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This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of urban derived biochars such as Sugarcane bagasse (SB), Brinjal Stem (BS), and Citrus Peel (CP) produced at two different pyrolysis conditions (450 and 600 °C for 60 min) for soil heavy metal bioremediation potential. An ex-situ study was conducted to remediate single heavy metal-contaminated SoilRite with lead (Pb), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr) and cadmium (Cd), with biochars applied at different rates. Heavy metal status in soilrite was evaluated using various extraction methods (water-soluble, exchangeable, TCLP (Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure), and PBET (Physiologically Based Extraction Tests)) to determine the biochar treatments' efficacy. The findings show that SB biochar at 450–60 are more effective in immobilizing heavy metals in water-soluble (Cd-100% Pb and Cu-70%), exchangeable (Pb:91%, Cd and Cu by 70–80%) and PBET-extracted forms (Cd-91%, Pb-80%, and Cu-75%), whereas biochar derived from BS (84%) and CP (90%) at 600–60 are more effective in immobilizing TCLP-extracted form of Pb and Cu. Urban derived biochars significantly reduced the toxicity of Pb, Cu, and Cd in various extractable forms and can stabilize and convert them into less accessible forms except for Cr. These extraction methods aid in evaluating environmental risks and influencing remediation strategies for soil heavy metal pollution. Urban biochar, as a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution, significantly solves this issue, facilitating sustainable waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diet breadth of generalist herbivores when compared to specialists tends to be associated with greater transcriptional plasticity. Here, we consider whether it may also contribute to variation in host range among two generalists with different levels of polyphagy. We examined two related polyphagous spider mites with different host ranges, Tetranychus urticae (1200 plants) and Tetranychus truncatus (90 plants). Data from multiple populations of both species domesticated on common beans and transferred to new plant hosts (cotton, cucumber, eggplant) were used to investigate transcriptional plasticity relative to population‐based variation in gene expression. Compared to T. truncatus, T. urticae exhibited much higher transcriptional plasticity. Populations of this species also showed much more variable expression regulation in response to a plant host, particularly for genes related to detoxification, transport, and transcriptional factors. In response to the different plant hosts, both polyphagous species showed enriched processes of drug/xenobiotics metabolism, with T. urticae orchestrating a relatively broader array of biological pathways. Through co‐expression network analysis, we identified gene modules associated with host plant response, revealing shared hub genes primarily involved in detoxification metabolism when both mites fed on the same plants. After silencing a shared hub CYP gene related to eggplant exposure, the performance of both species on the original bean host improved, but the fecundity of T. truncatus decreased when feeding on eggplant. The extensive transcriptomic variation shown by T. urticae might serve as a potential compensatory mechanism for a deficiency of hub genes in this species. This research points to nuanced differences in transcriptomic variability between generalist herbivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anthocyanins are water-soluble flavonoids in plants, which give plants bright colors and are widely used as food coloring agents, nutrients, and cosmetic additives. There are several limitations for traditional techniques of collecting anthocyanins from plant tissues, including species, origin, season, and technology. The benefits of using engineering microbial production of natural products include ease of use, controllability, and high efficiency. Results: In this study, ten genes encoding enzymes involved in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway were successfully cloned from anthocyanin-rich plant materials blueberry fruit and purple round eggplant rind. The Yeast Fab Assembly technology was utilized to construct the transcriptional units of these genes under different promoters. The transcriptional units of PAL and C4H, 4CL and CHS were fused and inserted into Chr. XVI and IV of yeast strain JDY52 respectively using homologous recombination to gain Strain A. The fragments containing the transcriptional units of CHI and F3H, F3'H and DFR were inserted into Chr. III and XVI to gain Strain B1. Strain B2 has the transcriptional units of ANS and 3GT in Chr. IV. Several anthocyanidins, including cyanidin, peonidin, pelargonidin, petunidin, and malvidin, were detected by LC-MS/MS following the predicted outcomes of the de novo biosynthesis of anthocyanins in S. cerevisiae using a multi-strain co-culture technique. Conclusions: We propose a novel concept for advancing the heterologous de novo anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, as well as fundamental information and a theoretical framework for the ensuing optimization of the microbial synthesis of anthocyanins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring the healthy growth of eggplants requires the precise detection of leaf diseases, which can significantly boost yield and economic income. Improving the efficiency of plant disease identification in natural scenes is currently a crucial issue. This study aims to provide an efficient detection method suitable for disease detection in natural scenes. A lightweight detection model, YOLOv5s-BiPCNeXt, is proposed. This model utilizes the MobileNeXt backbone to reduce network parameters and computational complexity and includes a lightweight C3-BiPC neck module. Additionally, a multi-scale cross-spatial attention mechanism (EMA) is integrated into the neck network, and the nearest neighbor interpolation algorithm is replaced with the content-aware feature recombination operator (CARAFE), enhancing the model's ability to perceive multidimensional information and extract multiscale disease features and improving the spatial resolution of the disease feature map. These improvements enhance the detection accuracy for eggplant leaves, effectively reducing missed and incorrect detections caused by complex backgrounds and improving the detection and localization of small lesions at the early stages of brown spot and powdery mildew diseases. Experimental results show that the YOLOv5s-BiPCNeXt model achieves an average precision (AP) of 94.9% for brown spot disease, 95.0% for powdery mildew, and 99.5% for healthy leaves. Deployed on a Jetson Orin Nano edge detection device, the model attains an average recognition speed of 26 FPS (Frame Per Second), meeting real-time requirements. Compared to other algorithms, YOLOv5s-BiPCNeXt demonstrates superior overall performance, accurately detecting plant diseases under natural conditions and offering valuable technical support for the prevention and treatment of eggplant leaf diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) is one of the most widely consumed and produced vegetable crops worldwide. It offers numerous health benefits due to its rich content of many therapeutic elements such as vitamins, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds. Biotic stressors such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes, and insects cause severe yield losses as well as decreasing fruit quality. Conventional breeding strategies have succeeded in developing resistant genotypes, but these approaches require significant time and effort. The advent of state-of-the-art genome editing technologies, particularly CRISPR/Cas9, provides a rapid and straightforward method for developing high-quality biotic stress-resistant tomato lines. The advantage of genome editing over other approaches is the ability to make precise, minute adjustments without leaving foreign DNA inside the transformed plant. The tomato genome has been precisely modified via CRISPR/Cas9 to induce resistance genes or knock out susceptibility genes, resulting in lines resistant to common bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases. This review provides the recent advances and application of CRISPR/Cas9 in developing tomato lines with resistance to biotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The E3 enzyme in the UPS pathway is a crucial factor for inhibiting substrate specificity. In Solanaceae, the U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase has a complex relationship with plant growth and development, and plays a pivotal role in responding to various biotic and abiotic stresses. The analysis of the U-box gene family in Solanaceae and its expression profile under different stresses holds significant implications. A total of 116 tobacco NtU-boxs and 56 eggplant SmU-boxs were identified based on their respective genome sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of U-box genes in tobacco, eggplant, tomato, Arabidopsis, pepper, and potato revealed five distinct subgroups (IV). Gene structure and protein motifs analysis found a high degree of conservation in both exon/intron organization and protein motifs among tobacco and eggplant U-box genes especially the members