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The effects of liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) made from anaerobic digestion on some physiological factors and volatile components of arugula plants that were grown in salty conditions were investigated. The experiment was conducted in three different stages. In the first two stages, seeds were grown in petri dishes and pots for seven days. The third stage involved growing seedlings in pots for 60 days. Salinity inhibited the germination of 7-day arugula seedlings in petri dishes and their emergence in pots. In these stages, LOF pretreatment failed to eliminate stress-induced inhibition. Some physiological parameters were analyzed in 60-day seedlings in the third stage. Salt-induced inhibition showed significant negative effects on all parameters. In contrast to previous stages, LOF (1% and 5%) and NPK had positive effects in all groups at the third stage, eliminating salt stress in all parameters except water content. Contrary to expectations, volatile components showed no significant change but had fluctuating values due to salt stress or fertilizer treatments.

Background/Objectives: Crude extracts from the Brassica genus have recently emerged as promising phytochemicals for preventing bone loss. While the most documented evidence suggests that their general biological activity is due to glucosinolates' (GLSs') hydrolysis products, the direct activity of GLSs is beginning to be uncovered. However, the contribution of GLSs to the bone-sparing activity of crude Brassicaceae extracts has seldom been addressed. Here, we aimed to gain insights into this gap by studying in the same in vitro model of human osteogenesis the effect of two Brassica seed extracts (Eruca sativa and Lepidium sativum) obtained from defatted seed meals, comparing them to the isolated GLSs most represented in their composition, glucoerucin (GER) and glucotropaeolin (GTL), for Eruca sativa and Lepidium sativum, respectively. Methods: Osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) was assessed by alizarin red staining assay and real-time PCR, respectively, evaluating mineral apposition and mRNA expression of specific osteogenic genes. Results: Both Brassica extracts and GLSs increased the osteogenic differentiation, indicating that the stimulating effect of Brassica extracts can be at least partially attributed to GLSs. Moreover, these data extend previous evidence of the effect of unhydrolyzed glucoraphanin (GRA) on osteogenesis to other types of GLSs: GER and GTL. Notably, E. sativa extract and GTL induced higher osteogenic stimulation than Lepidium sativum extract and GER, respectively. Conclusions: Overall, this study expands the knowledge on the possible application of Brassica-derived bioactive molecules as natural alternatives for the prevention and treatment of bone-loss pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) made from anaerobic digestion on some physiological factors and volatile components of arugula plants that were grown in salty conditions were investigated. The experiment was conducted in three different stages. In the first two stages, seeds were grown in petri dishes and pots for seven days. The third stage involved growing seedlings in pots for 60 days. Salinity inhibited the germination of 7-day arugula seedlings in petri dishes and their emergence in pots. In these stages, LOF pretreatment failed to eliminate stress-induced inhibition. Some physiological parameters were analyzed in 60-day seedlings in the third stage. Salt-induced inhibition showed significant negative effects on all parameters. In contrast to previous stages, LOF (1% and 5%) and NPK had positive effects in all groups at the third stage, eliminating salt stress in all parameters except water content. Contrary to expectations, volatile components showed no significant change but had fluctuating values due to salt stress or fertilizer treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study showed the eliciting effect of aqueous extracts from Ascophyllum nodosum on the development of Eruca sativa microgreens in a quartz-based substrate. There is no information in the literature on the impact of its use on the quality, bioactive compound content, and nutritional value of arugula microgreens. Assays that have been made include the following: total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFV), enzymes such as phenylalanine ammonia (PAL) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and enzymes involved in the scavenging of reactive oxygen species such as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The antioxidant activity against DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) was also evaluated. The total phenolic content of arugula microgreens increased significantly after an application of aqueous extracts of A. nodosum to the substrate. The greatest increase in flavonoid content (89%) and antioxidant activity against DPPH (82%) was observed at a concentration of 2.5%. The highest increase in activity of CAT (68.2%), SOD (25%), PAL (13-fold), and PPO (84.2%) was observed with the application of 5% extract. In conclusion, the use of Ascophyllum nodosum algae affects TPC and TFV, antioxidant activity, PAL, PPO, SOD, and CAT in the microgreens studied. By prioritising organic and environmentally friendly extracts, growers can contribute to a more sustainable and healthier food system, especially in the case of the production of Eruca sativa microgreens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a demand from the scientific, beekeeping and consumer sectors to characterize honey based on its botanical origin, as it provides unique and distinctive properties. Nevertheless, existing studies on the physicochemical properties and the sensorial profile of honey in relation to botanical origin remain insufficient. This study aimed to understand the relationships between sensory profile and various chemical compounds (minerals, sugars, water content and volatiles) of three monofloral honeys (Atractylis serratuloides, Retama sphaerocarpa and Eruca sativa) produced in Algeria using principal component analysis. Crystallization was detected as a distinctive attribute of Eruca and Atractylis honey. A candy aroma and odor with floral nuances, light color, crystallized state and the volatile compounds Alpha-Bisabolol and Beta-eudesmol characterized the Atractylis honey. Eruca honeys were distinguished by an animal and degraded odor, bitter taste, light color and the presence of Dimethyl trisulfide and Dimethyl tetrasulfide. Finally, a vegetal aroma, some saltiness and sourness, dark amber color, lower sugar content, higher K content and Lilac aldehyde and Lilac aldehyde D characterized Retama honeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arugula is a vegetable widely consumed by the Brazilian population due to its spicy flavor, captivating odor, high dietary value, and being a source of vitamins and minerals. It is a leafy green much appreciated by consumers who seek a healthy diet. To evaluate the agro-economic performance of arugula fertilized with different amounts of chicken manure, research was conducted at the “Rafael Fernandes” Experimental Farm in the district of Lagoinha, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, from July to September 2019. The experimental design used was a randomized complete block design with 4 treatments and four replications. The treatments consisted of four quantities of chicken manure (5, 10, 20, and 40 t ha-1) on a dry basis. The characteristics evaluated were plant height, number of leaves, yield of fresh and dry mass of the aerial part. The economic indices evaluated such as gross income, net income, return rate, and profitability index. The quantities of chicken manure influenced the performance of the arugula, with the greatest plant height, fresh mass yield, and dry mass yield of the aerial part obtained at 40 t ha-1 incorporated into the soil. The number of leaves was not influenced by the tested quantities. The greatest agro-economic efficiency obtained for arugula cultivation was with the use of chicken manure in the quantity of 40 t ha-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of microgreens in plant factories is a great option for urban agriculture, and artificial light is one of the main factors for the success of this cultivation system. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) (100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 μmol m-2 s-1) of white LED on yield and quality of arugula microgreens. The experiment was conducted in an indoor environment, in a completely randomized experimental design, with six replicates. The highest yield was obtained with 358 μmol m-2 s-1, while 90 % of the maximum yield required 234 μmol m-2 s-1. The maximum shoot dry mass and cotyledon area were obtained with 439 and 312 μmol m-2 s-1, respectively, while the hypocotyl length decreased linearly with increasing PPFD. The highest nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, sulfur and zinc contents were obtained with 380, 285, 326, 294 and 317 μmol m-2 s-1, respectively, while the maximum Fe content was obtained at the lowest light intensity. The contents of chlorophylls, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and antioxidant protection had maximum values with 600 μmol m-2 s-1, and the vitamin C with 458 μmol m-2 s-1.

Hydroponic cultivation is relevant in vegetable production due to the efficient use of resources, plant growth control, high yields and good quality of harvested products. This study aimed to assess the effects of magnetic and electromagnetic treatments of the nutrient solution on the hydroponic arugula production. The treatments comprised the exposition of the nutrient solution to magnetism, electromagnetism and conventional cultivation (control) monitored during four periods (7, 14, 21 and 28 days after transplanting), with four replicates for each treatment. The experiment followed a completely randomized factorial design. The magnetic treatment led to gains in plant growth and yield, in addition to reducing the presence of algae in roots, as well as increasing the concentrations of magnesium, manganese and iron in the development of the arugula crop under hydroponic cultivation, but with no direct effect on plant growth.

