Search

Pepino (Solanum muricatum) is an herbaceous crop phylogenetically related to tomato and potato. Pepino fruit vary in color, size and shape, and are eaten fresh. In this study, we use pepino as a fruit model to understand the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling fruit quality. To identify the key genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in pepino, two genotypes were studied that contrasted in foliar and fruit pigmentation. Anthocyanin profiles were analyzed, as well as the expression of genes that encode enzymes for anthocyanin biosynthesis and transcriptional regulators using both RNA-seq and quantitative PCR. The differential expression of the transcription factor genes R2R3 MYB SmuMYB113 and R3MYB SmuATV suggested their association with purple skin and foliage phenotype. Functional analysis of these genes in both tobacco and pepino showed that SmuMYB113 activates anthocyanins, while SmuATV suppresses anthocyanin accumulation. However, despite elevated expression in all tissues, SmuMYB113 does not significantly elevate flesh pigmentation, suggesting a strong repressive background in fruit flesh tissue. These results will aid understanding of the differential regulation controlling fruit quality aspects between skin and flesh in other fruiting species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Solanum muricatum is an emerging horticultural fruit crop with rich nutritional and antioxidant properties. Although the chromosome-scale genome of this species has been sequenced, its mitochondrial genome sequence has not been reported to date. Results PacBio HiFi sequencing was used to assemble the circular mitogenome of S. muricatum, which was 433,466 bp in length. In total, 38 protein-coding, 19 tRNA, and 3 rRNA genes were annotated. The reticulate mitochondrial conformations with multiple junctions were verified by polymerase chain reaction, and codon usage, sequence repeats, and gene migration from chloroplast to mitochondrial genome were determined. A collinearity analysis of eight Solanum mitogenomes revealed high structural variability. Overall, 585 RNA editing sites in protein coding genes were identified based on RNA-seq data. Among them, mttB was the most frequently edited (52 times), followed by ccmB (46 times). A phylogenetic analysis based on the S. muricatum mitogenome and those of 39 other taxa (including 25 Solanaceae species) revealed the evolutionary and taxonomic status of S. muricatum. Conclusions We provide the first report of the assembled and annotated S. muricatum mitogenome. This information will help to lay the groundwork for future research on the evolutionary biology of Solanaceae species. Furthermore, the results will assist the development of molecular breeding strategies for S. muricatum based on the most beneficial agronomic traits of this species.

Background: Solanum muricatum is an emerging horticultural fruit crop with rich nutritional and antioxidant properties. Although the chromosome-scale genome of this species has been sequenced, its mitochondrial genome sequence has not been reported to date. Results: PacBio HiFi sequencing was used to assemble the circular mitogenome of S. muricatum, which was 433,466 bp in length. In total, 38 protein-coding, 19 tRNA, and 3 rRNA genes were annotated. The reticulate mitochondrial conformations with multiple junctions were verified by polymerase chain reaction, and codon usage, sequence repeats, and gene migration from chloroplast to mitochondrial genome were determined. A collinearity analysis of eight Solanum mitogenomes revealed high structural variability. Overall, 585 RNA editing sites in protein coding genes were identified based on RNA-seq data. Among them, mttB was the most frequently edited (52 times), followed by ccmB (46 times). A phylogenetic analysis based on the S. muricatum mitogenome and those of 39 other taxa (including 25 Solanaceae species) revealed the evolutionary and taxonomic status of S. muricatum. Conclusions: We provide the first report of the assembled and annotated S. muricatum mitogenome. This information will help to lay the groundwork for future research on the evolutionary biology of Solanaceae species. Furthermore, the results will assist the development of molecular breeding strategies for S. muricatum based on the most beneficial agronomic traits of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Copyright of Journal of Northwest A & F University - Natural Science Edition is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Northwest A&F University (Natural Science Edition) 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.)

Pepino (Solanum muricatum) is an herbaceous crop phylogenetically related to tomato and potato. Pepino fruit vary in color, size and shape, and are eaten fresh. In this study, we use pepino as a fruit model to understand the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling fruit quality. To identify the key genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in pepino, two genotypes were studied that contrasted in foliar and fruit pigmentation. Anthocyanin profiles were analyzed, as well as the expression of genes that encode enzymes for anthocyanin biosynthesis and transcriptional regulators using both RNA-seq and quantitative PCR. The differential expression of the transcription factor genes R2R3 MYB SmuMYB113 and R3MYB SmuATV suggested their association with purple skin and foliage phenotype. Functional analysis of these genes in both tobacco and pepino showed that SmuMYB113 activates anthocyanins, while SmuATV suppresses anthocyanin accumulation. However, despite elevated expression in all tissues, SmuMYB113 does not significantly elevate flesh pigmentation, suggesting a strong repressive background in fruit flesh tissue. These results will aid understanding of the differential regulation controlling fruit quality aspects between skin and flesh in other fruiting species.

