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Improving vegetable yield and optimizing its quality through nutrient management have long been central to plant nutrition and horticultural science. Copper (Cu) is recognized as an essential trace element that promotes plant growth and development. However, the mechanisms by which Cu influences nitrogen (N) metabolism remain largely unknown, with limited studies exploring the interaction between Cu and varying nitrate-to-ammonium (nitrate/ammonium) ratios. In this study, Chinese cabbage was exposed to two Cu concentrations (0 and 0.02 mg L-1) in combination with three nitrate/ammonium ratios (10/90, 50/50, and 90/10) under hydroponic conditions. The results showed that Cu application increased plant biomass, nitrate reductase (NR) and glutamine synthetase (GS) enzyme activities, the expression of NR (NIA) and GS2 (Gln2) genes, and N content in both shoots and roots. Additionally, Cu treatment decreased nitrate and free amino acid contents, as well as the expression of nitrate transporters NRT1.1 and NRT2.1 in roots while increasing these four parameters in shoots. Additionally, these effects were significantly modulated by the nitrate/ammonium ratios. In conclusion, Cu may facilitate nitrate transportation, enhance nitrate reduction, promote ammonium assimilation, and influence the transformation of organic N compounds, highlighting its potential role in improving N metabolism in Chinese cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining snacks from the drying of surplus vegetables is an alternative to reduce waste. A combination of pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatments and ultrasonic-assisted (US) drying could significantly enhance the process, as this is the aim of this study. PEF pretreatments of yellow turnip significantly affected the cell disintegration index (CDI) and the water holding capacity (WHC): the more intense the PEF treatment, the greater the CDI and the lower the WHC. Both parameters, CDI and WHC, showed a high degree of correlation which indicated that WHC can be an alternative index to CDI to assess PEF effects on food matrices. Regarding yellow turnip drying (40 °C), PEF pretreatments (CDI 0.25 and 0.75) and US application (20.5 kW/m3) significantly accelerated the operation, but it was the combination of both technologies that provided the shortest process (CDI 0.75). PEF could generate changes in the food matrix which enhance the US effects on mass transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruffled vegetables, having wrinkled leaves with a crispy and tender texture, are highly favored by consumers. However, the genetic resources of crinkled leaf vegetables in the Brassica genus are limited. In this study, distant hybridization was performed between 'Mottle-leaf Tai-cai' (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis (L.) Makino var. tai-tsai Hort. AA, 2n = 20) and 'Big Yellow Flower Chinese Kale' (B. oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey. CC, 2n = 18) by hand emasculation followed by tissue culture. As a result, all obtained three embryos were identified as true hybrids (AC, 2n = 19) through morphology, cytology, and molecular markers. After chromosome doubling, an allotetraploid hybrid (AACC, 2n = 38) was obtained with a giant leaf, serrated leaf margin, and wrinkled leaf surface; therefore, its most agronomical characters were biased toward the female parent of 'Mottle-leaf Tai-cai'. In comparison with diploid hybrid, the pollen stainability of allotetraploids were significantly improved and similar to their parents. Additionally, all 5 pairs of SSR primers showed the authenticity of the hybrids. Furthermore, the contents of soluble sugar, vitamin C, and cellulose in the hybrids increased when compared with their parents. Briefly, the obtained hybrid is interspecific euhybrid, and has wrinkle-leaf characteristics, improved nutritional quality, so it is a novel Brassica wrinkle-leaf vegetable germplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pomegranate peels, fig peels, and by-products from turnip greens were used as novel ingredients in burgers based on shelled shrimps. With the aim, a control without any by-products and three fortified samples with 7.5% (w/w) by-product were realized. To verify the benefic effects of by-product addition on the chemical quality of burgers, total phenols, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity were measured in both the control and fortified samples. In addition, during storage under refrigerated conditions, the microbiological proliferation of the main spoilage bacteria, the pH, and the sensory acceptability were properly monitored in all the samples. Results from chemical analyses confirmed that the nutritional level of shrimp-based burgers enriched with by-products was better than that of the control. Burgers with peels from pomegranate recorded the best results (2.67 ± 0.24 mg GAE/g dw, 1.62 ± 0.21 mg QE/g dw, and 12.63 ± 0.41 mg Trolox/g dw for total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity, respectively). From the microbiological point of view, the bacterial proliferation was always more rapid in the control than in the other samples. Among the by-products, the pomegranate peels better delayed the spoiling phenomena, even though mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria grew abundantly and rapidly in all the products, thus reducing the differences among samples. All the burgers maintained sensory acceptability for more than two weeks, regardless of the by-product addition. Considering both microbiological stability and sensory properties, the shelf life of this product was calculated to be around 1 week for the control burger, 8.5 days for both burgers with fig peels and by-products from turnip greens, and 9 days for the shrimp-based burger fortified with pomegranate peels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neglected use of micronutrient greatly hampered the productivity of oilseed crop. Thus, to determine the optimal dose of S and B on toria under rice-fallow system, an experiment was carried out with five doses of S i.e. 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 kg/ha and 3 doses of B i.e. 0, 1 and 2 kg/ha for two consecutive years (2018–19 and 2019–20). The plant growth parameters, i.e. plant height, dry matter accumulation, leaf area index and crop growth rate, and yield attributing parameters, i.e. siliqua/plant and seeds/siliqua, were greatly enhanced through application of S @ 30 kg/ha as well as B@ 2 kg/ha. The higher seed yield (10.11q/ha), stover yield (22.00q/ha) and oil yield (3.86 q/ha) were registered with the application of S @ 30 kg/ha + B @ 2 kg/ha, but it was at par with S@ 30 kg/ha + B @ 1 kg/ha. The combined application of S@ 30 kg/ha + B @ 2 kg/ha also noted higher plant nutrient uptake of N, P, K including S and B closely followed by S@ 30 kg/ha + B @ 1 kg/ha. But in terms of economics, conjugate application of S@ 30 kg/ha + B @1 kg/ha showed maximum monetary benefit with highest B:C (2.24). The pearson correlation indicated strong and positive correlation of seed yield with growth and yield parameters as well as nutrient uptake by plants. Regression analysis revealed that each one unit increase in plant dry matter accumulation showed an increase in seed yield by 4.56 unit and each one increase uptake in N, P, K, S and B showed an increase in seed yield by 0.19, 0.63,0.40,0.55 and 0.05, respectively. Henceforth, considering all the factors the combination of S@ 30 kg/ha and B@1 kg/ha may be recommended under the late sown toria in rice-fallow system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving vegetable yield and optimizing its quality through nutrient management have long been central to plant nutrition and horticultural science. Copper (Cu) is recognized as an essential trace element that promotes plant growth and development. However, the mechanisms by which Cu influences nitrogen (N) metabolism remain largely unknown, with limited studies exploring the interaction between Cu and varying nitrate-to-ammonium (nitrate/ammonium) ratios. In this study, Chinese cabbage was exposed to two Cu concentrations (0 and 0.02 mg L-1) in combination with three nitrate/ammonium ratios (10/90, 50/50, and 90/10) under hydroponic conditions. The results showed that Cu application increased plant biomass, nitrate reductase (NR) and glutamine synthetase (GS) enzyme activities, the expression of NR (NIA) and GS2 (Gln2) genes, and N content in both shoots and roots. Additionally, Cu treatment decreased nitrate and free amino acid contents, as well as the expression of nitrate transporters NRT1.1 and NRT2.1 in roots while increasing these four parameters in shoots. Additionally, these effects were significantly modulated by the nitrate/ammonium ratios. In conclusion, Cu may facilitate nitrate transportation, enhance nitrate reduction, promote ammonium assimilation, and influence the transformation of organic N compounds, highlighting its potential role in improving N metabolism in Chinese cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

