Search

Soil acidity is a divesting factor that restricts crop growth and productivity. Conversely, silicon nanomaterials (Si-NMs) have been praised as a blessing of modern agricultural intensification by overcoming the ecological barrier. Here, we performed a sequential study from seed germination to the yield performance of mustard ( Brassica campestris ) crops under acid-stressed conditions. The results showed that Si-NMs significantly improved seed germination and seedling growth under acid stress situations. These might be associated with increased antioxidant activity and the preserve ratio of GSH/GSSG and AsA/DHA, which is restricted by soil acidity. Moreover, Si-NMs in field regimes significantly diminished the acid-stress-induced growth inhibitions, as evidenced by increased net photosynthesis and biomass accumulations. Again, Si-NMs triggered all the critical metrics of crop productivity, including the seed oil content. Additionally, Si-NMs, upon dolomite supplementation, further triggered all the metrics of yields related to farming resilience. Therefore, the present study highlighted the crucial roles of Si-NMs in sustainable agricultural expansion and cropping intensification, especially in areas affected by soil acidity.

Background: Kale, a versatile cruciferous crop, valued for its pro-health benefits, stress resistance, and potential applications in forage and cosmetics, holds promise for further enhancement of its bioactive compounds through in vitro cultivation methods. Micropropagation techniques use cytokinins (CKs) which are characterized by various proliferative efficiency. Despite the extensive knowledge regarding CKs, there remains a gap in understanding their role in the physiological mechanisms. That is why, here we investigated the effects of three CKs - kinetin (Kin), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and 2-isopentenyladenine (2iP) - on kale physiology, antioxidant status, steroidal metabolism, and membrane integrity under in vitro cultivation., Results: Our study revealed that while BAP and 2iP stimulated shoot proliferation, they concurrently diminished pigment levels and photosynthetic efficiency. Heightened metabolic activity in response to all CKs was reflected by increased respiratory rate. Despite the differential burst of ROS, the antioxidant properties of kale were associated with the upregulation of guaiacol peroxidase and the scavenging properties of ascorbate rather than glutathione. Notably, CKs fostered the synthesis of sterols, particularly sitosterol, pivotal for cell proliferation and structure of membranes which are strongly disrupted under the action of BAP and 2iP possibly via pathway related to phospholipase D and lipoxygenase which were upregulated. Intriguingly, both CKs treatment spurred the accumulation of sitostenone, known for its ROS scavenging and therapeutic potential. The differential effects of CKs on brassicasterol levels and brassinosteroid (BRs) receptor suggest potential interactions between CKs and BRs., Conclusion: Based on the presented results we conclude that the effect evoked by BAP and 2iP in vitro can improve the industrial significance of kale because this treatment makes possible to control proliferation and/or biosynthesis routes of valuable beneficial compounds. Our work offers significant insights into the nuanced effects of CKs on kale physiology and metabolism, illuminating potential avenues for their application in plant biotechnology and medicinal research., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Due to the damaging effect of high temperatures on plant development, global warming is predicted to increase agricultural risks. Chinese cabbage holds considerable importance as a leafy vegetable that is extensively consumed and cultivated worldwide. Its year-round production also encounters severe challenges in the face of high temperatures. In this study, melatonin (MT), a pivotal multifunctional signaling molecule that coordinates responses to diverse environmental stressors was used to mitigate the harmful effects of high temperatures on Chinese cabbage. Through the utilization of growth indices, cytological morphology, physiological and biochemical responses, and RNA-Seq analysis, alongside an examination of the influence of crucial enzymes in the endogenous MT synthesis pathway on the thermotolerance of Chinese cabbage, we revealed that MT pretreatment enhanced photosynthetic activity, maintained signaling pathways associated with endoplasmic reticulum protein processing, and preserved circadian rhythm in Chinese cabbage under high temperatures. Furthermore, pretreatment with MT resulted in increased levels of soluble sugar, vitamin C, proteins, and antioxidant enzyme activity, along with decreased levels of malondialdehyde, nitrate, flavonoids, and bitter glucosinolates, ultimately enhancing the capacity of the organism to mitigate oxidative stress. The knockdown of the tryptophan decarboxylase gene, which encodes a key enzyme responsible for MT biosynthesis, resulted in a significant decline in the ability of transgenic Chinese cabbage to alleviate oxidative damage under high temperatures, further indicating an important role of MT in establishing the thermotolerance. Taken together, these results provide a mechanism for MT to improve the antioxidant capacity of Chinese cabbage under high temperatures and suggest beneficial implications for the management of other plants subjected to global warming., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Iodine deficiency in the diet globally continues to be a cause of many diseases and disabilities. Kale is a vegetable that has health-promoting potential because of many nutrients and bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid, carotenoids, glucosinolates and phenolic compounds). Brassica vegetables, including kale, have been strongly recommended as dietary adjuvants for improving health. The nutrient and health-promoting compounds in kale are significantly affected by thermal treatments. Changes in phytochemicals upon such activities may result from two contrary phenomena: breakdown of nutrients and bioactive compounds and a matrix softening effect, which increases the extractability of phytochemicals, which may be especially significant in the case of iodine-fortified kale. This study investigated changes of basic composition, iodine, vitamin C, total carotenoids and polyphenols contents as well as antioxidant activity caused by steaming, blanching and boiling processes in the levels of two cultivars of kale (green and red) non-biofortified and biofortified via the application to nutrient solutions in hydroponic of two iodoquinolines [8-hydroxy-7-iodo-5-quinolinesulfonic acid (8-OH-7-I-5QSA) and 5-chloro-7-iodo-8-quinoline (5-Cl-7-I-8-Q)] and KIO3. Thermal processes generally significantly reduced the content of the components in question and the antioxidant activity of kale, regardless of cultivar and enrichment. It was observed that the red cultivar of kale had a greater ability to accumulate and reduce iodine losses during the culinary processes. 8-hydroxy-7-iodo-5-quinolinesulfonic acid showed a protective effect against the treatments used, compared to other enrichments, thus contributing to the preservation of high iodine content., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Krzemińska et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Black rot, caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) significantly affects the production of cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables. Plant antioxidant system plays an important role in pathogen invasion and is one of the main mechanisms underlying resistance to biological stress. Therefore, it is important to study the resistance mechanisms of the cabbage antioxidant system during the early stages of Xcc. In this study, 10 8 CFU/mL (OD 600  = 0.1) Xcc race1 was inoculated on "zhonggan 11" cabbage using the spraying method. The effects of Xcc infection on the antioxidant system before and after Xcc inoculation (0, 1, 3, and 5 d) were studied by physiological indexes determination, transcriptome and metabolome analyses. We concluded that early Xcc infection can destroy the balance of the active oxygen metabolism system, increase the generation of free radicals, and decrease the scavenging ability, leading to membrane lipid peroxidation, resulting in the destruction of the biofilm system and metabolic disorders. In response to Xcc infection, cabbage clears a series of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during Xcc infection via various antioxidant pathways. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) increased after Xcc infection, and the ROS scavenging rate increased. The biosynthesis of non-obligate antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH), is also enhanced after Xcc infection. Moreover, the alkaloid and vitamin contents increased significantly after Xcc infection. We concluded that cabbage could resist Xcc invasion by maintaining the stability of the cell membrane system and improving the biosynthesis of antioxidant substances and enzymes after infection by Xcc. Our results provide theoretical basis and data support for subsequent research on the cruciferous vegetables resistance mechanism and breeding to Xcc., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Fermentation is used not only to preserve food but also to enhance its beneficial effects on human health and achieve functional foods. This study aimed to investigate how different treatments (spontaneous fermentation or fermentation with the use of starter culture) affect phenolic content, antioxidant potential, and cholinesterase inhibitory activity in different kale cultivars: 'Halbhoner Grüner Krauser', 'Scarlet', and 'Nero di Toscana'. Chosen samples were further tested for their protective potential against the Caco-2 cell line. HPLC-MS analysis revealed that the fermentation affected the composition of polyphenolic compounds, leading to an increase in the content of rutin, kaempferol, sinapinic, and protocatechuic acids. In general, kale cultivars demonstrated various antioxidant activities, and fermentation led to an increase in total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Fermentation boosted anti-cholinesterase activity most profoundly in 'Nero di Toscana'. Extracts of spontaneously fermented 'Scarlet' (SS) and 'Nero di Toscana' (NTS) showed cytoprotective properties, as revealed by the malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) assays. Additionally, strong anti-inflammatory activity of NTS was shown by decreased release of cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α. Collectively, the conducted studies suggest fermented kale cultivars as a potential source for functional foods.

