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Mellikeche W, Ricelli A, Casini G, Gallo M, Baser N, Colelli G, D’Onghia AM. Development of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assays for the Rapid Detection of Toxigenic Aspergillus flavus and A. carbonarius in Nuts. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3809. [PMID: 38612622 PMCID: PMC11011790 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073809] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Aspergillus species create major postharvest problems due to the food losses caused by their mere presence and the hazardous mycotoxins they produce, such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA). These mycotoxins are mainly produced by A. flavus and A. carbonarius, respectively. In this study, we developed a rapid detection method for the two aforementioned species based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The primers were designed to target genes belonging to the mycotoxin clusters pks and aflT for A. carbonarius and A. flavus, respectively. Result visualization was carried out in real time via the detection of fluorescent signals. The method developed showed high sensitivity and specificity, with detection limits of 0.3 and 0.03 pg/reaction of purified DNA of A. carbonarius and A. flavus, respectively. The assays were further implemented on inoculated nuts, including pistachios and almonds, after one-step crude DNA extraction. These tests revealed a detection level of 0.5 spore/g that shows the effectiveness of LAMP as a rapid method for detecting potentially toxigenic Aspergillus spp. directly in food. The validation of the assays included tests on a larger scale that further confirmed their sensitivity and specificity, as well as enabling the production of ready-to-use LAMP prototype kits. These kits are easy to use and aim to simplify the screening of food samples in order to monitor the presence of specific Aspergillus contaminations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanissa Mellikeche
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Food, Natural Resources and Engineering, University of Foggia, Via Napoli, 25-71122 Foggia, Italy; (W.M.); (G.C.)
| | - Alessandra Ricelli
- National Research Council—Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, P.le A. Moro, 5-00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Casini
- Enbiotech SRL, Via Del Bersagliere, 45-90143 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Marilita Gallo
- International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, Via Ceglie, 9-70010 Valenzano, Italy; (M.G.); (N.B.); (A.M.D.)
| | - Nuray Baser
- International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, Via Ceglie, 9-70010 Valenzano, Italy; (M.G.); (N.B.); (A.M.D.)
| | - Giancarlo Colelli
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Food, Natural Resources and Engineering, University of Foggia, Via Napoli, 25-71122 Foggia, Italy; (W.M.); (G.C.)
| | - Anna Maria D’Onghia
- International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, Via Ceglie, 9-70010 Valenzano, Italy; (M.G.); (N.B.); (A.M.D.)
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Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Zappalà L, Di Serio F, Gómez P, Urek G, Lucchi A, Carluccio AV, Chiumenti M, Fanelli E, Bernardo U, Marzachì C, Bubici G, Dimitropoulou S, Correia CDV, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Kaczmarek A, Yuen J. Commodity risk assessment of plants of 12 selected Prunus species from Moldova. EFSA J 2024; 22:e8647. [PMID: 38476321 PMCID: PMC10928764 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High-risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by defoliated 1- or 2-year old bare root plants for planting (grafted or not) of 12 Prunus species (Prunus armeniaca, P. avium, P. canescens, P. cerasifera, P. cerasus, P. davidiana, P. domestica, P. dulcis, P. fontanesiana, P. persica, P. salicina, P. tomentosa) imported from Moldova, taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the applicant country. The evaluation identified three EU-quarantine pests, Erwinia amylovora (protected zone quarantine pest), Xiphinema rivesi non-EU populations and Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (protected zone quarantine pest), which were selected for further evaluation, based on defined criteria, including their presence in the applicant country. It should be noted that there is uncertainty regarding whether all relevant pests have been identified due to a limited number of scientific publications and pest surveys in Moldova. For the three selected pests, the risk mitigation measures proposed in the technical dossier from Moldova were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on it, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with Erwinia amylovora being the pest most frequently expected on the imported plants. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated, with 95% certainty, that between 9823 and 10,000 bundles (comprising 10-20 plants per bundle) out of 10,000 bundles would be free from E. amylovora.
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Rogers EE, Stone AL, Burchard E, Sherman DJ, Dardick C. Almond can be infected by Plum Pox Virus-D isolate Penn4 and is a transmission-competent host. Plant Dis 2024. [PMID: 38372721 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-09-23-1910-sc] [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] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
While currently eradicated from the U.S., Plum pox virus (PPV) poses an ongoing threat to U.S. stone fruit production. Although almond (Prunus dulcis) is known to be largely resistant to PPV, there is conflicting evidence about its potential to serve as an asymptomatic reservoir host for the virus and thus serve as a potential route of entry. Here, we demonstrate that both Tuono and Texas Mission cultivars can be infected by the U.S. isolate PPV-D Penn4 and that Tuono is a transmission-competent host, capable of serving as a source of inoculum for aphid transmission of the virus. These findings have important implications for efforts to keep PPV out of the U.S. and highlights the need for additional research to test the susceptibility of almond to other PPV-D isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E Rogers
- US Department of Agriculture Research Education and Economics, 17139, Agricultural Research Service, Foreign Disease Weed Science Research Unit, Frederick, Maryland, United States;
| | - Andrew L Stone
- Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit, ARS, Fort Detrick, Maryland, United States;
| | - Erik Burchard
- US Department of Agriculture Research Education and Economics, 17139, Agricultural Research Service, Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Kearneysville, West Virginia, United States;
| | - Diana J Sherman
- Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit, ARS, Fort Detrick, Maryland, United States;
| | - Chris Dardick
- US Department of Agriculture Research Education and Economics, 17139, Agricultural Research Service, Appalachian Fruit Research Station, Kearneysville, West Virginia, United States;
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Delgado-Osorio A, Navajas-Porras B, Pérez-Burillo S, Hinojosa-Nogueira D, Toledano-Marín Á, Pastoriza de la Cueva S, Paliy O, Rufián-Henares JÁ. Cultivar and Harvest Time of Almonds Affect Their Antioxidant and Nutritional Profile through Gut Microbiota Modifications. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:84. [PMID: 38247508 PMCID: PMC10812595 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13010084] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Almonds are a rich source of beneficial compounds for human health. In this work, we assessed the influence of almond cultivars and harvest time on their morphological (length, width and thickness) and nutritional (ash, moisture, proteins) profiles. We also evaluated the impact of an in vitro digestion and fermentation process on almonds' antioxidant and phenolic content, as well as their support of gut microbiota community and functionality, including the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), lactic and succinic acids. The length, width, and thickness of almonds varied significantly among cultivars, with the latter two parameters also exhibiting significant changes over time. Moisture content decreased with maturity, while protein and ash increased significantly. Total antioxidant capacity released by almonds after digestion and fermentation had different trends depending on the antioxidant capacity method used. The fermentation step contributed more to the antioxidant capacity than the digestion step. Both cultivar and harvest time exerted a significant influence on the concentration of certain phenolic compounds, although the total content remained unaffected. Similarly, fecal microbiota modulation depended on the cultivar and maturity stage, with the Guara cultivar and late maturity showing the largest effects. Cultivar type also exerted a significant impact on the concentration of SCFAs, with the Guara cultivar displaying the highest total SCFAs concentration. Thus, we conclude that cultivar and harvest time are key factors in shaping the morphological and nutritional composition of almonds. In addition, taking into account all the results obtained, the Guara variety has the best nutritional profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Delgado-Osorio
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad de Granada, Av. del Hospicio, s/n, 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.D.-O.); (B.N.-P.); (S.P.-B.); (D.H.-N.); (Á.T.-M.); (S.P.d.l.C.)
| | - Beatriz Navajas-Porras
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad de Granada, Av. del Hospicio, s/n, 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.D.-O.); (B.N.-P.); (S.P.-B.); (D.H.-N.); (Á.T.-M.); (S.P.d.l.C.)
| | - Sergio Pérez-Burillo
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad de Granada, Av. del Hospicio, s/n, 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.D.-O.); (B.N.-P.); (S.P.-B.); (D.H.-N.); (Á.T.-M.); (S.P.d.l.C.)
| | - Daniel Hinojosa-Nogueira
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad de Granada, Av. del Hospicio, s/n, 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.D.-O.); (B.N.-P.); (S.P.-B.); (D.H.-N.); (Á.T.-M.); (S.P.d.l.C.)
| | - Ángela Toledano-Marín
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad de Granada, Av. del Hospicio, s/n, 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.D.-O.); (B.N.-P.); (S.P.-B.); (D.H.-N.); (Á.T.-M.); (S.P.d.l.C.)
| | - Silvia Pastoriza de la Cueva
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad de Granada, Av. del Hospicio, s/n, 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.D.-O.); (B.N.-P.); (S.P.-B.); (D.H.-N.); (Á.T.-M.); (S.P.d.l.C.)
| | - Oleg Paliy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435, USA;
| | - José Ángel Rufián-Henares
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad de Granada, Av. del Hospicio, s/n, 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.D.-O.); (B.N.-P.); (S.P.-B.); (D.H.-N.); (Á.T.-M.); (S.P.d.l.C.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Universidad de Granada, Avda. de Madrid 15, 2a Planta, 18012 Granada, Spain
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Khadivi A, Mashhadi Z, Hosseini A. Relationship between molecular markers and important fruit-related traits in almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A. Webb syn. P. amygdalus Batsch) as revealed using multiple regression analysis (MRA). Food Sci Nutr 2023; 11:7311-7319. [PMID: 37970427 PMCID: PMC10630794 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A. Webb syn. P. amygdalus Batsch) is one of the most important nut crops, and its kernel is the edible part that has a high nutritional value and is used in the confectionery and cosmetics industries. The present research aimed to identify random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers associated with important fruit traits in late-blooming almond genotypes through multiple regression analysis (MRA). The studied genotypes showed significant differences from each other in terms of the measured fruit-related traits. The ISSR primers used produced a total of 125 bands in the studied germplasm, of which 112 showed polymorphic bands. The RAPD primers produced a total of 190 DNA fragments, of which 172 fragments showed polymorphism among genotypes. Some polymorphic fragments of ISSR and RAPD showed significant correlations with the fruit traits measured. Some of these informative markers were associated with more than one trait, which could be caused by the pleiotropic effects of quantitative trait loci related to each other in different traits. For instance, some of the markers showed significant correlations with both nut weight and kernel weight, which indicates a positive correlation between these two traits. Informative markers identified in this study can be used to select suitable parents for population generation for mapping. It is also useful for selecting superior genotypes, especially when information about their genetic basis, such as a linkage map, is not available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Khadivi
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural ResourcesArak UniversityArakIran
| | - Zeinab Mashhadi
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural ResourcesArak UniversityArakIran
| | - Akram‐Sadat Hosseini
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural ResourcesArak UniversityArakIran
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6
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Ademosun A, Ojueromi O, Peace O, Oboh G. Cardiomodulatory and Antioxidative Potentials of Almond-Citrus Peel Fortified Shortbread in High Fat Diet/L-NAME-Induced Hyperlipidemic-Hypertensive Rats. J Med Food 2023; 26:586-594. [PMID: 37594561 DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2023.0050] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In folk medicine, the almond nut (Terminalia catappa) and orange peel (Citrus sinensis) are cost-effective sources of nutraceutical utilized in the treatment of degenerative diseases. Hyperlipidemia and hypertension are two pathological conditions implicated in cardiovascular disorders. This study sought to evaluate the cardiomodulatory effect of almond-citrus peel fortified shortbread in hyperlipidemic-hypertensive rats induced by high fat diet and Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester. The experimental animals were divided into eight groups. The experimental rats were fed with shortbread supplemented with almond and citrus peel at varying inclusions of 0.2% citrus, 50% almond, and almond (50%)- citrus (0.2%) for 21 days. The mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and lipid profile of the experimental rats were measured. Thereafter, the activities of angiotensin-1-converting enzyme (ACE), arginase, malondialdehyde (MDA), phosphodiesterase-5, nitric oxide (NO), and antioxidant indices were evaluated. The result showed significant elevation in SBP, MABP, blood cholesterol, triglyceride, ACE, arginase, activities, and MDA levels in the heart tissue of the untreated rats. In contrast, the antioxidant status and NO level were significantly decreased in the untreated groups. Remarkably, the treatment with almond-citrus peel fortified shortbread and the individual effect of almond (50%) and citrus peel (0.2%) all reversed these trends in the hyperlipidemic-hypertensive rats. Intriguingly, the blend of almond (50%)-citrus peel (0.2%) fortified shortbread showed the best antioxidative and cardioprotective effect. The results suggest that almond and citrus peel offer potentials as therapeutic agent in the prevention and management of hyperlipidemia and hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayokunle Ademosun
- Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Opeyemi Ojueromi
- Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Olukorede Peace
- Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Ganiyu Oboh
- Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
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7
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Qin Y, Zhao H, Han H, Zhu G, Wang Z, Li F. Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly and Population Genomic Analyses Reveal Geographic Variation and Population Genetic Structure of Prunus tenella. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11735. [PMID: 37511492 PMCID: PMC10380494 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411735] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Prunus tenella is a rare and precious relict plant in China. It is an important genetic resource for almond improvement and an indispensable material in ecological protection and landscaping. However, the research into molecular breeding and genetic evolution has been severely restricted due to the lack of genome information. In this investigation, we created a chromosome-level genomic pattern of P. tenella, 231 Mb in length with a contig N50 of 18.1 Mb by Hi-C techniques and high-accuracy PacBio HiFi sequencing. The present assembly predicted 32,088 protein-coding genes, and an examination of the genome assembly indicated that 94.7% among all assembled transcripts were alignable to the genome assembly; most (97.24%) were functionally annotated. By phylogenomic genome comparison, we found that P. tenella is an ancient group that diverged approximately 13.4 million years ago (mya) from 13 additional closely related species and about 6.5 Mya from the cultivated almond. Collinearity analysis revealed that P. tenella is highly syntenic and has high sequence conservation with almond and peach. However, this species also exhibits many presence/absence variants. Moreover, a large inversion at the 7588 kb position of chromosome 5 was observed, which may have a significant association with phenotypic traits. Lastly, population genetic structure analysis in eight different populations indicated a high genetic differentiation among the natural distribution of P. tenella. This high-quality genome assembly provides critical clues and comprehensive information for the systematic evolution, genetic characteristics, and functional gene research of P. tenella. Moreover, it provides a valuable genomic resource for in-depth study in protection, developing, and utilizing P. tenella germplasm resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Qin
- Research Institute of Non-Timber Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Han Zhao
- Research Institute of Non-Timber Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Hongwei Han
- Economic Forest Research Institute, Xinjiang Academy of Forestry, Urumqi 830000, China
| | - Gaopu Zhu
- Research Institute of Non-Timber Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Zhaoshan Wang
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Fangdong Li
- Research Institute of Non-Timber Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhengzhou 450003, China
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8
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Beigi F, Khadivi A. Selection of superior late-blooming almond ( Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A.Webb) genotypes using morphological characterizations. Food Sci Nutr 2023; 11:3844-3857. [PMID: 37457173 PMCID: PMC10345730 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A.Webb) is one of the earliest domesticated trees and the evidence dates back to 3000-2000 BC. In the present study, 198 almond seedling origin trees were studied to select late-flowering genotypes having high kernel quality. Significant variabilities were exhibited among the genotypes investigated based on the recorded traits. Full-blooming date ranged from mid-March to mid-April. The Ward dendrogram clustered the genotypes into two major clusters forming several subclusters. After clustering the genotypes based on the full-blooming dates, 68 late-blooming genotypes were recognized and reanalyzed based on the quantitative characters to select the superior ones. Nut-related characters were as follows: nut length: 22.34-43.05 mm, nut width: 14.07-24.34 mm, nut thickness: 9.21-18.00 mm, nut weight: 1.88-6.62 g, and shell thickness: 2.26-4.59 mm. Kernel-related characters were as follows: kernel length: 16.73-25.91 mm, kernel width: 8.50-13.64 mm, kernel thickness: 3.56-7.37 mm, and kernel weight: 0.35-1.41 g. Kernel weight was positively and significantly associated with nut weight, kernel thickness, kernel length, kernel width, nut length, and branch leaf width. Thus, these key variables are the main traits accounting for kernel weight, and they should be considered together in breeding with aiming at increasing the kernel weight. Based on ideal values of the important and commercial characters of almond, such as fruit yield, nut weight, shell hardness, kernel shape, kernel weight, and kernel taste, 19 late-blooming genotypes were promising and are recommended for cultivation in orchards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Beigi
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural ResourcesArak UniversityArakIran
| | - Ali Khadivi
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural ResourcesArak UniversityArakIran
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9
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Şahin M, Arioglu-Tuncil S, Ünver A, Deemer D, Lindemann SR, Tunçil YE. Dietary Fibers of Tree Nuts Differ in Composition and Distinctly Impact the Fecal Microbiota and Metabolic Outcomes In Vitro. J Agric Food Chem 2023. [PMID: 37334468 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c01415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of dietary fibers (DFs) of commercially important tree nuts (almond, cashew, hazelnut, pistachio, and walnut) on gut microbiota in vitro. Microbial compositions and short-chain fatty acids were determined using 16S rRNA sequencing and gas chromatography (GC), respectively. Neutral and acidic monosaccharides were analyzed using GC/MS and spectrophotometry, respectively. Our results revealed that cashew fibers exhibit higher butyrate formation compared to others. Accordingly, cashew fiber promoted butyric acid-producing bacteria-related operational taxonomic units (OTUs; Butyricimonas and Collinsella) at higher relative abundances. The higher butyrogenic capacity of cashew fiber is mainly attributed to its higher soluble/total DF ratio and remarkably distinct monosaccharide composition. Additionally, nut fibers stimulated family Lachnospiraceae- and Ruminococcaceae-related OTUs. These findings show that although the degree of promotion is nut type-dependent, nut fibers are generally capable of promoting beneficial microbes in the colon, further suggesting that DFs of tree nuts are contributing factors to their health-promoting effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve Şahin
- Food Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya 42090, Türki̇ye
| | - Seda Arioglu-Tuncil
- Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Nezahat Keleşoğlu Health Science Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya 42090, Türki̇ye
| | - Ahmet Ünver
- Food Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya 42090, Türki̇ye
- Medical and Cosmetic Plants Application and Research Center, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya 42090, Türki̇ye
| | - Dane Deemer
- Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research, Department of Food Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette 47907, Indiana, United States
| | - Stephen R Lindemann
- Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research, Department of Food Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette 47907, Indiana, United States
- Department of Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette 47907, Indiana, United States
- Department of Biological Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette 47907, Indiana, United States
| | - Yunus E Tunçil
- Food Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya 42090, Türki̇ye
- Medical and Cosmetic Plants Application and Research Center, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya 42090, Türki̇ye
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10
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Romero-Cuadrado L, López-Herrera CJ, Aguado A, Capote N. Duplex Real-Time PCR Assays for the Simultaneous Detection and Quantification of Botryosphaeriaceae Species Causing Canker Diseases in Woody Crops. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:plants12112205. [PMID: 37299184 DOI: 10.3390/plants12112205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Woody canker diseases caused by fungi of the Botryosphaeriaceae family are producing increasing losses in many economically important woody crops, including almond. To develop a molecular tool for the detection and quantification of the most aggressive and threatening species is of main importance. This will help to prevent the introduction of these pathogens in new orchards and to conveniently apply the appropriate control measures. Three reliable, sensitive and specific duplex qPCR assays using TaqMan probes have been designed for the detection and quantification of (a) Neofusicoccum parvum and the Neofusicoccum genus, (b) N. parvum and the Botryosphaeriaceae family and (c) Botryosphaeria dothidea and the Botryosphaeriaceae family. The multiplex qPCR protocols have been validated on artificially and naturally infected plants. Direct systems to process plant materials, without DNA purification, allowed high-throughput detection of Botryosphaeriaceae targets even in asymptomatic tissues. These results validate the qPCR using the direct sample preparation method as a valuable tool for Botryosphaeria dieback diagnosis allowing a large-scale analysis and the preventive detection of latent infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Romero-Cuadrado
- Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), Center Las TorresAlcalá del Río, 41200 Seville, Spain
| | | | - Ana Aguado
- Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), Center Las TorresAlcalá del Río, 41200 Seville, Spain
| | - Nieves Capote
- Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), Center Las TorresAlcalá del Río, 41200 Seville, Spain
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11
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Soczynska I, da Costa BR, O'Connor DL, Jenkins DJA, Birken CS, Juando-Prats C, Maguire JL. Parent and physician beliefs, perceptions and knowledge of plant milks for children. Nutr Health 2023:2601060231171299. [PMID: 37157791 DOI: 10.1177/02601060231171299] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Background: Parent and physician perceptions of plant milk are unclear. Aim: To explore parent and physician perceptions of plant milk for children and to gain a better understanding of why parents and physicians might choose plant milk for children. Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted using a questionnaire and interviews with parents and physicians participating in the TARGet Kids! cohort study. Questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Parents reported a variety of reasons for choosing plant milk for their children including concerns around allergies, the environment, animal welfare, plant-based diet, health benefits, taste and hormones in cow's milk. Parents gave their children various types of plant milks and physicians provided various recommendations to parents of children not consuming cow's milk. Our study identified that 79% of parents and 51% of physicians were unaware that soy milk is the recommended cow's milk substitute for children. Additionally, 26% of parents did not know some plant milks are not fortified and can contain added sugar. Three main themes were identified from interviews about why parents and physicians may choose plant milk for children: (i) healthiness of plant milk; (ii) concerns about hormones; and (iii) environmental impacts. Conclusions: Parents and physicians choose the milk that they believe is healthiest for their child or patient. However, a lack of clarity on the effects of plant milk consumption on children's health resulted in conflicting views on whether plant milk or cow's milk is healthier for children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Soczynska
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Bruno R da Costa
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Canada
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, UK
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Deborah L O'Connor
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - David J A Jenkins
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Canada
- Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Catherine S Birken
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Clara Juando-Prats
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathon L Maguire
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
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12
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Faraloni C, Albanese L, Chini Zittelli G, Meneguzzo F, Tagliavento L, Zabini F. New Route to the Production of Almond Beverages Using Hydrodynamic Cavitation. Foods 2023; 12:foods12050935. [PMID: 36900452 PMCID: PMC10001306 DOI: 10.3390/foods12050935] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Perceived as a healthy food, almond beverages are gaining ever-increasing consumer preference across nonalcoholic vegetable beverages, ranking in first place among oilseed-based drinks. However, costly raw material; time and energy consuming pre- and posttreatments such as soaking, blanching and peeling; and thermal sterilization hinder their sustainability, affordability and spread. Hydrodynamic cavitation processes were applied, for the first time, as a single-unit operation with straightforward scalability, to the extraction in water of almond skinless kernels in the form of flour and fine grains, and of whole almond seeds in the form of coarse grains, up to high concentrations. The nutritional profile of the extracts matched that of a high-end commercial product, as well as showing nearly complete extraction of the raw materials. The availability of bioactive micronutrients and the microbiological stability exceeded the commercial product. The concentrated extract of whole almond seeds showed comparatively higher antiradical activity, likely due to the properties of the almond kernel skin. Hydrodynamic cavitation-based processing might represent a convenient route to the production of conventional as well as integral and potentially healthier almond beverages, avoiding multiple technological steps, while affording fast production cycles and consuming less than 50 Wh of electricity per liter before bottling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Faraloni
- Istituto per la Bioeconomia, CNR, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Albanese
- Istituto per la Bioeconomia, CNR, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Meneguzzo
- Istituto per la Bioeconomia, CNR, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-392-9850002
| | | | - Federica Zabini
- Istituto per la Bioeconomia, CNR, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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13
