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Simple Summary: Cabbage maggot is a devastating pest of cole crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprout, cabbage, and turnip in the Central Coast of California. Organic and conventional growers in the region have limited access to non-chemical management options. To develop a trap crop, understanding the relative susceptibility of brassicas to cabbage maggot is essential. Thus, brassicas were evaluated as companion plants with broccoli and lettuce after exposure to cabbage maggot flies. In 2013 and 2014, cabbage maggot flies were observed to lay more eggs at the base of turnip plants than broccoli. The larval feeding damage was greater on turnip than on broccoli. Lettuce (a non-brassicaceous crop) was included in the experiment to determine if it could suppress cabbage maggot attacks on broccoli. Lettuce did not reduce cabbage maggot infestation on broccoli after planting side-by-side. Additionally, the number of eggs and larval feeding damage were lower in cauliflower than in broccoli. Cabbage maggot infestation on cabbage was not different from that on broccoli. This study suggests that turnip should be further evaluated by planting on border rows of fields, or as an intercrop, to manage cabbage maggot in broccoli in the Central Coast of California. Cabbage maggot, Delia radicum (L.) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) is a serious pest of Brassica such as broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica Plenck) and cauliflower (B. oleracea L. var. botrytis) in California's Central Coast. Since there are limited non-chemical options available for growers to manage D. radicum, there is an urgent need to develop alternative tactics. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of side-by-side plantings of turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa L.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), cauliflower, and cabbage (B. oleracea L. var. capitata) with broccoli on D. radicum infestation. In 2013 and 2014, the experiments were conducted in Salinas, California. Significantly greater numbers of eggs and larval feeding damage were found on turnip compared with broccoli. Lettuce (Asteraceae), a non-Brassica crop, was compared with broccoli; however, lettuce did not reduce oviposition or larval feeding damage on broccoli. The larval feeding damage on cauliflower was significantly lower than on broccoli when planted side-by-side. The effects on cabbage were not significantly different from broccoli in terms of oviposition and larval feeding damage. This new information generated from the Central Coast of California will be further utilized to develop a trap crop to effectively tackle the D. radicum problem in Brassica fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica vegetables have demonstrated many health benefits over the years due to their composition of phenolic, flavonoid, and glucosinolate contents. However, these bioactive molecules can be easily depleted during gastronomic operations. Therefore, a sustainable method that improves their phenolic content and antioxidant activity is required for both the processors and consumers. Thermal processing has been demonstrated as a method to improve the phenolic content and antioxidant status of Brassica vegetables. In the current study, four different thermal processing methods, including freeze-drying, sautéing, steaming, and air-frying, were employed for five different Brassica vegetables, including kale, broccoli sprouts, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, and green cabbage. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activities were assessed using radical scavenging activity (DPPH and ABTS•+), reducing power (FRAP), and the chelating ability of metal ions. Among the methods tested, air-frying at 160 °C for 10 min showed the highest TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity of the Brassica vegetables, while sautéing showed the lowest. The steam treatments were preferred over the freeze-drying treatments. Within the vegetables tested, both kale and broccoli sprouts contained higher antioxidant properties in most of the employed processing treatments. The results also indicated that there is a strong correlation between the TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity (p < 0.05). This study indicates that air-frying could be used as a sustainable thermal processing method for improving biomolecules in Brassica vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Brassica (family Brassicaceae) includes nutritionally and economically important species such as Brassica napus, Brassica rapa, and Brassica oleracea. Many varieties of B. oleracea are available in various morphological forms including nutritive vegetables such as cauliflower (var. botrytis), Brussels sprouts (var. gemmifera), kales and collards (var. acephala), kohlrabi (var. gongylodes), cabbage (var. capitata), and broccoli (var. italica). Objective of the present study was to sequence chloroplast genomes of two cultivars of broccoli: Marathon and Green sprout. The sequencing was done by next generation sequencing. The analysis was performed using Velvet, Geneious, GeSeq, tRNAscan-SE, ARAGORN, OrganellarGenomeDRAW, IRscope and REPuter. The genomes of both cultivars showed highly similar quadripartite structure of 153,365 bp. The LSC (83,136 bp) and SSC (17,835 bp) regions were separated by a pair of IR (26,197 bp) region. In total, 114 unique genes were present in both species, including 80 protein-coding, 30 tRNA and 4 rRNA genes, while 18 genes were duplicated in IRs. The highest amino acid encoding frequency was found for Leucine whereas cysteine was the least encoding amino acid. The codon usage analyses confirmed high encoding efficacy of codons that ended at 3'-end with A/T. Repeat analyses of these genomes revealed 415 microsatellites and 36 oligonucleotide repeats. Microsatellites motifs were mostly comprised of A/T instead of C/G. The comparative analyses confirmed the presence of 17 substitutions between both cultivars. Overall, this study will increase knowledge about the chloroplast genomes of broccoli and will provide a resource for chloroplast genetic engineering of this important edible plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis is the property of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis Editorial Office 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.)

