Global Impact Journal: Botany Studies

Microbial Biostimulants as Powerful Catalysts for Next-Generation Integrated Pest Management in Botanical Gardens

Ayaz Ahmad — 2026-09-05

Botanical gardens are highly heterogeneous plant systems characterized by high taxonomic diversity, with numerous plant taxa represented within confined areas, and complex ecological interactions that create unique challenges for pest management. Conventional IPM strategies, designed for simplified agroecosystems, often fail to address complex pest pressures in curated environments. Microbial biostimulants have emerged as promising components of sustainable IPM strategies by enhancing plant defense responses, improving stress resilience, and reducing reliance on chemical inputs. This review synthesizes current knowledge on microbial biostimulants, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and endophytic microorganisms, in modulating plant defense against insect herbivores. These beneficial microbes enhance plant resistance through multiple mechanisms. They activate induced systemic resistance and modulate key phytohormones, including jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and ethylene. Additionally, they regulate calcium-dependent and reactive oxygen species-mediated defenses. Microbially induced changes in plant secondary metabolites and volatile organic compounds further influence herbivore behavior and trophic interactions. Emphasis is placed on integrating microbial biostimulants into IPM frameworks tailored to botanical gardens. This highlights compatibility with biological control agents and reduced reliance on synthetic pesticides. Despite promising advances, challenges remain, including context-dependent efficacy, host specificity and limited long-term validation. Overall, microbial biostimulants offer a promising tool for enhancing IPM in biodiversity-rich botanical gardens, although further long-term validation is needed to fully assess their sustainability and effectiveness.

Does Size Matter? Population and Patch Size Effects on Fitness Components in Pinguicula gracilis

Hugo David Gallardo-Sánchez — 2026-09-05

Butterworts (Pinguicula spp.) are carnivorous plants often restricted to small, isolated populations in mountainous microclimates, making them vulnerable to inbreeding and demographic decline. In Mexico, the global hotspot for Pinguicula diversity (>50 species, 90% endemic), conservation is limited by scarce data on population biology, demography, and vulnerability. This study provides the first population size estimate for the endemic P. gracilis and evaluates how patch and population size influence biological fitness components across three localities in northeastern Mexico. Using a multi-component fitness framework and statistical models, we found that smaller populations and patches exhibit significantly reduced reproductive fitness, particularly in fruit set and seed quality. Patch size showed strong positive correlations with fruit production (r = 0.45–0.53), while isolation negatively affected seed output (r = −0.48). These results highlight the role of landscape structure in shaping fitness components, with patch size influencing reproductive effort and connectivity determining reproductive success. Our findings provide the first germplasm and population baseline for P. gracilis and a framework to identify vulnerable populations, prioritize conservation actions, and guide restoration strategies.

Bridging Experimentation and Practice in Propagation and Ex Situ Conservation: Studies in Threatened Moss Drepanocladus sendtneri (Amblystegiaceae)

Bojana Z. Jadranin — 2026-05-20

The rare and threatened pleurocarpous semi-aquatic moss Drepanocladus sendtneri (Amblystegiaceae) was the focus of an integrative conservation approach aimed at improving knowledge of its biological and ecological characteristics and enhancing its survival prospects. The results provide insights into both the axenic and xenic propagation of this species, as well as its biomass production under ex situ conditions. The KNOP medium proved to be the most suitable for propagation, particularly when demeristemized shoot tips were cultured in an upright orientation. Exogenous application of IBA increased the production of new shoots and reduced the time required to obtain substantial biomass under axenic conditions. Following successful acclimatisation to controlled xenic laboratory conditions, the moss was able to fully develop and spread in experimental basins maintained under outdoor botanical garden conditions, with humidity carefully regulated during dry periods. Within one year, a small number of initial plantlets expanded to cover approximately 4 dm², spreading efficiently over rainwater-soaked filter paper covered with an inert plastic mesh. These results provide practical guidance for the production and ex situ maintenance of D. sendtneri, thereby supporting the development and improvement of conservation action plans for this rare and threatened moss species.

Tradition Beyond the Hotspot: Biocultural Conservation and Medicinal Plant Diversity in the Ilha Grande National Park, Brazil

Silvia Beatriz Bürger Tinelli — 2026-09-05

The Ilha Grande National Park region (Brazil) holds one of the most diverse traditional knowledge repositories among Atlantic Forest conservation areas. This study describes the current composition of the medicinal plant knowledge, its taxonomic breadth, and its relevance for conservation. In 2026, this inventory documented 47 species from 33 botanical families cited across a sample of 4 remaining traditional healers. About 27.7% of these specimens are wild/native to nature and 72.3% are cultivated, reflecting both historic management and the residents’ long tradition in household plant acclimatization. The collection includes 25 species of herbs and 11 species of trees, as well as 9 shrubs and 2 climbers. Quantitative analysis at the category level revealed that gastrointestinal disorders had the highest consensus index (ICF = 0.375) after interviews, taxonomic revision, data grouping, and standardizing nomenclature based on the British National Formulary. The results reveal a severe risk of information erosion and a limited representation of younger generations among practitioners, underscoring the need for targeted safeguarding. Strengthening national partnerships, developing cooperative cultivation networks, and improving scientific validation records are proposed as key strategies to enhance the biocultural preservation value of this traditional heritage. Overall, the Ilha Grande healer knowledge serves as an important scientific, educational, and pharmacological resource and plays a central role in advancing the preservation of Brazil’s medicinal plant diversity.

Examining the Service Perceptions of Visitors at National Botanical Gardens in South Africa

Michael Kuseni — 2026-09-02

In today’s tourism industry, service quality is essential for differentiation and achieving sustainable competitive advantage. While much research on service quality exists for the private sector, a notable gap remains regarding service dynamics in non-profit public recreational spaces in emerging economies. This study fills that gap by examining service quality (SQ) at National Botanical Gardens (NBGs) in South Africa, focusing on visitor perceptions of SQ importance and performance. Using an adapted Importance–Performance Analysis (IPA) framework, the research explores how visitor expectations compare with actual experiences. A quantitative approach was adopted, with structured questionnaires given to a convenience sample of visitors at key gardens like Pretoria and Walter Sisulu NBGs. Data analysis centred on correlation coefficients to assess the relationship between perceived importance and actual performance. The findings reveal a generally strong, statistically significant positive correlation; however, some attributes show a ‘weak correlation,’ indicating critical service gaps often overlooked by traditional management models. These insights demonstrate that, in natural attraction settings, visitor-perceived importance primarily drives satisfaction with performance. In addition to offering the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) a strategic plan to boost visitor retention, this study advances the academic discussion by challenging existing SQ models within non-profit recreational sectors. It lays a vital empirical groundwork for future research on public-sector service excellence in the Global South.