Background. Recently, to control plants development and to better understanding the plants response to various light sources, largely due to advances in industry light-emitting diodes (LEDs), it is necessary to understand the photochemical processes carrying out under impact of different factors. At the number of works authors have established a significant impact of different intensities and light spectrum on the growth and morphometric characteristics of plants. Plants growth and development depends on photochemical activity among many other factors. The range of works were carried out to assess the influence of light intensity and spectrum on the photochemical characteristics of various crops, including rocket. However, the insufficient number of works and the lack of assessment of the photosystem operating efficiency of industrially important crops grown under high light intensities became the rationale for our work. Purpose. The main purposes of our work was to confirm the significant impact of various light treatments on the photochemical activity of plants and determine the optimal light treatments for the operating efficiency of the PSII photosystem using an industrially important crop. Materials and methods. To reach work purposes, we measured key parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence and assessed the rocket photosynthetic activity. Plants were cultivated in phytoboxes under LEDs with three monochromatic light spectra (red (R), green (G), blue (B)). Each light spectrum treatment includes six intensities (100, 300, 500, 700, 1000, and 1400 µmol/m-2 s-1). Warm white light with an intensity of 200 µmol/m-2 s-1 was used as the control. The chlorophyll fluorescence measurements in rocket leaves were conducted on the 28th day after sowing with Hansatech FMS 1+ pulsed fluorimeter in one day at phytoboxes. Fluorescence of actinic light-adapted leaves (Fs) and maximum fluorescence of actinic light-adapted leaves (Fm’) were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using the Microsoft Office Excel (USA). Results. The results obtained established that the rocket photochemical apparatus responses differently to a stressful state caused by a high irradiation level under the certain spectrum. The operating efficiency of PSII for each monochromatic light treatment and specific intensity varies. Thus, it suggests different plants responses to stress caused by the particular combination of growth conditions. The level of electron transfer has the direct linear correlation with the PPFD increase. Conclusion. Thus, irradiation intensity in the range from 100 to 500 µmol/m-2 s-1 is the most optimal for the operating efficiency of the PSII photosystem under any light spectra used in our work. The use of monochromatic blue light for rocket is probably undesirable, as it is likely caused protective mechanisms disruption of fluorescence quenching.

A rúcula é uma hortaliça bastante consumida pela população brasileira devido seu sabor picante, odor cativante, elevado valor dietético e por ser fonte de vitaminas e minerais. É uma folhosa bem apreciada na mesa dos consumidores que buscam uma alimentação saudável. Com o intuito de avaliar o desempenho agroeconômico da rúcula adubada com diferentes quantidades de cama de frango, uma pesquisa foi realizada na Fazenda Experimental “Rafael Fernandes” distrito de Lagoinha, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, no período de julho a setembro de 2019. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos completos casualizados, com 4 tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram em quatro quantidades de cama de frango (5, 10, 20 e 40 t ha-¹) em base seca. As características avaliadas foram altura de planta, número de folhas, rendimento de massa fresca e de massa seca da parte aérea. Os índices econômicos avaliados foram renda bruta, renda líquida, taxa de retorno e índice de lucratividade. As quantidades de cama de frango influenciaram o desempenho da rúcula, sendo que a maior altura de plantas, rendimento de massa fresca e de massa seca da parte aérea foi obtida na quantidade de 40 t ha-¹ incorporada ao solo. O número de folhas não foi influenciado pelas quantidades testadas. A maior eficiência agroeconômica obtida no cultivo de rúcula foi com uso de cama de frango na quantidade de 40 t ha-¹.

Eruca sativa is a commonly used edible plant in Italian cuisine. E. sativa 70% ethanol extract (ES) was fractionated with five organic solvents, including n-hexane (EHex), chloroform (ECHCl3), ethyl acetate (EEA), n-butyl alcohol (EBuOH), and water (EDW). Ethyl acetate fraction (EEA) had the highest antioxidant activity, which was correlated with the total polyphenol and flavonoid content. ES and EEA acted as PPAR-α ligands by PPAR-α competitive binding assay. EEA significantly increased cornified envelope formation as a keratinocyte terminal differentiation marker in HaCaT cells. Further, it significantly reduced nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The main flavonol forms detected in high amounts from EEA are mono-and di-glycoside of each aglycone. The main flavonol form of EEA is the mono-glycoside of each aglycone detected, and the most abundant flavonol mono-glycoside is kaempferol 3-glucoside 7.4%, followed by quercetin-3-glucoside 2.3% and isorhamnetin 3-glucoside 1.4%. Flavonol mono-glycosides were shown to be a potent PPAR-α ligand using molecular docking simulation and showed the inhibition of nitric oxide. These results suggest that the flavonol composition of E. sativa is suitable for use in improving skin barrier function and inflammation in skin disorders, such as atopic dermatitis.

A growing interest has been drawn to the use of traditional medicinal plants for the treatment of human diseases and, in particular, infertility and reproductive toxicity associated with environmental factors. The Mediterranean basin area is a recognized source of plant species with therapeutic interest. In this frame, Eruca sativa (ES) is an annual edible plant and a member of the Brassicaceae family. A relatively large number of studies, focusing on the biological effects of the extract from the leaves of ES on in vitro and in vivo models of disease, have been published in recent years. The present narrative review aims to analyze the phytochemical constituents, traditional uses, possible pharmacological activities, and recognized effects of ES on male reproductive outcomes. Available investigations have revealed the presence of a number of compounds with antioxidant properties, such as polyphenols, glucosinolates, flavonoids, and carotenoids in extracts from ES. Based on the chemical and pharmacological characteristics of the aforementioned compounds, we show that ES has possible preventive properties and therapeutic uses, especially in the functional derangements of the male reproductive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arugula is a leafy vegetable that has been standing out in terms of consumption due to its nutritional content. The crop has low tolerance to water salinity (ECw), and information on the management of fertilization in saline environments is scarce. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the nutritional aspects of arugula under different soil salinity levels and fertilization doses via fertigation. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse during two production cycles in 2021 in a randomized block design and a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement, with four replications. The treatments consisted of four soil salinity levels (ECse = 0.57, 1.3, 2.3, and 3.3 dS m-1) and three doses of a mineral fertilizer based on the recommended fertilization via fertigation (F1 = 100%, F2 = 50%, and F3 = 25%). The contents of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Na, Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn were evaluated after harvesting. Salinity directly affected the concentration of mineral elements in arugula leaf during the first cycle, mainly Ca, Mg, Zn, and Mn. The fertigation strategy with 100% of the recommended fertilization showed better results than the other doses for N, P, K, and S. In the second cycle, all elements showed a reduction due to the high ECse, mainly the value of 3.3 dS m-1. The fertigation strategy that used 100% of the recommended fertilization promoted higher nutrient accumulation in arugula. The order of nutrient accumulation in arugula leaf was K>N>Ca>S>Mg>P>Fe>Zn>Mn>Cu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agricultural Research in the Tropics / Pesquisa Agropecuária Tropical is the property of Pesquisa Agropecuaria Tropical and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Agricultural Research in the Tropics / Pesquisa Agropecuária Tropical is the property of Pesquisa Agropecuaria Tropical and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is a demand from the scientific, beekeeping and consumer sectors to characterize honey based on its botanical origin, as it provides unique and distinctive properties. Nevertheless, existing studies on the physicochemical properties and the sensorial profile of honey in relation to botanical origin remain insufficient. This study aimed to understand the relationships between sensory profile and various chemical compounds (minerals, sugars, water content and volatiles) of three monofloral honeys (Atractylis serratuloides, Retama sphaerocarpa and Eruca sativa) produced in Algeria using principal component analysis. Crystallization was detected as a distinctive attribute of Eruca and Atractylis honey. A candy aroma and odor with floral nuances, light color, crystallized state and the volatile compounds Alpha-Bisabolol and Beta-eudesmol characterized the Atractylis honey. Eruca honeys were distinguished by an animal and degraded odor, bitter taste, light color and the presence of Dimethyl trisulfide and Dimethyl tetrasulfide. Finally, a vegetal aroma, some saltiness and sourness, dark amber color, lower sugar content, higher K content and Lilac aldehyde and Lilac aldehyde D characterized Retama honeys.