This study examines the effects of different cooking methods (stir-frying, steaming, superheated-steaming) on the contents and the true retention of moisture, water-soluble vitamins, and bioactive compounds of ten selected vegetables: broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, eggplant, green bean, onion, red cabbage, red onion, squash, and tomato. The total color difference (ΔE) values were decreased after stir-frying the samples, except for eggplant, green bean, and tomato. The true retention of water-soluble vitamins (B1, B2, B3, and C) was increased in most vegetables after superheated-steaming, as compared to steaming and stir-frying. Moreover, compared to the uncooked vegetables, a higher true retention of total polyphenol and flavonoid was obtained for most vegetables subsequent to superheated-steaming. Total anthocyanin content was detected only in eggplant, red cabbage, and red onion, and a smaller loss of anthocyanin was determined after subjecting red cabbage to superheated-steaming. Also, the free radical scavenging activities were higher in superheatedsteaming vegetables, except in eggplant and squash. These results indicate that superheated-steaming induces a positive effect for retaining water-soluble vitamins and functional components of vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subject of study. Cruciferae (Cruciferae) vegetables are a popular element in the diet of Poles. Cruciferous vegetables include: head cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach and rapeseed. Cruciferous plants are of interest in medicine for their anti-cancer activity. The chemopreventive effect is related to the presence of glucosinolates and their hydrolysis products: thiocyanates, isothiocyanates and nitriles. These compounds prevent the development of cancers of the breast, lung, prostate and large intestine. However, excessive consumption of thiocyanates can result in decreased production of thyroid hormones. The available literature lacks data on the amount of thiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables and the amount of their consumption by Poles. Purpose of research. The aim of the research was to determine the content of thiocyanates and to compare them in nine cruciferous vegetables (Cruciferae). The tested material was head cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, kale, brussels sprouts, chinese cabbage, pak choi and broccoli sprouts. In addition, the aim was also to compare the content of thiocyanates within the edible parts of the same plant (Chinese cabbage leaves and stalks and pak choi) and to compare the thiocyanate content of broccoli sprouts as well as broccoli florets. Material and methods. The colorimetric method was used in the research. Extraction of thiocyanates was carried out using 5% trichloroacetic acid. Thiocyanates in acidic environment react with Fe3+ ions to form blood-red complexes. The reaction products are Fe(SCN)2+ to Fe(SCN)63 3-complexes. Absorbance measurements were made using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 470 nm. Results. The concentration of thiocyanates determined in cruciferous vegetables varied, but most often it was between 10-20 mg/kg fresh weight. Among the tested cruciferous vegetables, the highest content of thiocyanates was found in spinach (8,408 mg/100 g fresh weight) and in broccoli sprouts (5,904 mg/100 g fresh weight). Chinese cabbage leaves and pak choi were a richer source of thiocyanates than their stems. The concentration of thiocyanates in broccoli sprouts was several times higher than in broccoli florets. Conclusions. Studies have shown that the concentration of thiocyanates varies within the same plant. The content of thiocyanates varies depending on the plant tissue tested. In the study, the cruciferous vegetable richest in thiocyanates was spinach. Due to the approximately six times higher concentration of thiocyanates in the leaves of white cabbage and pak choi than in their stems, it is more advantageous to prepare dishes with the use of cabbage leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural isothiocyanates (ITCs) are phytochemicals abundant in cruciferous vegetables with the general structure, R–N C S. They are bioactive organosulfur compounds derived from the hydrolysis of glucosinolates by myrosinase. A significant number of isothiocyanates have been isolated from different plant sources that include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, mustard, wasabi, and watercress. Several ITCs have been demonstrated to possess significant pharmacological properties including: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and antimicrobial activities. Due to their chemopreventive effects on many types of cancer, ITCs have been regarded as a promising anti-cancer therapeutic agent without major toxicity concerns. However, their clinical application has been hindered by several factors including their low aqueous solubility, low bioavailability, instability as well as their hormetic effect. Moreover, the typical dietary uptake of ITCs consumed for promotion of good health may