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Tang M, Sadowski DL, Peng C, Vougioukas SG, Klever B, Khalsa SDS, Brown PH, Jin Y. Tree-level almond yield estimation from high resolution aerial imagery with convolutional neural network. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1070699. [PMID: 36875622 PMCID: PMC9975588 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1070699] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Estimating and understanding the yield variability within an individual field is critical for precision agriculture resource management of high value tree crops. Recent advancements in sensor technologies and machine learning make it possible to monitor orchards at very high spatial resolution and estimate yield at individual tree level. Methods This study evaluates the potential of utilizing deep learning methods to predict tree-level almond yield with multi-spectral imagery. We focused on an almond orchard with the 'Independence' cultivar in California, where individual tree harvesting and yield monitoring was conducted for ~2,000 trees and summer aerial imagery at 30cm was acquired for four spectral bands in 2021. We developed a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model with a spatial attention module to take the multi-spectral reflectance imagery directly for almond fresh weight estimation at the tree level. Results The deep learning model was shown to predict the tree level yield very well, with a R2 of 0.96 (±0.002) and Normalized Root Mean Square Error (NRMSE) of 6.6% (±0.2%), based on 5-fold cross validation. The CNN estimation captured well the patterns of yield variation between orchard rows, along the transects, and from tree to tree, when compared to the harvest data. The reflectance at the red edge band was found to play the most important role in the CNN yield estimation. Discussion This study demonstrates the significant improvement of deep learning over traditional linear regression and machine learning methods for accurate and robust tree level yield estimation, highlighting the potential for data-driven site-specific resource management to ensure agriculture sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minmeng Tang
- Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Dennis Lee Sadowski
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Chen Peng
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Stavros G. Vougioukas
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Brandon Klever
- Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Sat Darshan S. Khalsa
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Patrick H. Brown
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Yufang Jin
- Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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14
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Creedon AC, Hung ES, Dimidi E, Grassby T, Berry SE, Whelan K. Particle Size Distribution and Predicted Lipid Bioaccessibility of Almonds and the Effect of Almond Processing: A Randomised Mastication Study in Healthy Adults. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15030489. [PMID: 36771196 PMCID: PMC9919979 DOI: 10.3390/nu15030489] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Almonds are rich in unsaturated lipids, which play a role in some of the reported benefits of almond consumption for human health. Almond lipids are poorly bioaccessible due to almonds' unique physicochemical properties that influence particle size distribution (PSD) following mastication, allowing much intracellular lipid to escape digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract. To investigate the impact of commercial processing (grinding almonds into flour), on PSD and predicted lipid bioaccessibility following mastication, a randomised cross-over design mastication study was conducted in healthy adults. The PSDs of masticated whole and ground almonds was assessed using two laboratory methods (mechanical sieving and laser diffraction). PSD from mechanical sieving was used to calculate lipid bioaccessibility using a theoretical mathematical model. Thirty-one healthy adults (18-45 years) completed both mastication sessions. Following mastication, ground almonds had a PSD with significantly fewer larger particles and more smaller particles, compared with whole almonds. Predicted lipid bioaccessibility of masticated ground almonds (10.4%, SD 1.8) was marginally but significantly greater than the predicted lipid bioaccessibility of masticated whole almonds (9.3%, SD 2.0; p = 0.017). Commercial grinding of almonds significantly influences the PSD of almonds following mastication, which results in a modest but significant increase in predicted lipid bioaccessibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice C. Creedon
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Estella S. Hung
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Eirini Dimidi
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Terri Grassby
- School of Biosciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Sarah E. Berry
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Kevin Whelan
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 9NH, UK
- Correspondence:
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15
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Gayathri R, Abirami K, Kalpana N, Manasa VS, Sudha V, Shobana S, Jeevan RG, Kavitha V, Parkavi K, Anjana RM, Unnikrishnan R, Gokulakrishnan K, Beatrice DA, Krishnaswamy K, Pradeepa R, Mattes RD, Salas-Salvadó J, Willett W, Mohan V. Effect of almond consumption on insulin sensitivity and serum lipids among Asian Indian adults with overweight and obesity- A randomized controlled trial. Front Nutr 2023; 9:1055923. [PMID: 36704786 PMCID: PMC9873375 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1055923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Asian Indians have an increased susceptibility to type 2 diabetes and premature coronary artery disease. Nuts, like almonds, are rich in unsaturated fat and micronutrients with known health benefits. Objectives This study aimed to assess the efficacy of almonds for reduction of insulin resistance and improving lipid profile in overweight Asian Indian adults. Methods This parallel-arm, randomized, controlled trial was conducted in Chennai, India on 400 participants aged 25-65 years with a body mass index ≥ 23 kg/m2. The intervention group received 43 g of almonds/day for 12 weeks, while the control group was advised to consume a customary diet but to avoid nuts. Anthropometric, clinical, and dietary data were assessed at periodic intervals. Glucose tolerance, serum insulin, glycated hemoglobin, C-peptide and lipid profile were assessed at baseline and end of the study. Insulin resistance (homeostasis assessment model-HOMA IR) and oral insulin disposition index (DIo) were calculated. Results A total of 352 participants completed the study. Significant improvement was seen in DIo [mean (95% CI) = + 0.7 mmol/L (0.1, 1.3); p = 0.03], HOMA IR (-0.4 (-0.7, -0.04; p = 0.03) and total cholesterol (-5.4 mg/dl (-10.2, -0.6); p = 0.03) in the intervention group compared to the control group. Incremental area under the curve (IAUC) and mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE) assessed using continuous glucose monitoring systems were also significantly lower in the intervention group. Dietary 24-h recalls showed a higher significant reduction in carbohydrate and increase in mono unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) intake in the intervention group compared to the control group. Conclusion Daily consumption of almonds increased the intake of MUFA with decrease in carbohydrate calories and decreases insulin resistance, improves insulin sensitivity and lowers serum cholesterol in Asian Indians with overweight/obesity. These effects in the long run could aid in reducing the risk of diabetes and other cardiometabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajagopal Gayathri
- Department of Foods Nutrition and Dietetics Research, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India,Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kuzhandhaivelu Abirami
- Department of Foods Nutrition and Dietetics Research, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Natarajan Kalpana
- Department of Foods Nutrition and Dietetics Research, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Valangaiman Sriram Manasa
- Department of Foods Nutrition and Dietetics Research, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Vasudevan Sudha
- Department of Foods Nutrition and Dietetics Research, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Shanmugam Shobana
- Department of Diabetes Food Technology, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Raman Ganesh Jeevan
- Department of Diabetes Food Technology, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Vasudevan Kavitha
- Department of Foods Nutrition and Dietetics Research, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Karthikeyan Parkavi
- Department of Diabetes Food Technology, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ranjit Mohan Anjana
- Department of Diabetology, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ranjit Unnikrishnan
- Department of Diabetology, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kuppan Gokulakrishnan
- Department of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - D. Annette Beatrice
- Department of Home Science, Women’s Christian College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kamala Krishnaswamy
- Department of Foods Nutrition and Dietetics Research, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Rajendra Pradeepa
- Department of Research Operations, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Richard D. Mattes
- Department of Nutrition Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Jordi Salas-Salvadó
- Human Nutrition Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain,Consorcio CIBER, M.P. Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERObn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Walter Willett
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States,Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Viswanathan Mohan
- Department of Diabetology, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India,*Correspondence: Viswanathan Mohan, , www.drmohansdiabetes.com
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16
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Lotti C, Minervini AP, Delvento C, Losciale P, Gaeta L, Sánchez-Pérez R, Ricciardi L, Pavan S. Detection and distribution of two dominant alleles associated with the sweet kernel phenotype in almond cultivated germplasm. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1171195. [PMID: 37123837 PMCID: PMC10145170 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1171195] [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] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Almond [Prunus dulcis Miller (D. A. Webb), syn. Prunus amygdalus L.)] is the major tree nut crop worldwide in terms of production and cultivated area. Almond domestication was enabled by the selection of individuals bearing sweet kernels, which do not accumulate high levels of the toxic cyanogenic glucoside amygdalin. Previously, we showed that the Sweet kernel (Sk) gene, controlling the kernel taste in almond, encodes a basic helix loop helix (bHLH) transcription factor regulating the amygdalin biosynthetic pathway. In addition, we characterized a dominant allele of this gene, further referred to as Sk-1, which originates from a C1036→T missense mutation and confers the sweet kernel phenotype. Here we provide evidence indicating that the allele further referred to as Sk-2, originally detected in the cultivar "Atocha" and arising from a T989→G missense mutation, is also dominantly inherited and confers the sweet kernel phenotype in almond cultivated germplasm. The use of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from genotyping by sequencing (GBS) for population structure and hierarchical clustering analyses indicated that Sk-2 occurs in a group of related genotypes, including the widespread cultivar "Texas", descending from the same ancestral population. KASP and dual label functional markers were developed for the accurate and high-throughput selection of the Sk-1 and Sk-2 alleles, and the genotyping of a panel of 134 almond cultivars. Overall, our results provide further insights on the understanding of the almond cultivation history. In addition, molecular marker assays and genotypic data presented in this study are expected to be of major interest for the conduction of almond breeding programs, which often need to select sweet kernel individuals in segregant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Concetta Lotti
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Natural Resources and Engineering, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Anna Paola Minervini
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, Section of Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Chiara Delvento
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, Section of Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Pasquale Losciale
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, Section of Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Liliana Gaeta
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics-Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Bari, Italy
| | - Raquel Sánchez-Pérez
- Plant Breeding Department, Fruit Breeding Group, CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, Espinardo, Spain
| | - Luigi Ricciardi
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, Section of Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Stefano Pavan
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, Section of Plant Genetics and Breeding, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- *Correspondence: Stefano Pavan,
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Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Civera AV, Zappalà L, Lucchi A, Gómez P, Urek G, Bernardo U, Bubici G, Carluccio AV, Chiumenti M, Di Serio F, Fanelli E, Kaczmarek A, Marzachì C, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Yuen J. Commodity risk assessment of Prunus persica and P. dulcis plants from Türkiye. EFSA J 2023; 21:e07735. [PMID: 36698493 PMCID: PMC9850261 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by plants of Prunus persica and P. dulcis, as budwood/graftwood, rooted or grafted on rootstocks of either P. persica, P. dulcis, P. armeniaca, P. davidiana or their hybrids, imported from Türkiye, taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by Türkiye. All pests associated with the commodity were evaluated against specific criteria for their relevance for this opinion. Four quarantine pests (peach rosette mosaic virus, tomato ringspot virus, Anoplophora chinensis, Scirtothrips dorsalis) and 14 non-regulated pests (Hoplolaimus galeatus, Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae, Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae, Didesmococcus unifasciatus, Euzophera semifuneralis, Lepidosaphes malicola, Lepidosaphes pistaciae, Maconellicoccus hirsutus, Malacosoma parallela, Nipaecoccus viridis, Phenacoccus solenopsis, Pochazia shantungensis, Russellaspis pustulans) that fulfilled all relevant criteria were selected for further evaluation. For these 18 pests, the risk mitigation measures proposed in the technical Dossier from Türkiye were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For the selected pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with fungi from Botryosphaeriaceae family (L. pseudotheobromae, N. dimidiatum and N. novaehollandiae) being the pests most frequently expected on the imported plants. The Expert Knowledge Elicitation indicated with 95% certainty that between 9,813 and 10,000 bundles (consisting of 10 or 25 plants each) per 10,000 would be free from the above-mentioned fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae family.