Background: As the second largest leafy vegetable, cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) is grown globally, and the characteristics of the different varieties, forms, and colors of cabbage may differ. In this study, five analysis methods-variance analysis, correlation analysis, cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and comprehensive ranking-were used to evaluate the quality indices (soluble protein, soluble sugar, and nitrate), antioxidant content (vitamin C, polyphenols, and flavonoids), and mineral (K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) content of 159 varieties of four forms (green spherical, green oblate, purple spherical, and green cow heart) of cabbage., Results: The results showed that there are significant differences among different forms and varieties of cabbage. Compared to the other three forms, the purple spherical cabbage had the highest flavonoid, K, Mg, Cu, Mn, and Zn content. A scatter plot of the principal component analysis showed that the purple spherical and green cow heart cabbage varieties were distributed to the same quadrant, indicating that their quality indices and mineral contents were highly consistent, while those of the green spherical and oblate varieties were irregularly distributed. Overall, the green spherical cabbage ranked first, followed by the green cow heart, green oblate, and purple spherical varieties., Conclusions: Our results provide a theoretical basis for the cultivation and high-quality breeding of cabbage., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Turnip (Brassica rapa var rapa L.) leaves are a rich source of versatile bioactive phytochemicals with great potential in the food and herbal industries. However, the effect of drying on its constituents has never been studied before. Hereto, three drying techniques were compared, namely, lyophilization (LY), vacuum oven (VO), and shade drying (SD). Chemical profiling utilizing liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS/MS) combined with chemometrics showed the different impacts of the drying methods on the phytochemical composition of the alcoholic leaf extracts. Unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) and supervised partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) of the LC-QTOF-MS/MS data showed distinct distant clustering across the three drying techniques. Loading plots and VIP scores demonstrated that sinapic acid, isorhamnetin glycosides, and sinapoyl malate were key markers for LY samples. Meanwhile, oxygenated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were characteristic for SD samples and oxygenated polyunsaturated fatty acids and verbascoside were characteristic for VO samples. LY resulted in the highest total phenolics (TP) and total flavonoid (TF) contents followed by SD and VO. LY and SD samples had much higher antioxidant activity than VO measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and iron metal chelation assays. According to the anticancer activity, the drying methods were ranked in descending order as SD > LY ≫ VO when tested against colon, breast, liver, and lung cancer cell lines. Among the identified compounds, flavonoids and omega-3 fatty acids were key metabolites responsible for the anticancer activity as revealed by partial least squares (PLS) regression and correlation analyses. In conclusion, compared to LY, SD projected out as a cost-effective drying method without compromising the phytochemical and biological activities of Brassica greens. The current findings lay the foundation for further studies concerned with the valorization of Brassica greens., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The proliferation of wireless and other telecommunications equipment brought about by technological advances in the communication industry has substantially increased the radiofrequency radiation levels in the environment. The emphasis is, therefore, placed on investigating the potential impacts of radiofrequency radiation on biota. In this work, the impact of 2850 MHz electromagnetic field radiation (EMF-r) on early development, photosynthetic pigments, and the metabolic profile of two Brassica oleracea L. cultivars (red and green cabbage) was studied. On a daily basis for seven days, seedlings were exposed to homogeneous EMF-r for one, two, and four hours, and observations were carried out at 0-h, 1-h, and 24-h following the final dose. Irrespective of the duration of harvest, exposure to EMF-r resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in both root (from 6.3 cm to 4.0 cm in red; 6.1 cm to 3.8 cm in green) and shoot lengths (from 5.3 cm to ⁓3.1 cm in red; 5.1 cm to 3.1 cm in green), as well as a decrease in biomass (from 2.9 mg to ⁓1.1 mg in red; 2.5 to 0.9 mg in green) of the seedlings when compared to control samples. Likewise, the chlorophyll (from 6.09 to ⁓4.94 mg g -1 d.wt in red; 7.37 to 6.05 mg g -1 d.wt. in green) and carotenoid (from 1.49 to 1.19 mg g -1 d.wt. in red; 1.14 to 0.51 mg g -1 d.wt. in green) contents of both cultivars decreased significantly when compared to the control. Additionally, the contents of phenolic (28.99‒45.52 mg GAE g -1 in red; 25.49‒33.76 mg GAE g -1 in green), flavonoid (21.7‒31.8 mg QE g -1 in red; 12.1‒19.0 mg QE g -1 in green), and anthocyanin (28.8‒43.6 mg per 100 g d.wt. in red; 1.1‒2.6 mg per 100 g d.wt. in green) in both red and green cabbage increased with exposure duration. EMF-r produced oxidative stress in the exposed samples of both cabbage cultivars, as demonstrated by dose-dependent increases in the total antioxidant activity (1.33‒2.58 mM AAE in red; 1.29‒2.22 mM AAE in green), DPPH activity (12.96‒78.33% in red; 9.62‒67.73% in green), H 2 O 2 content (20.0‒77.15 nM g -1 f.wt. in red; 14.28‒64.29 nM g -1 f.wt. in green), and MDA content (0.20‒0.61 nM g -1 f.wt. in red; 0.18‒0.51 nM g -1 f.wt. in green) compared to their control counterparts. The activity of antioxidant enzymes, i.e., superoxide dismutases (3.83‒8.10 EU mg -1 protein in red; 4.19‒7.35 EU mg -1 protein in green), catalases (1.81‒7.44 EU mg -1 protein in red; 1.04‒6.24 EU mg -1 protein in green), and guaiacol peroxidases (14.37‒47.85 EU mg -1 protein in red; 12.30‒42.79 EU mg -1 protein in green), increased significantly compared to their control counterparts. The number of polyphenols in unexposed and EMF-r exposed samples of red cabbage was significantly different. The study concludes that exposure to 2850 MHz EMF-r affects the early development of cabbage seedlings, modifies their photosynthetic pigments, alters polyphenol content, and impairs their oxidative metabolism., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Chinese flowering cabbage is prone to senescence and yellowing after harvest, leading to a huge postharvest loss. Nitric oxide (NO) is a multifunctional plant growth regulator, but the effect of preharvest application of NO on the storage quality of Chinese flowering cabbage remains unclear. Preharvest application of 50 mg L -1 sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a NO donor) to the roots obviously reduced leaf yellowing in Chinese flowering cabbage during storage. Proteomic analysis reveals 198 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in SNP-treated plants compared to the control. The main DEPs were significantly enriched in chlorophyll metabolisms, phenylpropanoid synthesis, and antioxidant pathways. SNP treatment enhanced chlorophyll biosynthesis and suppressed chlorophyll-degradation-related proteins and genes. It also modulated flavonoid-biosynthesis-related genes, and 21 significantly regulated flavonoids were identified in SNP-treated plants. The enhanced antioxidant capacity in SNP-treated plants was able to decrease chlorophyll catabolism by inhibiting peroxidase-mediated chlorophyll bleaching. Collectively, preharvest SNP treatment modulated chlorophyll metabolism and preserved chlorophyll content in leaves during storage. Moreover, SNP treatment enhanced flavonoid synthesis, suppressed reactive oxygen species accumulation, and delayed the senescence process, thereby maintaining leaf greening in Chinese flowering cabbage. These findings highlight the role of exogenous NO in alleviating yellowing of leafy vegetables.