within the same subfamily. A total of 15 pairs of segmental duplication and 1 gene pair of tandem duplication were identified in tobacco based on the analysis of gene duplication events, while 10 pairs of segmental duplication in eggplant. It is speculated that segmental duplication events are the primary driver for the expansion of the U-box gene family in both tobacco and eggplant. The promoters of NtU-box and SmU-box genes contained cis-regulatory elements associated with cellular development, phytohormones, environment stress, and photoresponsive elements. Transcriptomic data analysis shows that the expression levels of the tobacco and eggplant U-box genes in different tissues and various abiotic stress conditions. Using cultivar Hongda of tobacco and cultivar Yanzhi of eggplant as materials, qRT-PCR analysis has revealed that 15 selected NtU-box genes and 8 SmU-box may play important roles in response to pathogen Ras invasion both in tobacco and eggplant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita, poses significant challenges for many important crops. Identified distinctive bacterial proteases have emerged as potential nematicides. In this study, the nprE from Bacillus subtilis 168 encoded the neutral metalloprotease, effectively enhancing it through a site-directed mutation. The enzyme-specific activity of pro118, secreted by the modified strain BS118, reached 215.4 U mg-1. It was twice that of pro168 produced by the wild-type strain BS168, which recorded an enzyme-specific activity of 101.6 U mg-1. The protease, pro118, caused the highest mortality in M. incognita juveniles, J2S (91.3% to 84.5%) after 48 h of in vitro treatment. Furthermore, when simultaneously applying pro118 with the nematode infection, it notably decreased the number of J2S, root galls, and egg masses/root systems by 19.5%, 18.8%, and 26.2%, respectively, compared with its application one week after the nematode infection. This consistent trend also manifested in the plant shoot length and fresh weight enrichment, which showed an increase of 9.7% and 14.7% in the first treatment versus the second. In conclusion, the study asserts that applying neutral metalloprotease as a bioagent to biocontrol M. incognita is a promising approach for mitigating the impact of this agricultural pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leucinodes orbonalis causes huge losses in eggplant (Solanum melongena) making its cultivation economically difficult. During off-season insect pests survive and multiply on alternate hosts, so it is indispensable to identify all of the sources of carry-over for efficient management. This study aimed at identifying the carry-over sources of L. orbonalis and consisted of three components, namely rapid roving surveys for collecting and identifying alternate/ collateral hosts, free-choice test for host preference studies, and carry-over from eggplant crop to other hosts. During roving survey, shoot samples of the possible alternate hosts were collected from farmers' field of the six districts to confirm the presence of the larval stages of L. orbonalis. Out of the collected alternate hosts, eight were found to harbor the L. orbonalis, four of which were vegetables and four were weed hosts with majority of them belonging to family Solanaceae. Based on free-choice test, among the eight alternate hosts identified from survey studies, Solanum nigrum, Solanum tuberosum and Solanum lycopersicum were the most preferred hosts. For the third component of the study, pheromone traps were installed in different season eggplant crops. Based on the pheromone trap catch, ratoon crop left standing as such was the major source of carry-over, followed by pruned ratoon crop and uprooted stalks. In conclusion it is imperative to manage alternate hosts, and ratoon crop and uprooted stalks of eggplant for efficient management of the L. orbonalis with least use of chemical insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To accurately describe the quality differences between different cigar tobacco raw materials, a sensory quality evaluation method for domestic cigar tobacco raw materials was developed. The evaluation content of this method included four parts: style characteristics, impurities, quality characteristics and overall evaluation. The Analytic Hierarchy Process and expert consultation method were mainly used to calculate and refine the weights of the four dimensions of quality characteristics of different types of cigar tobacco raw materials (aroma characteristics, smoke characteristics, aftertaste characteristics and combustion characteristics), the weighted quality characteristic comprehensive score were calculated and six types of cigar tobacco raw materials were evaluated. The results showed that for eggplant core (eggplant cover) tobacco leaves, the weights of aroma characteristics, smoke characteristics, aftertaste characteristics and combustion characteristics were 0.50, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.15, respectively. For eggplant tobacco leaves, the weights of aroma characteristics, smoke characteristics, aftertaste characteristic, and combustion characteristics were 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.55, respectively. The quality characteristic score was consistent with the expert comprehensive evaluation results. All six cigar tobacco leaf samples exhibited distinct style, with Chuxue 26 having a stronger concentration, while the rest having a moderate concentration. Hainan No. 1 and Haiyan 103 had sweet honey aromas in their main aroma, Chuxue 14 and Chuxue 26 had nutty aromas, and Dexue 4 and Chuanxue 2 had coffee aromas. Among the selected samples, there were 3 samples with slight protein impurities. Among the eggplant core varieties, Chuxue 14 had the best quality characteristics, while the eggplant coat variety Chuxue 26 had the best quality characteristics. This method could comprehensively and accurately describe the sensory quality differences of different varieties of cigar tobacco raw materials, providing reference for the development and application of cigar tobacco raw materials, cigar formula design and maintenance, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first to investigate the presence and movement of the novel Liberibacter species 'Candidatus Liberibacter brunswickensis' (CLbr) in eggplant, Solanum melongena. The psyllid, Acizzia solanicola can transmit CLbr to eggplant and CLbr can be acquired by CLbr-negative A. solanicola individuals from CLbr-positive eggplants. In planta, CLbr can replicate, move and persist. Investigation into the early development of eggplants showed that CLbr titres had increased at the inoculation site at 14 days post inoculation access period (DPIAP). CLbr had become systemic in the majority of plants tested by 28 DPIAP. The highest bacterial titres were recorded at 35 DPIAP in all samples of the inoculated leaf, the roots, stems and the midrib and petiole samples of the newest leaf (the top leaf). This finding strongly suggests that CLbr movement in planta follows the source to sink relationship as previously described for 'Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus' (CLas) and 'Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum' (CLso). No symptoms consistent with Liberibacter-associated diseases were noted for plants colonised by CLbr during this study, consistent with the hypothesis that CLbr does not cause disease of eggplant during the early stages of host colonisation. In addition, no significant differences in biomass were found between eggplant colonised with CLbr, compared to those that were exposed to CLbr-negative A. solanicola, and to control plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document discusses the molecular regulation mechanisms of ripening, senescence, and stress resistance in fruits and vegetables. It highlights the biological changes that occur during the development and ripening of these crops, as well as the various factors that contribute to their production and quality. The document also explores the network of hormones, transcription factors, and epigenetic modifications involved in the development of fruits and vegetables, as well as the postharvest treatments used to preserve their quality. Several studies are presented that analyze the genetic regulation of specific crops, such as Brassica napus, loquat, olecranon honey peaches, eggplant, and litchi, providing insights into their growth, development, and response to pathogens. Additionally, a study on the use of selenium treatment to extend the shelf life of broccoli is discussed. The document concludes by emphasizing the need for further research to fully understand the complex molecular regulation mechanisms of fruits and vegetables. [Extracted from the article]

