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This study aimed to isolate and evaluate the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) that is typically used in Kimchi, a Korean fermented product. Lactococcus lactis VLC.1 and VLC.2, and Lactococcus garvieae VLC.3 were identified and further assessed for their probiotic properties. These strains exhibited biological activity such as antioxidant capabilities, antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria, hydrophobicity, and co-aggregation. These findings suggest their potential as probiotics to alleviate oxidative stress and maintain gastrointestinal flora balance. Significantly, the cell-free supernatants derived from LAB isolates exhibited synergistic antimicrobial activity with effectiveness against Escherichia coli, providing novel strategies to address antibiotic resistance challenges. The LAB isolates showed no antibiotic resistance and lacked hemolytic activity, underscoring their safety and efficacy as probiotics. In summary, our findings contribute valuable insights into the biological and safety properties of LAB strains isolated from Chinese cabbage, highlighting their functional benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, ultrasound-assisted dispersive magnetic solid phase extraction using toner powder (inexpensive and accessible magnetic sorbent) combined with flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry has been developed for the analysis of cobalt (II) in water and food samples. The influence of parameters (amount of toner powder, sample pH, the concentration of the complexing agent, eluent type and volume, and adsorption time) were studied as a function of the extraction recovery. The proposed method, which has been analytically characterized under its optimum operating conditions, allows the detection of cobalt (II) in the samples with method detection limits of 0.7 μg L−1. The method repeatability, expressed as the relative standard deviation (n = 10, Co2+= 50.0 μg L−1), was 3.1%, while the preconcentration factor was 50. Cobalt(II) was determined in water samples (tap water, river water, mineral water, seawater) and food samples (cabbage and cucumber) with good recoveries (96.0–104.0%) using the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetable cultivation under sewage irrigation is a common practice mostly in developing countries due to a lack of freshwater. Long-term usage provokes heavy metals accumulation in soil and ultimately hinders the growth and physiology of crop plants and deteriorates the quality of food. A study was performed to investigate the role of brassinosteroid (BRs) and silicon (Si) on lettuce, spinach, and cabbage under lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) contaminated sewage water. The experiment comprises three treatments (control, BRs, and Si) applied under a completely randomized design (CRD) in a growth chamber. BRs and Si application resulted in the highest increase of growth, physiology, and antioxidant enzyme activities when applied under canal water followed by distilled water and sewage water. However, BRs and Si increased the above-determined attributes under the sewage water by reducing the Pb and Cd uptake as compared to the control. It's concluded that sewerage water adversely affected the growth and development of vegetables by increasing Pb and Cd, and foliar spray of Si and BRs could have great potential to mitigate the adverse effects of heavy metals and improve the growth. The long-term alleviating effect of BRs and Si will be evaluated in the field conditions at different ecological zones. Numerous studies evaluated the effect of Brassinosteroid (BRs) and Silicon (Si) to mitigate heavy metal stress in vegetables through soil application. However, research on the foliar application of both BRs and Si to improve vegetable growth under heavy metal stress is very limited. Moreover, most researchers used only a single source of irrigation water but in our study, three different water sources including distilled water (CW), canal water (CW), and sewage water (SW) were used to evaluate their impact on growth, physiology, and antioxidant activities of leafy vegetables. In this way, this study could be the first in terms of specific vegetable crops (lettuce, spinach, and cabbage) and evaluated for their growth and development performance and antioxidant activities under three different types of irrigation sources with foliar application of BRs and Si. Brassinosteroid and Silicon improved the growth of leafy vegetables. Sewage water hindered the growth and physiological parameters of lettuce, spinach, and cabbage. Brassinosteroid and Silicon mitigated the heavy metal-induced stress in leafy vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate heavy metals concentrations in soils and vegetables (cabbage, lettuce, and cassava) cultivated at Matola and Beluluane Industrial Parks, and to assess health risks linked to their consumption through estimated daily intake, hazard index (HI), and incremental lifetime cancer risk. Concentrations of Al, As, Co, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined in the two sites. Soil concentrations of As at Beluluane site and As, Cd, and Cr at Matola site exceeded reference limits of the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization, showing heavy metal contamination. At Beluluane site, all studied vegetables presented As and Pb levels higher than reference limits, Cd concentrations were higher than the reference limit in cabbage, lettuce, and cassava leaves. At Matola site crops concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, and Pb exceeded the reference limits. Zinc exceeded the reference limit in all crops except in cabbage. HIs for vegetables from Beluluane exceeded 1.0 in cabbage (2.66), lettuce (2.27), and cassava leaves (2.37). Likewise, at Matola, HIs exceeded 1.0 in lettuce (1.67), cassava leaves (1.65), and root tubers (13). We found that vegetables cultivated in industrial parks present high carcinogenic risk due to heavy metal contamination, rendering them unsuitable for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PRRs (pseudo-response regulators) genes play crucial roles in plant growth and development, stress response and other life activities. However, this gene family in cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L) has yet to be comprehensively studied. To fully understand the status of PRR in cabbage, ten BoPRR genes were extracted from the whole genome of cabbage through bioinformatics analysis, and their gene structure, protein conservative motifs, cis acting elements and collinearity relationships were identified and analysed. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to explore the expression patterns of BoPRR genes in cabbage leaves under various abiotic stresses. Based on phylogenetic analysis, the ten BoPRR genes were divided into three branches, located on four chromosomes. In addition, many photoresponsive elements exist in the promoter region, and specific response elements with low temperature, drought and abscisic acid (ABA). In terms of gene expression patterns, all ten BoPRR genes were found to be expressed in cabbage leaves and showed response to abiotic stress. This study represents the first comprehensive examination of the PRR family in cabbage, providing a theoretical basis for further research on abiotic stress and offering a new gene resource for breeding stress-resistant varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study a Box-Behnken (BBD) design was applied to optimize biosorption of copper, cadmium, and lead using cabbage waste. The effects of operating parameters including initial pH, biosorbent dosage, contact time, and heavy metal concentration were determined by BBD. The maximum biosorption removal efficiency was achieved at pH 4, 300 min operation time, 1.5 g/250 mL biosorbent dosage, and an initial heavy metal concentration of 25 mg/L. The maximum removal efficiencies were 77.23% for Cu, 93.10% for Pb, and 67.19% for Cd at optimal conditions. The cabbage waste was found to be an effective, sustainable, locally available, and environmentally friendly biosorbent for removing heavy metals from aqueous solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major pestiferous insects during both crop seasons included aphids and diamond back moth; while, flea beetles and painted bug attained pest status during 2015-16; besides, tobacco caterpillar was noticed during 2016-17. Maximum reduction in aphid population (45.81 and 54.07%, respectively, at 1 and 3 DAS) was recorded for A. indica oil followed by Spinosad 45%SC; same schedule had maximum reduction of flea beetle population 1-DAS (50.03%); while, 3 and 7 days after spray Spinosad 45%SC followed by Spinosad 45%SC gave significantly higher reduction (75.21 and 64.62%, respectively). Maximum reduction of painted bug population (68.37% at 3DAS) was due to A. incida oil followed by Sl-NPV. Treatment schedule of Spinosad 45%SC followed by Spinosad 45%SC was most effective against DBM during both crop seasons with significantly lowest pooled larval population per plant being 0.82 and 1.0, 3 and 7 days after first spray; likewise, 1.62, 0.92, and 0.90, 1, 3 and 7 days after second spray. Similarly, against tobacco caterpillar, treatment schedule Spinosad 45%SC followed by Spinosad 45%SC was most effective at 3 DAS (0.71 larvae/plant); while, schedules A. indica oil followed by Spinosad 45%SC and A. indica oil followed by Sl-NPV were equally effective 7 DAS during crop season 2016-17 (0.90 larvae/plant). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable food systems require mechanisms that assure consumers about the sustainability of agricultural production. Building on the existing literature on the impact of sustainability standards, this study is the first to assess the effectiveness of participatory guarantee systems (PGS) for the certification of organic produce. The study uses representative farm-level data on local vegetable value chains in northern Vietnam and uses a broad set of sustainability outcomes as well as counterfactual analysis, including systematic robustness checks. The results show that PGS significantly improves farm profitability (+117%), agroecology performance (+40%), and gives farmers more choice of sales channels (+23%). However, PGS had no significant effect on returns to labour and reduced the average crop yield. Capacity development on nursery practices, transplanting of healthy seedlings rather than direct seeding, reduced tillage, and collective crop planning and management are some of the innovations that can counter adverse effects on crop yields, increase soil health as well as improve returns to labour, and thus attract more youth to farming. Overall, the study shows that organic PGS can make vegetable production more economically viable and more agroecologically sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the synthesis of semiconductor selenium nanoparticles/micro-rods (Se-NP/MRs) using the bio-fabrication approach and studies its photocatalytic activity under natural sunlight irradiation. Cabbage leaf extract was used as a reducing agent to fabricate Se-NP/MRs. X-ray diffraction patterns shown the crystalline structure with a crystallite size of 28.17 nm, conferring to planes of hexagonal structure. A characteristic sharp resonance peak in Raman spectra at 235 cm−1 endorsed to the Se – Se bond of crystalline Se-NP/MRs. The prominent peak in the FTIR spectra at 621 cm−1 supported the formation of Se-NP/MRs. Scanning electron micrograph revealed a nearly spherical shape with irregular layers in the 35‒95 nm size range. In contrast, the dimension of the micro-rods was observed to be ~ 10 µm in length and 2.5 µm in diameter. The bandgap energy of Se-NP/MRs was analysed to be 2.14 eV using the Tauc plot. The exciting photocatalytic performance of the bio-fabricated Se-NP/MRs revealed that the methylene blue degradation was ~ 86% in 40 min and ~ 97% in 140 min. Kinetic analysis shows that the pseudo-second-order correlation coefficient is well fitted compared to the pseudo-first-order. Therefore, this work opens the door to further exploration of nano-materials/composites with mixed nanoparticles/micro-rods morphology for sustainable applications in the removal of various textile and industrial contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrate poisoning due to the consumption of cabbages was diagnosed in a small goat flock, in Qena city, Egypt. The methylene blue 1% antidote (1 mg/kg BW) was given intravenously to the poisoned goats. Nitrate poisoning was confirmed in blood plasma, saliva, urine, and cabbage dry matter samples. The dark brown blood and methemoglobin fraction were 47.25 ± 0.58%. Green cabbage containing 7.1% nitrate on dried materials was fed to the goats. The nitrate concentration in the saliva was (59.50 ± 4.67), compared to the healthy goats reared in the same area and tested positive in the plasma and urine of intoxicated goats. Intoxication induced a significant decline in the Red Blood Cells count, hemoglobin concentration, and HCT % (P < 0.001), while the WBC count (P < 0.001), neutrophils (P < 0.001), and monocyte percentage were elevated (P < 0.002) in intoxicated goats, while the lymphocyte % (P < 0.01) significantly decreased when compared to the control. For the oxidative stress in the red blood cells, nitrate toxicity caused a significant elevation in the concentration of Malondialdehyde, (P < 0.001) while Superoxide Dismutase, Glutathione, and Glutathione S-Transferase levels were significantly reduced (P < 0.001) compared to the control. In this current report, the ingestion of goat to cabbage containing a high level of nitrate exhibited nitrate-nitrite intoxication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead is a hazardous naturally found heavy metal that has been reported to induce haematological alterations. Whether cabbage, a commonly consumed vegetable rich in antioxidants and anticancer compounds, can mitigate these alterations remains unknown. This study investigated the protective effect of cabbage juice against Lead-induced haematological changes. Twenty (20) male Wistar rats were randomly selected into four groups (n = 5) and given distilled water (1 ml/100 g b.wt), Lead acetate (25 mg/kg b.wt), Cabbage juice (1 ml/100 g b.wt), and Lead acetate with Cabbage juice. All treatments were given orally for 28 days. Lead exposure induces normocytic normochromic anemia with substantial leukocytosis, lymphocytopenia, and hyperfibrinogenemia. Lead-intoxicated animals had significantly higher haemolysis and prolonged clotting times. However, cabbage juice reverses these adverse haematological and haemorheological changes induced by Lead acetate. Conclusively, cabbage juice demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, and immunomodulatory properties, as well as the ability to protect the red blood cell membrane from damage caused by Lead-induced osmotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red and white cabbages (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba and rubra, respectively) are two of the most commercially valued vegetables in crucifers, well-recognized for their unique sensory and nutritive attributes in addition to a myriad of health-promoting benefits. The current review addressed the differential qualitative/quantitative phytochemical make-ups for the first time for better utilization as nutraceuticals and to identify potential uses based on the chemical makeup of both cultivars (cvs.). In addition, extraction methods are compared highlighting their advantages and/or limitations with regards to improving yield and stability of cabbage bioactives, especially glucosinolates. Besides, the review recapitulated detailed action mechanism and safety of cabbage bioactives, as well as processing technologies to further improve their effects are posed as future perspectives. White and red cabbage cvs. revealed different GLSs profile which affected by food processing, including enzymatic hydrolysis, thermal breakdown, and leaching. In addition, the red cultivar provides high quality pigment for industrial applications. Moreover, non-conventional modern extraction techniques showed promising techniques for the recovery of their bioactive constituents compared to solvent extraction. All these findings pose white and red cabbages as potential candidates for inclusion in nutraceuticals and/or to be commercialized as functional foods prepared in different culinary forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In phytostabilization, heavy metal-tolerant plants (e.g.,grasses) can be used to reduce the mobility of heavy metals in soils. The most important step in phytostabilization is the selection of the suitable plant species, in which growth and development can be supported by soil amendments. Sewage sludge compost could be a suitable additive, which provides nutrients for the plant species used for phytostabilization and contributes to an alternative solution for sewage sludge utilization. The aim of the