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Annotation on the Judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (Grand Chamber) of 14 November 2017 in Case C-671/15 Président de l'Autorité de la concurrence v Association des producteurs vendeurs d'endives (APVE) and Others [2017] ECLI:EU:C:2017:860 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escaroles and endives are two leafy vegetables of the Compositae family rich in nutrients and minerals. Both crops are uncommon in the United States, but both are planted in wintertime in Florida and in other states such as California and New Jersey. This publication aims the public and inform of their use in the leafy vegetable industry in Florida. As other leafy vegetables, escaroles and endives are susceptible to pests and diseases and other physiological disorders such as pink rib at postharvest. Using the correct management practices and the correct cultivars adapted for Florida could help producers in fields and in the home garden to achieve a successful crop.

The chloroplast (cp) genome diversity has been used in phylogeny studies, breeding, and variety protection, and its expression has been shown to play a role in stress response. Smooth- and curly-leafed endives (Cichorium endivia var. latifolium and var. crispum) are of nutritional and economic importance and are the target of ever-changing breeding programmes. A reference cp genome sequence was assembled and annotated (cultivar 'Confiance'), which was 152,809 base pairs long, organized into the angiosperm-typical quadripartite structure, harboring two inverted repeats separated by the large- and short- single copy regions. The annotation included 136 genes, 90 protein-coding genes, 38 transfer, and 8 ribosomal RNAs and the sequence generated a distinct phyletic group within Asteraceae with the well-separated C. endivia and intybus species. SSR variants within the reference genome were mostly of tri-nucleotide type, and the cytosine to uracil (C/U) RNA editing recurred. The cp genome was nearly fully transcribed, hence sequence polymorphism was investigated by RNA-Seq of seven cultivars, and the SNP number was higher in smooth- than curly-leafed ones. All cultivars maintained C/U changes in identical positions, suggesting that RNA editing patterns were conserved; most cultivars shared SNPs of moderate impact on protein changes in the ndhD, ndhA, and psbF genes, suggesting that their variability may have a potential role in adaptive response. The cp transcriptome expression was investigated in leaves of plants affected by pre-harvest rainfall and rainfall excess plus waterlogging events characterized by production loss, compared to those of a cycle not affected by extreme rainfall. Overall, the analyses evidenced stress- and cultivar-specific responses, and further revealed that genes of the Cytochrome b6/f, and PSI-PSII systems were commonly affected and likely to be among major targets of extreme rain-related stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant ISK Biosciences Europe N.V. submitted a request to the competent national authority in Belgium to modify the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for the active substance isofetamid in certain salad plants. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for lamb's lettuces/corn salads, escaroles/broad leaved endives, cresses and other sprouts and shoots, land cresses, Roman rocket/rucola, red mustards, baby leaf crops (including brassica species) and other lettuces and salad plants. An adequate analytical method for enforcement is available to enforce the residues of isofetamid on the commodities under consideration at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short‐term and long‐term intake of residues resulting from the uses of isofetamid according to the reported agricultural practices is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cichorium genus offers a unique opportunity to study the sporophytic selfincompatibility (SSI) system, being composed of species characterized by highly efficient self-incompatibility (e.g., C. intybus) and complete self-compatibility (e.g., C. endivia). To this end, the chicory genome was used to map seven previously identified SSI locus-associated markers. The region containing the S-locus was therefore restricted to an ~4 M bp window on chromosome 5. Among the genes predicted in this region, MDIS1 INTERACTING RECEPTOR LIKE KINASE 2 (ciMIK2) was particularly promising as a candidate for SSI. Its ortholog in Arabidopsis (atMIK2) is involved in pollen-stigma recognition reactions, and its protein structure is similar to that of S-receptor kinase (SRK), a key component of the SSI system in the Brassica genus. The amplification and sequencing of MIK2 in chicory and endive accessions revealed two contrasting scenarios. In C. endivia, MIK2 was fully conserved even when comparing different botanical varieties (i.e., smooth and curly endive). In C. intybus, 387 polymorphic positions and 3 INDELs were identified when comparing accessions of different biotypes all belonging to the same botanical variety (i.e., radicchio). The polymorphism distribution throughout the gene was uneven, with hypervariable domains preferentially localized in the LRR-rich extracellular region, putatively identified as the receptor domain. The gene was hypothesized to be under positive selection, as the nonsynonymous mutations were more than double the synonymous ones (dN/dS = 2.17). An analogous situation was observed when analyzing the first 500 bp of the MIK2 promoter: no SNPs were observed among the endive samples, whereas 44 SNPs and 6 INDELs were detected among the chicory samples. Further analyses are needed to confirm the role of MIK2 in SSI and to demonstrate whether the 23 species-specific nonsynonymous SNPs in the CDS and/or the species-specific 10 bp-INDEL found in a CCAAT box region of the promoter are responsible for the contrasting sexual behaviors of chicory and endive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cichorium genus offers a unique opportunity to study the sporophytic self-incompatibility (SSI) system, being composed of species characterized by highly efficient self-incompatibility (e.g., C. intybus) and complete self-compatibility (e.g., C. endivia). To this end, the chicory genome was used to map seven previously identified SSI locus-associated markers. The region containing the S-locus was therefore restricted to an ~4 M bp window on chromosome 5. Among the genes predicted in this region, MDIS1 INTERACTING RECEPTOR LIKE KINASE 2 (ciMIK2) was particularly promising as a candidate for SSI. Its ortholog in Arabidopsis (atMIK2) is involved in pollen−stigma recognition reactions, and its protein structure is similar to that of S-receptor kinase (SRK), a key component of the SSI system in the Brassica genus. The amplification and sequencing of MIK2 in chicory and endive accessions revealed two contrasting scenarios. In C. endivia, MIK2 was fully conserved even when comparing different botanical varieties (i.e., smooth and curly endive). In C. intybus, 387 polymorphic positions and 3 INDELs were identified when comparing accessions of different biotypes all belonging to the same botanical variety (i.e., radicchio). The polymorphism distribution throughout the gene was uneven, with hypervariable domains preferentially localized in the LRR-rich extracellular region, putatively identified as the receptor domain. The gene was hypothesized to be under positive selection, as the nonsynonymous mutations were more than double the synonymous ones (dN/dS = 2.17). An analogous situation was observed when analyzing the first 500 bp of the MIK2 promoter: no SNPs were observed among the endive samples, whereas 44 SNPs and 6 INDELs were detected among the chicory samples. Further analyses are needed to confirm the role of MIK2 in SSI and to demonstrate whether the 23 species-specific nonsynonymous SNPs in the CDS and/or the species-specific 10 bp-INDEL found in a CCAAT box region of the promoter are responsible for the contrasting sexual behaviors of chicory and endive.