Two eggplant cultivars (Brigitte and Dalong) were stored under ambient conditions for 8 days to examine the postharvest quality and shelf life. Results indicated that the respiration rate, firmness and springiness, and nutritional quality of both eggplant cultivars decreased with the extension of shelf life. On the contrary, opposite trends were observed in weight loss, gumminess, and chewiness of eggplant fruits. In addition, the weight loss of 'Brigitte' eggplant fruits was 3.3% and 6.9% lower compared with 'Dalong' eggplant fruits at 4 and 8 days after storage. Thicknesses of epidermal cells and the stratum corneum, the epicuticular wax content of 'Brigitte eggplant fruits increased by 42.9%, 766.7%, and 58.8% compared with 'Dalong' eggplant fruits, respectively, with a concomitant increase in the dense wax layer structure. In conclusion, the storage tolerance of 'Brigitte' eggplant fruits was higher than that of 'Dalong' eggplant fruits due to the higher epicuticular wax content and dense wax layer structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron toxicity in arid and semi-arid soils is principally due to the high concentration of boron in irrigation water. This study aimed to investigate the effect of activated carbon on the concentration and distribution of boron in different plant organs, a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design under greenhouse conditions. Treatments included plant type (tomato and eggplant), activated carbon at four levels (zero, 1, 2 and 3%) and boron at three levels (zero, 2.5 and 5 mg L−1). The experiment was conducted with 24 experimental treatments in three replications and a total of 72 experimental units. The results showed that increasing levels of boron in irrigation water increased the concentration of boron in different organs of plants. With study the interactions between plant type, different levels of boron and activated carbon, it was found that application of activated carbon at higher levels of boron in irrigation water had more effect on reducing the boron concentration in tomato leaf. Adding 3% of activated carbon to 5 mg boron per liter of irrigation water reduced boron concentration in tomato leaf by 65% compared to control. The results show the efficacy of using activated carbon in reducing boron toxicity in plants in high concentrations of boron in irrigation water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity, which is one of the major abiotic stresses, prevails in mostly arid and semiarid areas that is nearly 20% of the world's cultivated area. Excessive amounts of salt around the plant root zone are detrimental to vegetative growth and economic yield. Today salinization is still severely expanding and posing a great threat to the development of sustainable agriculture. Although eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is considered moderately sensitive, soil salinity mitigates strictly the growth and yield. Eggplant has significant crop wild relatives (CWRs) which are thought to be more tolerant to abiotic stresses and it is substantial to exploit their potential against salinity in hybrid breeding studies. It has previously been proven that Solanum incanum L. has tolerance to salinity stress. This study aimed to improve salinity-tolerant pure eggplant lines. Therefore, the acquired F2 population from interspecific hybridization between the pure line (BATEM-TDC47) with distinctive features from BATEM eggplant gene pool and S. incanum L., were subjected to salinity stress at 150 mM NaCl level with its parents and F1 plants. On the 12th day after the last salt treatment, the plants were evaluated using a 0-5 visual scale. Among the 256 stressed plants, 50 F2 individuals were determined to be salt tolerant. Additionally, some of their morphological and physiological features, such as shoot length, stem diameter, number of leaves, anthocyanin presence, prickliness, malondialdehyde (MDA), and proline levels, were studied and compared to the controls of their parent and F1 plants. Results showed that shoot length and stem diameter decreased dramatically under salt stress. According to the analysis, the average MDA and proline levels of the F2 population were identified as 10.9 μ mol g-1 FW and 8.4 μ mol g-1 FW, respectively. The distinguished 50 F2 plants that showed salinity tolerance were transferred to the greenhouse and self-pollinated to produce the F3 generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Climate change exacerbates abiotic stresses, which are expected to intensify their impact on crop plants. Drought, the most prevalent abiotic stress, significantly affects agricultural production worldwide. Improving eggplant varieties to withstand abiotic stress is vital due to rising drought from climate change. Despite the diversity of wild eggplant species that thrive under harsh conditions, the understanding of their drought tolerance mechanisms remains limited. In the present study, we used chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlaF) imaging, which reveals a plant's photosynthetic health, to investigate desiccation tolerance in eggplant and its wild relatives. Conventional fluorescence measurements lack spatial heterogeneity, whereas ChlaF imaging offers comprehensive insights into plant responses to environmental stresses. Hence, employing noninvasive imaging techniques is essential for understanding this heterogeneity. Results: Desiccation significantly reduced the leaf tissue moisture content (TMC) across species. ChlaF and TMC displayed greater photosystem II (PSII) efficiency after 54 h of desiccation in S. macrocarpum, S. torvum, and S. indicum, with S. macrocarpum demonstrating superior efficiency due to sustained fluorescence. PSII functions declined gradually in S. macrocarpum and S. torvum, unlike those in other species, which exhibited abrupt declines after 54 h of desiccation. However, after 54 h, PSII efficiency remained above 50% of its initial quantum yield in S. macrocarpum at 35% leaf RWC (relative water content), while S. torvum and S. indicum displayed 50% decreases at 31% and 33% RWC, respectively. Conversely, the susceptible species S. gilo and S. sisymbriifolium exhibited a 50% reduction in PSII function at an early stage of 50% RWC, whereas in S. melongena, this reduction occurred at 40% RWC. Conclusion: Overall, our study revealed notably greater leaf desiccation tolerance, especially in S. macrocarpum, S. torvum, and S. indicum, attributed to sustained PSII efficiency at low TMC levels, indicating that these species are promising sources of drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant pathogenic bacteria often have a narrow host range, which can vary among different isolates within a population. Here, we investigated the host range of the tomato pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis (Cm). We determined the genome sequences of 40 tomato Cm isolates and screened them for pathogenicity on tomato and eggplant. Our screen revealed that out of the tested isolates, five were unable to cause disease on any of the hosts, 33 were exclusively pathogenic on tomato, and two were capable of infecting both tomato and eggplant. Through comparative genomic analyses, we identified that the five non-pathogenic isolates lacked the chp/tomA pathogenicity island, which has previously been associated with virulence in tomato. In addition, we found that the two eggplant-pathogenic isolates encode a unique allelic variant of the putative serine hydrolase chpG (chpGC), an effector that is recognized in eggplant. Introduction of chpGC into a chpG inactivation mutant in the eggplant-non-pathogenic strain Cm101, failed to complement the mutant, which retained its ability to cause disease in eggplant and failed to elicit hypersensitive response (HR). Conversely, introduction of the chpG variant from Cm101 into an eggplant pathogenic Cm isolate (C48), eliminated its pathogenicity on eggplant, and enabled C48 to elicit HR. Our study demonstrates that allelic variation in the chpG effector gene is a key determinant of host range plasticity within Cm populations. Author summary: Most plant-pathogenic bacteria are specialists and have a narrow host range. However, the true host range of plant-pathogenic species is usually not well defined. Here, we demonstrate a variation in the host range of different clones of the specialist pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis (Cm), which is mainly reported to cause disease in tomato. We characterized a Cm clone library by combining dual-host virulence phenotyping, using tomato and eggplant, and genomic approaches. Our analysis showed that individual Cm clones harbor a differential host range. While most clones were solely pathogenic on tomato, a few were pathogenic on eggplant, and some were non-pathogenic in either host. Comparative genomic analyses identified that non-pathogenic clones lacked the chp/tomA pathogenicity island, a major virulence determinant of Cm. In addition, we found that eggplant-pathogenic clones harbored a distinct allelic variant of the putative secreted serine hydrolase chpG, a known immune elicitor in eggplant. We demonstrated that the presence of this allelic variant in eggplant-pathogenic Cm clones allows them to evade detection and cause disease. Our study provides novel insights into the phenotypic complexity within the population of bacterial plant pathogens and establishes a link between phenotypic variations and distinct genetic features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Mutualisms between plants and fruit‐eating animals were key to the radiation of angiosperms. Still, phylogenetic uncertainties limit our understanding of fleshy‐fruit evolution, as in the case of Solanum, a genus with remarkable fleshy‐fruit diversity, but with unresolved phylogenetic relationships.We used 1786 nuclear genes from 247 species, including 122 newly generated transcriptomes/genomes, to reconstruct the Solanum phylogeny and examine the tempo and mode of the evolution of fruit color and size.Our analysis resolved the backbone phylogeny of Solanum, providing high support for its clades. Our results pushed back the origin of Solanum to 53.1 million years ago (Ma), with most major clades diverging between 35 and 27 Ma. Evolution of Solanum fruit color and size revealed high levels of trait conservatism, where medium‐sized berries that remain green when ripe are the likely ancestral form. Our analyses revealed that fruit size and color are evolutionary correlated, where dull‐colored fruits are two times larger than black/purple and red fruits.We conclude that the strong phylogenetic conservatism shown in the color and size of Solanum fruits could limit the influences of fruit‐eating animals on fleshy‐fruit evolution. Our findings highlight the importance of phylogenetic constraints on the diversification of fleshy‐fruit functional traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NAC‐domain transcription factors (TFs) are plant‐specific transcriptional regulators playing crucial roles in plant secondary cell wall (SCW) biosynthesis. SCW is important for plant growth and development, maintaining plant morphology, providing rigid support, ensuring material transportation and participating in plant stress responses as a protective barrier. