetação utilizando delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com fatorial 5x2 (doses adicionadas de Cu no solo: 0 (sem adição: testemunha), 250, 500, 750 e 1.000 mg kg-1 de Cu e correções de pH no solo: 5,5 e 6,0 de acordo com o laudo da análise do solo), com cinco repetições. Avaliaram-se parâmetros fitotécnicos conteúdos de nutrientes na massa seca, fatores fitorremediativos e taxa de extração de Cu na planta. Verificou-se que as plantas de tagetes apresentaram bom crescimento e desenvolvimento vegetativo em ambos os pH no solo, todavia, o incremento de Cu no solo afetou negativamente a altura de planta. Não houve indícios de fitotoxidez das plantas, assim concluiu-se que as plantas de tagetes são tolerantes em áreas contendo altas concentrações de Cu no solo, sem alterar suas características ornamentais. Agricultural areas have been constantly contaminated by excessive applications of agricultural products, including copper (Cu), in wine-growing areas. Thus, seeking for a low environmental impact agriculture, the objective of this work was to evaluate the vegetative development of marigold (Tagetes patula L.) in response to excess of Cu at different pH levels in the soil. The experiment took place in the greenhouse using a completely randomized design, with a 5x2 factorial (added doses of Cu in the soil: 0 (no addition: control), 250, 500, 750 and 1,000 mg kg-1 of Cu and pH corrections in the soil: 5.5 and 6.0 according to the soil analysis report), with five repetitions. Phytotechnical parameters, nutrient content in dry mass, phytoremediation factors and Cu extraction rate in the plant were evaluated. It was found that marigold plants showed good growth and vegetative development at both soil pH levels, however, the Cu concentration increase in the soil negatively affected plant height. There was no evidence of phytotoxicity in the plants, so it was concluded that marigold plants are tolerant in areas containing high concentrations of Cu in the soil, without altering their ornamental characteristics.

Tagetes (marigold) is native to America, and its cultivation currently extends to other countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Many species of this genus, such as T. minuta, T. erecta, T. patula, and T. tenuifolia, are cultivated as ornamental plants and studied for their medicinal properties on the basis of their use in folk medicine. Different parts of the Tagetes species are used as remedies to treat various health problems, including dental, stomach, intestinal, emotional, and nervous disorders, as well as muscular pain, across the world. Furthermore, these plants are studied in the field of agriculture for their fungicidal, bactericidal, and insecticidal activities. The phytochemical composition of the extracts of different Tagetes species parts are reported in this work. These compounds exhibit antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and enzyme inhibitory properties. Cultivation and the factors affecting the chemical composition of Tagetes species are also covered. In the current work, available literature on Tagetes species in traditional medicine, their application as a food preservative, and their antimicrobial activities are reviewed.

The western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae) and the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are key hemipteran pests of numerous crop plants throughout the western United States and Mexico. Management in the U.S. currently relies on only a few insecticides and is threatened by the evolution of resistance. New chemistries or alternative management strategies are needed to reduce selection pressure on current insecticides and enhance control. Here, we investigated the bio-insecticidal toxicity of the French marigold, Tagetes patula Linnaeus (Asterales: Asteraceae), against both L. hesperus and B. tabaci. Assays indicated significantly reduced survival of both pest species on T. patula plants, and in diet incorporation assays containing aqueous and methanolic marigold foliar extracts. Mortality was concentration-dependent, indicating the presence of one or more extractable toxicants. These data suggest that T. patula plants have insecticidal constituents that might be identified and developed as novel alternatives to conventional chemical treatments.

Abstract Plant–soil feedback and soil microbial legacies play crucial roles in replanting success of apple. This study investigated how different soil amendment strategies influence these factors in replant disease-affected soil. Two approaches were tested: (i) the preculture and amendment of catch crops—either a single species, Tagetes patula, or a diverse catch crop mixture (CCM), and (ii) the inoculation of plant-beneficial microbes—bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, or their combination (SynC). Apple rootstock M.26 was grown for seven weeks in a greenhouse, and plant growth, soil nutrients, root phytoalexins, and microbial communities in rhizosphere and root-affected soil were analyzed. Catch crop amendments but not microbial inoculations, significantly altered soil nutrients. Root length increased significantly under CCM, and in tendency in Tagetes and SynC. Phytoalexin contents were lowest in Tagetes and highest in CCM, both differing from the control in specific compounds. Microbiome analysis revealed that catch crops strongly modulated fungal communities in rhizosphere and root-affected soil, favoring potentially beneficial Linnemannia and Mortierella, while microbial inoculations predominantly modulated bacterial/archaeal rhizosphere communities. Our results suggest that catch crops and microbial inoculants induced distinct shifts in soil–plant–microbe interactions under replanting conditions. Catch crop amendments and microbial inoculants induce distinct alterations in the rhizosphere and soil microbiome of apple grown under replanting conditions, favoring potential plant beneficials, and alter biochemical plant responses.

