Healthy and Resilient Cereals and Pseudo-Cereals for Marginal Agriculture: Molecular Advances for Improving Nutrient Bioavailability

Harmony in Motion: Unraveling the Nexus of Sports, Plant-Based Nutrition, and Antioxidants for Peak Performance

The intricate interplay between plant-based nutrition, antioxidants, and their impact on athletic performance forms the cornerstone of this comprehensive review. Emphasizing the pivotal importance of dietary choices in the realm of sports, this paper sets the stage for an in-depth exploration of how stress and physical performance are interconnected through the lens of nutrition. The increasing interest among athletes in plant-based diets presents an opportunity with benefits for health, performance, and recovery. It is essential to investigate the connection between sports, plants, and antioxidants. Highlighting the impact of nutrition on recovery and well-being, this review emphasizes how antioxidants can help mitigate oxidative stress. Furthermore, it discusses the growing popularity of plant-based diets among athletes. It elaborates on the importance of antioxidants in combating radicals addressing stress levels while promoting cellular health. By identifying rich foods, it emphasizes the role of a balanced diet in ensuring sufficient intake of these beneficial compounds. Examining stress within the context of sports activities, this review provides insights into its mechanisms and its impact on athletic performance as well as recovery processes. This study explores the impact of plant-based diets on athletes including their types, potential advantages and challenges. It also addresses the drawbacks of relying on plant-based diets, concerns related to antioxidant supplementation and identifies areas where further research is needed. Furthermore, the review suggests directions for research and potential innovations in sports nutrition. Ultimately it brings together the aspects of sports, plant-based nutrition, and antioxidants to provide a perspective for athletes, researchers and practitioners. By consolidating existing knowledge, it offers insights that can pave the way for advancements in the ever-evolving field of sports nutrition.

Impact of germination pre-treatments on buckwheat and Quinoa: Mitigation of anti-nutrient content and enhancement of antioxidant properties

This study evaluated the effects of pre-germination treatments on the nutritional and anti-nutritional values of buckwheat and quinoa during germination. Pre-germination method was effective on the chemical composition and phenolic profile of buckwheat and quinoa samples (p < 0.05). During the germination, color changes were notable, particularly in the alkali-treated samples. The decrease in tannin content reached the highest rate in germinated buckwheat (83 %) and quinoa (20 %) by alkali treatment. The highest antioxidant and total phenolic content were measured in germinated pseudocereals treated by ultrasound. However, the lowest phytic acid content was determined after germination in the quinoa sample treated by ultrasound. Rutin was the major flavonoid in buckwheat while quercetin, galangin, ellagic, syringic, and p-coumaric acids were only synthesized after 72 h of germination. Catechin and epicatechin were decreased only in the alkali-treated buckwheat sample. Controlled germination processes can enhance the antioxidant activity and development of functional foods from whole grains.

Volatile profile of quinoa and lentil flour under fungal fermentation and drying

Solid-state fermentation reportedly improves the nutritional and sensory properties of legumes and pseudocereals. This study examined changes in the volatile profile using HS-SPME-GC-MS of two varieties of lentil and quinoa flour fermented with Pleurotus ostreatus and dried using hot-air drying and lyophilisation. Fermentation significantly increased the volatile profile. Pardina lentil flour showed a 570% increase in its volatile profile, and 10 compounds were created. In white quinoa, the total area rose from 96 to 4500, and 30 compounds were created. Compounds such as 1-octen-3-ol, benzaldehyde, 3-octanone and hexanal were generated during fermentation, providing a sweet, grassy, cocoa flavour. Hot-air drying led to decrease of over 40% in total peak area. Dried fermented flour retained higher levels of compounds that provide a sweet, cocoa aroma. Air-drying temperature had no significant influence on the volatile profile. This a allows the inclusion of these flours in a wide variety of food products.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Derivatives of the Marine Natural Product Laurene

Plant pathogenic fungi and viruses are seriously threatening agricultural production. There is an urgent need to develop novel fungicides and antiviral agents with low toxicity and high efficiency. In this study, we designed and synthesized 32 thiazole-, hydrazone-, and amide-containing derivatives of laurene and systematically evaluated their antiviral activities and fungicidal activities. Structure-simplified compounds 5a-5c, 5i, 5k, 5l, 11a, 11j, and 12c displayed higher antiviral activities than that of ningnanmycin. Compound 11a with a simple chemical structure, convenient synthetic route, and excellent antiviral activity emerged as a secondary lead compound. The docking results show that compounds 5i, 5k, and 11a have strong interactions with the tobacco mosaic virus coat protein (TMV CP). These compounds also exhibited significant fungicidal activities. Compounds 5g, 5k, 11j, and 11l displayed 9.15-17.45 μg/mL EC50 values against Pyricularia grisea, and compounds 5h (EC50: 8.01 μg/mL) and 11i (EC50: 15.23 μg/mL) exhibited a similar level of EC50 values with chlorothalonil (EC50: 7.33 μg/mL) against Physalospora piricola. Preliminary fungicidal mechanism research indicated that compound 5h has a certain destructive effect on the hyphae of P. piricola. This work lays a foundation for the application of laurene derivatives in plant protection.

