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Tlili I, Ilahy R, Romdhane L, R'him T, Ben Mohamed H, Zgallai H, Rached Z, Azam M, Henane I, Saïdi MN, Pék Z, Daood HG, Helyes L, Hdider C, Lenucci MS. Functional Quality and Radical Scavenging Activity of Selected Watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mansfeld) Genotypes as Affected by Early and Full Cropping Seasons. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:plants12091805. [PMID: 37176862 PMCID: PMC10181218 DOI: 10.3390/plants12091805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Growing conditions and seasonal fluctuations are critical factors affecting fruit and vegetable nutritional quality. The effects of two partially overlapping cropping seasons, early (ECS; January-May) and full (FCS; March-July), on the main carpometric traits and bioactive components of different watermelon fruits were investigated in the open field. Four watermelon genotypes, comprising of three commercial cultivars 'Crimson Sweet', 'Dumara', 'Giza', and the novel hybrid 'P503 F1', were compared. The carpometric traits varied significantly between genotypes. Soluble solids and yield were higher under FCS than ECS. The variation affecting colour indexes between the two growing seasons exhibited a genotype-dependent trend. The antioxidant components and radical scavenging activity of watermelon fruits were also significantly affected by differences in received solar energy and temperature fluctuations during the trial period. The average citrulline, total phenolics and flavonoid contents were 93%, 71% and 40% higher in FCS than in ECS. A genotype-dependent variation trend was also observed for lycopene and total vitamin C between cropping seasons. The hydrophilic and lipophilic radical scavenging activities of the pulp of ripe watermelon fruits of the different genotypes investigated varied between 243.16 and 425.31 µmol Trolox Equivalent (TE) of 100 g-1 of fresh weight (fw) and from 232.71 to 341.67 µmol TE of 100 g-1 fw in FCS and ECS, respectively. Our results, although preliminary, show that the functional quality of watermelon fruits is drastically altered depending on the environmental conditions that characterize the ECS and LCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imen Tlili
- Laboratory of Horticulture, National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia (INRAT), University of Carthage, Menzah 1, Tunis 1004, Tunisia
| | - Riadh Ilahy
- Laboratory of Horticulture, National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia (INRAT), University of Carthage, Menzah 1, Tunis 1004, Tunisia
| | - Leila Romdhane
- Laboratory of Horticulture, National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia (INRAT), University of Carthage, Menzah 1, Tunis 1004, Tunisia
| | - Thouraya R'him
- Laboratory of Horticulture, National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia (INRAT), University of Carthage, Menzah 1, Tunis 1004, Tunisia
| | - Hatem Ben Mohamed
- Arid and Oases Cropping Laboratory, Arid Regions Institute of Medenine, Medenine 4119, Tunisia
| | - Hatem Zgallai
- Laboratory of Science and Agronomic Techniques, National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia (INRAT), University of Carthage, Menzah 1, Tunis 1004, Tunisia
| | - Zouhair Rached
- Laboratory of Rural Economy, National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia, University of Carthage, Menzah 1, Tunis 1004, Tunisia
| | - Muhammad Azam
- Pomology Laboratory, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
| | - Imen Henane
- Laboratory of Horticulture, National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia (INRAT), University of Carthage, Menzah 1, Tunis 1004, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Najib Saïdi
- Biotechnology and Plant Improvement Laboratory, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, Sfax 3018, Tunisia
| | - Zoltàn Pék
- Laboratory of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Horticultural Institute, Szent István University, 2100 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Hussein G Daood
- Laboratory of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Horticultural Institute, Szent István University, 2100 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Lajos Helyes
- Laboratory of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Horticultural Institute, Szent István University, 2100 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Chafik Hdider
- Laboratory of Horticulture, National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia (INRAT), University of Carthage, Menzah 1, Tunis 1004, Tunisia
| | - Marcello Salvatore Lenucci
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche ed Ambientali (Di.S.Te.B.A.), Università del Salento, Via Prov. le Lecce Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy
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Slama A, Mallek-Maalej E, Ben Mohamed H, Rhim T, Radhouane L. A return to the genetic heritage of durum wheat to cope with drought heightened by climate change. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0196873. [PMID: 29795584 PMCID: PMC5967785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this work was to perform a comparative analysis of the physiological, biochemical and agronomical parameters of recent and heritage durum wheat cultivars (Triticum durum Desf.) under water-deficit conditions. Five cultivars were grown under irrigated (control) and rainfall (stressed) conditions. Different agro-physiological and biochemical parameters were studied: electrolyte leakage, relative water content, chlorophyll fluorescence, proline, soluble sugars, specific peroxidase activity, yield and drought stress indices. It was revealed that a water deficit increased proline content, electrolyte leakage, soluble sugars and specific peroxidase activity and decreased relative water content, fluorescence and grain yield. According to these parameters and drought stress indices, our investigation indicated that old cultivars are the best-adapted to local conditions and showed characteristics of drought tolerance, while recent cultivars showed more drought susceptibility. Therefore, local cultivars of each country should be kept by farmers and plant breeders to preserve their genetic heritage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amor Slama
- Science Faculty of Bizerte, Carthage University, Bizerte, Tunisia
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Hatem Ben Mohamed
- Arid and Oases Cropping Laboratory, Arid Regions Institute of Medenine, Medenine, Tunisia