Spaceflight is known to produce genetic changes in seeds, usually accelerating aging, though species and varietal differences have been poorly investigated. Comparisons were carried out in terms of yield, biochemical characteristics and mineral composition between mature plants grown from seeds subjected to a one-year spaceflight, belonging to Brassicaceae (Brassica juncea and Eruca sativa), Apiaceae (Anethus graveolens, and Coriandrum sativum), and Asteraceae (Lactuca sativa, six cultivars) families, and non-treated control. Among the studied species, only Brassica juncea and Eruca sativa demonstrated a growth stimulation effect caused by seed spaceflight, while significant growth inhibition was recorded in Apiaceae plants and three cultivars of Lactuca sativa L. No differences in the total antioxidant activity (AOA), polyphenol and ascorbic acid content were detected between 'space-treated' and control plants. On the contrary, significant decrease in proline accumulation and increase in malonic dialdehyde and photosynthetic pigments levels were shown by Brassicaceae species. The effect of long-term seed spaceflight on the mineral composition of mature plants was reflected in the inhibition of accumulation of all 24 elements analyzed in Apiaceae plants, except for Se, whose concentration was higher in all 'space-treated' plants compared to the control. Spaceflight seed storage increased V levels in lettuce and decreased Na accumulation in all the investigated species. The results reveal species-dependent changes in the accumulation of macro-, micro- and toxic elements in Apiaceae, Brassicacea, and Asteraceae representatives due to spaceflight seed storage. The detected differences in plant elemental composition between 'space' treatment and control partly explain the corresponding yield gap and suggest a relationship between mineral status and adaptability. The highest beneficial effect of spaceflight seed storage on yield was recorded in Eruca sativa cultivar, Rusalochka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to explore the possibilities of sustainable crop intensification in the fallow–Eruca sativa Mill. system in arid ecology by replacing fallow with short-duration sorghum–legume intercropping. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with two planting systems (bed and conventional) in main plots and a factorial combination of crop duration (50 and 60 days) and cropping systems (sole sorghum, sorghum + cowpea, sorghum + Sesbania in 2:2 ratio) in sub-plots. In the succeeding Eruca sativa crop, residuals and two gypsum levels (0 and 250 kg ha−1) were tested. Bed planting practiced during both seasons did not improve the system productivity to significant levels. Extending the duration of fallow replacement crops from 50 to 60 days significantly increased their forage yield, overall system productivity by 25–34%, and system net returns by 15.9–21.5%. Amongst the intercropping systems, the sorghum + Sesbania system added 10–13 tonnes ha−1Sesbania biomass to the soil, resulting in higher soil organic carbon, available nitrogen, dehydrogenase activity, and residual soil moisture, which increased the yield of the succeeding Eruca sativa crop by 8.8–15% compared to the residual of sole sorghum. However, it could not compensate for the yield loss due to the utilization of 50% of the area for growing the green manure crop. The sorghum + cowpea intercropping–Eruca sativa system was found to be the optimum combination with a system productivity of 1.27–1.87 Mg ha−1Eruca sativa seed equivalent. The productivity of Eruca sativa further improved by 9.5–23.7% due to the soil application of gypsum @ 250 kg ha−1. When averaged over treatments, fallow replacement during the rainy season reduced the available soil moisture at the sowing of Eruca sativa by 8.3–22.8% and subsequently its yield by 16.5–30.4% compared to the fallow–Eruca sativa system. However, with this production penalty, an additional rainy-season fodder crop was successfully grown, which improved the system productivity by 57.7–82.8%, net returns by 31.2–57.3%, and rainfall use efficiency from 0.21 to 36 USD/mm−1 ha−1. Hence, it may be concluded that short-duration fodder crops may be taken as fallow replacement crops for higher system productivity and rainfall use efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzymatic browning reactions by polyphenol oxidases cause alteration of appearance, flavor and nutritive value of vegetables and fruits. It is one of the important problems for vegetables used as salads and causes lots of economic losses. In this study, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from Eruca sativa was extracted and characterization studies were carried out. Substrate specificity for variable substrates, optimum pH, optimum temperature, effect of different metal ions were assayed. Km and Vmax values were determined as for pyrocatechol Km = 10.24 mM, Vmax = 0.0018 U min-1, catechin; Km = 12.57 mM, Vmax = 0.0012 U min-1, gallic acid; Km = 23.07 mM, Vmax = 0.0001 U min-1 . Optimum pH and temperature were determined as pH:7.0 and 20°C respectively. Effect of various metal ions such as, K+, Fe2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Cu2+ and Hg2+ on enzyme activity were measured. K+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Cu2+ ions inhibited PPO activity significantly. However Fe2+ ion did not inhibit PPO activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the effects of adding seeds powder and rocket Eruca sativa leaves to the diets of common carp Cyprinus carpio L. fish with percentages of 1, 2, and 3% of the total diet (the first, second, and third treatments), as well as the addition of rocket leaf powder to the fourth, fifth, and sixth diets, respectively, While the control diet, was empty of these additions (the seventh diet). Each treatment was replicated three times. These diets were used to feed common carp for 56 days. According to the statistical analysis's research results, the fish fed the fourth diet significantly superior surpassed the control diet and all other experimental diets in terms of growth criteria represented by the final weight, total weight gain, daily growth rate, relative, specific growth rate, and in terms of feed utilization: feed conversion ratio, feeding efficiency ratio and protein efficiency ratio. Except for the sixth treatment, the fed fish outperformed all other experimental treatments, and the second and fourth treatments regarding retained protein and protein production value. Fish were fed as the fifth treatment, significantly superior to the control diet. These results in the highest percentage of dry matter and crude protein for the edible portion of the body. Feeding fish on the fourth treatment resulted in the lowest proportion of ether extract, much lower than all the experimental diets.