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18
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Sánchez-Bravo P, Noguera-Artiaga L, Gómez-López VM, Carbonell-Barrachina ÁA, Gabaldón JA, Pérez-López AJ. Impact of Non-Thermal Technologies on the Quality of Nuts: A Review. Foods 2022; 11:foods11233891. [PMID: 36496699 PMCID: PMC9739324 DOI: 10.3390/foods11233891] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuts are widely consumed worldwide, mainly due to their characteristic flavor and texture, ease of consumption, and their functional properties. In addition, consumers increasingly demand natural or slightly processed foods with high quality. Consequently, non-thermal treatments are a viable alternative to thermal treatments used to guarantee safety and long shelf life, which produce undesirable changes that affect the sensory quality of nuts. Non-thermal treatments can achieve results similar to those of the traditional (thermal) ones in terms of food safety, while ensuring minimal loss of bioactive compounds and sensory properties, thus obtaining a product as similar as possible to the fresh one. This article focuses on a review of the main non-thermal treatments currently available for nuts (cold plasma, high pressure, irradiation, pulsed electric field, pulsed light, ultrasound and ultraviolet light) in relation to their effects on the quality and safety of nuts. All the treatments studied have shown promise with regard to the inhibition of the main microorganisms affecting nuts (e.g., Aspergillus, Salmonella, and E. coli). Furthermore, by optimizing the treatment, it is possible to maintain the organoleptic and functional properties of these products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Sánchez-Bravo
- Laboratory of Fitoquímica y Alimentos Saludables (LabFAS), CEBAS-CSIC, University of Murcia, 25, 30100 Murcia, Spain
- Department of AgroFood Technology, Miguel Hernandez University, Carretera de Beniel, km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Spain
| | - Luis Noguera-Artiaga
- Department of AgroFood Technology, Miguel Hernandez University, Carretera de Beniel, km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Spain
| | - Vicente M. Gómez-López
- Catedra Alimentos Para la Salud, Campus de los Jerónimos, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), 30107 Murcia, Spain
| | | | - José A. Gabaldón
- Catedra Alimentos Para la Salud, Campus de los Jerónimos, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), 30107 Murcia, Spain
| | - Antonio J. Pérez-López
- Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Catholic University of San Antonio, Campus de los Jerónimos s/n, 30107 Murcia, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-968-278-622
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19
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Morvaridzadeh M, Qorbani M, Shokati Eshkiki Z, Estêvão MD, Mohammadi Ganjaroudi N, Toupchian O, Abdollahi S, Pizarro AB, Abu-Zaid A, Zadro JR, Heshmati J, Ziaei S. The effect of almond intake on cardiometabolic risk factors, inflammatory markers, and liver enzymes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytother Res 2022; 36:4325-4344. [PMID: 36331011 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7622] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Almond intake may be correlated with improvements in several cardiometabolic parameters, but its effects are controversial in the published literature, and it needs to be comprehensively summarized. We conducted a systematic search in several international electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov until April 2021 to identify randomized controlled trials that examined the effects of almond consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors, inflammatory markers, and liver enzymes. Data were pooled using the random-effects model method and presented as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Twenty-six eligible trials were analyzed (n = 1750 participants). Almond intake significantly decreased diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and very LDL (p < 0.05). The effects of almond intake on systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, insulin, hemoglobin A1c, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, C-peptide, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, C-reactive protein (CRP), hs-CRP (high sensitivity C-reactive protein), interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-α, ICAM (Intercellular Adhesion Molecule), VCAM (Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule), homocysteine, HDL, ox-LDL, ApoA1, ApoB, and lipoprotien-a were not statistically significant (p > .05). The current body of evidence supports the ingestion of almonds for their beneficial lipid-lowering and antihypertensive effects. However, the effects of almonds on antiinflammatory markers, glycemic control, and hepatic enzymes should be further evaluated via performing more extensive randomized trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojgan Morvaridzadeh
- Songhor Healthcare Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mostafa Qorbani
- Non-communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.,Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Shokati Eshkiki
- Alimentary Tract Research Center, Clinical Science Reseaech Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - M Dulce Estêvão
- Escola Superior de Saúde, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | | | - Omid Toupchian
- Department of Nutrition and Public Health, School of Health, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Shima Abdollahi
- Department of Nutrition and Public Health, School of Health, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | | | - Ahmed Abu-Zaid
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Graduate Health Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Joshua R Zadro
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Javad Heshmati
- Songhor Healthcare Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Somayeh Ziaei
- Anesthesiologist, ICU Department, Emam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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20
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Adebayo AA, Oboh G, Ademosun AO. Almond and date fruits enhance antioxidant status and have erectogenic effect: Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies. J Food Biochem 2022; 46:e14255. [PMID: 35644948 DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.14255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the efficacies of almond and date fruits on redox imbalance and enzymes relevant to the pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction. The total polyphenol contents, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and vitamin C content were determined spectrophotometrically. Phenolic and amino acid compositions were quantified using HPLC; meanwhile, the antioxidant activities were determined using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and metal chelation. Also, the effect of almond and date extract on advanced glycated end-products (AGEs) formation, arginase, and phosphodiesterase-5 activities was evaluated in vitro. Thereafter, the influence of almond and date supplemented diets on copulatory behaviors in normal rats was assessed, followed by arginase and phosphodiesterase-5 activities determination in vivo. The results revealed that date and almond extracts exerted antioxidant properties, prevented AGEs formation in vitro, and inhibited arginase and phosphodiesterase-5 activities in vitro and in vivo. Besides, almond and date supplemented diets significantly enhance sexual behaviors in normal rats when compared with the control. Among the active compounds identified were gallic acid, ellagic acid, quercetin, and rutin. All the 20 basic amino acids were identified. Given the aforementioned, date and almond could represent a reliable source of functional foods highly rich in compounds with antioxidant activity, and arginase and PDE-5 inhibitory properties. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Fruits are essential part of the human diet that furnish the body with important nutrients. Despite the crucial roles of fruits in human diets, some fruits like almond and date are underutilized among Nigerians. However, we characterized the important compounds present in these fruits and how their presence contributes to the biological activities of the fruits. Finally, we relate the chemical composition and the observed biological activities to the overall health and wellness of the consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeniyi A Adebayo
- Functional Foods and Nutraceutical Research Unit, Biochemistry Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.,Chemical Sciences Department (Biochemistry Option), Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Nigeria
| | - Ganiyu Oboh
- Functional Foods and Nutraceutical Research Unit, Biochemistry Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Ayokunle O Ademosun
- Functional Foods and Nutraceutical Research Unit, Biochemistry Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
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21
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Fatahi S, Daneshzad E, Lotfi K, Azadbakht L. The Effects of Almond Consumption on Inflammatory Biomarkers in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Adv Nutr 2022; 13:1462-1475. [PMID: 34967837 PMCID: PMC9526836 DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmab158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Conflicting findings have been reported regarding the effects of almond consumption on inflammatory markers. This study aimed to summarize the current literature to determine whether almonds can affect inflammatory markers. A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science up to March 2021. Randomized clinical trials that compared almond with no almond consumption were included. The outcomes of interest were changes in circulating C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, TNF-α, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) concentrations. The random-effects model was used to find the mean differences. In total, 18 trials with 847 participants were eligible for the current analysis. Participants' ages ranged from 26.3 to 69.6 y. Combining 16 studies, almond consumption significantly reduced serum concentrations of CRP [weighted mean difference (WMD): -0.25 mg/L; 95% CI: -0.43, -0.06 mg/L; I2 = 0.0%; P-heterogeneity = 0.633]. However, the beneficial effect of almond intake only occurred at doses <60 g/d. Pooling 11 effect sizes, almond interventions significantly decreased circulating IL-6 concentrations (WMD: -0.11 pg/mL; 95% CI: -0.21, -0.01 pg/mL; I2 = 19.9%; P-heterogeneity = 0.254). In subgroup analyses, effects on CRP and IL-6 were nonsignificant in unhealthy participants or those with obesity. In addition, almond consumption had no significant effect on TNF-α (WMD: -0.05 pg/mL; 95% CI: -0.11, 0.01 pg/mL; I2 = 0.0%; P-heterogeneity = 0.893; n = 6), ICAM-1 (WMD: 6.39 ng/mL; 95% CI: -9.44, 22.22 ng/mL; I2 = 66.6%; P-heterogeneity = 0.006; n = 7), or VCAM-1 (WMD: -8.31 ng/mL; 95% CI: -35.32, 18.71 ng/mL; I2 = 58.8%; P-heterogeneity = 0.033; n = 6). In conclusion, almond consumption beneficially affects CRP and IL-6 concentrations in adults. However, it has no beneficial effect on TNF-α, ICAM-1, or VCAM-1. More trials are needed to determine the effects of almonds on inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahin Fatahi
- Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elnaz Daneshzad
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Keyhan Lotfi
- Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Azadbakht
- Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Diabetes Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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22
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Clavero-Camacho I, Cantalapiedra-Navarrete C, Archidona-Yuste A, Castillo P, Palomares-Rius JE. Distribution, Ecological Factors, Molecular Diversity, and Specific PCR for Major Species of Pin Nematodes ( Paratylenchus spp.) in Prunus Plantations in Spain. Plant Dis 2022; 106:2711-2721. [PMID: 35259307 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-01-22-0188-re] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and distribution of Paratylenchus species in the main areas of Prunus spp. production in Spain, their ecological constraints, and new molecular tools for the specific identification of major species. Pin nematodes are recognized as plant-parasitic nematodes with a wide host range and global distribution. Therefore, understanding the environmental and agronomic factors involved in their distribution is critical to design environmental and sustainable management strategies to reduce plant damage. A total of 219 sampling sites were surveyed and 12 Paratylenchus species were identified based on an integrative taxonomic approach (P. baldaccii, P. enigmaticus, P. goodeyi, P. hamatus, P. holdemani, P. indalus, P. israelensis, P. pedrami, P. tateae, P. tenuicaudatus, P. veruculatus, and P. zurgenerus). The most common pin nematode was P. hamatus, followed by P. tenuicaudatus. Nematode abundance was influenced by climatic characteristics, soil chemical properties, and agronomic management practices. Nine explanatory variables were selected as the most strongly associated with Paratylenchus distribution. Specifically, P. tenuicaudatus was significantly correlated with soil chemical characteristics, such as pH and carbon, sulfur, and sodium content, whereas P. goodeyi was closely related to fields with <10 years of almond cultivation. Species-specific PCRs were developed for P. hamatus and P. tenuicaudatus and their validity was evaluated studying the molecular variability of these species and against other Paratylenchus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilenia Clavero-Camacho
- Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Spanish National Research Council, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | | | - Antonio Archidona-Yuste
- Andalusian Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Pablo Castillo
- Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Spanish National Research Council, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Juan E Palomares-Rius
- Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Spanish National Research Council, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
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23
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Rodamilans B, Oliveros JC, San León D, Martínez-García PJ, Martínez-Gómez P, García JA, Rubio M. sRNA Analysis Evidenced the Involvement of Different Plant Viruses in the Activation of RNA Silencing-Related Genes and the Defensive Response Against Plum pox virus of 'GF305' Peach Grafted with 'Garrigues' Almond. Phytopathology 2022; 112:2012-2021. [PMID: 35302895 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-01-22-0032-r] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plum pox virus (PPV) causes sharka disease in Prunus trees. Peach (P. persica) trees are severely affected by PPV, and no definitive source of genetic resistance has been identified. However, previous results showed that PPV-resistant 'Garrigues' almond (P. dulcis) was able to transfer its resistance to 'GF305' peach through grafting, reducing symptoms and viral load in PPV-infected plants. A recent study tried to identify genes responsible for this effect by studying messenger RNA expression through RNA sequencing in peach and almond plants, before and after grafting and before and after PPV infection. In this work, we used the same peach and almond samples but focused the high-throughput analyses on small RNA (sRNA) expression. We studied massive sequencing data and found an interesting pattern of sRNA overexpression linked to antiviral defense genes that suggested activation of these genes followed by downregulation to basal levels. We also discovered that 'Garrigues' almond plants were infected by different plant viruses that were transferred to peach plants. The large amounts of viral sRNA found in grafted peaches indicated a strong RNA silencing antiviral response and led us to postulate that these plant viruses could be collaborating in the observed "Garrigues effect."
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan C Oliveros
- Department of Plant Molecular Genetics, CNB-CSIC, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - David San León
- Department of Plant Molecular Genetics, CNB-CSIC, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Juan A García
- Department of Plant Molecular Genetics, CNB-CSIC, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Rubio
- Department of Plant Breeding, CEBAS-CSIC, 30100 Murcia, Spain
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24
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Valdés A, Garrigós MC, Jiménez A. Extraction and Characterization of Antioxidant Compounds in Almond ( Prunus amygdalus) Shell Residues for Food Packaging Applications. Membranes (Basel) 2022; 12:806. [PMID: 36005720 PMCID: PMC9416045 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12080806] [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] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This work proposes the revalorization of almond shell (AS) wastes as an active additive for food packaging applications. A new microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method to obtain extracts rich in polyphenolic compounds with high antioxidant capacity was optimized. An experimental design to optimize the MAE procedure through response surface methodology (RSM) using a Box-Behnken design was proposed. The effects of extraction temperature, irradiation time, ethanol:water concentration, and solvent pH at three levels were evaluated in terms of total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays). The optimal conditions found were 57 min, 80 °C, pH 8, and 70% (v/v) ethanol. Optimized MAE extracts showed low soluble protein content (0.43 mg BSA g-1) and were rich in TPC (5.64 mg GAE g-1), flavonoids (1.42 mg CE g-1), and polysaccharides (1.59 mg glucose g-1), with good antioxidant capacity (2.82 mg AAE acid g-1). These results suggest the potential application of these extracts in the food industry as active additives. This strategy opens new pathways to valorize almond shell residues, contributing to the circular economy.
