Background and Objective: A supramolecular complex of glycyrrhizic and salicylic acids has been established as one of the potential plant growth promoters. In this study, the impact of the complex on the root growth of grapes, grown from the apical meristem was studied. Materials and Methods: The 1-2 mm conical meristems were isolated from the terminal and lateral buds and kept in special containers.The obtained tissues were cleaned from excessive parts and sterilized in special conditions. Further apical meristems were rooted in modified MS and WPM nutrient media. The effects of the complex on the number and length of roots of four grape varieties, widely grown in Uzbekistan, showed its potential as a root growth regulator. Results: The complex in 0.15 and 0.17 mg LG 1 doses together with benzyl amino purine in MS medium or with meta-topolin and naphthalene acetic acid in WPN culture media led to several-fold increases in root growth in all grape varieties in vitro. The effects of the complex at 0.15 mg LG 1 dose resulted in at least twice the longer root length of all selected grape varieties compared to the control of both culture media. A higher 0.17 mg LG 1 dose led to several-fold increases in root length. Besides, significant increases were observed in root numbers in explants, grown in a culture medium holding 0.17 mg LG 1 of the complex. Conclusion: These results could determine a new discipline in plant hormones utilized to grow plants from the apical meristem.

Background and Objective: Besides, increasing cost-efficiency of MS and WPM nutrient media for the regeneration of explants and rhizogenesis of microshoots was planned by introducing changes in the composition of phytohormones. Studying the effect of a supramolecular complex of glycyrrhizinic and salicylic acids on the rhizogenesis of microshoots was aimed in terms of economic benefits. The research was aimed at optimizing in vitro microclonal propagation of some pomegranate varieties (Punica granatum L.).Materials and Methods: August, Kazake-anar, Achikh-dona and Tuyatish varieties of local pomegranate were selected in the study.Various concentrations of sterilants were used for the surface sterilization of explants. Explants were grown in MS and WPM media containing various concentrations of cytokinin, auxin and gibberellic acid. The supramolecular complex was used for microshoot rhizogenesis. Moreover, optimal conditions for acclimatization in microplants were developed. Results: The addition of gibberellic acid into MS and WPM nutrition media did not result in significant differences in the microshoot length. But the addition speeded up the formation of buds. Only earlier development of buds in some varieties were observed. The supramolecular complex used in this work at 0.15 and 0.17 mg LG 1 led to several-fold improvement in root number and length. No significant changes were observed between MS and WPM culture media. Economically utilizing the supramolecular complex was about 45 times cheaper than the mixture of IBA and IAA that was added to MS and WPM nutrition media. Conclusion: An enhanced cost-efficiency of the technology that enables obtaining pomegranate microshoot during the whole year.

Plant-based edible vaccines that provide two-layered protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outweigh the currently used parenteral type of vaccines, predominantly causing a systemic immune response. Here we engineered and selected the transgenic tomato genotype (TOMOVAC), stably synthesising an antigenic S1 protein of SARS-COV-2. Two-course spaced force-feeding of mice with ≈5.4 µg/ml TOMAVAC increased up to 16-fold synthesis of RBD-specific NAbs in blood serums. TOMAVAC-induced NAbs had 15-25% viral neutralising activity in a surrogate virus neutralisation test. Results suggested early evidence of immunogenicity and protectivity of TOMAVAC against COVID-19 infection. Further, we observed a positive trend of statistically significant 1.2-fold (average of +42.28 BAU/ml) weekly increase in NAbs in the volunteers’ serum relative to the initial day. No severe side effects were observed, supporting the safety of TOMAVAC. TOMAVAC should be a cost-effective, ecologically friendly, and widely-applicable novel-generation COVID-19 vaccine, providing two-layered protection against SARS-CoV-2.