In this study, total RNA high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of a single symptomatic Phytolacca americana plant enabled the obtention of a nearly complete genome of two new isolates of turnip yellows virus (TuYV), named TuYV-ITA1 and TuYV-ITA2, and revealed a mixed infection with a new variant of citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd), named CEVd-ITA1. The TuYV-ITA2 isolate diverged from the known virus isolates of TuYV and showed variability in the P0 and P5 readthrough domain. Recombination analysis revealed its recombinant nature between TuYV and an unidentified polerovirus. The putative recombination event was identified in the P5 readthrough domain of the TuYMV-ITA2 isolate. Our results thus represent the first report of TuYV in Italy and some molecular evidence for the possible natural co-existence of TuYV and CEVd in a new natural host for both infectious entities. This study is adding further knowledge about the role of weed plants as virus reservoirs, and thus additional biological and impact studies would be desirable to determine in particular the role of P. americana in the spread of TuYV and if this virus should be considered a new threat for the susceptible Italian crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyploid plants often exhibit superior yield, stress resistance, and quality. In this study, homologous tetraploid wucai (Brassica campestris L.) was successfully obtained by spraying seedling growth points with colchicine. The morphological, cytological, and physiological characteristics of diploid and tetraploid wucai were analyzed, and transcriptomic sequencing was performed at three stages of development. Tetraploid seedings grew slowly but exhibited darker leaves, enlarged organs and cells, increased stomatal volume, decreased stomatal density, improved nutritional content, and enhanced photosynthesis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified in diploid and tetraploid plants at three stages of development were enriched in different pathways. Notably, DEGs identified in the tetraploid plants were specifically enriched in starch and sucrose metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and ascorbate and aldarate metabolism. In addition, we found that the light green module was most relevant to ploidy, and DEGs in this module were significantly enriched in the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and TCA cycle pathways. The differential expression of key glycolysis-associated genes at different developmental stages may be the driver of the observed differences between diploid and tetraploid wucai. This study lays a technical foundation for the development of polyploid wucai germplasm resources as well as the breeding of new varieties with improved quality, yield, and stress resistance. It also provides a good empirical reference for the genetic breeding of closely related Brassica species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering is critical to the success of plant propagation. The MYB family transcription factor CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1) is an essential component of the core loop of the circadian clock and plays a crucial role in regulating plant flowering time. In this study, we found that photoperiod affects the expression pattern and expression level of BcCCA1, which is delayed flowering time under short-day conditions in Pak-choi [Brassica campestris (syn. Brassica rapa) ssp. chinensis]. We detected overexpression and silencing of BcCCA1 in Pak-choi, resulting in delayed and promoted flowering time, respectively. Furthermore, we also discovered that FLOWERING LOCUS C (BcFLC) and SUPPRESSOR OF CONSTANS1 (BcSOC1) were expressed significantly differently in BcCCA1 overexpression and silencing plants compared with control plants. Therefore, we further investigated the interaction relationship between BcCCA1, BcFLC, and BcSOC1, and the results showed that BcCCA1 and BcFLC as a complex interacted with each other. Moreover, both BcCCA1 and BcFLC can directly bind to the promoter of BcSOC1 and repress its transcription, and BcCCA1 can form a complex with BcFLC to enhance the transcriptional inhibition of BcSOC1 by BcFLC. This study reveals a new mechanism by which the circadian clock regulates flowering time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are carbohydrate polymers that are synthesized and secreted into the extracellular during the growth of microorganisms. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a type of entomopathogenic bacterium, that produces various insecticidal proteins and EPSs. In our previous study, the EPSs produced by Bt strains were first found to enhance the toxicity of insecticidal crystal proteins against Plutella xylostella. However, the response of the intestinal bacterial communities of P. xylostella under the action of EPSs is still unelucidated. In this study, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to characterize the intestinal bacterial communities in P. xylostella treated with EPSs alone, Cry1Ac protoxin alone, and both the Cry1Ac protoxin and EPSs. Compared with the control group, alpha diversity indices, the Chao1 and ACE indices were significantly altered after treatment with EPSs alone, and no significant difference was observed between the groups treated with Cry1Ac protoxin alone and Cry1Ac protoxin + EPSs. However, compared with the gut bacterial community feeding on Cry1Ac protoxin alone, the relative abundance of 31 genera was significantly changed in the group treated with Cry1Ac protoxin and EPSs. The intestinal bacteria, through the oral of Cry1Ac protoxin and EPSs, significantly enhanced the toxicity of the Cry1Ac protoxin towards the axenic P. xylostella. In addition, the relative abundance of the 16S rRNA gene in the chloroplasts of Brassica campestris decreased after adding EPSs. Taken together, these results show the vital contribution of the gut microbiota to the Bt strain-killing activity, providing new insights into the mechanism of the synergistic insecticidal activity of Bt proteins and EPSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to examine the compound effects of polyacrylamide (PAM) and cadmium (Cd) on plant growth subsequent to the mixing of municipal sludge with soil and to explore the potential ecological risks associated with the use of sludge. A pot experiment was performed wherein four gradients (0, 5, 15, and 20 g/[kg dry sludge]) were established corresponding to different PAM concentrations to assess the effects on the physiological and biochemical parameters of Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino and Brassica campestris L. and the effects on Cd and PAM concentrations in soil. The findings indicated that the biomass of both plants increased when the total PAM concentration ranged from 5 g to 15 g/(kg dry sludge). Concurrently, polyacrylamide (PAM) downplayed the uptake of Cd by the plants, reduced phytotoxicity, and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in the roots. However, the biomass of Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino and Brassica campestris L. decreased significantly when the total PAM concentration was exceeded 15 g/(kg dry sludge), and the toxic effect of Cd on pants was enhanced to some extent. Especially when the PAM concentration was 20 g/(kg dry sludge), apparent cell damage was observed in root cells. It was further noted that Brassica campestris L. portrayed a higher tolerance towards higher proportions of sludge compared with Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino. Sludge holds a wider scale of applicability in landscaping than in agriculture. A fusion of polyacrylamide (PAM) and antioxidant enzymes could potentially counteract the effects of Cd within a specific concentration range, serving as a defense mechanism against stress. The data obtained from this study are crucial for unraveling anti‐stress responses and detoxification mechanisms employed by different plant species under the influence of factors such as PAM, Cd, and others, thus providing novel insights into research related to land use involving