Simple Summary: The Solanaceae crops are the main hosts of Zeugodacus tau, a pest insect that causes serious damage to economically important crops of Solanaceae. In the winter–spring period, female adults of Z. tau have been found to oviposit on the pepino melon Solanum muricatum. However, the differences in the ability of the fruits of S. muricatum and other Solanaceae crops to attract gravid Z. tau females have not been clarified. In this study, oviposition and trapping bioassays were performed to clarify whether such differences existed. GC-MS was used to identify the compounds and relative contents of the volatile odors of S. muricatum. The Y-tube olfactometer system was used to determine the compounds that induced behavioral responses in gravid Z. tau females. The results show that Solanum muricatum odor was attractive for Z. tau females. The nine compounds from the volatiles of S. muricatum induce behavioral responses in gravid Z. tau females. These results are beneficial for preventing Z. tau females from harming S. muricatum, developing attractants and repellents for Z. tau females, and establishing a system of ecological control for Z. tau females. Zeugodacus tau (Walker) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a pest seriously harmful to Solanaceae crops and was found to oviposit on the pepino melon Solanum muricatum (Aiton). To date, the differences in the ability of the fruits of S. muricatum and other Solanaceae crops to attract gravid Z. tau females have seldom been reported. Oviposition and trapping bioassays were performed to clarify whether such differences existed. A combination of GC-MS and the Y-tube olfactometer system was used to identify and determine the compounds inducing behavioral responses in gravid Z. tau females to the volatile odors of S. muricatum. The results show that S. muricatum odors play a role in attracting gravid Z. tau females. The odors of Solanaceae crops influence their ability to attract these organisms. The nine compounds from the volatiles of S. muricatum induce tendency or repellency responses in gravid Z. tau females. Hexyl acetate, butyl acetate, amyl actate, and isoamyl acetate caused tendency behavior in gravid Z. tau females, while hexyl hexanoate, butyl isovalerate, butyl valerate, and isoamyl hexanoate caused repellency behavior. Heptyl acetate caused repellency behavior in gravid Z. tau females at higher concentrations (5 mg/mL) but caused tendency behavior at a low concentration (0.5 mg/mL). These results suggest that vigilance against the harm caused by Z. tau is required during the cultivation of S. muricatum. The nine compounds of the volatile odors of S. muricatum could help to develop attractants and repellents for gravid Z. tau females. These results are beneficial for preventing Z. tau females from harming S. muricatum, developing attractants and repellents for Z. tau females, and establishing a system of ecological control for Z. tau females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] To seek for a simple, rapid and low-cost method of obtaining the phenotypic parameters of plant leaves. [Methods] Taking Solanum muricatum as an example, digital images of detached leaves were taken by scanner, and Image J software was used to measure phenotypic parameters. The results were compared to those obtained using the Digimizer software to verify the reliability of the method. Additionally the impact of image quality (image format and resolution) on software measurement results was also analyzed. [Results] In measuring the leaf area, leaf circumference, leaf length, and leaf width of Solanum muricatum, the standard root mean square errors (NRMSE) of the two software were 0.471%, 1.103%, 0.391% and 1.662%, respectively. The correlation coefficients were higher than 0.97. The measuring outcomes of the Image J software were somewhat impacted by the image quality. The impact on grayscale format or low resolution images was smaller than that on color format or high resolution images, but the superposition of the two factors will aggravate the impact. [Conclusion] The improved method by using scanner combined with Image J software to measure phenotypic parameters of plant leaves has the advantages of low cost, semi-automatic, quick and accurate as well as batch processing, which provided references for the measurement of phenotypic parameters of plant leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zeugodacus tau (Walker) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a pest seriously harmful to Solanaceae crops and was found to oviposit on the pepino melon Solanum muricatum (Aiton). To date, the differences in the ability of the fruits of S. muricatum and other Solanaceae crops to attract gravid Z. tau females have seldom been reported. Oviposition and trapping bioassays were performed to clarify whether such differences existed. A combination of GC-MS and the Y-tube olfactometer system was used to identify and determine the compounds inducing behavioral responses in gravid Z. tau females to the volatile odors of S. muricatum. The results show that S. muricatum odors play a role in attracting gravid Z. tau females. The odors of Solanaceae crops influence their ability to attract these organisms. The nine compounds from the volatiles of S. muricatum induce tendency or repellency responses in gravid Z. tau females. Hexyl acetate, butyl acetate, amyl actate, and isoamyl acetate caused tendency behavior in gravid Z. tau females, while hexyl hexanoate, butyl isovalerate, butyl valerate, and isoamyl hexanoate caused repellency behavior. Heptyl acetate caused repellency behavior in gravid Z. tau females at higher concentrations (5 mg/mL) but caused tendency behavior at a low concentration (0.5 mg/mL). These results suggest that vigilance against the harm caused by Z. tau is required during the cultivation of S. muricatum. The nine compounds of the volatile odors of S. muricatum could help to develop attractants and repellents for gravid Z. tau females. These results are beneficial for preventing Z. tau females from harming S. muricatum, developing attractants and repellents for Z. tau females, and establishing a system of ecological control for Z. tau females.

The pepino (Solanum muricatum) is an Andean vegetable crop closely related to tomato. In the last decades, it has been introduced in the Mediterranean region and other parts of the world as a potential new crop. However, several tomato major pathogens may threaten the expansion of pepino cultivation. We identified Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL), Verticillium dahliae (VE), pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) and tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) as four of the most likely pathogens to cause damage to pepino crops in Mediterranean climates. In order to evaluate the response of the pepino genepool against these pathogens, as well as to identify sources of tolerance, we inoculated six accessions of cultivated pepino, nine accessions of seven pepino wild relatives, and one interspecific hybrid with FOL, VE, PepMV and ToMV and followed its symptomatology for 30 days (FOL and VE) or 60 days (PepMV and ToMV). ELISA tests were also performed for PepMV and ToMV. Susceptible tomato materials were used as controls. The pepino genepool displayed fewer symptoms than susceptible tomato controls after inoculation with FOL, with most accessions being tolerant or resistant. Regarding VE, a wide variation of values for the symptoms index (SI) was observed, with three cultivated pepino accessions displaying tolerance. For PepMV a wide variation for SI was also observed, with one accession of S. caripense being resistant, and several accessions of pepino and other wild relatives displaying different degrees of tolerance. PepMV absorbance values obtained by ELISA tests followed a pattern similar to that of SI. For ToMV no resistances were found, although two wild accessions and the interspecific hybrid displayed low values for the SI and were considered as moderately tolerant. ELISA tests against ToMV revealed that the virus replicated well in all materials. None of the accessions evaluated displayed resistance or high levels of tolerance to the four pathogens, but some of them were complementary for resistance or high levels of tolerance. Although the interspecific hybrid tested was not resistant to any of the pathogens, it was tolerant to FOL and PepMV and moderately tolerant to VE and ToMV. A multivariate hierarchical clustering revealed similar patterns among accessions in the response to the two fungal diseases (FOL and VE) on one side and to the two viral ones (PepMV and ToMV) on the other. The information generated in this study has allowed identifying materials within the pepino genepool for the development of multi‐resistant pepino cultivars to major diseases