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We announce a genome sequence of Citrobacter freundii MTR_GS_V1777 strain isolated from a vegetable sample in Bangladesh. This strain had a genome size of 4,997,753 bp (58.7× genome coverage) and contained two plasmids, typed as sequence type ST124, 38 predicted antibiotic resistance genes, and 77 predicted virulence factor genes.

Vegetable and fruit byproducts are different parts of vegetables and fruits plus secondary products derived from primary agrofood production processes. With the increasing growth of global vegetable and fruit production, utilization of their byproducts for recovery of health benefit dietary nutrients required emphasis. The current food system and manufacturers are inadequate to maximize the existing food or plant resources' public demand concurrently to minimize environmental pollution. Important sources of nutritional qualities of these byproducts and their valorization trends are getting research interests. In this review, we have summarized the nutritional qualities and their means of valorization of vegetable and fruit byproducts which have maximum global production from the FAO (2021) published data. The nutritional qualities of the main byproducts are highlighted and the current trends to valorize them into innovative health‐promoting products were assessed. Valorization investigations conducted on these byproducts into food additives (dietary fiber concentrates), nutraceuticals, edible food packaging materials, fermented beverages, and natural dyes were mainly focused on in this review. There are limitations in valorizing technologies of vegetable and fruit byproducts. Hence, further studies are vital to develop novel processing techniques for each of these byproducts. Benefiting from the food waste is a pearl of wisdom and ignoring the value can be participating in pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-year pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the combined application of biochar and chemical fertilizer on soil quality and vegetable growth by adding different proportions of chemical fertilizer and biochar to the soil in 2022 and no fertilizer in 2023. It was concluded that the combined treatment improved the soil's properties. After two consecutive years of planting vegetables, the improvement of soil properties was the most significant with the 1.5 g biochar + 80% chemical fertilizer optimal fertilizer application (BCF6) treatment. In comparison to the control (CK), soil pH, electrical conductivity, and dissolved organic carbon increased by 0.59 units, 166.6%, and 282.6%, respectively. Soil fertility also improved significantly, indicating that the combined treatments resulted in the slow release of nutrients to enhance the effectiveness of the fertilizers. Co-application significantly increased the yield of the edible parts of Chinese cabbage and improved its quality. The most significant effects of vitamin C content and soluble protein were observed in Chinese cabbage under BCF6 treatment, which were 3.33 and 1.42 times more than the CK, respectively. Utilizing biochar as a partial substitute for chemical fertilizers can improve soil structure and fertility over the long term while reducing the reliance on chemical fertilizers, ultimately providing sustained economic and ecological benefits for agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lectins are a class of carbohydrate-binding proteins that may have antiviral activity by binding to the glycans on the virion surface to interfere with viral entry. We have identified a novel lectin (named Shictin) from Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes)-derived vesicle-like nanoparticles (VLNs, or exosomes) that exhibits strong activity against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant with an IC50 value of 87 nM. Shictin contains 298 amino acids and consists of two unique domains (N-terminal and C-terminal domain). The N-terminal domain is the carbohydrate-binding domain (CBD) that is homologous with CBDs of other lectins, suggesting that Shictin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection by binding to the glycans on the virion surface to prevent viral entry. This finding demonstrates that exosomes of vegetables are a valuable source for the identification of antiviral lectins. Therefore, it is believed that lectins from vegetable VLNs have potential as antiviral therapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the hygiene status, behavioral practices, and handling of cutting boards for meat and vegetable processing in selected open markets in Benin City. Utilizing a structured questionnaire and laboratory analysis for Escherichia coli and Aeromonas, the research found prevalent Escherichia coli in all samples, with varying concentrations of Aeromonas, more pronounced in vegetable processing areas. Analysis of the questionnaire revealed that 30% of traders leave cutting boards uncovered, 88% clean them before use (52% with water and detergent), and 12% dust boards before use. Furthermore, 80% of meat sellers store leftover meat in refrigerators, while 68% of vegetable sellers store leftovers in the open market. The findings underscore the importance of proper hygienic practices in handling cutting boards to mitigate food contamination risks, urging awareness among traders regarding effective cleaning and storage procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heracleum dissectum Ledeb. (HD) with high edible and medicinal values is distributed in Northeast Asia. To provide a reference for selecting appropriate parts and periods to harvest HD, the nutrient contents in different parts of HD at three growth stages were determined. The nutrients being determined are essential nutrients closely related to human needs, and the crude protein content of HD was 3.58-28.43 g • 100 g-1 DW (dry weight), sugar content was 2.33-30.92 g • 100 g-1 DW, and soluble dietary fiber content was 9.71-26.09 g • 100 g-1 DW. Crude protein was mainly distributed in leaf blades and inflorescences, sugar was primarily found in roots, and dietary fiber was predominantly located in leaves. From the leaf development stage to the flowering stage and then to the late seed harvest stage, the content of moisture, crude protein and soluble sugar first decreased and then increased. In contrast, the content of dietary fiber and crude fat first increased and then decreased. Key words: nutrient content, vegetable, plant organ, developmental stage [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit and vegetable quality assessment is a critical task in agricultural and food industries, impacting various stages from production to consumption. Leveraging deep learning methods, particularly through sensor fusion, offers promising avenues to enhance the accuracy and robustness of quality assessment systems by amalgamating information from diverse sensor modalities such as visual, spectral, and tactile. The review scrutinizes a plethora of sensor fusion strategies, encompassing early fusion, late fusion, and hybrid fusion approaches, each with its distinct advantages and limitations. Furthermore, it explores the utilization of various deep learning architectures, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and their combinations, tailored specifically for multimodal data fusion. Additionally, attention is paid to the challenges and considerations associated with sensor fusion in this domain, including data heterogeneity, synchronization, and feature alignment. Moreover, the review discusses the implications of dataset size, diversity, and annotation quality on the effectiveness of deep learning-based fusion models. Furthermore, it sheds light on the transferability of fusion models across different fruit and vegetable types and environmental conditions, highlighting the need for domain adaptation techniques. Moreover, the review delves into the real-world applications and commercial implementations of sensor fusion-based quality assessment systems, providing insights into their scalability, efficiency, and economic viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agro-Environment Science is the property of Journal of Agro-Environment Science Editorial Board 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.)