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying SCW in eggplant have not been thoroughly explored. In this study, the NAC domain TFs SmNST1 and SmNST2 were cloned from the eggplant line ‘Sanyue qie′. SmNST1 and SmNST2 expression levels were the highest in the roots and stems. Subcellular localization analysis showed that they were localized in the cell membrane and nucleus. Their overexpression in transgenic tobacco showed that SmNST1 promotes SCW thickening. The expression of a set of SCW biosynthetic genes for cellulose, xylan and lignin, which regulate SCW formation, was increased in transgenic tobacco. Bimolecular fluorescence and luciferase complementation assays showed that SmNST1 interacted with SmNST2 in vivo. Yeast one‐hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and Dual‐luciferase reporter assays showed that SmMYB26 directly bound to the SmNST1 promoter and acted as an activator. SmNST1 and SmNST2 interact with the SmMYB108 promoter and repress SmMYB108 expression. Altogether, we showed that SmNST1 positively regulates SCW formation, improving our understanding of SCW biosynthesis transcriptional regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop wild relatives (CWR) provide a valuable resource for improving crops. They possess desirable traits that confer resilience to various environmental stresses. To fully utilize crop wild relatives in breeding and conservation programs, it is important to understand the genetic basis of their adaptation. Landscape genomics associates environments with genomic variation and allows for examining the genetic basis of adaptation. Our study examined the differences in allele frequency of 15,416 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) generated through genotyping by sequencing approach among 153 accessions of 15 wild eggplant relatives and two cultivated species from Africa, the principal hotspot of these wild relatives. We also explored the correlation between these variations and the bioclimatic and soil conditions at their collection sites, providing a comprehensive understanding of the genetic signals of environmental adaptation in African wild eggplant. Redundancy analysis (RDA) results showed that the environmental variation explained 6% while the geographical distances among the collection sites explained 15% of the genomic variation in the eggplant wild relative populations when controlling for population structure. Our findings indicate that even though environmental factors are not the main driver of selection in eggplant wild relatives, it is influential in shaping the genomic variation over time. The selected environmental variables and candidate SNPs effectively revealed grouping patterns according to the environmental characteristics of sampling sites. Using four genotype–environment association methods, we detected 396 candidate SNPs (2.5% of the initial SNPs) associated with eight environmental factors. Some of these SNPs signal genes involved in pathways that help adapt to environmental stresses such as drought, heat, cold, salinity, pests, and diseases. These candidate SNPs will be useful for marker‐assisted improvement and characterizing the germplasm of this crop for developing climate‐resilient eggplant varieties. The study provides a model for applying landscape genomics to other crops' wild relatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GDP-l-galactose phosphorylase (GGP) is a key rate-limiting enzyme in plant ascorbic acid synthesis, which plays an important role in plant growth and development as well as stress response. However, the presence of GGP and its function in potato and pepper are not known. In this study, we first identified two GGP genes in each potato and pepper genomes using a genome-wide search approach. We then analyzed their physicochemical properties, conserved domains, protein structures and phylogenetic relationships. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that members of the potato and pepper GGP gene families are related to eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana L.), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), with tomato being the most closely related. The promoter sequences mainly contain homeopathic elements such as light-responsive, hormone-responsive and stress-responsive, with light-responsive elements being the most abundant. By analyzing the structure of the genes, it was found that there is no transmembrane structure or signal peptide in the GGP gene family of potatoes and peppers, and that all of its members are hydrophilic proteins. The expression profiles of different tissues show that StGGP1 has the highest expression levels in leaves, StGGP2 has the highest expression levels in stamens, and CaGGPs have the highest expression levels in the early stages of fruit development (Dev1). It was found that StGGPs and CaGGPs genes showed different response to phytohormones and abiotic stresses. Abscisic acid (ABA) treatment induced the most significant change in the expression of StGGPs, while the expression of CaGGPs showed the most pronounced change under methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. StGGPs responded mainly to dark treatment, whereas CaGGPs responded mainly to NaCl stress. These results provide an important basis for a detailed study about the functions of GGP homologous genes in potato and pepper in response to abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TIR1/AFB proteins are a class of auxin receptors with key roles in plant development and biotic and abiotic stress responses; several have been identified as targets of the auxin-mimicking herbicide picloram. In this study, we identified five putative TIR1/AFB gene family members in the important vegetable crop Solanum melongena (eggplant) and characterized them using bioinformatics tools and gene expression analyses. Phylogenetic analysis of the TIR1/AFBs classified them into three subgroups based on their Arabidopsis and Solanum lycopersicum homologs. AFB6 homologs were present only in S. melongena and S. lycopersicum, whereas AFB2/3 homologs were found only in Arabidopsis. One pair of S. melongena TIR1 homologs were located in syntenic regions in the genome and appeared to have arisen by segmental duplication. Promoter analysis revealed 898 cis-elements in the TIR1/AFB promoters, 125 of which were related to hormones, stress, light, or growth responses, but only SmAFB5 had a cis-acting regulatory element involved in auxin responsiveness (AuxRR-core). RNA sequencing and expression profiling showed that the TIR1/AFB genes were differentially expressed at different growth stages and in response to light, temperature, and drought. Only SmTIR1A expression was significantly induced by picloram treatment and different growth stages. TIR1/AFB expression is regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs) in other plant species, and we identified 6 or 29 miRNAs that potentially targeted the five TIR1/AFB genes on the basis of comparisons with S. lycopersicum and S. tuberosum miRNAs, respectively. Three-dimensional protein structure predictions revealed that all the TIR1/AFB proteins were very similar in structure, differing only in the numbers of alpha helices and in one angle linking an α helix and a β sheet. For measuring the function of TIR1/AFB genes in response to drought, SmAFB5 was selected, and knockdown by virus-induced gene silence (VIGS) 35S::SmAFB5 lines showed resistance to drought compared to controls. These analyses provide insight into the potential functions of TIR1/AFBs during growth and in response to stress; they highlight differences among the SmTIR1/AFBs that may be useful for eggplant breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grafting facilitates the management of phytodiseases, especially of soils, but the growth and development of the grafted plant depend on the compatibility with rootstocks. The objective was to evaluate the graft union and survival, the growth characteristics, fruit biometrics, yield and physiological