be far from their bioactive (or cytotoxic) dose necessary for cancer prevention and/or treatment. Nanotechnology is one of best options to attain enhanced efficacy and minimize hormetic effect for ITCs. Nanoformulation of ITCs leads to enhance stability of ITCs in plasma and emphasize on their chemopreventive effects. This review provides a summary of the potential bioactivities of ITCs, their mechanisms of action for the prevention and treatment of cancer, as well as the recent research progress in their nanodelivery strategies to enhance solubility, bioavailability, and anti-cancer efficacy. [Display omitted] • Natural isothiocyanates show significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. • Nano-formulation enhances delivery of isothiocyanates in cancer therapy. • Combination of isothiocyanates and anti-cancer drugs exhibit synergistic therapeutic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterodera schachtii (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae), also called the sugar beet cyst nematode, are of economic importance worldwide. Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), which is a crop of global importance, suffers yield loss when it is infected with H. schachtii. The first report of the occurrence of H. schachtii in South Africa was made in 1968 on the Greater Cape Flats of the Western Cape province of South Africa, showing the widespread occurrence and the high nematode numbers on cabbage, cauliflower, beetroot and Brussels sprouts. The penetration, development and life cycle of a local H. schachtii population on seven vegetables (beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce and turnip) and three weeds (black nightshade, purslane and shepherd's purse) commonly grown, or found, in the Greater Cape Flats region of the Western Cape, South Africa, and two candidate trap crops (white mustard and oilseed radish) were examined under laboratory conditions. All the vegetables and weeds were found to be good hosts of H. schachtii, with the exception of lettuce, which was found to be a non-host. Oilseed radish and white mustard allowed penetration and some nematode development, but no, or little, cyst formation. Female bodies filled with eggs were observed from 31 to 34 days after inoculation onwards on all the vegetables and weeds, except for on beetroot, on which female bodies filled with eggs were observed a few days later. The results from this study are important, especially in terms of the adaptation of vegetable crop rotation cycles that are practised on the Cape Flats, so as to prevent the build-up of H. schachtii populations in agricultural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Baghdad Science Journal is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) 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.)

Plants emit characteristic organic volatile compounds (VOCs) with diverse biological/ecological functions. However, the links between plant species/varieties and their phytochemical emission profiles remain elusive. Here, we developed a direct headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) technique and combined with non-targeted gas chromatography‒high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) platform to investigate the VOCs profiles of 12 common Brassicaceae vegetables (watercress, rocket, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kai lan, choy sum, pak choi, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, radish and cherry radish). The direct HS-SPME sampling approach enabled reproducible capture of the rapid-emitting VOCs upon plant tissue disruption. The results revealed extensive variation in VOCs profiles among the 12 Brassicaceae vegetables. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the VOC profiles could clearly distinguish the 12 Brassicaceae vegetables, and that these profiles well reflected the classical morphological classification. After multivariate statistical analysis, 44 VOCs with significant differences among the Brassicaceae vegetables were identified. Pathway analysis showed that three secondary metabolism pathways, including the fatty acid pathway, methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway and glucosinolate (GLS) pathway, behave distinctively in these vegetables. These three pathways are responsible for the generation and emission of green leaf volatiles (GLVs), terpenes and isothiocyanates (ITCs), respectively. Correlation analysis further showed that volatile metabolites formed via the common pathway had significantly positive correlations, whereas metabolites from different pathways had either non-significant or significantly negative correlations. Genetic influences on these metabolites across various vegetable types were also evaluated. These findings extend our phytochemical knowledge of the 12 edible Brassicaceae vegetables and provide useful information on their secondary metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zywnosc is the property of Polish Society of Food Technologists - Scientific Publishing 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.)