study was to examine the potential of sewage sludge compost in phytostabilization for heavy metal contaminated matrices: identify the optimal ratio of sewage sludge compost to decrease phytotoxicity of the matrices, and assessment of feasible plant species for phytostabilization based on its bioaccumulation properties. In this research, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), broad-leaved sorrel sorrel (Rumex acetosa), lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) were used for phytotoxicity experiments as well as for testing sewage sludge compost amended phytostabilization of polluted flotation sludge and mine tailings. Sewage sludge compost increased the pH and electric conductivity of the matrices. High salt content and low acidity, altogether with heavy metals caused harmful physiological effects on plant species grown without any compost addition. In the root development test, as in the germination test, the application of 5% sewage sludge compost proved to be optimal. The lower translocation factors of broad-leaved sorrel and perennial ryegrass showed a higher rate of heavy metal accumulation in the roots. Perennial ryegrass, cabbage, and lettuce plant species reached their maximum biomass by adding 5% of sewage sludge compost. Based on the bioaccumulation, translocation and biomass properties, application of perennial ryegrass is recommended for phytostabilization of heavy metal contaminated sites. Furthermore, composted sewage sludge also had a significant effect on the reduction of heavy metal uptake by cabbage and lettuce, which highlights their role as indicator plants in ecotoxicological measurements. The effects of sewage sludge compost added to the heavy metals contaminated flotation sludge and mine tailings (pH = 4.8) were examined. The applicability of broad-leaved sorrel and perennial ryegrass that can be found under natural conditions in the study area was assessed as a function of sewage sludge compost ratio for phytostabilization purposes. Moreover, ecotoxicological tests had been performed with cabbage and lettuce on sewage sludge compost + flotation sludge and mine tailings mixtures. Based on the results, it was proved that the phytostabilization is feasible with the investigated plant species by adding 5% of sewage sludge compost to the flotation sludge and mine tailings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European Mediterranean countries have been affected by unhealthy pollutants released by wildfire smoke. This work aims to determine the inorganic elements, present in the vegetable widely consumed by the rural population, provided by burned areas. Two groups composed the sampling plan; group one before forest fires and group two after forest fires under three campaigns: 1) immediately after forest fires; 2) after rainfall; 3) during springtime. ICP-MS analysed all the samples to evaluate the contents of As, Br, Cd, Co, Cr, Pb, Se, Sr, and Zn. The amounts of trace elements founded were the following Pb < Cd < Co < As < Cr < Se < Zn < Br < Sr. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis evidenced 4 clusters; the first with the highest contents of Cr and Pb, the second cluster was marked by the highest amounts of As, and Br, higher values of Se characterised the third cluster, and the fourth cluster presented the highest values of Zn and Cd. The contents of contaminants in group one is not a matter of concern. The results obtained in group two identified a hazard, decreasing one year after the fires and maintaining these patterns afterwards. Occurrence data from local foods is a pioneer to study the impact of forest fires on human health through food consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Japanese agriculture, labor shortages are becoming increasingly severe due to the lack of farmers and aging. Therefore, extensive research has been conducted on the automation of cabbage harvesting. In automatic cabbage harvesting, cabbage detection is performed using deep learning. In the evening hours, if the backlight enters the camera, cabbage detection is not possible. Moreover, cabbages in the back row that are not to be harvested are detected and targeted for harvest. To solve these problems, we have proposed new recognition methods in this paper. We performed cabbage detection using the lower half of the cabbage and performed cabbage selection using an RGB-D camera. Moreover, sliding-mode control was incorporated to enable automatic harvesting in the soft soil. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of these proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively monitor crops, it is necessary to select extremely redundant satellite images and to know the number of acquisitions required for a specific period to analyse cropping patterns, thereby reducing analysis time. In this paper, we have examined an empirical analysis for the optimum dataset (OptD) selection required to monitor the crops. Sentinel-1 dual-polarized SAR datasets were used in this study to illustrate the effectiveness of optimum datasets required for the considered crops (ginger, tobacco, rice, cabbage, and pumpkin). In this work, at first, the entropy and alpha bands were treated as cluster centres for crop decomposition and its scattering mechanism using the cluster-based K-means unsupervised classification technique. The clusters are plotted on the H-α plane to get the H-α plot of dual-polarization SAR data for target decomposition. To understand the dominance of scattering type with crop growth stage, the obtained scattering distribution from the H-alpha plot is scaled to a percentage analysis. Based on qualitative observations of the percent scattering distribution of crop pixels over a h-alpha plot and backscattering coefficient behaviour at different crop growth stages, an empirical approach has been used to select dataset reduction. It has been suggested that the combination of successive repeated data with similar scattering analysis of combined h-alpha plots and backscattering analysis is the best reduced dataset selection for effective crop monitoring. From the analysis, the optimum dataset required for monitoring Ginger (from the flourishing stage), Tobacco, Paddy, Cabbage, and Pumpkin has been identified, and found that the tobacco crop requires fewer datasets, whereas the rice crop requires a greater number of datasets for monitoring. Despite the challenges associated with, p-bias for the crops was achieved at good levels, given that, lowering the datasets to obtain the optimal number without significantly reducing the accuracy of the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic pesticides have made an impact on aphid control but limitations due to the development of resistance and negative impact on humans and the environment, focus has shifted to alternative strategies. We explored the effectiveness of indigenous plant extracts of Artemisia absinthium and Prunus armeniaca against B. brassicae and H. pruni while preserving its natural enemies. Four replicates of the extracts were studied under laboratory conditions. Ethanolic extract of Artemisia absinthium (EEAA) shows 75.64% and 60.25% mortality while ethanolic extract of Prunus apricot kernel (EEPAK) shows 66.66% and 48.71% mortality of H. pruni and B. brassicae respectively (p < 0.01). Similarly, aqueous extracts of Artemisia absinthium (AEAA) and Prunus apricot kernel (AEPAK) also seem to be useful with 62.5% and 58.78% mortality in H. pruni, respectively. Of the different ethanolic extracts, 5% of AA was found most effective against aphids with a population reduction of 75.64% while 1% of aqueous extract of the PAK showed the least (7.69%) aphid mortality. Due to their availability, affordability, and eco-friendly, small-scale farmers can use them as a replacement for chemical pesticides. Thus, we suggest the use of Prunus apricot kernel (PAK) and Artemisia absinthium (AA) for the management of aphids in and around Ladakh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foliar nutrient application could be used to improve plant nutrition status and be the fastest way to compensate for nutrient and soil fertility deficiency. Productivity and quality of red cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata L. f. rubra) are affected by contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) which regulate enzymatic activity and enzymes mobilize carbon transformation into glucose. Use of red cabbage genotypes able to utilize nutrients efficiently is important in management of plant nutritional status. Five genotypes