sludges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, it has been determined in various studies that many fermented products produced by natural fermentation have probiotic potential. It is reported that shalgam juice, which is one of the traditional vegetable-based fermented foods unique to our country and has a microbiota rich in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts, has probiotic potential and the consumption of this product is beneficial for health. However, in order to call the product as "probiotic food", and to have positive effects on health, it must contain at least 106 CFU/mL-g of viable probiotic cells. This study was carried out to examine whether traditional and commercially produced turnip juices sold in different provinces of Turkey contain sufficient amounts of viable cells. In the study, the LAB counts of the samples were determined between 1.55-6.51 log CFU/mL, while the yeast counts of the samples were found between 1.13-5.32 log CFU/mL. These results revealed that shalgam juices commonly do not contain viable cells sufficient to call the product as probiotic. In addition, there is a need for studies in which the culturable microorganisms obtained from shalgam juices should be investigated in terms of probiotic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] The paper aimed to create a new autotetraploid material with good quality. [Methods] The cotyledon growth point of the diploid Brassica campestris LCX019 seedlings was dripped with 2 g-L colchicine solution, the autotetraploid plants were identified by morphological, anatomical, cytological and flow cytometry methods, and the agronomic and quality characteristics of diploid and tetraploid plants were analyzed and compared. [Results] The results of morphology and anatomy showed that the plant type, leaf, flower, seed pod and bolt of the autotetraploid campestris showed "gigantic" characteristics, the stomatal diameter became larger and the stomatal density decreased. The size of pollen grains was larger than diploid, and the shape of pollen grains was rugby ball or irregular. The results of cytology showed that the number of chromosomes in the root tip of tetraploid was about twice that of diploid. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the DNA fluorescence intensity of tetraploid was about twice that of diploid. The contents of soluble sugar, organic acid and cellulose in tetraploid B. campestris significantly increased by 76.17%, 13.71% and 80.34%, while the contents of chlorophyll and nitrate nitrogen significantly decreased by 25.01% and 45.10%, respectively, there was no significant change in soluble protein content. By analyzing the light response curve and photosynthetic characteristics of diploid and tetraploid plants, it was found that LCX019 had stronger ability to utilize weak light than diploid plants. [Conclusions] The new tetraploid material with high quality was obtained, which would provide new germplasm resources for the breeding of flowering Chinese cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica campestris (syn. Brassica rapa) is often known as mustard and is grown worldwide owing to its health-promoting characteristics associated with the presence of nutrients and phytochemicals. Along with the nutritional components, B. campestris also contains anti-nutrients (phytates, oxalates, tannins, alkaloids, saponins) that can cause adverse severe health effects to consumers, including rashes, nausea, headaches, bloating and nutritional deficiencies. In the present study, heating (blanching) and fermentation (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) treatments were applied to reduce the load of the anti-nutrients of B. campestris leaves harvested at three different growth stages: the first stage (fourth week), the second stage (sixth week) and the third stage (eighth week). Results revealed that fermentation treatment using Lp. plantarum increases the ash (5.4 to 6%), protein (9 to 10.4%) and fiber (9.6 to 10.7%) contents, whereas moisture (0.91 to 0.82%), fat (9.9 to 9.1%) and carbohydrate (64.5 to 64.2%) contents decreased among B. campestris samples, and the trend was similar for all three stages. Blanching and fermentation lead to the reduction in phytates (46, 42%), saponins (34, 49%), tannins (1, 10%), oxalates (15, 7%) and alkaloids (10, 6%), separately as compared to raw samples of B. campestris leaves. In contrast, fermentation had no considerable effect on phytochemical contents (total phenolic and total flavonoids) and antioxidant potential (DPPH and FRAP). The action of blanching followed by fermentation caused more decline in the aforementioned toxicants load as compared to blanching or fermentation alone. Structural modifications in blanching and the biochemical conversions in fermentation lead to enhanced stability of nutrients and antioxidant potential. Taken together, these findings suggest blanching followed by fermentation treatments as a reliable, cost-effective and safer approach to curtail the anti-nutrient load without affecting the proximate composition, phytochemical attributes and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clubroot disease has become a worldwide threat for crucifer crop production, due to its soil-borne nature and difficulty to eradicate completely from contaminated field. In this study we used an elite resistant European fodder turnip ECD04 and investigated its resistance mechanism using transcriptome, sRNA-seq, degradome and gene editing. A total of 1751 DEGs were identified from three time points after infection, among which 7 hub genes including XTH23 for cell wall assembly and two CPK28 genes in PTI pathways. On microRNA, we identified 17 DEMs and predicted 15 miRNA-target pairs (DEM-DEG). We validated two pairs (miR395-APS4 and miR160-ARF) by degradome sequencing. We investigated the miR395-APS4 pair by CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene editing, the result showed that knocking-out APS4 could lead to elevated clubroot resistance in B. napus. In summary, the data acquired on transcriptional response and microRNA as well as target genes provide future direction especially gene candidates for genetic improvement of clubroot resistance on Brassica species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The above‐ground community dynamics of weeds represent the soil weed seedbank in an agro‐ecosystem. Hence, understanding the seedbank will offer an idea for future weed management tactics. We aimed to determine the density of weed seedbank and emergence of major weeds in direct seeded rice (DSR) (Oryza sativa L.)—mustard (Brassica campestris L. var. yellow sarson) cropping sequence under varied tillage and herbicide combinations. The present study on weed seedbank was conducted using seedling emergence method after collecting the soils at the harvest of mustard at the completion of 2 years field experimentation. The experiment was conducted in split‐plot design with two tillage practices [zero tillage (ZT) and conventional tillage (CT)] in main plot and eight weed management practices in DSR [oxadiargyl followed by (fb) bispyribac‐sodium, penoxsulam + cyhalofop‐butyl, oxadiargyl fb penoxsulam + cyhalofop‐butyl, fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl + ethoxysulfuron, oxadiargyl fb fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl + ethoxysulfuron, pendimethalin fb bispyribac‐sodium, unweeded control, and weed free check] as subplot. The carry‐over effect of tillage and weed management practices were recorded in mustard crop. Seed emergence study revealed that ZT reduced the emergence of grassy weeds (by 13.7%) and total weed emergence (19.5%) in comparison to the CT (p < 0.05). However, emergence of broadleaf weeds was 24.5% higher in ZT than in CT. The higher infestation was recorded for Ludwigia parviflora (Jacq.) Raven under penoxsulam + cyhalofop‐butyl, fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl + ethoxysulfuron, Cyperus iria (L.) under fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl + ethoxysulfuron, and Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. under pendimethalin fb bispyribac‐sodium, oxadiargyl fb bispyribac‐sodium. Sole application of post‐emergence (POE) herbicide decreased the total weed emergence by 22.2%–28.1% than unweeded control (p < 0.05). Whereas, sequential application of PRE + POE herbicides decreased the total weed emergence by 32.8%–36.9% than unweeded control (p < 0.05). Notably, sedge weeds such as Cyperus iria (L.) and Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl were lower in ZT than in CT under herbicide treated plots (by 66.6%–84.3%) than