Factor analysis and cluster analysis of mineral elements contents in different blueberry cultivars

Cadmium toxicity in blueberry cultivation and the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that interferes with essential metabolic pathways crucial for plant growth, often resulting in toxicity and plant death. Blueberry plants exhibit metabolic adaptations to mitigate the stress caused by elevated Cd levels. In this review, we highlighted the effects of Cd-induced stress on blueberry plants and explored the potential alleviating effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Cd uptake disrupts plant metabolism and impacts primary and secondary metabolites, including anthocyanins, which play a role in defense mechanisms against pathogens. Hence, Cd-induced stress alters anthocyanin levels in blueberry leaves, negatively affecting antioxidant defense mechanisms and hindering growth. Conversely, AMF establishes a symbiotic relationship with blueberry plants, promoting nutrient absorption and enhancing stress tolerance. Understanding the association between Cd stress, anthocyanin responses in blueberries, and AMF-mediated mitigation is crucial for developing integrated strategies to enhance blueberry plant health and improve quality. Employing AMF to remediate metal-related stress represents a significant breakthrough for sustainable crop production in a Cd-contaminated environment.

A genome-wide investigation of the mechanism underlying the effect of exogenous boron application on sugar content and overall quality of "Benihoppe" strawberries

In recent years, the widespread application of growth regulators and nutrients to boost yield and quality of strawberry fruits has led to the rapid growth of strawberry industry globally. Although the effects of major nutrients on strawberry yield have been widely studied, investigations into the effect of trace elements such as boron remain limited. This study examined the effect of boron application on the yield and quality of "Benihoppe" strawberry fruits. Nutrient solutions with varying boron concentrations (0, 0.024, 0.048, 0.072, and 0.096 mM) were applied to the plants, and their effect on fruit quality was evaluated. The results indicated that boron application enhanced the yield per plant, nutrient composition (total amino acid and vitamin C content), antioxidant properties (total phenol) and volatile components (esters) in strawberry fruits. Specifically, treatment with 0.048 mM boron concentration significantly increased the accumulation of soluble sugars, such as sucrose, whose concentration was 154.29% higher than that of the control treated with 0 mM concentration. This enhancement is attributable to the regulated expression of sucrose phosphate synthase (maker-Fvb2-2-augustus-gene-229.38) and β-fructofuranosidase-1/2/3 (augustus-masked-Fvb5-4-processed-gene-2.0, maker-Fvb5-3-augustus-gene-272.30, and maker-Fvb5-1-augustus-gene-0.37) genes, which play crucial roles in sugar metabolism and enzyme activity. Overall, boron application enhanced the quality of "Benihoppe" strawberries. The findings of this study offer substantial theoretical and practical guidance for using boron fertilizers in strawberry farming.

Effects of combined application of phosphorus and zinc on growth and physiological characteristics of apple rootstock M9-T337 seedlings (Malus domestica Borkh.)

BACKGROUND

Balancing nutrient application is crucial for plant growth. However, excessive fertilizer use, especially imbalanced applications of macronutrients such as phosphate (P), can hinder plant uptake of micronutrients. Balanced P and zinc (Zn) are vital for apple yield and quality, and apple trees are highly sensitive to deficiencies in these nutrients. Therefore, this study was conducted in May 2022, employed a sand culture experiment to investigate the effects of varying P and Zn levels on the growth phenotype, photosynthetic capacity, antioxidant enzyme activity, sugar composition, endogenous hormone levels, and nutrient absorption and utilization of M9-T337 seedlings. Three levels of P (low, medium, high) and three levels of Zn (low, medium, high) were combined to create a total of nine distinct treatment.

RESULTS

The results indicate that combined P and Zn fertilization at various levels exerts either synergistic or antagonistic effects on the growth, nutrient absorption, and utilization of M9-T337 seedlings. Compared to low and medium levels of P, a combination of high P (4 mmol·L-1) and an adequate amount of Zn significantly enhanced plant growth, root system development, and the microstructure of leaves. Notably, seedlings treated with high P and low Zn (HPLZn) reached a height 1.54 times that of the medium P and medium Zn (MPMZn, control). Physiological indicators under HP conditions revealed significant increases in antioxidant enzyme activity, leaf water retention, photosynthetic pigment concentration, osmotic adjustment substances, and the contents of glucose, sucrose, fructose, endogenous hormones, as well as P and Zn accumulation in the leaves, compared to the control. However, an increase in Zn application led to a declining trend in these parameters. Specifically, the HPLZn treatment exhibited substantial increases in Net photosynthetic rate (Pn), Total chlorophyll (Chl a + b), glucose, fructose, sucrose, and Auxin(IAA), with increments of 7.12%, 27.32%, 11.40%, 23.20%, 16.67%, and 55.11%, respectively, compared to the control.

CONCLUSION

Based on the comprehensive ranking from principal component analysis, the combination of HP ( 4 mmol·L-1) and LZn (0.5 µmol·L-1) was found to be the most effective in enhancing the antioxidant capacity, sugar accumulation, osmotic regulation ability, photosynthetic capacity, endogenous hormone levels, as well as P and Zn nutrient absorption and utilization in M9-T337 seedlings.