of red cabbage were chosen. The foliar spray rates, 0, 1, or 2 ml·L−1, of FoliartalⓇ were applied. The cv. Rio Grande treated with 2 ml∙L−1 FoliartalⓇ presented the most chlorophyll content (SPAD index = 68.73), highest leaf dry matter (17.82%), highest total soluble solids (9.55%), longest, widest and heaviest heads (35.83, 38.73 cm and 1.71 kg) respectively, most yield (71.45 t·ha−1) and highest head content of anthocyanin (611.52 mg/100 g). The cv. Mini plants given a 2 ml·L−1 FoliartalⓇ had the highest nitrate content in the head (57.12 mg·kg−1). The cv. Bordeaux treated with 2 mL∙L−1 FoliartalⓇ had the highest nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in heads (1.72, 0.59 and 4.56%), respectively. Foliar application of FoliartalⓇ, regardless of cultivar, improved vegetative growth, productivity and quality traits of red cabbage under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a book review of "Too Much Cabbage and Jesus Christ: Australia's 'Mission Girl' Annie Lock" by Catherine Bishop. The book is a historical biography that focuses on the Methodist missionary Annie Lock and her work with Aboriginal communities in Australia from the 1900s to the 1930s. The review highlights the benefits and damage of cultural exchange and explores the prejudices and complacency of Lock and other missionaries towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples. It also discusses the construction of boundaries between cultures and the role of missionary work in the settler state's racist agenda. The review praises the book for its contribution to understanding the power of disconnection and the need to listen to different voices and truths. [Extracted from the article]

Certified organic farmers who grow mixed vegetables often rely on composted manure as their primary nutrient source to build soil organic matter and long-term fertility, but this can result in excessive phosphorus inputs relative to processed organic fertilizers. We established a two-year experiment to compare two certified organic fertilizers − 13-0-0 (derived from hydrolyzed feather meal, meat meal, and blood meal) and 10-2-8 (same components as 13-0-0 in addition to bone meal and sulfate of potash) – and composted chicken manure added to provide 112 kg plant-available N ha−1 in organic cabbage production of Northern Florida. Crown diameter was highest with processed fertilizers in both years, whereas SPAD readings were highest with 13-0-0 in 2020. In both years, sap nitrate measured during the growing season was generally higher with processed fertilizers relative to the composted manure treatment. Marketable yield was highest with processed fertilizers for both years and nutrient concentrations at harvest were similar among treatments, except for nitrogen concentrations that were highest with 10-2-8 in 2021. Nutrient export generally followed differences in yields and was comparable for processed fertilizers and composted manure. Using composted manure resulted in large nutrient surpluses, as opposed to smaller surpluses for 10-2-8 and deficits of phosphorus and potassium for 13-0-0. Our results confirm that poultry manure composted directly onsite can result in comparable organic cabbage yields relative to processed fertilizers, although this resulted in important phosphorus surpluses when applied to meet crop N demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The researchers' aims are to determine the effect of cold cabbage leaf application on breast engorgement and pain during the postpartum period through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Between June and September 2021, researchers systematically searched Turkish and English databases using a combination of keywords. We calculated individual and general effect sizes of the studies to evaluate effect sizes. We obtained 25,996 results with the databases search and we included a total of eight studies for analysis. According to the pooled results, we determined that cold cabbage leaf application caused a significant reduction in breast pain, though no significant reduction was seen in breast engorgement. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we found that cold cabbage leaf application was effective in reducing breast pain, but that more experimental studies are needed to determine its effect on breast engorgement. Breast engorgement is a common physiological problem for lactating mothers. Researchers state that the results of the eight studies included in the analysis suggested that cold cabbage leaf application was effective in reducing breast pain. More studies are needed to evaluate the effect of cold cabbage application on reducing breast engorgement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Q-type C2H2 zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) play a role in plant stress response. Overexpression of individual ZFPs enhances tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought or salt. Overexpression of ZFP, Zat18 enhances tolerance to drought, whereas plants with lower amounts are less resilient. The effect of Zat18 loss on gene expression has not been characterized. Overexpression of an ortholog of Zat18 in potato, StZFP2 enhances tolerance to infestation by Manduca sexta. This work focuses on two Zat18 mutant lines, a knockout and knockdown. The two lines differ in response to infestation. Typically, a chewing insect induces the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway. While infestation induces JA pathway genes, Zat18 mutant lines downregulate abscisic acid signaling and induce ethylene signaling genes ERF1 and EBF2 as well as salicylic acid response gene NPR3. Knockdown Zat18, cause far more changes in the infestation response compared with Col-0 or the Zat18 knockout line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soviet wine successes were thus limited by a key factor that had undermined tsarist efforts to transform Russia into a wine powerhouse: weak domestic demand for fine wines. In the late tsarist period, this led to the establishment of a wine industry that sought to transform popular taste and put Russia on the map as an upstart wine powerhouse. While Bittner foregrounds the continuities that linked the late tsarist and Soviet wine industries, Smith characterises the post-1917 era as one of profound change. Just as the tsarist and Soviet wine industries tended, in Bittner's terms, to be "imitative", so did the aspirations of related spheres from food packing to fine dining. [Extracted from the article]

Plutella xylostella (L.) is one of the main pests in Brassicaceae crops, although, information regarding its biology on alternative hosts is scarce, crucial for its mass rearing. We studied the development, biology, and population parameters of P. xylostella, fed with different Brassicaceae. In laboratory conditions, P. xylostella was reared from larva 1 to adult. Larvae were fed with B. napus (rapeseed), Brassica carinata (Ethiopian rape), Brassica oleracea var. capitata (cabbage), Rapistrum rugosum (turnipweed) and Raphanus raphanistrum (radish). The development time of immature stages was longer in B. oleracea var. capitata (19.19 ± 0.43d) and shorter in R. raphanistrum (15.44 ± 0.37d). In R. rugosum, the highest survival of individuals that reached adult stage was achieved. The highest value of oviposited eggs was recorded in R. rugosum (300.82 ± 24), and highest hatching percentage in R. raphanistrum (79.7%). The highest values of net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase and finite rate of growth, were obtained with R. rugosum. P. xylostella complete their whole cycle in any of the five hosts, being R. rugosum most suitable host for an efficient mass rearing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microwave-assisted quick-easy-cheap-effective-rugged-safe method based on deep eutectic solvent was combined with lighter than water organic solvent-based-dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the extraction and preconcentration of some benzoylurea insecticides from cabbage samples. In this procedure, a portion of the crushed cabbage leaves are mixed with N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride:ethylene glycol deep eutectic solvent and exposure to microwave radiations. Then, the mixture is centrifuged and the supernatant phase is removed and mixed with toluene. It is dispersed into the deionised water filled into a closed head (wide section) glass pipette. The obtained emulsion is broken using acetonitrile as a demulsifier. Under optimum conditions, the