unweeded control. Thus, ZT with oxadiargyl 90 g a.i. ha−1fb fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl + ethoxysulfuron (90 + 15 g a.i. ha−1) as tank‐mix can be effectively used to lower the weed seedbank density vis‐à‐vis managing complex weed flora in DSR and rice‐mustard cropping sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop cultivars have an influence on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and there is variation between varieties. However, there are few reports available on the differences in GHG emissions and their driving factors among vegetable varieties. In this study, we conducted a field experiment to examine the variances in GHG emissions and their contributing factors among eight flowering Chinese cabbage varieties (considering growth period, leaf shape, and colour). The results showed significant differences in GHG emissions within varieties; early-maturing varieties exhibited GHG by 25.6% and 15.3%, respectively, when compared to mid- and late-maturing varieties. Among the different leaf types and color classifications, light-colored and sharp-leafed varieties had the lower global warming potential (GWP) overall. Cumulative CO2 emissions were influenced by leaf SPAD values and biomass, while cumulative N2O emissions were driven mainly by stem thickness, carbon accumulation, leaf SPAD values, and biomass. In summary, the selection of light-colored varieties with pointed leaves and shorter growth periods in actual production contributed positively to the reduction of carbon emissions from flowering Chinese cabbage production. Through efficient variety screening, this study provides a win-win strategy for achieving efficient vegetable production while also addressing the global climate challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clubroot disease poses a significant threat to Brassica crops, necessitating ongoing updates on resistance gene sources. In F2 segregants of the clubrootresistant inbred line BrT18-6-4-3 and susceptible DH line Y510, the genetic analysis identified a single dominant gene responsible for clubroot resistance. Through bulk segregant sequencing analysis and kompetitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction assays, CRA8.1.6 was mapped within 110 kb (12,255-12,365 Mb) between markers L-CR11 and L-CR12 on chromosome A08. We identified BraA08g015220.3.5C as the candidate gene of CRA8.1.6. Upon comparison with the sequence of disease-resistant material BrT18-6-4-3, we found 249 single-nucleotide polymorphisms, seven insertions, six deletions, and a long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon (5,310 bp) at 909 bp of the first intron. However, the LTR retrotransposon was absent in the coding sequence of the susceptible DH line Y510. Given the presence of a non-functional LTR insertion in other materials, it showed that the LTR insertion might not be associated with susceptibility. Sequence alignment analysis revealed that the fourth exon of the susceptible line harbored two deletions and an insertion, resulting in a frameshift mutation at 8,551 bp, leading to translation termination at the leucine-rich repeat domain's C-terminal in susceptible material. Sequence alignment of the CDS revealed a 99.4% similarity to Crr1a, which indicate that CRA8.1.6 is likely an allele of the Crr1a gene. Two functional markers, CRA08-InDel and CRA08-KASP1, have been developed for marker-assisted selection in CR turnip cultivars. Our findings could facilitate the development of clubrootresistance turnip cultivars through marker-assisted selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity stress is a type of abiotic stress which negatively affects the signaling pathways and cellular compartments of plants. Melatonin (MT) has been found to be a bioactive compound that can mitigate these adverse effects, which makes it necessary to understand the function of MT and its role in salt stress. During this study, plants were treated exogenously with 100 µM of MT for 7 days and subjected to 200 mM of salt stress, and samples were collected after 1 and 7 days for different indicators and transcriptome analysis. The results showed that salt reduced chlorophyll contents and damaged the chloroplast structure, which was confirmed by the downregulation of key genes involved in the photosynthesis pathway after transcriptome analysis and qRT-PCR confirmation. Meanwhile, MT increased the chlorophyll contents, reduced the electrolyte leakage, and protected the chloroplast structure during salt stress by upregulating several photosynthesis pathway genes. MT also decreased the H2O2 level and increased the ascorbic acid contents and APX activity by upregulating genes involved in the ascorbic acid pathway during salt stress, as confirmed by the transcriptome and qRT-PCR analyses. Transcriptome profiling also showed that 321 and 441 DEGs were expressed after 1 and 7 days of treatment, respectively. The KEGG enrichment analysis showed that 76 DEGs were involved in the photosynthesis pathway, while 35 DEGs were involved in the ascorbic acid metabolism pathway, respectively. These results suggest that the exogenous application of MT in plants provides important insight into understanding MT-induced stress-responsive mechanisms and protecting Brassica campestris against salt stress by regulating the photosynthesis and ascorbic acid pathway genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the findings of a 13-year retrospective study on the sensitization profiles of aeroallergens among allergic rhinitis (AR) patients in China. The study included 16,664 patients from three different centers. The most common aeroallergens were house dust mites, cockroaches, mustard plants, and maple trees. Children had a higher sensitization rate than adults, and AR patients with asthma had a higher sensitization rate than AR patients without asthma. The sensitization rates of the aeroallergens changed significantly from 2009 to 2021, with different trends observed in the three centers. The study provides valuable information on prevalent aeroallergens in China and proposes a panel of five aeroallergens for the diagnosis of AR. [Extracted from the article]

Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis (L.) Makino) stands as a widely cultivated leafy vegetable in China, with its leaf morphology significantly influencing both quality and yield. Despite its agricultural importance, the precise mechanisms governing leaf wrinkling development remain elusive. This investigation focuses on 'Wutacai', a representative cultivar of the Tacai variety (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. rosularis Tsen et Lee), renowned for its distinct leaf wrinkling characteristics. Within the genome of 'Wutacai', we identified a total of 18 YUCs, designated as BraWTC_YUCs, revealing their conservation within the Brassica genus, and their close homology to YUCs in Arabidopsis. Expression profiling unveiled that BraWTC_YUCs in Chinese Cabbage exhibited organ-specific and leaf position-dependent variation. Additionally, transcriptome sequencing data from the flat leaf cultivar 'Suzhouqing' and the wrinkled leaf cultivar 'Wutacai' revealed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to auxin during the early phases of leaf development, particularly the YUC gene. In summary, this study successfully identified the YUC gene family in 'Wutacai' and elucidated its potential function in leaf wrinkling trait, to provide valuable insights into the prospective molecular mechanisms that regulate leaf wrinkling in Chinese cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work was aimed to optimize extraction and recovery of phenolics from turnip greens by‐products using eco‐sustainable techniques based on the use of microwaves, ultrasound, or enzymes and of water as solvent. The optimization of ultrasound‐ and microwave‐assisted extractions was performed using a 4‐factors/3‐levels and a 3‐factors/3‐levels Box–Behnken Design (BBD), respectively and the results of the corresponding trials were fitted to a second order polynomial model. The enzymatic extractions were performed using three different commercial enzymatic preparations, optionally combined with an ultrasound treatment carried out according to the central values of the BBD design. The best results obtained from each green technique were compared with those of the conventional solid–liquid extraction performed with a 70% ethanol aqueous solution. Regarding ultrasounds, the conditions able to maximize the total phenolic concentrations of the extracts (solid–water ratio, 50 g/L; T, 45°C; t, 40 min; power, 24 W) increased the extraction