Exploring the relationship between metal ion valency and electron transfer in copigmentation processes of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside in simulated fruit wine solutions

In this experiment, five metal ions (K+, Mg2+, Al3+, Ga3+, and Sn4+) were utilized as copigments to investigate their copigmentation processes with cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3OG) in simulated fruit wine solutions. The color characteristics were analyzed using Glories and CIELAB methods, and the copigmentation effects were determined spectrophotometrically. Thermodynamic parameters, including the equilibrium constant (K) and standard Gibbs free energy (ΔG°), were calculated to comprehend the binding affinity between metal ions and C3OG. Ultra-fast femtosecond spectroscopy was employed to monitor the photoinduced electron transfer process between C3OG and cations. Theoretical calculations were also conducted to support experimental findings. The results revealed that the presence of metal ions significantly enhanced the color intensity of C3OG in simulated fruit wine solutions. Higher valency cations, particularly Sn4+, Ga3+, and Al3+, exhibited superior copigmentation effects, resulting in significant bathochromic and hyperchromic changes. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed that the interaction between C3OG and metal ions was spontaneous and exothermic. Ultra-fast femtosecond spectroscopy demonstrated that electron transfer from C3OG to metal ions occurred, with the efficiency of transfer being dependent on valency. Theoretical calculations corroborated the experimental results by highlighting the role of metal ions in stabilizing C3OG/metal complexes through electron transfer. The findings presented in this study contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of pigment/metal complexes and the underlying chemistry behind fruit wine color. Furthermore, it advances the theoretical foundation of copigmentation and broadens its applications in the beverage industry.

Comparative study of the quality indices, antioxidant substances, and mineral elements in different forms of cabbage

BACKGROUND

As the second largest leafy vegetable, cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) is grown globally, and the characteristics of the different varieties, forms, and colors of cabbage may differ. In this study, five analysis methods-variance analysis, correlation analysis, cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and comprehensive ranking-were used to evaluate the quality indices (soluble protein, soluble sugar, and nitrate), antioxidant content (vitamin C, polyphenols, and flavonoids), and mineral (K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) content of 159 varieties of four forms (green spherical, green oblate, purple spherical, and green cow heart) of cabbage.

RESULTS

The results showed that there are significant differences among different forms and varieties of cabbage. Compared to the other three forms, the purple spherical cabbage had the highest flavonoid, K, Mg, Cu, Mn, and Zn content. A scatter plot of the principal component analysis showed that the purple spherical and green cow heart cabbage varieties were distributed to the same quadrant, indicating that their quality indices and mineral contents were highly consistent, while those of the green spherical and oblate varieties were irregularly distributed. Overall, the green spherical cabbage ranked first, followed by the green cow heart, green oblate, and purple spherical varieties.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide a theoretical basis for the cultivation and high-quality breeding of cabbage.

Ultrasound-mediated hydration of finger millet: Effects on antinutrients, techno-functional and bioactive properties, with evaluation of ANN-PSO and RSM optimization methods

Finger millet, rich in nutrients, faces bioavailability limitations due to antinutrients like phytates and tannins that can be reduced by ultrasound mediated hydration (USH). Here, USH process of finger millet was optimized by varying ultrasound amplitude, water to grain ratio (W:G), treatment time, and frequency for reducing antinutrients and improving techno-functional attributes. USH resulted in a maximum reduction of 73% and 71% in phytates and tannins, respectively. The process was modeled using artificial neural network (ANN) and response surface methodology (RSM). ANN outperformed RSM in process prediction, and particle swarm optimization (ANN-PSO) suggested optimal conditions: 76% amplitude, W:G of 3.5:1, 17.5 min treatment time at 40 kHz. USH samples showed higher β-sheet, β-turn, and random coil proportions, with lower α-helix levels. Multivariate analysis also identified higher amplitude and frequency, with shorter treatment time as desirable USH conditions. USH could aid in enhancing commercial viability and nutritional quality of finger millet.

Explorative study for the rapid detection of Fritillaria using gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry

Fritillaria is a well-known health-promoting food, but it has many varieties and its market circulation is chaotic. In order to explore the differences in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) among different varieties of Fritillaria and quickly and accurately determine the variety of Fritillaria, this study selected six varieties of Fritillaria and identified and analyzed their volatile components using gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), establishing the characteristic fingerprints of VOCs in Fritillaria. In all samples, a total of 76 peaks were detected and 67 VOCs were identified. It was found that the composition of VOCs in different varieties of Fritillaria was similar, but the content was different. Combined with chemometric analysis, the differences between VOCs were clearly shown after principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and partial least-squares discriminant analysis. This may provide theoretical guidance for the identification and authenticity determination of different varieties of Fritillaria.