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25
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Wilson H, Daane KM, Maccaro JJ, Scheibner RS, Britt KE, Gaudin ACM. Winter Cover Crops Reduce Spring Emergence and Egg Deposition of Overwintering Navel Orangeworm (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Almonds. Environ Entomol 2022; 51:790-797. [PMID: 35834263 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvac051] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Habitat diversification has been shown to positively influence a variety of ecosystem services to agriculture, including biological control of arthropod pests. The impact of increased biodiversity tends to be species specific though, and practices therefore need to be developed on a case-by-case basis for each cropping system. In perennial systems, numerous studies have demonstrated that cover crops can have positive impacts on soil quality and other ecosystem services, such as pollination and pest management. However, few studies have focused on the use of cover crops to enhance pest control in almond orchards, especially winter cover crops. The primary pest of almonds in North America is navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella Walker, which overwinter as larva or pupa on remnant nuts, many of which remain on the orchard soil surface. In the spring, first flight adults subsequently use these remnant nuts as reproductive substrate. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of two distinct winter cover crop mixtures on overwintering mortality and spring egg deposition of A. transitella. Remnant nuts placed into cover crop plots produced fewer adult A. transitella in the spring, suggesting increased overwintering mortality. Additionally, spring egg deposition was reduced on remnant nuts in the cover crops, possibly due to the ground covers interfering with host location and access. In this way, winter cover crops appear to contribute to the reduction of A. transitella populations in the orchard by altering abiotic and physical conditions, although studies to document specific mechanisms are still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houston Wilson
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Parlier, CA, USA
| | - Kent M Daane
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jessica J Maccaro
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Parlier, CA, USA
| | - Reva S Scheibner
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Parlier, CA, USA
| | - Kadie E Britt
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Parlier, CA, USA
| | - Amélie C M Gaudin
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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26
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Cuesta-Morrondo S, Redondo C, Palacio-Bielsa A, Garita-Cambronero J, Cubero J. Complete Genome Sequence Resources of Six Strains of the Most Virulent Pathovars of Xanthomonas arboricola Using Long- and Short-Read Sequencing Approaches. Phytopathology 2022; 112:1808-1813. [PMID: 35522570 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-10-21-0436-a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Cuesta-Morrondo
- Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Laboratorio Bacteriología, Centro Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA/CSIC), Madrid 28040, Spain
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Redondo
- Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Laboratorio Bacteriología, Centro Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA/CSIC), Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Ana Palacio-Bielsa
- Departamento de Sistemas Agrícolas, Forestales y Medio Ambiente, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Avda. Montañana 930, 50059, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Jaime Cubero
- Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Laboratorio Bacteriología, Centro Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA/CSIC), Madrid 28040, Spain
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27
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Jiménez Luna I, Doll D, Ashworth VETM, Trouillas FP, Rolshausen PE. Comparative Profiling of Wood Canker Pathogens from Spore Traps and Symptomatic Plant Samples Within California Almond and Walnut Orchards. Plant Dis 2022; 106:2182-2190. [PMID: 35077222 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-05-21-1057-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Fungi causing wood canker diseases are major factors limiting productivity and longevity of almond and walnut orchards. The goal of this study was to compare pathogen profiles from spore traps with those of plant samples collected from symptomatic almond and walnut trees and assess if profiles could be influenced by orchard type and age, rainfall amount and frequency, and/or neighboring trees. Three almond orchards and one walnut orchard with different characteristics were selected for this study. Fungal inoculum was captured weekly from nine trees per orchard using a passive spore-trapping device, during a 30-week period in the rainy season (October to April) and for two consecutive years. Fungal taxa identified from spore traps were compared with a collection of fungal isolates obtained from 61 symptomatic wood samples collected from the orchards. Using a culture-dependent approach coupled with molecular identification, we identified 18 known pathogenic species from 10 fungal genera (Ceratocystis destructans, Collophorina hispanica, Cytospora eucalypti, Diaporthe ampelina, Diaporthe chamaeropis/rhusicola, Diaporthe eres, Diaporthe novem, Diplodia corticola, Diplodia mutila, Diplodia seriata, Dothiorella iberica, Dothiorella sarmentorum, Dothiorella viticola, Eutypa lata, Neofusicoccum mediterraneum, Neofusicoccum parvum, Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, and Pleurostoma richardsiae), plus two unidentified Cytospora and Diaporthe species. However, only four species were identified with both methods (Diplodia mutila, Diplodia seriata, Dothiorella Iberica, and E. lata), albeit not consistently across orchards. Our results demonstrate a clear disparity between the two diagnostic methods and caution against using passive spore traps to predict disease risks. In particular, the spore trap approach failed to capture: insect-vectored pathogens such as Ceratocystis destructans that were often recovered from almond trunk and scaffold; Diaporthe chamaeropis/rhusicola commonly isolated from wood samples likely because Diaporthe species have a spatially restricted dispersal mechanism, as spores are exuded in a cirrus; and pathogenic species with low incidence in wood samples such as P. richardsiae and Collophorina hispanica. We propose that orchard inoculum is composed of both endemic taxa that are characterized by frequent and repeated trapping events from the same trees and isolated from plant samples, as well as immigrant taxa characterized by rare trapping events. We hypothesize that host type, orchard age, precipitation, and alternative hosts at the periphery of orchards are factors that could affect pathogen profile. We discuss the limitations and benefits of our methodology and experimental design to develop guidelines and prediction tools for fungal wood canker diseases in California orchards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israel Jiménez Luna
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - David Doll
- University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources, Merced, CA 95343
| | - Vanessa E T M Ashworth
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Florent P Trouillas
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616
- Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648
| | - Philippe E Rolshausen
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
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28
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Trainin T, Brukental H, Shapira O, Attia Z, Tiwari V, Hatib K, Gal S, Zemach H, Belausov E, Charuvi D, Holland D, Azoulay-Shemer T. Physiological characterization of the wild almond Prunus arabica stem photosynthetic capability. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:941504. [PMID: 35968090 PMCID: PMC9372545 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.941504] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Leaves are the major plant tissue for transpiration and carbon fixation in deciduous trees. In harsh habitats, atmospheric CO2 assimilation via stem photosynthesis is common, providing extra carbon gain to cope with the detrimental conditions. We studied two almond species, the commercial Prunus dulcis cultivar "Um-el-Fahem" and the rare wild Prunus arabica. Our study revealed two distinctive strategies for carbon gain in these almond species. While, in P. dulcis, leaves possess the major photosynthetic surface area, in P. arabica, green stems perform this function, in particular during the winter after leaf drop. These two species' anatomical and physiological comparisons show that P. arabica carries unique features that support stem gas exchange and high-gross photosynthetic rates via stem photosynthetic capabilities (SPC). On the other hand, P. dulcis stems contribute low gross photosynthesis levels, as they are designed solely for reassimilation of CO2 from respiration, which is termed stem recycling photosynthesis (SRP). Results show that (a) P. arabica stems are covered with a high density of sunken stomata, in contrast to the stomata on P. dulcis stems, which disappear under a thick peridermal (bark) layer by their second year of development. (b) P. arabica stems contain significantly higher levels of chlorophyll compartmentalized to a mesophyll-like, chloroplast-rich, parenchyma layer, in contrast to rounded-shape cells of P. dulcis's stem parenchyma. (c) Pulse amplitude-modulated (PAM) fluorometry of P. arabica and P. dulcis stems revealed differences in the chlorophyll fluorescence and quenching parameters between the two species. (d) Gas exchange analysis showed that guard cells of P. arabica stems tightly regulate water loss under elevated temperatures while maintaining constant and high assimilation rates throughout the stem. Our data show that P. arabica uses a distinctive strategy for tree carbon gain via stem photosynthetic capability, which is regulated efficiently under harsh environmental conditions, such as elevated temperatures. These findings are highly important and can be used to develop new almond cultivars with agriculturally essential traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taly Trainin
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Volcani Center, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel
| | - Hillel Brukental
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Volcani Center, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel
- Faculty of Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Or Shapira
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Volcani Center, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel
| | - Ziv Attia
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Volcani Center, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel
| | - Vivekanand Tiwari
- Volcani Center, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Kamel Hatib
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Volcani Center, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel
| | - Shira Gal
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Volcani Center, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel
| | - Hanita Zemach
- Volcani Center, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Eduard Belausov
- Volcani Center, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Dana Charuvi
- Volcani Center, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Doron Holland
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Volcani Center, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel
| | - Tamar Azoulay-Shemer
- Department of Fruit Tree Sciences, Volcani Center, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, Ramat Yishay, Israel
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29
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Khan AU, Khan M, Malik N, Parveen A, Sharma P, Min K, Gupta M, Alam M. Screening of biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles for their effect on Daucus carota pathogen and molecular docking. Microsc Res Tech 2022; 85:3365-3373. [PMID: 35775473 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we investigate the phytogenic synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) by using aqueous extract of seed coat of almond as a novel resource which can acts as a stabilizing and reducing agents. Successful biosynthesis of ZnO-NPs was observed by Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) showing peak at ~272 nm. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques confirm the circular shape with an average size of ~20 nm. Applications of ZnO-NPs were observed on carrot (Daucus carota) plant infected with pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani. Spray with 50 ppm and 100 ppm ZnO-NPs caused significant increase in plant growth attributes and photosynthetic pigments of carrot plants. It has been reported that the synthesized ZnO-NPs demonstrated an inhibitory activity against plant pathogenic fungus R. solani and reduces disease in carrot plants. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy indicated adverse effect of ZnO-NPs on pathogens. Antifungal efficiency of ZnO-NPs was further explained with help of molecular docking analysis. Conformation with highest negative binding energy was used to predict binding site of receptor with NPs to know mechanistic approach. ZnO-NPs are likely to interact with the pathogens by mechanical enfolding which may be one of the major toxicity actions against R. solani by ZnO-NPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azhar U Khan
- School of life and Basic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, SIILAS CAMPUS, Jaipur National University, Jaipur, India
| | - Masudulla Khan
- Botany Section, Women's College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Nazia Malik
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Aiman Parveen
- Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India
| | - Poonam Sharma
- School of life and Basic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, SIILAS CAMPUS, Jaipur National University, Jaipur, India
| | - Kim Min
- Department of Safety Engineering, Dongguk University, 123 Dongdae-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
| | - Mona Gupta
- Maharaja Bhoj Government PG College, Dhar, India
| | - Mahboob Alam
- Department of Safety Engineering, Dongguk University, 123 Dongdae-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
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30
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D’Amico-Willman KM, Ouma WZ, Meulia T, Sideli GM, Gradziel TM, Fresnedo-Ramírez J. Whole-genome sequence and methylome profiling of the almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] cultivar 'Nonpareil'. G3 (Bethesda) 2022; 12:jkac065. [PMID: 35325123 PMCID: PMC9073694 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] is an economically important, specialty nut crop grown almost exclusively in the United States. Breeding and improvement efforts worldwide have led to the development of key, productive cultivars, including 'Nonpareil,' which is the most widely grown almond cultivar. Thus far, genomic resources for this species have been limited, and a whole-genome assembly for 'Nonpareil' is not currently available despite its economic importance and use in almond breeding worldwide. We generated a 571X coverage genome sequence using Illumina, PacBio, and optical mapping technologies. Gene prediction revealed 49,321 putative genes using MinION Oxford nanopore and Illumina RNA sequencing, and genome annotation found that 68% of predicted models are associated with at least one biological function. Furthermore, epigenetic signatures of almond, namely DNA cytosine methylation, have been implicated in a variety of phenotypes including self-compatibility, bud dormancy, and development of noninfectious bud failure. In addition to the genome sequence and annotation, this report also provides the complete methylome of several almond tissues, including leaf, flower, endocarp, mesocarp, exocarp, and seed coat. Comparisons between methylation profiles in these tissues revealed differences in genome-wide weighted % methylation and chromosome-level methylation enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tea Meulia
- Molecular and Cellular Imaging Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 44691, USA
| | - Gina M Sideli
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Thomas M Gradziel