Background and aims Intercropping non-host plants is usually a feasible practice to reduce root-knot nematodes (RKN) in agricultural soils. Here, the chemotaxis of non-host roots for Meloidogyne javanica , its development in the roots and the possibility to intercrop non-host plants with tomato or lettuce to control RKN were estimated. Methods Garlic ( Allium sativum ), Madagascar periwinkle ( Catharanthus roseus ) and yarrow ( Achillea millefolium ) were used as intercrops. Marigold ( Tagetes patula ) and tomato were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Root attractiveness was evaluated for RKN by growing seedlings or using extracted exudates of each plant root on Petri dishes. The effects of lettuce or tomato intercropped with non-host plants on M. javanica were investigated by growing two plants side by side in a pot and later estimating the RKN egg formation. Results There was high attraction of second-stage juvenile (J2) by tomato and marigold roots, whereas J2 penetration was higher in roots of tomato than Madagascar periwinkle and marigold. The most attractive exudates were secreted from tomato and marigold followed by lettuce and Madagascar periwinkle. Most J2 in Madagascar periwinkle and marigold roots did not develop to adults. The number of eggs was reduced by intercropping tomato or lettuce with any of the tested non-hosts. The shoot growth of both crops improved when intercropped with Madagascar periwinkle, yarrow, or garlic. Conclusion Madagascar periwinkle, yarrow and garlic are novel model system plants to be used in the management of M. javanica , reducing RKN population and improving tomato and lettuce growth when intercropped.

The liver is a crucial organ among body organs due to its wide functions, in particular, detoxification and metabolism. Exposure to detrimental chemicals or viral infections may provoke liver dysfunction and ultimately induce liver tissue damage. Finding natural substances for liver disease treatment to overcome the conventional treatments’ side effects has attracted the attention of researchers worldwide. Our current work was conducted to investigate the hepato-therapeutic activities of essential oil (EO) isolated from Tagetes patula flowers. EO was extracted using the hydro-distillation (HD) technique and its chemical composition was identified by GC/MS. Then, the hepatic treatment potential of extracted EO was evaluated in vivo against CCL4 in rats. HD of T. patula flowers yielded highly chemical constituents of EO along with significant antioxidant potential. A coherent molecular network was fashioned via the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) to visualize the essential components and revealed that the sesquiterpene (E)-β-caryophyllene was the most predominant volatile constituent which accounted for 24.1%. The treatment of CCL4 led to significant induced oxidative stress markers malonaldehyde, total protein, and non-protein sulfhydryl, as well as elevated serum aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin. In addition, it disrupted the level of lipid profile. The post-treatment using T. patula EO succeeded in relieving all toxic effects of CCl4 and recuperating the histopathological signs induced by CCL4. Silymarin was used as a standard hepatoprotective agent. The obtained results demonstrated that the extracted EO exerted high protective activities against the toxicity of CCL4. Moreover, the T. patula flowers EO can be used as a natural remedy to relieve many contemporary liver diseases related to oxidative stress.

The use of degradable chelating agents to facilitate phytoextraction is a promising low-cost method for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. However, there are few studies on how plants and soils respond to the chelating agents. In this study, the responses of French marigold ( Tagetes patula L.) and soil cadmium (Cd) to the chelator tetrasodium glutamate (GLDA) was investigated in a 180 d field trial. Five GLDA treatments (0, 292.5, 585, 1170, and 2340 kg hm −2 ) were carried out in a Cd-contaminated soil (0.47 mg kg −1 ) under French marigold plantation. The results showed that the application of GLDA promoted the transformation of other forms of Cd in soil to exchangeable state, and the exchangeable Cd and Fe–Mn oxide bound state increased by 42.13% and 32.97% ( p  < 0.05), respectively. The cell wall Cd accumulations significantly increased 9.39% ( p  < 0.05) and the percentages of soluble fractions increased by 460.33% ( p  < 0.05). Furthermore, increases occurred in soil pH, as well as DOC and DTPA-Cd contents with increasing the total amount of GLDA. The composite application of GLDA (2340 kg hm −2 ) with French marigold reduced the total soil Cd content by 7.59% compared with the soil background. Altogether, results of this study suggested that the application of GLDA can effectively activate soil Cd and enhance the capability of French marigold for the remediation of Cd-contaminated soils.

The co-contamination of farmland soils with heavy metals and antibiotics from the application of livestock and poultry manures poses great threats to human health. Phytoremediation might be a good solution to this problem. A pot culture experiment was conducted to evaluate the remediation capacity of two ornamental hyperaccumulators, namely, Mirabilis jalapa L. and Tagetes patula L., in alkaline soils co-contaminated with cadmium (Cd) and tetracycline antibiotics (TCs). The growth of M. jalapa and T. patula was significantly influenced by the co-contaminated soil. In treatments with TCs alone, the growth of T. patula was promoted ( p  < 0.05), while that of M. jalapa was inhibited. In the C2T3 treatment with TCs and Cd combined, the biomass of T. patula and M. jalapa decreased by 42.27% and 56.15% in roots and by 22.24% and 32.27% for in shoots, respectively, compared with those in the same treatment without TCs. The addition of TCs increased the accumulation of Cd in treatments with less than 15.0 mg/kg Cd. In M. jalapa , the concentration of Cd increased by 4.64% and 39.69% in roots and by 30.33% and 71.71% in shoots, and that in T. patula increased by 74.66% and 11.03% in roots and by 15.36% and 17.58% in shoots, respectively, in two treatments with TCs compared with those in the treatments with Cd alone. However, the accumulated Cd amounts decreased from 36.25 to 31.91 μg/pot and increased from 201.33 to 229.26 μg/pot in C2T2 for M. jalapa and T. patula , respectively, compared with those in the treatments without TCs. The TC removal efficiencies of all treatments were above 99%, and the residual amounts of TC and OTC were higher than that of CTC. M. jalapa and T. patula are promising hyperaccumulators that can be used for the remediation of alkaline soil co-contaminated with Cd and TCs.