The thermal stability of individual glucosinolates within five different Brassica vegetables was studied at 100°C for different incubation times up to 120 minutes. Three vegetables that were used in this study were Brassica oleracea (red cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts) and two were Brassica rapa (pak choi and Chinese cabbage). To rule out the influence of enzymatic breakdown, myrosinase was inactivated prior to the thermal treatments. The stability of three glucosinolates that occurred in all five vegetables (gluconapin, glucobrassicin and 4-methoxyglucobrassicin) varied considerably between the different vegetables. The degradation could be modeled by first order kinetics. The rate constants obtained varied between four to twenty fold between the five vegetables. Brussels sprouts showed the highest degradation rates for all three glucosinolates. The two indole glucosinolates were most stable in red cabbage, while gluconapin was most stable in broccoli. These results indicate the possibilities for plant breeding to select for cultivars in which glucosinolates are more stable during processing.

Abstract: Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II, CIS) is a potent and widely used chemotherapeutic agent to treat various malignancies, but its therapeutic use is limited because of dose-dependent nephrotoxicity. Cell death and inflammation play a key role in the development and progression of CIS-induced nephropathy. Sulforaphane (SFN), a natural constituent of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc., has been shown to exert various protective effects in models of tissue injury and cancer. In this study, we have investigated the role of prosurvival, cell death and inflammatory signaling pathways using a rodent model of CIS-induced nephropathy, and explored the effects of SFN on these processes. Cisplatin triggered marked activation of stress signaling pathways [p53, Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38-α mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)] and promoted cell death in the kidneys (increased DNA fragmentation, caspases-3/7 activity, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated uridine triphosphate nick-end labeling), associated with attenuation of various prosurvival signaling pathways [e.g., extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38-β MAPK]. Cisplatin also markedly enhanced inflammation in the kidneys [promoted NF-κB activation, increased expression of adhesion molecules ICAM and VCAM, enhanced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels and inflammatory cell infiltration]. These effects were significantly attenuated by pretreatment of rodents with SFN. Thus, the cisplatin-induced nephropathy is associated with activation of various cell death and proinflammatory pathways (p53, JNK, p38-α, TNF-α and NF-κB) and impairments of key prosurvival signaling mechanisms (ERK and p38-β). SFN is able to prevent the CIS-induced renal injury by modulating these pathways, providing a novel approach for preventing this devastating complication of chemotherapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses a study which examined the food preference of Eurydema ornatum in six cultivated plants belonging to Cruciferae. The plants include white cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, red cabbage and radish. The study performed experiments of Eurydema ornatum in the laboratory and showed differences in nympal stage, adult stage and together with nympal and adult stages of the bug. The results indicated that while white cabbage and cauliflower were the most preferred plants of the bug.

We investigated the occurrence of the antagonistic interactions between essential elements and heavy metals, in various plant parts (roots, leaves, sprouts and heads), under treated municipal wastewater reuse (TMWW) in Brussels sprouts, and broccoli, and their effect on the elemental composition of plants. The statistical design included two treatments, i.e. (a) TMWW and (b) ordinary natural irrigation water (control), in six replications. Most of the concomitant antagonistic interactions under both TMWW and control occurred in the roots and leaves of Brussels sprouts (23), while in broccoli leaves only 15 such interactions took place under TMWW and control, none of them having occurred in the roots. On the other hand, in the heads of broccoli, only eight interactions were found under the TMWW, in comparison to only three in controls. Also, in Brussels sprouts three concomitant interactions occurred under TMWW in the sprouts, and none in controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassicaceae vegetables are considered to be a staple food in many areas all over the world. Brassica species are not only known for their high fat and protein contents for human and animal consumption, but Brassicaceae vegetables are recognized as a rich source of nutrients such as vitamins (carotenoids, tocopherol, ascorbic acid, folic acid), minerals (Cu, Zn, P, Mg, among others), carbohydrates (sucrose and glucose), amino acids (for example, L-alanine, L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, L-histidine, L-methionine, L-phenylalanine, L-threonine, L-tryptophan, and L-valine), and different groups of phytochemicals such as indole phytoalexins (brassinin, spirobrassinin, brassilexin, camalexin, 