characteristics of the tomato plant 'Santa Clara' on five rootstocks. The study was conducted at the Pici Campus of the Federal University of Ceará in Fortaleza, Ceará state, Brazil. The seven treatments were tomato 'Santa Clara' ungrafted and self‐grafted, or grafted onto cherry tomato 'Vermelho', hybrid tomato 'Guardiao', eggplant 'Comprida Roxa', jiló 'Comprido Grande Rio' (Solanum gilo) and cocona (Solanum sessiliflorum). Cleft grafting was used. The growth characteristics evaluated were stem diameter (SD), plant height (PH), and number of commercial (NCF) and total (NTF) fruits. The biometric characteristics of the fruits (diameter‐FD, length‐FL and average mass‐AMF) and productive (commercial‐CFM and total‐TFM fruit mass) and yield of commercial (YCF) and total (YTF) fruits were estimated per hectare. Physiological evaluations were performed to obtain the internal concentration of CO2 (Ci), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (Gs), liquid photosynthesis (A), ratio between internal CO2 and the environment (Ci/Ca) and carboxylation efficiency (A/Ci). The graft union and survival of S. lycopersicum plants was 100% at 10 days after grafting. The number of commercial and total fruits were higher in non‐grafted tomato plants. The FD of the plants was higher with rootstocks of the 'Vermelho' cherry tomato and 'Guardião' hybrid, the CFM and TFM with ungrafted, the AMF and TFM with 'Vermelho' cherry tomato and the YCF and YTF with ungrafted and grafting on the 'Vermelho' cherry tomato. The tomato plant 'Santa Clara' completed its development in rootstocks and, therefore, they are compatible with this plant. The production of tomato fruits was higher with grafting on the 'Vermelho' cherry tomato with diameter and productivity similar to those of the ungrafted plants, indicating that this tomato cultivar can be used as rootstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the Federal Public Service (FPS) Health, Food chain Safety and Environment submitted a request on behalf of Belgium (evaluating Member State, EMS) to modify the existing maximum residue level (MRL) for the active substance methoxyfenozide in aubergines/eggplants. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive an MRL proposal for aubergines/eggplants. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of methoxyfenozide in the commodity under consideration at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, the EFSA concluded that the short‐term and long‐term intake of residues resulting from the indoor use of methoxyfenozide according to the reported agricultural practice is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014, Physostegia chlorotic moitié virus (PhCMoV) was discovered in Austria in Physostegia virginiana. Subsequent collaborative efforts established a link between the virus and severe fruit symptoms on important crops such as tomato, eggplant, and cucumber across nine European countries. Thereafter, specific knowledge gaps, which are crucial to assess lhe risks PhCMoV can pose for production and how to manage it, needed to be addressed. In this study, the transmission, prevalence, and disease severity of PhCMoV were examined. This investigation led to lhe identification of PhCMoV presence in a new country, Switzerland. Furthermore, our research indicates that the virus was already present in Europe 30 years ago. Bioassays demonstrated PhCMoV can result in up to 100% tomato yield losses depending on the phenological stage of the plant at the lime of infection. PhCMoV was found to naturally infect 12 new host plant species across eight families, extending its host range to 21 plant species across 15 plant families. The study also identified a polyphagous leafhopper (genus Anaceratagallia) as a natural vector of PhCMoV. Overall, PhCMoV was widespread in small-scale diversified vegetable farms in Belgium where tomato is grown in soil under tunnels, occurring in approximately one-ihird of such farms. However, outbreaks were sporadic and were associated al least once with the cultivation in tomato tunnels of perennial plants that can serve as a reservoir host for the virus and its vector. To further explore this phenomenon and manage the virus, studying the ecology of the vector would be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty-two accessions of eggplant were screened against Ralstonia solanacearum in screen-house environments. This was followed by an assessment of the genetic diversity of the 42 eggplant successions originating from Bangladesh, China, Thailand and Malaysia, accomplished by exploring SSR markers for germplasm characterisation. Five selected resistant genotypes used as a rootstock were further assessed with UPMSE16 strain in a subsequent trial. The pathogenicity test based on area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) and disease severity index (DSI) at four weeks after inoculation indicated that genotypes TB3, TB6, TB7, MB16 and BB9 had the greatest degree of resistance. Also, the results of the second trial for grafted and control plants based on DSI and AUDPC at 4 WAI showed that grafted plants had resistance to UPMSE16 strain with no symptoms at 4 WAI. The 42 accessions were grouped into nine major clusters based on SSR markers using Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean. Hence, the phenotyping screening reveals that five eggplant accessions were resistant to R. solanacearum and can be used as potential rootstock. As a result, the discovered SSR markers may be effective in marker-assisted selection for future use in developing new rootstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Wood ash is an important alternative source of inorganic potassium especially for farmers in areas with acidic soils. Method: The experiment was carried out in two phases. In the first phase, treatments consisted of the application of inorganic fertilizer sources (0 kgha-1, 130.44 kgha-1 of urea, and 300 kgha-1 of NPK of 20:10:10) and wood ash (0 tha-1, 5 tha-1, and 10 tha-1) to garden egg seedlings. In the second phase of the experiment, garden eggfruits were analyzed for nutrient contents. Results: Significant (p≤0.05) fruit yield followed this order: 10 tha-1 of wood ash > control > 5 tha-1 of wood ash. Inorganic fertilizer sources effect on fruit yield followed this sequence:  300 kgha-1 of NPK 20:10:10 > 130.44 kgha-1 of urea > control. The interaction of 10 tha-1 of wood ash and 300 kgha-1 of NPK 20:10:10 produced the highest fruit yield (57 ± 0.50 tha-1). A combined application of 300 kgha-1 of NPK and 5 tha-1 of wood ash showed a greater improvement in vitamin C while an integrated application of 130.44 kgha-1 of urea and 10 tha-1 of wood ash increased vitamin A contents of garden egg. Conclusion: Integration of 10 tha-1 of wood ash and 300 kgha-1 of NPK 20:10:10 positively improved the growth and yield of the garden egg. The addition of a lower rate of wood ash to NPK fertilizer and a higher rate of wood ash to urea significantly improved the nutrient contents of garden eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental 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.)

In the context of climate change and excessive anthropogenic pressure, the adverse effects of pests in agrocenoses are increasing, leading to considerable losses of crop production and economic damages. During the growing season, it is necessary to conduct phytosanitary monitoring to identify and control the number, spread, and intensity of pests, followed by determining the level of danger and developing relevant plant protection measures. For this, from 2008 to 2022, the species composition of pests in aubergine plantations in open ground conditions in the central part of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine was studied. The study was conducted using conventional entomological methods. In aubergine plantations, 73 species of phytophagous insects from 25 families of 8 orders were found, which accounted for 93% of the pest structure, 2 species of mites (3%), 2 species of nematodes (3%), and one species of slugs (1%). The species diversity of insect phytophages was represented by insects from the orders: Coleoptera (20 species from 6 families), Lepidoptera (19 species from 5 families), Homoptera (14 species from 3 families), Diptera (9 species from 4 families), Orthoptera (5 species from 4 families), Thysanoptera (3 species from 1 family), Hemiptera (2 species from 1 family), Hymenoptera (1 species from 1 family). Among the ticks, the greatest damage was caused by the red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch.), which on average was inhabiting 10-50% of the area. The average number of Tetranychus urticae Koch. was 8.5 specimens/plant, with up to 35-44% damage, which exceeded the EWP by 3.5-4.4 times. The colonisation of aubergine areas by naked slugs was not significant (up to 12%), but plant damage reached 10-14%. Among the insect phytophages, the largest area of plantations was infested with the Colorado potato beetle, larvae of the maybeetle, and gnawing scoops, which averaged 35-100%. The most harmful during the growing season were the Colorado potato beetle and the European mole cricket. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Plant Protection & Pathology is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) 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.)