Sperm cryopreservation is one of the important reproductive biotechnology. However, during the sperm cryopreservation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced which disrupt the functional and structural competence of sperm. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of broccoli extract with vitamins C and E on oxidative damage, sperm quality parameters, and reproductive hormones in rats. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: Control, vitamin C, vitamin E, a combination of vitamin C + E at a dose of 200 mg/kg, and broccoli extract at a dose of 300 mg/kg (used as oral gavage) groups. At the end of the study, blood samples were taken to measure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone. Epididymal sperm was used to measure oxidative stress biomarkers and sperm parameters before and after cryopreservation. In addition, the testicles were also used for histological studies. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) in the broccoli extract group was higher than in other groups (P = 0.016). Also, there was a significant increase in the mean level of spermatogenesis in the broccoli and vitamin C + E groups (P < 0.001). The sperm concentration, sperm vitality, and sperm motility increased, while DNA fragmentation significantly decreased before and after sperm cryopreservation in the broccoli group (P < 0.05). Concentrations of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes in the control group were significantly lower than other groups, and malondialdehyde (MDA) showed a significant reduction in the treatment groups compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Besides, the FSH and testosterone levels increased significantly in the broccoli group (P = 0.001). In conclusion, broccoli extracts protected rat sperm against oxidative damage during cryopreservation and improved reproductive performance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Several studies have demonstrated that electric treatment has a positive effect, respectively, on germination, root growth and post-harvest quality. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of research on the effect of electric treatment on growth characteristics and quality of whole plants. Here, we explored the effect of electric fields on two cultivars of kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala). Three levels of electric current (10, 50, and 100 mA) were applied to the nutrient solution of hydroponically grown plants for three weeks. Kale plants subjected to the electric fields, particularly 50 mA, had higher fresh and dry weights than the control. The absence of an electric field in a Faraday cage caused a significant decrease in shoot and root growth compared with the natural electric field (control). Electrostimulation enhanced nutrient uptake by activating root hair formation and active ion transport. Plants grown under 50 mA contained 72% more calcium, 57% more total phenolic compounds, and had a 70% greater antioxidant capacity than the control. This work provides foundational information regarding the effects of electrical stimulus on plants, which could enable the development of innovative culture technologies to improve crop yields and quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Unconventional parts of vegetables represent a rich source of health-promoting phytochemicals. The phenolic profile of cabbage-stalk flour (CSF), pineapple-crown flour (PCF), and their essential oils were characterized via UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS E and GC-FID/MS. Antimicrobial activity was tested against five strains, and antioxidant activities were determined in free and bound extracts. Globally, 177 phenolics were tentatively identified in PCF (major p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde) and 56 in CSF (major chlorogenicacid, quercetin 3-O-glucuronide, and p-coumaric acid). PCF exhibited a distinguished profile (lignans, stilbenes) and antioxidant capacity, especially in bound extracts (1.3 g GAE.100 g -1 ; 0.6 g catechin eq.100 g -1 ; DPPH: 244.7; ABTS: 467.8; FRAP: 762.6 µg TE.g -1 , ORAC: 40.9 mg TE.g -1 ). The main classes of volatile compounds were fatty acids, their esters, and terpenes in CSF (30) and PCF (41). A comprehensive metabolomic approach revealed CSF and PCF as a promising source of PC, showing great antioxidant and discrete antimicrobial activities., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Flavonols are gaining increasing interests due to their diverse health benefits for humans. Broccoli is a main flavonol source in our diet, but the genetic variation of flavonols and their correlation with antioxidant capacity remain to be understood. Here, we examined variations of the two major flavonols kaempferol and quercetin in florets and leaves of 15 diverse broccoli accessions by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Broccoli accumulated more kaempferol than quercetin in most of the accessions tested, with the ratios varying from 4.4 to 27.9 in leaves and 0.4 to 4.4 in florets. Total flavonoids showed 2.5-fold and 3.3-fold differences in leaves and florets of these accessions, respectively. Principle component analysis revealed that flavonols, along with the key biosynthetic pathway genes, correlated with antioxidant capacity related indicators. This study provides important information for broccoli flavonol genotypic variations and correlation with antioxidant capacity, and will facilitate the development of flavonol enriched cultivars in broccoli., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The cultivation of leafy vegetables on metal contaminated soil embodies a serious threat to yield and quality. In the present study, the potential role of exogenous jasmonic acid (JA; 0, 5, 10, and 20 µM) on mitigating chromium toxicity (Cr; 0, 150, and 300 µM) was investigated in choysum (Brassica parachinensis L.). With exposure to increasing Cr stress levels, a dose-dependent decline in growth, photosynthesis, and physio-biochemical attributes of choysum plants was observed. An increase in Cr levels also resulted in oxidative stress closely associated with higher lipoxygenase activity (LOX), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) generation, lipid peroxidation (MDA), and methylglyoxal (MG) levels. Exogenous application of JA alleviated the Cr-induced phytotoxic effects on photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange parameters, and restored growth of choysum plants. While exposed to Cr stress, JA supplementation induced plant defense system via enhanced regulation of antioxidant enzymes, ascorbate and glutathione pool, and the glyoxalase system enzymes. The coordinated regulation of antioxidant and glyoxalase systems expressively suppressed the oxidative and carbonyl stress at both Cr stress levels. More importantly, JA restored the mineral nutrient contents, restricted Cr uptake, and accumulation in roots and shoots of choysum plants when compared to the only Cr-stressed plants. Overall, the application of JA2 treatment (10 µM JA) was more effective and counteracted the detrimental effects of 150 µM Cr stress by restoring the growth and physio-biochemical attributes to the level of control plants, while partially mitigated the detrimental effects of 300 µM Cr stress. Hence, JA application might be considered as an effective approach for minimizing Cr uptake and its detrimental effects in choysum plants grown on contaminated soils., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Current study was performed to explore the effect of butanolide (KAR1) in mitigation of cadmium (Cd) induced toxicity in Brussels sprout (Brassica oleracea L.). Brussels sprout seeds, treated with 10-5 M, 10-7 M and 10-10 M solution of KAR1 were allowed to grow in Cd-contaminated (5 mg L-1) regimes for 25 d. Cadmium toxicity decreased seed germination and growth in B. oleracea seedlings. Elevated intensity of electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) were observed in Cd-stressed seedlings. Additionally, reduced level of stomatal conductivity, transpiration rate, photosynthesis rate, intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, and leaf relative water content (LRWC) was also observed in Cd-stressed seedlings. Nevertheless, KAR1 improved seed germination, seedling growth and biomass production in Cd stressed plants. KAR1 application showed elevated LRWC, osmotic potential, and higher membranous stability index (MSI) in seedlings under Cd regime. Furthermore, seedlings developed by KAR1 treatment exhibited higher stomatal conductivity, and intercellular carbon dioxide concentration together with improved rate of transpiration and photosynthetic rate in B. oleracea under Cd stress. These findings elucidate that the reduced level of MDA, EL and H 2 O 2 , as well as improvement in antioxidative machinery increased growth and alleviated Cd toxicity in KAR1 treated seedlings under Cd stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All the authors of this manuscript declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The utilization of tungsten in traffic, smelting, mining, and other industrial applications allows its' accumulation in the environmental ecosystems. The present study included using a soluble form of tungsten (tungstate) at different levels (0, 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 mg L -1 ) as a water contaminant. The germinating seeds experienced tungstate at 1-50 mg L -1 exhibited stimulation of seedling dry and fresh matter stress tolerance indices, whereas retardation of these traits at the level of 100 mg L -1 was manifested. The stimulation of seedling growth at the levels of 1-50 mg L -1 was associated with the regulation of reactive oxygen status, higher stability of cell membrane, and elevated level of antioxidative responses. Regarding the oxidative stress of the seedlings exposed to tungstate contaminated water, only the concentration of 100 mg L -1 induced accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion, and hydroxyl radical with apparent membrane deteriorations in terms of lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, reductions of phytochelatins, reduced glutathione, ascorbate, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase, as well as glutathione-S-transferase were the main symptoms of tungstate phytotoxicity at the same level. The accumulation of lignin, ionic peroxidase, soluble peroxidase, and lignin-related enzymes (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and polyphenol oxidase) were the striking reasons for restricting seedlings growth at noxious tungstate level. The results could suggest that the elevated levels of defense systems, at least in part, were accountable for raising broccoli resistance against tungstate stress at low doses. Furthermore, these plants can grow in tungsten-polluted areas by modifying their physiological processes. However, this study shed the light to the eco-toxicity of tungstate and imparts evidence for the need to establishing environmental risk management of tungstate accumulation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Epigenetic regulation and salt ions play essential roles in senescence control, but the underlying regulatory mechanism of senescence has not been thoroughly revealed in broccoli postharvest buds. Here, we found 200 mmol·L -1 NaCl, 400 mmol·L -1 KCl, 40 mmol·L -1 CaCl 2 and 0.5 μmol·L -1 Trichostatin-A (TSA, a histone deacetylase inhibitor) delayed the bud senescence. They resulted in significantly inhibiting the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and dramatically promoting the contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and Chlorophyll. Furthermore, the expression of PHEOPHYTINASE (PPH) and NONYELLOWING (NYE1), but not SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1), were remarkably repressed by salt ions and TSA. Interestingly, HISTONE DEACETYLASE 9 (HDA9) and CATION/Ca 2+ EXCHANGER 1 (CCX1) were down-regulated by NaCl, CaCl 2 and TSA. Further assays demonstrated that HDA9 could not interact with CCX1 promoter. It suggested that CCX1 along with HDA9 were involved in inhibiting the senescence of broccoli buds, and regulated aging by indirect interaction., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Elicited broccoli suspension-cultured cells (SCC) provide a useful system for obtaining bioactive compounds, including glucosinolates (GS) and phenolic compounds (PCs). In this work, coronatine (Cor) and methyl jasmonate (MJ) were used to increase the bioactive compound production in broccoli SCC. Although the use of Cor and MJ in secondary metabolite production has already been described, information concerning how elicitors affect cell metabolism is scarce. It has been suggested that Cor and MJ trigger defence reactions affecting the antioxidative metabolism. In the current study, the concentration of 0.5 μM Cor was the most effective treatment for increasing both the total antioxidant capacity (measured as ferulic acid equivalents) and glucosinolate content in broccoli SCC. The elicited broccoli SCC also showed higher polyphenol oxidase activity than the control cells. Elicitation altered the antioxidative metabolism of broccoli SCC, which displayed biochemical changes in antioxidant enzymes, a decrease in the glutathione redox state and an increase in lipid peroxidation levels. Furthermore, we studied the effect of elicitation on the protein profile and observed an induction of defence-related proteins. All of these findings suggest that elicitation not only increases bioactive compound production, but it also leads to mild oxidative stress in broccoli SCC that could be an important factor triggering the production of these compounds., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The phyto-impact of tungstate is not frequently studied like other heavy metals especially in the sight of continuous accumulation of tungstate in the agriculture soils and water. Thus, the present study was aimed to investigate the supplementation of various tungstate concentrations (0, 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100) to germination water (mg L -1 ) or clay soil (mg kg -1 ) on germination and metabolism of broccoli. Lower concentrations (1-10 mg L -1 ) accelerated germination process and reciprocally were recorded at the highest one (100 mg L -1 ). The promoter effect of lower concentrations on seedlings growing on tungstate contaminated soil was underpinned from enhancement of pigments, metabolites, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, and nitrate reductase. However, the highest concentration-noxious impacts perceived from oxidative damage and membrane integrity deregulation accompanied with no gain from increment of proline, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione-S-transferase. The depletion of phytochelatins and nitric oxide jointed with the enhancement of peroxidases, polyphenol oxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase at higher concentration reinforced lignin production which restricted plant growth. The results supported the hormetic effects of tungstate (beneficial at low concentrations and noxious at high concentration) on morphological and physiological parameters of broccoli seedlings. The stimulatory effect of tungstate on metabolic activities could serve as important components of antioxidative defense mechanism against tungstate toxicity.