BACKGROUND: This study investigated per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in 53 fruit and vegetable samples collected from a local wholesale and retail market in Sydney and a local supermarket in Newcastle. As there is limited information about PFAS levels in vegetables on the market, this study aimed to fill this gap and assess potential risks for humans through consumption of these vegetables. METHODS: QuEChERS extraction – a solid‐phase extraction method, a portmanteau word formed from 'quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe' – followed by enhanced matrix removal–lipid cleaning and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis were used to detect 30 PFASs in vegetables. RESULTS: PFOA was detected in 7 out of the 53 samples, with concentrations of 0.038–1.996 ng g−1 fresh weight; PFOS was detected in 2 samples only, with concentrations ranging from 0.132 to 0.911 ng g−1 fresh weight. PFHxS was not detected in any sample in this study. PFOA and PFOS concentrations measured in vegetables in this study constituted daily intake of 2.03 ng kg−1 body weight (BW) and 1.98 ng kg−1 BW, respectively, according to recommended daily vegetable intake and BW data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most sensitive population group is girls of 4–8 years of age. These estimated exposure levels represent up to 1.3% of the tolerable daily intake for PFOA (160 ng kg−1 BW) and 9.9% for PFOS (20 ng kg−1 BW) according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Consumption of the vegetables from the study locations poses a marginal risk to human health. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.); an important spice crop of the region is a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants having many health benefits. Many biotic and abiotic factors contribute towards growth and yield losses of this crop. Arsenic (As) toxicity is a global issue, but it is particularly critical in developing countries. The current study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of selenium (Se) in mitigating the toxic effects of As in two varieties (HSP-181 A and PS09979325) of Capsicum annuum L. Different concentrations of As (0, 50, and 100 µM) and Se (0, 5, and 10 µM) were tested using 14 days old seedlings of C. annuum L. The As stress caused a significant (P ≤ 0.001) reduction in growth, uptake of nutrients, and eco-physiological attributes in both varieties however, the response was specific. While the overproduction of osmo-protectants and antioxidants intensified the symptoms of oxidative stress. The maximum reduction in shoot length (45%), fresh weight (29%), and dry weight (36%) was observed in under 100 µM As stress. The organic acids exudation from the roots of both cultivars were significantly increased with the increase in As toxicity. The Se treatment significantly (p ≤ 0.001) improved growth, nutrient uptake, gas exchange attributes, antioxidant production, while decreased oxidative stress indicators, and As uptake in the roots and shoots of all the subjects under investigation. It is concluded from the results of this study that Se application increased photosynthetic efficiency and antioxidant activity while decreasing As levels, organic acid exudation, and oxidative stress indicators in plants. Overall, the var. PS09979325 performed better and may be a good candidate for future pepper breeding program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review aimed to identify the heavy metal contents of Bangladeshi vegetables and evaluate the subsequent health hazards of these heavy metals. Relevant studies were obtained from systematic searches of electronic databases. Average (mean) concentrations of Arsenic (AS), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Manganese (Mn), Nickel (Ni), Zinc (Zn), and Copper (Cu) in the vegetables were calculated on a fresh-weight basis. The health hazards associated with these metals’ intake were assessed using estimated daily intake (EDI) and carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks were measured as the target cancer risk (TR), target hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index (HI). The results showed that the mean concentration of As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Cu was 0.02–0.45, Not detectable (ND)-9.45, 0.00–0.51, 0.05–2.19, 0.28–43.43, Not detectable (ND)-5.80, 2.005–175.77, and 0.20–23.85 mg/kg of fresh vegetables respectively. The concentrations of As, Pb, and Cd were higher than the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) in the vegetables. However, all the metals were consumed daily in amounts below the maximum tolerable daily intake (MTDI) for all vegetables. THQ values for all metals except As and Pb were below the safety level (THQ <1) in all the vegetables. Potential non-carcinogenic risk (THQ >1) was posed by As and Pb in some vegetables like cabbage, string bean, bottle gourd, green papaya, sponge gourd, etc. The TR levels of As, Cd, Cr, and Ni were higher than the acceptable levels (10−4) for most vegetables, suggesting that long-term exposure to these toxic metals may raise the risk of developing various malignancies, including stomach and lung cancer. An integrated approach is required to address the contamination burden to preserve the health of the consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Food Safety & Quality is the property of Journal of Food Safety & Quality Editorial Department 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.)

Background: Unhealthy eating habits, such as low vegetable and fruit intake, are associated with many health problems. 24-h movement behaviors have been reported to be positively associated with numerous health-related outcomes. Despite the importance of these two modifiable lifestyle behaviors in building healthy habits in university students, there is a paucity of relevant research in this population. Therefore, this study aims to examine the correlation between compliance with 24-h movement guideline (24-h MG) and intake of fruits and vegetables (IFV) in Chinese university students. Methods: This study investigated the relationship between the compliance with 24-h MG and IFV in 1,793 Chinese university students using a convenience sampling method online. Physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) were assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, while sleep was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The Chinese version of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II was used to measure IFV. Generalized linear models were applied to examine the correlation between compliance with the 24-h MG and eating habits. Results: The proportion of participants who routinely consumed vegetables and fruits was 24.6% and 43.1%, respectively, while the proportion of meeting the three 24-h MG and a combination of any two guidelines was 27.8% and 40.1%, respectively. Meeting all three guidelines was associated with a greater IFV intake compared to not meeting either guideline. Meeting all three guidelines (OR = 2.42 [1.63, 3.58]) and the combination of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) and sleep (OR = 2.06 [1.37, 3.10]) were positively associated with the frequency of vegetable consumption (p < 0.05). As well, meeting all three guidelines (OR = 2.06 [1.37, 3.10]), the combination of MVPA and sleep (OR = 1.72 [1.04, 2.84]), and sleep only (OR = 1.88 [1.21, 2.92]) were positively associated with fruits consumption (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Almost a third of the university students met the three 24-h MG, and compliance with all three guidelines was associated with a higher frequency of IFV. Furthermore, meeting the sleep guideline alone or in conjunction with the PA, and meeting the entire 24-h MG was associated with greater consumption of fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetables are an essential part of people's daily diet, and weeds can cause serious losses in vegetable yield and quality. Intelligent weeding technology for vegetables will be one of the mainstream technologies in modern agricultural development. This article reviews the current research status of intelligent weeding technology for vegetables, including vegetable and weed detection technology, weeding actuators, and weeding robots. Firstly, the vegetable and weed detection technology was introduced in detail from three aspects: global weed detection, crop-rows detection, and vegetable/weed precise recognition technology. The research results of some researchers were summarised, and the vegetable/weed precise recognition technology, including machine learning and proximal sensor technology, was introduced. Secondly, the weeding actuators and robots were introduced, including intelligent chemical weeding, mechanical weeding, physical weeding, and integrated weed management methods. Some weeding actuators and robots developed by researchers and agricultural companies were showcased. Finally, the challenges and future development directions of intelligent weeding technology were discussed and analysed. Intelligent weeding technology for vegetables is still mainly limited by natural conditions and a lack of technology. In the future, it will be possible to develop in the direction of multi-algorithm and multi-sensor fusion technologies. It is necessary to improve the applicability of intelligent weeding equipment for various environments, crops, and weeds. This article can provide a reference for future research in the field of intelligent weeding for vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) occurs in elder men globally with high prevalence. Human diet and lifestyle aroused great attention in the prevalence of BPH. Prostate enlargement (PE) is a major symptom of BPH. Objectives: To elaborate the effect of total diet quality for adults from the United States, we investigated the association between Health Eating Index (HEI)-2015 and the risk of PE in adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted based on NHANES 2001–2008. Participants who reported a PE history were included. We conducted a logistic regression analysis to investigate the association between HEI-2015 and PE. Results: A total of 4,866 male participants aged 40 and above were enrolled. Compared with Q1 of HEI-2015, no significant differences were found in adjusted models. Higher vegetables intake (Odds ratio [OR] = 1.073; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.015 to 1.134, P = 0.02) and higher total dairy intake (OR = 1.034; 95%CI 1.009 to 1.061, P = 0.01) were significantly related with higher risk of PE. Conclusions: There was no significant difference between HEI-2015 and PE after full adjustment. Total vegetables and dairy product might be associated with higher risk of PE and needed further validation.