threatening its expansion in the Mediterranean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high Andean areas present ecophysiological conditions suitable for the cultivation of many fruit species, especially of the Solanaceae family. The objective of this review is to present important ecophysiological information on four fruit trees grown in cold climates: Cape gooseberry, tree tomato, lulo, and sweet cucumber o pear melon. The cape gooseberry is a species well adapted to cold tropical climate, it is grown between 1,800 and 2,700m a.s.l., with temperatures of 13 to 16°C. It is highly adapted to high solar radiation and to the abrupt changes between the day and night temperatures. It requires a precipitation of 1,000 to 1,800mm year-1 uniformly distributed throughout the year, and is sensitive to water deficit but also to waterlogging and strong winds. The tree tomato, in Colombia, produces better from 1,800 to 2,600m a.s.l., with temperatures between 13 and 20°C, annual rainfall between 1,500 and 2,000mm, relative humidity around 80%, and solar brightness of 1,800 to 2,300 hours/year; it does not resist strong winds, water deficit or waterlogging. The lulo requires environments with high precipitation (1,000 to 2,800mm) and penumbra because it loses a lot of water through transpiration but waterlogging also affects it; it grows well in areas between 1,600 to 2,400m a.s.l. and 16 to 24°C, with photosynthesis rates up to of 34.03µmol CO2 m-2 s-1. The sweet cucumber is of growing interest in many exotic fruit markets, it grows at 900-2,800m a.s.l. with temperatures

Solanum muricatum (Pepino) is an increasingly popular solanaceous crop and is tolerant of drought conditions. In this study, 71 NAC transcription factor family genes of S. muricatum were selected to provide a theoretical basis for subsequent in-depth study of their regulatory roles in the response to biological and abiotic stresses, and were subjected to whole-genome analysis. The NAC sequences obtained by transcriptome sequencing were subjected to bioinformatics prediction and analysis. Three concentration gradient drought stresses were applied to the plants, and the target gene sequences were analyzed by qPCR to determine their expression under drought stress. The results showed that the S. muricatum NAC family contains 71 genes, 47 of which have conserved domains. The protein sequence length, molecular weight, hydrophilicity, aliphatic index and isoelectric point of these transcription factors were predicted and analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the S. muricatum NAC gene family is divided into seven subfamilies. Some NAC genes of S. muricatum are closely related to the NAC genes of Solanaceae crops such as tomato, pepper and potato. The seedlings of S. muricatum were grown under different gradients of drought stress conditions and qPCR was used to analyze the NAC expression in roots, stems, leaves and flowers. The results showed that 13 genes did not respond to drought stress while 58 NAC genes of S. muricatum that responded to drought stress had obvious tissue expression specificity. The overall expression levels in the root were found to be high. The number of genes at extremely significant expression levels was very large, with significant polarization. Seven NAC genes with significant responses were selected to analyze their expression trend in the different drought stress gradients. It was found that genes with the same expression trend also had the same or part of the same conserved domain. Seven SmNACs that may play an important role in drought stress were selected for NAC amino acid sequence alignment of Solanaceae crops. Four had strong similarity to other Solanaceae NAC amino acid sequences, and SmNAC has high homology with the Solanum pennellii. The NAC transcription factor family genes of S. muricatum showed strong structural conservation. Under drought stress, the expression of NAC transcription factor family genes of S. muricatum changed significantly, which actively responded to and participated in the regulation process of drought stress, thereby laying foundations for subsequent in-depth research of the specific functions of NAC transcription factor family genes of S. muricatum.

A reliable and successful micropropagation protocol was developed for pepino plant (Solanum muricatum Aiton) from nodal segment explants grown on MS medium. The best values of shoot multiplication traits were recorded from the addition of 3 mg.l-1 kinetin by producing 2.3 shoots/explant, 3.6 cm and 9.6 leaves/ explant which was significantly superior upon the addition of BA at the same levels. In case of adding 3 mg.l-1 kinetin, the best root formation attributes were achieved from the use of 0.2 mg.l-l IAA that resulted a maximum number of roots (14.33 roots/ explant). The longest root length (15.33 cm) was achieved when 0.3 mg.l-l IAA was used. A 100% rooting percentage was recorded from the all tested auxins including IAA, IBA and NAA. The gradually moved plantlets from the heterotrophic phase in the lab to the autotrophic phase in the greenhouse showed 100% success. The plantlets did not show any abnormal growth or morphological changes. It is concluded that this important plant can be easily propagated by tissue culture technique through a reliable micropropagation protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepino (Solanum muricatum L.) is a popular solanaceous crop that is native to South America and is commercially grown in many countries including China for its attractive, sweet and flavorful fruits. In September 2023, a postharvest fruit rot was observed at an incidence of 7% to 10% on pepino at supermarket in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China (28.69°N, 115.81°E). Symptoms on fruits initially appeared as small black spots that later enlarged and became necrotic. To isolate the pathogen, symptomatic tissues were surface-sterilized using 75% ethanol for 15 s, then 1% sodium hypochlorite for 30 s, rinsed three times in sterile water, air dried, finally placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates and incubated at 25℃ for 4 days. Ten strains (about 83% isolation frequency  from symptomatic pepino fruits) with similar morphological characteristics were isolated. The colonies on PDA were initially white, gradually turning gray and eventually becoming black, and had abundant aerial mycelia. Conidia were fusiform to linetype, dark brown, measuring 50 to 100 × 10 to 28 μm (n = 30) with 5 to 10 transverse septa and 0 to 3 longitudinal septa. Based on the morphological characteristics, the pathogen was identified as Alternaria sp. (Ma et al. 2021). To further confirm species, two representative isolates (JXAL-1 and JXAL-2) were selected for molecular identification. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1), Alternaria major allergen gene (Alt a 1) and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II core subunit (RPB2) were amplified and sequenced by using primers ITS5/ITS4, gpd1/gpd2, Alt-for/Alt-rev, EF1-728F/EF1-986R and fRPB2-5F2/fRPB2-7cR (Woudenberg et al. 2013; Woudenberg et al. 2014), respectively. These sequences were deposited into GenBank with accession number PP231808-PP231809 (ITS), PP238480-PP238481 (GAPDH), PP238482-PP238483 (Alt a 1), PP238484-PP238485 (TEF1) and PP238486-PP238487 (RPB2). A BLASTn homology search for these nucleotides showed 100% identity to ITS (KJ718182, 525 nt/525 nt), GAPDH (KJ718026, 579 nt/579 nt), Alt a 1 (KJ718694, 472 nt/472 nt), TEF1 (KJ718530, 334 nt/334 nt) and RPB2 (KJ718355, 772 nt/772 nt) sequences of Alternaria linariae CBS 107.61. The maximum likelihood analyses were performed for the combined ITS, GAPDH, Alt a 1, TEF1 and RPB2 using the IQtree web server (Trifinopoulos et al. 2016). In the phylogenetic tree, the isolates and isolates of A. linariae clustered together with 100% bootstrap support. Therefore, the fungus was identified as A. linariae. To evaluate pathogenicity, five healthy fruits of pepino were surface-sterilized with 75% ethanol, then wounded and a 5 mm diameter agar with isolate JXAL-1 was put on the wound. Another five fruits was inoculated with sterile agar plugs as control. All treated fruits were incubated at 25 ℃ with 80% humidity , and repeated twice. Five days later, all the wounded fruits inoculated with A. linariae showed similar symptoms and A. linariae was reisolated, while the control fruits remained healthy and no pathogen was isolated, fulfilling Koch's postulates. A. linariae is known as an important pathogen causing early blight of tomato and potato(Adhikari et al. 2020). To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. linariae causing postharvest fruit rot on S. muricatum in China, which expands the natural host range of A. linariae and will be helpful to develop efficient management strategies on pepino.