efficiency by about 75% and reduced the extraction times from 2 h to 10 min with respect to the conventional extraction. Concerning microwaves, the optimized conditions (solid‐water ratio, 75 g/L; t, 3 min; power, 160 W) allowed the increase of the extraction efficiency by about 48% and the decrease of the extraction times to just a few minutes. For both techniques, the factor that mainly affected extraction yield and antioxidant activity were "solids‐to‐solvent ratio" and "power," respectively. According to the results of the enzymatic treatments, the best extraction was that performed with the commercial mix of pectinlyase, polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, and arabinase, which had the same extraction efficiency of microwaves but required longer times (90 min). Furthermore, the combination with ultrasounds did not improve its performances. Extraction technique also affected the phenolic profiles in terms of number and concentration of compounds identified. In conclusion, ultrasounds and microwaves are the best treatments to maximize extraction yield (the first) and minimize extraction time (the second). Practical applications: This study presents an approach to the sustainable recovery of phenolics contained in vegetable by‐products that can be adapted to a variety of food waste. It also supplies an overview of the extraction technique efficiency. The industrial adoption of our findings can lead to the following advantages: reduction food waste and/or remove from it compounds that can alter the ecosystem balance; reduction of disposal cost; production of precious ingredients for functional foods/natural cosmetics/natural supplements; obtainment of a new source of income by creating a further activity that can run in parallel with the main production of the company and can serve to diversify investments; improvement of the green image of the company, especially if the energy necessary to the energy needed to power the new process is obtained from renewable sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Purple non-heading Chinese cabbage [Brassica campestris (syn. Brassica rapa) ssp. chinensis] has become popular because of its richness in anthocyanin. However, anthocyanin only accumulates in the upper epidermis of leaves. Further studies are needed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the specific accumulation of it. Results: In this study, we used the laser capture frozen section method (LCM) to divide purple (ZBC) and green (LBC) non-heading Chinese cabbage leaves into upper and lower epidermis parts (Pup represents the purple upper epidermis, Plow represents the purple lower epidermis, Gup represents the green upper epidermis, Glow represents the green lower epidermis). Through transcriptome sequencing, we found that the DIHYDROFLAVONOL 4-REDUCTASE-encoding gene BcDFR, is strongly expressed in Pup but hardly in others (Plow, Gup, Glow). Further, a deletion and insertion in the promoter of BcDFR in LBC were found, which may interfere with BcDFR expression. Subsequent analysis of gene structure and conserved structural domains showed that BcDFR is highly conserved in Brassica species. The predicted protein-protein interaction network of BcDFR suggests that it interacts with almost all functional proteins in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. Finally, the results of the tobacco transient expression also demonstrated that BcDFR promotes the synthesis and accumulation of anthocyanin. Conclusions: BcDFR is specifically highly expressed on the upper epidermis of purple non-heading Chinese cabbage leaves and regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis and accumulation. Our study provides new insights into the functional analysis and transcriptional regulatory network of anthocyanin-related genes in purple non-heading Chinese cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brassicas (Brassicaceae) are recognized as excellent sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Among these, wild turnip (Brassica rapa L.), holds significant promising nutritional properties owed to its abundant glucosinolates and phenolic compounds. To enhance its potential values, the application of elicitors is crucial and good strategy prompting an enrichment in the concentration of phytochemicals, as well established in other relevant Brassicas, such as broccoli. While the responses triggered by certain elicitors such as salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate, or chitosan are widely documented, little is known about the impact of electrolyzed water, an economically viable elicitor. Through elicitation strategies, the aim of this work was to unravel insights into enhancing the phytochemical content of wild turnip sprouts for potential use as healthy food, comparing with well-studied broccoli as control of the experiments. Results: Our findings revealed that wild turnip exhibited a notable higher glucosinolate (GSL) contents (487–712 mg 100 g−1 D.W.), than in broccoli sprouts. Furthermore, the use of electrolyzed water (2 vol.) boosted the accumulation of glucosinolates with significant increase up to twofolds the content. Specifically, treatments with salicylic acid (250 μM) and electrolyzed water (2 vol.) favored the significant increase of mainly aliphatic GSL (progoitrin, PRO; gluconapin, GNA; glucobrassicin, GBN). On the other hand, natural antioxidants such as of the characteristic acylated cyanidins present in wild turnip sprouts were not affected by the elicitor treatments, indicative of higher tolerance to oxidative stress in wild turnip. Conclusions: These observations underlined the potential of using electrolyzed water in wild turnips as elicitor for GSL-enriched food ingredients. Further studies will be necessary to align with the broader goal of evaluating abiotic and biotic factors affecting the phytochemical composition in mature organs not only in germinating seeds and sprouts, for agricultural performance for quality and healthy foods purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt toxicity is one of the foremost environmental stresses that declines nutrient uptake, photosynthetic activity and growth of plants resulting in a decrease in crop yield and quality. Seed priming has become an emergent strategy to alleviate abiotic stress and improve plant growth. During the current study, turnip seed priming with sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) was investigated for its ability to mitigate salt stress. Turnip (Brassica rapa L. var. Purple Top White Globe) seeds primed with 75, 100, and 125 μML−1 of Se were subjected to 200 mM salt stress under field conditions. Findings of the current field research demonstrated that salt toxicity declined seed germination, chlorophyll content, and gas exchange characteristics of B. rapa seedling. Whereas, Se-primed seeds showed higher germination rate and plant growth which may be attributed to the decreased level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) decreased synthesis of proline (36%) and besides increased total chlorophyll (46%) in applied turnip plants. Higher expression levels of genes encoding antioxidative activities (CAT, POD, SO,D and APX) mitigated oxidative stress induced by the salt toxicity. Additionally, Se treatment decreased Na+ content and enhanced K+ content resulting in elevated K+/Na+ ratio in the treated plants. The in-silico assessment revealed the interactive superiority of Se with antioxidant enzymes including CAT, POD, SOD, and APX as compared to sodium chloride (NaCl). Computational study of enzymes-Se and enzymes-NaCl molecules also revealed the stress ameliorative potential of Se through the presence of more Ramachandran-favored regions (94%) and higher docking affinities of Se (-6.3). The in-silico studies through molecular docking of Na2SeO3, NaCl, and ROS synthesizing enzymes (receptors) including cytochrome P450 (CYP), lipoxygenase (LOX), and xanthine oxidase (XO), also confirmed the salt stress ameliorative potential of Se in B. rapa. The increased Ca, P, Mg, and Zn nutrients uptake nutrients uptake in 100 μML−1 Se primed seedlings helped to adjust the stomatal conductivity (35%) intercellular CO2 concentration (32%), and photosynthetic activity (41%) resulting in enhancement of the yield attributes. More number of seeds per plant (6%), increased turnip weight (115 gm) root length (17.24 cm), root diameter (12 cm) as well as turnip yield increased by (9%tons ha−1) were recorded for 100 μML−1 Se treatment under salinity stress. Findings of the current research judiciously advocate the potential of Se seed priming for salt stress alleviation