introduced method indicated high enrichment factors (260–425), low limits of detection (0.66–1.3 ng g−1) and quantification (2.2–4.4 ng g−1), good linearity (r2 ≥ 0.9987) and satisfactory repeatability (relative standard deviation ≤7.1 at a concentration of 15 ng g−1 of each analyte). Finally, the proposed method was utilised in the analysis of the analytes in cabbage leaves and hexaflumuron was determined in several samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of textile dyes from wastewater by using plant peroxidases (PODs) offers environmentally effective solutions. Therefore, researching the availability and applicability of PODs from different sources becomes important area for the sustainable process design. In this article, PODs were produced in vitro from white and red cabbage callus cultures for evaluating their potential usage to decolourization of the Reactive Blue 19 (RB-19) and Acid Blue 25 (AB-25) textile dyes for the first time. The PODs with high activity were purified 133-fold with a specific activity of 45,083 U mg−1 and 134-fold with a specific activity of 26,785 U mg−1 from produced white and red cabbage calluses by single-step affinity chromatography. The molecular weights of purified red cabbage callus peroxidase (r-POD) and white cabbage callus peroxidase (w-POD) were found to be as 43 and 44 kDa, respectively. In the assays to determine the r-POD and w-POD dye decolourization potential, noteworthy degradation levels were recorded for RB-19 (>85) and AB-25 (>88) dyes in the reactions catalysed by w-POD. Also, r-POD exhibited maximum decolourization efficiency of % 68 for RB-19 and %73 for AB-25 dyes under the conditions at 50 °C, pH 5.5 and in the presence of 4 mM H2O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study involved analysis and method validation of spirotetramat applied to two phenotypically different Korean vegetables (e.g. Korean cabbage and shallots) to determine the safe pre-harvest residue limit (PHRL) and comparative dissipation patterns. Two steps of the investigation involved greenhouse monitoring during crop cultivation followed by LC-MS/MS analysis. Commercial spirotetramat was sprayed twice with seven-day intervals according to the spray schedule (0, 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days before harvest) at the dose recommended by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), Korea. During the validation of the analytical method, good linearity, specificity, and acceptable recoveries (82%–114% for Korean cabbage and 82%–111% for shallot) were established for spirotetramat and its four metabolites. The calculated biological half-life derived from the first-order reaction (t1/2) of spirotetramat was 4.8 days for Korean cabbage and 4.0 days for shallot, respectively. The safe PHRL for Korean cabbage was suggested at 7 days, due to permissible spirotetramat concentration in terms of an acceptable MRL. The findings of the study will be used as the analytical reference point for developing spirotetramat safety guidelines for use in the vegetables investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver and kidney has been implicated in Lead toxicity and this has been linked to oxidative damage. On the other hand, cabbage is one of the widely consumed vegetables with a plethora of health benefits. This present study investigated the protective effect of cabbage juice on lead-induced toxicity in male Wistar rats. Twenty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 5) and were treated with distilled water (1 ml/100 g b.wt), Lead acetate (25 mg/kg b.wt), cabbage juice (1 ml/100 g b.wt) and Lead acetate plus cabbage juice respectively. All treatments were administered orally for 28 days. Following euthanasia, blood was collected and serum decanted for biochemical assay and liver and kidney tissues were harvested, prepared for antioxidant activity and histological study. Cabbage juice significantly attenuated Lead-induced liver and kidney dysfunction by lowering serum concentrations of urea, creatinine, ALP, AST and ALT. Antioxidants (SOD, CAT, GSH) were also upregulated in liver and kidney tissues. Cabbage juice restored the histoarchitectural changes caused by lead intoxication. Cabbage juice consumption protected the liver and kidney against lead-induced toxicity by enhancing in vivo anti-oxidant defense system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sauerkraut is a traditional fermented vegetable product that has numerous health endorsing properties. It is produced by spontaneous fermentation of cabbage that mainly involves heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria. The amount of salt introduces influences the physiochemical, microbial load, and also sensory consistency of sauerkraut. Sauerkraut has a high nutritional and phytochemical profile as well as has some epidemiological attributes. Sauerkraut is rich in vitamins and phenolic compounds, which protect against oxidative stress by serving as powerful free radical scavengers. The sauerkraut is being considered one of the best functional foods across the world due to its therapeutic potential. The current review provides an overview of production technology, nutritional, phytochemical, and different therapeutics (chemo preventive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory) aspects of sauerkraut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WRKY proteins are a class of transcription factors involved in plant growth and development, biotic and abiotic stress, and other biological processes. In order to systematically study the structure and function of WRKY proteins in cabbage, we used the whole genome sequence of cabbage in the Brassica database (BRAD) and bioinformatics methods. A total of 150 WRKY genes were identified in cabbage, named BolWRKY1-BolWRKY150. These genes were unevenly distributed on 9 chromosomes. In this study, the WRKY proteins were classified into three classes: I, II and III. Cis-acting elements analysis showed that the BolWRKY gene was involved in multiple hormone and stress responses. The protein interaction network analysis suggested that BolWRKY19/100/105 genes might play similar functions in the same stress response. Based on transcriptome data analysis, we found that different BolWRKY genes showed tissue-specific expression. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that several BolWRKY genes were strongly induced by drought stress and ABA (abscisic acid) treatment, indicating members of BolWRKY gene family were closely related to the stress responses such as drought. Our study lays a foundation for further understanding the regulatory mechanism and function of the WRKY gene in response to abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to noncalcareous soils, data on the soil-to-plant transfer of heavy metals and their response to sewage sludge (SS) in calcareous soils with diverse properties are limited. Cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) transfer from soil to cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) under greenhouse conditions in 30 diverse soils amended with two types of sewage sludge (non-spiked and spiked with heavy metals) were investigated. Three transfer factors were calculated for heavy metals in three treated soils including control soils (CS), soils treated with non-spiked SS (NSS), and soils treated with spiked SS (PSS). The bio-concentration factor of heavy metals from soil to root (BCFRoots) in cabbage in three treatments was as follows: CS: Pb > Cu > Co > Zn > Ni; NSS: Pb > Co > Cu ≥ Zn > Ni; and PSS: Pb > Cd > Zn > Co > Cu > Ni. The same order was found for the bio-concentration factor of heavy metals from soil to shoots (BCFShoots) in PSS, and in CS and NSS treatments except that the position of Co, Cu, and Zn was changed. Based on the heavy metals translocation from plant roots to shoots, Cd, Cu, and Zn were the heavy metals that posed the highest risk due to the higher shoot content in all treatments, whereas Ni and Pb posed relatively lesser risk. Generally, the percentage of sand and silt in BCFRoots and BCFShoots was quite effective for Co, Ni, and Zn and it seems that soil texture is an important variable in heavy metals bioavailability. In conclusion, our findings highlight the significance of using SS to increase cabbage growth in soils contaminated with heavy metals. Furthermore, cabbage may be a good choice for phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated calcareous soils in terms of soil remediation. Novelty statement In recent years, sewage sludge production