Brassica vegetables, such as cabbage, have many health benefits arising from their antioxidant and anticancer properties. These properties are endowed by the metabolite composition of the plant, and it is therefore important to elucidate the metabolic profile and associated activities in this genus. This study objectively evaluated the characteristics of cabbage varieties using metabolic profiling to identify the primary metabolic components that correlate with antioxidant activity and taste attributes. GC-MS analysis was used to identify the primary metabolites. Antioxidant activity was measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging assays, and an electronic tongue was used to quantitate nine taste attributes. Orthogonal projections to latent structures (OPLS) using SIMCA 14 correlated the metabolite components with the taste and antioxidant characteristics. We identified 4-aminobutyric acid, fructose 1-phosphate, adipic acid, 5-oxoproline, N -acetylglycine, O -phosphoethanolamine, and homovanillic acid as important determinants of DPPH scavenging activity and umami, sourness, acidic bitterness, irritant and saltiness, bitterness, astringency, and richness, respectively. These metabolites represent markers indicating breed differences and contribute to differential cabbage functionality. These studies could be extended to measure additional metabolites, as well as to understand the role of growth conditions on the metabolic profile and health benefits of plants.

Hemin (ferroprotoporphyrin IX), a compound derivative of heme, has been shown to exert numerous beneficial physiological functions in the resistance of plant to various abiotic stresses. This work investigated the effects of hemin on ameliorating Cd toxicity in Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.). Our results showed that leaf chlorosis, growth inhibition, root morphology and photosynthetic activity were significantly improved by the addition of hemin in Cd-stressed plants. Meanwhile, Cd-induced oxidative damage was also alleviated by hemin, which was supported by the decreased level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in roots of the seedlings treated with hemin. In the same time, the activities of antioxidative enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), as well as the concentrations of ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) were elevated by hemin, which contributed to the scavenging of Cd-elicited H 2 O 2 and O 2 • － within the roots of Chinese cabbage seedlings. Furthermore, compared with Cd stressed plants, Cd concentrations in both shoots and roots were markedly decreased by exogenous hemin. Hence, it can be speculated that hemin-mediated tolerance to Cd stress may be associated with the inhibition of Cd uptake in Chinese cabbage. This hypothesis was supported by the down-regulated expressions of transporter genes, including BcIRT1, BcIRT2, BcNramp1 and BcZIP2 caused by hemin addition in Chinese cabbage seedlings under Cd treatment. Taken together, these results suggested that hemin alleviated Cd toxicity probably through increasing antioxidative capacities and inhibiting Cd uptake of Chinese cabbage., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Hydrogen gas (H 2 ) has been shown as an important factor in plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, the effects of H 2 and its interaction with nitric oxide (NO) on alleviating cadmium (Cd) stress in Brassica campestris seedlings were investigated. NO donor (SNP) or hydrogen-rich water (HRW) treatment showed a significant improvement in growth of Cd-stressed seedlings. Cd treatment upregulated both endogenous NO and H 2 (36% and 66%, respectively), and the increase of H 2 was prior to NO increase. When treated with NO scavenger (PTIO) or NO biosynthesis enzyme inhibitors (L-NAME and Gln), HRW-induced alleviation under Cd stress was prevented. Under Cd stress, HRW pretreatment significantly enhanced the NO accumulation, and together up-regulated the activity of NR (nitrate reductase) and expression of NR. HRW induced lower reactive oxygen species (ROS), higher AsA content, enhanced activity of POD (peroxidase) and SOD (superoxide dismutase) in seedling roots were inhibited by PTIO, L-NAME and Gln. Through proteomic analysis, the level of 29 proteins were changed in response to H 2 and NO-induced amelioration of Cd stress. Nearly half of them were involved in oxidation-reduction processes (about 20%) or antioxidant enzymes (approximately 20%). These results strongly indicate that in Cd-stressed seedlings, pretreatment with HRW induces the accumulation of H 2 (biosynthesized or permeated), which further stimulates the biosynthesis of NO through the NR pathway. Finally, H 2 and NO together enhance the antioxidant capabilities of seedlings in response to Cd toxicity., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Harvesting of broccoli at several moments of the day affects the rate of senescence during storage. In this work, broccoli heads were harvested at several moments and then kept at 20°C in order to analyze protein metabolism and antioxidant compounds. Almost no differences were detected in the contents of total and soluble proteins, and free amino acids. Only an increment in free amino acids was detected by day 3 in samples obtained at 8:00 hr. With reference to antioxidants, the contents of ascorbic acid, carotenoids and xanthophylls, phenols, and flavonoids were similar in samples harvested at different moments. However, an increment was detected in carotenoids, phenols, and flavonoids during storage of samples collected at 18:00 hr on day 3 and samples collected at 13:00 hr on day 5. The combination of delay of senescence and increment in antioxidants suggest harvesting at 12:00 or 18:00 hr. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Broccoli is a vegetable with an important level of nutrients. However, it is also highly perishable and suffers a high rate of senescence and loss of quality during postharvest. In this work, it is demonstrated that the simple practice of harvests in different moments of the day can affect the postharvest behavior of broccoli, and it is suggested to carry out the harvest toward the end of the day., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Antioxidant levels are key parameters for studies of food quality, stress responses, and plant health. Herein, we have demonstrated that excised leaf disc has both radical scavenging activity and reducing power, and used this concept to develop 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and potassium permanganate reduction (PPR) leaf disc assays. Reaction time and reagent concentration for these assays were optimized using leaves from spinach, kale, collards, mustard, and watermelon. Further, these assays were validated for linearity and intra-assay precision. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to an electrospray quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UPLC/ESI-HR-QTOFMS) was used for phytochemical profiling and studying relative abundances of certain phenolic compounds in various leaf discs suspended and cell-free extracts. The mass spectral analysis showed that leaf disc suspended methanolic extracts had almost same phytochemical profiles to those of cell-free extracts. The DPPH leaf disc assay demonstrated better radical scavenging potential than the conventional cell-free extract method. By contrast, the observed antioxidant activity values in ABTS and PPR leaf disc assays were lower than those of conventional cell-free extract-based methods. In conclusion, the developed leaf disc assays are simple and rapid for the qualitative and comparative assessment of the antioxidant potential of leaf samples, as well as can be a good alternative to conventional cell-free extract based methods.