and growth improvement in B. rapa. According to our best of knowledge, it is the first time that seed primed with Selenium have been evaluated regarding NaCl stress mitigation in turnip. Salinity toxicity negatively affected physiochemical activities and growth of B.rapa. Seed priming with Selenium (Na2SeO3) mitigated salinity stress. Selenium (Se) enhanced nutrition, photosynthetic and antioxidant activity of applied plants. Selenium treated plants exhibited improved growth and reduced salinity content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene duplication is a key biological process in the evolutionary history of plants and an important driving force for the diversification of genomic and genetic systems. Interactions between the calcium sensor calcineurin B-like protein (CBL) and its target, CBL-interacting protein kinase (CIPK), play important roles in the plant's response to various environmental stresses. As a food crop with important economic and research value, turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa) has been well adapted to the environment of the Tibetan Plateau and become a traditional crop in the region. The BrrCIPK9 gene in turnip has not been characterized. In this study, two duplicated genes, BrrCIPK9.1 and BrrCIPK9.2, were screened from the turnip genome. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, BrrCIPK9.1 and BrrCIPK9.2 were found located in different sub-branches on the phylogenetic tree. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR analyses revealed their differential expression levels between the leaves and roots and in response to various stress treatments. The differences in their interactions with BrrCBLs were also revealed by yeast two-hybrid analyses. The results indicate that BrrCIPK9.1 and BrrCIPK9.2 have undergone Asparagine–alanine–phenylalanine (NAF) site divergence during turnip evolution, which has resulted in functional differences between them. Furthermore, BrrCIPK9.1 responded to high-pH (pH 8.5) stress, while BrrCIPK9.2 retained its ancestral function (low K+), thus providing further evidence of their functional divergence. These functional divergence genes facilitate turnip's good adaptation to the extreme environment of the Tibetan Plateau. In summary, the results of this study reveal the characteristics of the duplicated BrrCIPK9 genes and provide a basis for further functional studies of BrrCBLs–BrrCIPKs in turnip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bee pollen, derived from various plant sources, is renowned for its nutritional and bioactive properties, aroma, and taste. This study examined the bee pollen with the highest yield in China obtained from four plant species, namely Brassica campestris (Bc), Nelumbo nucifera (Nn), Camellia japonica (Cj), and Fagopyrum esculentum (Fe), using fast e-nose and e-tongue technology to analyze their flavor chemistry. Results showed substantial differences in scent profiles among the varieties, with distinct odor compounds identified for each, including n-butanol, decanal, and ethanol, in Bc, Nn, and Cj, respectively. The primary odorants in Fe consist of E-2-hexen-1-ol and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol. Additionally, e-tongue analysis revealed seven distinct tastes in bee pollen samples: AHS, PKS, CTS, NMS, CPS, ANS, and SCS, with variations in intensity across each taste. The study also found correlations between taste components and specific odor compounds, providing insights for enhancing product quality control in bee pollen processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold stress is a serious threat to global crop production and food security, but plant cold resistance is accompanied by reductions in growth and yield. In this study, we determined that the novel gene BcGSTF10 in non-heading Chinese cabbage [NHCC; Brassica campestris (syn. Brassica rapa) ssp. chinensis ] is implicated in resistance to cold stress. Biochemical and genetic analyses demonstrated that BcGSTF10 interacts with BcICE1 to induce C-REPEAT BINDING FACTOR (CBF) genes that enhance freezing tolerance in NHCC and in Arabidopsis. However, BcCBF2 represses BcGSTF10 and the latter promotes growth in NHCC and Arabidopsis. This dual function of BcGSTF10 indicates its pivotal role in balancing cold stress and growth, and this important understanding has the potential to inform the future development of strategies to breed crops that are both climate-resilient and high-yielding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dairy–cereal‐based food, known as Doowina, is one of the traditional fermented foods in Iran. We aimed to improve the health‐promoting properties of Doowina by using turnips, butternut squash, and sourdough as a new functional food with high nutritional value and antioxidant activity. Therefore, the physicochemical, microbial, and sensory properties of samples with nutritional supplements (8% turnip and 8% butternut squash) and different concentrations of sourdough (0, 0.5, and 1%) were studied during 0, 3, 6, and 9 days of fermentation time. The results showed that there was no significant difference (p <.05) in the moisture and ash content between the different formulations of Doowina. There was also no significant difference (p <.05) in the phenolic compound content and antioxidant activity of the Doowina samples during the fermentation period. However, the number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) increased significantly (p <.05) until the 6th day of fermentation, and the protein content decreased significantly (p <.05) in all samples during the fermentation period. According to the results, the samples with butternut squash and sourdough had the highest total phenolic content, the highest antioxidant activity, the highest linoleic acid content, and the highest sensory rating of all samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purple-leaf phenotype in pak choi is due to the accumulation of anthocyanin. The main regulated genes are unclear. The gene controlling the purple-leaf phenotype was mapped on A03 using BSA-seq, but the candidate interval was not further narrowed with InDel markers. Based on our previous study, we hypothesized that the candidate gene that regulates purple leaves in pak choi may also be the Dark_Pur gene from B. juncea. Using the Dark_Pur-1 marker to identify P1, P2, F1, and F2, it was confirmed that the purple trait in purple-leaf pak choi was controlled by the Dark_Pur gene from B. juncea through distant hybridization. A DNA segment of approximately 514 Kb containing the Dark_Pur gene was reintroduced into pak choi from B. juncea. Meanwhile, a new purple pak choi germplasm line was created with green pak choi × purple B. juncea via distant hybridization, which proved that distant hybridization is an effective method for creating new germplasms. Furthermore, the purple-leaf phenotypes of 20 pak choi varieties were identified, and the purple-leaf traits of all lines were derived from B. juncea via distant hybridization. At present, few studies have focused on the background of the purple trait in pak choi; however, in this study, our results suggest that there is a high probability that the purple trait in pak choi may be completely derived from purple B. juncea via distant hybridization. This study also lays a good foundation for research on the creation of new germplasms through distant hybridization among the Brassica species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is known to secrete organic anions. We investigated its effectiveness in obtaining P over a range of pH values. Methods: We grew two cultivars of chickpea, supplied with either ammonium or nitrate nitrogen, at 10 levels of applied P, and at four initial pH values. We measured plant weight, P concentration in the tops, and rhizosphere pH. We compared the results with those previously obtained for lucerne (Medicago sativa), mustard (Brassica campestris) and rice (Oryza sativa). Results: Above an initial pHCaCl2, of about 5, rhizosphere pH decreased; below this value it increased. The changes in pH were proportional to the amounts of P applied. They were greatest at high levels of applied P. Best growth occurred when the initial pHCaCl2 was 5.9 and when the rhizosphere pHCaCl2 was close to 5. Plots of growth against plant shoot P concentration showed little effect of low pH suggesting that aluminium toxicity was only of minor importance. Nevertheless, plant weight was severely depressed by low pH. Conclusions: The mechanism of P uptake for chickpea seems to differ from that for lucerne, mustard and rice. The way that the charge on the phosphate