Context: Plants of the genus Echinacea (Asteraceae) are among the most popular herbal supplements on the market today. Recent studies indicate there are potential new applications and emerging markets for this natural health product (NHP).Objective: This review aims to synthesize recent developments in Echinacea biotechnology and to identify promising applications for these advances in the industry.Methods: A comprehensive survey of peer-reviewed publications was carried out, focusing on Echinacea biotechnology and impacts on phytochemistry. This article primarily covers research findings since 2007 and builds on earlier reviews on the biotechnology of Echinacea.Results: Bioreactors, genetic engineering and controlled biotic or abiotic elicitation have the potential to significantly improve the yield, consistency and overall quality of Echinacea products. Using these technologies, a variety of new applications for Echinacea can be realized, such as the use of seed oil and antimicrobial and immune boosting feed additives for livestock.Conclusions: New applications can take advantage of the well-established popularity of Echinacea as a NHP. Echinacea presents a myriad of potential health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and antibiotic activities that have yet to be fully translated into new applications. The distinct chemistry and bioactivity of different Echinacea species and organs, moreover, can lead to interesting and diverse commercial opportunities.

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Seasonal variations in taxane concentrations in Taxus canadensis Marsh. (Canada yew) were measured at 15 sampling dates from September 2004 to September 2005 by clipping 3-year-old shoots from the same 15 plants. Four age classes of needles and stems were separated and individually weighed and analyzed for the three major taxanes in T. canadensis: 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB III), 9-dihydro-13-acetylbaccatin III (9-DHAB III), and paclitaxel (PAC). The dry weight fraction of each foliage age class decreased with increasing age; that is, proportionately more young than old foliage (current > current + 1 year > current + 2 year) was present in a 3-year-old stem. The ratio of needle:stem dry weight also decreased with increasing foliage age. Taxane concentrations varied widely, depending on the tissue, its age, and time of year. Peak concentrations were observed for a short period at the end of the growing season (August-September). The lowest taxane levels were found during the period of active growth: April through July. PAC and 9-DHAB III concentrations were higher in needles, but young stems contained the highest amounts of 10-DAB III. Levels of all three taxanes were higher in young than in old stems, likely due to increasing amounts of taxane-poor stem wood. Composite taxane concentrations were calculated for 3-year-old foliage from the component needle and stem weights and taxane analyses. It is suggested that summer harvesting between April and July (the low point in annual taxane levels) yields the poorest quality biomass, and harvesting from August onward is preferable.

A new technique is described for measuring oscillatory and diurnal changes in leaf thickness. Mature leaves of Populusdeltoides × nigra undergo diurnal or oscillatory changes in thickness of up to 20 μm in amplitude; thickness changes were measured to ±0.2 μm and appear to correlate with expected levels of leaf water stress.