1-methoxyspirobrassinin, 1-methoxyspirobrassinol, and methoxyspirobrassinol methyl ether), phenolics (such as feruloyl and isoferuloylcholine, hydroxybenzoic, neochlorogenic, chlorogenic, caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, and sinapic acids, anthocyanins, quercetin, and kaempferol), and glucosinolates (mainly glucoiberin, glucoraphanin, glucoalyssin, gluconapin, glucobrassicanapin, glucobrassicin, gluconasturtiin, and neoglucobrassicin). All of these phytochemicals contribute to the reported antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, and cardiovascular protective activities of Brassica vegetables. However, not all members of this family are equal from a nutritional viewpoint, since significant qualitative variations in the phytochemical profiles of Brassica species and varieties suggest differences in the health-promoting properties among these vegetables. In this article, Brassica phytochemicals with their nutritional value and health-promoting activities are discussed to give an overview of the literature for Brassica as a staple crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main groups of sensory active compounds - glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, phenolics and sugars in 3 cultivars of broccoli, 5 of Brussels sprout, 3 of cauliflower, and 4 of kohlrabi, both raw and cooked, were analyzed and correlated with selected sensory traits. The differences in the concentration of these components were significant between different vegetables and also noticeable between cultivars of one vegetable. The bitterness of Brussels sprouts and broccoli was correlated with glucosinolates, though Brussel sprouts contained definitely higher concentration (>1 g/kg fw) of these substances than their concentration in broccoli (<0.3 g/kg fw), or other vegetables. A positive correlation between sugar concentration and general desirability was observed in Brussels sprouts (0.91 — raw), kohlrabi (0.53 — raw; 0.80 — cooked), and raw cauliflower (0.85). According to sensory analysis, the high correlation between sweetness level and general desirability was observed, however, sweetness intensity was not correlated with total sugars concentration. A lack of any correlation between phenolic content and taste was observed. The results presented in this work emphasized the diversity of investigated Brassica vegetables from both phytochemical and sensory point of view. • Glucosinolates influence perception of Brussel sprouts. • Sweetness plays significant role in the perception of Brassica vegetables. • Taste of Brassica vegetables is complex and affected by multiple traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bile acid binding capacity has been related to the cholesterol-lowering potential of foods and food fractions. Lowered recirculation of bile acids results in utilization of cholesterol to synthesize bile acid and reduced fat absorption. Secondary bile acids have been associated with increased risk of cancer. Bile acid binding potential has been related to lowering the risk of heart disease and that of cancer. Previously, we have reported bile acid binding by several uncooked vegetables. However, most vegetables are consumed after cooking. How cooking would influence in vitro bile acid binding of various vegetables was investigated using a mixture of bile acids secreted in human bile under physiological conditions. Eight replicate incubations were conducted for each treatment simulating gastric and intestinal digestion, which included a substrate only, a bile acid mixture only, and 6 with substrate and bile acid mixture. Cholestyramine (a cholesterol-lowering, bile acid binding drug) was the positive control treatment and cellulose was the negative control. Relative to cholestyramine, in vitro bile acid binding on dry matter basis was for the collard greens, kale, and mustard greens, 13%; broccoli, 10%; Brussels sprouts and spinach, 8%; green bell pepper, 7%; and cabbage, 5%. These results point to the significantly different (P ≤ .05) health-promoting potential of collard greens = kale = mustard greens > broccoli > Brussels sprouts = spinach = green bell pepper > cabbage as indicated by their bile acid binding on dry matter basis. Steam cooking significantly improved the in vitro bile acid binding of collard greens, kale, mustard greens, broccoli, green bell pepper, and cabbage compared with previously observed bile acid binding values for these vegetables raw (uncooked). Inclusion of steam-cooked collard greens, kale, mustard greens, broccoli, green bell pepper, and cabbage in our daily diet as health-promoting vegetables should be emphasized. These green/leafy vegetables, when consumed regularly after steam cooking, would lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, advance human nutrition research, and improve public health. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Glucosinolates in different ecotypes of Brassica rapa L. subsp. sylvestris L. Janch. var. esculenta Hort. widely distributed in Southern Italy and locally known as “friariello” and “cima di rapa”, were characterized and their glucosinolate composition was compared with that of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica). Although these two vegetables have a similar morphologic aspect, they showed a very different glucosinolate profile. While glucoraphanin, glucobrassicin and 1-methoxyindol-3-ylmethyl were confirmed as the main compounds in broccoli, gluconapin and glucobrassicanapin were identified for the first time as the molecular markers of friarielli and other Brassica rapa plants. Broccoli can by grouped according to their glucosinolates concentration by PCA analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The in vitro binding of bile acids by spinach (Spinacia oleracea), kale (Brassica oleracea acephala), Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea gemmifera), broccoli (Brassica oleracea italica), mustard greens (Brassica juncea), green bell peppers (Capsicum annuum), cabbage (Brassica oleracea capitala) and collards (Brassica oleracea acephala) was determined using a mixture of bile acids secreted in human bile at a duodenal physiological pH of 6.3. Six treatments and two blank incubations were conducted testing various fresh raw green vegetables on an equal dry matter basis. Considering cholestyramine (bile acid binding, cholesterol lowering drug) as 100% bound, the relative in vitro bile acid binding of various vegetables tested on equal dry matter and total dietary fibre basis was 2–9% and 6–32%, respectively. Bile acid binding for spinach, kale and brussels sprouts was significantly higher than for broccoli and mustard greens. For broccoli and mustard greens binding values were significantly higher those for cabbage, bell pepper and collards. These results point to the health promoting potential of spinach=kale=brussels sprouts>broccoli=mustard greens>cabbage= green bell peppers= collards, as indicated by their bile acid binding on dry matter basis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale are rich sources of antioxidant phytochemicals and significant amounts of dietary fiber. This study was conducted to estimate the variability of some important antioxidants and minerals between, and within, the crucifer accessions in edible portions of plants. Significant variations for protein, carbohydrate, fiber, β-carotene, ascorbic acid and mineral content were observed between, and within, the crucifers. Total carbohydrate content ranged between 2.54 to 4.03 g/100 g, whereas, protein content ranged from 0.41 to 3.57 g/100 g of fresh weight. Mean fiber content ranged from 0.60 to 3.62 g/100 g. Vitamin C content ranged from 22.16 to 82.14 mg/100 g and â-carotene ranged from 1.56 to 9.09 mg/100 g on fresh weight basis. In general kale, broccoli and Brussels sprouts contained significantly higher amounts of Vitamin C and â-carotene as compared to cabbage and cauliflower. The total nitrogen ranged from 1.36 to 4.6% and phosphorous from 0.39 to 0.81% dry weight. Sodium and potassium contents ranged from 0.17 to 0.34% and 2.18 to 3.77% respectively. The copper content was 0.01 to 0.02 mg g-1, iron, 0.14 to 0.31 mg g -1, manganese, 0.01 to 0.07 mg g-1 and zinc, 0.01 to 0.12 mg g-1. The variability of each compound within, accessions can be used to estimate the potential maximum concentration of each phytochemical that can be achieved through genetic manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Generalist parasitoids are confronted by different plant structures and differences in host abundance and distribution within and among plants. These differences may affect host finding success. In this study, we investigated the effect of plant structure on host finding success of two Trichogramma species using three species of Lepidoptera and three structurally, but closely related crucifers (cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts). We also determined the searching pattern of female parasitoids by characterizing the distribution pattern of parasitized eggs according to leaf surface and plant height. Neither species of parasitoid showed a preference for any of the three plant varieties. We found significant effects of plant variety, pest species, and parasitoid species on parasitism and only the parasitoid × plant structure interaction was significant. Mean percent parasitism generally tended to decrease with an increase of plant structural complexity and was greatest with cabbage, lowest with Brussels sprouts, and intermediate with broccoli. On simple plant structures, both wasp species performed well on the three varieties of plants. Females parasitized more eggs at the base of plants and on the inferior side of leaves. This study demonstrates that plant structure can constrain parasitoids while they are foraging for hosts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

For many parasitoid species, the final step of host location occurs on plants whose structure varies in time and space, altering the capacity of parasitoids to exploit hosts. Plant structure can be defined by its size, heterogeneity and connectivity. We tested the hypothesis that these three components and all possible interactions affect the level of parasitism of Trichogramma evanescens and that parasitism can be predicted if the structure of a plant is measured. We quantified and varied the structure of three-dimensional artificial plants to determine which component(s) of plant structure explain variability of parasitism and to develop a model that predicts parasitism by Trichogramma females. This model was validated with three natural tritrophic systems. The experiment with artificial plants revealed that plant structure affected host-finding success, which was higher