Chicory, a horticultural crop cultivated worldwide, presents many botanical varieties and local biotypes. Among these, cultivars of the Italian radicchio group of the pure species Cichorium intybus L. and its interspecific hybrids with Cichorium endivia L.—as the "Red of Chioggia" biotype—includes several phenotypes. This study uses a pipeline to address the marker-assisted breeding of F1 hybrids: it presents the genotyping-by-sequencing results of four elite inbred lines using a RADseq approach and an original molecular assay based on CAPS markers for screening mutants with nuclear male sterility in the radicchio of Chioggia. A total of 2953 SNP-carrying RADtags were identified and used to compute the actual estimates of homozygosity and overall genetic similarity and uniformity of the populations, as well as to determine their genetic distinctiveness and differentiation. Molecular data were further used to investigate the genomic distribution of the RADtags among the two Cichorium species, allowing their mapping in 1131 and 1071 coding sequences in chicory and endive, respectively. Paralleling this, an assay to screen the genotype at the male sterility locus Cims-1 was developed to discriminate wild-type and mutant alleles of the causative gene myb80-like. Moreover, a RADtag mapped close to this genomic region proved the potential application of this method for future marker-assisted selection tools. Finally, after combining the genotype information of the core collection, the best 10 individuals from each inbred line were selected to compute the observed genetic similarity as a measure of uniformity as well as the expected homozygosity and heterozygosity estimates scorable by the putative progenies derived from selfing (pollen parent) and full-sibling (seed parent) or pair-wise crossing (F1 hybrids). This predictive approach was conducted as a pilot study to understand the potential application of RADseq in the fine tuning of molecular marker-assisted breeding strategies aimed at the development of inbred lines and F1 hybrids in leaf chicory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovering biostimulant compounds from by-products of crops is a promising strategy to add value, enhance sustainability, and increase the environmental safety of the agricultural production chain. Here, we report consistent root and shoot growth-stimulating bioactivity present in water-based extracts from Belgian endive forced roots (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) over two consecutive harvest years. The shoot and the primary root of in vitro cultivated Arabidopsis thaliana treated with Belgian endive extract were about 30% increased in size compared to plants grown under control conditions. The ornamental species Plectranthus esculentus also showed enhanced in vitro shoot and root growth, suggesting bioactivity on a broad range of species. Fractionation of the Belgian endive extracts into aqueous and organic subfractions coupled with bioactivity measurements showed that the principal root and shoot growth-promoting ingredients are primarily water-soluble. NMR-based characterization of the bioactive aqueous fractions revealed the presence of predominantly sugars and organic acids. Malate and sugars were abundant and common to all water fractions, suggesting these molecules contributed to the growth stimulation phenotype. The findings indicate that Belgian endive roots are a source for the development of organic waste-derived biostimulants with potential for application in tissue culture and putatively for soil-grown crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, people have blindly pursued increased yield; the excessive use of fertilizer not only causes the widespread waste of resources but also puts great pressure on environmental protection. In this study, to find out the optimum nitrogen application to endive crops under hydroponic conditions, this experiment was conducted to investigate the changes in nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthetase (GS), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities under different nitrogen supply levels, and to fit the equations between nitrogen supply levels and aboveground dry matter accumulation, the aboveground nitrogen accumulation, and the yield of endive crops. The results showed that the activities of the key enzymes of nitrogen metabolism were higher at nitrogen supply concentrations of 8 and 11 mmol·L−1. The dry matter and nitrogen accumulation of endive at different nitrogen supply levels were analyzed with the logistic model; the theoretical yield was found to be the highest at 9.935~11.448 mmol·L−1 of nitrogen application in the two different fertility trials by function fitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inulin is an important reserve polysaccharide in Asteraceae plants, and is also widely used as a sweetener, a source of dietary fibre and prebiotic. Nevertheless, a lack of genomic resources for inulin‐producing plants has hindered extensive studies on inulin metabolism and regulation. Here, we present chromosome‐level reference genomes for four inulin‐producing plants: chicory (Cichorium intybus), endive (Cichorium endivia), great burdock (Arctium lappa) and yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius), with assembled genome sizes of 1.28, 0.89, 1.73 and 2.72 Gb, respectively. We found that the chicory, endive and great burdock genomes were shaped by whole genome triplication (WGT‐1), and the yacon genome was shaped by WGT‐1 and two subsequent whole genome duplications (WGD‐2 and WGD‐3). A yacon unique whole genome duplication (WGD‐3) occurred 5.6–5.8 million years ago. Our results also showed the genome size difference between chicory and endive is largely due to LTR retrotransposons, and rejected a previous hypothesis that chicory is an ancestor of endive. Furthermore, we identified fructan‐active‐enzyme and transcription‐factor genes, and found there is one copy in chicory, endive and great burdock but two copies in yacon for most of these genes, except for the 1‐FEH II gene which is significantly expanded in chicory. Interestingly, inulin synthesis genes 1‐SST and 1‐FFT are located close to each other, as are the degradation genes 1‐FEH I and 1‐FEH II. Finally, we predicted protein structures for 1‐FFT genes to explore the mechanism determining inulin chain length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicory, a horticultural crop cultivated worldwide, presents many botanical varieties and local biotypes. Among these, cultivars of the Italian radicchio group of the pure species Cichorium intybus L. and its interspecific hybrids with Cichorium endivia L.