(Objective) The present paper aimed to analyze the SSR and SNP of pepino sequencing, ( Method Total RNA was extracted and 68,891 Unigenes obtained by pepino transcriptome splicing were spliced using MISA (MicroSatellite, software for identifying microsatellite se-quence) software. SSR loci were identified using Illumina lIseq 2500 sequencing platform. SSR and SNP information in the transcript was analysed. [ Result] In this study, we sequenced pepino using a high-throughput sequencing platform and obtained 68 891 Unigene. The study found that 15 846 Unigenes were found in the pepino transcriptome to have SSR loci. The total number of the SSR loci was 5282, with a frequency of 7.18 %, and about 6148 bp world have one SSR loous. Single repeats and trimıcleotide repeats were found, which accounted for 58. 78 % and 23.93 % of the total repeat types, respectively. The two repeat motifs, A/T and AG/ CT, have the most occurrence, and are the dominant motifs of pepino SSR. The maximum number of repeating primitives is concentrated 6 to 10 times, and the length is ha sically lean than 15 hp. After searching SNP loci for 68 891 sequences, 315 132 SNP loci were succesfully searched. The distribution de noi ty of SNPs was 1/103 hp, that is, one SNP locus appeared on average about 103 hp. There are 192 575 conversion types and 120 621 trans version types. A/G accounted for the highest ratio, accounting for 36.01 % of the total, followed by C/T accounting for 19.24 %. The higher percentages of A/G and C/T are conversion types, while the remaining four types of tranvernions account for les than 15 %. Among the proportions, the type of conversion type accounted for 61. 10 % was significantly larger than the ratio of transversion type 38, 27 %. ( Conclusion] Studies have shown that the types of SNP mutations in pepino are mainly conversion types, and the frequency of SSR loci in the transcriptome is not high enough, but there are many types and polymorphisms, which can provide a solid foundation for a series of studies on pepino. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a novel neutral polysaccharide SMP-0b was extracted and purified from the pulp of Solanum muricatum. Monosaccharide composition analysis revealed that SMP-0b was mainly composed of l -arabinose, d -mannose, d -glucose and d -galactose with the molar ratio of 5.31:2.92:42.23:25.38. The weight-average molecular weight and number-average molecular weight of SMP-0b was calculated to be 13.51 kDa and 9.91 kDa respectively through high performance gel permeation chromatography. The structure of SMP-0b was characterized by methylation and NMR analysis. It showed that the backbone chain of SMP-0b was consisted of →4)-β- d -Gal p -(1→, →3,6)-β- d -Man p -(1→ and →6)-α- d -Glc p -(1→, and the side chain was composed of α- l -Ara f -(1→ and →4)-α- d -Glc p -(1→. In immunomodulation assays in vitro, SMP-0b exhibited good immunomodulatory activity and could significantly stimulate proliferation and NO production of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The results suggested that the neutral polysaccharide from Solanum muricatum might have potential as an immunomodulator or supplement in functional food to enhance immunity. • A novel neutral polysaccharide SMP-0b was purified from Solanum muricatum. • The structural features and bioactivities of SMP-0b were studied. • The main glycosidic bond of SMP-0b was α-1,6-Glc p , α-1,4-Glc p and β-1,4-Gal p. • SMP-0b possessed potential immunomodulatory activity in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Pepino (<i>Solanum muricatum</i> Aiton), rich with vitamin C and flavonoids, constitutes an abundant source of potent antioxidants. This research was conducted to determine antioxidant activity from three different parts of pepino based on equivalence with ascorbic acid, to analyze the relationship between total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) on antioxidant activities and to determine flavonoid compounds. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Antioxidant activities were determined using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Cupric Ion Reducing Antioxidant Capacity (CUPRAC) methods. The TPC and TFC were determined by UV-visible spectrophotometry. The correlation between TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity was analyzed using Pearson's method. Flavonoid compound content was performed by HPLC. <b>Results:</b> The ethyl acetate pepino fruit extract expressed the highest antioxidant activity by DPPH and CUPRAC assays. The highest TPC was obtained from the ethyl acetate extract of pepino stem (18.493 g GAE/(100 g)), while the highest TFC was obtained from the hexane extract of pepino leaves (9.541 g QE/(100 g)). <b>Conclusion:</b> The DPPH and CUPRAC assays demonstrated that pepino exhibits potential as a source of natural antioxidants, especially in its fruit part.

Priming is one of the basic solutions used for increasing seed germination percentage, speed and improving seedling establishment. One of the main problems in development of pepino planting-is its low seed germination percentage and speed. To investigate the effect of different priming methods (hydropriming with distilled water, hormonal priming with salicylic acid (1 and 2 mM) and halopriming with potassium nitrate (3 and 6%) and potassium sulfate (5 and 10%) solutions, and imbibition time of priming (12 and 24 hours) on germination of pepino seeds, two separate experiments were carried out in a factorial based on a completely randomized design. The pepino seeds in the first and second experiments were primed using different priming solutions and cultivated in petri dish with peat moss + perlite substrate. The results of the first experiment showed that the highest germination percentage (100%) and germination rate (26.4 percentage) were related to hydropriming treatment, whereas the lowest ones were related to salicylic acid treatment (with both priming times), which prevented seeds germination. Moreover, the lowest germination time was obtained in seeds primed using hydropriming and the highest ones were related to potassium sulfate (at 5 and 10%) and potassium nitrate (at 6%) treatments. Furthermore, the results of the second experiment showed that the seedling emergence percentage, shoot length, leaf number, leaf length without petiole and leaf length with petiole were significantly affected by priming treatments and priming time. In general, the best results were obtained using hydropriming for 12 h, whereas application of salicylic acid (at 1 and 2 mM) at both priming durations (12 and 24 h) had a negative effect on germination percentage and vegetative characteristics of pepino seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further increase the basic knowledge regarding the establishment of pest control for pepino (Solanum muricatum Ait.), we conducted surveys of pepino pests in Japan. Thirtyfour insect and four mite species were recognized as pests of pepino plants in the present study. Including the results of previous studies, a total of 41 species of insects and mites have been reported as pests of pepino plants in Japan. Three species, namely onion thrips (Thrips tabaci), two-spotted spider mites (Tetranychus urticae), and cotton whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci), are likely the most important insect and mite pests of pepino plants, because they were collected from more than half of the study sites and were much more abundant on pepino plants than the other pest species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepino (Solanum muricatum), which is an evergreen plant native to South America, is well‐known for its effects in antioxidation, antidiabetic activity, anti‐inflammation, and antitumor activity. A previous study in our lab indicated that Solanum muricatum (SM) extract promoted osteogenic differentiation by upregulating Wnt and BMP signaling pathway in rat bone marrow stromal cells. The osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) mouse model was used in order to further discover the osteogenic properties of SM extract in the present research. We utilized microCT analysis to collect bone mass and microarchitectural parameters at vertebrae and at femur metaphysis in OI mice. Raman spectrometry was applied to identify change of bone mineral and matrix composition during SM treatment. Finally, collagen synthesis marker PINP and collagen degradation marker CTX were detected using enzyme immunoassay. SM extract could improve the bone mass and microarchitectural parameters both at vertebrae and at femur metaphysis. It also significantly increased the collagen content by promoting its biosynthesis and