Metabolic pathways engineering for drought or/and heat tolerance in cereals

Drought (D) and heat (H) are the two major abiotic stresses hindering cereal crop growth and productivity, either singly or in combination (D/+H), by imposing various negative impacts on plant physiological and biochemical processes. Consequently, this decreases overall cereal crop production and impacts global food availability and human nutrition. To achieve global food and nutrition security vis-a-vis global climate change, deployment of new strategies for enhancing crop D/+H stress tolerance and higher nutritive value in cereals is imperative. This depends on first gaining a mechanistic understanding of the mechanisms underlying D/+H stress response. Meanwhile, functional genomics has revealed several stress-related genes that have been successfully used in target-gene approach to generate stress-tolerant cultivars and sustain crop productivity over the past decades. However, the fast-changing climate, coupled with the complexity and multigenic nature of D/+H tolerance suggest that single-gene/trait targeting may not suffice in improving such traits. Hence, in this review-cum-perspective, we advance that targeted multiple-gene or metabolic pathway manipulation could represent the most effective approach for improving D/+H stress tolerance. First, we highlight the impact of D/+H stress on cereal crops, and the elaborate plant physiological and molecular responses. We then discuss how key primary metabolism- and secondary metabolism-related metabolic pathways, including carbon metabolism, starch metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) biosynthesis, and phytohormone biosynthesis and signaling can be modified using modern molecular biotechnology approaches such as CRISPR-Cas9 system and synthetic biology (Synbio) to enhance D/+H tolerance in cereal crops. Understandably, several bottlenecks hinder metabolic pathway modification, including those related to feedback regulation, gene functional annotation, complex crosstalk between pathways, and metabolomics data and spatiotemporal gene expressions analyses. Nonetheless, recent advances in molecular biotechnology, genome-editing, single-cell metabolomics, and data annotation and analysis approaches, when integrated, offer unprecedented opportunities for pathway engineering for enhancing crop D/+H stress tolerance and improved yield. Especially, Synbio-based strategies will accelerate the development of climate resilient and nutrient-dense cereals, critical for achieving global food security and combating malnutrition.

Agro-Morphological and Molecular Characterization Reveal Deep Insights in Promising Genetic Diversity and Marker-Trait Associations in Fagopyrum esculentum and Fagopyrum tataricum

Characterisation of genetic diversity is critical to adequately exploit the potential of germplasm collections and identify important traits for breeding programs and sustainable crop improvement. Here, we characterised the phenotypic and genetic diversity of a global collection of the two cultivated buckwheat species Fagopyrum esculentum and Fagopyrum tataricum (190 and 51 accessions, respectively) using 37 agro-morphological traits and 24 SSR markers. A wide range of variation was observed in both species for most of the traits analysed. The two species differed significantly in most traits, with traits related to seeds and flowering contributing most to differentiation. The accessions of each species were divided into three major phenoclusters with no clear geographic clustering. At the molecular level, the polymorphic SSR markers were highly informative, with an average polymorphic information content (PIC) of over 0.65 in both species. Genetic diversity, as determined by Nei's expected heterozygosity (He), was high (He = 0.77 and He = 0.66, respectively) and differed significantly between species (p = 0.03) but was homogeneously distributed between regions, confirming the lack of genetic structure as determined by clustering approaches. The weak genetic structure revealed by the phenotypic and SSR data and the low fixation indices in both species suggested frequent seed exchange and extensive cultivation and selection. In addition, 93 and 140 significant (p < 0.05) marker-trait associations (MTAs) were identified in both species using a general linear model and a mixed linear model, most of which explained >20% of the phenotypic variation in associated traits. Core collections of 23 and 13 phenotypically and genetically diverse accessions, respectively, were developed for F. esculentum and F. tataricum. Overall, the data analysed provided deep insights into the agro-morphological and genetic diversity and genetic relationships among F. esculentum and F. tataricum accessions and pointed to future directions for genomics-based breeding programs and germplasm management.

The impact of age-related digestive disorders on in vitro digestibility of macronutrients and bioaccessibility of minor components of chia seeds

Gastrointestinal (GI) functions deteriorate with age, primarily affecting protein digestion. The consumption of chia seeds may be helpful for the elderly because they offer a vegetable-based source of proteins, healthy lipids, fibre and micronutrients. The impact of common age-related GI deterioration on chia seed digestibility was assessed using in vitro digestion models. The goal was to study the potential of chia seeds as part of the diet of seniors. Deterioration in the oral, gastric and intestinal stages of digestion was cumulatively assessed in three digestion models: E1 (deterioration in oral conditions), E2 (deterioration in oral and gastric conditions) and E3 (deterioration in oral, gastric and intestinal conditions). Less efficient chewing (E1) decreased proteolysis, lipolysis and antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05). In contrast, deterioration in gastric functions seemed to affect only total polyphenolic content. Finally, in the model simulating the greatest deterioration in digestive functions (E3), all measured variables were negatively affected (proteolysis, lipolysis, amino acid release, total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and calcium). Calcium bioaccessibility fell by 24 % with a decrease in pancreatic enzymes and bile secretion (E3). Age-related reduced digestive function did not affect the ratio of essential to non-essential amino acids in the digested samples in any case. However, under suboptimal GI conditions (E3), amino acids such as valine, leucine and isoleucine, which are important for sarcopenia prevention in the elderly, fell by 39 %, 49 % and 44 %, respectively. These findings might be helpful for further in vitro studies of chia seeds as a possible food ingredient. They may also be useful for the development of more targeted nutrition strategies in the elderly.