ions is balanced seems to depend on the soil pH. Further, uptake is much more markedly depressed by at low pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, cadmium (Cd) stress has a significant role in limiting the development and productivity of purple flowering stalks (Brassica campestris var. purpuraria). Exogenous selenium supplementation has been demonstrated in earlier research to mitigate the effects of Cd stress in a range of plant species; nevertheless, the physiological and molecular processes by which exogenous selenium increases vegetable shoots' resistance to Cd stress remain unclear. Purple flowering stalks (Brassica campestris var. purpuraria) were chosen as the study subject to examine the effects of treatment with sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) on the physiology and transcriptome alterations of cadmium stress. Purple flowering stalk leaves treated with exogenous selenium had higher glutathione content, photosynthetic capacity, and antioxidant enzyme activities compared to the leaves treated with Cd stress alone. Conversely, the contents of proline, soluble proteins, soluble sugars, malondialdehyde, and intercellular CO2 concentration tended to decrease. Transcriptome analysis revealed that 2643 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were implicated in the response of exogenous selenium treatment to Cd stress. The metabolic pathways associated with flavonoid production, carotenoid synthesis, glutathione metabolism, and glucosinolate biosynthesis were among those enriched in these differentially expressed genes. Furthermore, we discovered DEGs connected to the production route of glucosinolates. This work sheds fresh light on how purple flowering stalks' tolerance to cadmium stress is improved by exogenous selenium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweed polysaccharides can act as substitutes for synthetic compounds present in commercial stimulants and fertilizers used in agriculture to improve crop yields and vigor. In this study, three different polysaccharides (alginate, agar, and carrageenan) were extracted from one brown seaweed, Saccorhiza polyschides, and two red seaweeds, Gracilaria gracilis and Chondrus crispus, respectively, and applied to potted turnip greens (Brassica napus L.), with the intention to analyze their impact on plant growth, development, and metabolism. Turnip greens treated with polysaccharides, especially carrageenan of C. crispus, showed the best results in improving the crop productivity in terms of plant length and weight, number of leaves, nutrient and pigment content, and soil fertility compared with turnip greens from the negative control or those treated with a commercial leaf fertilizer. λ-carrageenan extracted from the tetrasporophyte generation of C. crispus had the highest bioactivity and positive effect on turnip greens among all treatments. λ-carrageenan has been shown to improve plant growth; increase the plant's biomass (plant leaves: CC(T) (40.80 ± 5.11 g) compared to the positive control (15.91 ± 15.15 g)) and root system; enhance photosynthetic activity; increase the uptake of soil nutrients; and protect plants against abiotic and biotic stresses, stimulating the production of secondary metabolites and managing its defense pathways. Seaweed-extracted polysaccharides have the potential to be used in sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to study the influence of three dietary fibre fractions (pectin, gum arabic and cellulose) and three protein fractions (casein, lactalbumin and soy) on the trace element bioaccessibility (Fe, Mn, Ni, Se and Zn) of turnip tops (B. rapa subsp. Rapa) growing under Mediterranean conditions. Then, it aimed to promote the use of this vegetable not only for direct fresh consumption but also as a main ingredient in the development of food mixtures. The results showed that soluble fibre fractions, such as pectin and gum arabic, can enhance the bioaccessibility of trace elements, such as Fe, Mn, Se and Zn. This effect was not proved for cellulose (an insoluble fibre fraction), in which, at best, no bioaccessibility effect was observed. Regarding the protein fractions, with the exception of Se, caseins and lactalbumin had a neutral effect on improving the trace element bioaccessibility. This did not hold true for soy protein, in which a considerable improvement in the bioaccessibility of Fe, Mn, Se and Zn was determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to prepare a functional set-type yogurt fortified with turnip extract (TE) (0.0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1%) and evaluate its physicochemical properties, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity, microstructure, and rheological, microbiological, and sensory characteristics. The results showed that the addition of TE did not significantly change the protein, fat, and solid non-fat contents, as well as the viability of starters in yogurt (P > 0.05). The acidity, b* value, chroma, and browning index increased by elevating the level of TE, whereas decreasing trends were observed in pH, L*, and a* values (P < 0.05). There were significant changes in the syneresis and water holding capacity (WHC) of yogurt containing 1% of TE compared to the control at the end of storage (13.96% vs. 11.81% for syneresis and 55.17% vs. 60.72% for WHC). The TE caused a significant increase in TPC (357.4–893.33 mg GAE/g.d.m) and antioxidant activity (16.06–26%) of yogurts compared to the control (182.91 mg GAE/g.d.m for TPC and 6.87% for antioxidant activity) on 1st day (P < 0.05). TE also affected the viscoelastic properties and the viscous behavior prevailed over elastic in the yogurt with 1% TE at higher frequencies. The microstructure of yogurts with TE was more uneven and with empty spaces. Although TE decreased the taste score in sensory evaluation, the overall acceptance of yogurts with 0.25% and 0.5% of TE were satisfactory. Therefore, TE up to 0.5% has the potential to develop a functional yogurt with high antioxidant capacity and appropriate quality characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For exploring novel natural product-derived herbicides, 16 novel α-campholenic aldehyde-based 4-methyl-1,2,4-triazole-thioether compounds were designed, synthesized, and characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, ESI-MS and elemental analysis. The preliminary bioassay showed that, at 100 µg/mL, most of the target compounds displayed significant inhibition activity against root-growth of rape(Brassica campestris L.), with inhibition rates of 85.0%～98.2%(A-class activity level), much better than that of the positive control flumioxazin. In addition, an effective and reasonable 3D-QSAR model was established by CoMFA method in SYBYL-X 2.1.1 software. It was found that, the steric field was the major factor towards the herbicidal activity of the target compounds against B. campestris L., and the introduction of bulky groups into m- and p-position of the benzene ring was favourable to increase the herbicidal activity. This kind of title compounds deserved further study as potential leading compounds for the discovery and development of novel herbicidal agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we compared two approaches: one is Griffing approach for numerical components and other is Hyman's approach for graphical representation of the components through the mating design of Complete Diallel Cross design for p=5 parental lines. Griffing (1956) approach was a numerical approach based on the estimates of combining ability effects. Here use his fourth method. Hayman (1954) approach also have four components namely (i) complete, (ii) partial, (iii) over-dominance and (iv) no dominance. Hayman's approach based on the estimation of parts of variation. We use three mutually orthogonal Latin squares design of order 5 for the construction of mating designs. ANOVA and estimates of combining ability derived and analyzed. We demonstrate the numerical accuracy of the proposed design Griffing method I and Hayman's method by using Turnip data of 5x5 crosses of plant height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese flowering cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. utilis Tsen et Lee) is an important leaf vegetable originating from southern China. Its planting area is expanding year by year. Accurately judging its maturity and determining the appropriate harvest time are crucial for production. The open state of Chinese flowering cabbage buds serves as a crucial maturity indicator. To address the challenge of accurately identifying Chinese flowering cabbage buds, we