Abstract Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.); an important spice crop of the region is a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants having many health benefits. Many biotic and abiotic factors contribute towards growth and yield losses of this crop. Arsenic (As) toxicity is a global issue, but it is particularly critical in developing countries. The current study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of selenium (Se) in mitigating the toxic effects of As in two varieties (HSP-181 A and PS09979325) of Capsicum annuum L. Different concentrations of As (0, 50, and 100 µM) and Se (0, 5, and 10 µM) were tested using 14 days old seedlings of C. annuum L. The As stress caused a significant (P ≤ 0.001) reduction in growth, uptake of nutrients, and eco-physiological attributes in both varieties however, the response was specific. While the overproduction of osmo-protectants and antioxidants intensified the symptoms of oxidative stress. The maximum reduction in shoot length (45%), fresh weight (29%), and dry weight (36%) was observed in under 100 µM As stress. The organic acids exudation from the roots of both cultivars were significantly increased with the increase in As toxicity. The Se treatment significantly (p ≤ 0.001) improved growth, nutrient uptake, gas exchange attributes, antioxidant production, while decreased oxidative stress indicators, and As uptake in the roots and shoots of all the subjects under investigation. It is concluded from the results of this study that Se application increased photosynthetic efficiency and antioxidant activity while decreasing As levels, organic acid exudation, and oxidative stress indicators in plants. Overall, the var. PS09979325 performed better and may be a good candidate for future pepper breeding program.

Summary: Milk proteins are known for their exceptional nutritional and technological attributes, making them a staple in the food industry. Nonetheless, the partial substitution of milk proteins with plant‐based proteins in dairy products may be an effective strategy to meet the increasing consumer demand for a reduction in the consumption of animal‐derived proteins. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of partial substitution (25% and 50%) of milk proteins with pea protein on the manufacturing and technological attributes of high‐protein yogurt during refrigerated storage. The replacement of up to 50% of the milk proteins with pea protein did not alter the fermentation time and all yogurts had a total lactic acid bacteria count greater than 107 CFU g−1 after manufacturing. However, replacing 50% of milk proteins with pea protein affected the pH, syneresis, water holding capacity, consistency, firmness, viscosity index, and cohesiveness of the yogurts. In turn, no effect was observed on the pH, syneresis, water holding capacity, firmness, and cohesiveness of the product after replacing 25% of the dairy base with pea protein (P >0.05). Hence, the findings indicate that substituting 25% of the milk protein with pea protein in high‐protein yogurts can be achieved without compromising the product's stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research aimed to characterize the nutritional, health and basic sustainability practices among regular smoothies' consumers (RSC; ≥ 1-2 servings/week for ≥ 2 months). Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Self-report online multiple-choice questionnaire survey of random sample of adults from online retailer database and community. Sample: 193 healthy Israeli adults (75.6% females, mean age 40.65 ± 14.36) completed an online multiple-choice validated survey from May 2022 to August 2023. Measures: Demographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle habits, including physical activity, FV consumption, and sustainability practices. Analysis: Data were analyzed using chi-square tests for categorical variables and Mann-Whitney tests for non-normally distributed continuous variables. The level of statistical significance was set at.05. Results: RSC were significantly older (P <.001) and more physically active (P =.025) than occasional smoothie consumers (OSC). They consumed more FV, reaching nutritional recommendations, and exhibited significant lifestyle changes, including reduced meat (P =.013) and processed food consumption (P =.013), and regular meal consumption (P =.045). RSC used fewer disposables (P =.002) compared to OSC and non-smoothie consumers (P =.001). RSC demonstrated a higher incidence of weight reduction compared to weight gain. Conclusion: RSC is significantly associated with health and nutritional sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】The study aims to explore the effects of tetracycline (TC) stress on the growth and physiological characteristics of leafy vegetables, and to provide a theoretical basis for researches on the toxic effects of antibiotics on plants.【Method】Shanghai green, pakchoi, Chinese cabbage and lettuce were taken as experimental subjects. The simulated culture method was adopted in the laboratory. The effects of different concentrations of TC in soil (0-500 mg/kg) on the growth (germination rate, plant height, aboveground fresh weight) and physiological and biochemical indexes (chlorophyll, MDA, SOD, POD and CAT) of four vegetables were studied.【Result】The germination rate of the four tested vegetables gradually decreased with the increase of TC concentration, the plant height and aboveground fresh weight of Shanghai green and pakchoi gradually increased under TC stress at low concentrations (10, 50, 100 mg/kg), and gradually decreased under TC stress at high concentrations (300, 500 mg/kg). The maximum value reached at 100 mg/kg TC treatment. The plant height and aboveground fresh weight of Chinese cabbage and lettuce decreased gradually with the increase of TC concentration. The chlorophyll contents of pakchoi, Chinese cabbage and lettuce increased under TC stress at low concentrations (10, 50, 100 mg/kg), while the chlorophyll content of Shanghai green decreased under TC stress. The MDA activity of four vegetables increased with the increase of TC concentration, and was significantly higher than that of control under 500 mg/kg TC treatment. The CAT activity of Shanghai green, lettuce and pakchoi was the highest under the treatment of 10 mg/kg TC, and the CAT activity of Chinese cabbage was the highest under the treatment of 50 mg/kg TC. The SOD activity of Chinese cabbage and Shanghai green was the highest at 100 mg/kg TC treatment, which was 21.12% and 22.33% higher than that of the control, while the SOD activity of pakchoi and lettuce decreased with the increase of TC concentration. The POD activity of Chinese cabbage, lettuce, Shanghai green and pakchoi was the highest at 10, 50, 100 and 500 mg/kg TC concentration, respectively, which was 0.85%, 14.16%, 8.20% and 24.79% higher than that of control.【Conclusion】The four vegetables exhibited different sensitivities to TC. TC inhibited the growth of cabbage and lettuce, while promoting the growth of Shanghai green and Chinese cabbage at low concentrations (10, 50, 100 mg/kg). However, under high concentrations (300, 500 mg/kg), growth inhibition occurred, intensifying with the increase of TC concentration. High TC stress increased plant cell damage in all four vegetable species and led to damage in the antioxidant enzyme system.

Abstract Although food is produced in aquaponics systems worldwide, no information is available on the occurrence of insect pests and natural enemies in aquaponic lettuce, Lactuca sativa L. In this study, a survey was carried out in an aquaponic system combining lettuce with lambari, Astyanax altiparanae (Garutti & Briski), aiming to determine the insect pests and natural enemies associated with this system. We also determined the predominant insect species and the effect of meteorological factors on their populations. Insect abundance was estimated by visual sampling during 13 cultivation cycles, totaling 27 sampling dates. The meteorological factors considered were air temperature and relative humidity, and their effects were determined using the Pearson correlation. The thrips Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom) and Caliothrips phaseoli (Hood) and the aphid Aphis spiraecola (Patch) predominated. Ambient temperature and relative humidity were essential factors affecting C. phaseoli and F. schultzei. The natural enemies found on the lettuce plants were the thrips Franklinothrips vespiformis (Crawford) and Stomatothrips angustipennis (Hood) and the ladybugs Cycloneda sanguinea L., Eriopis connexa (Germar), and Hippodamia convergens (Guérin-Méneville). These results constitute the first step for a lettuce-integrated pest-management program in aquaponics systems.