The effects of combinations of oxalic acid (OA) treatment with modified atmosphere packaging on the quality and biochemical content changes of rocket (Eruca sativa Mill. cv. Bengi) leaves were examined. After harvest, selected leaves were dipped into an aqueous solution containing different concentrations of oxalic acid (0-control, 0.25 mM, 0.5 mM, and 1 mM) for 1 min. Treated samples were dried and placed in modified atmosphere packages. Treated rockets were stored at two different temperatures (0 °C and 10 °C) and 90 ± 5% relative humidity conditions for 10 days. Leaves were analyzed at 2-day intervals for some quality and biochemical parameters during storage. OA-treated leaves were greener than those of the control group. At the end of the storage, high doses (1 mM) of OA applications successfully suppressed the respiration rate (0 °C: 63.12 mL CO2 kg−1 h−1, 10 °C: 78.09 mL CO2 kg−1 h−1) and retarded the weight loss (0 °C: 0.14%, 10 °C: 0.49%) and color discoloration (0 °C: ∆E 7.23, 10 °C: ∆E 8.34) of rocket leaves. In addition, OA treatments decreased the vitamin C losses and chlorophyll degradation. In conclusion, rocket leaves could be stored at 0 °C for 8–9 days with 1 mM OA treatment and 6 days with the control treatment and at 10 °C for 6–7 days with 1 mM OA treatment and 4 days with the control (C) treatment with a minimum quality loss under MAP conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutritious foods like vegetables and fruits have therapeutic potential in treatment of many human diseases. Several bioactive compounds have been extracted from plants and fruits, especially antioxidants which aid protect against oxidative stress. This study was conducted on Albino Wistar rats to investigate the antioxidant effect of Eruca sativa on the hepatic and renal profile damaged by xylene. Seventy rats were divided into seven equal groups and treated by gavage for 30 days as follows: Control group (C), group (CO), positive control group (RE) was received 350 mg / Kg bw of Eruca sativa aqueous extract (ESAE), 2 toxic groups X1 and X2 were treated with xylene at two doses 400 and 800 mg / Kg bw and 2 combination groups REX1 and REX2 were treated with ESAE (350 mg/kg bw) combined with 400 and 800 mg/Kg xylene respectively. The results revealed that oral treatment with xylene (X1 and X2) caused hepatic and renal dysfunction, which was manifested by a significant elevation of AST, ALT, ALP, urea, uric acid and creatinine plasma levels. Additionally, a significant decrease in GSH levels and GPx activity accompanied with an increase in MDA levels were noted due to the exposition of xylene. However, animals that received ESAE with xylene (REX1 and REX2) showed an adjustment of these perturbations, by a significant decrease in the levels of AST, ALT, ALP, urea, uric acid, creatinine and MDA. As well as an increase in GSH levels and GPx activity compared to X1 and X2 groups. The histological profile of toxic groups showed pathological changes in liver and kidney tissue were characterized by sinusoidal and tubular dilatation, hemorrhage, hepatocyte necrosis and glomerular degeneration, the effect of ESAE was effective in modified these damages into semi normal. To conclude, xylene administration induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in wistar rats, while the combination of this solvent with rocket aqueous extract (Eruca sativa) attenuated this toxicity thanks to its antioxidant property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this study, the objective was to determine the post-harvest indexes of arugula leaves and beet roots in intercropping under a biomass mixture of different green manures at diverse arugula population densities in two cropping seasons in a semi-arid environment. The experimental design was a randomised complete block design, with treatments arranged in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme with four replications. Treatments consisted of the combination of equitable amounts of Merremia aegyptia and Calotropis procera biomass (20, 35, 50 and 65 t ha-1 on a dry basis) and arugula population densities (400,000, 600,000, 800,000 and 1,000,000 plants ha-1). The characteristics evaluated in the arugula culture were titratable acidity, pH, and soluble solid and total soluble sugar content. In the beet crop, the same characteristics were evaluated in arugula, in addition to the betalain concentration and the internal colour parameters of the tuberose roots. Arugula showed the best post-harvest indexes when fertilised with green manure biomass amounts of 20, 20 and 65 t ha-1 at a population density of 1,000,000 plants ha-1, while beet showed the best indices with green manure amounts of 65, 41, 36 and 40 t ha-1 with an arugula density of 1,000,000 plants ha-1. The best colour parameters of beet roots were obtained with green manure amounts of 30 and 32 t ha-1 at an arugula density of 400,000 plants ha-1.

O nitrogênio por sua vez é um nutriente muito importante para o desenvolvimento da rúcula, este atua no metabolismo fisiológico da planta, e contribui para formação de diversos elementos essenciais para o seu funcionamento, como as proteínas, enzimas, clorofila, auxiliando no crescimento da planta. Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo avaliar agronomicamente o crescimento e produtividade da rúcula sob o uso do parcelamento da adubação nitrogenada. Foram realizados cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pelos modos de aplicação de N-fertilizante, fonte ureia, sendo: T1) 100% do N-aplicado no plantio; T2) 25% de N no plantio + uma cobertura com 75%; T3) 25% de N no plantio + duas coberturas de 37,5%; T4) 25% de N no plantio + três cobertura com 25%; T5) testemunha (sem N-fertilizante). A dose do fertilizante nitrogenado foi a mesma em todos os tratamentos de 120 kg ha-1. As folhas de rúcula foram colhidas com 40 dias após emergência das plantas, posteriormente coletados os dados e submetidos a análise estatística pelo teste de Tukey. Conclui-se que o nitrogênio tem efeito positivo no desenvolvimento da rúcula, sendo que este é mais bem aproveitado quando parcelado em N no plantio + uma cobertura ou N no plantio + duas coberturas, otimizando a produtividade da cultura em questão.

Soil salinity can have various negative consequences on agricultural products, from their quality and production to their aesthetic traits. In this work, the possibility to use salt-affected vegetables, that otherwise would be discarded, as a source of nutraceuticals was explored. To this aim, rocket plants, a vegetable featuring bioactive compounds such as glucosinolates, were exposed to increasing NaCl concentrations in hydroponics and analysed for their content in bioactive compounds. Salt levels higher than 68 mM produced rocket plants that did not comply with European Union regulations and would therefore be considered a waste product. Anyway, our findings, obtained by Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry, demonstrated a significant increase in glucosinolates levels in such salt-affected plants. opening the opportunity for a second life of these market discarded products to be recycled as glucosinolates source. Furthermore, an optimal situation was found at NaCl 34 mM in which not only were the aesthetic traits of rocket plants not affected, but also the plants revealed a significant enrichment in glucosinolates. This can be considered an advantageous situation in which the resulting vegetables still appealed to the market and showed improved nutraceutical aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eruca sativa is a leafy vegetable widely consumed fresh in salads and recognized for the presence of bioactive compounds, such as glucosinolates (GLS) and flavonols. This plant is traditionally cultivated in soils but adapts well to soilless cultures, such as hydroponics and aquaponics. However, despite the good results in the literature on E. sativa cultivation in soilless systems, the influence of the culture systems and harvest time on the specialized metabolite-based chemical composition of E. sativa leaves is not entirely understood. Based on the above, this study aimed to evaluate the specialized metabolite composition of three different cultivation types, i.e., using soil (SCS), nutrient film technique (NFT)-based hydroponic (HCS), and aquaponic (ACS) culture systems, along three growing cycles, and collected at two commercial harvest times, i.e., 21 days after transplanting (DAT) to get early plant material, namely "baby leaf", and 42 DAT as the traditional harvest time. The chemical composition was obtained by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and multivariate statistics supported the analysis of the whole dataset. The SCS was characterized to promote an important accumulation of two antioxidant flavonols, i.e., (kaempferol and isorhamnetin diglucopyranosides) in young leaves (21 DAT). The hydroponically-grown plants exhibited a smaller number of various compounds. The ACS-cultivated leaves accumulated indole-containing glucosinolates and a marker associated with harvest time, spirobrassinin, a cruciferous oxindoline phytoalexin. These findings constitute the first report of those compounds relevantly accumulated by the effect of soilless cultures and a starting point for further studies related to the metabolite regulation of E. sativa under hydroponics and aquaponics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current experiment was intended to investigate the hepatoprotective, immunostimulant activity, behavioural and anxiety responses of mice supplemented with Eruca sativa aqueous extract (ESAE) at a dose of 1% in drinking water in healthy and thioacetamide (TAA) intoxicated male mice. Eighty male albino mice were divided into four treatments of 20 mice each, with two replicates. The T1 considered as control group, T2 was the TAA intoxicated group, T3 was supplemented with ESAE only in drinking water for 3 weeks, and T4 supplemented with both ESAE for 3 weeks and TAA in the last 3 days in drinking water. The effect of ESAE was assessed by estimation of erythrogram, leukogram, platelet count, N/L ratio, total protein, albumin, globulin, and A/G ratio, and by evaluating the activity of liver enzymes such as aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) as well as the behavioural responses and anxiety of mice were also recorded. ESAE administration markedly prevents the elevation of plasma liver enzymes after oral administration of TAA. The mice supplemented with ESAE (T3) had higher mean values of total protein, globulin, with lower neutrophils count and A/G ratio compared to the control group (T1) and TAA intoxicated mice (T2), indicating that ESAE has immunostimulant and hepatoprotective activity. The mice supplemented with ESAE (T3) groomed, scratched, and sniffed significantly more than mice of T2, with significantly less resting and sleeping. Regarding the elevated plus maze results; when comparing mice of T1 and T2 with other treatments, the mice of T3 and T4 showed a huge (P