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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31
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Varjas V, Szilágyi S, Lakatos T. First Report of Colletotrichum nymphaeae Causing Anthracnose on Almond in Hungary. Plant Dis 2022; 106:1527. [PMID: 34705490 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-08-21-1847-pdn] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- V Varjas
- Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
| | - S Szilágyi
- Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
| | - T Lakatos
- Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
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32
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Siegel JP, Gilcrease G. Augmenting sanitation with insecticides to improve control of navel orangeworm (Amyelois transitella Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in California tree nuts. Pest Manag Sci 2022; 78:2034-2042. [PMID: 35122376 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sanitation, consisting of eliminating unharvested nuts (mummies) that serve as both harborage and food source for navel orangeworm (Amyelois transitella), is the foundation for control in almonds and pistachios. Sometimes sanitation is ineffective and needs to be augmented. Trials in almonds and pistachios were conducted early October 2005-2006 to determine if insecticides applied postharvest could augment sanitation, and in almonds late March to early May 2016-2020 to establish their duration of control. RESULTS Early October sprays reduced adult emergence by as much as 81.5% in pistachios, but reduction was only 32.4% in almonds. Trapping before almond hull split revealed that 55% of adult emergence occurred between 15 April and 1 June, indicating that an insecticide with a six week duration of control could reduce successful oviposition and neonate establishment. Five insecticides applied from late March to early May belonging to four Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) groups decreased survival for at least six weeks, and some lasted as long as 10 weeks. By contrast, the duration of control in contact bioassays was far shorter. CONCLUSION Insecticides applied from late March to early May successfully reduced the survival of A. transitella in almond mummies for as long as 10 weeks postapplication, and there was a positive relationship between reduction in survival and kernel damage. If these insecticides are applied during mid- to late April, postbloom and before hull split, they can substantially eliminate almond mummies as a resource for 55% of the spring flight of A. transitella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel P Siegel
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, Parlier, CA, USA
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33
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Moosavian SP, Rahimlou M, Rezaei Kelishadi M, Moradi S, Jalili C. Effects of almond on cardiometabolic outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res 2022; 36:1839-1853. [PMID: 35443097 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
An enhanced risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) still exists even when T2DM patients have tight control on blood sugar. Thus, identification of treatment approaches that address CVD risk factors may be useful for patients beyond the blood sugar management. Although emerging evidence suggests that nuts consumption have beneficial effects on cardiometabolic health, the effects of almond intake in patients with type 2 diabetes are still controversial. Therefore, our objective was to investigate the effect of almond on cardiometabolic outcomes in patients with T2DM through a systematic review and meta-analysis of available randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar to identify relevant RCTs up to March 2021. There was no language and time limitation. Weighted mean difference (WMD) was pooled using a random effects model. Heterogeneity, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were reported using standard methods. Nine RCTs were included in the final analysis. Almond intake resulted in significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (WMD: -5.28 mg/dL; 95% CI, -9.92, -0.64; p = .026) compared with the control group. This lowering effect of LDL-C was robust in subgroups with almond consumption >50 g/day, and baseline LDL-C level <130 mg/dL. However, the effect of almond on total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, hemoglobin A1c, body mass index, weight, body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and CRP was not significant compared with the control group. In summary, the current meta-analysis indicated that almond consumption decreased LDL-C, and had no favorable effect on other cardiometabolic outcomes in patients with T2DM. However, further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the almond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyedeh Parisa Moosavian
- Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mehran Rahimlou
- Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Mahnaz Rezaei Kelishadi
- Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sajjad Moradi
- Nutritional Sciences Department, School of Nutritional Sciences and Food Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Cyrus Jalili
- Medical Biology Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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34
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Omoboyowa DA, Balogun TA, Saibu OA, Chukwudozie OS, Alausa A, Olubode SO, Aborode AT, Batiha GE, Bodun DS, Musa SO. Structure-based discovery of selective CYP 17A 1 inhibitors for Castration-resistant prostate cancer treatment. Biol Methods Protoc 2022; 7:bpab026. [PMID: 35146123 PMCID: PMC8824735 DOI: 10.1093/biomethods/bpab026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common malignancy found in men and the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) is defined by PCa cells that stop responding to hormone therapy. Cytochrome P450 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17A1) plays a critical role in the biosynthesis of androgens in humans. Androgen signaling cascade is a principal survival pathway for PCa cells and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) remains the key treatment for patients marked with locally advanced and metastatic PCa cells. Available synthetic drugs have been reported for toxicity, drug resistance, and decreasing efficacy. Thus, the design of novel selective inhibitors of CYP17A1 lyase would help circumvent associated side effects and improve pharmacological activities. Therefore, we employed structural bioinformatics techniques via molecular docking; molecular mechanics generalized born surface area (MM-GBSA), molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and pharmacokinetic study to identify putative CYP17A1 lyase inhibitors. The results of the computational investigation showed that the Prunus dulcis compounds exhibited higher binding energy than the clinically approved abiraterone acetate. The stability of the ligand with the highest binding affinity (quercetin-3-o-rutinoside) was observed during MD simulation for 10 ns. Quercetin-3-o-rutinoside was observed to be stable within the active site of CYP17A1Lyase throughout the simulation period. The result of the pharmacokinetic study revealed that these compounds are promising therapeutic agents. Collectively, this study proposed that bioactive compounds from P. dulcis may be potential selective inhibitors of CYP17A1Lyase in CRPC treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Toheeb A Balogun
- Department of Biochemistry, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria
| | - Oluwatosin A Saibu
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of Duisburg-Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
| | - Onyeka S Chukwudozie
- Division of Biological Science, University of California San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | - Abdullahi Alausa
- Department of Biochemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - Samuel O Olubode
- Department of Biochemistry, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria
| | | | - Gaber E Batiha
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour City, Egypt
| | - Damilola S Bodun
- Department of Biochemistry, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria
| | - Sekinat O Musa
- Department of Biochemistry, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria
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35
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Moral J, Garcia-Lopez MT, Gordon A, Ortega-Beltran A, Puckett R, Tomari K, Gradziel TM, Michailides TJ. Resistance to Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus in Almond Advanced Selections and Cultivars and Its Interaction with the Aflatoxin Biocontrol Strategy. Plant Dis 2022; 106:504-509. [PMID: 34569835 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-05-21-0892-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aflatoxin contamination of almond kernels, caused by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, is a severe concern for growers because of its high toxicity. In California, the global leader of almond production, aflatoxin can be managed by applying the biological control strain AF36 of A. flavus and selecting resistant cultivars. Here, we classified the almond genotypes by K-Means cluster analysis into three groups (susceptible [S], moderately susceptible [MS], or resistant [R]) based on aflatoxin content of inoculated kernels. The protective effects of the shell and seedcoat in preventing aflatoxin contamination were also examined. The presence of intact shells reduced aflatoxin contamination >100-fold. The seedcoat provided a layer of protection but not complete protection. In kernel inoculation assays, none of the studied almond genotypes showed a total resistance to the pathogen. However, nine traditional cultivars and four advanced selections were classified as R. Because these advanced selections contained germplasm derived from peach, we compared the kernel resistance of three peach cultivars to that shown by kernels of an R (Sonora) and an S (Carmel) almond cultivar and five pistachio cultivars. Overall, peach kernels were significantly more resistant to the pathogen than almond kernels, which were more resistant than pistachio kernels. Finally, we studied the combined effect of the cultivar resistance and the biocontrol strain AF36 in limiting aflatoxin contamination. For this, we coinoculated almond kernels of R Sonora and S Carmel with AF36 72 h before or 48 h after inoculating with an aflatoxin-producing strain of A. flavus. The percentage of aflatoxin reduction by AF36 strain was greater in kernels of Carmel (98%) than in those of Sonora (83%). Cultivar resistance also affected the kernel colonization by the biological control strain. AF36 strain limited aflatoxin contamination in almond kernels even when applied 48 h after the aflatoxin-producing strain. Our results show that biocontrol combined with the use of cultivars with resistance to aflatoxin contamination can result in a more robust protection strategy than the use of either practice in isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Moral
- Department of Agronomy, Maria de Maeztu Excellence Unit, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Mathematics, California State University, Fresno, CA 93740, U.S.A
| | - M Teresa Garcia-Lopez
- Department of Agronomy, Maria de Maeztu Excellence Unit, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648, U.S.A
| | - Ana Gordon
- Department of Agronomy, Maria de Maeztu Excellence Unit, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
| | | | - Ryan Puckett
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648, U.S.A
| | - Kenji Tomari
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648, U.S.A
| | - Thomas M Gradziel
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, U.S.A
| | - Themis J Michailides
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648, U.S.A
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36
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Asbaghi O, Moodi V, Neisi A, Shirinbakhshmasoleh M, Abedi S, Oskouie FH, Eslampour E, Ghaedi E, Miraghajani M. The effect of almond intake on glycemic control: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res 2021; 36:395-414. [PMID: 34841609 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7328] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Number trials have evaluated the effect of almond intake on glycemic control in adults; however, the results remain equivocal. Therefore, the present meta-analysis aims to examine the effectiveness of almond intake on glycemic parameters. Online databases including PubMed, Scopus, ISI web of science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched up to August 2021 for trials that examined the effect of almond intake on glycemic control parameters including fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, HOMA-IR, and HbA1C. Treatment effects were expressed as mean difference (MD) and the standard deviation (SD) of outcomes. To estimate the overall effect of almond intake, we used the random-effects model. In total, 24 studies with 31 arms were included in our analysis. The meta-analysis revealed that almond intake did not significantly change the concentrations of FBS, HbA1c, insulin levels, and HOMA-IR. In conclusion, there is currently no convincing evidence that almonds have a clear beneficial effect on glycemic control. Future studies are needed before any confirmed conclusion could be drowned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Asbaghi
- Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vihan Moodi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Azadeh Neisi
- Department of Nutrition, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Sajjad Abedi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Hosseini Oskouie
- Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Eslampour
- Student Research Committee, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Ehsan Ghaedi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Miraghajani
- Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,The Early Life Research Unit, Academic Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Nottingham Digestive Disease Centre and Biomedical Research Centre, The School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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37
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Brukental H, Doron-Faigenboim A, Bar-Ya’akov I, Harel-Beja R, Attia Z, Azoulay-Shemer T, Holland D. Revealing the Genetic Components Responsible for the Unique Photosynthetic Stem Capability of the Wild Almond Prunus arabica (Olivier) Meikle. Front Plant Sci 2021; 12:779970. [PMID: 34899807 PMCID: PMC8657148 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.779970] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb] is a major deciduous fruit tree crop worldwide. During dormancy, under warmer temperatures and inadequate chilling hours, the plant metabolic activity increases and may lead to carbohydrate deficiency. Prunus arabica (Olivier) Meikle is a bushy wild almond species known for its green, unbarked stem, which stays green even during the dormancy period. Our study revealed that P. arabica green stems assimilate significantly high rates of CO2 during the winter as compared to P. dulcis cv. Um el Fahem (U.E.F.) and may improve carbohydrate status throughout dormancy. To uncover the genetic inheritance and mechanism behind the P. arabica stem photosynthetic capability (SPC), a segregated F1 population was generated by crossing P. arabica to U.E.F. Both parent's whole genome was sequenced, and SNP calling identified 4,887 informative SNPs for genotyping. A robust genetic map for U.E.F. and P. arabica was constructed (971 and 571 markers, respectively). QTL mapping and association study for the SPC phenotype revealed major QTL [log of odd (LOD) = 20.8] on chromosome 7 and another minor but significant QTL on chromosome 1 (LOD = 3.9). As expected, the P. arabica allele in the current loci significantly increased the SPC phenotype. Finally, a list of 64 candidate genes was generated. This work sets the stage for future research to investigate the mechanism regulating the SPC trait, how it affects the tree's physiology, and its importance for breeding new cultivars better adapted to high winter temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hillel Brukental
- Unit of Fruit Tree Sciences, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay, Israel
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Adi Doron-Faigenboim
- Department of Vegetable and Field Crops, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon Lezion, Israel