Abstract Background Untreated or inadequately treated wastewater carrying human feces can host helminth eggs and larvae, contaminating the soil and plants that are irrigated with it. In Addis Ababa, farmers use untreated wastewater to grow vegetables; however, there are little data currently available published on vegetables' contribution to the prevalence of helminth among female farmers along the Akaki River, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Addis Ababa City in February 2022. A stratified random sampling method was used to sample farming households. The sample size for each district was determined by a proportional allocation to the total number of households in the area. Two hundred and fifty-two composite vegetable samples and 101 farmers’ stool samples were collected and analyzed for helminth prevalence. Data on socio-demographics were collected by trained data collators using a structured questionnaire. Kato-Katz concentration was used to detect STH from a stool sample. Stata version 14.0 was used to process the data. Poisson regression was used to identify the association between STH prevalence in the vegetable and the farm's stool. Results Helminths were found in 67.5% of vegetables sampled and 20.8% of female farmers' stools. Ascaris lumbricoides eggs (vegetable 48.4% and stool 9.9%) were identified in all analyzed samples. Hookworm eggs (vegetable 13.1% and stool 8.9%) and Trichuris trichiura eggs (vegetable 5.9% and stool 2%) were also isolated. The total number of helminth eggs present in wastewater-irrigated vegetables and female farmers’ stool had a positive association (p

The gambir plant can serve as a raw material for botanical insecticides. Plant-based insecticides are made in nanoemulsion form to overcome the insecticide particle size problem. This study aims to obtain a gambir waste form that has the potential to be used as a botanical insecticide using nanotechnology. The laboratory experiments include preliminary and follow-up tests. The preliminary test involves testing each extract (liquid, solid, and raw gambir waste) at three concentrations using a completely randomized design with four replications. The follow-up test uses the residue method on leaves to test insecticidal activity. Creating nanoemulsion from gambir waste involves mixing organic and liquid phases through spontaneous emulsification. The insecticidal effectiveness of this nanoemulsion is tested on Croccidolomia pavonana. The results show that solid and liquid gambir waste has the potential to be used as alternative insecticides, which can influence the mortality of C. pavonana with an LC50 concentration of 0.22 (solid waste) and 0. 29 (liquid waste), while LC95 is 2.44 (solid waste) and 2.52 (liquid waste). The research promotes utilizing natural resources and innovative technologies, advancing environmentally conscious pest control methods, and fostering sustainable agricultural systems.

Sustaining crop production and food security are threatened by a burgeoning world population and adverse environmental conditions. Traditional breeding methods for vegetable crops are time-consuming, laborious, and untargeted, often taking several years to develop new and improved varieties. The challenges faced by a long breeding cycle need to be overcome. The speed breeding (SB) approach is broadly employed in crop breeding, which greatly shortens breeding cycles and facilities plant growth to obtain new, better-adapted crop varieties as quickly as possible. Potential opportunities are offered by SB in plant factories, where optimal photoperiod, light quality, light intensity, temperature, CO2 concentration, and nutrients are precisely manipulated to enhance the growth of horticultural vegetable crops, holding promise to surmount the long-standing problem of lengthy crop breeding cycles. Additionally, integrated with other breeding technologies, such as genome editing, genomic selection, and highthroughput genotyping, SB in plant factories has emerged as a smart and promising platform to hasten generation turnover and enhance the efficiency of breeding in vegetable crops. This review considers the pivotal opportunities and challenges of SB in plant factories, aiming to accelerate plant generation turnover and improve vegetable crops with precision and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in measuring major and trace elements in plants has increased in recent years because of growing concerns about the elements’ contribution to daily intakes or the health risks posed by ingesting vegetables contaminated by potentially toxic elements. The recent advances in using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) to measure major and trace elements in plant samples are reviewed in the present work. The sample preparation before instrumental determination and the main advantages and limitations of ICP-OES are described. New trends in element extraction in liquid solutions using fewer toxic solvents and microextractions are observed in recently published literature. Even though ICP-OES is a well-established and routine technique, recent innovations to increase its performance have been found. Validated methods are needed to ensure the obtaining of reliable results. Much research has focused on assessing principal figures of merit, such as limits of detection, quantification, selectivity, working ranges, precision in terms of repeatability and reproducibility, and accuracy through spiked samples or certified reference materials analysis. According to the published literature, the ICP-OES technique, 50 years after the release of the first commercially available equipment, remains a powerful and highly recommended tool for element determination on a wide range of concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different irrigation sources on the levels of potentially toxic metals (Cd, Cr, Fe and Mn) in the edibles of citrus fruits (Citrus sinensis and Citrus limetta). The samples of fruit, soil and water were collected from two locations (fresh water irrigated-FW I and sewage water irrigated-SW II) within the city of Sargodha. The samples utilized in the study for metal analysis were prepared utilizing the wet acid digestion method. Metal determination was performed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). The potentially toxic metal values in the citrus samples ranged from 0.010 to 0.063, 0.015 to 0.293, 6.691 to 11.342 and 0.366 to 0.667 mg/kg for Cd, Cr, Fe and Mn, respectively. Analysis of Citrus limetta and Citrus sinensis indicated that the highest concentration of Cr, Fe and Mn is observed at the sewage water irrigation site (SW-II), whilst the minimum levels of Cr, Fe and Mn were observed at the fresh water irrigation site (FW-I). The results show that the levels of these metals in soil and fruit samples meet the acceptable guidelines outlined by USEPA and WHO. It was found that the metal pollution constitutes a potential threat to human health due to the HRI values for Cd, Cr, and Fe being above 1, despite the DIM values being below 1. Regular monitoring of vegetables irrigated with wastewater is highly recommended in order to minimise health risks to individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of the environment due to numerous industrial practices has emerged as a major issue globally, particularly in a country like Bangladesh. The present study dispenses information about heavy metal (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) contamination in some frequently consumed vegetables, namely, ash pumpkin, potato, bitter gourd, buffalo spinach, snake gourd, and pointed gourd grown in an industrially prone location and their repercussion on consumers' health. Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique was used as the major analytical tool to detect heavy metal concentrations. Mean concentration and the range of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in vegetables were detected (4.81 ± 2.79, 2.43–10.94), (497.57 ± 258.08, 181.24–886.67), (644.49 ± 298.40, 179.56–998.78), (38.88 ± 14.31, 18.88–60.12), (58.11 ± 12.58, 42.55–84.79), (137.24 ± 48.37, 71.99–208.98), (123.31 ± 63.62, 49.97–256.09), (8.09 ± 2.69, 4.29–14.94), and (4.16 ± 2.95, 1.22–9.98) mg/kg (dry weight basis), respectively. An extreme level of heavy metal contamination in vegetable samples was notified regarding the estimated metal pollution index (MPI) and Nemerow pollution index (P) value, which underpinned the health risk values. The estimated hazard index (HI) value stipulated high risk in all varieties of vegetables regardless of age group and cadmium (Cd) was found as the major contributor. Concerning the carcinogenic risk index (CR) for single elements, the value of Co, Ni, and Cr was approximated far above the USEPA threshold risk limit (CR>1E-04). Moreover, total carcinogenic risk (TCR) for all varieties of vegetables exceeded the safety threshold value for both the age group and children, in particular, were found most vulnerable. The outshot of the present study divulged associated health risks for the population group by the heavy metals via dietary intake of vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine copper (Cu) levels in Amaranthus viridis collected from 11 Peninsular Malaysia sampling sites and to estimate its human health risk. In addition, it also aims to assess the potential of A. viridis as a biomonitor and phytoremediator of Cu pollution. From a biomonitoring point of view, the Cu concentrations in the leaves, stems, and roots of A. viridis ranged from 10.8 to 21.9 µg/g dw (1.30-2.63 µg/g ww), 5.96 to 14.60 µg/g dw (0.36-0.88 µg/g ww), and 9.17 to 30.68 µg/g dw (1.01-3.37 µg/g ww), respectively. From the health risk aspect, it was found that the target hazard quotient (THQ) for Cu in the edible leaves of A. viridis were all below 1.00, indicating there were no non-carcinogenic risks of Cu to consumers, regarding both children and adults. Still, routine monitoring and managing the vegetable farms are recommended and necessary. From a phytoremediation perspective, with most bioconcentration factor values> 1.0 and the transfer factor> 1.0, A. viridis is a very potential phytoextraction agent of Cu. The experimental greenhouse study indicated that A. viridis could be a Cu biomonitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the impact of boron contamination on spinach plants and the potential mitigating effects of silicon and NPK fertilizer. The study found that increasing levels of boron in the soil led to a decrease in plant growth and various physiological parameters. However, the addition of silicon and fertilizer helped alleviate the negative effects of boron toxicity and improved plant growth. The research suggests that silicon and NPK application can be effective in reducing boron toxicity in spinach plants. [Extracted from the article]