Amaranth and quinoa as potential nutraceuticals: A review of anti-nutritional factors, health benefits and their applications in food, medicinal and cosmetic sectors

Amaranth and quinoa are small-seeded grains with high nutritional and phytochemical profiles that promote numerous health benefits and offer protection against various chronic ailments including hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders. They are classified as pseudocereals and possess significant nutritional benefits due to their abundance of proteins, lipids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Moreover, they exhibit an exceptional balance of essential amino acids. Despite having several health benefits, these grains have lost their popularity due to their coarse nature and are neglected in developed countries. Research and development activities are growing to explore these underutilized crops, characterizing and valorizing them for food applications. In this context, this review highlights the latest advancements in use of amaranth and quinoa as nutraceutical and functional foods, covering their bioactive substances, anti-nutritional factors, processing techniques, health benefits, and applications. This information will be valuable for planning novel research for efficient use of these neglected grains.

Exploring the underutilized novel foods and starches for formulation of low glycemic therapeutic foods: a review

Rising incidences of life-style disorders like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are a matter of concern coupled with escalated consumption of highly refined and high energy foods with low nutrient density. Food choices of consumers have witnessed significant changes globally with rising preference to highly processed palatable foods. Thus, it calls food scientists, researchers and nutritionists' attention towards developing and promoting pleasant-tasting yet healthy foods with added nutritional benefits. This review highlights selected underutilized and novel ingredients from different food sources and their by-products that are gaining popularity because of their nutrient density, that can be employed to improve the nutritional quality of conventionally available empty-calorie foods. It also emphasizes on the therapeutic benefits of foods developed from these understudied grains, nuts, processing by-products of grains, fruits- and vegetable-byproducts and nutraceutical starches. This review aims to draw attention of food scientists and industrialists towards popularizing the utilization of these unconventional, yet nutrient rich foods sources in improving the nutritional profile of the conventional foods lacking in nutrient density.

Salt-tolerant alternative crops as sources of quality food to mitigate the negative impact of salinity on agricultural production

An increase of abiotic stress tolerance and nutritive value of foods is currently a priority because of climate change and rising world population. Among abiotic stresses, salt stress is one of the main problems in agriculture. Mounting urbanization and industrialization, and increasing global food demand, are pressing farmers to make use of marginal lands affected by salinity and low-quality saline water. In that situation, one of the most promising approaches is searching for new sources of genetic variation like salt-tolerant alternative crops or underexploited crops. They are generally less efficient than cultivated crops in optimal conditions due to lower yield but represent an alternative in stressful growth conditions. In this review, we summarize the advances achieved in research on underexploited species differing in their genetic nature. First, we highlight advances in research on salt tolerance of traditional varieties of tomato or landraces; varieties selected and developed by smallholder farmers for adaptation to their local environments showing specific attractive fruit quality traits. We remark advances attained in screening a collection of tomato traditional varieties gathered in Spanish Southeast, a very productive region which environment is extremely stressing. Second, we explore the opportunities of exploiting the natural variation of halophytes, in particular quinoa and amaranth. The adaptation of both species in stressful growth conditions is becoming an increasingly important issue, especially for their cultivation in arid and semiarid areas prone to be affected by salinity. Here we present a project developed in Spanish Southeast, where quinoa and amaranth varieties are being adapted for their culture under abiotic stress targeting high quality grain.

Differential responses in some quinoa genotypes of a consortium of beneficial endophytic bacteria against bacterial leaf spot disease

Many effective plant-microbe interactions lead to biological changes that can stimulate plant growth and production. This study evaluated the effect of the interaction between quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) and endophytic bacterial strains on differential responses under biotic stress. Four strains of endophytic bacteria were used to inoculate three quinoa genotypes. Endophytic bacteria, isolated from the endosphere of healthy genotypes of quinoa plants, were used to evaluate their biocontrol activity against Pseudomonas syringae on quinoa plants, which causes leaf spot disease, depending on some different parameters. Quinoa genotype plants were treated with four treatments: pathogenic bacteria only (T1), internal bacteria only (T2), pathogenic bacteria + endogenous bacteria (T3), and untreated as the control (T4). The results indicated that there was a significant difference between chlorophyll content index of infected plants without bioagent (untreated) compared to plants bio-inoculated with endophytic bacteria. The highest mean disease incidence was on the plants without bacterial inoculum (90, 80, and 100%) for quinoa genotypes G1, G2, and G3, respectively. The results showed that there were significant differences in the weight of grains/plant, as the value ranged from 8.1 to 13.3 g when treated with pathogens (T1) compared to the treatment with pathogens and endogenous bacteria (T3), which ranged from 11.7 to 18.6 g/plant. Decreases in total aromatic amino acids appeared due to the pathogen infection, by 6.3, 22.8, and 24.1% (compared to the control) in G1, G2, and G3, respectively. On the other hand, genotype G3 showed the highest response in the levels of total aromatic and total neutral amino acids. The endophytic strains promoted quinoa seedling growth mainly by improving nutrient efficiency. This improvement could not be explained by their ability to induce the production of amino acids, showing that complex interactions might be associated with enhancement of quinoa seedling performance by endophytic bacteria. The endophytic bacterial strains were able to reduce the severity of bacterial leaf spot disease by 30, 40, and 50% in quinoa genotypes G1, G2, and G3, respectively, recording significant differences compared to the negative control. The results indicated that, G1 genotype was superior in different performance indicators (pathogen tolerance index, yield injury %, superiority measure and relative performance) for grain weight/plant under pathogen infection condition when treated with endophyte bacteria. Based on this study, these bacterial strains can be used as a biotechnology tool in quinoa seedling production and biocontrol to diminish the severity of bacterial leaf spot disease.

