Salinity Stress Ameliorates Pigments, Minerals, Polyphenolic Profiles, and Antiradical Capacity in Lalshak

Manure-biochar compost mitigates the soil salinity stress in tomato plants by modulating the osmoregulatory mechanism, photosynthetic pigments, and ionic homeostasis

One of the main abiotic stresses that affect plant development and lower agricultural productivity globally is salt in the soil. Organic amendments, such as compost and biochar can mitigate the opposing effects of soil salinity (SS) stress. The purpose of this experiment was to look at how tomato growth and yield on salty soil were affected by mineral fertilization and manure-biochar compost (MBC). Furthermore, the study looked at how biochar (organic amendments) work to help tomato plants that are stressed by salt and also a mechanism by which biochar addresses the salt stress on tomato plants. Tomato yield and vegetative growth were negatively impacted by untreated saline soil, indicating that tomatoes are salt-sensitive. MBC with mineral fertilization increased vegetative growth, biomass yield, fruit yield, chlorophyll, and nutrient contents, Na/K ratio of salt-stressed tomato plants signifies the ameliorating effects on tomato plant growth and yield, under salt stress. Furthermore, the application of MBC with mineral fertilizer decreased H2O2, but increased leaf relative water content (RWC), leaf proline, total soluble sugar, and ascorbic acid content and improved leaf membrane damage, in comparison with untreated plants, in response to salt stress. Among the composting substances, T7 [poultry manure-biochar composting (PBC) (1:2) @ 3 t/ha + soil-based test fertilizer (SBTF)] dose exhibited better-improving effects on salt stress and had maintained an order of T7 > T9 > T8 > T6 in total biomass and fruit yield of tomato. These results suggested that MBC might mitigate the antagonistic effects of salt stress on plant growth and yield of tomatoes by improving osmotic adjustment, antioxidant capacity, nutrient accumulation, protecting photosynthetic pigments, and reducing ROS production and leaf damage in tomato plant leaves.

Varietal influence on bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in chilies during development stages

Numerous cultivars of chili are grown in Bangladesh for their nutritional and sensory attributes, serving as both spices and food items. Among many, indigenous chili cultivars in Bangladesh include Sada Akshi, Kajini, Dhani, and Naga are the important ones. The functional qualities of chili peppers are attributed to the plentiful presence of bioactive substances. Consequently, this study aimed to determine the variations in bioactive compounds, antioxidant activities, and hotness among the pre-mature, mature, pre-ripening, and ripening stages of four distinct chili cultivars. Four different cultivars of chilis at four different maturity stages were collected and analyzed for their antioxidant and bioactive profiles. The findings of the research revealed that all chili varieties exhibited a notable range of vitamin C concentration, ranging from 1.67 to 8.45 mg/g FW during the maturity stages. The values of TPC, TFC, total carotenoids, and chlorophyll a and b ranged from 16.68 to 46.76 mg GAE/g, 2.80-8.53 mg QE/g, 4.31-85.79 μg/g DW, 2.83-15.54 and 0.74-5.66 μg/g DW on a dry weight basis, respectively. The antioxidant activity was assessed using the FRAP and the DPPH scavenging assay and the values ranged from 142.62 to 311.03 mM Fe (II) Equivalent/100g DW and 216.36-329.52 μM Trolox Equivalent/g DW, respectively. The content of vitamin C, TPC, total carotenoids, and chlorophyll b was increased with the stages of development. The hotness of chili also increased with the development stages. However, the antioxidant activity fluctuated during the development stages of chili. Furthermore, the study incorporated the evaluation of physical parameters, such as height, weight, and color attributes concerning chilies. The Naga variety of chili demonstrated the highest level of efficacy when compared to other varieties. The nutritional and physicochemical information of the different cultivars of chili in this study might be useful to the breeders, spice processors, and consumers for desired size, taste, and hotness with health-promoting bioactive compounds, eventually for determining the harvest time.

Phenotypic diversity in qualitative and quantitative traits for selection of high yield potential field pea genotypes

Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) needs improvement to increase productivity due to its high price and demand. However, the incidence of powdery mildew (PM) disease limits its production. This study aimed to analyze the diversity of qualitative and quantitative traits against powdery mildew resistance by utilizing cluster and principal component analysis to explore PM resistance high-yield potential field peas. Shannon-Weaver's diversity index (H') displayed high intra-genotype diversity for quantitative and qualitative aspects. Heterogeneity was identified for resistance against powdery mildew infections. Eighty-five genotypes were divided into five groups using Mohalanobis generalized distance (D2) statistics. The highest inter-cluster D2 value was observed between clusters 2 and 3 (11.89) while the lowest value was found between clusters 3 and 4 (2.06). Most of the genotypes had noticeable differences, so these could be employed in a crossing scheme. Twelve genotypes were extremely resistant, 29 genotypes were resistant, 25 genotypes were moderately resistant, 18 genotypes were fairly susceptible, and 1 genotype was susceptible to powdery mildew disease. Among 29 resistant genotypes, BFP77, BFP74, BFP63, BFP62, BFP43, and BFP80 were high yielders and, could be used directly and/or transferred through hybridization to high-yielding disease-susceptible genotypes. Among the 25 moderately resistant genotypes, BFP78, BFP45, BFP79, and BFP48 were found to be high yielders. In principal component analysis (PCA), the first four PCs with Eigen values > 1 accounted for 88.4% variability for quantitative traits. Clustering sorted genotypes into five groups, where groups 1 to 5 assembled 37, 28, 1, 8, and 11 genotypes, respectively. Genotypes of cluster 4 were identified as high yielders with its attributes. Pearson correlation significantly and positively correlated across all traits except for PM. This variation suggested that there is a mechanism to select promising genotypes for field pea breeding. Considering all features, BFP78, BFP77, BFP74, BFP63, BFP62, BFP45, BFP79, and BFP80 could be preferred as high yielders and PM resistance owing to longer pod lengths, seeds per pod and pods per plant.