—as the “Red of Chioggia” biotype—includes several phenotypes. This study uses a pipeline to address the marker-assisted breeding of F1 hybrids: it presents the genotyping-by-sequencing results of four elite inbred lines using a RADseq approach and an original molecular assay based on CAPS markers for screening mutants with nuclear male sterility in the radicchio of Chioggia. A total of 2953 SNP-carrying RADtags were identified and used to compute the actual estimates of homozygosity and overall genetic similarity and uniformity of the populations, as well as to determine their genetic distinctiveness and differentiation. Molecular data were further used to investigate the genomic distribution of the RADtags among the two Cichorium species, allowing their mapping in 1131 and 1071 coding sequences in chicory and endive, respectively. Paralleling this, an assay to screen the genotype at the male sterility locus Cims-1 was developed to discriminate wild-type and mutant alleles of the causative gene myb80-like. Moreover, a RADtag mapped close to this genomic region proved the potential application of this method for future marker-assisted selection tools. Finally, after combining the genotype information of the core collection, the best 10 individuals from each inbred line were selected to compute the observed genetic similarity as a measure of uniformity as well as the expected homozygosity and heterozygosity estimates scorable by the putative progenies derived from selfing (pollen parent) and full-sibling (seed parent) or pair-wise crossing (F1 hybrids). This predictive approach was conducted as a pilot study to understand the potential application of RADseq in the fine tuning of molecular marker-assisted breeding strategies aimed at the development of inbred lines and F1 hybrids in leaf chicory.

Seeds are commercialized in Brazil after rigorous quality control, which is performed by mandatory tests that are time consuming and frequently destructive. X-ray image analysis has been highlighted as it has the advantage of being fast, nondestructive, can be automated, and for some species, has high correlation with the physiological quality of the seeds. This study aimed to investigate the efficiency of the X-ray test, combined with digital image processing techniques, to evaluate the characteristics of the internal structures of endive (Cichorium endivia L.) and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) seeds, as well as to relate these characteristics to the physical integrity and physiological potential of the seeds. Four commercial chicory seed lots and six commercial endive seed lots were submitted to the X-ray test and subsequent germination test. By visual analysis of the images, cracks, embryo malformation, and empty spaces in the seeds were identified. The seeds presented high physiological quality, which agrees with the data obtained in the radiographic image analysis. The physical parameters evaluated through image analysis inferred the seed integrity and seed filling. Although a low correlation between physical and physiological parameters was observed, the analysis of the radiographic images allowed the identification of seeds with low physical and physiological quality. Thus, X-ray analysis is efficient in evaluating the physical integrity of chicory and endive seeds and has the potential to infer their physiological quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soilless cultivation systems are efficient tools to control nitrates by managing nutrient solution (NS) salinity and nitrogen availability, however, these nitrate-lowering strategies require appropriate calibration based on species/genotype-specific responses interacting with climate and growing conditions. Three experiments were carried out on lettuce and Cichorium endivia grown in ebb-and-flow (EF) and floating (FL) systems at two levels of NS salinity (EC = 2.5 and 3.5 dS m−1) (EC2.5, EC3.5, respectively) under autumn and early-spring (lettuce) and winter and late-spring conditions (C. endivia). Nitrogen deprivation (NS withdrawal a few days before the harvest) was tested at EC2.5, in the autumn and winter cycles. The EF-system caused an increase in salinity in the substrate where roots mainly develop so it mimicked the effect of the EC3.5 treatment. In the winter-grown lettuce, the EF-system or EC3.5 treatment was effective in reducing the nitrate level without effects on yield, with the EF baby-leaf showing an improved quality (color, dry matter, chlorophylls, carotenoid, vitamin C, phenol). In both seasons, the EF/EC3.5 treatment resulted in a decline in productivity, despite a further reduction in nitrate content and a rise in product quality occurring. This response was strictly linked to the increasing salt-stress loaded by the EC3.5/EF as highlighted by the concurrent Cl− accumulation. In early-spring, the FL/EC3.5 combination may represent a trade-off between yield, nitrate content and product quality. In contrast, in winter-grown endive/escarole the EC3.5, EF and EC3.5/EF reduced the nitrate level with no effect on yield, product quality or Cl− uptake, thus proving them to be more salt-tolerant than lettuce. High temperatures during the late-spring cycle promoted nitrate and Cl− uptake, overcoming the nitrate-controlling effect of salinity charged by the EF system or EC3.5. The nitrate level decreased after 3 day-long (lettuce) or 6 day-long (C. endivia) NS withdrawal. In C. endivia and EF-grown lettuce, it provoked a decrease in yield, but a concurrent improvement in baby-leaf appearance and nutritional quality. More insights are needed to fine-tune the duration of the NS removal taking into account the soilless system used and species-specific characteristics.