Fermented Minor Grain Foods: Classification, Functional Components, and Probiotic Potential

Fermented minor grain (MG) foods often have unique nutritional value and functional characteristics, which are important for developing dietary culture worldwide. As a kind of special raw material in fermented food, minor grains have special functional components, such as trace elements, dietary fiber, and polyphenols. Fermented MG foods have excellent nutrients, phytochemicals, and bioactive compounds and are consumed as a rich source of probiotic microbes. Thus, the purpose of this review is to introduce the latest progress in research related to the fermentation products of MGs. Specific discussion is focused on the classification of fermented MG foods and their nutritional and health implications, including studies of microbial diversity, functional components, and probiotic potential. Furthermore, this review discusses how mixed fermentation of grain mixtures is a better method for developing new functional foods to increase the nutritional value of meals based on cereals and legumes in terms of dietary protein and micronutrients.

Mainstreaming orphan millets for advancing climate smart agriculture to secure nutrition and health

The ever-changing climate and the current COVID-19 pandemic compound the problems and seriously impact agriculture production, resulting in socio-economic insecurities and imposing health implications globally. Most of the poor and malnourished population in the developing countries depends on agriculture for food, income, and employment. Impact of climate change together with the COVID-19 outbreak revealed immense problems highlighting the importance of mainstreaming climate-resilient and low input crops with more contemporary agriculture practices. Orphan millets play a vital role in the poor and malnourished population's livelihood, food and nutrition security. Recognizing their unique potential, the United Nations-Food and Agriculture Organization has announced the year 2023 as the "International Year of Millets". However, despite the unique properties for present and future agriculture of orphan millets, their cultivation is declining in many countries. As a result, millets have gained attention from researchers which eventually decelerated "multi-omics" resource generation. This review summarizes the benefits of millets and major barriers/ bottlenecks in their improvement. We also discuss the pre- and post-harvest technologies; policies required to introduce and establish millets in mainstream agriculture. To improve and ensure the livelihood of the poor/malnourished population, intensive efforts are urgently needed in advancing the research and development, implementing pre- and post-harvest technological intervention strategies, and making favorable policies for orphan crops to accomplish food and nutrition security. National and international collaborations are also indispensable to address the uncertain effects of climate change and COVID-19.

Progress on aptamer-based SERS sensors for food safety and quality assessment: methodology, current applications and future trends

It is well known that food safety has aroused extensive attentions from governments to researchers and to food industries. As a versatile technology based on molecular interactions, aptamer sensors which could specifically identify a wide range of food contaminants have been extensively studied in recent years. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy integrated aptamer combines the advantages of both technologies, not only in the ability to specifically identify a wide range of food contaminants, but also in the ultra-high sensitivity, simplicity, portable and speed. To provide beneficial insights into the evaluation techniques in the field of food safety, we offer a comprehensive review on the design strategies for aptamer-SERS sensors in different scenarios, including non-nucleic acid amplification methods ("on/off" mode, sandwich mode, competition model and catalytic model) and nucleic acid amplification methods (hybridization chain reaction, rolling circle amplification, catalytic hairpin assembly). Meanwhile, a special attention is paid to the application of aptamer-SERS sensors in biological (foodborne pathogenic, bacteria and mycotoxins) and chemical contamination (drug residues, metal ions, and food additives) of food matrix. Finally, the challenges and prospects of developing reliable aptamer-SERS sensors for food safety were discussed, which are expected to offer a strong guidance for further development and extended applications.

Comparison of Heat and Drought Stress Responses among Twelve Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) Varieties

The use of orphan crops could mitigate the effects of climate change and improve the quality of food security. We compared the effects of drought, high temperature, and their combination in 12 varieties of Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum). Plants were grown at 21/19 °C or 28/26 °C under well-watered and water-stressed conditions. Plants were more discriminated according to environmental conditions than variety, with the exception of Islek that was smaller and produced fewer leaves, inflorescences, and seeds than the other varieties. The combination of high temperature and water stress had a stronger negative impact than each stress applied separately. The temperature increase stimulated leaf and flower production while water stress decreased plant height. Leaf area decreased with both temperature and water stress. High temperature hastened the seed initiation but negatively affected seed development such that almost all seeds aborted at 28 °C. At 21 °C, water stress significantly decreased the seed production per plant. At the physiological level, water stress increased the chlorophyll content and temperature increased the transpiration rate under well-watered conditions. High temperature also increased the polyphenol and flavonoid concentrations, mainly in the inflorescences. Altogether, our results showed that water stress and temperature increase in particular negatively affected seed production in F. tataricum.