on plants with a simple structure and low on plants with a complex structure. A response surface regression showed that the linear and quadratic terms of connectivity were highly significant, indicating that connectivity best explained the variability in the rate of parasitism obtained. The interaction between connectivity and heterogeneity was also significant. Observed values of parasitism from experiments with three natural tritrophic systems fit predicted values of parasitism generated by the model, indicating that parasitism can be predicted if heterogeneity and connectivity of a plant are known. Consequences of these results in regard to population dynamics, evolution and biological control are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and other members of the genus Brassica have been widely regarded as potentially cancer preventative. This view is often based on both experimental testing of crude extracts and epidemiological data. The experimental evidence that provides support for this possibility is reviewed for the commonly consumed varieties of Brassica oleracea. In a majority of cases the biological activities seen in testing crude extracts may be directly related to specific chemicals that have been reported to be isolated from one of these closely related species, thus the chemical evidence further supports the data from testing extracts and epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brassica genus includes one of the 10 most agronomically and economically important plant groups in the world. Within this group, we can find examples such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, turnip or rapeseed. Their cultivation and postharvest are continually threatened by significant stresses of biotic origin, such as pathogens and pests. In recent years, numerous research groups around the world have developed transgenic lines within the Brassica genus that are capable of defending themselves effectively against these enemies. The present work compiles all the existing studies to date on this matter, focusing in a special way on those of greater relevance in recent years, the choice of the gene of interest and the mechanisms involved in improving plant defenses. Some of the main transgenic lines developed include coding genes for chitinases, glucanases or cry proteins, which show effective results against pathogens such as Alternaria brassicae, Leptosphaeria maculans or Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, or pests such as Lipaphis erysimi or Plutella xylostella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of NaCl and KCl on the retention of some micro‐ and macroelements in hydrothermally treated broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. The following brines (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 g/100 g) were applied for boiling. The dry matter content (10.2–16.0), process yield (85.8–124.8), content of minerals: Na (241.5–72,989.3), K (24,184.4–112,831.5), Ca (1,202.5–5,339.5), Mg (981.5–2,402.1), Mn (13.6–89.8), Zn (28.4–137.8), Fe (101.8–402.3), and Cu (2.5–7.3) were determined. Minerals retention was also calculated. The type and concentration of salt were strongly correlated with the losses of mineral components during hydrothermal treatment. Vegetables prepared in NaCl solutions were able to preserve more micro‐ and macroelements as compared to KCl, and its optimum concentration was 1%. The highest reduction in microelements during thermal processing was observed for cauliflower. Practical applications: Vegetables are a good source of a many valuable nutrients, but their retention level in processed product is strongly related to the method of preparation. The most common way of preparation is to boil them in water, or saline solution applied in order to improve organoleptic properties. Usually, NaCl is used as flavor enhancer. Unfortunately, some health‐related issues arose around application of this salt, so the use of its replacers is an interesting option. This research provides detailed information about retention level of micro‐ and macroelements in Brassica vegetables prepared for consumption by traditional boiling with special emphasis paid to type and dose of applied salt. The results indicated at sodium chloride applied at 1% dose to be optimal in achieving maximum level of elements retention in boiled Brassica vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Whether consumption of cruciferous vegetables protects against lung cancer is unclear, largely because of potential confounding factors. We therefore studied the role of cruciferous vegetables in lung cancer after stratifying by GSTM1 and GSTT1 status, two genes implicated in the elimination of isothiocyanates, the likely chemopreventative compound. In 2141 cases and 2168 controls, weekly consumption of cruciferous vegetables protected against lung cancer in those who were GSTM1 null (odds ratio=0·67, 95% CI 0·49-0·91), GSTT1 null (0·63, 0·37-1·07), or both (0·28, 0·11-0·67). No protective effect was seen in people who were both GSTM1 and GSTT1 positive (0·88, 0·65-1·21). Similar protective results were noted for consumption of cabbage and a combination of broccoli and brussels sprouts. These data provide strong evidence for a substantial protective effect of cruciferous vegetable consumption on lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]