Brassica vegetables, particularly turnip, contain many natural antioxidants. This review focuses on antioxidant components and the influence of different processing and storage conditions on antioxidant activities of some Brassica vegetables including turnip. Long storage times had an adverse effect on antioxidant value of turnip. Also, the activity of antioxidants in cruciferous vegetables could be influenced by antioxidant breakdown and leaching during cooking. Heat treatment has a major impact on the antioxidant activity of Brassica vegetables and it has been perceived minor antioxidant ability in processed vegetables compared with uncooked samples. Food processing operations in terms of blanching, canning, sterilizing and freezing, in addition to cooking methods perhaps can have a major influence on the yield, chemical structure and bioavailability of antioxidants in Brassica family. Cooking methods such as steaming and microwaving are proper methods for a short time. Consumption of raw or slightly blanched turnip is an appropriate way to maximize its health benefits., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

A better understanding of the benefits of selenium (Se) fertilization to alleviate the toxicity of mercury (Hg) on plants and of the underlying mechanisms involved in Hg stress is important for the remediation of soils contaminated by Hg. This study is aimed to explore the effects of the application of selenite to alleviate the toxicity of Hg in soils to plants and related mechanisms involved in this process. The chemical (Hg uptake of pak choi), biological (root and shoot length, root and shoot weight) and physiological effects (antioxidant enzyme activities, non-enzymatic antioxidant contents (proline) and lipid peroxidation products (malondialdehyde)) produced over plants by the application of different doses of Hg and Se to soil has been investigated through a pot experiment, which was conducted with exposure to different dosages of mercuric chloride (0, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mg/kg soil) and sodium selenite (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.5 mg/kg soil). Results indicated that single high Hg treatment (3.0 mg/kg Hg) resulted in significantly increase in Hg uptake by plants (P < 0.01), thus the growth of pak choi was inhibited. However, the Se application at 1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg led to significantly alleviated Hg uptake by plants (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the low Se (at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg) applied to soil induced significantly improvement the growth of pak choi (P < 0.05) by elevating the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzymes and the content of chlorophyll (SPAD value) as well as suppressed the lipid peroxidation products contents (MDA) and proline. Results collectively indicated that applied Se played an important role in promoting the detoxification of Hg and growth of pak choi under oxidative stress. Notably, this role may only be significant when Se application at the appropriate concentration (≤ 1.0 mg/kg)., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Broccoli sprouts have attracted considerable attention because of their abundant phytochemicals and high selenium accumulation capacity, which reportedly reduce the risks of different cancers and cardiovascular diseases. In this study, an untargeted metabolomics approach was developed to investigate the effect of 5 days of treatment with 100 μmol/L selenate on the metabolome of broccoli sprouts. Results showed that the total sulfur content was slightly lower and the total selenium content was significantly higher in the selenate-treated sprouts. The multivariate statistical analyses showed that serine, d-erythronolactone, melezitose and tyrosine were obviously up-regulated, but d-glyceric acid, succinic acid and citric acid were down-regulated after selenate treatment. Moreover, metabolite pathway analyses were used to support the identification of subtle but significant changes among groups of related metabolites that cannot be observed with conventional approaches. Selenate treatment influenced the metabolism of β-alanine and glutathione, as well as the biosynthesis of plant metabolite related to the precursors of glucosinolate. These results could explain why the total glucosinolate decreased after selenate treatment., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The role of energy status in germination and sprouting of broccoli seeds was investigated by exogenous ATP and DNP treatments. With the synthesis of adenylates from 38.82 to 142.69 mg·100 g -1 DW, the nutritive components (soluble sugar, proteins, pigments, and phenolics) and AAs were increased during germination and early sprouting (day 5). Elements of the BoSnRK2 pathway were down-regulated by more than 2 fold under the energy charge feedback inhibition. At the end of sprouting (day 7), energy depletion resulted in slowdown or reduced nutritional accumulation and antioxidant capacities. Exogenous ATP depressed the BoSnRK2 pathway by maintaining the energy status at high levels and further promoted the nutrition and antioxidant levels. It also prevented the energy depletion at day 7. On the contrary, DNP reduced the ATP contents (16.10-26.86%) and activated the BoSnRK2 pathway. It also notably suppressed the energy-consuming activities including germination, sprouts growth, and secondary metabolic synthesis.