Achieving nutritional security in India through iron and zinc biofortification in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.)

The health problems caused by iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiency plague developing and underdeveloped countries. A vegetarian person mainly depends on cereal based diet with low quantity of Fe and Zn. Biofortification is an economical and sustainable approach to challenge the micronutrient malnutrition problem globally. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) is one of the nutri-cereals and mostly grown under hot, dry conditions on infertile soils of low water-holding capacity, where other crops generally fail. It contains anti-nutrient compounds like phytic acid and polyphenols which reduce the mineral bioavailability because of their chelating properties. Biofortification of pearl millet is like a double-edged sword which cuts down the economic burden and simultaneously supplies required nutrition to the poor, offering a great scope for food security as well as nutritional security. With this background, this review focus on biofortification of grain Fe and Zn content in pearl millet. Genetic research on Fe and Zn uptake and accumulation in pearl millet grain is crucial in identifying the 'bottlenecks' in biofortification. The review also reveals the need and strategies for increasing bioavailability of Fe and Zn in humans by increasing promoters and decreasing anti-nutritional factors in pearl millet.

Orphan Crops: A Best Fit for Dietary Enrichment and Diversification in Highly Deteriorated Marginal Environments

Orphan crops are indigenous and invariably grown by small and marginal farmers under subsistence farming systems. These crops, which are common and widely accepted by local farmers, are highly rich in nutritional profile, good for medicinal purposes, and well adapted to suboptimal growing conditions. However, these crops have suffered neglect and abandonment from the scientific community because of very low or no investments in research and genetic improvement. A plausible reason for this is that these crops are not traded internationally at a rate comparable to that of the major food crops such as wheat, rice, and maize. Furthermore, marginal environments have poor soils and are characterized by extreme weather conditions such as heat, erratic rainfall, water deficit, and soil and water salinity, among others. With more frequent extreme climatic events and continued land degradation, orphan crops are beginning to receive renewed attention as alternative crops for dietary diversification in marginal environments and, by extension, across the globe. Increased awareness of good health is also a major contributor to the revived attention accorded to orphan crops. Thus, the introduction, evaluation, and adaptation of outstanding varieties of orphan crops for dietary diversification will contribute not only to sustained food production but also to improved nutrition in marginal environments. In this review article, the concept of orphan crops vis-à-vis marginality and food and nutritional security is defined for a few orphan crops. We also examined recent advances in research involving orphan crops and the potential of these crops for dietary diversification within the context of harsh marginal environments. Recent advances in genomics coupled with molecular breeding will play a pivotal role in improving the genetic potential of orphan crops and help in developing sustainable food systems. We concluded by presenting a potential roadmap to future research engagement and a policy framework with recommendations aimed at facilitating and enhancing the adoption and sustainable production of orphan crops under agriculturally marginal conditions.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Wild.) Seed Yield and Efficiency in Soils Deficient of Nitrogen in the Bolivian Altiplano: An Analytical Review

Quinoa is a strategic crop due to its high N content and its adaptability to adverse conditions, where most of the soils are deficient of nitrogen (N). The central question in this review was the following: How can quinoa yield low levels of nitrogen in the soils of Altiplano? This question was unraveled based on different factors: (1) fertilization effect on productivity, (2) fertilization limits, (3) uptake and assimilation of nitrogen parameters, (4) monoculture practice effect, and (5) possible sources and strategies. One hundred eleven articles of different scientific platforms were revised and data were collected. Information from articles was used to calculate the partial factor productivity for nitrogen (PFPN), the apparent use efficiency of N (APUEN), available nitrogen (AN), and nitrogen content harvested in grains (HarvN). Quinoa responds positively to fertilization, but differences in yield were found among irrigated and rainfed conditions. Quinoa can produce 1850 kg grains ha−1 with 50 kg N ha−1 under irrigated conditions, and 670 kg grains ha−1 with 15 kg N ha−1 in rainfed conditions. Quinoa increases seed yield and HarvN increases N fertilization, but decreases nitrogen efficiency. In Altiplano, without nitrogen fertilizer, the quinoa yield relies on between 500 and 1000 kg ha−1, which shows that in the soil, there are other nitrogen sources.

Multiple Antioxidative and Bioactive Molecules of Oats (Avena sativa L.) in Human Health

Oats (Avena sativa L.) are rich in protein, fiber, calcium, vitamins (B, C, E, and K), amino acids, and antioxidants (beta-carotene, polyphenols, chlorophyll, and flavonoids). β-glucan and avenanthramides improve the immune system, eliminate harmful substances from the body, reduce blood cholesterol, and help with dietary weight loss by enhancing the lipid profile and breaking down fat in the body. β-glucan regulates insulin secretion, preventing diabetes. Progladins also lower cholesterol levels, suppress the accumulation of triglycerides, reduce blood sugar levels, suppress inflammation, and improve skin health. Saponin-based avanacosidase and functional substances of flavone glycoside improve the immune function, control inflammation, and prevent infiltration in the skin. Moreover, lignin and phytoestrogen prevent hormone-related cancer and improve the quality of life of postmenopausal women. Sprouted oats are rich in saponarin in detoxifying the liver. The literatures have been reviewed and the recent concepts and prospects have been summarized with figures and tables. This review discusses recent trends in research on the functionality of oats rather than their nutritional value with individual immunity for self-medication. The oat and its acting components have been revisited for the future prospect and development of human healthy and functional sources.