Soil salinization become worse in the last decades, leading to reduced crop yields, especially in the Mediterranean basin. Eruca sativa is a common species cultivated in this area with remarkable economic importance. This study aimed at investigating the effect of salinity on this plant, focusing on (i) seedling development in terms of variations in germination and growth parameters and (ii) anatomical and ultra-structural changes in the morphology of cotyledons. For this reason, seeds were treated with different salinity levels ranging from 137 to 548 mM NaCl. Seed germination was delayed by all the concentrations tested, but only above 137 mM seedling growth was impaired. Results showed a high occurrence of lipid bodies within the mesophyll cells of cotyledons of seedlings exposed to salt concentrations above 137 mM, suggesting an impairment in lipid mobilization caused by salinity during plant development. The cotyledons of treated seedlings showed reduced intercellular spaces and ultrastructural changes in chloroplasts and peroxisomes. Moreover, salt-induced autophagic processes were present in samples grown at the highest NaCl levels. Interestingly, at 137 mM NaCl, seedlings showed the highest values of mesophyll thickness and fresh weight, implying a possible mechanism of salt adaptation during germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the objective was to determine the post-harvest indexes of arugula leaves and beet roots in intercropping under a biomass mixture of different green manures at diverse arugula population densities in two cropping seasons in a semi-arid environment. The experimental design was a randomised complete block design, with treatments arranged in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme with four replications. Treatments consisted of the combination of equitable amounts of Merremia aegyptia and Calotropis procera biomass (20, 35, 50 and 65 t ha-1 on a dry basis) and arugula population densities (400,000, 600,000, 800,000 and 1,000,000 plants ha-1). The characteristics evaluated in the arugula culture were titratable acidity, pH, and soluble solid and total soluble sugar content. In the beet crop, the same characteristics were evaluated in arugula, in addition to the betalain concentration and the internal colour parameters of the tuberose roots. Arugula showed the best post-harvest indexes when fertilised with green manure biomass amounts of 20, 20 and 65 t ha-1 at a population density of 1,000,000 plants ha-1, while beet showed the best indices with green manure amounts of 65, 41, 36 and 40 t ha-1 with an arugula density of 1,000,000 plants ha-1. The best colour parameters of beet roots were obtained with green manure amounts of 30 and 32 t ha-1 at an arugula density of 400,000 plants ha-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted during the 2018-2019 season in one of the private fields in Karma City, Anbar Governorate, Iraq to study the effects of organic fertilizer levels (0, 5 and 10 tons ha-1) and spraying with amino acid arginine at concentrations of 0, 100, 200 mg L-1 on growth and also yield characteristics in addition to some medicinally-active compounds in watercress seeds, Eruca sativa Mill. The study factors were arranged as splitplot experiment according to the randomized complete block design (RCBD), with three replications. According to the results, the fertilizer level at 10 tons ha-1 exhibited a significant elevation in the characteristics of growth, yield, oil rate (%), and seed contents of glucosinolate glycoside and Astragalin alkaloid, whereas spraying arginine at 200 mg L-1 showed significant differences in the characteristics of yield, oil rate (%), and seed content of glucocinolate glycoside and Astragalin alkaloid. In addition, the interaction of the studied characteristics displayed a significant effect. So that, the plants given 10 tons ha-1 of organic fertilizer under the influence of spraying with 200 mg L-1 arginine, revealed the highest rate of 1000-seed weight, oil rate (%), in addition to the seed content of glucocinolate glycoside and Astragalin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rocket is the common designation for two baby-leaf salad crops of the Brassicaceae family: Eruca sativa (L.) Cav., usually referred to as annual garden rocket, and Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC. commonly named to as perennial wild rocket. E. sativa is used for human consumption since antiquity. However, the growing consumer preference for D. tenuifolia is being accompanied by the fast increase in its production area and commercialization of new cultivars. Nevertheless, the worldwide number of wild rocket accessions maintained in germplasm collections is very reduced, the solution for which situation the project "REMIRucula" intends to contribute, establishing a germplasm collection at the INIAV, Oeiras, Portugal. Herein, we report on the establishment via next generation sequencing (NGS) of the first genome assembly of D. tenuifolia and the identification of specific single sequence repeat (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) loci for the establishment of specific DNA-markers for this species. A representative set of 87 D. tenuifolia and 3 E. sativa accessions were assessed by 5 SSR and 9 SNP-CAPS markers, allowing a drastic discrimination between both species and the establishment of unequivocal molecular fingerprints for the analyzed accessions. The non-discrimination within six pairs and one trio of D. tenuifolia accessions is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium graminearum is the most important causal agent of head blight in wheat, and stalk and ear rot in maize. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of incorporation of Brassicaceae cover crops on Fusarium graminearum in a wheat-maize rotation. Five species belonging to Brassicaceae (Brassica juncea, Eruca sativa, Raphanus sativus, B. carinata, B. oleracea var. caulorapa L.) were used in the field experiment to investigate their potential to suppress F. graminearum inoculum in soil, disease incidence in maize and to reduce subsequent mycotoxin contamination in maize. Brassica juncea was found to contain the highest glucosinolate concentration in shoots (31 µmol g−1). Severity of ear rot and stalk rot in maize was not significantly reduced in the amended plots. Incorporation of R. sativus 'Terranova' significantly decreased the amount of F. graminearum DNA by 58% compared with the cultivated fallow treatment, however the DNA concentration was not significantly different to fallow uncultivated. Fusarium graminearum DNA and deoxynivalenol in maize was 50% lower after incorporation of B. oleracea var. caulorapa L. compared to after fallow treatment but the difference was not significant. The brassica crops used in the present field experiment were not effective in suppressing F. graminearum, therefore further studies to optimise the current approach are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Use of green agronomic techniques for plant development and crop protection is essential for environmental sustainability. The current research investigates a more efficient and long-term technique of manufacturing silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) from agricultural waste (sugarcane bagasse and corn cob). SiO2 NPs were synthesized by calcinations of waste residues in muffle furnace with varying temperatures (400–1000 °C)/2 h in the present of static air. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize SiO2 NPs and assessed for their antifungal activity simultaneously investigated the effects of various concentrations of produced SiO2 NPs on Eruca sativa (E. sativa) physiological and biochemical. With SiO2 NPs treatment at 1000 µg L−1 concentration, the seed germination rate was found to be up to 95.5%, and growth characteristics were enhanced compared to control. Accordingly, the ones treated with SiO2 NPs grew better than the control ones. The treatment of plant with SiO2 NPs (500 μg L−1) increased the protein content by 14.8 mg g−1, and chlorophyll level was also increased by 4.08 mg g−1 in leaves compared to untreated plant. Disc diffusion experiment was conducted to test the efficiency of SiO2 NPs against Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus niger for antifungal activities. Highest mycelia growth inhibition was obtained with 73.42% and 58.92% for F. oxysporum and A. niger, respectively. The result shows that the SiO2 NPs have a favorable effect on E. sativa growth and germination, enhancing plant production which helps to improve the sustainable agriculture farming and acting as a possible antifungal agent against plant pathogenic fungi. Graphical Abstract

The natural preservative for foods and juices are become mandatory required instead of artificial or chemical preservatives. That the main goal of our present study. The study included making water and alcoholic extractions of orange husk and Eruca Sativa seeds. The inactivation`s efficacy of these extracts of 150 , 250 and 400 mg/ml concentrations against some pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aurous, and Streptococcus pyogenes were done by the disc assay method and compared the results of inactivation with Azithromycin antibiotics. Also, the bioactive compounds of these extracts were determined. Orange and pomegranate juice samples which treated with the aquatic extract 400 mg / ml of orange husk and extract of Eruca Sativa seeds after 24 hr storage time were sensory evaluated by specialists and teachers to special sensory factors. The results were shown that the aquatic and alcoholic extracts of Eruca Sativa seeds have the following active compounds, resin, tannins, comarins, alkaloids, flavons, phenols,glycosides and saponins. However, the orang husk extracts have the same compounds except Comorians, and glycosides were absent. The results of antibacterial efficacy of the aquatic extract of the Eruca Sativa seeds of 400 mg/ml shown superior significant bacterial inactivation compared to the orang husk extracts and to the Azithromycin antibiotics with 0.05 probability . The results of the sensory evaluation showed that the orange and pomegranate juice samples which were treated with 400mg/ml water extract of orange husk gave higher scores than the treatment of Eruca Sativa seeds extracts .