| | - Irit Bar-Ya’akov
- Unit of Fruit Tree Sciences, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay, Israel
| | - Rotem Harel-Beja
- Unit of Fruit Tree Sciences, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay, Israel
| | - Ziv Attia
- Unit of Fruit Tree Sciences, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay, Israel
| | - Tamar Azoulay-Shemer
- Unit of Fruit Tree Sciences, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay, Israel
| | - Doron Holland
- Unit of Fruit Tree Sciences, Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya’ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay, Israel
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38
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Holland LA, Travadon R, Lawrence DP, Nouri MT, Trouillas F. Evaluation of Pruning Wound Protection Products for the Management of Almond Canker Diseases in California. Plant Dis 2021; 105:3368-3375. [PMID: 33560878 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-11-20-2371-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Almond trunk and branch canker diseases constitute a major cause of tree mortality in California. Numerous fungal pathogens have been associated with these canker diseases and pruning wounds act as major infection courts. Before this study, there were no products registered in California for the management of these diseases. In this study, fungicidal products including synthetic chemistries, biocontrols, paint, and a sealant were evaluated for preventing fungal pathogen infection via pruning wounds. In four field trials conducted over two dormant seasons, 16 pruning wound treatments were tested using handheld spray applications against five almond canker pathogens, namely Botryosphaeria dothidea, Neofusicoccum parvum, Cytospora sorbicola, Ceratocystis destructans, and Eutypa lata. The fungicide thiophanate-methyl (Topsin M; United Phosphorus, Bandra West, Mumbai, India) provided 82% overall disease prevention against four fungal pathogens. The biological control agent, Trichoderma atroviride SC1 (Vintec; Bi-PA, Londerzeel, Belgium), tested at three application rates, resulted in 90 to 93% protection of pruning wounds in field trials, and for individual pathogens ranged from 81 to 100% protection for the three rates. At the time of this publication, Vintec is being considered for registration as a biological control product for the prevention of almond canker diseases, while Topsin M is recommended to growers for the prevention of almond canker diseases. This research indicates that effective protection of pruning wounds from infection by almond canker pathogens can be achieved with a one-time spray application of thiophanate-methyl or the biocontrol T. atroviride SC1 (recommended 2 g/liter) after pruning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie A Holland
- Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
- Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648
| | | | | | - Mohamed T Nouri
- University of California Cooperative Extension San Joaquin County, Stockton, CA 95206
| | - Florent Trouillas
- Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
- Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648
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39
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Luo Y, Niederholzer FJA, Lightle DM, Felts D, Lake J, Michailides TJ. Limited Evidence for Accumulation of Latent Infections of Canker-Causing Pathogens in Shoots of Stone Fruit and Nut Crops in California. Phytopathology 2021; 111:1963-1971. [PMID: 33829854 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-01-21-0009-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Prevalence of latent infections of the canker-causing fungi Botryosphaeria dothidea and species of Cytospora, Diplodia, Lasiodiplodia, Neofusicoccum, and Phomopsis in young shoots of almond, prune, and walnut trees in California was studied to test the hypotheses that latent infections accumulate from current-season shoots to 1-year-old shoots in the orchard and there are distinct associations among pathogen taxa present as latent infections in the same shoot. Samples of newly emerged and 1-year-old shoots were periodically collected in each almond, prune, and walnut orchard for two growing seasons. A real-time quantitative PCR assay was used to quantify latent infection with three parameters: incidence, molecular severity, and latent infection index. Diplodia spp. were absent from most samples. For almond, Lasiodiplodia spp. and Cytospora spp. were detected with a maximum incidence >90%, while B. dothidea and Neofusicoccum spp. incidence was <20% in most cases. In prune orchards, the incidence levels of B. dothidea were >50% in most cases, while those of Cytospora spp. and Lasiodiplodia spp. were 30 to 60% and 30 to 100%, respectively. For walnut, many samplings showed higher incidence in 1-year-old (30 to 80%) than in newly emerged shoots (10 to 50%). Accumulation of latent infection between the two shoot age classes was detected in only a few cases. The percentages of samples showing coexistence of two, three, and four pathogen taxa in the same shoot were 20 to 25, <10, and <5%, respectively. Pairwise associations among pathogen taxa in the same shoot were significant in many cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Luo
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648
| | - Franz J A Niederholzer
- University of California Cooperative Extension, Colusa/Sutter/Yuba Counties, Yuba City, CA 95991
| | - Dani M Lightle
- University of California Cooperative Extension, Butte/Glenn/Tehama Counties, Orland, CA 95963
| | - Dan Felts
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648
| | - John Lake
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648
| | - Themis J Michailides
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California-Davis, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA 93648
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40
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Vahdati K, Sarikhani S, Arab MM, Leslie CA, Dandekar AM, Aletà N, Bielsa B, Gradziel TM, Montesinos Á, Rubio-Cabetas MJ, Sideli GM, Serdar Ü, Akyüz B, Beccaro GL, Donno D, Rovira M, Ferguson L, Akbari M, Sheikhi A, Sestras AF, Kafkas S, Paizila A, Roozban MR, Kaur A, Panta S, Zhang L, Sestras RE, Mehlenbacher SA. Advances in Rootstock Breeding of Nut Trees: Objectives and Strategies. Plants (Basel) 2021; 10:plants10112234. [PMID: 34834597 PMCID: PMC8623031 DOI: 10.3390/plants10112234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The production and consumption of nuts are increasing in the world due to strong economic returns and the nutritional value of their products. With the increasing role and importance given to nuts (i.e., walnuts, hazelnut, pistachio, pecan, almond) in a balanced and healthy diet and their benefits to human health, breeding of the nuts species has also been stepped up. Most recent fruit breeding programs have focused on scion genetic improvement. However, the use of locally adapted grafted rootstocks also enhanced the productivity and quality of tree fruit crops. Grafting is an ancient horticultural practice used in nut crops to manipulate scion phenotype and productivity and overcome biotic and abiotic stresses. There are complex rootstock breeding objectives and physiological and molecular aspects of rootstock-scion interactions in nut crops. In this review, we provide an overview of these, considering the mechanisms involved in nutrient and water uptake, regulation of phytohormones, and rootstock influences on the scion molecular processes, including long-distance gene silencing and trans-grafting. Understanding the mechanisms resulting from rootstock × scion × environmental interactions will contribute to developing new rootstocks with resilience in the face of climate change, but also of the multitude of diseases and pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kourosh Vahdati
- Department of Horticulture, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Tehran 3391653755, Iran; (S.S.); (M.M.A.); (M.R.R.)
| | - Saadat Sarikhani
- Department of Horticulture, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Tehran 3391653755, Iran; (S.S.); (M.M.A.); (M.R.R.)
| | - Mohammad Mehdi Arab
- Department of Horticulture, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Tehran 3391653755, Iran; (S.S.); (M.M.A.); (M.R.R.)
| | - Charles A. Leslie
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, One Shields, Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (C.A.L.); (A.M.D.); (T.M.G.); (G.M.S.); (L.F.)
| | - Abhaya M. Dandekar
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, One Shields, Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (C.A.L.); (A.M.D.); (T.M.G.); (G.M.S.); (L.F.)
| | - Neus Aletà
- Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries, IRTA Fruit Production, Torre Marimon, 08140 Caldes de Montbui, Spain;
| | - Beatriz Bielsa
- Unidad de Hortofruticultura, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Av. Montañana 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain; (B.B.); (Á.M.); (M.J.R.-C.)
| | - Thomas M. Gradziel
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, One Shields, Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (C.A.L.); (A.M.D.); (T.M.G.); (G.M.S.); (L.F.)
| | - Álvaro Montesinos
- Unidad de Hortofruticultura, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Av. Montañana 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain; (B.B.); (Á.M.); (M.J.R.-C.)
| | - María José Rubio-Cabetas
- Unidad de Hortofruticultura, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), Av. Montañana 930, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain; (B.B.); (Á.M.); (M.J.R.-C.)
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón–IA2 (CITA-Universidad de Zaragoza), 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Gina M. Sideli
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, One Shields, Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (C.A.L.); (A.M.D.); (T.M.G.); (G.M.S.); (L.F.)
| | - Ümit Serdar
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun 55139, Turkey; (Ü.S.); (B.A.)
| | - Burak Akyüz
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun 55139, Turkey; (Ü.S.); (B.A.)
| | - Gabriele Loris Beccaro
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy; (G.L.B.); (D.D.)
| | - Dario Donno
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy; (G.L.B.); (D.D.)
| | - Mercè Rovira
- Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries, IRTA Fruit Production, Mas Bové, Ctra. Reus-El Morell, Km. 3.8, 43120 Constantí, Spain;
| | - Louise Ferguson
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, One Shields, Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (C.A.L.); (A.M.D.); (T.M.G.); (G.M.S.); (L.F.)
| | | | - Abdollatif Sheikhi
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, College of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan 7718897111, Iran;
| | - Adriana F. Sestras
- Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Salih Kafkas
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Cukurova University, Adana 01380, Turkey; (S.K.); (A.P.)
| | - Aibibula Paizila
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Cukurova University, Adana 01380, Turkey; (S.K.); (A.P.)
| | - Mahmoud Reza Roozban
- Department of Horticulture, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Tehran 3391653755, Iran; (S.S.); (M.M.A.); (M.R.R.)
| | - Amandeep Kaur
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; (A.K.); (S.P.); (L.Z.)
| | - Srijana Panta
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; (A.K.); (S.P.); (L.Z.)
| | - Lu Zhang
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; (A.K.); (S.P.); (L.Z.)
| | - Radu E. Sestras
- Faculty of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
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Stahl JM, Scaccini D, Daane KM. Field Survival of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) on California Tree Crops. Environ Entomol 2021; 50:1187-1193. [PMID: 34175919 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvab055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is a polyphagous insect pest that has invaded much of the United States, including California. Despite model predictions that regions in California like the agriculturally important Central Valley are suitable, H. halys populations and the occurring crop damage are distinctly lower than in regions of the East Coast. To evaluate if this is due to low nymphal survival in the high temperature and intensive monoculture environment, H. halys nymphs were caged on four common Central Valley tree crops: almond, pistachio, peach, and grape, and compared to the well-established almond and pistachio pest Leptoglossus zonatus (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Coreidae). Nymphal development showed that peach, almond, and pistachio can sustain H. halys as single host plants until adult eclosion, whereas grapes cannot. The addition of fruiting structures of almond, pistachio, and grape to H. halys caged on peach trees (= mixed diet) did not increase nymphal survival but did increase adult female size. Leptoglossus zonatus survival was higher than H. halys on pistachio, but not on the other crops. Overall, H. halys nymphal mortality in the field was high, with 92% in the mixed diet compared to 73% in the mixed diet control in the laboratory, indicating abiotic population pressures. Our results confirm peach as a good H. halys host plant and suggest that almond has a similar suitability, and while pistachios can support H. halys nymphal development, they seem less likely to facilitate population growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith M Stahl
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Davide Scaccini
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - Kent M Daane
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Moreno Gracia B, Laya Reig D, Rubio-Cabetas MJ, Sanz García MÁ. Study of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Spanish Almonds. Foods 2021; 10:2334. [PMID: 34681383 DOI: 10.3390/foods10102334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenolic compounds have an important influence on fruit and nut quality. Almonds have been shown to be rich sources of phenolic compounds, which possess health-beneficial properties. The objectives of the study were to optimize an extraction method to determine the total amount of polyphenols, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins as well as the antioxidant capacity. In addition, the same extract was used for the identification and quantification of flavonoids by HPLC. The study was conducted on 11 Spanish almond genotypes. The results highlight the differences in the content of antioxidants, which add value to the quality of the fruit. It has been shown that genotype may strongly influence antioxidant capacity and total phenolic compounds. In this work, the almonds with higher results were (Belona, Guara and Vialfas) varieties.
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Greco D, Aprile A, De Bellis L, Luvisi A. Diseases Caused by Xylella fastidiosa in Prunus Genus: An Overview of the Research on an Increasingly Widespread Pathogen. Front Plant Sci 2021; 12:712452. [PMID: 34484274 PMCID: PMC8414816 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.712452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cultivated plants belonging to the genus Prunus are globally widespread and for some countries, are economically important crops; and they play a key role in the composition of a landscape. Xylella fastidiosa is a key threat to plant health, and several Prunus species are heavily stressed by this pathogen, such as almond, peach, and plum; many strain types of different subspecies can cause severe diseases. This review highlights different approaches to managing epidemic events related to X. fastidiosa in stone fruit plants. In fact, in most new European and Asian outbreaks, almond is the main and very common host and peach, plum, apricot, and cherry are widespread and profitable crops for the involved areas. Various diseases associated with stone fruit plants show different degrees of severity in relation to cultivar, although investigations are still limited. The development and selection of tolerant and resistant cultivars and the study of resistance mechanisms activated by the plant against X. fastidiosa infections seem to be the best way to find long-term solutions aimed at making affected areas recover. In addition, observations in orchards severely affected by the disease can be essential for collecting tolerant or resistant materials within the local germplasm. In areas where the bacterium is not yet present, a qualitative-quantitative study on entomofauna is also important for the timely identification of potential vectors and for developing effective control strategies.