inhibiting its degradation. By using heterozygous Col1a1Jrt/+ mice as a model of OI, 6 weeks treatment of SM extract could significantly ameliorate the symptoms in OI mice. Thus, SM holds potential for developing new drugs of bone formation and bone remodeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia is one of the centres of diversity for Solanum and many species are found in the arid zone with a concentration in the Brigalow belt. This region has been significantly impacted by land clearing and Brigalow is now an endangered vegetation type. Recent gas pipeline developments have led to further impacts to endangered species within the region necessitating offset and translocation activities. Solanum johnsonianum was impacted by pipeline construction despite little knowledge of its ecology or genetics to guide translocation or restoration. This study conducted field surveys, habitat modelling, and genetic analysis in order to increase understanding of S. johnsonianum. The species has moderate to low genetic diversity across its localised geographic range. The populations are not inbred, with some exhibiting heterozygote excess. The populations that are located close to the pipeline were among those with the highest genetic diversity. Population size varies among populations and was not correlated with genetic diversity. Evidence of clonal spread was found in most populations however they also produce viable seeds and most plants are productively active. The results indicate that care should be taken to maintain provenance and that it is recommended to follow guidelines which limit mixing of plants from different populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waterborne and seedborne Pepino mosaic virus (Pep MV) and Potato spindle tuber viroid ( PSTVd) pose serious threats to tomato production due to seed transmission and mechanical transmission, coupled with their long-term stability outside the host plant. Therefore, rapid and sensitive diagnostic procedures are needed to prevent the spread of these quarantine pathogens. In particular, water and seed contamination are difficult to detect and confirm without efficient concentration methods. This study presents procedures that improve detection of PSTVd from tomato seeds and leaf tissue, and Pep MV from water and tomato leaf tissue. For efficient concentration of Pep MV from water samples, a procedure was optimized using convective interaction media monolithic chromatography columns, which provides concentration by three orders of magnitude. For concentration of PSTVd from seed extracts, an easy-to-use and efficient method was developed based on RNA binding to positively charged anion-exchange resin beads that provides up to 100-fold more sensitive detection in comparison with procedures without a concentration step. This thus allows confirmation of RT- qPCR results with sequencing of RT- PCR products in samples with low viroid levels. In addition, reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assays for detection of PSTVd and Pep MV were optimized and adapted to both laboratory and on-site testing requirements. This allows rapid detection of these pathogens in crude leaf homogenates, in under 30 min. These procedures of concentration and detection are shown to be efficient and to fill the gaps in diagnostics of Pep MV and PSTVd, especially when these pathogens are present at low levels in difficult matrices such as water and seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The solanaceous fruit crop pepino (Solanum muricatum Ait.), originating in the Andes, is grown commercially in South American countries and New Zealand. In these areas, pests and diseases of pepino have been identified well; however, to date, these have seldom been investigated in detail in Japan. Herein, we attempt to reconstruct an agricultural production system for commercial pepino crops in Japan, and evaluate the incidence of pests and viral diseases on pepino. The findings of this study will facilitate in developing a better crop system for the commercial cultivation of healthy pepino fruits. New information A total of 11 species, comprising nine insects and two mites, were recognized as pests of pepino plants in our experimental fields in Kanagawa Prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. Of these pest species, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch, 1836 and the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover, 1877, were remarkably abundant than the other pest species. Eventually, 13 species, including two previously recorded, are currently recognized as the pests of pepino in Japan. With regard to viruses, we tested two species Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), as well as three genera Carlavirus, Potexvirus, and Potyvirus. No virus was detected in symptomatic pepino leaves collected in our experimental fields. This is a first report on the identification of pests on pepino plants in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan and elucidates the relationship between currently occurring pests of pepino plants and potential viral pathogens that they can transmit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solanum muricatum (SM), also known as pepino, is known for its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of SM extract in promoting osteogenic differentiation and regulating the Wnt and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathways. Ingredients of pepino were extracted and identified. SM extracts were used to treat rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), followed by evaluating alkaline phosphatase activities and mineralization levels. The mRNA levels of osteogenic biomarkers, including OPN and Collagen I, were also evaluated with real-time polymerase chain reaction. After treatment with SM extracts, the expressions of key proteins in the Wnt and BMP signaling pathways were assessed. DKK-1 and noggin, which are Wnt and BMP inhibitors, respectively, were added with SM extracts to investigate the role of Wnt and BMP pathways in the ameliorating effects of SM extract in osteogenesis. Treatment of BMSCs with SM extract promoted osteogenesis. Meanwhile, upregulations in the Wnt and BMP pathways were also observed. However, inhibiting both pathways compromised the effects of SM extract in promoting osteogenic differentiation. SM extract promotes osteogenic differentiation in BMSCs via promoting the Wnt and BMP signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The viral pathogen Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) can cause serious problems in the crop tomato ( Solanum lycopsericum ). One strategy to control infections of this virus is the application of hygienic measures. Alternatively, tomato plants can be cross-protected by attenuated isolates of a PepMV genotype. After two weeks, these plants are cross-protected against virulent isolates of the same genotype. In this study, the effectivity of a multi-genotype cross-protection was assessed. In greenhouse experiments young tomato plants were inoculated with a mixture of attenuated isolates of the Peruvian (LP) and Chili-2 (CH2) genotype, named VX1 and VC1, respectively. Inoculated plants were challenged with virulent isolates of the EU and CH2 genotype. The mixture of attenuated isolates, named V10, prevented almost completely the appearance of viral symptoms like leaf and stem necrosis, stunting, loss of fruit quality and loss of yield, caused by the virulent isolates. In contrast, when only a single genotype (CH2) was used to cross-protect the plants, symptoms were not prevented after the challenge with the mixture of virulent isolates. This study offers perspectives for a large-scale application of a multi-genotype cross-protection against PepMV in tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hypocotyl-derived adventitious root (AR) is an important morphological acclimation to waterlogging stress; however, its genetic basis has not been adequately understood. In the present study, a mixed major gene plus polygene inheritance model was used to analyze AR numbers (ARN) 7 days after waterlogging treatment in six generations (P, P, F, B, B and F), using cucumber waterlogging tolerant line Zaoer-N and sensitive Pepino as parents. The results showed that the genetic model D-4, mixed one negative dominance major gene and additive-dominance polygenes, is the best-fitting genetic model for waterlogging-triggered ARN phenotype. A genetic linkage map spanning 550.8 cM and consisting of 149 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers segregating into seven linkage groups was constructed. Three QTLs (ARN3.1, ARN5.1, and ARN6.1) distributed on chromosomes 