AbstractObjectiveMethodsResultsConclusionThis study aimed to compare the differences between the framing of intention (approach vs. avoidance) and the type of self-regulatory capacity (planning vs. inhibition) to predict two behaviours (alcohol vs. vegetable consumption). Interaction effects between temporal self-regulation theory constructs were also explored.UK participants were recruited online (N = 254) and completed measures of intention (approach and avoidance), self-regulatory capacity (planning and inhibition), and behavioural prepotency (habit) related to alcohol and vegetable consumption. One week later, consumption was assessed.Habit strength and approach-intentions consistently predicted consumption across each model for both behaviours. There was mixed support for avoidance-intentions and self-regulatory capacity variables in predicting consumption. Planning was more important in vegetable consumption than in alcohol consumption, and avoidance-intentions were only predictive in alcohol consumption. Inhibition was not significant for either behaviour. The interaction between approach-intention and planning was the only significant moderation detected and was only present in vegetable consumption.The framing of intentions and the sub-facet of self-regulatory capacity are important to consider when attempting to explain health behaviours. Furthermore, theoretically defined moderation between temporal self-regulation theory variables might also depend on the type of behaviour and specific measured used to capture self-regulatory capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial wilt (BW) is a soil-borne disease that leads to severe damage in tomato. Host resistance against BW is considered polygenic and effective in controlling this destructive disease. In this study, genomic selection (GS), which is a promising breeding strategy to improve quantitative traits, was investigated for BW resistance. Two tomato collections, TGC1 (n = 162) and TGC2 (n = 191), were used as training populations. Disease severity was assessed using three seedling assays in each population, and the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) values were obtained. The 31,142 SNP data were generated using the 51K Axiom array™ in the training populations. With these data, six GS models were trained to predict genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) in three populations (TGC1, TGC2, and combined). The parametric models Bayesian LASSO and RR-BLUP resulted in higher levels of prediction accuracy compared with all the non-parametric models (RKHS, SVM, and random forest) in two training populations. To identify low-density markers, two subsets of 1,557 SNPs were filtered based on marker effects (Bayesian LASSO) and variable importance values (random forest) in the combined population. An additional subset was generated using 1,357 SNPs from a genome-wide association study. These subsets showed prediction accuracies of 0.699 to 0.756 in Bayesian LASSO and 0.670 to 0.682 in random forest, which were higher relative to the 31,142 SNPs (0.625 and 0.614). Moreover, high prediction accuracies (0.743 and 0.702) were found with a common set of 135 SNPs derived from the three subsets. The resulting lowdensity SNPs will be useful to develop a cost-effective GS strategy for BW resistance in tomato breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Untreated or inadequately treated wastewater carrying human feces can host helminth eggs and larvae, contaminating the soil and plants that are irrigated with it. In Addis Ababa, farmers use untreated wastewater to grow vegetables; however, there are little data currently available published on vegetables' contribution to the prevalence of helminth among female farmers along the Akaki River, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Addis Ababa City in February 2022. A stratified random sampling method was used to sample farming households. The sample size for each district was determined by a proportional allocation to the total number of households in the area. Two hundred and fifty-two composite vegetable samples and 101 farmers' stool samples were collected and analyzed for helminth prevalence. Data on socio-demographics were collected by trained data collators using a structured questionnaire. Kato-Katz concentration was used to detect STH from a stool sample. Stata version 14.0 was used to process the data. Poisson regression was used to identify the association between STH prevalence in the vegetable and the farm's stool. Results: Helminths were found in 67.5% of vegetables sampled and 20.8% of female farmers' stools. Ascaris lumbricoides eggs (vegetable 48.4% and stool 9.9%) were identified in all analyzed samples. Hookworm eggs (vegetable 13.1% and stool 8.9%) and Trichuris trichiura eggs (vegetable 5.9% and stool 2%) were also isolated. The total number of helminth eggs present in wastewater-irrigated vegetables and female farmers' stool had a positive association (p < 0.05) with a regression coefficient of 1.92 (95% CI = 1.56–2.28). Conclusions: The study found a significant prevalence of helminth infections, particularly Ascaris lumbricoides, in stool and vegetable samples irrigated with wastewater. A clear association was found between vegetable production and a higher prevalence of helminth infections among female farmers. Therefore, it is important to ensure that farmers are educated in the importance of food washing and sanitation/hygiene practices when using wastewater irrigation for vegetable crops. Highlights: A cross-sectional research design was carried to investigate the prevalence of helminths in vegetable and stool samples of female wastewater-irrigated vegetable growers. STH was found in 67.5% of the vegetables and 20.8% of the stools of the female farmers. Ascaris lumbricoides. most prevalent in vegetable and stool samples. Positive correlation identified between the presence of helminths in vegetables and the level of infection female farmers. Risk reduction measures implemented to enforce local authority to enhance adaptive management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius Middle East–Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), is an economically important vegetable worldwide. This study evaluated the susceptibilities of yellow squash and zucchini cultivars to MEAM1 across three growing seasons in the southeastern United States: summer 2021, fall 2021, and fall 2022. Commercially available cultivars squash and zucchini were examined for resistance to MEAM1 infestations and yield performance. Weekly MEAM1 adult, egg, and nymph counts were conducted over 5 (fall 2022) or 6 (summer and fall 2021) weeks beginning after the third week of planting in each season. In general, MEAM1 adult populations were high at the first week of sampling but decreased in the subsequent weeks. The Zucchini cultivar 'Black Beauty' had the highest number of MEAM1 adults, and 'Green Eclipse Zucchini' had the lowest adult counts in summer 2021. For yellow squash, 'Early Summer' and 'Amberpic 8455' were identified as the cultivars that harbored the highest populations of adults in 2021, whereas 'Golden Goose Hybrid' harbored the least number of adult infestations in fall 2022. Generally, MEAM1 egg counts trailed adult peak populations. For yield performance, 'Gourmet Gold Hybrid', 'Lioness', 'Fortune', and 'Golden Glory' achieved the highest yields. These results provide valuable information for whitefly management in yellow squash and zucchini based on host plant resistance and yield. The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) Middle East–Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), causes significant losses to vegetable crops directly by sap-feeding, inducing plant physiological disorders, and elevating the build-up of sooty mold, and indirectly by transmitting plant viruses. In this study, we evaluated the susceptibility of 20 yellow squash and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) cultivars to MEAM1, across three growing seasons in the southeastern United States. Weekly sampling of the numbers of MEAM1 adults, nymphs, and eggs were conducted from the fourth week after seed sowing and across 6 weeks during the summer and fall of 2021 and five weeks during the fall of 2022. In general, adult whitefly populations were high during the first week of sampling but decreased as the