has increased as well as related waste disposal strategies because of the increasing population and growing demand for agricultural products. Sewage sludge utilization as a low-cost fertilizer has spread in some parts of Iran and the world. On the other hand, unnecessary and unproductive use of sewage sludge results in the accumulation of heavy metals in soils, adding them to food and the potential risk to human health. Currently, work on the transfer of heavy metals from soil to plant after soil treated with sewage sludge has focused on the bioavailability of heavy metals using specific extractants. The assessment of the transfer of heavy metals from soil to different parts of plants using sewage sludge has been less studied. In this study, the transfer of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) from several soils (30 soils samples) having diverse physical and chemical properties to the tissues of the cabbage plant in control soils, and two types of sewage sludge (nonspiked and spiked with heavy metals) were investigated. The novelty of this study is that the measured bio-concentration factor of heavy metals from soil to root and from soil to shoot and translocation of heavy metals from plant roots to shoots and correlations between these parameters and soil properties are reported for the first time in diverse calcareous soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports a surveillance of multi-pesticide residues of fruits and vegetables sold in the local markets carried out in 2018–2019 in Botswana to access consumer safety. A validated method for analysis of 232 pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables was applied, based on QuEChERS-GC-MS/MS methodology. A total of 83 fruit and vegetable sold in different markets were bought from three different areas of the southern region. Levels of pesticides ranged between 0.0032 ± 0.0009 mg/kg and 70.4 ± 19.4 mg/kg. A total of 78% of the samples contained pesticide residues, whereas only 13% of the samples violated the EU/Codex MRLs. In particular, rape vegetable samples exceeded legislative limits most, followed by cabbage, green pepper and tomato. The most frequently detected compounds were chlopyrifos, chlorfenapyr, tebuconazole, methamidophos and cypermethrin. These results will serve as a foundation for future studies, involving continuous monitoring programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decades of research have revealed notable similarities between the immune systems of the plant and animal kingdoms. Liquiritin has long been used to stimulate the body immunity in animals against an array of diseases. Considering the homology of some induced immune responses between animals and plants, we examined the effects of exogenously applied liquiritin to stimulate defense responses in Chinese flowering cabbage plants against cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) infection under greenhouse and field conditions. Foliar application of liquiritin (200 ppm) effectively suppressed the development of CMV symptoms by not less than 40% compared with the control in cabbage plants in both greenhouse and field trials along with the significant increases in the marketable yield and nutritional quality of cabbage. Liquiritin application enhanced the production of phenolic compounds and different defense-related enzymes in treated plants. Moreover, quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that liquiritin significantly up-regulated the expression of different defense-related genes upon pathogen inoculation, indicating an induction of the salicylic acid-mediated defense system. Collectively, the findings of this study indicate that liquiritin can effectively control CMV in cabbage plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic co-digestion of residual cabbage and cauliflower mixed at a ratio 1:1 (w/w) was investigated in two continuously stirred tank reactors under mesophilic conditions to ensure stability and enhanced methane generation. The experiments, including start-up, inoculum acclimatisation and treatment of the waste mixture, were carried out over a 65-day period. The characterisation results showed that the residual mixture contained a high proportion of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (around 37 g N/kg dry weight). The maximum value of methanogenic yield potential was found to be 250 LSTP/kg VS (volatile solid) added, at STP conditions (0°C, 1 atm), by loading organic substrate at a concentration of 1 g VS/L, while its biodegradability was 60%. However, instability of the biomethanisation process was observed after 17 days, which might be a consequence of the high concentration of nitrogen in the reactors. The evaluation of the kinetics of the valorisation process revealed that the waste mixture studied can easily be biodegraded through anaerobic co-digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food contamination by heavy metals is a health burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we illustrate this burden by quantifying levels of Cd, Cr, Ni, Co, Pb, Fe, Cu and Zn in vegetables from Bushenyi District (Uganda). Results show that cabbage, scarlet eggplant, tomato and amaranth sold in Bushenyi, Ishaka, Kashenyi, Kizinda and Nyakabirizi open markets contain high levels of Zn and Fe. The uptake of metals overall appeared to be species-specific. Amaranth, for example, had more metals than scarlet eggplant, which in turn had more metals than tomato or cabbage. Within a species, cabbage from Ishaka and Kashenyi presented a combinatorial set of characteristics quite distinct from cabbage from other areas. Such differences arose perhaps from differential capacities to uptake/retain metals from soil or atmospheric particulates. More studies are needed to pinpoint sources of vegetable contamination in Bushenyi. Perhaps then remedial measures can be proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bacterial cells dwelling within the biofilm usually develop resistance against common disinfectants. In this current study, to improve the effectiveness of photocatalytic treatment, a natural sensitizer in combination with unsupported titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) was used to optimize the absorbance of NPs in the visible region and, to enhance the catalytic activity of the semiconductor. Different kinetic parameters were determined according to the first-order and the biphasic models to evaluate the ability of tested bacteria to form biofilm under different photocatalytic treatment conditions. As a result, the addition of red cabbage anthocyanins (RCA) as photosensitizer allows the enhancement of biocide activity of TiO2-NPs and the reduction of biofilm formation by tested bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study by the Irish Food Board, Bord Bia, in 2008 outlined some lost and forgotten food traditions in Ireland based on the evidence from a pre-selected expert group. This paper explores the inclusion of traditional Irish foods within seventy-nine Irish cookbooks, published between 1980 to 2015. Extant academic and grey literature on food traditions and cookbooks, together with the content of the cookbooks, identified a gradual decline in the presence of certain traditional Irish foods, to the point where they could be deemed lost or forgotten. The study, however, also finds a re-emergence in the most recent period. A notable omission in both the corpus of cookbooks, highlighting their aspirational function, and the Bord Bia report, was bacon and cabbage, a traditional dish closely associated with Ireland. This paper outlines the importance of documenting food traditions in order to pass on this knowledge to future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of Trichoderma fungi in plant production is an interesting biotechnological tool to increase productivity. The research evaluated the potential of two non-commercial strains of Trichoderma asperelloides and T. virens for increasing cabbage yield under field conditions. Growth and productivity parameters were determined at 95 and 150 days after seedling transplantation. The inoculation of the T. asperelloides and T. virens isolates in the soil provided 36.65% and 47.97% increments in the leaf fresh mass values marketed at the first harvest, respectively, thus showing potential for developing crops of Brassica oleracea in the South of Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brevicoryne brassicae is one of the most important pests of wide range of cruciferous host plants. In this