Tomatoes are one of the predominant vegetable crops grown throughout the year in Tamil Nadu, India. Their perishable nature and resource-intensive cultivation make them susceptible to biotic stress. The damage caused by invasive insect pests, bacterial wilt during the rainy season, and viral diseases are major yield-limiting factors, and the farmers mostly depend on calendar-based insecticide applications for insect pest and disease management in tomatoes. The desired tomato hybrids grafted onto bacterial wilt-resistant eggplant rootstocks offer protection against bacterial wilt during the rainy season. The integrated pest and disease management (IPDM) practices consist of resistant grafted tomato seedlings (wild eggplant rootstocks EG 203 and TS 03), bioinoculants (Bacillus subtilis + Trichoderma asperellum + Purpureocillium lilacinum), pheromone traps (Phthorimaea absoluta and Helicoverpa armigera), botanicals (azadirachtin), microbial pesticides (Bacillus thuringiensis, Metarhizium anisopliae, and Beauveria bassiana), and bio-rationals, which were evaluated in four locations in two major tomato-growing tracts of Tamil Nadu. The results revealed that the treatment EG 203 eggplant rootstock-grafted tomato along with IPDM practices performed better across all experimental locations than the other treatment combinations viz., TS 03 eggplant rootstock-grafted tomato + IPDM, tomato + IPDM, grafted tomato + farmers' practice and tomato + farmers' practice. The EG 203-grafted tomato recorded a higher yield than the farmers' practice with significantly superior biometric parameters. The treatment of EG 203-grafted tomato and IPDM practices can be adopted for safer tomato production by enabling a reduction in pesticide applications while enhancing productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A FIELD experiment was carried out on a private farm in Meet Khakan, Shebin ElKom, Menofia Governorate, Egypt, for two successive growing seasons in winter 2021/2022 and 2022/2023. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of magnetized water at various N fertilizer application rates on some soil chemical parameters as well as eggplant production (quantity and quality). To attain this goal, non-magnetized well water and magnetic well water were employed for irrigation. Furthermore, N fertilizer (NH4NO3 33.5% N) was applied at rates of 25, 50, and 100% of the recommended dose. Except for the BOD value, non-magnetized water had a higher pH, EC (dSm-1), and soluble cation and anion content than magnetized water. At the same soil depth and applied N level, the soil irrigated by magnetized water has low values of pH, EC, and the content of soluble cations (except for K+) and anions. Irrigation with magnetized water, as well as an increase in added N, resulted in an enhance in plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, leaf dry matter yield per plant, fruit length and diameters (cm), and fruit yield (Kg.m-2) compared to plants irrigated with nonmagnetic water, while flowering data (50%) shows a reversible trend. With the same rate of added N, the plant irrigated by magnetized water have a high content of N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes white mold disease, resulting in losses of up to 50% in several host plants worldwide. It is a harmful fungus as it infects plants at any stage of development, in the field, or in storage; this includes young seedlings, mature plants, and fruits. The accessibility of molecular and biological methods has contributed significantly to our understanding of S. sclerotiorum etiology and progression. The present research aimed to characterize S. sclerotiorum causing white mold disease in eggplant (S. melobgena), evaluate the potentiality of some bio-agents for inhibiting the fungus growth and develop a strategy for dealing with the disease challenge. Eggplants grown in open fields and greenhouses showed cottony growth on their stems, followed by the emergence of sclerotia. A fungal growth with fluffy mycelium and considerable sclerotia was isolated from the infected tissues. Polyphasic characterization and phytopathological analysis identified the fungus as S. sclerotiorum. The symptoms previously seen in the field were reproduced by inoculating healthy eggplant roots, stems, and leaves with the fungus. The ITS rDNA sequencing (564 bp) homology and phylogenetic analysis showed 99% sequence similarity of the isolate with multiple S. sclerotiorum. A wide range of strategies are required for disease management. S. sclerotiorum is sensitive to competition from other bacteria. Such a technique might act as an initial basis for effective biological control of white mold. The results demonstrated that eight isolates have very strong antagonistic activity against S. sclerotiorum. Reduced rates ranged from 63.1% (65 D) to 39.0.1% (75 A1). At the same time, the effect of the Trichoderma harzianum fungus against the pathogen S. sclerotium was apparent in restricting mycelium growth and inhibiting the fungus growth. ITS sequencing identified the mycopathogen. The interaction of seven Bacillus spp isolates with S. sclerotiorum on PDA culture media highlighted these isolates' capacity to limit the pathogen's mycelial growth. Furthermore, the antimicrobial agent must remain in the same environment for an extended period while also being active against the pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flower chafer beetle, Oxycetonia versicolor (Fabricius) (Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera) destroys the blossoms of flowers and buds of significant crops like ground nut, brinjal, pearl millet and jatropha. The size of adult chafer beetle was found 5.6 - 16.5 mm in length and 5.6 - 8.9 mm in width. Sexual dimorphism was not seen. The body is oval, tiny, a little flattened and vividly coloured, red, marked with black elytra. Its prothorax is brick red with white dots on the back. Chafer Beetle was found during peak flowering period. A mild to moderate level of infestation was observed with 9-13 beetles per ten plants. Infestation was severe during May to September. Its peak activity period was noted during the 2nd week of August on Rosa chinensis. However in Rosa hybrida, it was found maximum 9.33 during 1st week of August. Mean population varied from 2.75, 2.17 to 9.25, 8.50 in Rosa chinensis and Rosa hybrida, respectively. Minimum population was seen in the month of May in both the species of roses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study is the first to investigate the presence and movement of the novel Liberibacter species ‘Candidatus Liberibacter brunswickensis’ (CLbr) in eggplant, Solanum melongena. The psyllid, Acizzia solanicola can transmit CLbr to eggplant and CLbr can be acquired by CLbr-negative A. solanicola individuals from CLbr-positive eggplants. In planta, CLbr can replicate, move and persist. Investigation into the early development of eggplants showed that CLbr titres had increased at the inoculation site at 14 days post inoculation access period (DPIAP). CLbr had become systemic in the majority of plants tested by 28 DPIAP. The highest bacterial titres were recorded at 35 DPIAP in all samples of the inoculated leaf, the roots, stems and the midrib and petiole samples of the newest leaf (the top leaf). This finding strongly suggests that CLbr movement in planta follows the source to sink relationship as previously described for ‘Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas) and ‘Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum’ (CLso). No symptoms consistent with Liberibacter-associated diseases were noted for plants colonised by CLbr during this study, consistent with the hypothesis that CLbr does not cause disease of eggplant during the early stages of host colonisation. In addition, no significant differences in biomass were found between eggplant colonised with CLbr, compared to those that were exposed to CLbr-negative A. solanicola, and to control plants.