seasons progressed. The zucchini cultivar 'Black Beauty' harbored the most adults, while 'Green Eclipse Zucchini' was the least attractive zucchini cultivar to the adults in fall 2022. For yellow squash, 'Early Summer' (summer 2021) and 'Amberpic 8455' (summer 2021 and fall 2022) were the cultivars with the highest adult populations, while 'Lioness' (summer 2021) and 'Gourmet Gold Hybrid' (fall 2022) harbored the lowest adult counts. The whitefly egg counts across both vegetables trailed those of adults and peaked in the second week of sampling. The counts of nymphs increased as the seasons progressed, but there was a decline after the second week during fall 2021. For the yellow squash cultivars, 'Gourmet Gold Hybrid', (summer 2021 and fall 2022), 'Lioness', and 'Fortune' (summer 2021) recorded the highest yields. For zucchini, 'Golden Glory' (summer 2021) was the top performer. These results provide valuable information for whitefly management in yellow squash and zucchini based on host plant susceptibility and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The study aims to explore the effects of tetracycline (TC) stress on the growth and physiological characteristics of leafy vegetables, and to provide a theoretical basis for researches on the toxic effects of antibiotics on plants. [Method] Shanghai green, pakchoi, Chinese cabbage and lettuce were taken as experimental subjects. The simulated culture method was adopted in the laboratory. The effects of different concentrations of TC in soil (0-500 mg/kg) on the growth (germination rate, plant height, aboveground fresh weight) and physiological and biochemical indexes (chlorophyll, MDA, SOD, POD and CAT) of four vegetables were studied. [Result] The germination rate of the four tested vegetables gradually decreased with the increase of TC concentration, the plant height and aboveground fresh weight of Shanghai green and pakchoi gradually increased under TC stress at low concentrations (10, 50, 100 mg/kg), and gradually decreased under TC stress at high concentrations (300, 500 mg/kg). The maximum value reached at 100 mg/kg TC treatment. The plant height and aboveground fresh weight of Chinese cabbage and lettuce decreased gradually with the increase of TC concentration. The chlorophyll contents of pakchoi, Chinese cabbage and lettuce increased under TC stress at low concentrations (10, 50, 100 mg/kg), while the chlorophyll content of Shanghai green decreased under TC stress. The MDA activity of four vegetables increased with the increase of TC concentration, and was significantly higher than that of control under 500 mg/kg TC treatment. The CAT activity of Shanghai green, lettuce and pakchoi was the highest under the treatment of 10 mg/kg TC, and the CAT activity of Chinese cabbage was the highest under the treatment of 50 mg/kg TC. The SOD activity of Chinese cabbage and Shanghai green was the highest at 100 mg/kg TC treatment, which was 21.12% and 22.33% higher than that of the control, while the SOD activity of pakchoi and lettuce decreased with the increase of TC concentration. The POD activity of Chinese cabbage, lettuce, Shanghai green and pakchoi was the highest at 10, 50, 100 and 500 mg/kg TC concentration, respectively, which was 0.85%, 14.16%, 8.20% and 24.79% higher than that of control. [Conclusion] The four vegetables exhibited different sensitivities to TC. TC inhibited the growth of cabbage and lettuce, while promoting the growth of Shanghai green and Chinese cabbage at low concentrations (10, 50, 100 mg/kg). However, under high concentrations (300, 500 mg/kg), growth inhibition occurred, intensifying with the increase of TC concentration. High TC stress increased plant cell damage in all four vegetable species and led to damage in the antioxidant enzyme system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two distances: close (0–10 m) and far (60 m) from the heavy traffic roadside, at three different cultivation sites (MS: Mevlanakapi–Silivrikapi, SB: Silivrikapi–Belgradkapi, and BY: Belgradkapi–Yedikule kapi) along the road line. First, the phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and physicochemical properties in kale and arugula vegetables were examined. Second, heavy metal concentrations in vegetables, soil, and irrigated water were investigated. In both vegetables, the highest total phenolic content was detected in samples obtained from far distance in SB site (3880.3 mg/kg) for kale and in BY site (1459.9 mg/kg) for arugula, whereas the lowest content was found at the close distance in MS site for both kale (448.5 mg/kg) and arugula (586.4 mg/kg). The antioxidant activity values [mg Trolox/kg (dw)] ranged from 366.74 to 586.10 and 2349.00 to 3757.4 for kale and from 520.00 to 945.60 and 3323.00 to 5814.70 for arugula in 2,2′‐azino‐bis (3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl methods, respectively. The levels of Cd and Hg in kale and arugula and Fe content in arugula exceeded FAO/WHO permissible limits, making them unsafe for human consumption. Meanwhile, the Pb content in kale and arugula and Fe content in kale were observed to be within acceptable limits set by FAO/WHO. In the irrigated water, the Pb value was below the permissible limit, whereas the Cd value was above it and no Hg and Fe were detected. In the soil samples, the Pb and Fe values were below the limit, whereas the Cd and Hg values were higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the increasing consumption of vegetables and fruit because they contain lots of vitamins and minerals to increase endurance. The purpose of community service activities is to diversify processed vegetables and fruits to increase selling value. The activity's target is to improve vegetable and fruit processing skills. The output of the activity is the diversification of processed vegetables and fruit. The target of the activity is women farmers who are members of the Kampung Domba Synergy Cooperative. Stages of activity include: 1). The preparatory stage, namely the manufacture of vegetable and fruit processing modules; 2). The implementation phase, namely vegetable and fruit processing training; 3). Evaluation Phase, in the form of pre-test and post-test related to knowledge of processing vegetables and fruit. Community service activities in collaboration with the Kampung Domba Synergy Cooperative (SiKado) and the Cirebon Regency Agricultural Institute Alumni Association (HA IPB). Community service activities were carried out for two days. The first day's activity was the presentation of material on the development of the food product business by the Alumni Association of IPB Cirebon Regency, followed by the presentation of material on the design of food product packaging by the Kampung Domba Synergy Cooperative and material on the processing of vegetables and fruit by the Community Service Team. Based on the pre-test and post-test on the participants' knowledge of vegetable and fruit processing, the average score was 78.0 (fair category) and 84.1 (good category), respectively, with an increase of 6.1 points. The second day's activity was training in processing and evaluating the preferences of processed fruit and vegetable products, and 71.4% of the products (5 out of 7 products) received an overall rating of 4 (liked) by the panelists, namely es puter cucumber suri, spinach sticks, kale sticks, corn tortillas and candied kolang kaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Worldwide, fruit and vegetable intake is below recommendations. There is increasing evidence to suggest an association between height and diet. Aim: to analyse the associations of fruit and vegetable intake with attained height in Portuguese adults. Methods: A representative sample of 17 480 Portuguese adults (56.7% women) participated in this cross-sectional study. The survey comprised sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported height and weight. We performed regression models to assess the associations between height and fruit and vegetable consumption. Results: Compared with no intakes, those men with higher fruit and vegetables intake had 0.54 cm (95% CI 0.04; 1.04) greater height. Also, women with higher intakes of vegetables, fruit and vegetables combined were directly associated with a greater height of 0.29 cm (95% CI 0.03; 0.56 in vegetables) and 0.51 cm (95% CI 0.09; 0.93 in fruit and vegetables combined). Conclusion: Greater consumption of fruit and vegetables was directly associated with higher height in adults. From a health promotion perspective, intervention programmes aiming at improving fruit and vegetable intake should be highlighted so that full height potential is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant hormone jasmonic acid plays an important role in plant growth and development, participating in many physiological processes, such as plant disease resistance, stress resistance, organ development, root growth, and flowering. With the improvement in living standards, people have higher requirements regarding the quality of vegetables. However, during the growth process of vegetables, they are often attacked by pests and diseases and undergo abiotic stresses, resulting in their growth restriction and decreases in their yield and quality. Therefore, people have found many ways to regulate the growth and quality of vegetable crops. In recent years, in addition to the role that JA plays in stress response and resistance, it has been found to have a regulatory effect on crop quality. Therefore, this study aims to review the jasmonic acid accumulation patterns during various physiological processes and its potential role in vegetable