Comprehensive evaluation of drought tolerance of six Chinese chestnut varieties (clones) based on flavonoids and other physiological indexes

Flavonoids are crucial secondary metabolites that possess the ability to mitigate UV damage and withstand both biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, it is of immense significance to investigate the flavonoid content as a pivotal indicator for a comprehensive assessment of chestnut's drought tolerance. This study aimed to determine the flavonoid content and drought tolerance-related physiological and biochemical indices of six chestnut varieties (clones) grafted trees-Qianxi 42 (QX42), Qinglong 45 (QL45), Yanshanzaofeng (YSZF), Yanzi (YZ), Yanqiu (YQ), and Yanlong (YL)-under natural drought stress. The results were used to comprehensively analyze the drought tolerance ability of these varieties. The study revealed that the ranking of drought tolerance indices in terms of their ability to reflect drought tolerance was as follows: superoxide (oxide) dismutase (SOD) activity, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, flavone content, catalase (CAT) activity, proline (PRO) content, soluble sugar content, peroxidase (POD) activity, betaine content, flavonol content, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, soluble protein content, superoxide ion (OFR) content, superoxide (ion OFR) production rate, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, chlorophyll content. Through principal component analysis, the contents of flavonoids and flavonols can be used as indicators for comprehensive evaluation of drought tolerance of chestnut. The comprehensive evaluation order of drought tolerance of grafted trees of 6 chestnut varieties (Clones) was: QL45 > QX42 > YQ > YZ > YSZF > YL.

Climate-smart rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes identification using stability analysis, multi-trait selection index, and genotype-environment interaction at different irrigation regimes with adaptation to universal warming

Climate change has brought an alarming situation in the scarcity of fresh water for irrigation due to the present global water crisis, climate variability, drought, increasing demands of water from the industrial sectors, and contamination of water resources. Accurately evaluating the potential of future rice genotypes in large-scale, multi-environment experiments may be challenging. A key component of the accurate assessment is the examination of stability in growth contexts and genotype-environment interaction. Using a split-plot design with three replications, the study was carried out in nine locations with five genotypes under continuous flooding (CF) and alternate wet and dry (AWD) conditions. Utilizing the web-based warehouse inventory search tool (WIST), the water status was determined. To evaluate yield performance for stability and adaptability, AMMI and GGE biplots were used. The genotypes clearly reacted inversely to the various environments, and substantial interactions were identified. Out of all the environments, G3 (BRRI dhan29) had the greatest grain production, whereas G2 (Binadhan-8) had the lowest. The range between the greatest and lowest mean values of rice grain output (4.95 to 4.62 t ha-1) was consistent across five distinct rice genotypes. The genotype means varied from 5.03 to 4.73 t ha-1 depending on the environment. In AWD, all genotypes out performed in the CF system. With just a little interaction effect, the score was almost zero for several genotypes (E1, E2, E6, and E7 for the AWD technique, and E5, E6, E8, and E9 for the CF method) because they performed better in particular settings. The GGE biplot provided more evidence in support of the AMMI study results. The study's findings made it clear that the AMMI model provides a substantial amount of information when evaluating varietal performance across many environments. Out of the five accessions that were analyzed, one was found to be top-ranking by the multi-trait genotype ideotype distance index, meaning that it may be investigated for validation stability measures. The study's findings provide helpful information on the variety selection for the settings in which BRRI dhan47 and BRRI dhan29, respectively, performed effectively in AWD and CF systems. Plant breeders might use this knowledge to choose newer kinds and to design breeding initiatives. In conclusion, intermittent irrigation could be an effective adaptation technique for simultaneously saving water and mitigating GHG while maintaining high rice grain yields in rice cultivation systems.

The Impact of Salinity in the Irrigation of a Wild Underutilized Leafy Vegetable, Sonchus oleraceus L

Introducing non- or under-utilized crops to cultivation generates benefits such as biodiversity enrichment, supporting mitigation actions towards climate change-induced effects. The salinization of soil and water supplies is progressively disrupting natural habitats and food production, especially in regions such as the Mediterranean. Sonchus oleraceus L. is a Mediterranean wild leafy green with nutritional and medicinal properties. This study's purpose was to determine whether salinity affects the growth, quality, and nutrient composition of Sonchus oleraceus L. In an unheated plastic greenhouse, seedlings were transplanted in pots filled with perlite and irrigated with a nutrient solution with no NaCl added (the control, C) or with the addition of 40, 60, 80, and 100 mM of NaCl (treatments S4, S6, S8, and S10, respectively). The leaf and root growth, leaf quality, and the nutrient composition of leaves and roots were determined. Regarding the results, growth was mainly affected at high salinity levels (S8 and S10), with no observed effects of salinity on the determined quality parameters. The nutrient composition was variably affected by salinity in leaves but not in roots (except in the case of Na and the K/Na ratio). Sonchus oleraceus L. showed a general relative tolerance in moderate salinity levels (40 and 60 mM of NaCl), suggesting potential commercial exploitation of the species in areas where the quality of irrigation water is low. However, the health effects of consuming this species grown under salinity stress need to be studied in future research.