The aim of the present investigations was to determine the effect of the cold storage period on the content of chlorophylls in the leaves of lettuce and arugula (rucola). The research material consisted in two types of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata; Lactuca sativa L. var. crispa) and arugula (Eruca sativa) purchased from supermarkets in Timisoara. The quantitative determination of chlorophyll pigments in leaves (SPAD) was made by chlorophyll meter (SPAD 502 Konica-Minolta). During the few days cold storage at a temperature of 4ºC, the content of chlorophyll in the leaf significantly decreased, compared with that in the control group. After 3 days of cold storage arugula and lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) values of chlorophyll content differ statistically very significantly (p

Spaceflight is known to produce genetic changes in seeds, usually accelerating aging, though species and varietal differences have been poorly investigated. Comparisons were carried out in terms of yield, biochemical characteristics and mineral composition between mature plants grown from seeds subjected to a one-year spaceflight, belonging to Brassicaceae (Brassica juncea and Eruca sativa), Apiaceae (Anethus graveolens, and Coriandrum sativum), and Asteraceae (Lactuca sativa, six cultivars) families, and non-treated control. Among the studied species, only Brassica juncea and Eruca sativa demonstrated a growth stimulation effect caused by seed spaceflight, while significant growth inhibition was recorded in Apiaceae plants and three cultivars of Lactuca sativa L. No differences in the total antioxidant activity (AOA), polyphenol and ascorbic acid content were detected between ‘space-treated’ and control plants. On the contrary, significant decrease in proline accumulation and increase in malonic dialdehyde and photosynthetic pigments levels were shown by Brassicaceae species. The effect of long-term seed spaceflight on the mineral composition of mature plants was reflected in the inhibition of accumulation of all 24 elements analyzed in Apiaceae plants, except for Se, whose concentration was higher in all ‘space-treated’ plants compared to the control. Spaceflight seed storage increased V levels in lettuce and decreased Na accumulation in all the investigated species. The results reveal species-dependent changes in the accumulation of macro-, micro- and toxic elements in Apiaceae, Brassicacea, and Asteraceae representatives due to spaceflight seed storage. The detected differences in plant elemental composition between ‘space’ treatment and control partly explain the corresponding yield gap and suggest a relationship between mineral status and adaptability. The highest beneficial effect of spaceflight seed storage on yield was recorded in Eruca sativa cultivar, Rusalochka.

The broadleaf vegetables require large amounts of nutrients to provide a high productivity, and quality products, mainly due to their short period of development and growth. The green manuring has emerged as a viable alternative to provide these requirements for these vegetables, mainly from spontaneous species in the Caatinga biome. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate and estimate the maximum physical and economic efficiencies of lettuce and arugula agro-economic characteristics in monocropping as a function of equitable quantities of Merremia aegyptia and Calotropis procera biomass mixtures at different growing seasons, using polynomial and exponential models, based on the criteria of biological logic of growth and production of the cultures, of significance of the regression mean square, of high value of the coefficient of determination (R²), of significance of the regression parameters, and of maximization of productivity and profit. The types of polynomial and exponential models chosen estimated the lettuce and arugula agro-economic characteristics with good precision and high R² values. The maximum agronomic (physical) efficiency of the lettuce and arugula was made possible with the incorporation into the soil of 47.38 and 42.23 t ha-1 of M. aegyptia and C. procera, respectively, and the maximum economic efficiency of production for these leafy vegetables was reached with biomass amounts of 45.96 and 33.61 t ha-1, respectively. The rates of return obtained for lettuce and arugula cultivation for the optimized mixture amounts were 2.6 and 1.5 of those achieved in the control treatment (without fertilization), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium graminearum is a globally important cereal pathogen, causing head blight in wheat, resulting in yield losses and mycotoxin contamination. Currently, triazole fungicides are used to suppress Fusarium graminearum, however, the declining effectiveness of triazoles and concerns over the safety of pesticides have led to the pursuit of safe alternative crop protection strategies such as biofumigation. In the present study, species belonging to Brassicaceae (Brassica juncea, Raphanus sativus, Eruca sativa) were assessed for their biofumigation potential against F. graminearum and the glucosinolate profile of the brassicas was determined. In Petri dishes, mycelial plugs of Fusarium graminearum were exposed to frozen/defrosted leaf discs of brassicas collected at early-leaf, stem-extension, and early-bud stages. Additionally, F. graminearum inoculum was incubated in soil amended with chopped tissues of brassicas in a closed jar experiment. Glucosinolate analysis of the leaf tissue of brassicas revealed that the total glucosinolate concentration of B. juncea 'Brons' increased with advancing growth stage (24.5–51.9 µmol g−1). Brassica juncea leaf discs were effective against mycelial growth, while the sinigrin content in the leaf tissue corresponded to the level of suppression. At the stem-extension and early-bud stages, B. juncea 'Brons' showed 87–90% suppression with four leaf discs, and 100% suppression with eight leaf discs. Brassica juncea 'Caliente Rojo' leaf discs collected at the stem-extension stage showed 94% inhibition with eight discs. In the closed jar experiment, each brassica species significantly suppressed F. graminearum inoculum by 41–55%. The findings suggest that the brassica species investigated in the present study could be effective in reducing the inoculum of F. graminearum in soil prior to cereal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Microalgae and nanoparticles are currently considered promising tools for numerous agricultural and biotechnological applications. The green microalga Chlorella sp. MF1 and its biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were used in this study as biofortification agents to enhance glucosinolate and kaempferol levels in Eruca sativa. UV–visible spectroscopy, XRD, FTIR and TEM were comprehensively used for characterizing Chlorella-based AgNPs. Results The biosynthesized AgNPs were found to be spherical in shape, with size ranging from 1.45 to 5.08 nm. According to FTIR measurements, silver ions were reduced to AgNPs by functional groups such as amide, hydroxyl and carboxylate. Different experimental treatments were conducted, including either soaking seeds of E. sativa or foliar spray with various concentrations of Chlorella suspension (1, 2, 3 and 4 g L−1) and AgNPs (5, 10, 20 and 40 mg L−1). Expression levels of five key genes in the biosynthetic pathway of glucosinolates (MAM1, SUR1, MYB34 and MYB51) and kaempferol (CHS) were assessed using qRT-PCR. The results indicated an upregulation in the gene expression levels in all treatments compared to control, recording the highest level at 40 mg L−1 AgNPs and 4 g L−1 Chlorella suspension. In addition, high glucosinolates and kaempferol content was detected in plants whose leaves were sprayed with AgNPs and Chlorella suspension (40 mg L−1 and 4 g L−1) based on HPLC analysis. Sequence analysis of amplified CHS fragments from E. sativa plants treated with AgNPs (40 mg L−1) showed high sequence similarity to A. thaliana CHS gene. However, there were several CHS regions with sequence polymorphism (SNPs and Indels) in foliar sprayed plants. Conclusions Results of this study evidenced that the application of AgNPs and Chlorella suspension increased glucosinolates and kaempferol content in E. sativa through upregulation of key genes in their biosynthetic pathway.

The effects of combinations of oxalic acid (OA) treatment with modified atmosphere packaging on the quality and biochemical content changes of rocket (Eruca sativa Mill. cv. Bengi) leaves were examined. After harvest, selected leaves were dipped into an aqueous solution containing different concentrations of oxalic acid (0-control, 0.25 mM, 0.5 mM, and 1 mM) for 1 min. Treated samples were dried and placed in modified atmosphere packages. Treated rockets were stored at two different temperatures (0 °C and 10 °C) and 90 ± 5% relative humidity conditions for 10 days. Leaves were analyzed at 2-day intervals for some quality and biochemical parameters during storage. OA-treated leaves were greener than those of the control group. At the end of the storage, high doses (1 mM) of OA applications successfully suppressed the respiration rate (0 °C: 63.12 mL CO2 kg−1 h−1, 10 °C: 78.09 mL CO2 kg−1 h−1) and retarded the weight loss (0 °C: 0.14%, 10 °C: 0.49%) and color discoloration (0 °C: ∆E 7.23, 10 °C: ∆E 8.34) of rocket leaves. In addition, OA treatments decreased the vitamin C losses and chlorophyll degradation. In conclusion, rocket leaves could be stored at 0 °C for 8–9 days with 1 mM OA treatment and 6 days with the control treatment and at 10 °C for 6–7 days with 1 mM OA treatment and 4 days with the control (C) treatment with a minimum quality loss under MAP conditions.