Highlights - Municipal solid organic waste compost (MSWC) integrated with N fertilizers can sustain vegetable production. - MSWC (at least 30 t ha-1 d.w.) replaced synthetic fertilizers for tomato and eggplant productions. - N fertilizer integration to the compost residual effect is necessary to sustain endive and broccoli productions. - MSWC (at 15 t ha-1 d.w.) needs 25% of N integration to reduce the gap with plant only fertilized with N fertilizer. - MSWC preserved soil quality and avoided accumulation of undesired metals, such as Cu and Zn. Municipal waste compost was evaluated under open field conditions for replacing synthetic fertilizers in a vegetable three-year succession. Three compost rates, 45 t ha-1, 30 t ha-1 and 15 t ha-1 (dry matter), and compost at 15 t ha-1combined with 25%, and 50% of the full synthetic nitrogen rate, were compared to full and none synthetic nitrogen fertilizations. Crop succession was: tomato followed by endive in the first year; eggplant and, then, broccoli in the second year; tomato and, then, endive/broccoli, in the third year. The application of compost at a dose of at least 30 t ha-1 or at 15 t ha-1 with the addition of 25% of the full synthetic nitrogen rate, in Spring-Summer cycle, sustained growth and yield at levels comparable with those of synthetic nitrogen fertilization. However, only a very poor residual effect of the compost soil treatment on the yield of Autumn-Winter crops, was observed. Monitoring of nitrate content into the soil during cropping seasons, a reduction of the risk of groundwater pollution was displayed due to nitrates released by compost, respect to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. The cumulative effects of compost application on soil properties were detected at the end of the field trials, registering changes in chemical parameters analyzed, except for phosphorus and boron.

Endive (Cichorium endivia L.), a vegetable consumed as fresh or packaged salads, is mostly cultivated outdoors and known to be sensitive to waterlogging in terms of yield and quality. Phenotypic, metabolic and transcriptomic analyses were used to study variations in curly- ('Domari', 'Myrna') and smooth-leafed ('Flester', 'Confiance') cultivars grown in short-term waterlog due to rainfall excess before harvest. After recording loss of head weights in all cultivars (6-35%), which was minimal in 'Flester', NMR untargeted profiling revealed variations as influenced by genotype, environment and interactions, and included drop of total carbohydrates (6–50%) and polyols (3–37%), gain of organic acids (2–30%) and phenylpropanoids (98–560%), and cultivar-specific fluctuations of amino acids (−37 to +15%). The analysis of differentially expressed genes showed GO term enrichment consistent with waterlog stress and included the carbohydrate metabolic process. The loss of sucrose, kestose and inulin recurred in all cultivars and the sucrose-inulin route was investigated by covering over 50 genes of sucrose branch and key inulin synthesis (fructosyltransferases) and catabolism (fructan exohydrolases) genes. The lowered expression of a sucrose gene subset together with that of SUCROSE:SUCROSE-1-FRUCTOSYLTRANSFERASE (1-SST) may have accounted for sucrose and kestose contents drop in the leaves of waterlogged plants. Two anti-correlated modules harbouring candidate hub-genes, including 1-SST, were identified by weighted gene correlation network analysis, and proposed to control positively and negatively kestose levels. In silico analysis further pointed at transcription factors of GATA, DOF, WRKY types as putative regulators of 1-SST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soilless cultivation systems are efficient tools to control nitrates by managing nutrient solution (NS) salinity and nitrogen availability, however, these nitrate-lowering strategies require appropriate calibration based on species/genotype-specific responses interacting with climate and growing conditions. Three experiments were carried out on lettuce and Cichorium endivia grown in ebb-and-flow (EF) and floating (FL) systems at two levels of NS salinity (EC = 2.5 and 3.5 dS m−1) (EC2.5, EC3.5, respectively) under autumn and early-spring (lettuce) and winter and late-spring conditions (C. endivia). Nitrogen deprivation (NS withdrawal a few days before the harvest) was tested at EC2.5, in the autumn and winter cycles. The EF-system caused an increase in salinity in the substrate where roots mainly develop so it mimicked the effect of the EC3.5 treatment. In the winter-grown lettuce, the EF-system or EC3.5 treatment was effective in reducing the nitrate level without effects on yield, with the EF baby-leaf showing an improved quality (color, dry matter, chlorophylls, carotenoid, vitamin C, phenol). In both seasons, the EF/EC3.5 treatment resulted in a decline in productivity, despite a further reduction in nitrate content and a rise in product quality occurring. This response was strictly linked to the increasing salt-stress loaded by the EC3.5/EF as highlighted by the concurrent Cl− accumulation. In early-spring, the FL/EC3.5 combination may represent a trade-off between yield, nitrate content and product quality. In contrast, in winter-grown endive/escarole the EC3.5, EF and EC3.5/EF reduced the nitrate level with no effect on yield, product quality or Cl− uptake, thus proving them to be more salt-tolerant than lettuce. High temperatures during the late-spring cycle promoted nitrate and Cl− uptake, overcoming the nitrate-controlling effect of salinity charged by the EF system or EC3.5. The nitrate level decreased after 3 day-long (lettuce) or 6 day-long (C. endivia) NS withdrawal. In C. endivia and EF-grown lettuce, it provoked a decrease in yield, but a concurrent improvement in baby-leaf appearance and nutritional quality. More insights are needed to fine-tune the duration of the NS removal taking into account the soilless system used and species-specific characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal waste compost was evaluated under open field conditions for replacing synthetic fertilizers in a vegetable three-year succession. Three compost rates, 45 t ha-1, 30 t ha-1 and 15 t ha-1 (dry matter), and compost at 15 t ha-1 combined with 25%, and 50% of the full synthetic nitrogen rate, were compared to full and none synthetic nitrogen fertilizations. Crop succession was: tomato followed by endive in the first year; eggplant and, then, broccoli in the second year; tomato and, then, endive/broccoli, in the third year. The application of compost at a dose of at least 30 t ha-1 or at 15 t ha-1 with the addition of 25% of the full synthetic nitrogen rate, in Spring-Summer cycle, sustained growth and yield at levels comparable with those of synthetic nitrogen fertilization. However, only a very poor residual effect of the compost soil treatment on the yield of Autumn-Winter crops, was observed. Monitoring of nitrate content into the soil during cropping seasons, a reduction of the risk of groundwater pollution was displayed due to nitrates released by compost, respect to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. The cumulative effects of compost application on soil properties were detected at the end of the field trials, registering changes in chemical parameters analysed, except for phosphorus and boron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human iodine (I) shortage disorders are documented as an imperative world-wide health issue for a great number of people. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends I consumption through ingestion of seafood and biofortified food such as vegetables. The current work was carried out to appraise the effects of different I concentrations (0, 50, 250, and 500 mg L-1. Plants sprayed with 250 mg I L-1 and cultivated in the fall season had the highest I leaf concentration. Overall, our results evidently suggested that an I application of 250 mg L-1 in both growing seasons effectively enhanced plant quality and functional parameters in curly endive plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous studies acknowledged the importance of an adequate vegetable consumption for human health. However, current methods to estimate vegetable intake are often prone to measurement errors due to self-reporting and/or insufficient detail. More objective intake biomarkers for vegetables, using biological specimens, are preferred. The only concentration biomarkers currently available are blood carotenoids and vitamin C, covering total fruit and vegetable intake. Identification of biomarkers for specific vegetables is needed for a better understanding of their relative importance for human health. Within the FoodBAll Project under the Joint Programming Initiative "A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life", an ambitious action was undertaken to identify candidate intake biomarkers for all major food groups consumed in Europe by systematically reviewing the existent literature. This study describes the review on candidate biomarkers of food intake (BFIs) for leafy, bulb, and stem vegetables, which was conducted within PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science for studies published through March 2019. Results: In total, 65 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility for leafy vegetables, and 6 full-text articles were screened for bulb and stem vegetables. Putative BFIs were identified for spinach, lettuce, endive, asparagus, artichoke, and celery, but not for rocket salad. However, after critical evaluation through a validation scheme developed by the FoodBAll consortium, none of the putative biomarkers appeared to be a promising BFI. The food chemistry data indicate that some candidate BFIs may be revealed by further studies. Conclusion: Future randomized controlled feeding studies combined with observational studies, applying a non-targeted metabolomics approach, are needed in order to identify valuable BFIs for the intake of leafy, bulb, and stem vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of genetic diversity in elite breeding stocks is crucial for the registration and protection of new varieties. Moreover, experimental population structure analysis and information about the genetic distinctiveness of commercial materials are essential for crop breeding programs. The purpose of our research was to assess the genetic relationships of 32 endive (Cichorium endivia L.) breeding lines, 18 from var. latifolium (escarole) and 14 from var. crispum (curly), using heterologous Cichorium intybus-derived simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) markers. We found that 14 out of 29 SSR markers were successfully amplified, but only 8 of them were related to polymorphic loci. To overcome the limitation of the low number of informative SSR marker loci, an alternative SNP-based approach was employed. The 4621 SNPs produced by a restriction site-associated DNA marker sequencing approach were able to fully discriminate the 32 endive accessions; most importantly, as many as 50 marker loci were found to distinguish the curly group from the escarole group. Interestingly, 24 of the marker loci mapped within a peripheral segment of chromosome 8 of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), spanning a chromosomal region of 49.6 Mb. Following Sanger sequencing-based validation, three genes were determined to carry nonsynonymous SNPs, and one of them matched a putative ortholog of AtELP1, subunit 1 of the Elongator complex. Considering that several previously characterized Elongator complex subunit mutants exhibited elongated and/or curly leaf phenotypes, this gene should be taken into consideration for a better understanding of the underlying mechanism controlling leaf shape in endive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endive (Cichorium endivia L.) is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant which belongs to the Asteraceae family, widely distributed, and grown worldwide. During the March of 2022, a disease with leaf spot symptoms was observed on Cichorium endivia L in 35% of the planted area in a farm field in Ding xi city, Gansu Province, China. Disease symptoms were observed in leaves of endives with pinpoint-sized green spots. The entire plant turns yellow and wilts, and becomes dry starting in the center until it splits or cracks. The K1 strain isolated from infected plants was identified as Epicoccum nigrum based on morphological characteristics, culture features, and molecular identification. To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. nigrum causing leaf spots on endive (Cichorium endivia L.) in China. • The first report of Epicoccum nigrum Causing Leaf Spot of Endive in China. • This can be helpful for the control of bitterchrysanthemum leaf spot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Highlights • Pseudomonas dominated minimally processed escarole. • A high diversity of strains and species was found among Pseudomonas genus. • Uncut leaves retained quality parameters better than RTE escarole. Abstract The present work was carried out to investigate the microbiological and physicochemical parameters of minimally processed escarole (Cichorium endivia var. latifolium) subjected to two different transformation processes, a classic ready-to-eat process (cut leaves, CL) and a process that excluded the cutting operation (entire leaves, EL) as control trial. Both trials were monitored during the refrigerated (4 °C) storage extended until 15 d. Total mesophilic microorganisms, total psychrotrophic microorganisms and pseudomonads were detected at the highest cell densities in all samples. The genotypic characterization of the dominating microbial populations resulted in the identification of six Gram positive and 34 Gram negative bacterial strains and five yeast strains. Species within Pseudomonas genus were found at the highest levels and showed the highest biodiversity among the bacterial community of both CL and EL trials. The most numerous groups were represented by Pseudomonas fragi , Pseudomonas grimontii , Pseudomonas marginalis and Pseudomonas poae. Among yeasts, Candida spp. and Rhodotorula spp. were identified. A lower weight loss and colour variation and a higher soluble solid content and ascorbic acid initial retention were registered for EL production, while nitrates content and titratable acidity were not affected by processing. The integrated approach based on the monitoring of several parameters showed how the overall quality