A new method was developed to determine the antioxidant properties of red cabbage extract (Brassica oleracea) by mid (MID) and near (NIR) infrared spectroscopies and partial least squares (PLS) regression. A 70% (v/v) ethanolic extract of red cabbage was concentrated to 9° Brix and further diluted (12 to 100%) in water. The dilutions were used as external standards for the building of PLS models. For the first time, this strategy was applied for building multivariate regression models. Reference analyses and spectral data were obtained from diluted extracts. The determinate properties were total and monomeric anthocyanins, total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity by ABTS (2,2-azino-bis(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonate)) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) methods. Ordered predictors selection (OPS) and genetic algorithm (GA) were used for feature selection before PLS regression (PLS-1). In addition, a PLS-2 regression was applied to all properties simultaneously. PLS-1 models provided more predictive models than did PLS-2 regression. PLS-OPS and PLS-GA models presented excellent prediction results with a correlation coefficient higher than 0.98. However, the best models were obtained using PLS and variable selection with the OPS algorithm and the models based on NIR spectra were considered more predictive for all properties. Then, these models provided a simple, rapid and accurate method for determination of red cabbage extract antioxidant properties and its suitability for use in the food industry., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Indigenous African leafy vegetables vary enormously in their secondary plant metabolites whereat genus and the species have a great impact. In African nightshade (Solanum scabrum), spiderplant (Cleome gynandra), amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), Ethiopian kale (Brassica carinata) and common kale (Brassica oleracea) the specific secondary metabolite profile was elucidated and gained detailed data about carotenoids, chlorophylls, glucosinolates and phenolic compounds all having an appropriate contribution to health beneficial properties of indigenous African leafy vegetables. Exemplarily, various quercetin glycosides such as quercetin-3-rutinoside occur in high concentrations in African nightshade, spiderplant, and amaranth between ~1400-3300μg/g DW. Additionally the extraordinary hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives such as glucaric isomers and isocitric acid isomers are found especially in amaranth (up to ~1250μg/g DW) and spiderplant (up to 120μg/g DW). Carotenoids concentrations are high in amaranth (up to101.7μg/g DW) and spiderplants (up to 64.7μg/g DW) showing high concentrations of β-carotene, the pro-vitamin A. In contrast to the ubiquitous occurring phenolics and carotenoids, glucosinolates are only present in the Brassicales species Ethiopian kale, common kale and spiderplant characterized by diverse glucosinolate profiles. Generally, the consumption of a variety of these indigenous African leafy vegetables can be recommended to contribute to different benefits such as antioxidant activity, increase pro-vitamin A and anticancerogenic compounds in a healthy diet., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Brassica phytochemicals exert a broad spectrum of health-promoting activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible beneficial effects of a cauliflower leaf powder (CLP)-enriched diet to prevent inflammation and oxidative stress resulting from injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into rabbits. Animals (24 rabbits) were randomly divided into two groups and fed with a standard diet (SD) or a standard diet supplemented with a 100 g kg -1 diet of CLP. After 60 days, six rabbits of both groups received a LPS injection (100 μg per kg body weight). Serum samples collected after 90 min of LPS injection were assessed for their content of both inflammatory biomarkers such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and matrix-metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and oxidative stress biomarkers such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). LPS increased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and TBARS as well as MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities, whereas it decreased the GSH levels and SOD and CAT activities. In conclusion, preventive supplementation with CLP can protect rabbits from the inflammation and oxidative stress induced by LPS.

This study was conducted to investigate the possibility of using a combined technology to synchronously reduce As and Cd accumulation in the edible parts of Brassica campestris. The results showed that a foliar application of selenite (Se) and silicon (Si) combined with soil ameliorants (including Ca-Mg-P fertilizer, sodium silicate and red mud) showed limited effects on the growth of B. campestris. The As concentration in the leaves of B. campestris in all treatments was below the Chinese safety standard. When sodium silicate and Ca-Mg-P fertilizer were added to the soil, the additional foliar application of Se and Si could in some cases help further reduce the concentrations of As and Cd in the leaves of B. campestris. However, when red mud was applied to the soil, the foliar application of Se and Si enhanced the Cd concentration in the leaves of B. campestris. In most cases, high levels of soil ameliorants plus foliar application of Se and Si significantly enhanced the As concentrations in both the soil solution and the roots of B. campestris but reduced the soil solution Cd concentration and the leaf As concentration. Most of the treatments reduced the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentration in the leaves of B. campestris, and the foliar application of Se and Si helped the soil ameliorants alleviate the oxidative stress resulting from As and Cd exposure. In this study, several treatments significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). However, the enzymes peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) were not induced by most treatments. In summary, the combined treatment of 1gkg -1 Ca-Mg-P fertilizer plus foliar spraying 2mmolL -1 sodium selenite was most effective in reducing the Cd concentration and a rather strong ability to reduce the As concentration and trigger the activities of SOD and APX in the leaves of B. campestris., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In the present study, we compared the effects of Al 3+ ions and alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles (NPs) on growth and biochemical parameters of cabbage seedlings. The seedlings were treated with A=698.8μM Al 3+ ions and A 1 =101.8μM, A 2 =253.8μM, A 3 =507.7μM, A 4 =1.02mM, A 5 =2.17mM NPs of Al 2 O 3 in 700mL Hoagland solution. The untreated seedlings were taken as control. It was observed that aluminium ions were phytotoxic and adversely affected seedling growth and biochemical parameters of the test crop with stunting of the stem growth, while lower doses of alumina NPs enhanced seedling growth, pigments, sugar and protein contents of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) seedlings. Higher doses of alumina NPs adversely affected biochemical parameters and nitrate reductase activities of the treated seedlings. Alumina NPs induced activities of antioxidant enzymes viz. SOD, CAT and POX. Antioxidant enzyme activities increased under all treatments with maximum increase in the seedlings treated with aluminium ions and higher concentrations of alumina NPs. The lower amount of alumina NPs buttressed the metabolic processes of the test crop and appeared to mitigate the phytotoxic effects of aluminium ions., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Red cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata f. rubra DC.) is a fresh edible vegetable consumed globally that contains high levels of antioxidant compounds including anthocyanins. In this study, fresh-cut red cabbage was treated with different Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) dosages. Fifteen cyanidin derivatives were observed in UV-C treated fresh-cut red cabbage; four of these were anthocyanins absent in control samples. The optimum dose of UV-C for enhancing total anthocyanin content in fresh-cut red cabbage was 3.0 kJ/m 2 . Different UV-C irradiation doses resulted in miscellaneous responses for each of the anthocyanin compounds, and these alterations appeared to be dose-dependent. The expression of genes relating to anthocyanin metabolism was altered by UV-C irradiation. For example, genes for biosynthetic enzymes including glycosyltransferase and acyltransferase, as well as R2R3 MYB transcription factors (production of anthocyanin pigment 1 and MYB114), had strongly increased expression following UV-C treatment. These results are in accord with the roles of these gene products in anthocyanin metabolism. This is, to the authors' knowledge, the first report demonstrating that UV-C treatment can increase the antioxidant activity in fresh-cut red cabbage in storage. Moreover, our detailed phytochemical and gene expression analysis establish specific roles for both anthocyanins and metabolism genes in this process.

Anthocyanins are secondary metabolites that contribute to red, blue, and purple colors in plants and are affected by light, but the effects of low light on the physiological responses of purple pak-choi plant leaves are still unclear. In this study, purple pak-choi seedlings were exposed to low light by shading with white gauze and black shading in a phytotron. The responses in terms of photosynthetic properties, carbohydrate metabolism, antioxidant enzyme activity, anthocyanin biosynthetic enzyme activity, and the relative chlorophyll and anthocyanin content of leaves were measured. The results showed that chlorophyll b, intracellular CO2 content, stomatal conductance and antioxidant activities of guaiacol peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase transiently increased in the shade treatments at 5 d. The malondialdehyde content also increased under low light stress, which damages plant cells. With the extension of shading time (at 15 d), the relative chlorophyll a, anthocyanin and soluble protein contents, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomata conductance, antioxidant enzyme activities, and activities of four anthocyanin biosynthetic enzymes decreased significantly. Thus, at the early stage of low light treatment, the chlorophyll b content increased to improve photosynthesis. When the low light treatment was extended, antioxidant enzyme activity and the activity of anthocyanin biosynthesis enzymes were inhibited, causing the purple pak-choi seedlings to fade from purple to green. This study provides valuable information for further deciphering genetic mechanisms and improving agronomic traits in purple pak-choi under optimal light requirements.