introduced improvements to the feature fusion approach of the YOLOv5 (You Only Look Once version 5) algorithm, resulting in an innovative algorithm with a dynamically adjustable detection head, named FPNDyH-YOLOv5 (Feature Pyramid Network with Dynamic Head-You Only Look Once version 5). Firstly, a P2 detection layer was added to enhance the model's detection ability of small objects. Secondly, the spatial-aware attention mechanism from DyHead (Dynamic Head) for feature fusion was added, enabling the adaptive fusion of semantic information across different scales. Furthermore, a center-region counting method based on the Bytetrack object tracking algorithm was devised for real-time quantification of various categories. The experimental results demonstrate that the improved model achieved a mean average precision (mAP@0.5) of 93.9%, representing a 2.5% improvement compared to the baseline model. The average precision (AP) for buds at different maturity levels was 96.1%, 86.9%, and 98.7%, respectively. When applying the trained model in conjunction with Bytetrack for video detection, the average counting accuracy, relative to manual counting, was 88.5%, with class-specific accuracies of 90.4%, 80.0%, and 95.1%. In conclusion, this method facilitates relatively accurate classification and counting of Chinese flowering cabbage buds in natural environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was an evaluation of the immunomodulatory effect of polysaccharides isolated from the seeds of Brassica rapa. Apolysaccharide (BRP) consisting mainly of α-linked pyranose residues belonging to the arabinogalactan class was obtained. The number of antibody-forming cells (AFCs) per spleen increased to 9,160 ± 1477.06, 12,000 ± 3480.33, and 19,080 ± 12,391.6 [antibody-forming reaction index (ARI) = 1, 5, 2, and 3.2 times, respectively] in experimental mice treated with BRP at a dose of 0.05, 0.5, and 5 mg/kg, respectively. The number of AFCs was 70.8 ± 8.05, 73.17 ± 20.5, and 120.3 ± 83.7, respectively, when converted to one million spleen cells. Under the effect of BRP at all studied doses (0.05, 0.5, and 5 mg/kg), a dose-dependent decrease in the index of response to inflammation was observed and a significant trend toward a decrease in the development of hypersensitivity reactions of the delayed type was revealed, especially at doses of 0.5 and 5 mg/kg, as compared to a reference drug (Immunal) administered at a dose of 60 mg/kg. The results suggested that B. rapa polysaccharides had a stimulating effect on the humoral and cellular immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The membrane-less organelles in cytoplasm that are presented as cytoplasmic foci were successively identified. Although multiple CCCH zinc-finger proteins have been found to be localized in cytoplasmic foci, the relationship between their specific localization and functions still needs further clarification. Here, we report that the heterologous expression of two Brassica campestris CCCH zinc-finger protein genes (BcMF30a and BcMF30c) in Arabidopsis thaliana can affect microgametogenesis by involving the formation of cytoplasmic foci. By monitoring the distribution of proteins and observing pollen phenotypes, we found that, when these two proteins were moderately expressed in pollen, they were mainly dispersed in the cytoplasm, and the pollen developed normally. However, high expression induced the assembly of cytoplasmic foci, leading to pollen abortion. These findings suggested that the continuous formation of BcMF30a/BcMF30c-associated cytoplasmic foci due to high expression was the inducement of male sterility. A co-localization analysis further showed that these two proteins can be recruited into two well-studied cytoplasmic foci, processing bodies (PBs), and stress granules (SGs), which were confirmed to function in mRNA metabolism. Together, our data suggested that BcMF30a and BcMF30c play component roles in the assembly of pollen cytoplasmic foci. Combined with our previous study on the homologous gene of BcMF30a/c in Arabidopsis, we concluded that the function of these homologous genes is conserved and that cytoplasmic foci containing BcMF30a/c may participate in the regulation of gene expression in pollen by regulating mRNA metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and humic acid (HA) chelate applied to soils contaminated with heavy metals on the development, antioxidant defence system, and phytoremediation of forage turnip (Brassica rapa L.) were investigated for the first. Three doses of EDTA (E1: 5 mmol/kg, E2: 10 mmol/kg, E3: 15 mmol/kg) and three doses of HA (HA1: 500 mg/kg, HA2: 1 000 mg/kg, HA3: 2 000 mg/kg) were applied to soils contaminated with heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cr) in the pot. According to experiment results, HA application as chelate to the polluted soil caused a significant increase in the growth of forage turnip. Phytoremediation values of the plant for Cd heavy metal were found to be BCFshoot, BCFroot > 1, and translocation factor > 1. This result proved that forage turnip has Cd accumulating properties. Also, HA application caused a decrease in H2O2 (46%) and malondialdehyde (6%) levels and antioxidative enzyme activity in polluted soil. It has been concluded that humic acid improves the oxidative stress conditions in the plant and is more effective in the development and growth of the plant than EDTA, so that it can be used effectively in phytoremediation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of soil cadmium (Cd) fractionation has become the need of the hour due to phytoextraction of Cd heavy metal by indigenous Brassica species of northwest India. The present study was conducted to explore the Cd speciation in soils treated with Cd (0, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, 40.0, and 80.0 mg kg−1 soil) and synthetic chelate ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA-0, 1.0 and 2.0 g kg−1 soil) planted under three Brassica species (Brassica juncea L., Brassica campestris L., and Brassica napus L). The studied Cd fractions viz. exchangeable and water-soluble (EX + WS), carbonate (CARB), organic matter (OM), Mn oxide (MnOX), amorphous Fe oxide (AFeOX), crystalline Fe oxide (CFeOX), and residual (RES) differed in their Cd content in soils under three investigated Brassica species. Among all plantations, B. juncea reduced the highest soil Cd content of EX + WS form which reflected its bioavailability. The Cd supplementation significantly enhanced the Cd concentration in all Cd forms with EX + WS Cd form exhibiting higher increase even at low Cd level (5.0 mg kg−1), whereas the EDTA addition did not influence Cd fractions. The application of EDTA @ 1.0 g kg−1 soil proved beneficial as it enhanced the metal mobility for plant extraction. All species positively significantly correlated (r = 0.648** to 0.747**) with all Cd fractions but except B. juncea all confronted reduction in their total biomass. In nutshell, it suggested that Brassica species having large plant biomass could be considered as a potential candidate for phytoremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural products are a main source of new chemical entities for use in drug and pesticide discovery. In order to discover lead compounds with high herbicidal activity, a series of new pyrido[2,3-d] pyrimidine derivatives were designed and synthesized using 2-chloronicotinic acid as the starting material. Their structures were characterized with 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS, and the herbicidal activities against dicotyledonous lettuce (Lactuca sativa), field mustard (Brassica campestris), monocotyledonous bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) were determined. The results indicated that most of the pyrido[2,3-d] pyrimidine derivatives had no marked inhibitory effect on lettuce at 1 mM. However, most of the pyrido[2,3-d] pyrimidine derivatives possessed good activity against bentgrass at 1 mM. Among them, the most active compound, 3-methyl-1-(2,3,4-trifluorophenyl)pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione (2o), was as active as the positive controls, the commercial herbicides clomazone and flumioxazin. Molecular simulation was performed with molecular docking and DFT calculations. The docking studies provided strong evidence that 2o acts as an herbicide by inhibition of protoporphyrinogen oxidase. However, the physiological results indicate that it does not act on this target in vivo, implying that it could be metabolically converted to a compound with a different molecular target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]