of fresh cut escarole decreased over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum (Mo) is required in enzymes involved in a number of different metabolic processes, and is crucial for the survival of plants and animals. The influence of nutrient solutions containing four levels of molybdenum (0, 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 µmol/L) on growth, yield, and quality of lettuce, escarole, and curly endive grown in a hydroponic floating system was evaluated. Biometric, nutrient, and quality analyseswere conducted to assess the response of each species toMo. The results demonstrated that molybdenum is essential for harvesting marketable plants. Lettuce, escarole, and curly endive plants differed significantly in their response to molybdenum fertilization. The increase of Mo concentration in the nutrient solution was not harmful for plants and had no influence on yield and morphological traits of the leafy vegetables; however, it significantly affected some quality characteristics. Mo fertilization raised the nutritional quality by increasing ascorbic acid content up to 320.2, 139.0, and 102.1 mg kg 1 FW(fresh weight), and reducing nitrate content down to 1039.2, 1047.3, and 1181.2 mg kg-1 FW for lettuce, escarole, and curly endive, respectively. The addition of Mo in the nutrient solution increased the Mo content of plants up to 0.50, 4.02, and 2.68 µg g-1 FW for lettuce, escarole, and curly endive, respectively. Increasing Mo supply to lettuce, escarole, and curly endive up to 3.0 µmol L-1 could lead to a higher nutritional quality with no significant morphological alteration or yield loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White mould can affect the production of a wide range of economically important crops worldwide. The symptoms may be caused by several species, including Sclerotinia subarctica, a species mostly occurring in northern latitudes in sympatry with S. sclerotiorum. Although the two species are morphologically indistinguishable, S. subarctica was reported to have different climatic requirements for mycelial growth and production of apothecia. These differences may affect the precision of white mould risk prediction models that are based on the production of ascospores by S. sclerotiorum. To assess the presence of S. subarctica in France, we adapted a rapid PCR-based test to distinguish S. subarctica from other commonly found species of Sclerotinia. This test was used to characterize a collection of 969 Sclerotinia sp. isolates originating from various plants (bean, canola, carrot, lettuce, melon and witloof chicory), air and soil samples in different regions of France. One single isolate, collected from witloof chicory in northern France, was identified as S. subarctica. When genotyped with five microsatellite markers designed for S. sclerotiorum, this isolate had a haplotypic profile that was clearly distinct from the other isolates. The ITS sequence of this isolate was identical to those of isolates collected in northern Europe and Alaska. Koch’s postulates were verified. When inoculated on witloof chicory, the isolate identified as S. subarctica induced white mould symptoms. This study is the first to report the presence of S. subarctica south of the 51st parallel north and on witloof chicory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the agro-food industry, related to the horticultural sector, promising products are the ones called “ready to eat”, “ready to use”. Fresh processed vegetables, belonging to the “fresh cut” products, are considered barely treated and potentially more sustainable than frozen ones. The principal aim of this study is assessing the environmental impact of nursery step for seedlings production, commonly included in the vegetable chain production in Italy and other countries. Four different kinds of salad have been assessed: Cichorium endivia var. crispum (curly endive), Cicorium endivia var. latifolium (escarole), Cichorium intybus var. foliosum (red chicory) and Cichorium intybus var. foliosum (sugarloaf chicory).Methods: The study was conducted following ISO standards on life cycle assessment (14,040, 14,044) with a “cradle to nursery gate” approach. The functional unit (FU) selected was one small plant in polystyrene tray (170 holes); this choice is due to a requirement of repeatability and comparability of the analysis outcomes. Data for inventory analysis have been detected throughout surveys, questionnaires and direct measurements. In more details, materials used for structures, energy and mass flows have been considered. Calculation method selected is the CML 2 baseline 2000 v. 2.05 with the related impact categories.Results and discussion: Results show that the four species have a comparable environmental load. Differences among the different impact categories are lower than the 30% excluding eutrophication for escarole (−56%) with respect to sugarloaf chicory. Specie that presents the lowest impact is Escarole. This is due to the shorter cultivation cycle. Thermoplastic and plastic materials and their production, substrates extraction and direct emissions from fertilizers and pesticides are the main contributors affecting the environmental sustainability of seedlings production.Conclusions: Consistently with other studies on similar research topic, energy consumption, such as electricity, gives a load of little relevance. Taking into account only the category of global warming, the absolute average load of one seedling produced is 2.53e-3 kg CO2 eq. Further studies regarding the evaluation of alternative production system with a lower use of plastics and thermoplastics will be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities, total phenolic compounds (TPC), vitamin C content, antioxidant activity, as well as overall visual quality and color parameters occurring during 4 days of storage were evaluated in lettuce and endive elicited with jasmonic acid (JA) and arachidonic acid (AA). The content of ascorbic acid in elicited with 100 µM AA2 and jasmonic acid (1 µM-JA1 and 100 µM -JA2) lettuce leaves at the end of the storage was significantly higher than in the control. Surprisingly, the TPC content in control (not elicited) and elicited endive leaves was generally higher at the end of storage time. Additionally, AA1- and JA2-elicited lettuce and JA2-elicited endive stored for 4 days had statistically significantly better scores of overall acceptability in comparison to the control. Thus, the research undertaken in this article has shown that elicited vegetables can be used for production ready-to-eat salads. Practical applications Elicitation is a method of improving plant immunity and the health of plant food by inducing secondary metabolism. However, many secondary metabolites, such as phenolic compounds or plant defense enzymes induced by elicitation, can shape the quality and suitability of plant food storage. This study confirms the ability of elicitation to increase the health of leafy vegetables, but focused mainly on the possibility of using elicited vegetables in production of ready-to-use salads. The results obtained allow us to state that leafy vegetables (lettuce and endive) elicited with arachidonic acid and jasmonic acid may provide valuable material for the production of ready-to-eat salads because they are characterized by similar storage ability with simultaneous higher pro-health quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the Pulsed Light technology (PL) for its efficiency to reduce the microbial loads on mung bean sprouts and endive salad during a simulated wash process for up to 60 s. The microbicidal action of PL proved to be more efficient than the sanitizers electrolyzed water (40 ppm free chlorine) and chlorine dioxide (15 ppm) within the same treatment time. Reductions of the microbial count up to 2.5 log were found in case of PL treated endive salad while both sanitizers only caused maximum reductions by about 1.5 log. A combination of PL and sanitizers did not have pronounced additional effect for both endive salad and mung bean sprouts. Overall, the decontamination treatments were more effective in case of endive salad compared to mung bean sprouts. It was also shown that the microbial loads in the washing water may be kept on a low level during PL treatments as count reductions of approx. 