Amaranth's Growth and Physiological Responses to Salt Stress and the Functional Analysis of AtrTCP1 Gene

Amaranth species are C4 plants that are rich in betalains, and they are tolerant to salinity stress. A small family of plant-specific TCP transcription factors are involved in the response to salt stress. However, it has not been investigated whether amaranth TCP1 is involved in salt stress. We elucidated that the growth and physiology of amaranth were affected by salt concentrations of 50-200 mmol·L-1 NaCl. The data showed that shoot and root growth was inhibited at 200 mmol·L-1, while it was promoted at 50 mmol·L-1. Meanwhile, the plants also showed physiological responses, which indicated salt-induced injuries and adaptation to the salt stress. Moreover, AtrTCP1 promoted Arabidopsis seed germination. The germination rate of wild-type (WT) and 35S::AtrTCP1-GUS Arabidopsis seeds reached around 92% by the seventh day and 94.5% by the second day under normal conditions, respectively. With 150 mmol·L-1 NaCl treatment, the germination rate of the WT and 35S::AtrTCP1-GUS plant seeds was 27.0% by the seventh day and 93.0% by the fourth day, respectively. Under salt stress, the transformed 35S::AtrTCP1 plants bloomed when they grew 21.8 leaves after 16.2 days of treatment, which was earlier than the WT plants. The transformed Arabidopsis plants flowered early to resist salt stress. These results reveal amaranth's growth and physiological responses to salt stress, and provide valuable information on the AtrTCP1 gene.

Nutritional and bioactive properties and antioxidant potential of Amaranthus tricolor, A. lividus, A viridis, and A. spinosus leafy vegetables

Climate change results in continuous warming of the planet, threatening sustainable crop production around the world. Amaranth is an abiotic stress-tolerant, climate-resilient, C4 leafy orphan vegetable that has grown rapidly with great divergence and potential usage. The C4 photosynthesis allows amaranth to be grown as a sustainable future food crop across the world. Most amaranth species grow as weeds in many parts of the world, however, a few amaranth species can be also found in cultivated form. Weed species can be used as a folk medicine to relieve pain or reduce fever thanks to their antipyretic and analgesic properties. In this study, nutritional value, bioactive pigments, bioactive compounds content, and radical scavenging potential (RSP) of four weedy and cultivated (WC) amaranth species were evaluated. The highest dry matter, carbohydrate content, ash, content of iron, copper, sodium, boron, molybdenum, zinc, β-carotene and carotenoids, vitamin C, total polyphenols (TP), RSP (DPPH), and RSP (ABTS+) was determined in Amaranthus viridis (AV). On the other hand, A. spinosus (AS) was found to have the highest content of protein, fat, dietary fiber, manganese, molybdenum, and total flavonoids (TF). In A. tricolor (AT) species the highest total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and b, betaxanthin, betacyanin, and betalain content was determined. A. lividus (AL) was evaluated as the highest source of energy. AV and AT accessions are underutilized but promising vegetables due to their bioactive phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Embracing nutritional, physical, pasting, textural, sensory and phenolic profile of functional muffins prepared by partial incorporation of lyophilized wheatgrass, fenugreek and basil microgreens juice powder

BACKGROUND

Muffins are delightful baked food products that have earned a prominent place in the daily diet of a majority of people around the world. The incorporation of microgreens juice powder (MJP) into muffins boosts their nutritional value. The influence of the incorporation of wheatgrass, fenugreek and basil MJP at 1.5% and 3.0% levels on the nutritional composition, physical properties, pasting, sensory, textural and phenolic profile of functional muffins was evaluated.

RESULTS

The results indicated a significant increase in the protein content, ash content, dietary fiber and total phenolic content of MJP incorporated muffins. The incorporation of MJP to the muffins led to a gradual reduction in the L*, a* and b* values. Baking characteristic such as bake loss decreased significantly as a result of MJP incorporation. Furthermore, the incorporation of various MJPs resulted in a significant decrease in the peak viscosity of the flour-MJP blends. Regarding texture, the hardness and chewiness of the muffins increased progressively with an increase in the level of MJP incorporation. The highest hardness (10.15 N) and chewiness (24.45 mJ) were noted for 3% fenugreek MJP incorporated muffins (FK 3.0). The sensory score of MJP incorporated muffins was acceptable and satisfactory. Additionally, 3% basil MJP incorporated muffins (BL 3.0) marked the dominant presence of majority of the detected phenolic acids such as ferulic acid, sinapic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, cinnamic acid, isothymosin and rosamarinic acid. The highest concentration of p-coumaric acid (11.95 mg kg-1), vanillic acid (26.07 mg kg-1) and kaempferol (8.04 mg kg-1) was recorded for FK 3.0 muffin.

CONCLUSION

MJP incorporated muffins revealed the pool of phenolic acids and the reduced bake loss is of industrial interest. The present study concludes that wheatgrass, fenugreek and basil MJP can be incorporated by up to 3% into baked products as a source of functional ingredients for health benefits. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Country-wide, multi-location trials of Green Super Rice lines for yield performance and stability analysis using genetic and stability parameters

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important member of the family Poaceae and more than half of world population depend for their dietary nutrition on rice. Rice cultivars with higher yield, resilience to stress and wider adaptability are essential to ensure production stability and food security. The fundamental objective of this study was to identify higher-yielding rice genotypes with stable performance and wider adaptability in a rice growing areas of Pakistan. A triplicate RCBD design experiment with 20 Green Super Rice (GSR) advanced lines was conducted at 12 rice growing ecologies in four Provinces of Pakistan. Grain yield stability performance was assessed by using different univariate and multivariate statistics. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among genotypes, locations, and G x E interaction for mean squares (p < 0.05) of major yield contributing traits. All the studied traits except for number of tillers per plant revealed higher genotypic variance than environmental variance. Broad sense heritability was estimated in the range of 44.36% to 98.60%. Based on ASV, ASI, bi, Wi2, σ2i and WAAS statistics, the genotypes G1, G4, G5, G8, G11 and G12 revealed lowest values for parametric statistics and considered more stable genotypes based on  paddy yield. The additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model revealed significant variation (p < 0.05) for genotypes, non-signification for environment and highly significant for G × E interaction. The variation proportion of PC1 and PC2 from interaction revealed 67.2% variability for paddy yield. Based on 'mean verses stability analysis of GGE biplot', 'Which-won-where' GGE Biplot, 'discriminativeness vs. representativeness' pattern of stability, 'IPCA and WAASB/GY' ratio-based stability Heat-map, and ranking of genotypes, the genotypes G1, G2, G3, G5, G8, G10, G11 and G13 were observed ideal genotypes with yield potential more than 8 tons ha-1. Discriminativeness vs. representativeness' pattern of stability identifies two environments, E5 (D.I Khan, KPK) and E6 (Usta Muhammad, Baluchistan) were best suited for evaluating genotypic yield performance. Based on these findings we have concluded that the genotypes G1, G2, G3, G5, G8, G10, G11 and G13 could be included in the commercial varietal development process and future breeding program.