Rapid and nondestructive identification of adulterate capsules by NIR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics

This study aims to develop a rapid and non-destructive method to identify counterfeit and substandard drugs, addressing the critical need for better quality control in drug production. According to the reasons for counterfeit products in actual production, the commonly used solid preparation excipients such as HPMC, MCC, Mg-St and Pregelatinized Starch, as well as three chemical drugs with similar efficacy to Guizhi-Fuling (GZFL) Capsule as adulterants, including Aspirin, Ibuprofen and Sinomenine Hydrochloride were selected and designed as adulteration samples with different levels of adulteration. NIR spectra were collected in a non-invasive mode and analyzed by one-class classification methods. The feasibility of using Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a detection method to qualitatively identify adulterated samples was explored at three packaging levels of powder, intact capsules and capsules in PVC. The differences between the samples were analyzed by NIR spectra comparison, cluster analysis and principal component analysis. The performance of SVM, OCPLS and DD-SIMCA models in dealing with the authentication of genuine and counterfeit products was established and compared. The results show that the spectra contain sample information and the adulterated samples could be discriminated correctly by established models. Moreover, applying appropriate spectral preprocessing methods can further improve the model's performance. In addition, a PLS regression model was developed to predict the adulteration levels of the three packing level samples, which yielded satisfactory results. This study highlights the potential of NIR spectroscopy combined with Chemometrics as a rapid and non-destructive testing analysis method to accurately identify counterfeit and substandard drugs, thereby ensuring drug quality.

Variations in the morphological and chemical composition of the rhizomes of Polygonatum species based on a common garden experiment

Polygonatum species have great potential in fighting chronic and hidden hunger. In this study, five Polygonatum species collected from different populations were cultivated in a common garden for 4 years. The species mainly differed in yield, saponin and polysaccharide contents, stem diameter, leaf width, inflorescence length, and floret inflorescence length. P. cyrtonema (PC) provides high-quality yield when planted in Zhejiang, with output as high as 7.5 tons per hectare and a promising breeding potential. Moreover, stem diameter can be used as an indicator of the harvest in the screening of varieties. In addition, the formation of plant genetic traits from different provenances is affected by the climatic factors of the origin. Furthermore, near-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics for polysaccharide and saponin quantitation provides a rapid assessment of PC quality. Our findings provide a scientific basis for the development and sustainable utilization of PC as a high-yielding and high-quality forest crop.

Assessing Grain Productivity Coupled with Farmers’ Behaviors Based on the Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZ) Model

This study presents a method that dynamically embeds constraints of farmers’ management and input levels to improve a traditional agro-ecological zones (AEZ) model to solve the problem of overestimation of grain production capacity. The proposed method is applied to Yuanjiang county in central China to evaluate the grain productivity of farmland and analyze its spatial distribution characteristics. Our results indicated that (1) The feasibility of the AEZ method coupled with farmers’ behavior had been verified, and the revised model can better improve the accuracy of the evaluation results. (2) Low-value areas of grain production potential are mainly distributed in the central region, high-value areas are mainly distributed in the southwest and northeast regions, and the spatial differentiation characteristics of production potential and total production capacity are the same. (3) The total grain productivity is 935,800 tons, and the total yield gap is 470,100 tons, which is 1.01 times the actual yield, indicating a large potential to increase grain production under the current technicality. The main contribution of this study is to propose a method to dynamically embed farmers’ behavioral factors into the traditional AEZ model, and apply this method to the actual farmland productivity evaluation in small-scale areas, which improves the reliability of the actual regional productivity evaluation results.

Dyadic profiles of family resilience among patients with first-episode stroke: A longitudinal study of the first 6 months after stroke

BACKGROUND

The importance of family resilience in the recovery of stroke patients has been demonstrated in numerous studies. However, little is known about post-stroke family resilience.

AIMS

To investigate the family resilience of stroke patients from a patient-caregiver dyadic perspective during the first 6 months after stroke.

METHODS

A total of 288 dyads of patients diagnosed with a first-episode stroke and their principal caregivers were recruited from neurology departments of 7 tertiary hospitals in Shanghai and Shangqiu, China. Family resilience and family function were assessed during hospitalisation and at 1, 3 and 6 months after stroke. K-means cluster analysis was used to identify different clusters of family resilience based on family resilience of patients and caregivers during hospitalisation. The STROBE guidelines for observational studies were followed.

RESULTS

Three clusters of family resilience were identified with distinct trajectories: cluster of high resilience (HR), cluster of low resilience (LR) and cluster of discrepant resilience (DR). The level of family function was consistently highest in cluster HR and lowest in cluster with LR at four time points. Most (69.8%) families fell into the cluster with low resilience and low family function. Characteristics such as the Rankin scores and education level of patients, education level of caregivers, family monthly income and living district were different among the three clusters.

CONCLUSIONS

We concluded that family resilience was linked to the family functioning of patients with a first-episode stroke, however, the levels of resilience in most families were low. Factors, including the education level, family income and stroke severity of patients were revealed to influence the family resilience and its development.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

A resilience-focused approach to family-related treatment is beneficial for families. Therefore, understanding family resilience among stroke survivors is needed to inform the development of interventions for enhancing the recovery of stroke families.