Abstract Background Little leaf disease caused by phytoplasma infection is a significant threat to eggplant (also known as brinjal) cultivation in India. This study focused on the molecular characterisation of the phytoplasma strains and insect vectors responsible for its transmission and screening of brinjal germplasm for resistance to little leaf disease. Results Surveys conducted across districts in the Tamil Nadu state of India during 2021–2022 showed a higher incidence of phytoplasma during the Zaid (March to June), followed by Kharif (June to November) and Rabi (November to March) seasons with mean incidence ranging from 22 to 27%. As the name indicates, phytoplasma infection results in little leaf (reduction in leaf size), excessive growth of axillary shoots, virescence, phyllody, stunted growth, leaf chlorosis and witches’ broom symptoms. PCR amplification with phytoplasma-specific primers confirmed the presence of this pathogen in all symptomatic brinjal plants and in Hishimonus phycitis (leafhopper), providing valuable insights into the role of leafhoppers in disease transmission. BLAST search and phylogenetic analysis revealed the phytoplasma strain as “Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii”. Insect population and disease dynamics are highly influenced by environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity and rainfall. Further, the evaluation of 22 eggplant accessions revealed immune to highly susceptible responses where over 50% of the entries were highly susceptible. Finally, additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and won-where biplot analyses identified G18 as a best-performing accession for little leaf resistance due to its consistent responses across multiple environments. Conclusions This research contributes essential information on little leaf incidence, symptoms, transmission and resistance profiles of different brinjal genotypes, which together ensure effective and sustainable management of this important disease of eggplants.

Abstract Background The generation of new eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivars with drought tolerance is a main challenge in the current context of climate change. In this study, the eight parents (seven of S. melongena and one of the wild relative S. incanum L.) of the first eggplant MAGIC (Multiparent Advanced Generation Intercrossing) population, together with four F1 hybrids amongst them, five S5 MAGIC recombinant inbred lines selected for their genetic diversity, and one commercial hybrid were evaluated in young plant stage under water stress conditions (30% field capacity; FC) and control conditions (100% FC). After a 21-day treatment period, growth and biomass traits, photosynthetic pigments, oxidative stress markers, antioxidant compounds, and proline content were evaluated. Results Significant effects (p

In Indonesia, eggplant is a favored vegetable with substantial production. The main objective of this study is to investigate the level of safety of eggplants marketed in traditional wholesale markets in Pontianak City against possible contamination of the heavy metals cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), which are commonly discovered in water waste, vehicle exhaust, and excessive pesticide and fertilizer use. Alizarin Red S for Cd metal and Dithizon for Pb metal were used in qualitative assays. Cd and Pb levels were measures using an Atomic Absorption Spechtrophotometer (AAS) instrument. The analytical method has been verified for linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection, and limit of quantification. The qualitative test results showed that all samples had positive results for Cd and Pb. The quantitative test results revealed that the Cd and Pb metal contents in the FB (Flamboyan) sample were 0.056 mg/kg and 3.5066 mg/kg, consequently, while they were 0.0986 mg/kg and 3.957 mg/kg, consequently, in the PR (Puring) sample. In keeping with BPOM standard No. 5 of 2018, Cd metal levels in FB samples are at a safe threshold, while Cd metal levels in PR samples and Pb metal levels in FB and PR samples exceed the maximum thresholds that have been set.

Abstract Large amount of wastes are burnt or left to decompose on site or at landfills where they cause air pollution and nutrient leaching to groundwater. Waste management strategies that return these food wastes to agricultural soils recover the carbon and nutrients that would otherwise have been lost, enrich soils and improve crop productivity. The incorporation of liming materials can neutralize the protons released, hence reducing soil acidity and its adverse impacts to the soil environment, food security, and human health. Biochar derived from organic residues is becoming a source of carbon input to soil and provides multifunctional values. Biochar can be alkaline in nature, with the level of alkalinity dependent upon the feedstock and processing conditions. This study conducted a characterization of biochar derived from the pyrolysis process of eggplant and Acacia nilotica bark at temperatures of 300 °C and 600 °C. An analysis was conducted on the biochar kinds to determine their pH, phosphorus (P), as well as other elemental composition. The proximate analysis was conducted by the ASTM standard 1762-84, while the surface morphological features were measured using a scanning electron microscope. The biochar derived from Acacia nilotica bark exhibited a greater yield and higher level of fixed carbon while possessing a lower content of ash and volatile components compared to biochar derived from eggplant. The eggplant biochar exhibits a higher liming ability at 600 °C compared to the acacia nilotica bark-derived biochar. The calcium carbonate equivalent, pH, potassium (K), and phosphorus (P) levels in eggplant biochars increased as the pyrolysis temperature increased. The results suggest that biochar derived from eggplant could be a beneficial resource for storing carbon in the soil, as well as for addressing soil acidity and enhancing nutrients availability, particularly potassium and phosphorus in acidic soils.

Summary The local people of Sarawak commonly made unique dishes out of the local distinctive resources for its health beneficial nutrients. Yet, many potentials of the local Sarawak food ingredients are less likely to be exploited. One of the main produces of Sarawak is the starch from Metroxylon sagu. Our study reviewed that sago starch is not only active in health beneficial bioactivities such as antioxidative, it also possesses positive prebiotic response. Other local indigenous fruits, vegetable and spices of Sarawak as potential functional food includes Sarawak pepper; midin, the edible fern; terung asam, the sour eggplant; dabai, the Bornean olive; engkalak, the Bornean avocado; Terap, the local ‘jackfruit’; embangan, the local wild mango; and the edible palm heart (EPH) from palm tree. Research on the edible fern (midin), edible palm hearts (umbut), spices such as turmeric and pepper from Sarawak has revealed a positive functionality in terms of prebiotic potential, antioxidative, antimicrobial and many more. Conclusively, the wide food varieties of Sarawak are potential functional food. Therefore, this work aimed to publicise the health beneficial functionalities of the local indigenous food which then value‐added the rare local food resources, and boost the local farmer's production and economic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little leaf disease caused by phytoplasma infection is a significant threat to eggplant (also known as brinjal) cultivation in India. This study focused on the molecular characterisation of the phytoplasma strains and insect vectors responsible for its transmission and screening of brinjal germplasm for resistance to little leaf disease. Results: Surveys conducted across districts in the Tamil Nadu state of India during 2021–2022 showed a higher incidence of phytoplasma during the Zaid (March to June), followed by Kharif (June to November) and Rabi (November to March) seasons with mean incidence ranging from 22 to 27%. As the name indicates, phytoplasma infection results in little leaf (reduction in leaf size), excessive growth of axillary shoots, virescence, phyllody, stunted growth, leaf chlorosis and witches' broom symptoms. PCR amplification with phytoplasma-specific primers confirmed the presence of this pathogen in all symptomatic brinjal plants and in Hishimonus phycitis (leafhopper), providing valuable insights into the role of leafhoppers in disease transmission. BLAST search and phylogenetic analysis revealed the phytoplasma strain as "Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii". Insect population and disease dynamics are highly influenced by environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity and rainfall. Further, the evaluation of 22 eggplant accessions revealed immune to highly susceptible responses where over 50% of the entries were highly susceptible. Finally, additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and won-where biplot analyses identified G18 as a best-performing accession for little leaf resistance due to its consistent responses across multiple environments. Conclusions: This research contributes essential information on little leaf incidence, symptoms, transmission and resistance profiles of different brinjal genotypes, which together ensure effective and sustainable management of this important disease of eggplants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity budget of giraffe in various African populations has been studied extensively, revealing that it is affected by body size, foraging patterns, and sex. Foraging patterns show an animal's feeding choices in its environment and are influenced by resource availability, competition, and predation risk. The ability of giraffe to survive and reproduce is significantly impacted by