Potassium augments growth, yield, nutrient content, and drought tolerance in mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek.)

Uneven rainfall and high temperature cause drought in tropical and subtropical regions which is a major challenge to cultivating summer mung bean. Potassium (K), a major essential nutrient of plants can alleviate water stress (WS) tolerance in plants. A field trial was executed under a rainout shelter with additional K fertilization including recommended K fertilizer (RKF) for relieving the harmful impact of drought in response to water use efficiency (WUE), growth, yield attributes, nutrient content, and yield of mung bean at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Ishwardi, Pabna in two successive summer season of 2018 and 2019. Drought-tolerant genotype BMX-08010-2 (G1) and drought-susceptible cultivar BARI Mung-1 (G2) were grown by applying seven K fertilizer levels (KL) using a split-plot design with three replications, where mung bean genotypes were allotted in the main plots, and KL were assigned randomly in the sub-plots. A considerable variation was observed in the measured variables. Depending on the different applied KL and seed yield of mung bean, the water use efficiency (WUE) varied from 4.73 to 8.14 kg ha-1 mm-1. The treatment applying 125% more K with RKF (KL7) under WS gave the maximum WUE (8.14 kg ha-1 mm-1) obtaining a seed yield of 1093.60 kg ha-1. The treatment receiving only RKF under WS (KL2) provided the minimum WUE (4.73 kg ha-1 mm-1) attaining a seed yield of 825.17 kg ha-1. Results showed that various characteristics including nutrients (N, P, K, and S) content in stover and seed, total dry matter (TDM) in different growth stages, leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), root volume (RV), root density (RD), plant height, pod plant-1, pod length, seeds pod-1, seed weight, and seed yield in all pickings increased with increasing K levels, particularly noted with KL7. The highest grain yield (32.52%) was also obtained from KL7 compared to lower K with RKF. Overall, yield varied from 1410.37 kg ha-1 using 281 mm water (KL1; well-watered condition with RKF) to 825.17 kg ha-1 using 175 mm water (KL2). The results exhibited that the application of additional K improves the performance of all traits under WS conditions. Therefore, mung beans cultivating under WS requires additional K to diminish the negative effect of drought, and adequate use of K contributes to accomplishing sustainable productivity.

Exogenous citric acid, salicylic acid, and putrescine treatments preserve the postharvest quality and physicochemical properties of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) during cold storage

To extend the postharvest storage life of broccoli samples (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica), an exogenous application of citric acid (CA), salicylic acid (SA), and putrescine (PUT) was tested in multiple combinations (0.5 and 1 mM) at 4 ± 0.5°C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity (RH) for 21 days (d). The weight loss (WL), respiration rate (RR), total soluble solids (TSS), pH, color (L*, a*, b*, chroma, and hue angle), proximate and mineral contents, phenolic and flavonoid contents, and other biochemical properties of the treated and untreated broccoli samples were evaluated throughout the storage duration. The lowest WL was observed when exposed to 0.5 mM of PUT. 1 mM CA and PUT treatments were affected by RR, depending on storage conditions. The lowest TSS content was observed in broccoli samples treated with 0.5 mM CA among all treatments. The chroma value of the samples was preserved by the 0.5 mM SA treatment. The most abundant element in broccoli samples was potassium in the control application, followed by a 1 mM SA treatment. In addition, the protein content was the highest in the 1 mM PUT treatment. The highest vitamin C was determined in the 1 mM CA treatment, and the most abundant vanillic acid was found in broccoli exposed to the 0.5 mM and treatment. Glucose content was determined at the lowest level in the 0.5 mM SA treatment, while higher increases occurred in other treatments. In terms of these findings, 1 mM CA, 1 mM SA, and 1 mM PUT delay WL, RR, and color degradation and prolong the storage life of broccoli samples stored at 4 ± 0.5°C. It was concluded that the biochemical content, fresh weight, and green color of broccoli samples throughout postharvest and storage can be maintained longer by exogenous application of these natural compounds. Therefore, we recommend 1 mM PUT and 1 mM CA treatments to maintain the quality of broccoli by minimizing losses in morphological properties, mineral, and biochemical compositions during postharvest storage.

