Detailed phylogenetic relationships and molecular dating are still quite rare for the complex and diverse genus Salix L. Here we focus on the taxonomic status and phylogeny of twenty-six Salix taxa natu­rally found in Turkey using the chloroplast DNA regions (trn T-F, matK, and rbcL) to unravel the relationship among them. The status of Salix species was also checked in the phylogenetic tree constructed with the data from Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region of nuclear gene, including 158 accessions from the GenBank and 126 newly generated sequences of 26 Salix taxa (24 species) naturally found in Turkey. The phyloge­netic analysis of the sequence data from both the chloroplast (cpDNA) and nuclear (nrDNA) DNA regions enabled a reliable classification of the genus at the subgeneric level (Salix and Vetrix) with high posterior probability/ bootstrap values as 1/100. The study provides important information on the Salix phylogenetic placements and diverging times of S. pentandroides, S.apoda, S. armenorossica, S. pseudomedemii, S. pedicellata subsp. pedicellata, S. pseudodepressa, S. amplexicaulis, two subspecies of S.triandra, and two endemic species of Turkey (S. purpurea subsp. leucodermis and S. rizeensis) for the first time. Taxonomically, S. amplexicaulis and S. rizeensis previously classified under the subgenus Vetrix were clustered phylogenetically under the subgenus Salix. Subgenera Salix species appears to be diverged from the subg. Vetrix in Eocene (ca. 45.1 Mya) while the estimated divergence times of subg. Salix and subg. Vetrix dated back to 23.1 and 21.65 Mya, respective­ly. However, divergence times among species within Salix and Vetrix subgenera of Turkey seem to be around the Pliocene period. Molecular phylogenetic relationship between Salix species native to Turkey and Salix species from the world were mainly associated with taxonomic hierarchy, rather than geographic proximity.

The general purpose of the molecular systematic studies is to illuminate the ITS2 structure of the target populations, to determine its phylogenetic boundaries, and to clarify intra-species and inter-species relationships. Particularly, the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA is used in molecular systematics because of availability of conserved regions with its highly repeated in number in plant genomes. Addition to the primary sequences of ITS2, also secondary structure form of the region became a valuable feature in species divergence and became to use like a morphological character. In the current study to indicate the secondary structure form of the ITS2 region as a useful tool in systematics, different taxa from 22 genera were used. The DNA samples were collected in the field studies in 2021 and sequences were aligned using ClustalW and Kimura-2 parameter to calculate the genetic distances. Phylogenetic tree was also constructed with Maximum Likelihood method with the best suitable model at MEGA X software. The secondary structure predictions of species and ΔG (Gibbs) free energy calculations, the tools of both the ITS2 database and mFOLD web server were used. The results indicated that ITS2 secondary structure estimations represented the genetic differences visibly with its helices and motifs like a morphological character. Consequently, even if primary structure of the ITS2 region revealed as valuable marker in molecular systematic studies, also, all tested secondary structure forms of the region will be used as an ideal marker for taxonomic and phylogenetic reconstructions at all taxonomic levels.

Aim:The severe acute respiratory syndrome novel corona virus-2 (SARS-nCoV-2) which is an enveloped RNA virus was defined as the cause of Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms can also be observed in COVID-19 patients. This study was performed to evaluate the association between GI symptoms and laboratory results.Methods: This retrospective study was carried out in the

Salix L. species are economically excellent candidates for sustainable bioenergy production. Especially, shrubs of Salix L. are used in agroforestry for their characteristics of quick growth, wide distribution and resistance to disease and stress. The shrubs of subgenera Salix and Vetrix under Salix L. commonly found in riparian or wetland habitats of Turkey have great potential as bioenergy crops with high biomass yield. This review study will provide information to determine the potential of willows species native to Turkey for bioenergy and to contribute to energy production by using the biomass of fast-growing shrub willows as renewable energy resources. Firstly, botanical description, habitat, growth, traditional breeding efforts and genetic composition were summarized concerning about the bioenergy potential of willows from results of existing studies. Secondly, the titles, establishing willow plantations, biomass reducing the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change and development of willow as bioenergy crop in worldwide and Turkey were reviewed. Lastly, the future of bioenergy potential estimation of willows was proposed to provide some instructions for bioenergy development in Turkey.

Building on centuries of research based on herbarium specimens gathered through time and around the world, much research on the analysis of collections data in the herbarium is being done. In this study, it was analyzed the herbarium sheets from the family Salicaceae. According to the herbarium records examined, Salicaceae family is represented by two genera in Turkish herbariums. A collection of 917 herbarium records for the genus Salix and 242 for the genus Populus was considered from the six biggest herbaria of Türkiye as ANK, ISTO, HUB, AEF, ISTE and GAZI. The number of taxa in herbaria collections, distribution, and the number of taxa according to family, distribution of taxa by collection date and locations, and comparison of Turkish data with well-known herbaria from the world were evaluated in the current study. Python programming language was applied for the data cleaning and visualization using pie charts, plots, bar graphs and map plots. ISTO holds most of the genus Salix with 287 records, followed by AEF with 221 records and HUB with 148 records. Total genus Salix collections of herbaria include 53 taxa. The oldest Salix herbarium sheet dates back to the mid-1800s (GAZI), whereas most herbarium sheets were collected from 2000-2001 (AEF). Most records for both genera Salix/Populus, were collected from Ankara province. It is followed by Bolu and Kars districts, respectively. Furthermore, the locations from which the Salicaceae members have been collected are presented with the help of a Turkish province map.