development and quality formation, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms. The information provided in this manuscript sheds new light on the improvements in vegetable yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing vegetable production in Van/Türkiye province and its districts, where the study was carried out. The most significant of these issues is the parasitic and highly invasive broomrapes. A survey was conducted in AugustOctober 2019 in order to determine the extent of the broomrape problem in the areas of vegetables. In this study, the type of broomrape found in vegetable areas was identified first, then the infestation rates and the average number of shoots in each plant were determined. The results concluded that the branched broomrape [Phelipanche ramosa (L.) Pomel] was found as a single species in all areas. It was also detected that branched broomrape was infested with tomato, eggplant, cucumber, and summer squash; with related densities of 4.2, 0.4, 0.26, and 0.78 %, on average, respectively. No infestation was encountered in pepper. As a result of the study, this infestation detected in summer squash is the first record in terms of the host series of branched broomrape. Although less infestation was seen in other areas, it is predicted that the branched broomrape could be spread rapidly to non-infested areas over time due to its character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown contradictory results regarding the association between vegetable and fruit consumption and the risk of sarcopenia. We aimed to evaluate this association using a meta-analysis, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library through July 2023 using related keywords. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated based on the random-effects model. We included 14 observational studies with 11 cross-sectional and three cohort studies involving 6436 sarcopenias among 33,801 participants. Vegetable and fruit consumption were significantly associated with reduced sarcopenia risk (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.79; I2 = 59.8%). The association was significant in cross-sectional studies (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.84; I2 = 56.3%; n = 11) but not in cohort studies (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.22 to 1.11; I2 = 76.4%; n = 3). Moreover, the association was significant in age ≥60 (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.83; I2 = 58.0%; n = 10). This meta-analysis suggests that eating vegetables and fruit reduces sarcopenia risk. However, as cohort studies provide a higher level of evidence than case–control studies, further prospective cohort studies should be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the promising opportunities for nutrition, health, and income generation in Senecio biafrae, this leafy green vegetable has not been brought into the regular vegetable production systems due to it being comparably slower in growth than other veggies at the early growth stage, especially without fertilizer application. Studies on the effects of fertilizer and cultivar on its nutrients and antinutrients are scanty in the literature. The effects of Senecio biafrae accessions (Odo-Oro and Orin-Odo), fertilizers:100% poultry manure (PM) (5 tonnes/ha), 100% NPK 15:15:15 (100 kg/ha), 50% NPK + 50% PM (50 kg/ha NPK + 2.5 tonnes/ha PM) and control (no fertilizer applied) on the nutrients and antinutrients of its fresh leaves were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures. Fertilizer and accession notably (P<0.05) affected the proximate, minerals and antinutrients. Crude protein ranged from 4.10-4.41%, crude fiber 0.86- 1.15% and crude fat 0.93-1.20%. Potassium was in the range 217.25-254.31 mg/100 g, magnesium 36.04-37.53 mg/100 g, calcium 197.19-273.33 mg/100 g, manganese 4.62-8.95 mg/100 g, iron 5.85-9.05 mg/100 g, zinc 0.71-0.98 mg/100 g, phosphorus 334.63-404.25 mg/100 g and sodium 20.19-21.68 mg/100 g. Phytate ranged from 1.28-1.37 mg/100 g, polyphenol 21.50-23.56 mg/100 g, oxalate 0.81-0.87 mg/100 g, and hydrogen cyanide 0.21-0.23 mg/100 g in the fresh leaves. Orin-Odo demonstrated superior nutrient quality. The fertilizers enhanced the nutrients and did not significantly increase most of the antinutrients higher than the control. This implies, fertilizer application in the production of Senecio biafrae may not significantly increase anti-nutrients in its leaves and should be encouraged for its production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Machine vision‐based precision weed management is a promising solution to substantially reduce herbicide input and weed control cost. The objective of this research was to compare two different deep learning‐based approaches for detecting weeds in cabbage: (1) detecting weeds directly, and (2) detecting crops by generating the bounding boxes covering the crops and any green pixels outside the bounding boxes were deemed as weeds. RESULTS: The precision, recall, F1‐score, mAP0.5, mAP0.5:0.95 of You Only Look Once (YOLO) v5 for detecting cabbage were 0.986, 0.979, 0.982, 0.995, and 0.851, respectively, while these metrics were 0.973, 0.985, 0.979, 0.993, and 0.906 for YOLOv8, respectively. However, none of these metrics exceeded 0.891 when detecting weeds. The reduced performances for directly detecting weeds could be attributed to the diverse weed species at varying densities and growth stages with different plant morphologies. A segmentation procedure demonstrated its effectiveness for extracting weeds outside the bounding boxes covering the crops, and thereby realizing effective indirect weed detection. CONCLUSION: The indirect weed detection approach demands less manpower as the need for constructing a large training dataset containing a variety of weed species is unnecessary. However, in a certain case, weeds are likely to remain undetected due to their growth in close proximity with crops and being situated within the predicted bounding boxes that encompass the crops. The models generated in this research can be used in conjunction with the machine vision subsystem of a smart sprayer or mechanical weeder. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pesticides play a crucial role in enhancing agricultural productivity by controlling pests. However, inadequate pesticide handling practices have a considerable adverse impact on human health. Nevertheless, there is limited knowledge regarding the extent of safe pesticide handling practices, particularly in low-income settings like Ethiopia. Hence, this study seeks to evaluate the implementation of safe pesticide handling practices and identify the factors associated with the status of the handling practices in low-income settings in Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken, involving 468 farmers randomly selected for participation. Data collection was carried out through structured questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. The analysis aimed to assess the proportion of safe pesticide handling practices (SPHP) and investigate the factors associated with SPHP was done using binary logistic regression. Explanatory variables with a P -value <0.25 were included in the final analysis. The factors were determined based on adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, P -value <.05. Model fit was evaluated using the Hosmer and Lemeshow tests. Results: From the findings of our study, only 45.7% of farmers practiced SPHP, with factors such as education, experience, pesticide usage, and attitude toward safe practices influencing their practices. Farmers with education status primary and above were two times more likely to practice good handling of pesticides than those who didn't attend formal education. Farmers with a maximum of 5 years of experience in vegetable farming were 2.4 times more likely to exhibit good handling practices compared to their counterparts. Furthermore, farmers with favorable attitudes toward pesticide handling were 4.2 times more likely to engage in good pesticide handling practices than those with unfavorable attitudes. Therefore, the agricultural sectors, health sectors, and farmer associations should focus on these factors in order to mitigate the health risks associated with poor pesticide handling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli is considered one of the primary bacterial pathogens that cause foodborne diseases because it can survive in meat, vegetables and so on. Understanding of the effect of vegetable characteristics on the adhesion and proliferation process of EHEC is necessary to develop control measures. In this review, the amount and methods of adhesion, the internalization pathway and proliferation process of EHEC have been described during the vegetable contamination. Types, cultivars, tissue characteristics, leaf age, and damage degree can affect EHEC adhesion on vegetables. EHEC cells contaminate the root surface of vegetables through soil and further internalize. It can also contaminate the stem scar tissue of vegetables by rain or irrigation water and internalize the vertical axis, as well as the stomata, necrotic lesions and damaged tissues of vegetable leaves. After EHEC adhered to the vegetables, they may further proliferate and form biofilms. Leaf and fruit tissues were more sensitive to biofilm formation, and shedding rate of biofilms on epidermis tissue was faster. Insights into the mechanisms of vegetable contamination by EHEC, including the role of exopolysaccharides and proteins responsible for movement, adhesion and oxidative stress response could reveal the molecular mechanism by which EHEC contaminates vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gambir plant can serve as a raw material for botanical insecticides. Plant-based insecticides are made in nanoemulsion form to overcome the insecticide particle size problem. This study aims to obtain a gambir waste form that has the potential to be used as a botanical insecticide using nanotechnology. The laboratory experiments include preliminary and follow-up tests. The preliminary test involves testing each extract (liquid, solid, and raw gambir waste) at three concentrations using a completely randomized design with four replications. The follow-up test uses the residue method on leaves to test insecticidal activity. Creating nanoemulsion from gambir waste involves mixing organic and liquid phases through spontaneous emulsification. The insecticidal effectiveness of this nanoemulsion is tested on Croccidolomia pavonana. The results show that solid and liquid gambir waste has the potential to be used as alternative insecticides, which can influence the mortality of C. pavonana with an LC50 concentration of 0.22 (solid waste) and 0. 