Extraction of organic pigments from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and red amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) for safe use in agro-products

The utilization of synthetic dyes in food industries is a great concern for food safety and health issues. So, natural pigments can be an excellent substitute for synthetic dyes and also health-friendly for consumers. In the experiment, natural pigments were extracted from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and red amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.). Then the stability and consumer acceptance of the extracted pigments were examined. The highest amount of pigment was extracted from turmeric (2.14 ± 0.30 %) with ethanol solvent, followed by tomato (0.67 ± 0.06 %) with hexane: acetone (1:1) solvent, and red amaranth (0.78 ± 0.05 %) with acetone solvent. Turmeric pigment showed the highest stability in high temperatures and light exposure. All of the pigments were highly stable in a neutral environment; however, tomato pigment showed the highest stability index (84.33 ± 2.52) at pH 3.0, but turmeric pigment showed the highest stability (91.67 ± 1.53) at pH 5.0. The simple preference test revealed that the use of turmeric pigment in boiled rice had the highest acceptance rate, and in terms of taste and flavor, red amaranth pigments in ice cream. So turmeric pigment can be utilized in high-temperature processing and/or acidic foods, but tomato and red amaranth pigments might be in low-temperature processing foods such as the ice-cream and soft drinks processing industry.

Identification of heterosis and combining ability in the hybrids of male sterile and restorer sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] lines

In sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], combining ability and heterosis analysis are commonly used to evaluate superior parental lines and to screen for strongly heterotic hybrids, which helps in sorghum variety selection and breeding. In this context, combining ability and heterosis analysis were assessed using 14 restorer lines and seven cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines in 2019 and 2020. The analysis of variance of all cross combinations had highly significant differences for all characters studied, which indicated a wide variation across the parents, lines, testers, and crosses. Combining ability analysis showed that the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) of the different parents were differed significantly among different traits. Most combinations with high SCA also showed high GCA in their parent lines. The heritability in the narrow sense of grain weight per panicle and grain yield was relatively low, indicating that the ability of these traits to be directly inherited by offspring was weak, that they were greatly affected by the environment. The better-parent heterosis for plant height, grain weight per panicle, panicle length, and 1000-grain weight was consistent with the order of mid-parent heterosis from strong to weak. The GCA effects of two lines 10480A, 3765A and three testers 0-30R, R111, and JY15R were significant for the majority of the agronomic traits including grain yield and might be used for improving the yield of grains in sorghum as parents of excellent specific combining ability. Seven strongly heterotic F1 hybrids were screened; of these, hybrids 3765A × R111, 1102A × L2R, and 3765A × JY15R showed significant increases in seed iristectorigenin A content and will feature into the creation of new sorghum varieties rich in iristectorigenin A.

Flavonoids are involved in salt tolerance through ROS scavenging in the halophyte Atriplex canescens

KEY MESSAGE

The content of flavonoids could increase in A. canescens under saline conditions. Overexpression of AcCHI in transgenic A. thaliana promotes flavonoid biosynthesis, thereby functioning in the tolerance of transgenic plants to salt and osmotic stress by maintaining ROS homeostasis. Atriplex canescens is a halophytic forage shrub with excellent adaptation to saline environment. Our previous study showed that a large number of genes related to the biosynthesis of flavonoids in A. canescens were significantly up-regulated by NaCl treatments. However, it remains unclear whether flavonoids are involved in A. canescens response to salinity. In this study, we found that the accumulation of flavonoids significantly increased in either the leaves or roots of A. canescens seedling under 100 and 300 mM NaCl treatments. Correspondingly, AcCHS, AcCHI and AcF3H, which encode three key enzymes (chalcone synthases (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), respectively) of flavonoids biosynthesis, were significantly induced in the roots or leaves of A. canescens by 100 or 300 mM NaCl. Then, we generated the transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing AcCHI and found that transgenic plants accumulated more flavonoids through enhancing the pathway of flavonoids biosynthesis. Furthermore, overexpression of AcCHI conferred salt and osmotic stress tolerance in transgenic A. thaliana. Contrasted with wild-type A. thaliana, transgenic lines grew better with greater biomass, less H2O2 content as well as lower relative plasma permeability in either salt or osmotic stress conditions. In conclusion, our results indicate that flavonoids play an important role in A. canescens response to salt stress through reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and the key enzyme gene AcCHI in flavonoids biosynthesis pathway of A. canescens has the potential to improve the stress tolerance of forages and crops.

Association Mapping for Evaluation of Population Structure, Genetic Diversity, and Physiochemical Traits in Drought-Stressed Maize Germplasm Using SSR Markers

Globally, maize is one of the most consumed crops along with rice and wheat. However, maize is sensitive to different abiotic stress factors, such as drought, which have a significant impact on its production. The aims of this study were to investigate (1) genetic variation among 41 maize-inbred lines and the relationships among them and (2) significant marker-trait associations (SMTAs) between 7 selected physiochemical traits and 200 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to examine the genetics of these traits. A total of 1023 alleles were identified among the 41 maize-inbred lines using the 200 SSR loci, with a mean of 5.1 alleles per locus. The average major allele frequency, gene diversity, and polymorphism information content were 0.498, 0.627, and 0.579, respectively. The population structure analysis based on the 200 SSR loci divided the maize germplasm into two primary groups with an admixed group. Moreover, this study identified, respectively, 85 SMTAs and 31 SMTAs using a general linear model (Q GLM) and a mixed linear model (Q  + K MLM) with statistically significant (p < 0.05 and <0.01) associations with the seven physiochemical traits (caffeic acid content, chlorogenic acid content, gallic acid content, ferulic acid content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity, leaf relative moisture content, total phenolic content). These SSR markers were highly correlated with one or more of the seven physiochemical traits. This study provides insights into the genetics of the 41 maize-inbred lines and their seven physiochemical traits and will be of assistance to breeders in the marker-assisted selection of maize for breeding programs.