Phenotypic Characterization of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) for the Selection of Promising Materials for Breeding Programs

Quinoa is an ancestral crop in the Andean region, characterized by its adaptability to different agroclimatic conditions, great nutritional value, and broad genetic variability. A preliminary approach for understanding the genetics of quinoa materials entails a morphologic characterization, which can provide the basis for the selection of materials that satisfy the needs of farmers and consumers. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the phenotypic characteristics of thirty genetic C. quinoa accessions for the selection of outstanding accessions in terms of yield and grain quality. A randomized complete block design was used, with nine replications for each accession under greenhouse conditions. Nine quantitative and twelve qualitative descriptors were evaluated with descriptive analysis, Spearman correlation variance, and multivariate and cluster analysis. The results showed that the accessions with heights greater than the average (>176.72 cm) and long panicles (>57.94 cm) presented lower yields and smaller seed sizes, thus decreasing the grain quality. The multivariate and cluster analyses established groups of accessions with good yields (>62.02 g of seeds per plant) and stable morphological characteristics. The proposed selection index, based on yield components and morphological descriptors, indicated four accessions as potential parents for quinoa breeding programs in Colombia.

The genotype-dependent phenotypic landscape of quinoa in salt tolerance and key growth traits

Cultivation of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), an annual pseudocereal crop that originated in the Andes, is spreading globally. Because quinoa is highly nutritious and resistant to multiple abiotic stresses, it is emerging as a valuable crop to provide food and nutrition security worldwide. However, molecular analyses have been hindered by the genetic heterogeneity resulting from partial outcrossing. In this study, we generated 136 inbred quinoa lines as a basis for the molecular identification and characterization of gene functions in quinoa through genotyping and phenotyping. Following genotyping-by-sequencing analysis of the inbred lines, we selected 5,753 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the quinoa genome. Based on these SNPs, we show that our quinoa inbred lines fall into three genetic sub-populations. Moreover, we measured phenotypes, such as salt tolerance and key growth traits in the inbred quinoa lines and generated a heatmap that provides a succinct overview of the genotype–phenotype relationship between inbred quinoa lines. We also demonstrate that, in contrast to northern highland lines, most lowland and southern highland lines can germinate even under high salinity conditions. These findings provide a basis for the molecular elucidation and genetic improvement of quinoa and improve our understanding of the evolutionary process underlying quinoa domestication.

Breeding Buckwheat for Nutritional Quality in the Czech Republic

Buckwheat is a nutritionally valuable crop, an alternative to common cereals also usable in gluten-free diets. The selection of buckwheat genotypes suitable for further breeding requires the characterization and evaluation of genetic resources. The main objective of this work was to evaluate selected phenotypic and morphological traits using international buckwheat descriptors, including total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, on a unique set of 136 common buckwheat accessions grown in 2019-2020 under Czech Republic conditions. In addition, UHPLC-ESI- MS/MS was used to analyze a wide spectrum of 20 phenolic compounds in buckwheat seeds, including four flavanols, three phenolic acids, seven flavonols, four flavones, and two flavanones. Significant differences among years and genotypes were observed for morphological traits (plant height and 1000-seed weight) and antioxidant activity, as well as levels of observed chemical compounds. Antioxidant activity, crude protein content, plant height and rutin content were characterized by higher mean values in 2020 than in 2019 and vice versa for total polyphenol content and 1000-seed weight. Crude protein content was the most stable across years, while total polyphenol content and rutin content varied greatly from year to year. The most abundant phenolic compounds were rutin, hyperoside, epicatechin, catechin, vitexin, isovitexin, orientin and isoorientin. Protein content was negatively correlated with plant height, catechin and epicatechin content. On the other hand, AA and TPC were positively correlated with rutin, hyperoside and chlorogenic acid. Five accessions showed high stability of the evaluated traits under changing conditions within both years of observation. These materials can be used in breeding programmes aimed at improving buckwheat genotypes with emphasis on quality traits.

Genetics and breeding for climate change in Orphan crops

Climate change is rapidly changing how we live, what we eat and produce, the crops we breed and the target traits. Previously underutilized orphan crops that are climate resilient are receiving much attention from the crops research community, as they are often the only crops left in the field after periods of extreme weather conditions. There are several orphan crops with incredible resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. Some are nutritious, while others provide good sources of biofuel, medicine and other industrial raw materials. Despite these benefits, orphan crops are still lacking in important genetic and genomic resources that could be used to fast track their improvement and make their production profitable. Progress has been made in generating draft genomes of at least 28 orphan crops over the last decade, thanks to the reducing cost of sequencing. The implementation of a structured breeding program that takes advantage of additional modern crop improvement tools such as genomic selection, speed breeding, genome editing, high throughput phenotyping and breeding digitization would make rapid improvement of these orphan crops possible, but would require coordinated research investment. Other production challenges such as lack of adequate germplasm conservation, poor/non-existent seed systems and agricultural extension services, as well as poor marketing channels will also need to be improved if orphan crops were to be profitable. We review the importance of breeding orphan crops under the increasing effects of climate change, highlight existing gaps that need to be addressed and share some lessons to be learned from major crops.