29 (liquid waste), while LC95 is 2.44 (solid waste) and 2.52 (liquid waste). The research promotes utilizing natural resources and innovative technologies, advancing environmentally conscious pest control methods, and fostering sustainable agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out in 3 types of biotopes where vegetable crops are not grown to highlight their contribution to the dynamics of vegetable-infesting flies. To this end, a trapping system based on a sexual attractant, the Cuelure associated with an insecticide was set up in 18 biotopes (6 natural areas, 6 mango orchards, and 6 agroforestry parks) in the regions of Hauts Bassins and Cascades in the South-West of Burkina Faso. During the trapping monitoring, which was done every 2 wk to collect insects captured, fruits present in 3 types of biotopes were sampled and incubated for insect emergence. Ten Dacus (Fabricius) [Diptera: Tephritidae] species and Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) [Diptera: Tephritidae] were trapped in the study area. The predominant species captured was Z. cucurbitae (52.93%) followed by Dacus punctatifrons (Karsch) [Diptera: Tephritidae] (29.89%) and Dacus humeralis (Bezzi) (12.71%). Six tephritid species were emerged from 6 wild fruit species belonging to Cucurbitaceae, Apocynaceae, and Passifloraceae families. Fruit flies were more abundant from Jul to Nov with peaks observed in Aug or Oct depending on the species. Citrullus colocynthis L. (Cucurbitaceae) , Lagenaria sp. (Cucurbitaceae), Passiflora foetida L. (Passifloraceae), and Passiflora sp. acted as reservoir host plants of Dacus ciliatus (Loew), Dacus bivittatus (Bigot), Dacus vertebratus (Bezzi) [Diptera: Tephritidae], D. punctatifrons , and Z. cucurbitae , the major vegetable insect pests in West Africa. The 3 types of biotopes acted as suitable refuge areas of vegetable crop-infesting fruit flies either for the favorable microclimate or for the alternative host plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycorrhizal symbiosis enhances host plant resistance to various unfavorable environmental stresses, but whether and how it also enhances waterlogging tolerance in cucumber plants is not known. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of Paraglomus occultum inoculation on biomass production, osmolyte levels, and the expression of 12 heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) genes and 14 plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) genes in the roots of cucumber plants under a short-term waterlogging stress (WS) (5 days) condition. Although the short-term WS treatment significantly inhibited the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization of roots, the inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMFs) significantly increased leaf, stem, and root biomass under WS. AMF inoculation also significantly increased root glucose, sucrose, betaine, and proline contents, along with decreased fructose levels, compared with the uninoculated control. More CsHsp70 and CsPIP genes were up-regulated in AMF-inoculated plants than in AMF-uninoculated plants in response to WS. AMF inoculation showed no significant effect on the expression of any of the examined CsHsp70 genes under no-waterlogging stress, but it did raise the expression of 11 of 12 CsHsp70 genes under WS. AMF colonization also down-regulated or had no effect on CsPIP expression under no-waterlogging stress, whereas it up-regulated the expression of 12 of the 14 CsPIP genes under WS. It is concluded that AMF inoculation enhances waterlogging tolerance in cucumber plants by increasing osmolyte levels and stress-responsive gene (CsPIP and CsHsp70) expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media- and internet-based interventions are nowadays widely used tools in health interventions. Although evidence of their effectiveness is still low, their applications could be very promising due to their affordability and wide reach. The current paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention program, "The University of Valladolid Community Eats Healthy" (UVEH), to increase fruit and vegetable (FV) intake in adults from the University of Valladolid (U. Valladolid) employing three online methodologies. A sample of 211 volunteers was randomly assigned into four groups: virtual campus (VC), Facebook (FB), Instagram (IG), and control. An intervention based on the Theory of Planned Behavior was implemented for seven weeks. Data were collected at the beginning (T0) and the end of the program (T1). The Predimed questionnaire was employed to assess FV intake. Vegetable intake was statistically significantly higher in the VC group (17.4% pre vs. 72.7% post). In the rest of the groups, there was also an increase in intake. Fruit consumption increased slightly only in the VC group (23.9% pre vs. 45.5% post). Participation decreased through the weeks: FB (week 2), IG (week 3), and VC (week 4). Retention was higher in the VC (48%) and control (60%) groups. Internet-based interventions employing interactive platforms such as virtual campus can be effective in enhancing participants' dietary habits in a clinically relevant manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the impact of biogas slurry replacing chemical fertilizers on Chinese cabbage yield and soil quality, we conducted two consecutive years of field experiment. The purified chemical fertilizer treatment was set as the control, while an equivalent nitrogen amount was added to the biogas slurry treatment (453 kg N·hm-2·a-1) to investigate its influence on soil nutrient indicators, heavy metals, and Chinese cabbage yield. The results indicated that compared to the chemical fertilizer treatment, the biogas slurry treatment increased soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and organic nitrogen contents by 16.4%, 35.0%, and 26.3%, respectively. The biogas slurry treatment led to decreases of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, and Hg content by 12.6%, 14.6%, 9.25%, 32.2%, 30.1%, 12.1%, 24.0%, and 61.5%, respectively. Additionally, the Chinese cabbage yield increased by 10.0% in the biogas slurry treatment group. The study suggests that biogas slurry replacing chemical fertilizers can not only increase soil fertility and Chinese cabbage yield but also contribute to the improvement of the environmental quality of soils. However, more experiments aiming to provide references for the application of the optimal dosage of biogas slurry for optimal Chinese cabbage production are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of enteric pathogens in produce can serve as a significant means of transmitting infections to consumers. Notably, tomatoes, as a type of produce, have been implicated in outbreaks caused by various human pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica and pathogenic Escherichia coli. However, the survival characteristics of Shigella spp. in tomatoes have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we assess the survival of S. flexneri 2a in two distinct varieties of post-harvested tomatoes. S. flexneri 2a was used to inoculate both regular-sized Vine tomatoes and cherry-type Mini Plum tomatoes. Our findings reveal no significant difference in Shigella survival in the pericarp of both varieties on day 2 post-inoculation. However, a significant disparity emerges on day 6, where all recovered Shigella colonies exclusively belong to the Mini Plum variety, with none associated with the Vine type. When Shigella was inoculated into the locular cavity (deep inoculation), no significant difference between varieties was observed. Additionally, we investigate the potential role of the SRL pathogenicity island (SRL PAI) in the survival and fitness of S. flexneri 2a in post-harvested tomatoes. Our results indicate that while the SRL PAI is not linked to the survival of the strains in tomato, it does impact their fitness. These findings underscore the variability in Shigella strains' survival capabilities depending on the tomato variety, highlighting the importance of understanding Shigella ecology beyond the human host and identifying molecular determinants influencing bacterial survival to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks. The significance of this data on Shigella persistence in fresh vegetables should not be underestimated, as even a small number of Shigella cells can pose a threat to the health of individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]