A Review on Bioactive Compounds, Ethnomedicinal Importance and Pharmacological Activities of Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd

Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd. is a traditional leafy vegetable used by tribal communities for ethnomedicinal and ethnoculinary preparations. This article reviews the current knowledge of its multiple uses, including pharmacological activities and nutritional composition. The literature survey shows that it has been traditionally useful in the treatment of several diseases, such as anaemia, diabetes, measles, and ulcers and the preparation of various traditional foods. Analysis of the literature on its phytochemicals shows its richness in bioactive compounds. Further, research also shows that this plant has antidiabetic, antiobesity, antitumor, antiulcer, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective activities besides anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Nutrient analysis of the plant reveals the presence of Ca, Zn, Fe, vitamins C and E, dietary fibre and protein in considerable quantities. The results of the pharmacological studies on the antidiabetic, antiulcer and anti-anaemic activities provide support in favour of its ethnomedicinal uses. The presence of bioactive compounds and pharmacological activities show the usefulness of this plant as a functional food.

Evaluation of yield attributes and bioactive phytochemicals of twenty amaranth genotypes of Bengal floodplain

Twenty vegetable amaranth (VA) genotypes were evaluated to assess the variability, associations, path coefficient, and principal component analysis (PCA) of morpho-chemical traits. The genotypes exhibited adequate antioxidant colorants, phytochemicals, and antiradical capacity with significant variations across genotypes. Genetic parameters revealed selection criteria for the majority of the traits for improving amaranth foliage yield (FY). Based on correlation coefficient, stem weight, stem base diameter, root weight, plant height, and shoot weight for significant development of FY of VA. Observing significant genotypic correlation with high positive direct effects on FY, the path coefficient (PC) of root weight, stem base diameter, stem weight, and shoot weight could contribute to the noteworthy development of FY of VA. The genotypes AA5, AA6, AA8, AA10, AA11, AA19, and AA20 might be selected for high FY, antioxidant colorants, and antiradical phytochemicals to utilize as colorants and antiradical rich superior high yielding cultivars. The first PC accounted for 37.8% of the variances, which implies a larger proportion of variable information explained by PC1. The features that contributed more to PC1 were FY, SW, STW, RW, and PH, whereas Chl b, total Chl, and Chl a contributed to the second PC. This suggests that there are significant genetic differences between amaranths in terms of biochemical and agro-morphological characteristics. The findings of the current work support plant breeders to investigate the genetic potential of the amaranth germplasm, notably in biochemical parameters. High colorants enrich genotypes that can be selected for extracting natural colorants to use in food processing industries.

Effectiveness of silver nitrate application on plant growth and bioactive compounds in Agastache rugosa (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) kuntze

The objective of this study was to determine the optimal dose of silver nitrate (AgNO3) for plant growth and to increase the main bioactive compounds in A. rugosa cultivated in a hydroponic system. The application of soaked diniconazole (120 μmol mol-1) to all plants at 7 days after transplanting (DAT) for dwarfing plant height, optimizing cultivation space in the plant factory. Subsequently, plants were soaked with 50, 100, 200, and 400 μmol mol-1 AgNO3 for 10 min at 25 DAT and harvested at 39 DAT. The results indicated that 200 and 400 μmol mol-1 treatments tended to severely decrease plant growth parameters compared to treatments with lower concentrations. The net photosynthetic rate was significantly reduced by the 200 and 400 μmol mol-1 treatments compared to treatments with other concentrations. The 400 μmol mol-1 treatment led to the lowest concentrations of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll a/b, total carotenoid, chlorophyll b, and the total chlorophyll. However, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity was considerably increased in 50, 100, 200, and 400 μmol mol-1 compared to that of the control plants. A higher rosmarinic acid (RA) concentration in the whole plant was noticed with the 400 μmol mol-1 treatment compared with that of the untreated plants. The 100 μmol mol-1 treatment exhibited the highest concentration and content of tilianin in the whole plant. Concentration of acacetin 1 significantly increased in the whole plant with 100 and 200 μmol mol-1 treatments compared with that of the untreated plants. Concentrations of acacetin 2 and 3 in the whole plant were the highest with 100 and 200 μmol mol-1 treatments, respectively. The results demonstrated that 100 μmol mol-1 treatments can be used to increase bioactive compounds without severely limiting the plant growth and reducing chlorophyll concentrations of A. rugosa. Implementing this optimal dose can enable growers and researchers to cultivate A. rugosa more efficiently, enhancing bioactive compound content and overall plant performance, thus harnessing the potential health benefits of this valuable plant species.

Efficacy of Carbon Nanodots and Manganese Ferrite (MnFe2O4) Nanoparticles in Stimulating Growth and Antioxidant Activity in Drought-Stressed Maize Inbred Lines

Despite being the third most-consumed crop, maize (Zea mays L.) is highly vulnerable to drought stress. The predominant secondary metabolite in plants is phenolic acids, which scavenge reactive oxygen species to minimize oxidative stress under drought stress. Herein, the effect of carbon nanodots (CND) and manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) nanoparticles (NP) on the drought stress tolerance of maize has been studied. The experimental results revealed that the highest leaf blade length (54.0 cm) and width (3.9 cm), root length (45.2 cm), stem diameter (11.1 mm), root fresh weight (7.0 g), leaf relative water content (84.8%) and chlorogenic (8.7 µg/mL), caffeic (3.0 µg/mL) and syringic acid (1.0 µg/mL) contents were demonstrated by CND-treated (10 mg L-1) inbred lines (GP5, HW19, HCW2, 17YS6032, HCW3, HCW4, HW7, HCW2, and 16S8068-9, respectively). However, the highest shoot length (71.5 cm), leaf moisture content (83.9%), shoot fresh weight (12.5 g), chlorophyll content (47.3), and DPPH free radical scavenging activity (34.1%) were observed in MnFe2O4 NP-treated (300 mg L-1) HF12, HW15, 11BS8016-7, HW15, HW12, and KW7 lines, respectively. The results indicate that CND and MnFe2O4 NP can mitigate drought stress effects on different accessions of the given population, as corroborated by improvements in growth and physio-biochemical traits among several inbred lines of maize.