the variation in activity budget and foraging across different ecosystems. Our study focused on evaluating the seasonal activity budgets and foraging patterns of Nubian giraffe in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. We used the scan sampling method to record the activity budget of giraffe which included foraging, movement, resting, and drinking water. We then evaluated if activities varied with the seasons. A total of 11,280 activities were documented, with 4560 (40.4%) occurring during the dry season and 6720 (59.6%) during the wet season. Foraging accounted for 53% of the time budget during the dry season, but increased to 57% during the wet season. There was a slight drop in records of movement (22%; n = 995 of 4560) and resting (25%; n = 1145 of 4560) from the dry season to the wet season (20%; n = 1375 out of 6720 and 22%; n = 1515 of 6720). During the dry season, females (53%) foraged longer than males (47%), whereas males (44%) had longer resting periods than females (56%). Giraffe frequently fed on Vachellia xanthophloea (67%; n = 4136 of 6215 foraging records), Maytenus senegalensis (19%), and Solanum incanum (9%) over both seasons. Overall, seasons had little impact on giraffe activity time budgets and foraging patterns in Lake Nakuru National Park. A better insight into the behavioural patterns of this subspecies will allow managers to enhance the protection and conservation of the species and its habitat. Heavy foraging on Vachellia by giraffe at LNNP has been associated with a population decline in number, so perhaps planting more of this species in LNNP could promote a rebound in numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins are a large group of water-soluble flavonoid pigments. These specialized metabolites are ubiquitous in the plant kingdom and play an essential role not only in plant reproduction and dispersal but also in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Anthocyanins are recognized as important health-promoting and chronic-disease-preventing components in the human diet. Therefore, interest in developing food crops with improved levels and compositions of these important nutraceuticals is growing. This review focuses on work conducted to elucidate the genetic control of the anthocyanin pathway and modulate anthocyanin content in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), two solanaceous fruit vegetables of worldwide relevance. While anthocyanin levels in eggplant fruit have always been an important quality trait, anthocyanin-based, purple-fruited tomato cultivars are currently a novelty. As detailed in this review, this difference in the anthocyanin content of the cultivated germplasm has largely influenced genetic studies as well as breeding and transgenic approaches to improve the anthocyanin content/profile of these two important solanaceous crops. The information provided should be of help to researchers and breeders in devising strategies to address the increasing consumer demand for nutraceutical foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GATA proteins are transcription factors of zinc finger proteins, which play an important role in plant growth development and abiotic stress. However, there have been no identification or systematic studies of the GATA gene family in eggplant. In this study, 28 SmGATA genes were identified in the genome database of eggplant, which could be divided into four subgroups. Plant development, hormones, and stress-related cis-acting elements were identified in promoter regions of the SmGATA gene family. RT-qPCR indicated that 4 SmGATA genes displayed upregulated expressions during fruit developmental stage, whereas 2 SmGATA genes were down-regulated expression patterns. It was also demonstrated that SmGATA genes may be involved in light signals to regulate fruit anthocyanin biosynthesis. Furthermore, the expression patterns of SmGATA genes under ABA, GA and MeJA treatments showed that the SmGATAs were involved in the process of fruit ripening. Notably, SmGATA4 and SmGATA23 were highly correlated with the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, light-responsive genes, and genes that function in multiple hormone signaling pathways and the proteins they encoded were localized in the nucleus. All these results showed GATA genes likely play a major role in regulating fruit anthocyanin biosynthesis by integrating the light, ABA, GA and MeJA signaling pathways and provided references for further research on fruit quality in eggplant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae, is a soil-borne disease affecting eggplant. Wild eggplant, recognized as an excellent disease-resistant resource against verticillium wilt, plays a pivotal role in grafting and breeding for disease resistance. However, the underlying resistance mechanisms of wild eggplant remain poorly understood. This study compared two wild eggplant varieties, LC-2 (high resistance) and LC-7 (sensitive) at the phenotypic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic levels to determine the molecular basis of their resistance to verticillium wilt. These two varieties exhibit substantial phenotypic differences in petal color, leaf spines, and fruit traits. Following inoculation with V. dahliae, LC-2 demonstrated significantly higher activities of polyphenol oxidase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, b-1,3 glucanase, and chitinase than did LC-7. RNA sequencing revealed 4,017 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with a significant portion implicated in processes associated with disease resistance and growth. These processes encompassed defense responses, cell wall biogenesis, developmental processes, and biosynthesis of spermidine, cinnamic acid, and cutin. A gene co-expression analysis identified 13 transcription factors as hub genes in modules related to plant defense response. Some genes exhibited distinct expression patterns between LC-2 and LC-7, suggesting their crucial roles in responding to infection. Further, metabolome analysis identified 549 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) between LC-2 and LC-7, primarily consisting of compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, lipids, and other metabolites. Integrated transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed the association of 35 gene-metabolite pairs in modules related to the plant defense response, highlighting the interconnected processes underlying the plant defense response. These findings characterize the molecular basis of LC-2 resistance to verticillium wilt and thus have potential value for future breeding of wilt-resistant eggplant varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bacterial wilt disease caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is a significant threat to eggplant production. Breeding and promoting resistant varieties is one of the most effective methods to manage bacterial wilt. Conducting QTL (quantitative trait locus) mapping of resistant genes can substantially enhance the breeding of plant resistance to bacterial wilt. In this study, a population of 2200 F2 individuals derived from resistant and susceptible materials was utilized to establish extreme resistance and susceptibility pools. Following resequencing analysis of the parents and extreme pools, the QTL were examined using the DEEP-BSA software and QTLseqr R package (version 0.7.5.2). The results revealed that the detection of 10 QTL sites on chromosomes 5, 8, 9, and 11 by the five algorithms of the DEEP-BSA software. Additionally, the candidate region of 62 Mb–72 Mb on chromosome 5 was identified in all five algorithms of the DEEP-BSA software, as well as by the QTLseqr R package. Subsequent gene annotation uncovered 276 genes in the candidate region of 62 Mb–72 Mb on chromosome 5. Additionally, RNA-seq results indicated that only 13 genes had altered expression levels following inoculation with R. solanacearum in the resistant materials. Based on the expression levels, SMEL4_05g015980.1 and SMEL4_05g016110.1 were identified as candidate genes. Notably, SNP annotation identified a non-synonymous mutation in the exonic region of SMEL4_05g015980.1 and a variant in the promoter region of SMEL4_05g016110.1. The research findings have practical significance for the isolation of bacterial wilt resistance genes in eggplant and the development of resistance to bacterial wilt varieties in eggplant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of reclaimed wastewater to irrigate crops is a valuable option due to water scarcity. However, the presence of antibiotics residues that are not removed in the tertiary treatments reaches crop soils when irrigated and it poses a serious concern for human health. Crops rhizosphere is considered a hotspot of antibiotic resistant genes (ARG) being in addition a link to plant phyllosphere and human microbiome. Understanding the structure of the soil microbiota is crucial before applying any bioremediation or biostimulation strategy. The aim of this work was firstly to confirm the presence of antibiotics residues in soil and fruits in two greenhouses at the south of Spain irrigated with reclaimed water. Secondly, to characterize the rhizosphere microbiome of three crops (Capsicum annuum, Cucumis melo and Solanum melongena) cultured in those greenhouses. Finally, a predictive functional analysis was done using PICRUSt2 to figure out the rhizosphere resistome. The presence of residues of antibiotics was confirmed both soil and fruits. Antibiotics absorbed by plants correlated with those on soil. The most abundant resistance gene was the multidrug in all the three crops tested. Compatibility of basidiomycete fungi (i.e., Pleurotus) with soil bacteria could be indicative of their possible use for restoration of agricultural soils polluted with antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]