Worldwide, the primary problem today is the proliferation of cancer and secondary bacterial infections caused by biofilms, as they are the principal causes of death due to the lack of effective drugs. A great deal of biological activities of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have made them a brilliant choice for the development of new drugs in recent years. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anticancer, antibacterial, anti-QS, and antibiofilm effects of AgNPs synthesized from Eruca sativa (E. sativa) leaf extract. The ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectra showed a peak of surface plasmon resonance at 424 nm λmax, which corresponded to AgNP formation. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed that biological moieties are involved for the development of AgNPs. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses confirmed the spherical shape and uniform size (8.11 to 15 nm) of the AgNPs. In human lung cancer cells (A549), the anticancer potential of AgNPs was examined by the MTT [3-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay, scratch assay, and invasion assay. The results indicated that AgNPs inhibit the migration of A549 cells. The synthesized AgNPs showed MIC values of 12.5 µg/mL against Chromobacterium violaceum (C. violaceum) and 25 µg/mL against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), which demonstrated their antibacterial abilities. Biological compounds that disable the QS system are being investigated as potential strategies for preventing bacterial infections. Thus, we analyzed the potential effectiveness of synthesized AgNPs in inhibiting QS-regulated virulence factors and biofilm formation in both strains of bacteria. In C. violaceum, the synthesized AgNPs significantly inhibited both violacein (85.18% at 1/2 × MIC) and acyl homoserine lactone (78.76% at 1/2 × MIC). QS inhibitory activity was also demonstrated in P. aeruginosa at a sub-MIC concentration (1/2 × MIC) by a reduction in pyocyanin activity (68.83%), total protease (68.50%), LasA activity (63.91%), and LasB activity (56.40%). Additionally, the exopolysaccharide production was significantly reduced in both C. violaceum (65.79% at 1/2 × MIC) and P. aeruginosa (57.65% at 1/2 × MIC). The formation of biofilm was also significantly inhibited at 1/2 × MIC in C. violaceum (76.49%) and in P. aeruginosa (65.31%). Moreover, a GC–MS analysis confirmed the presence of different classes of bioactive phytochemical constituents present in the leaf extract of E. sativa. On the basis of our results, we conclude that biologically synthesized AgNPs showed numerous multifunctional properties and have the potential to be used against human cancer and bacterial biofilm-related infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of contaminated water to irrigate crop plants poses a risk to human health from the bioaccumulation potential of microcystins (MCs) in the edible tissues of vegetable plants. The main objective of this study is to determine the concentration of total microcystins (MC-LR and MC-RR) in leafy green plants (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia and Eruca sativa) that have previously been irrigated with polluted water. Integrated water samples were collected by cleaned plastic bottles at a depth of about 30 cm from one of the sources of water used to irrigate agricultural lands for crop plants. At the same time, samples from plants were also collected because this water from the lake farm is used for the irrigation of surrounding vegetable plants such as Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia and Eruca sativa. The dominant species of cyanobacteria in water samples are Microcystis aeruginosa (Kützing) and Oscillatoria limnetica Lemmermann, which were detected with an average cell count 2,300,000 and 450,000 cells/mL, respectively. These two dominant species in water produced two MCs variants (MC-LR, -RR) that were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Dissolve and particulate MCs were detected in the irrigation waters by HPLC with concentrations of 45.04–600 μg/L. MCs in the water samples exceeded the WHO safety limit (1 μg/L) of MC in drinking water. In addition, the total concentration of Microcystin in Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia and Eruca sativa were 1044 and 1089 ng/g tissues, respectively. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of microcystins by a person (60 kg) consuming 300 g of fresh plants exceeded the total daily intake guidelines (0.04 μg kg−1 body weight) for human food consumption. According to the findings of this study, irrigation water and plants used for human consumption should be tested for the presence of MCs regularly through critical and regularly monitored programs to prevent the accumulation and transfer of such toxins through the food web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using beneficial fungi and bacteria to plant growth may reduce the leaf nitrate content and improve the quality of produced food. This study aimed to evaluate the isolated and combined effect of inoculation with Azospirillum brasilenseand Trichoderma hazianum at two electrical conductivities on the nutrition and production of hydroponic arugula cultivation. The experiment was designed in randomized blocks, in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, with five replications. The treatments consisted of inoculations (non-inoculated, A. brasilense, T. harzianum and co-inoculation) and two electrical conductivities (1.4 and 1.6 dS m-1). The isolated inoculation of T. harzianum and A. brasilense produced a higher root fresh mass, while the leaf chlorophyll index was higher with the inoculation of A. brasilense, concerning the other treatments. The inoculation of A. brasilense reduced the nitrate content in the arugula leaves. The inoculations and co-inoculation of A. brasilense and T. harzianum improved the yield components and plant nutrition, reduced the leaf nitrate content and promoted the biofortification of arugula leaves with Zn and Fe. In addition, the inoculation with T. harzianumincreased the P and S leaf content.

Resumo Dentre os fatores ambientais que influenciam o crescimento vegetal, tem-se a temperatura do ar. A taxa de crescimento de uma planta pode ser determinada a partir de sua temperatura basal inferior (Tb), que corresponde à temperatura abaixo da qual a taxa de expansão foliar é desprezível ou ocorre de maneira reduzida. Este trabalho teve por objetivo determinar a Tb e a soma térmica (ST) da rúcula Rococó, durante o período compreendido entre a germinação e a colheita em sistemas de produção convencional e hidropônico. O experimento foi realizado em Florianópolis, entre abril de 2018 a março de 2020, totalizando cinco e sete safras conduzidas nos sistemas convencional e hidropônico, respectivamente. A Tb foi obtida pela média de três métodos, a saber: menor desvio padrão em dias, desenvolvimento relativo e coeficiente de regressão. Com o valor de Tb, determinou-se a soma térmica (ST), aplicando o método simplificado de graus-dia para cada uma das safras. A partir dos valores de ST determinados foi obtido uma média para estabelecer a ST da rúcula. Durante o período compreendido entre a germinação e colheita, considerando os sistemas de produção convencional e hidropônico, os valores obtidos de Tb foram respectivamente, 4,4 °C e 3,6 °C, enquanto os de ST foram 559 e 490 graus-dia acumulado.