In this study, Broccoli green extract was reported as a green and environmental friendly precursor for the one-pot biosynthesis of copper nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis, FTIR, TEM, DLS, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The TEM and DLS results showed that the NPs are in spherical and monodispersed with an average particle size of ~4.8nm. The FTIR results confirmed the occurrence of bioactive functional groups that are responsible for reducing cupric sulphate to copper ions. The UV-vis spectrophotometry was used for catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol and its dynamic reaction in Britton-Robinson buffer solution. This catalytic activity was further supported with methylene blue and methyl red dyes degradation. The nanocatalyst can be recovered from the reaction mixture and reused many times with none vital loss of catalytic activity. The Broccoli green extract modified copper nanoparticles coated on screen printing electrode laid a new sensing platform and has an excellent electrocatalytic activity. Furthermore, surface modified CuNPs with Broccoli green extract exhibited no cytotoxicity at the concentration ranging from 0.5 to 1.5μM on the prostate cancer (PC-3) cell lines. The maximum scavenging % of Broccoli green extract modified CuNPs was found to be >70.50% at the concentration of 0.25mM against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study focused on the expression analysis of antioxidant defense genes in Brassica oleracea and in Trifolium repens. Plants were exposed for 3, 10, and 56 days in microcosms to a field-collected suburban soil spiked by low concentrations of cadmium and/or lead. In both species, metal accumulations and expression levels of genes encoding proteins involved and/or related to antioxidant defense systems (glutathione transferases, peroxidases, catalases, metallothioneins) were quantified in leaves in order to better understand the detoxification processes involved following exposure to metals. It appeared that strongest gene expression variations in T. repens were observed when plants are exposed to Cd (metallothionein and ascorbate peroxidase upregulations) whereas strongest variations in B. oleracea were observed in case of Cd/Pb co-exposures (metallothionein, glutathione transferase, and peroxidase upregulations). Results also suggest that there is a benefit to use complementary species in order to better apprehend the biological effects in ecotoxicology.

Background: Two botanical varieties of cabbage, namely Savoy (Brassica oleracea var. Sabauda L.) and White (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata L.) were used in order to understand the morphological, physiological and biochemical elements of functional salt stress response. Thirteen salt concentrations (range, 0 to 300 mmol L(-1) NaCl) were considered in Experiment 1 and, of these 13, three (0, 100 and 200 mmol L(-1) NaCl) were used in Experiment 2., Results: Experiment 1 enabled the definition of two salinity thresholds (100 and 200 mmol L(-1) NaCl), associated with morphological and physiological adaptations. In Experiment 2, moderate salinity (100 mmol L(-1) NaCl) had lower effects on Savoy than in White cabbage yield (respectively, -16% and -62% from control). Concurrently, 100 mmol L(-1) NaCl resulted in a significant increase of antioxidant enzymes from control conditions, that was greater in Savoy (+289, +423 and +88%, respectively) as compared to White (+114, +356 and +28%, respectively) cabbage. Ion accumulation was found to be a key determinant in tissue osmotic adjustment (mainly in Savoy) whereas the contribution of organic osmolites was negligible., Conclusions: Higher antioxidative enzymatic activities in Savoy versus White cabbage after treatment with 100 mmol L(-1) NaCl were associated with improved water relations, thus suggesting a possible physiological pathway for alleviating perceived salt stress., (© 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) is a significant dietary vegetable for its edible heading leaves in Asia countries. The new purple anthocyanin-rich pure line (11S91) was successfully bred, and the anthocyanins were mainly distributed in 2-3 cell layers beneath the leaf epidermis, whereas siliques and stems accumulated only a cell layer of anthocyanins. The anthocyanins of 11S91 were more stable at pHs below 3.0 and temperatures below 45 °C. The total antioxidant ability was highly positive correlated with the anthocyanin content in 11S91. Thirty-two anthocyanins were separated and identified, and 70% of them were glycosylated and acylated cyanidins. The four major anthocyanins present were cyanidin-3-sophoroside(p-coumaroyl)-5-glucoside(malonyl), cyanidin-3-sophoroside(ferulyl)-5-glucoside(malonyl), cyanidin-3-sophoroside(sinapyl-p-coumaroyl)-5-glucoside(malonyl), and cyanidin-3-sophoroside-(sinapyl-ferulyl)-5-glucoside(malonyl). According to the expression of biosynthetic genes and the component profile of anthocyanins in 11S91 and its parents, regulatory genes BrMYB2 and BrTT8 probably activate the anthocyanin biosynthesis but other factors may govern the primary anthocyanins and the distribution.

In this study, the effects of supplementary UV radiation during the vegetative period on antioxidant compounds, antioxidant activity and postharvest quality of broccoli heads during long term storage was studied. The broccolis were grown under three different doses of supplementary UV radiation (2.2, 8.8 and 16.4 kJ/m(2)/day) in a soilless system in a glasshouse. Harvested broccoli heads were stored at 0 °C in modified atmosphere packaging for 60 days. The supplementary UV radiation (280-315 nm) during the vegetative period significantly decreased total carotenoid, the chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b content but increased the ascorbic acid, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of broccolis. All supplementary UV treatments slightly reduced the antioxidant activity of the broccolis, however, no remarkable change was observed between 2.2 and 8.8 kJ/m(2) radiation levels. The sinigrin and glucotropaeolin contents of the broccolis were substantially increased by UV treatments. The prolonged storage period resulted in decreased ascorbic acid, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, as well as antioxidant activity. Discoloration of the heads, due to decreased chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, was also observed with prolonged storage duration. Glucosinolates levels showed an increasing tendency till the 45th day of storage, and then their levels started to decline. The weight loss of broccoli heads during storage progressively increased with storage time in all treatments. Total soluble solids, solids content and titratable acidity decreased continuously during storage. Titratable acidity was not affected by UV radiation doses during the storage time whereas soluble solids and solids content (dry matter) were significantly affected by UV doses. Supplementary UV radiation increased the lightness (L*) and chroma (C*) values of the broccoli heads. Pre-harvest UV radiation during vegetative period seems to be a promising tool for increasing the beneficial health components of broccolis., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Pollutants, such as Metal Trace Elements (MTEs) and organic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides), can impact DNA structure of living organisms and thus generate damage. For instance, cadmium is a well-known genotoxic and mechanisms explaining its clastogenicity are mainly indirect: inhibition of DNA repair mechanisms and/or induction of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Animal or vegetal cells use antioxidant defense systems to protect themselves against ROS produced during oxidative stress. Because tolerance of organisms depends, at least partially, on their ability to cope with ROS, the mechanisms of production and management of ROS were investigated a lot in Ecotoxicology as markers of biotic and abiotic stress. This was mainly done through the measurement of enzyme activities The present Review focuses on 3 test species living in close contact with soil that are often used in soil ecotoxicology: the worm Eisenia fetida, and two plant species, Trifolium repens (white clover) and Brassica oleracea (cabbage). E. fetida is a soil-dwelling organism commonly used for biomonitoring. T. repens is a symbiotic plant species which forms root nodule with soil bacteria, while B. oleracea is a non-symbiotic plant. In literature, some oxidative stress enzyme activities have already been measured in those species but such analyses do not allow distinction between individual enzyme involvements in oxidative stress. Gene expression studies would allow this distinction at the transcriptomic level. A literature review and a data search in molecular database were carried out on the basis of keywords in Scopus, in PubMed and in Genbank™ for each species. Molecular data regarding E. fetida were already available in databases, but a lack of data regarding oxidative stress related genes was observed for T. repens and B. oleracea. By exploiting the conservation observed between species and using molecular biology techniques, we partially cloned missing candidates involved in oxidative stress and in metal detoxification in E. fetida, T. repens and B. oleracea., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Brassica vegetables possess high levels of antioxidant metabolites associated with beneficial health effects including vitamins, carotenoids, anthocyanins, soluble sugars and phenolics. Until now, no reports have been documented on the genetic basis of the antioxidant activity (AA) in Brassicas and the content of metabolites with AA like phenolics, anthocyanins and carotenoids. For this reason, this study aimed to: (1) study the relationship among different electron transfer (ET) methods for measuring AA, (2) study the relationship between these methods and phenolic, carotenoid and anthocyanin content, and (3) find QTLs of AA measured with ET assays and for phenolic, carotenoid and anthocyanin contents in leaves and flower buds in a DH population of B. oleracea as an early step in order to identify genes related to these traits. Low correlation coefficients among different methods for measuring AA suggest that it is necessary to employ more than one method at the same time. A total of 19 QTLs were detected for all traits. For AA methods, seven QTLs were found in leaves and six QTLs were found in flower buds. Meanwhile, for the content of metabolites with AA, two QTLs were found in leaves and four QTLs were found in flower buds. AA of the mapping population is related to phenolic compounds but also to carotenoid content. Three genomic regions determined variation for more than one ET method measuring AA. After the syntenic analysis with A. thaliana, several candidate genes related to phenylpropanoid biosynthesis are proposed for the QTLs found.