3, 5, and 6 were identified by composite interval mapping. The major-effect QTL, ARN6.1, located between SSR12898 and SSR04751, was the only locus detected in three seasons, with least likelihood (LOD) scores of 8.8, 10.4, and 9.5 and account for 17.6, 24, and 19.8% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. Using five additional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) makers, the ARN6.1 was narrowed down to a 0.79 Mb interval franked by SSR12898 and SNP25558853. Illumina RNA-sequencing data generated on hypocotyls of two parents 48 h after waterlogging treatment revealed 15 genes in the 0.79 Mb interval were differentially expressed, including Csa6G503880 encoding a salicylic acid methyl transferase-like protein, Csa6G504590 encoding a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, and Csa6G505230 encoding a heavy metal-associated protein. Our findings shed light on the genetic architecture underlying adventitious rooting during waterlogging stress in cucumber, and provide a list of potential gene targets for further elucidating waterlogging tolerance in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flowerbud-feeding weevilAnthonomus santacruziHustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was released in South Africa in 2008 for the biological control of the invasive treeSolanum mauritianumScopoli (Solanaceae). The weevil was widely deployed throughout KwaZulu-Natal province, which supports largeS. mauritianuminfestations, and has become well established in its warmer coastal regions. The aim of this study was to provide field evidence that climate is constraining the weevil’s distribution in South Africa.Solanum mauritianumpopulations were sampled at 23 sites across an altitudinal gradient in KwaZulu-Natal to determineA. santacruzidensities in relation to food availability and climatic variables. Despite significantly higher amounts of floral material onS. mauritianumat the higher altitude inland sites,A. santacruzinumbers were significantly higher at the lower altitude coastal sites. There was thus a significant negative relationship betweenA. santacruzinumbers and altitude and significant positive relationships betweenA. santacruzinumbers and both temperature and humidity. Neither rainfall nor food availability influencedA. santacruzinumbers, although lower amounts of floral material at the coastal sites may well have been caused by higher weevil densities at these sites.Anthonomus santacruziwas absent at only three sites, all at higher altitudes, further demonstrating that conditions in coastal or low-altitude regions are favourable for establishment and population proliferation. Future release efforts in KwaZulu-Natal, but also in other South African provinces, should thus be focused on coastal regions and inland regions that are below 1000 m above sea level. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

[Display omitted] • Phenolic acids and lipids are the most dominant metabolites of pepino fruit. • A network analysis approach was used to combine omics data using DEGs and DEMs. • The DEMs were regulated by core genes were directly linked with two pepino genotype. • SENP1 and HMGCS are central regulation in differential metabolites expression. There is considerable knowledge about plant compounds that produce flavor, scent, and aroma. Aside from the similarities, however, groups of plant-produced nutrients and taste components have little in common with each other. Network analysis holds promise for metabolic gene discovery, which is especially important in plant systems where metabolic networks are not yet fully resolved. To bridge this gap, we propose a joint model of gene regulation and metabolic reactions in two different pepino varieties. Differential metabolomics analysis is carried out for detection of eventual interaction of compound. We adopted a multi-omics approach to profile the transcriptome and metabolome analyze differences in phenolic acids, flavonoids, organic acids, lipids, alkaloids, and sugars between LOF and SRF. The two most predominant classes of metabolites are phenolic acids and lipids in pepino. Overall results show enrichment in most DEGs was carbohydrate and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites pathway. Results of DEMs predominantly comprised N -p-coumaroyl agmatine and tryptamine, and significant differences were observed in their expression between LOF and SRF. Integrated DEMs and DEGs specific networks were constructed by combining two types of networks: transcriptional regulatory networks composed of interactions between DEMs and the regulated genes, and pepino metabolite–metabolite interaction networks. Newly discovered features, such as DEGs (USPA , UBE2 and DELLA) involved in the production of secondary metabolites are found in coregulated gene clusters. Moreover, lipid metabolites were most involved in DEMs correlations by OPLS-DA while identifying a significant number of DEGs co-regulated by SENP1 , HMGCS et al. These results further that the metabolite discrepancies result from characterized the nutrients and taste components between two pepino genotype. Among the possible causes of the differences between species in pepino metabolite concentrations is co-regulated by these DEGs, continue to suggest that novel features of metabolite biosynthetic pathway remain to be uncovered. Finally, the integrated metabolome and transcriptome analyses have revealed that many important metabolic pathways are regulated at the transcriptional level. The metabolites content differences observed among varieties of the same species mainly originates from different regulated genes and enzymes expression. Overall, this study provides new insights into the underlying causes of differences in the plant metabolites and suggests that genetic data can be used to improve its nutrients and taste components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that fruits have different effects on alcohol metabolism and alcohol-induced liver injury. The present work selected three fruits and aimed at studying the effects of Syzygium samarangense, Passiflora edulis and Solanum muricatum on alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. The animals were treated daily with alcohol and fruit juices for fifteen days. Chronic treatment with alcohol increased the levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), total bilirubin (TBIL), triglyceride (TG), malondialdehyde (MDA), and decreased total protein (TP). Histopathological evaluation also showed that ethanol induced extensive fat droplets in hepatocyte cytoplasm. Syzygium samarangense and Passiflora edulis normalized various biochemical parameters. Solanum muricatum increased the level of ALT and induced infiltration of inflammatory cells in the liver. These results strongly suggest that treatment with Syzygium samarangense and Passiflora edulis could protect liver from the injury of alcohol, while Solanum muricatum could aggravate the damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many attempts have been made to introduce pepinos in several countries. These efforts have involved breeding programs designed to adapt pepino plants to the respective climates and consumer preferences. However, low yields and the relatively small amount of information on the crop have played a negative role for the expansion of the pepino. Information on other features of the fruit (e.g., quality, physiology, and sensory attributes) is also scarce.Only a few studies provide useful data on pepino handling and storage potential; hence, there is not an adequate postharvest strategy to store this species. The objective of this review is to provide and discuss the available literature, with an emphasis on postharvest physiology aspects, and present 1) breeding for quality and how this has led to the development of the cultivars known today, 2) fruit physiology and quality, 3) handling and physiological disorders of pepino, and 4) highlight challenges for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepino ( Solanum muricatum ) fruits from 15 accessions of cultivated pepino as well as six accessions from wild relatives were evaluated for contents in dry matter, protein, β-carotene, chlorophylls and seven minerals. Several-fold differences among accessions were found for most traits. Average values obtained were similar to those of melon and cucumber, but the phenolic contents were much higher. Wild species had significantly higher average contents for all traits vs. the cultivated pepino accessions. And, the comparisons among the cultivated pepino varieties showed that the modern varieties were more uniform in composition, and they possessed significantly lower concentrations of protein, P, K, and Zn than local land races. Most of the significant correlations among composition traits were positive. Our studies show that regular consumption of pepino fruits could make a significant contribution to the recommended daily intake of P, K, Fe and Cu as well as to the average daily intake of phenolics. Furthermore, the higher values for most nutrients measured in the wild species and in the local land races indicate that new pepino varieties with improved fruit contents in nutrient and bioactive compounds can be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepino ( Solanum muricatum var . pepino) plants were found affected by an extensive leaf spot caused by plant pathogenic fungi during a survey in the Cameron highlands, Pahang state, Malaysia. Symptomatic leaf samples were collected from infected pepino plants and cultivated on PDA medium, and the pathogen was isolated and purified; then, consequently, all isolates were identified as Stemphylium lycopersici on the basis of their cultural and morphological characteristics and combined sequences of the internal transcribed spacer ( ITS) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase ( gpd) regions. A pathogenicity assay on detached leaves further confirmed that S. lycopersici causes leaf spot disease. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of S. lycopersici causing leaf spot on pepino in Malaysia and worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Solanum sect. Basarthrum is phylogenetically very close to potatoes (Solanum sect. Petota) and tomatoes (Solanum sect. Lycopersicon), two groups with great economic importance, and for which Solanum sect. Basarthrum represents a tertiary gene pool for breeding. This section includes the important regional cultigen, the pepino (Solanum muricatum), and several wild species. Among the wild species, S. caripense is prominent due to its major involvement in the origin of pepino and its wide geographical distribution. Despite the value of the pepino as an emerging crop, and the potential for gene transfer from both the pepino and S. caripense to potatoes and tomatoes, there has been virtually no genomic study of these species. Results: Using Illumina HiSeq 2000, RNA-Seq was performed with a pool of three tissues (young leaf, flowers in preanthesis and mature fruits) from S. muricatum and S. caripense, generating almost 111,000,000 reads among the two species. A high quality de novo transcriptome was assembled from S. muricatum clean reads resulting in 75,832 unigenes with an average length of 704 bp. These unigenes were functionally annotated based on similarity of public databases. We used Blast2GO, to conduct an exhaustive study of the gene ontology, including GO terms, EC numbers and KEGG pathways. Pepino unigenes were compared to both potato and tomato genomes in order to determine their estimated relative position, and to infer gene prediction models. Candidate genes related to traits of interest in other Solanaceae were evaluated by presence or absence and compared with S. caripense transcripts. In addition, by studying five genes, the phylogeny of pepino and five other members of the family, Solanaceae, were studied. The comparison of S. caripense reads against S. muricatum assembled transcripts resulted in thousands of intra- and interspecific nucleotide-level variants. In addition, more than 1000 SSRs were identified in the pepino transcriptome. Conclusions: This study represents the first genomic resource for the pepino. We suggest that the data will be useful not only for improvement of the pepino, but also for potato and tomato breeding and gene transfer. The high quality of the transcriptome presented here also facilitates comparative studies in the genus Solanum. The accurate transcript annotation will enable us to figure out the gene function of particular traits of interest. The high number of markers (SSR and nucleotide-level variants) obtained will be useful for breeding programs, as well as studies of synteny, diversity evolution, and phylogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within nanotechnology, gold and silver nanostructures have unique physical, chemical, and electronic properties [1,2], which make them suitable for a number of applications. Moreover, biosynthetic methods are considered to be a safer alternative to conventional physicochemical procedures for both the environmental and biomedical applications, due to their eco-friendly nature and the avoidance of toxic chemicals in the synthesis. For this reason, employing bio routes in the synthesis of functionalized silver nanoparticles (FAgNP) have gained importance recently in this field. In the present study, we report the rapid synthesis of FAgNP through the extract of pepino (Solanum muricatum) leaves and employing microwave oven irradiation. The core-shell globular morphology and characterization of the different shaped and sized FAgNP, with a core of 20-50 nm of diameter is established using the UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Zeta potential and dynamic light scanning (DLS) studies. Moreover, cytotoxic studies employing HeLa (human cervix carcinoma) cells were undertaken to understand FAgNP interactions with cells. HeLa cells showed significant dose dependent antiproliferative activity in the presence of FAgNP at relatively low concentrations. The calculated IC50 value was 37.5 µg/mL, similar to others obtained for FAgNPs against HeLa cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With ca. 200 species, the informally named Potato clade represents one of the larger subgroups of the estimated 1500 species of Solarium. Because its members include the potato (S. tuberosum), tomato (S. lycopersicum), and pepino (S. muricatum), it is the most economically important clade in the genus. These crop species and their close relatives have been the focus of intensive research, but relationships among major lineages of the Potato clade remain poorly understood. In this study, we use sequences from the nuclear ITS and waxy (GBSSI), and plastid trnT-trnF and trnS-trnG to estimate a phylogeny and further explore relationships within the Potato clade. With increased sampling over past studies, the Potato clade emerges as a strongly supported clade and comprises 12-13 subclades which, for the most part, correspond to traditionally recognized sections. Solanum sect. Regmandra is sister to the rest of the lineages of the Potato clade which are, in turn, organized into two major subclades: (1) sections Anarrhichomenum, Articulatum, Basarthrum, Etuberosum, Juglandifolia, Lvcopersicoides, Lycopersicon, and Petota, and (2) sections Herpystichum and Pteroidea. As in all other studies including these groups, sections Etuberosum, Juglandifolia, Lycopersicoides, Lycopersicon, and Petota form a strongly supported clade. Solanum oxycoccoides, a high-elevation species endemic to north-central Peru, was tentatively assigned to several groups within Solanum based on morphological evidence, but instead the species represents an independent lineage within the Potato clade, sister to the first major subclade. A key to the sections of the Potato clade is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to determine the in vitro anti-inflammatory and in vivo antihypertensive effects of fermented pepino (Solanum muricatum) milk by Lactobacillus brevis with the goal of developing functional healthy products. The inflammatory factors of fermented pepino milk with L. brevis were assessed in RAW 264.7 macrophages, including nitric oxide (NO) production. Inflammatory factor genes of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were also assayed by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Results showed that fermented PE inhibited NO production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells with 150mg mL-1 fermented PE completely blocking LPS-induced NO production. The mRNA expressions of COX-1, COX-2, and iNOS were attenuated by treatment with higher concentrations of fermented PE (150 mg/ml). Cells treated with fermented pepino extract (PE) (100 ng mL-1) exhibited strikingly decreased LPS-induced expression of TNF-α mRNA. During the feeding trial, rats treated with 10% fermented pepino milk (100 μg 2.5 mL-1) and 100% fermented pepino milk (1000 μg 2.5 mL-1) exhibited significant decreases in the systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION:Our results showed that fermented pepino milk haswide potential applications for development as a health food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potato Rx gene provides resistance against Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) in tomato; however, recent work has suggested that the resistance conferred may not be durable. Resistance breaking can probably be attributed to multiple mutations observed to accumulate in the capsid protein (CP) region of resistancebreaking isolates, but this has not been confirmed through directed manipulation of an infectious PepMV clone. The present work describes the introduction of two specific mutations, A-T78 and A-T114, into the coat protein minimal elicitor region of an Rx-controlled PepMV isolate of the EU genotype. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and phenotypic evaluation were conducted in three Rx-expressing and wild-type solanaceous hosts: Nicotiana benthamiana, Nicotiana tabacum and Solanum lycopersicum. Mutation A-T78 alone was sufficient to confer Rx-breaking activity in N. benthamiana and S. lycopersicum, whereas mutation A-T114 was found to be associated, in most cases, with a secondary A-D100 mutation to break Rx-mediated resistance in S. lycopersicum. These results suggest that the need for a second, fitness-restoring mutation may be dependent on the PepMV mutant under consideration. Both mutations conferred Rx breaking in S. lycopersicum, whereas neither conferred Rx breaking in N. tabacum and only A-T78 allowed Rx breaking in N. benthamiana, suggesting that Rx may function in a different manner depending on the genetic background in which it is present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents studies on an ultrastructural analysis of plant tissue infected with different pathotypes of Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) and the immunolocalization of viral coat proteins. Because the PepMV virus replicates with a high mutation rate and exhibits significant genetic diversity, therefore, isolates of PepMV display a wide range of symptoms on infected plants. In this work, tomato plants of the Beta Lux cultivar were inoculated mechanically with three pathotypes representing the Chilean 2 (CH2) genotype: mild (PepMV-P22), necrotic (PepMV-P19) and yellowing (PepMV-P5-IY). The presence of viral particles in all infected plants in the different compartments of various cell types (i.e. spongy and palisade mesophyll, sieve elements and xylem vessels) was revealed via ultrastructural analyses. For the first time, it was possible to demonstrate the presence of crystalline inclusions, composed of virus-like particles. In the later stage of PepMV infection (14 dpi) various pathotype-dependent changes in the structure of the individual organelles (i.e. mitochondria, chloroplasts) were found. The strongest immunogold labeling of the viral coat proteins was also observed in plants infected by necrotic isolates. A large number of viral coat proteins were marked in the plant conductive elements, both xylem and phloem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Availability of standardized morphological and molecular characterization data is essential for the efficient development of breeding programmes in emerging crops. Pepino ( Solanum muricatum) is an increasingly important vegetatively propagated vegetable crop for which concurrent data on morphological descriptors and molecular markers are not available. We evaluated 58 morphological traits, using a collection of 14 accessions of pepinos (including local Andean varieties and modern cultivars) and 8 of wild relatives, using the IPGRI and COMAV descriptors lists coupled with 20 EST-SSRs from tomato. High morphological diversity was found in both cultivated and wild accessions; all morphological traits except three were variable. Cultivated pepino and wild relatives were significantly different for 26 traits. Also, local varieties and modern cultivars of pepino were different from each other for 13 morphological traits and were clearly separated in a principal components analysis. Fourteen of the 20 tomato EST-SSRs were polymorphic, with an average number of alleles per locus of 4.07 and a polymorphic information content value of 0.4132. This revealed a high degree of transferability from tomato to pepino and wide molecular diversity in the collection. Cultivated materials manifest high levels of observed heterozygosity, suggesting that it is related to heterosis for yield associated with heterozygosis. SSR data clearly differentiated cultivated and wild materials. Furthermore, for pepinos, the modern varieties were genetically much less diverse than the traditional local varieties. However, both groups of cultivated material expressed a low degree of genetic differentiation. A strong correlation (r = 0.673) between morphological and molecular distances was found. Our results provide foundational information for programmes of germplasm conservation, and that can be used to enhance breeding for this emerging crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pepino ( Solanum muricatum ) is a solanaceous vegetatively propagated fruit crop of Andean origin. We provide a detailed description of phenological stages because it is of interest for pepino crop management and research. Given the increasing prominence of this crop, and the fact that it morphologically and developmentally variable, and different from other major solanaceous crops, we have developed a pepino specific BBCH (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt, CHemische Industrie) numerical scale. Nine principal stages are described for germination/rooting, leaf development, formation of side shoots, main shoot elongation, inflorescence emergence, flowering, development of fruit, ripening of fruit and seed, and senescence. Secondary stages (two-digit scale) have been identified for all principal stages. Complementary descriptions using mesostages (three-digit scale) have been developed for leaf development, formation of side shoots, inflorescence emergence, and flowering phenological stages. A description of all phenological stages combined with illustrations is provided. The utility of the BBCH scale has been validated by comparing several traits of agronomic interest at specific developmental stages in a collection of pepino local varieties, modern cultivars and wild relatives. The BBCH scale developed provides uniform criteria for the description, identification and selection of phenological stages of the pepino and will facilitate the management, breeding and conservation of genetic resources of this crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mild variants of many viruses are able to protect infected plants from subsequent invasion by more severe variants of the same viruses through a process known as cross-protection. In the past, the cross-protective viral variants were commonly derived from mild field isolates that were sometimes genetically heterogeneous, providing variable levels of cross-protection. Here, we report a novel approach to rapidly generate cross-protective variants of the tomato-infecting Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) independently of the availability of mild field isolates. Our approach sought to attenuate PepMV by mutating less conserved amino acid residues of the abundantly produced capsid protein (CP). These less-conserved amino acid residues were identified through multiple alignments of CPs of six potexviruses including PepMV, and were altered systematically to yield six PepMV mutants. These mutants were subsequently inoculated onto the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana, as well as tomato, to evaluate their accumulation levels, symptom severities, and cross-protection potentials. The mutant KD, in which the threonine (T) and alanine (A) residues at CP positions 66 and 67 were replaced with lysine (K) and aspartic acid (D), respectively, were found to accumulate to low levels in infected plants, cause very mild symptoms, and effectively protect both N. benthamiana and tomato against secondary infections by wild-type PepMV. These data suggest that our approach represents a simple, fast, and reliable way of generating attenuated viral variants capable of cross-protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authority of the rapporteur Member State Belgium for the pesticide active substance Pepino mosaic virus strain CH2 isolate 1906, and the assessment of the application to include Pepino mosaic virus strain CH2 isolate 1906 in Annex IV of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative use of Pepino mosaic virus strain CH2 isolate 1906 as a virus inoculation for cross protection of tomatoes under glasshouse application. The reliable endpoints concluded as being appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, derived from the available studies and literature in the dossier peer reviewed, are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]