Biostimulant red seaweed (Gracilaria tenuistipitata var. liui) extracts spray improves yield and drought tolerance in soybean

Drought has a deleterious impact on the growth, physiology, and yield of various plants, including soybean. Seaweed extracts are rich in various bioactive compounds, including antioxidants, and can be used as biostimulants for improving yield and alleviating the adverse effect of drought stress. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of soybean growth and yield with different concentrations (0.0%, 5.0%, and 10.0% v/v) of water extracts of the red seaweed Gracilaria tenuistipitata var. liui under well-watered (80% of field capacity (FC) and drought (40% of FC)) conditions. Drought stress decreased soybean grain yield by 45.58% compared to well-watered circumstances but increased the water saturation deficit by 37.87%. It also decreased leaf water, chlorophyll content, plant height, and the fresh weight of the leaf, stem, and petiole. Drought stress decreased soybean grain yield by 45.58% compared to well-watered circumstances but increased the water saturation deficit by 37.87%. It also decreased leaf water, chlorophyll content, plant height, and the fresh weight of the leaf, stem, and petiole. Under both drought and well-watered situations, foliar application of seaweed extracts dramatically improved soybean growth and production. Under drought and well-watered situations, 10.0% seaweed extract increased grain yield by 54.87% and 23.97%, respectively in comparison to untreated plants. The results of this study suggest that red seaweed extracts from Gracilaria tenuistipitata var. liui may be used as a biostimulant to improve soybean yield and drought tolerance in the presence of insufficient water. However, the actual mechanisms behind these improvements need to be further investigated in field conditions.

Comparison of Some Fruit Quality Parameters of Selected 12 Mandarin Genotypes from Black Sea Region in Turkey

Mandarins are mostly preferred specie of Citrus genus, and there has been a continuous rise in consumption and global marketing due to having easy-to-peel, attractive flavor, and fresh consumption advantages. However, most of the existing knowledge on quality traits of citrus fruit comes from research conducted on oranges, which are the main products for the citrus juice manufacturing industry. In recent years, mandarin production in Turkey surpassed orange production and took the first place in citrus production. Mandarins are mostly grown in the Mediterranean and Aegean Regions of Turkey. Due to suitable climatic conditions, they are also grown in the microclimatic condition in Rize province located in the Eastern Black Sea region. In this study, we reported the total phenolic content, total antioxidant capacity, and volatiles of 12 Satsuma mandarin genotypes selected from Rize province of Turkey. Considerable differences in the total phenolic content, total antioxidant capacity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay), and fruit volatile constituent were found among the 12 selected Satsuma mandarin genotypes. The total phenolic content ranged from 3.50 to 22.53 mg of gallic acid equivalent per 100 g of the fruit sample in the selected mandarin genotypes. The total antioxidant capacity was the highest in genotype HA2 as 60.40%, and followed by IB (59.15%) and TEK3 (58.36%), respectively. A total of 30 aroma volatiles were detected from the juice samples of 12 mandarin genotypes by GC/MS, which comprised six alcohols, three aldehydes (including one monoterpene), three esters, one ketone, and one other volatiles. The main volatile compounds were identified in fruits of all Satsuma mandarin genotypes as α-terpineol (0.6-1.88%), linalool (1.1-3.21%), γ-terpinene (4.41-5.5%), β-myrcene (0.9-1.6%), dl-limonene (79.71-85.12%), α-farnesene (1.1-2.44), and d-germacrene (0.66-1.37%). Limonene accounts for most of the aroma compounds (79.71-85.12%) in fruits of all Satsuma genotypes. The genotypes MP and TEK8 had the highest total phenolic content, and HA2, IB, and TEK 3 had the highest antioxidant capacity. The YU2 genotype was found to contain more aroma compounds than the other genotypes. The genotypes selected on the basis of their high bioactive content could be used to develop new Satsuma mandarin cultivars with high human health promoting contents.

Effect of household processing on nutritional and antinutritional composition, mineral-mineral ratios, and functional properties of Colocasia leaves

Colocasia leaves are high in nutrients and other phytochemicals but their utilization remains limited due to a lack of awareness. Higher content of anti-nutritional factors like oxalic and tannic acid in Colocasia leaves limit nutrient availability. In the present study, the effect of four household procedures viz. soaking (8-12 h), microwave heating (2-6 min), cooking (30-60 min), and blanching (1-3 min), followed by sun drying, was studied on the nutritional, antinutritional and functional properties of Colocasia leaves. A significant increase in crude fibre (25.7%-29.65%), and protein (4.33-15.6%) content was found in all the treatments except for the microwave treatment. A significant decrease in fat (5.7-31.4%), ash (20.34-28.22%), oxalic acid (27.07-35.32%), and tannic acid (up to 96%) was also found in various treatments. Among the minerals, a significant increase was reported for calcium (up to 16.38%), and iron (up to 5.9%). The highest mineral retention was found in soaked samples. The soaked and cooked samples also had a higher Ca: Mg ratio. A significant change in functional properties was also found. FTIR peaks suggested no significant qualitative effect occurred on phytochemical or physicochemical characteristics. Cluster analysis showed that cooking was second to soaking in terms of overall quality which were most comparable to the control. Cooking efficiently reduced the antinutritional factors, however, a significant loss of nutrients and functional properties was also observed. Therefore, the soaking of Colocasia leaves for 8-10 h is recommended as the best practice before their food applications.