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Amico Roxas A, Orozco J, Guzmán-Delgado P, Zwieniecki MA. Spring phenology is affected by fall non-structural carbohydrate concentration and winter sugar redistribution in three Mediterranean nut tree species. Tree Physiol 2021; 41:1425-1438. [PMID: 34383074 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Deciduous trees mostly rely on non-structural carbohydrates (NSC-soluble carbohydrates and starch) stored prior to dormancy to sustain both spring bloom and the initial phase of spring growth prior to the transition of leaves from sink to source. Winter management of NSC, their loss due to respiration, reallocation patterns and remobilization during spring, seems to be key to a timely and synchronous bloom. To assess tree dependence on NSC during dormancy, we tested whether the interruption of local branch NSC accumulation prior to dormancy by defoliation and the interruption of NSC translocation by phloem girdling influence spring phenology in three major deciduous Mediterranean nut crop species: Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A Webb, a hybrid between Pistacia integerrima (J. L. Stewart ex Brandis) and P. atlantica Desf. (referred to as P. integerrima), and Juglans regia L. Defoliation treatments had different effects on NSC concentration in different species depending on the time of application. However, despite the significant initial impact (increase or decrease of NSC concentration), with time this impact diminished resulting in overall similar concentrations between control and defoliated branches suggesting the presence of NSC reallocation during dormancy. Phloem girdling in P. dulcis and P. integerrima resulted in reduced export activity and greater NSC concentrations, while in J. regia girdling resulted in lower NSC concentrations, indicating that this species requires a net import of NSC during dormancy. Bud break was distinctly delayed by both defoliation and phloem girdling in all the three species, providing evidence of the significant roles that fall NSC accumulation and winter NSC management play in priming trees for spring growth resumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele Amico Roxas
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jessica Orozco
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Paula Guzmán-Delgado
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Maciej A Zwieniecki
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Bezerra M, Ribeiro M, Igrejas G. An Updated Overview of Almond Allergens. Nutrients 2021; 13:2578. [PMID: 34444737 DOI: 10.3390/nu13082578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tree nuts are considered an important food in healthy diets. However, for part of the world’s population, they are one of the most common sources of food allergens causing acute allergic reactions that can become life-threatening. They are part of the Big Eight food groups which are responsible for more than 90% of food allergy cases in the United States, and within this group, almond allergies are persistent and normally severe and life-threatening. Almond is generally consumed raw, toasted or as an integral part of other foods. Its dietary consumption is generally associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. Several almond proteins have been recognized as allergens. Six of them, namely Pru du 3, Pru du 4, Pru du 5, Pru du 6, Pru du 8 and Pru du 10, have been included in the WHO-IUIS list of allergens. Nevertheless, further studies are needed in relation to the accurate characterization of the already known almond allergens or putative ones and in relation to the IgE-binding properties of these allergens to avoid misidentifications. In this context, this work aims to critically review the almond allergy problematic and, specifically, to perform an extensive overview regarding known and novel putative almond allergens.
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Caltagirone C, Peano C, Sottile F. Post-harvest Industrial Processes of Almond (Prunus dulcis L. Mill) in Sicily Influence the Nutraceutical Properties of By-Products at Harvest and During Storage. Front Nutr 2021; 8:659378. [PMID: 34150827 PMCID: PMC8206266 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.659378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Almond cultivation in Sicily is experiencing a phase of great interest which is mainly concentrated in the development of specialized orchards, with irrigation and by adopting cultivars with high qualitative and quantitative performances. These are mostly Mediterranean genotypes with high fat content and hard or semi-hard shell, extremely different from the varieties of Californian diffusion. The development of the sector comprises the primary production of almonds but also a series of secondary products which often represent a burden for the company. From these considerations several researches have been developed with the aim of giving a value to these by-products through circular economy paths. One of the by-products widely produced, besides the shell, is the skin which covers the seed and is produced during the peeling phase. It is well-known that tegument is an important component of almond because it contains important bioactive substances (phenols and aromas) which are usually dispersed during peeling. This paper examined three different Italian cultivars widely spread in Sicily, two of Apulian origin, (Genco and Tuono), and one locally cultivated variety (Vinci a tutti). These three cultivars occupy an increasingly large area and are very popular with consumers and industry. The production of secondary products, therefore, evidences significant quantities and the possibility to give them an added value becomes a need for the sector. Therefore, the content of phenols and proanthocyanins in the skin at harvest and during storage was analyzed, adopting two different separation methods, with and without water. During the analysis it was possible to observe the different behavior of the three cultivars due to genetic and industrial factors. Skin separated without using hot water showed a higher total phenolic presence with average increases of about 20%, and with even higher increases, between 28 and 32%, for proanthocyanins. Vinci a tutti evidenced the highest total phenolic content after 8 months of storing while roasting has revealed to be a more effective skin separation approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Caltagirone
- Department of Architecture, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Interdepartmental Research Center in Bio-Based Reutilization of Waste from Agri-Food Matrices (RIVIVE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Cristiana Peano
- Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Francesco Sottile
- Department of Architecture, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Interdepartmental Research Center in Bio-Based Reutilization of Waste from Agri-Food Matrices (RIVIVE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Jaszczak-Wilke E, Polkowska Ż, Koprowski M, Owsianik K, Mitchell AE, Bałczewski P. Amygdalin: Toxicity, Anticancer Activity and Analytical Procedures for Its Determination in Plant Seeds. Molecules 2021; 26:2253. [PMID: 33924691 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26082253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Amygdalin (d-Mandelonitrile 6-O-β-d-glucosido-β-d-glucoside) is a natural cyanogenic glycoside occurring in the seeds of some edible plants, such as bitter almonds and peaches. It is a medically interesting but controversial compound as it has anticancer activity on one hand and can be toxic via enzymatic degradation and production of hydrogen cyanide on the other hand. Despite numerous contributions on cancer cell lines, the clinical evidence for the anticancer activity of amygdalin is not fully confirmed. Moreover, high dose exposures to amygdalin can produce cyanide toxicity. The aim of this review is to present the current state of knowledge on the sources, toxicity and anticancer properties of amygdalin, and analytical methods for its determination in plant seeds.
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Miarnau X, Zazurca L, Torguet L, Zúñiga E, Batlle I, Alegre S, Luque J. Cultivar Susceptibility and Environmental Parameters Affecting Symptom Expression of Red Leaf Blotch of Almond in Spain. Plant Dis 2021; 105:940-947. [PMID: 33021910 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-04-20-0869-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Red leaf blotch (RLB) of almond, caused by Polystigma amygdalinum, is an important foliar disease of this nut tree in the Mediterranean basin and Middle East regions. In recent years, the incidence of this disease has increased in Spain, corresponding to increases in the area of newly planted orchards and the use of susceptible cultivars. In 2009, an experimental orchard including 21 almond cultivars was planted at Les Borges Blanques, Lleida, in northeastern Spain. No fungicide treatments were applied during the 10-year experimental period (2009 to 2018) in order to allow natural disease development. Cultivar susceptibility to RLB was assessed each year, from 2011 to 2018, through visual observations of symptoms in naturally infected trees. The experimental results led us to classify the cultivars into five susceptibility groups. The most susceptible were Tarraco, Guara, Tuono, Marinada, Desmayo Largueta, and Soleta, whereas Mardía was the most tolerant. The annual incidence of disease was positively correlated with accumulated rainfall in spring, and especially in April, while it was negatively correlated with high spring and summer temperatures, especially in May. These findings could be used to improve disease management strategies by identifying the most susceptible cultivars and improving the timing of fungicide application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Miarnau
- Fruit Production Program, IRTA Fruitcentre, PCiTAL, Park of Gardeny, Fruitcentre Building, E-25003 Lleida, Spain
| | - Lourdes Zazurca
- Fruit Production Program, IRTA Fruitcentre, PCiTAL, Park of Gardeny, Fruitcentre Building, E-25003 Lleida, Spain
| | - Laura Torguet
- Fruit Production Program, IRTA Fruitcentre, PCiTAL, Park of Gardeny, Fruitcentre Building, E-25003 Lleida, Spain
| | - Erick Zúñiga
- Plant Pathology, IRTA Cabrils, Ctra. de Cabrils km 2, E-08348 Cabrils, Spain
| | - Ignasi Batlle
- Fruit Production Program, IRTA Mas de Bover, Ctra. de Reus-El Morell km 3.8, E-43120 Constantí, Spain
| | - Simó Alegre
- Fruit Production Program, IRTA Fruitcentre, PCiTAL, Park of Gardeny, Fruitcentre Building, E-25003 Lleida, Spain
| | - Jordi Luque
- Plant Pathology, IRTA Cabrils, Ctra. de Cabrils km 2, E-08348 Cabrils, Spain
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Rubio M, Martínez-García PJ, Nikbakht-Dehkordi A, Prudencio ÁS, Gómez EM, Rodamilans B, Dicenta F, García JA, Martínez-Gómez P. Gene Expression Analysis of Induced Plum pox virus (Sharka) Resistance in Peach (Prunus persica) by Almond (P. dulcis) Grafting. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3585. [PMID: 33808287 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
No natural sources of resistance to Plum pox virus (PPV, sharka disease) have been identified in peach. However, previous studies have demonstrated that grafting a “Garrigues” almond scion onto “GF305” peach rootstock seedlings heavily infected with PPV can progressively reduce disease symptoms and virus accumulation. Furthermore, grafting a “Garrigues” scion onto the “GF305” rootstock has been shown to completely prevent virus infection. This study aims to analyse the rewiring of gene expression associated with this resistance to PPV transmitted by grafting through the phloem using RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR analysis. A total of 18 candidate genes were differentially expressed after grafting “Garrigues” almond onto healthy “GF305” peach. Among the up-regulated genes, a HEN1 homolog stands out, which, together with the differential expression of RDR- and DCL2-homologs, suggests that the RNA silencing machinery is activated by PPV infection and can contribute to the resistance induced by “Garrigues” almond. Glucan endo-1,3-beta D-glucosidase could be also relevant for the “Garrigues”-induced response, since its expression is much higher in “Garrigues” than in “GF305”. We also discuss the potential relevance of the following in PPV infection and “Garrigues”-induced resistance: several pathogenesis-related proteins; no apical meristem proteins; the transcription initiation factor, TFIIB; the speckle-type POZ protein; in addition to a number of proteins involved in phytohormone signalling.
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Higbee BS, Burks CS. Individual and Additive Effects of Insecticide and Mating Disruption in Integrated Management of Navel Orangeworm in Almonds. Insects 2021; 12:insects12020188. [PMID: 33671717 PMCID: PMC7927001 DOI: 10.3390/insects12020188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Mating disruption is an increasingly important part of pest management for the navel orangeworm Amyelois transitella. Industry groups have long supported mating disruption research and development with the divergent objectives of both minimizing damage from this key pest and reducing insecticide used on these crops. It is therefore important to know whether the benefits of mating disruption and insecticide are additive or, alternatively, if using both together provides no additional benefit over either alone. Ten years of data from research trials in a large commercial almond orchard found that the benefits of mating disruption are generally additive with lower damage if both are used together than either alone. Substantial year-to-year variability in navel orangeworm damage was also evident, even with stringent management. These findings indicate that the combination of mating disruption and insecticide can reduce the impact of navel orangeworm damage on the almond industry. Further improvements in monitoring and predictions of navel orangeworm abundance and damage are necessary for mating disruption to effectively contribute to the industry goal of reduction of insecticide use by 25%. Abstract Damage from Amyelois transitella, a key pest of almonds in California, is managed by destruction of overwintering hosts, timely harvest, and insecticides. Mating disruption has been an increasingly frequent addition to these management tools. Efficacy of mating disruption for control of navel orangeworm damage has been demonstrated in experiments that included control plots not treated with either mating disruption or insecticide. However, the navel orangeworm flies much farther than many orchard pests, so large plots of an expensive crop are required for such research. A large almond orchard was subdivided into replicate blocks of 96 to 224 ha and used to compare harvest damage from navel orangeworm in almonds treated with both mating disruption and insecticide, or with either alone. Regression of navel orangeworm damage in researcher-collected harvest samples from the interior and center of management blocks on damage in huller samples found good correlation for both and supported previous assumptions that huller samples underreport navel orangeworm damage. Blocks treated with both mating disruption and insecticide had lower damage than those treated with either alone in 9 of the 10 years examined. Use of insecticide had a stronger impact than doubling the dispenser rate from 2.5 to 5 per ha, and long-term comparisons of relative navel orangeworm damage to earlier- and later-harvested varieties revealed greater variation than previously demonstrated. These findings are an economically important confirmation of trade-offs in economic management of this critical pest. Additional monitoring tools and research tactics will be necessary to fulfill the potential of mating disruption to reduce insecticide use for navel orangeworm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley S. Higbee
- Trécé Inc., Adair, OK 74330, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-661-301-3225
| | - Charles S. Burks
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center, 9611 South Riverbend Avenue, Parlier, CA 93648, USA;
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