3 log were found in relation to simply washing in tap water. This study reveals that PL may be a suitable approach to reduce microbial hazards of industrially manufactured fresh produce. The application during the washing process not only reduces microbial loads on the product surface but also efficiently inactivates suspended microorganisms in the wash water and may therefore be an alternative to sanitizers for the prevention of cross contaminations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the applicability of Quillaja saponaria extract (QSE) and N α -lauroyl- l -arginine ethyl ester (LAE) as antimicrobial wash water additives in fresh-cut lettuce processing. Antibacterial activities of LAE and QSE against selected strains of the foodborne pathogens Salmonella enterica , Bacillus cereus , Staphylococcus aureus , Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Listeria monocytogenes were examined in vitro . Minimum inhibitory concentrations determined by broth microdilution assay demonstrated that LAE exhibited a strong antimicrobial activity with MICs between 4 and 32 μg/mL against all tested strains, whereas QSE showed a weaker antimicrobial activity with MICs >512 μg/mL. On a pilot-plant scale, the effects of warm water washing at 45 °C for 120 s with and without 40 mg/L QSE or 100 mg/L LAE as well as cold water washing at 4 °C for 120 s with QSE or LAE, respectively, of shredded endive ( Cichorium endivia L.) were investigated regarding microbiological and sensory quality as well as physiological properties. Samples were analyzed for headspace O 2 and CO 2 levels, phenylalanine-ammonia-lyase activity and contents of nitrite and nitrate during nine days of cold storage at 4 °C. By analogy to its antimicrobial effect against the foodborne pathogens in vitro , LAE allowed up to 4 log 10 cfu/mL reduction of the microbial load in the washing water of the pilot plant, and might therefore reduce cross-contamination while saving water. The addition of LAE to warm washing water impaired sensory properties of fresh-cut endive during storage, which was predicted by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging analyses. QSE treatment combined with warm water washing best retained sensory appearance throughout our study, being possibly suitable for the production of premium products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The customers increasingly prefer fresh-cut packed vegetables which can be used at home easily. The production and trade of these products are very close for their limited shelf life. The aim of analysis is to demonstrate the relationship of expiration-date and the date of keeping quality in different storage temperature. Methods: Samples: one component fresh-cut vegetables and mixes. Storage trial: 6, 12, 20ºC, 11 days. Laboratory analysis: organoleptic evaluation, vitamin C and peroxidase enzyme activity. Results: After 3 day storage the vegetables kept their characteristic features, like fresh smell, colour, good taste, fresh habit. The time and the different temperatures induced different changes among others withering, rotting and fermentation. During the storage experiment 3 groups were found to develop. There are some which can be stored well (iceberg lettuce, endivie), can be stored badly with rotting (spinach, corn salad, rocket salad), and can be stored badly with fermentation (cabbage).

Chicories produce a wide range of vegetables with important nutritional value. We determined the variation of sterol, total polyphenol, nitrate contents and antioxidant capacity (SC, TPC, NC, AC) in endive leaves and stem-chicory novel vegetables, cultivated in two Italian regions. Within a given area, the SC was similar in smooth- and curly leafed endives (106.3-176.0 mg/kg FW); sitosterol and stigmasterol were major fractions (45-56 versus 38-43%). The stem SC was independent of landrace (101.5-118.6 mg/kg FW); sitosterol prevailed on stigmasterol and fucosterol (73-76 versus 12-14% versus 8-9%); the latter reached 15.7 mg/kg FW, conferring value as potential antidiabetes food. The planting site affected the AC and TPC of endives (893.1-1571.4 μmTE/100 g FW, 30.8-76.1 GAE100/g FW) and chicory stems (729.8-1152.5 μmTE/100 g FW; 56.2-124.4 GAE100/g FW), while the NC was recurrently below dangerous thresholds. PCA showed that environment was the major cause of variation, though it modestly affected these parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superficial short-wavelength ultraviolet (UV-C) treatment (1.2 kJ/m) of fresh-cut endive was combined with conventional cold (4 °C, 120 s) and innovative warm (45 °C, 120 s) water washing prior to and after irradiation in order to improve its microbial and sensory quality including physiological properties. UV-C doses applied exerted only minor physiological stress on the plant tissue, irrespective of the washing procedure as indicated by largely unaltered headspace gas compositions, chlorophyll fluorescence maximum quantum yields ( F / F ), and retention of chlorophylls and β-carotene. Independent of the washing procedure applied, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD) activities were slightly inhibited by UV-C irradiation. As a result of UV-C irradiation, significantly improved microbiological and sensory quality was retained during the entire storage period, particularly, when applied after washing. Being applicable in organic fresh-cut production, UV-C represents a valuable alternative to chlorine application to washing water. The most efficient decontamination (2.1 log units) of fresh-cut endive was achieved by combining warm water washing with subsequent UV-C irradiation. Furthermore, when UV-C lamps were integrated into the water tank of a continuous industrial washing machine, the microbial loads of the process water were also significantly lowered. Accordingly, in-line UV-C decontamination of process water may be instrumental in minimizing both fresh water consumption and the risk of cross-contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensory, physiological, and microbial quality of fresh-cut iceberg lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) and endive ( Cichorium endivia L.) produced