| | - Thouraya Rhim
- Horticulture Laboratory, National Institute of Agronomic Research, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Leila Radhouane
- Plant Physiology Laboratory, National Institute of Agronomic Research, Ariana, Tunisia
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Mohamed HB, Alif HA, Awadalla AA, Azza ZL. Detection and significance of blood neutrophil CD64 expression as a diagnostic marker in bacterial meningitis in children. Egypt J Immunol 2012; 19:35-40. [PMID: 23885405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Appropriate, rapid and reliable laboratory tests are essential for the diagnosis and therapy of acute bacterial meningitis especially in children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of flowcytometric detection of CD64 surface marker on blood neutrophils in diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis. Our work included 132 (74 males and 58 females) patients with suspected meningitis, whose ages ranged from 2 months to 11 year. Patients were subjected to full clinical examination, complete blood count (CBC), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) chemical and bacteriological analysis and detection of CD64 surface marker on blood neutrophils (CD64+ leucocytes). Based on the microbial culture results, patients were classified into bacterial meningitis group I (44) and non bacterial meningitis group II (88). The most prevalent isolates were Streptococcus pneumoniae (23) followed by H. influenzae (9) and N. meningitidis (6). Flowcytometry results indicated that the mean percentage of neutrophil CD64+ expression in bacterial meningitis (71.38 +/- 7.11) was significantly higher compared to culture negative meningitis (48.63 +/- 14.55) and controls (4.37 +/- 13.5). Flowcytometric assessment of neutrophil CD64 expression could serve as a reliable laboratory tool for detection of bacterial meningitis and may be a useful adjunct in differentiating bacterial and non bacterial meningitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- H B Mohamed
- Department of Pediatric, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufyia University, Menoufyia, Egypt
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Zrig A, Tounekti T, Vadel AM, Ben Mohamed H, Valero D, Serrano M, Chtara C, Khemira H. Possible involvement of polyphenols and polyamines in salt tolerance of almond rootstocks. Plant Physiol Biochem 2011; 49:1313-22. [PMID: 22000055 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2011.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2011] [Accepted: 08/24/2011] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Leaf physiological and biochemical adaptive strategies and more particularly the possible involvement of polyamines and polyphenols in salt stress tolerance were investigated. Three almond rootstocks (GN15, GF677 and bitter almond) were subjected to 0, 25, 50 and 75 mM NaCl for 30 days. The dry mass of leaves, stems and roots decreased with increasing salt concentration in the irrigation solution regardless of genotype. Photosynthetic assimilation rate decreased in the three almond rootstocks, but more so in GF677 and bitter almond. The accumulation of toxic ions was greater in the leaves than in the roots in all genotypes. GN15 accumulated less Na(+) and Cl(-) than GF677 and bitter almond. GF677 accumulated polyphenols, but had less anthocyanin and antioxidant activity in its leaves compared to bitter almond. It seems that GN15 was more able to tolerate the excess of toxic ions using anthocyanins which are abundant in its red leaves and free polyamines for a more efficient response to stress. However, most of the antioxidant activity was found in the leaves and was lower in the roots. Given that the upper part of the tree will be of a different cultivar after grafting, this advantage may not be relevant for the tree's survival. GF677 showed a different antioxidant strategy; it maintained a stable carotenoids content and accumulated polyphenols in its leaves. The three rootstocks used different strategies to deal with the excess of salt in the growth medium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahlem Zrig
- Laboratory of Biotechnology Applied to Crop Improvement, Faculty of Sciences of Gabes, University of Gabes, Cité Erriadh, Zrig, 6072 Gabes, Tunisia
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Doherty CP, Fitzsimons M, Holohan T, Mohamed HB, Farrell M, Meredith GE, Staunton H. Accuracy and validity of stereology as a quantitative method for assessment of human temporal lobe volumes acquired by magnetic resonance imaging. Magn Reson Imaging 2000; 18:1017-25. [PMID: 11121707 DOI: 10.1016/s0730-725x(00)00185-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The object of this study was to compare the accuracy and validity of stereology as a method for determining whole temporal lobe volume with the more established technique of semi-automated thresholding and tracing. Ten, fixed, post-mortem human brains, were imaged using a three dimensional (3D) acquisition protocol. The volume of the left temporal lobe, dissected from each brain, was determined by fluid displacement. Each volume was compared to measurements obtained from magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the post-mortem brain using each of the two segmentation methods. Post-acquisition processing was performed using MEASURE software. Three investigators performed each measurement three times using each method, yielding a total of 180 measurements. Stereology took, on average, half the time of thresholding/tracing. Using a clinically acceptable variation for 95% of repeat measures; both intra-observer and inter-observer variation were acceptable for each technique. However, validity, as demonstrated by graphs of agreement against water displacement showed that the "limits of agreement" using stereology were within the acceptable range, while those using the thresholding/tracing technique were not. Quantitative estimates of variation and a graphical representation of the limits of agreement show that stereology is at least as precise as the thresholding/tracing method but is superior in terms of speed and validity. This has broad implications for published estimates of brain region volumes in human diseases such as epilepsy, dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- C P Doherty
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Wang ACC 835, 32 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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