Advances in Cereal Crop Genomics for Resilience under Climate Change

Adapting to climate change, providing sufficient human food and nutritional needs, and securing sufficient energy supplies will call for a radical transformation from the current conventional adaptation approaches to more broad-based and transformative alternatives. This entails diversifying the agricultural system and boosting productivity of major cereal crops through development of climate-resilient cultivars that can sustainably maintain higher yields under climate change conditions, expanding our focus to crop wild relatives, and better exploitation of underutilized crop species. This is facilitated by the recent developments in plant genomics, such as advances in genome sequencing, assembly, and annotation, as well as gene editing technologies, which have increased the availability of high-quality reference genomes for various model and non-model plant species. This has necessitated genomics-assisted breeding of crops, including underutilized species, consequently broadening genetic variation of the available germplasm; improving the discovery of novel alleles controlling important agronomic traits; and enhancing creation of new crop cultivars with improved tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses and superior nutritive quality. Here, therefore, we summarize these recent developments in plant genomics and their application, with particular reference to cereal crops (including underutilized species). Particularly, we discuss genome sequencing approaches, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and genome-wide association (GWAS) studies, directed mutagenesis, plant non-coding RNAs, precise gene editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9, and complementation of crop genotyping by crop phenotyping. We then conclude by providing an outlook that, as we step into the future, high-throughput phenotyping, pan-genomics, transposable elements analysis, and machine learning hold much promise for crop improvements related to climate resilience and nutritional superiority.

Virus-Mediated Transient Expression Techniques Enable Functional Genomics Studies and Modulations of Betalain Biosynthesis and Plant Height in Quinoa

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), native to the Andean region of South America, has been recognized as a potentially important crop in terms of global food and nutrition security since it can thrive in harsh environments and has an excellent nutritional profile. Even though challenges of analyzing the complex and heterogeneous allotetraploid genome of quinoa have recently been overcome, with the whole genome-sequencing of quinoa and the creation of genotyped inbred lines, the lack of technology to analyze gene function in planta is a major limiting factor in quinoa research. Here, we demonstrate that two virus-mediated transient expression techniques, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and virus-mediated overexpression (VOX), can be used in quinoa. We show that apple latent spherical virus (ALSV) can induce gene silencing of quinoa phytoene desaturase (CqPDS1) in a broad range of quinoa inbred lines derived from the northern and southern highland and lowland sub-populations. In addition, we show that ALSV can be used as a VOX vector in roots. Our data also indicate that silencing a quinoa 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine 4,5-dioxygenase gene (CqDODA1) or a cytochrome P450 enzyme gene (CqCYP76AD1) inhibits betalain production and that knockdown of a reduced-height gene homolog (CqRHT1) causes an overgrowth phenotype in quinoa. Moreover, we show that ALSV can be transmitted to the progeny of quinoa plants. Thus, our findings enable functional genomics in quinoa, ushering in a new era of quinoa research.

Food Security and the Dynamics of Wheat and Maize Value Chains in Africa and Asia

There is an ongoing debate about how best to feed the growing world population in the long run and associated implications for research and development. Some call for a new Green Revolution to secure the supply of staple foods, whereas others emphasize the importance of diversifying and improving people's diets. We aim to contribute to this debate by reviewing the case of wheat and maize value chains and their contribution to food security in Africa and Asia. We first identify drivers transforming food systems. We then apply these to the cereal value chains and disentangle their effects on food security. We thereby add to the three strands in the literature around production, consumption, and food system transformation and point to different research needs and recommendations for the future. The review highlights: (1) Wheat and maize production will be increasingly impaired by ecological drivers such as land degradation, water scarcity and climate change. (2) There are promising innovations to increase and maintain productivity, but constraints in adopting these innovations have to be overcome (i.e., access to seeds, finance, and education/training). (3) The drivers affect all four dimensions of food security, but first and foremost they determine the availability and stability of maize and wheat. This indirectly also influences the economic and physical access of people to maize and wheat. (4) Research tends to focus on improving the productivity and sustainability of wheat and maize farming which is largely interlinked with the availability dimension of food security. (5) The stability and utilization dimension of food security merits continued yet increased support. First, to address climate change and implications for biotic and abiotic stresses. Second, to promote healthier diets and enable the equitable transformation of food systems.