by ultra-high-pressure water jet cutting was compared to that obtained by conventional blade cutting. Two settings of water pressure (2500, 3300 bar) and nozzle size (0.10, 0.12 mm) were investigated at pilot-plant scale to provide insights into the industrial applicability of the water jet cutting technology. During the subsequent 12 days of storage of the fresh-cut products in consumer-sized film bags, headspace gas composition, activities of phenylalanine-ammonia-lyase, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase, contents of phenolic compounds, and bacterial viable counts were monitored. Furthermore, visual appearance of the products was examined by stereo microscopy and sensory evaluation. When comparing blade cut and water jet cut products, differences in headspace gas composition, enzyme activities, phenolic contents and bacterial viable counts were insignificant for both fresh-cut iceberg lettuce and endive. Although water pressure and nozzle size only exerted a slight effect on sensory quality and the appearance of cut edges, tentatively, a pressure of 2500 bar and nozzle size of 0.10 mm ensured optimum sensory quality of the cut salads. Hence, fully equivalent product quality was achieved by water jet and conventional blade cutting. Despite higher investment, water jet cutting technology may be considered as a valuable alternative to blade cutting systems in the production of fresh-cut products, thus avoiding interruptions of the production chain due to time- and cost-intense sharpening of the knives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endive (Cichorium endivia L.) is a leaf vegetable with high vitamin and nutritional values. Therefore, an increase of its cultivation in Poland and other European countries has been observed in recent years. The aim of this research was to study the effect of different growth media on the quality and photosynthetic efficiency of different endive cultivars. The experiment was conducted in controlled greenhouse conditions. Endive was grown in three independent NFT cultivation systems: a standard culture medium (control, A1), a culture medium concentrated three-fold (A2) and a medium concentrated five-fold (A3). Four cultivars were used: 'Kethel', 'Barundi', 'Galanti' and 'Perceval'. The plants were examined for the number and weight of fullygrown leaves and the weight of roots, dry matter content and chemical quality attributes of endive such as ascorbic acid (AA), total soluble solids (TSS), chlorophyll and proline. In addition, several physiological traits such as modulated chlorophyll a fluorescence were measured. Both three-fold and five-fold increases of ion concentration in the nutrient solution induced stress in the endive plants. Our results showed that the photosynthetic efficiency of the tested endive plants was affected by the cultivar factor and only the highest (five-fold) ion concentration in the nutrient solution. Growth under a medium of three-fold ion concentration did not affect the photosynthetic efficiency, despite observed changes in the growth and quality parameters of the endive plants. This study suggests that the type of fluorescence measurements used in this experiment (modulated) cannot be recommended as a sufficient bioindicator during endive production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Fresh edible parts of 32 endive (var. crispum and latifolium ) and 64 chicory accessions (Head radicchio, Sugarloaf, Leafy radicchio, and Witloof types) were analyzed for their sesquiterpene lactone (SL) and phenolic concentrations, and HPLC profile. Six SL and 20 phenolic compounds, belonging to hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, were quantified. Total SL were in the range of 128–2045 and 383–2497 mg kg −1 d.m. for endive and chicory, respectively, whereas total phenolics ranged from 2207 to 15,235 and from 1356 to 77,907 mg kg −1 d.m. in the two species. An ample variability and significant differences were detected between endive and chicory and among variety and type, within species. On average, the highest SL concentration was verified in Sugarloaf chicory, whereas red Head radicchio chicories showed the highest phenolic concentration. The two species were clearly separated on the basis of discriminant analysis, with Witloof chicory showing some similar features to endive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature sensitive periods and growth characteristics of endive under different temperatures were investigated in greenhouse by weekly reciprocal transferring experiment condition between warm ( 17 °C ) and cold (average 10.5 °C ) environment. The results indicated that difference in growth rate of endive was significant in cold and warm environments. There was no temperature sensitive period in endive, and it could feel outside temperature, thus, conducted vernalization induction in setting temperature range (2-17 °C ). Meanwhile, low temperature favored the flower bud differentiation. Endives all completed flower bud differentiation and bloting either in warm or in cold environment. It took 24 days to complete flower bud differentiation in cold environment and 60 days in warm environment, and bolting was 7 days later in warm environment than in cold environment. From seeding to bolting, it took 111 days in warm environment and 104 days in cold environment, respectively. After flowering induction, the seeding bolting rate from warm environment to cold environment was obviously higher than that from cold to warm environment and higher temperature led to faster bolting in this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endive (Cichorium endivia L.) is plant belonging to Asteraceae family. It is very popular vegetable in France, Italy and Germany. Endive because of its high content healthy components can be used in prevent ion against a lot of diseases. The studies were conducted on two varieties of endive: 'Cigal' and 'Marconi' during veget ative of season: 2009 and 2010. The research material was assessed for: dry mat ter, protein, dietary fibre, ash, selected minerals (Ca, Mg, K, P, Na, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu) leve ls and ant ioxidants (vitamin C, phenols components) contents. Also, the calculation of the energy value, carbohydrates and the ant ioxidant potential of ABTS. were performed. The endive variety 'Cigal' was characterized higher content of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc and phenols components. While variety 'Marconi' contained more of dry matter, carbohydrat es, diet ary fibre, vitamin C, iron, copper and higher antioxidant activity. The studies showed stat istically significant differences in terms of the content of components and ant ioxidant act ivity, between analysed variet ies of vegetable and vegetat ion of season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Decay rate of cover crop biomass was high in deep green manure and low in mulch strip. [•] Hairy vetch residues have a long-term effect on soil mineral N and vegetable yield. [•] Oat and oilseed rape residues had no long-term effects on soil N and vegetable yield. [•] Placing hairy vetch residues in mulch strips provides a long-term soil N availability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]