study, the inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts of five cultivars of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), that includes white beans, pinto, red, cowpea and keshavarzi on the activity of the α-amylase enzyme of B. brassicae was studied. Aphids were reared under laboratory conditions with 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH and 16 L:8D h photoperiods. According to obtained results, the cytotoxic effect of extracts of the highest concentration of 0.05 mg ml−1 and within 72 hours had the best performance and mortality. Also, all bean extracts had an inhibitory effect on insect α-amylase enzyme and red bean had the highest inhibitory effect (IC50 = 0.223). The effects of the bean inhibitor on α-amylase of B. brassicae showed a dose-dependent manner of inhibition, e.g., less inhibition of enzyme activity (around 10%) with a lower dose (0.25 mg protein) and high inhibition of enzyme activity (around 90%) when a high dose of inhibitor was used (1 mg protein). Based on the data presented in this study, it could be said that the bean extract has good inhibitory activity on B. brassicae α-amylase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf yellowing caused by chlorophyll degradation directly reduces the commercial quality of post-harvest Chinese flowering cabbage. However, the mechanism of chlorophyll degradation in post-harvest Chinese flowering cabbage remains unclear. In this work, we identified a leaf senescence-responsive NAC family transcription factor, a homologue of JUB1 in Arabidopsis, termed BrJUB1 in post-harvest Chinese flowering cabbage. The expression of BrJUB1 was found to increase continuously during storage time, accompanied by an upregulation of chlorophyll catabolic genes (CCGs) and reduced chlorophyll content. Subcellular localisation and transactivation analyses in tobacco revealed that BrJUB1 possessed two characteristics of transcription factors: nuclear localisation and transactivation of gene activity. More importantly, electrophoretic mobility shift assay and dual-luciferase analysis demonstrated that BrJUB1 bound to NAC recognition sequence in the promoters of major CCGs including BrNYC1, BrPAO, BrPPH1 and BrSGR1, and activated their transcription. Taken together, these findings show that BrJUB1 might act as an important regulator in leaf senescence of post-harvest Chinese flowering cabbage through activating chlorophyll degradation. This study expands our understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in leaf senescence of harvested Chinese cabbage and possibly other leafy vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marsh slug, Deroceras laeve (Müller), is a generalist pest of agricultural crops. Slugs are mainly managed with synthetic pesticides that can also have high toxicity toward vertebrates and nontarget arthropods. Besides, they are not labeled for use in organic crop systems. Bordeaux mixture (BM) is an alternative product often used in organic crops for controlling plant diseases. The molluscicidal activity of BM has been reported; however, to our knowledge, no study has determined its efficacy to control D. laeve. This study aimed to determine the lethal (concentration- and time–mortality curves, and foliar persistence) and antifeedant (reduction in leaf consumption) effects of BM-treated cabbage leaves on D. laeve. The LC50 of BM was 28.15%, and the LT50 was 8.83 h. The BM LC25 reduced D. laeve leaf consumption by 3.31-fold. Furthermore, high control effectiveness (mortality > 90%) was attained until the 7th day after spraying. These findings reveal that BM reduces damage by killing D. laeve in a fast faction and by reducing foliar consumption. Therefore, BM can be an alternative to D. laeve management in both conventional and organic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study evaluated the technical feasibility of directly using the mixture of the inedible fractions of vegetables collected in a wholesale market, for the recovery of a (poly)-phenolic extract with antioxidant capacity. First, the characterization of the leaves and stems of broccoli, celery, carrots, beetroots, cauliflower and cabbage was carried out. Subsequently, the technical feasibility of the recovery of antioxidant compounds from the mixture of these vegetables was analyzed, using a fractional factorial design tailored for screening of the process conditions. Finally, a freeze-dried powdered product was obtained from the extract previously concentrated by vacuum evaporation. The results showed that the product had a total phenolic content of 1752 ± 58 GAE/100 g and antioxidant capacity of 1020 ± 44 mg Fe2+/100 g of dry powder. These inedible vegetable wastes could be an attractive source of natural antioxidants to obtain high added-value products with diverse uses as food and feed techno-functional ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to investigate the effect of five drying methods, namely hot-air drying (HD), microwave drying (MD), vacuum drying (VD), vacuum microwave drying (VMD), and vacuum freeze-drying (VFD), on the bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, color, sensory attributes, and microstructure of purple cabbage. Different drying methods considerably affected the quality factors of the products. The highest remaining total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total anthocyanin content (TAC) concentrations were observed in the VFD cabbage at 10.57 mg GAE/g, 7.01 mg RE/g, 6.54 C-3-G mg eqiv/g, respectively. This was followed by the VMD samples at a TPC at 9.06 GAE mg/g, TFC level of 5.84 mg RE/g, and TAC at 3.80 C 3 – G mg eqiv/g. Furthermore, the VFD samples displayed the best performance in antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of the VMD samples was lower than the VD and MD samples, but higher than the HD samples. In terms of color and flavor, the VMD samples displayed a low ∆E (P <.05) value, while the flavor resembled that of fresh purple cabbage, compared to the VFD sample. According to these chemical and physical indicators and drying time. VMD is better for drying treatment of purple cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) is widely grown in the highlands of North Western Vietnam, and foliar analysis of 18 crops in the Bac Ha district, and 9 in the Sa Pa district of the Lao Cai Province, revealed low mean concentrations of boron (B, 15.6 mg kg−1), and copper (Cu, 4.8 mg kg−1). In three following field experiments, B treatments generally increased foliar B concentrations and growth, whereas Cu treatments affected neither growth nor the foliar Cu concentration. For the three experiments, the relative treatment yield within an experiment, and its foliar B concentration, define a critical concentration of 8–10 mg B kg−1. That is, B deficiency seasonally limits cabbage yields in Lao Cai Province, and liming increases the deficit. Soil applications of B and Cu are inexpensive and effective, but repetition should be justified by foliar analysis. Lastly, excess N was applied to more than half of the cabbage crops, with potentially deleterious impacts on shelf-life, human health, and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most consumed urban crops having many benefits for human health in the northeast Black Sea black cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.var.acephale) leaf and theirs own grown soils were collected from Black Sea cities and towns; Rize, Trabzon, Giresun, Ordu ve Samsun of Turkey from totally 55 stations to determine the element levels in percent of the black cabbage. It is purposed that to obtain the data for each city in terms of element distribution. This study is a very comprehensive work covering almost the entire eastern Black Sea region for elemental measurements in black cabbage and its soil and comparing them between provinces and districts. The samples were analyzed by using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique that is a nondestructive method by giving reliable results. The obtained data were evaluated by using the ordinary cricking method and some statistical methods (Mann-Whitney- U Test, Oneway-ANOVA, Pearson and Spearman-Brown correlation test) to determine the correlations between soils, the black cabbage and both compared the element levels between the sampling points. The statistical analysis in soil and black cabbage samples were carried out for 19 and 11 elements, respectively. Mg (Magnesium), K (Potassium), Ca (Calcium), Al (Aluminum), Si (Silica), P (Phosphor), S (Sulphur), Ti (Titanium), Fe (Iron), Sr (Strontium), V (Vanadium), Cr (Chromium), Mn (Manganese) for the black cabbage sample and Na (Sodium), Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu (Copper), Zn (Zinc), Sr, V, Cr, Mn, As (Arsenic), Rb (Rubidium) and Pb (Lead) for soil samples were determined. The determining elements for soils and the black cabbage samples were compared between the working provinces. The obtained data showed that the element distribution is similar and not showed a statistical difference for both between each station and cities. Besides, the trace elements in soils are not much affected the black cabbage however Al was found in the cabbage even it is less. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, tree species sometimes fall victim to epidemics of microbial pathogens, usually spread by sap-sucking insects. One such example is the recent devastation of cabbage trees (Cordyline australis) in New Zealand by a damaging phytoplasm ('Candidatus Phytoplasma australiense'). Cabbage trees are among New Zealand's most emblematic plant species, playing an iconic role in many landscapes. They were first reported dying in Northland in 1987, of a condition given the name 'sudden decline'. The small hemipteran Zeoliarus oppositus is now known to be the main vector spreading the disease. Here I document the establishment and spread of the disease throughout the North Island and upper South Island of New Zealand over a 24-year period. In this study, some 31,000 living and dead cabbage trees were counted on roadsides in the North Island and northern South Island, in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2006, and between 2012 and 2014. Infected trees lost their leaves, leaving dead white trunks standing until they rotted away over two or three years. Large, mature trees were particularly susceptible to infection and were all but wiped out in many parts of the North Island districts of Northland, Bay of Plenty, the Waikato, King Country, and Hawkes Bay, transforming some landscapes. The South Island was almost free of the disease, with the exception of Marlborough and Nelson. The percentage of dead trees peaked between 1990 and 2006 but declined by 2012–2014 as susceptible large trees became rarer. Differences in the insect vector's regional abundance are thought to account for the national pattern of deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biochemical/physiological variations in plant responses to heavy metals stress govern plant's ability to phytoremediate/tolerate metals. So, the comparative effects of different types of heavy metals on various plant responses can better elucidate the mechanisms of metal toxicity and detoxification. This study compared the physiological modifications, photosynthetic performance and detoxification potential of Brassica oleracea under different levels of chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and selenium (Se). All the heavy metals induced a severe phytotoxicity to B. oleracea in terms of chlorophyll contents, Ni being the most toxic (76% decrease). Brassica oleracea showed high lipid oxidation: 87% and 273%, respectively in leaves and roots. Furthermore, all the metals increased the activities of catalase and peroxidase, while decreased superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase. Interestingly, heavy metals decreased hydrogen peroxide contents perhaps due to their possible transformation to another form of reactive oxygen species such as hydroxyl radical. Among the three metals, Ni was more phytotoxic than Cr and Se. Moreover, the phytoremediation/tolerance potential of B. oleracea to Ni, Cr and Se stress varied with the type of metal, their applied levels, response variables and plant organ type (root/shoot). The multivariate analysis separated different plant response variables and heavy metal treatments into different groups based on their correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the US, sulphites must be declared on the label if they are present in concentrations greater than 10 mg/kg (determined as) SO2 because an allergic-like response has been reported in a small subset of the population upon consumption of sulphite-containing products. The most widely used method for sulphite determination, the optimised Monier-Williams (OMW), produces false positive results with vegetables from the Allium (garlic) and Brassica (cabbage) genera due to extraction conditions that are thought to cause endogenous sulphur compounds to release SO2. Recently, an LC-MS/MS method was developed for sulphites but has only been tested with samples that are 100% Allium or Brassica. Since regulatory samples may contain these vegetables as ingredients, additional investigations were necessary to determine the potential extent of false positives. Four blank matrices, chips, phyllo shells, hummus, and quinoa were spiked with various concentrations of onion and garlic powders. The sulphite concentrations were determined using an LC-MS/MS method. The matrix is extracted with a buffered formaldehyde solution, converting free and reversibly bound sulphite to the stable formaldehyde adduct, hydroxymethylsulfonate (HMS). It was determined that even at concentrations up to 8% garlic powder or 2% onion powder, the measured sulphite concentration was below the 10 mg/kg SO2 labelling threshold. Commercial dried garlic powders were evaluated to determine the variation in responses that might be encountered in future regulatory samples. Recovery studies were conducted to determine if these methods would detect added sulphite. The ability to eliminate false positives due to these ingredients will result in a greater reliability in the accurate determination of added sulphite to ensure compliance with labelling requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The survival of bacteriophage in the phyllosphere is influenced by many factors, including sunlight UV irradiation. The effect of the UV light factor on persistence of the phage mixed with different UV-protectors was evaluated in vitro and in planta on young cabbage plants in greenhouse. The exposition of UV irradiation positively correlated with phage population decline. The protective formulations reduced the UV effect. In in vitro studies, ascorbic acid, riboflavin and skimmed milk caused significant phage protection if applied together with phage application. UV light was responsible for detrimental effects on phages placed on plant foliage in the glasshouse experiments. In order to demonstrate direct effects of UV-protectants, phage suspensions with different compounds were exposed to UV irradiation and assayed for effectiveness against black rot disease of brassicas caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. The protective formulation eliminated the effects of UV irradiation and probably other environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in genomics have led to a greater understanding of blackleg disease of canola, caused by the fungus Leptosphaeria maculans. Genome sequences are available for several L. maculans isolates and different Brassica species, and several resistance and avirulence genes, which have a 'gene for gene' relationship, have been characterised. Although several pairs of complementary resistance and avirulence genes have been sequenced, the molecular basis of their recognition is unknown. Mechanisms responsible for conferring virulence include amino acid substitutions, gene deletion and Repeat Induced Point mutations of avirulence genes. In some cases, a single avirulence gene is recognised by two resistance genes, and virulence towards each resistance gene is conferred by separate mutations. Furthermore, some avirulence-resistance gene interactions are epistatic over others; for instance, the presence of AvrLm7 (avirulent towards Rlm7) masks the AvrLm3-Rlm3 interaction resulting in isolates phenotypically appearing virulent towards Rlm3 despite having the avirulent form of the AvrLm3 allele. Several high throughput methods, including the ascospore shower technique, are used to characterise cultivar specificity, frequency of avirulence genes, and to detect fungicide sensitivity of fungal populations from stubble. The frequency of virulence in field populations can change rapidly under selection pressure when cultivars with the same resistance genes are sown in subsequent seasons. If there is a high risk of breakdown of a particular source of resistance, canola growers can be advised to sow a different cultivar, thus avoiding an epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]