Integrating BLUP, AMMI, and GGE Models to Explore GE Interactions for Adaptability and Stability of Winter Lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Lentil yield is a complicated quantitative trait; it is significantly influenced by the environment. It is crucial for improving human health and nutritional security in the country as well as for a sustainable agricultural system. The study was laid out to determine the stable genotype through the collaboration of G × E by AMMI and GGE biplot and to identify the superior genotypes using 33 parametric and non-parametric stability statistics of 10 genotypes across four different conditions. The total G × E effect was divided into two primary components by the AMMI model. For days to flowering, days to maturity, plant height, pods per plant, and hundred seed weight, IPCA1 was significant and accounted for 83%, 75%, 100%, and 62%, respectively. Both IPCA1 and IPCA2 were non-significant for yield per plant and accounted for 62% of the overall G × E interaction. An estimated set of eight stability parameters showed strong positive correlations with mean seed yield, and these measurements can be utilized to choose stable genotypes. The productivity of lentils has varied greatly in the environment, ranging from 786 kg per ha in the MYM environment to 1658 kg per ha in the ISD environment, according to the AMMI biplot. Three genotypes (G8, G7, and G2) were shown to be the most stable based on non-parametric stability scores for grain yield. G8, G7, G2, and G5 were determined as the top lentil genotypes based on grain production using numerical stability metrics such as Francis's coefficient of variation, Shukla stability value (σi2), and Wrick's ecovalence (Wi). Genotypes G7, G10, and G4 were the most stable with the highest yield, according to BLUP-based simultaneous selection stability characteristics. The findings of graphic stability methods such as AMMI and GGE for identifying the high-yielding and stable lentil genotypes were very similar. While the GGE biplot indicated G2, G10, and G7 as the most stable and high-producing genotypes, AMMI analysis identified G2, G9, G10, and G7. These selected genotypes would be used to release a new variety. Considering all the stability models, such as Eberhart and Russell's regression and deviation from regression, additive main effects, multiplicative interactions (AMMI) analysis, and GGE, the genotypes G2, G9, and G7 could be used as well-adapted genotypes with moderate grain yield in all tested environments.

Genetic Analyses of Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] Breeding Traits for Selecting Superior Genotype(s) Using Multivariate and Multi-Traits Indexing Approaches

Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] is an important food, feed, and cash crop in rice-based agricultural ecosystems in Southeast Asia and other continents. It has the potential to enhance livelihoods due to its palatability, nutritional content, and digestibility. We evaluated 166 diverse mungbean genotypes in two seasons using multivariate and multi-traits index approaches to identify superior genotypes. The total Shannon diversity index (SDI) for qualitative traits ranged from moderate for terminal leaflet shape (0.592) to high for seed colour (1.279). The analysis of variances (ANOVA) indicated a highly significant difference across the genotypes for most of the studied traits. Descriptive analyses showed high diversity among genotypes for all morphological traits. Six components with eigen values larger than one contributed 76.50% of the variability in the principal component analysis (PCA). The first three PCs accounted for the maximum 29.90%, 15.70%, and 11.20% of the total variances, respectively. Yield per plant, pod weight, hundred seed weight, pod length, days to maturity, pods per plant, harvest index, biological yield per plant, and pod per cluster contributed more to PC1 and PC2 and showed a positive association and positive direct effect on seed yield. The genotypes were grouped into seven clusters with the maximum in cluster II (34) and the minimum in cluster VII (10) along with a range of intra-cluster and inter-cluster distances of 5.15 (cluster II) to 3.60 (cluster VII) and 9.53 (between clusters II and VI) to 4.88 (clusters I and VII), suggesting extreme divergence and the possibility for use in hybridization and selection. Cluster III showed the highest yield and yield-related traits. Yield per plant positively and significantly correlated with pod traits and hundred seed weight. Depending on the multi-trait stability index (MTSI), clusters I, III, and VII might be utilized as parents in the hybridization program to generate high-yielding, disease-resistant, and small-seeded mungbean. Based on all multivariate-approaches, G45, G5, G22, G55, G143, G144, G87, G138, G110, G133, and G120 may be considered as the best parents for further breeding programs.

Influence of foliar spray and post-harvest treatments on head yield, shelf-life, and physicochemical qualities of broccoli

Rapid senescence is the key factor in the deterioration of post-harvest shelf-life in broccoli heads. This study evaluates the head yield and its related traits, and physicochemical attributes of broccoli under four foliar sprays of mineral nutrients (B, Zn, Mo, and B + Zn + Mo) with control. The interaction effects of shelf-life and physicochemical attributes of broccoli for these five pre-harvest and five post-harvest storage treatments (LDP bag, HDP vacuum pack, 2% eggshell powder solution, 2% ascorbic acid, and control) both at cold storage and room temperature were evaluated with three replications. The significantly higher marketable head yield of 28.02 t ha^-1, maximum gross return [(Bangladesh Taka (BDT 420300 ha^-1)], net return (BDT 30565 ha^-1), and maximum benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 3.67 were obtained from the pre-harvest foliar application of B + Zn + Mo in broccoli. Pre-harvest foliar spray of combined nutrient B + Zn + Mo and post-harvest treatment high-density polyethylene (HDP, 15 μm) vacuum packaging efficiently improve post-harvest physicochemical attributes, viz., compactness, green color, texture, carbohydrates, fats, energy, antioxidants, vitamin C, and total phenols in broccoli head compared to the rest of the treatment combinations. In addition, this treatment combination also confirmed a maximum shelf-life of 24.55 days at cold storage [relative humidity (RH) 90-95% and 4°C] and 7.05 days at room temperature (RH 60-65% and 14-22°C) compared to the rest of the treatment combinations. Therefore, we recommend a pre-harvest foliar spray of combined nutrient elements B + Zn + Mo and an HDP (15 μm) vacuum post-harvest packaging for the maximum benefits for both farmers and consumers to get the best head yield, anticipated physicochemical attributes, and maximum shelf-life of broccoli.