Background: Broccoli sprouts are a good source of secondary metabolites, exhibiting biological activity, such as polyphenols, whose concentration is affected by the exposure to exogenous elicitors. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of sodium selenate, chitosan and methyl jasmonate, applied directly to the seeds or through irrigation, on the content and profile of phenolic compounds in broccoli sprouts. The effect on antioxidant activity was also investigated., Results: Methyl jasmonate and chitosan decreased antioxidant capacity. Methyl jasmonate significantly decreased total polyphenols content in comparison with control sprouts, while chitosan significantly increased it. Sodium selenate had no statistical effect on antioxidant capacity and total polyphenols concentration. The polyphenols profile in sprouts was composed by quercetin, morine, genisteine, luteoline and sinapic acid. Elicitor type and concentration affected the synthesis of these compounds. Chitosan stimulated the synthesis of quercetin, sinapic acid and morine, whereas methyl jasmonate stimulated the synthesis of luteoline. Sodium selenate had no effect on polyphenols synthesis., Conclusion: The exposure of broccoli to the elicitors produced changes in the phenolic compounds profile of broccoli sprouts. Besides, the stimulation of phenolic compounds synthesis was elicitor-specific, thus opening the possibility of managing culture conditions to increase the content of a specific phenolic compound., (© 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Health-promoting compounds, antioxidant and myrosinase activity in the sprouts of three broccoli cultivars under 40 mM, 80 mM and 160 mM NaCl were investigated. LangYan (LY) sprouts had the richest health-promoting compounds among the evaluated cultivars. Treatment of 40 mM and 80 mM NaCl significantly decreased the content of ascorbic acid and total phenolic as well as antioxidant activity, but did not affect glucoraphanin, sulforaphane and myrosinase activity compared to the control. However, 160 mM NaCl treatment significantly enhanced the level of total phenolic, glucoraphanin, sulforaphane, antioxidant and myrosinase activity, while significantly decreased ascorbic acid content. The results suggest that 160 mM NaCl treatment would enhance antioxidant activity and sulforaphane yield in broccoli sprouts. The health-promoting value of broccoli sprouts depends on plant genotype and could be affected by NaCl stress.

Ascorbic acid (L-AsA) is an important antioxidant in plants and humans. Vegetables are one of the main sources of ascorbic acid for humans. For instance, non-heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis Makino) is considered as one of the most important vegetables in south China. To elucidate the mechanism by which AsA accumulates, we systematically investigated the expression profiles of D-mannose/L-galactose pathway-related genes. We also investigated the recycling-related genes and AsA contents in different tissues of three non-heading Chinese cabbage cultivars, 'Suzhouqing', 'Wutacai' and 'Erqing' containing different amounts of AsA. Our results showed that six genes [D-mannose-6-phosphate isomerase 1 (PMI1), GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase 1 (GGP1), GGP2, GGP4, GDP-mannose-3', 5'-epimerase1 (GME1), and GME2] were expressed at high level and ascorbate oxidase (AAO) was expressed at low level. This expression pattern contributes, at least partially, to higher AsA accumulation in the leaves and petioles than in the roots. Eight genes (PMI1, GME, GGP, L-galactose-1-phosphate phosphatase, L-galactose dehydrogenase, L-galactono-1, 4-lactone dehydrogenase, monodehydroascorbate reductase 1, and glutathione reductase1) were also expressed at high level; AAO and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were expressed at low level. This expression pattern may similarly contribute to higher AsA accumulation in 'Wutacai' and 'Suzhouqing' than in 'Erqing'. Therefore, the high expression levels of PMI, GME, and GGP and the low expression level of AAO contributed to the high AsA accumulation in non-heading Chinese cabbage., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The growth response and antioxidant capacity of Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba plants treated with 70ppb of ozone was examined. Four week old cabbage seedlings were fumigated with O3 for 3 days before being transplanted into the growing field. The effect of O3 treatment was determined directly after fumigation and over the course of field cultivation. Plants subjected to O3 treatment had an increased diameter of rosettes and number of leaves after 3 and 7 weeks in agriculture, respectively. In addition, the vast majority of fumigated plants reached marketable quality faster than control plants, indicating a positive role of episodes of increased O3 concentrations during vegetation on growth and yielding. Our analysis revealed that by fumigating juvenile white cabbage plants with moderate doses of O3 the activity of catalases (CAT) and peroxidases was elevated. The activity of the examined enzymes was not affected directly after fumigation, but it increased after several weeks in the experimental field. Increased CAT activity was accompanied by changes in 2 out of the 3 CAT genes CAT1 and CAT2, where CAT2 seemed to be responsible for the induced CAT activity. The biosynthesis of low-molecular stress protectants - tocopherols and the glucosinolate (GLS) sinigrin was transiently affected by ozone. γ-Tocopherol (γ-toc) content significantly increased directly after fumigation, but after 3 weeks of vegetation in the field its concentration reached values similar to control. The biosynthesis of α-tocopherol (α-toc) and sinigrin seemed to be upregulated in fumigated plants. However, the response was delayed; no differences were registered directly after treatment, but 3 weeks after transplanting the concentration of sinigrin and α-toc was elevated., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of sodium selenate fortification on the content of selenomethyl selenocysteine (SeMSC), total glucosinolates and sulforaphane, as well as the changes in protein profile of the inflorescences of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Italica). Two experimental groups were considered: plants treated with 100 μmol/L sodium selenate (final concentration in the pot) and control plants treated with water. Fortification began 2 weeks after transplantation and was repeated once a week during 10 weeks. Broccoli florets were harvested when they reached appropriate size. SeMSC content in broccoli florets increased significantly with sodium selenate fortification; but total glucosinolates and sulforaphane content as well as myrosinase activity were not affected. The protein profile of broccoli florets changed due to fortification with sodium selenate. Some proteins involved in general stress-responses were up-regulated, whereas down-regulated proteins were identified as proteins involved in protection against pathogens. This is the first attempt to evaluate the physiological effect of fortification with sodium selenate on broccoli at protein level. The results of this work will contribute to better understanding the metabolic processes related with selenium uptake and accumulation in broccoli.

Background: Demand for broccoli has increased due to its high content of bioactive compounds. However, broccoli is a perishable commodity with a short shelf life mainly due to dehydration, yellowing and losses of bioactive compounds. Thus, efficient treatments to preserve broccoli quality are needed., Results: The effect of heat treatment on senescence and antioxidant compounds evolution during storage at 20 °C was evaluated in organic and conventionally grown broccoli. Senescence evolved quickly as manifested by floral head yellowing, which was higher in conventional than in organic broccolis, but senescence was significantly delayed by heat treatment. All organic acids, including ascorbic acid, were found at higher concentrations in organic than in conventional broccoli at harvest but decreased during storage in all broccolis. Phenolic concentration and antioxidant activity (in both hydrophilic and lipophilic fractions) also decreased during storage, although these decreases were higher in conventional than in organic broccolis, and no differences were found attributable to heat treatment., Conclusions: Heat treatment was effective in delaying broccoli senescence, manifested by chlorophyll retention. In addition, organic broccoli maintained higher concentrations of bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid and phenolics) and antioxidant potential during storage than conventional broccoli, with higher potential health beneficial effects., (© 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Differences in the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) as well as in the concentration of ascorbate, tocopherol and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) were found in leaves from different layers of the Chinese cabbage (Brassica pekinensis (Lour.) Rupr.) head. The youngest chlorophyll-deficient leaves from the most inner layers of the cabbage head were characterized by a high concentration of ascorbate, high activity of iron superoxide dismutase (FeSOD), cooper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD) and a low content of H₂O₂. On the other hand, activity of CAT, manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and APX and tocopherol content were highest in chlorophyll-rich leaves from outer parts. The results of this work are interesting from the human nutrition standpoint, as the measured antioxidants have beneficial effects on human health. They can also be utilized to improve storage conditions due to an unequivocal function of antioxidant molecules in maintaining postharvest quality of vegetables., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)