Lily (Lilium) is used as an important edible and medical plant species with a vague taxonomic classification and a long history in China. Bulbs of six Lilium species (L. regale, L. concolor, L. pumilum, L. leucanthum, L. davidii var. unicolor and L. lancifolium) native to China were investigated with a view to their exploitation as a potential source of natural antioxidants due to their phenolic composition and dietary antioxidant potential. The results showed that all bulb extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activities, which generally correlated positively with the total phenolic contents (r = 0.68 to 0.94), total flavonoid contents (r = 0.51 to 0.89) and total flavanol contents (r = 0.54 to 0.95). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that rutin and kaempferol were the major phenolic components in the extracts. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed that L. regale belonged to the group with high phenolic content and strong antioxidant power. L. concolor and L. pumilum were arranged in one group characterized by moderate phenolic content and antioxidant capacity, while L. leucanthum, L. davidii var. unicolor and L. lancifolium were clustered in the third group with low phenolic content and weak antioxidant activity. These strongly suggest that lily bulbs may serve as a potential source of natural antioxidant for food and pharmaceutical applications.

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Human stress recovery response to landscapes is under discussion in Chinese settings. The present study aimed to clarify the stress recovery effects of campus street trees on graduate students in autumn. A total of 150 participants (23.75 ± 1.01 years old) completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and were then randomly assigned to view one of five virtual environments, including the street trees Sophora japonica, Ginkgo biloba, Platanus acerifolia, Koelreuteria paniculata, and the indoor environment (control). Physiological responses were measured by R-R interval and electroencephalography (EEG). Psychological responses were examined through the state version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) and the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS). Results showed that R-R intervals significantly increased while viewing all street trees. Both alpha and beta brainwave activities while viewing S. japonica and G. biloba were remarkably higher than those while viewing P. acerifolia and K. paniculata. The STAI-S scores significantly decreased, and the positive PRS scores were registered after viewing street trees. We concluded that a brief virtual visual experience of campus street trees in autumn has stress recovery effects on graduate students, and the different levels of stress recovery are associated with different types of street trees.

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.) is a popular ornamental plant in China due to its showy and colorful flowers. However, yellow-colored flowers are rare in both wild species and domesticated cultivars. The molecular mechanisms underlying yellow pigmentation remain poorly understood. Here, petal tissues of two tree peony cultivars, “High Noon” (yellow flowers) and “Roufurong” (purple–red flowers), were sampled at five developmental stages (S1–S5) from early flower buds to full blooms. Five petal color indices (brightness, redness, yellowness, chroma, and hue angle) and the contents of ten different flavonoids were determined. Compared to “Roufurong,” which accumulated abundant anthocyanins at S3–S5, the yellow-colored “High Noon” displayed relatively higher contents of tetrahydroxychalcone (THC), flavones, and flavonols but no anthocyanin production. The contents of THC, flavones, and flavonols in “High Noon” peaked at S3 and dropped gradually as the flower bloomed, consistent with the color index patterns. Furthermore, RNA-seq analyses at S3 showed that structural genes such as PsC4Hs, PsDFRs, and PsUFGTs in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway were downregulated in “High Noon,” whereas most PsFLSs, PsF3Hs, and PsF3’Hs were upregulated. Five transcription factor (TF) genes related to flavonoid biosynthesis were also upregulated in “High Noon.” One of these TFs, PsMYB111, was overexpressed in tobacco, which led to increased flavonols but decreased anthocyanins. Dual-luciferase assays further confirmed that PsMYB111 upregulated PsFLS. These results improve our understanding of yellow pigmentation in tree peony and provide a guide for future molecular-assisted breeding experiments in tree peony with novel flower colors.