Comparison of Plant Morphology, Yield and Nutritional Quality of Fagopyrum esculentum and Fagopyrum tataricum Grown under Field Conditions in Belgium

Buckwheat is a pseudocereal with high nutritional and nutraceutical properties. Although common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is the main cultivated species, Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) is gaining interest. In this paper, we compared plant growth, yield-related parameters and seed nutritional qualities of two varieties of F. esculentum and F. tataricum under field conditions in Belgium. Fagopyrum esculentum flowered earlier, produced less nodes, less branches, less inflorescences, but more flowers per inflorescence than F. tataricum. The yield was higher in F. tataricum, while the thousand-grain weight was higher in F. esculentum. Yield ranged between 2037 kg/ha and 3667 kg/ha depending on the species and year. Regarding nutritional qualities, seeds of F. esculentum contained more proteins (15.4% vs. 12.8%) than seeds of F. tataricum although their amino acid profile was similar. Seeds of F. esculentum contained also more Mg (1.36 vs. 1.15 mg/g dry weight (DW)) and less Fe (22.9 vs. 32.6 µg/g DW) and Zn (19.6 vs. 24.5 µg/g DW) than F. tataricum. The main difference between seed nutritional quality was the concentration of flavonoids that was 60 times higher in F. tataricum than in F. esculentum. Both species grow well under Belgian conditions and showed good seed quality.

Small Millets for Enduring Food Security Amidst Pandemics

Food security is an ongoing problem, and current staple foods are not sufficient to overcome challenges such as the present COVID-19 pandemic. We propose here that small millets have the potential to become new staple crops, especially in hunger hotspots. Currently, the absence of intensification of millet farming, lack of deployment of genetic tools for trait improvement, and the need for optimization of storage and supply chains limit crop production. We highlight a roadmap to strengthen small millet cultivation, such as identifying varieties suitable for particular environments and targeting trait improvement using genetic and genomic approaches. These approaches will help to combat hunger and malnutrition and also economically benefit the farmers and stakeholders involved in small millet cultivation amidst the ongoing pandemic.

Cereal grain-based functional beverages: from cereal grain bioactive phytochemicals to beverage processing technologies, health benefits and product features

Increased consumer awareness of health and wellness has promoted a high demand for foods and beverages with functional and therapeutic properties. Cereals, apart from being important staple crops and primary sources of energy and nutrition, are replete with bioactive phytochemicals with health properties. Cereal grains contain a diverse range of bioactive phytochemicals including phenolic compounds, dietary fibers, carotenoids, tocols, phytosterols, γ-oryzanol, and phytic acid and therefore have great potential for processing into functional beverages. Although there are a variety of cereal grain-based beverages produced world-wide, very little scientific and technological attention has been paid to them. In this review, we have discussed cereal grain-based functional beverages based on 3 main categories: cereal grain-based milk alternatives, roasted cereal grain teas, fermented nonalcoholic cereal grain beverages. The processing techniques, health properties and product features of these beverages are elaborated, and the challenges and future perspectives are proposed. As the food market becomes increasingly diverse, cereal grain-based beverages could be a promising new category of health functional beverages in our daily life.

Luotonin A and Its Derivatives as Novel Antiviral and Antiphytopathogenic Fungus Agents

Plant diseases caused by viruses and fungi have posed a serious threat to global agricultural production. The discovery of new leads based on natural products is an important way to innovate pesticides. In this work, natural product luotonin A was found to have good antiviral activity against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) for the first time. A series of luotonin A derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their antiviral activities and fungicidal activities systematically. Most compounds displayed better antiviral activities against TMV than commercial ribavirin. Compounds 9k, 12b, and 12d displayed about similar inhibitory effects as ningnanmycin (inhibitory rates of 55, 57, and 59% at 500 μg/mL for inactivation, curative, and protection activities in vivo, respectively), the best antiviral agent at present, and emerged as novel antiviral leads for further research. We selected 9k for further antiviral mechanism research via transmission electron microscopy and molecular docking, which revealed that compound 9k can interact with TMV coat protein through the hydrogen bond, leading to its polymerization, thus preventing virus assembly. Further fungicidal activity tests showed that these compounds also showed broad-spectrum fungicidal activities against 14 kinds of phytopathogenic fungi. Especially, compound 14 with a 100% antifungal effect against Botrytis cinereal emerged as a lead for further research. This work provides a reference for the development of agricultural active ingredients based on Chinese medicine plants.

Crop diversification and saline water irrigation as potential strategies to save freshwater resources and reclamation of marginal soils-a review

Feeding 9 billion by 2050 is one of major challenges for researchers. Use of diversified crops, nonconventional water resources and rehabilitation of marginal lands are alternate options to produce more food to face climate change projections. Adaptation to climate change through climate smart agriculture practices, agroecology activities, and crop-based management packages can help transform the marginal lands from environmental burdens into productive and economic blocks. This review discusses the recent advancements on specialty group of alternate crops (oil seeds, legumes, cereals, medicinal, lignocellulose, and fruit crops) which can adapt in the marginal environments. Availability of alternate water resources (saline water, treated wastewater) for irrigation cannot be omitted. Crop diversification systems involving drought and salt-tolerant crops are likely to be the key to future agricultural and economic growth in the regions where salt-affected soils exist and/or saline aquifers are pumped for irrigation. These systems may tackle three main tasks: sustainable management of land resources and enhancement of per unit productivity; intensification of agroecological practices to increase soil fertility; and improving productivity of marginal lands for diversified climate smart crops. This review explores various aspects of marginal lands and selection of tolerant crop genotypes, crop diversification, and agroecological practices to maximize benefits.