The current experiment was intended to investigate the hepatoprotective, immunostimulant activity, behavioural and anxiety responses of mice supplemented with Eruca sativa aqueous extract (ESAE) at a dose of 1% in drinking water in healthy and thioacetamide (TAA) intoxicated male mice. Eighty male albino mice were divided into four treatments of 20 mice each, with two replicates. The T1 considered as control group, T2 was the TAA intoxicated group, T3 was supplemented with ESAE only in drinking water for 3 weeks, and T4 supplemented with both ESAE for 3 weeks and TAA in the last 3 days in drinking water. The effect of ESAE was assessed by estimation of erythrogram, leukogram, platelet count, N/L ratio, total protein, albumin, globulin, and A/G ratio, and by evaluating the activity of liver enzymes such as aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) as well as the behavioural responses and anxiety of mice were also recorded. ESAE administration markedly prevents the elevation of plasma liver enzymes after oral administration of TAA. The mice supplemented with ESAE (T3) had higher mean values of total protein, globulin, with lower neutrophils count and A/G ratio compared to the control group (T1) and TAA intoxicated mice (T2), indicating that ESAE has immunostimulant and hepatoprotective activity. The mice supplemented with ESAE (T3) groomed, scratched, and sniffed significantly more than mice of T2, with significantly less resting and sleeping. Regarding the elevated plus maze results; when comparing mice of T1 and T2 with other treatments, the mice of T3 and T4 showed a huge (P<0.05) decline in the quantity of closed arms entries, with a relating increase in the quantity of open arms entries. It is concluded that a daily oral dose of 1% ESAE improves mouse activity, reduces anxiety, and has immunostimulant and hepatoprotective activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a versatile cruciferous species, Eruca sativa is widely cultivated, but in some areas, it has become an invasive weed. There are few studies on its seed dormancy and soil seed bank. This research examined seed dormancy, germination, and dynamics of the soil seed bank of E. sativa , with a view to provide support for its prevention and control. We tested the effects of temperature, light, storage, water, and salinity stress on seed germination and burial depth on seedling emergence of E. sativa. Dynamics of the soil seed bank were determined with a 24 month in situ seed-burial study. Seeds of E. sativa can germinate in a temperature range of 5–35°C; moreover, they exhibited non-deep physiological dormancy (NDPD) at maturity, which can be broken by dry storage or exposure to low temperature in winter. Germination of E. sativa seeds was sensitive to water and salinity stress, and most seeds did not germinate at -0.3 MPa. When buried in soil in the field, seeds exhibited an annual dormancy/non-dormancy cycle and formed at least a short-term persistent soil seed bank. Seeds buried deeper than 5 cm can hardly emerge. Seeds of E. sativa have a wide germination temperature range and exhibited dormancy cycling, which promotes the formation of a persistent soil seed bank and enables it to better adapt to the harsh low-temperature climate of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. No-tillage would be a good management strategy for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germination models are quite helpful in predicting emergence times, dormancy periods, and their applications in crop management. This study investigated the germination behaviors of Eruca sativa Mill. in response to fluctuations in temperatures (Ts) and water potentials (ψs). Germination percentage (GP) increased 95% with rising temperature within the range of 20–30 °C, and decreased 25% at 5 °C. Moreover, each ψ and T resulted in a decrease in GP as ψ decreased. Further, we noted that the θT1 value was substantially high at 30 °C and in (0 MPa), whereas the θT2 value was maximum at 10 °C (−0.02 MPa) and it decreased with decreasing Ψ. The maximum hydrothermal time constant (θHTT) and hydrotime (θH) values were obtained at 10 and 30 °C, respectively. In addition, a linear increase in the GR(g) pattern was observed at Tb and a decrease below the To. The calculated cardinal Ts was 5 °C for the base T, and 30 °C for both the optimum and ceiling T. The germination characteristics were higher at 30 °C having (0 MPa). Therefore, using cardinal temperatures, germination results, and the hydrothermal time model (HTT) could reveal the independent and interactive impacts of both T and the Ψ on the response of seed germination subjected to diverse environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate plant growth and quality responses to different light spectral combinations, cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata f. rubra), kale (Brassica napus L. ‘Red Russian’), arugula (Eruca sativa L.), and mustard (Brassica juncea L. ‘Ruby steak’) microgreens were grown in a controlled environment using sole-source light with six different spectra: 1) FL: cool white fluorescent light; 2) BR: 15% blue and 85% red light-emitting diode (LED); 3) BRFRL: 15% blue, 85% red, and 15.5 µmol·m−2·s−1 far-red (FR) LED; 4) BRFRH: 15% blue, 85% red, and 155 µmol·m−2·s−1 FR LED; 5) BGLR: 9% blue, 6% green, and 85% red LED; and 6) BGHR: 5% blue, 10% green, and 85% red LED. For all the light treatments, the total photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) was set at ≈330 µmol·m−2·s−1 under a 17-hour photoperiod, and the air temperature was ≈21 °C with 73% relative humidity (RH). At harvest, BR vs. FL increased plant height for all the tested species except arugula, and enlarged cotyledon area for kale and arugula. Adding high-intensity FR light to blue and red light (i.e., BRFRH) further increased plant height for all species, and cotyledon area for mustard, but it did not affect the fresh or dry biomass for any species. Also, BRFRH vs. BR increased cotyledon greenness for green-leafed species (i.e., arugula, cabbage, and kale), and reduced cotyledon redness for red-leafed mustard. However, BGLR, BGHR, and BRFRL, compared with BR, did not affect plant height, cotyledon area, or fresh or dry biomass. These results suggest that the combination of 15% blue and 85% red LED light can potentially replace FL as the sole light source for indoor production of the tested microgreen species. Combining high-intensity FR light, rather than low-level (≤10%) green light, with blue and red light could be taken into consideration for the optimization of LED light spectral quality in microgreen production under environmental conditions similar to this experiment.

To determine whether supplemental blue light (B) or far-red light (FR) overnight can promote microgreen elongation to facilitate machine harvesting and improve microgreen quality and yield, two common microgreen species, mustard (Brassica juncea) and arugula (Eruca sativa), were grown in a greenhouse in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, during January 2019. Low-intensity (14 μmol·m−2·s−1) B or FR was applied to microgreens overnight from 1730 hr to 0630 hr, and no supplemental lighting (D) was used as a control. After 2 weeks of light treatments, B compared to D promoted stem elongation by 16% and 10%, respectively, and increased crop yield by 32% and 29%, respectively, in mustard and arugula. B compared to D also increased the cotyledon area in mustard and leaf mass per area in arugula and enhanced cotyledon color in both species despite having no effects on total chlorophyll, carotenoid, and phenolic contents. However, FR did not increase stem length or fresh weight compared with D, reduced plant height compared with B in both species, and reduced the cotyledon area in arugula. FR, compared with D and B, reduced the stem diameter and phytochemical contents of both species. Therefore, low-intensity B can be applied overnight for winter greenhouse microgreen production because of its beneficial effects on appearance quality and crop yield without negatively affecting nutritional quality.

The present study aimed to investigate the benefits of ultrasonic method of extraction compared to maceration method, on intensifying the phytochemicals, antimicrobial, and cytotoxicity activities of Eruca sativa leaves and sprouts ethanolic extracts. The ultrasonic treatments of E. sativa leaves and sprout, were tested after 10, 20 and 30 min., whereas, maceration treatments of E. sativa leaves and sprout, were considered after 72 h. Results of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that E. sativa leaves and sprouts are reach sources of active components such as phenols and flavonoids. Moreover, the sprout macerated extracts showed higher total antioxidant activity (TAA), total phenolic contents (TPC) and total flavonoids (TFC), compared to those of the sprout ultrasonic extracts. On the contrary, the ultrasonic extraction of leaves was more efficient than maceration. Results of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity showed that ultrasonic treated leaves, sprouts (10 min.), and macerated sprouts (72 h), recorded the lowest effective concentrations (EC50) of; 2.77, 3.846, and 3.676 mg/100 ml, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was assessed using the well diffusion method. Results showed that ultrasonic treated sprouts (10 min.) and ultrasonic treated leaves (10 and 30 min.) have better antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus (recording diameter of inhibition zone of 13 mm) and Candida albicans (recording diameters of inhibition zones of 13 and 11 mm, respectively). For bacteria, the Staphylococcus aureus was effectively inhibited (recording inhibition zone diameter of 13 mm) by the ultrasonic treated leaves (20 min.), Bacillus cereus was effectively inhibited with ultrasonic treated sprouts (20 and 30 min., both recording 13 mm), ultrasonic treated leaves (10 and 20 min., recording 14, 13 mm, respectively), and the macerated leaves (72 h, recording 13 mm). Salmonella typhimurium recorded (13 mm) with ultrasonic treated leaves (10 min.), and (12 mm) with macerated sprouts. Results of the cytotoxic potency demonstrated high activity of the macerated sprouts on HepG2 cell lines, whereas the macerated sprouts and ultrasonic treated leaves (30 min.) presented high efficacy on the HT-29 cells. Thus we concluded that extracts of E. sativa leaves and sprouts produced using different extraction methods, have a substantial beneficial antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer activities.