Anthocyanin Pigments Research Articles

Lignin-Loaded Carbon Nanoparticles as a Promising Control Agent against Fusarium verticillioides in Maize: Physiological and Biochemical Analyses.

Lignin, a naturally occurring biopolymer, is produced primarily as a waste product by the pulp and paper industries and burned to produce electricity. Lignin-based nano- and microcarriers found in plants are promising biodegradable drug delivery platforms. Here, we highlight a few characteristics of a potential antifungal nanocomposite consisting of carbon nanoparticles (C-NPs) with a defined size and shape containing lignin nanoparticles (L-NPs). Spectroscopic and microscopic studies verified that the lignin-loaded carbon nanoparticles (L-CNPs) were successfully prepared. Under in vitro and in vivo conditions, the antifungal activity of L-CNPs at various doses was effectively tested against a wild strain of F. verticillioides that causes maize stalk rot disease. In comparison to the commercial fungicide, Ridomil Gold SL (2%), L-CNPs introduced beneficial effects in the earliest stages of maize development (seed germination and radicle length). Additionally, L-CNP treatments promoted positive effects on maize seedlings, with a significant increment in the level of carotenoid, anthocyanin, and chlorophyll pigments for particular treatments. Finally, the soluble protein content displayed a favorable trend in response to particular dosages. Most importantly, treatments with L-CNPs at 100 and 500 mg/L significantly reduced stalk rot disease by 86% and 81%, respectively, compared to treatments with the chemical fungicide, which reduced the disease by 79%. These consequences are substantial considering the essential cellular function carried out by these special natural-based compounds. Finally, the intravenous L-CNPs treatments in both male and female mice that affected the clinical applications and toxicological assessments are explained. The results of this study suggest that L-CNPs are of high interest as biodegradable delivery vehicles and can be used to stimulate favorable biological responses in maize when administered in the recommended dosages, contributing to the idea of agro-nanotechnology by demonstrating their unique qualities as a cost-effective alternative compared to conventional commercial fungicides and environmentally benign nanopesticides for long-term plant protection.

Sucrose non-fermenting1-related protein kinase VcSnRK2.3 promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis in association with VcMYB1 in blueberry.

Sucrose non-fermenting1-related protein kinase-2 (SnRK2) is a plant-specific protein kinase family and an important component of the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway. However, there is a lack of relevant studies in blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). In this study, we identified six SnRK2 family members (from VcSnRK2.1 to VcSnRK2.6) in blueberries for the first time. In addition, we found that VcSnRK2.3 expression was not only positively correlated with fruit ripening but was also induced by ABA signaling. Transient expression in blueberry fruits also proved that VcSnRK2.3 promoted anthocyanin accumulation and the expression of anthocyanin synthesis-related genes such as VcF3H, VcDFR, VcANS, and VcUFGT. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana seeds and seedlings overexpressing VcSnRK2.3 showed anthocyanin pigmentation. Yeast two-hybrid assays (Y2H) and Bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays (BiFC) demonstrated that VcSnRK2.3 could interact with the anthocyanin positive regulator VcMYB1. Finally, VcSnRK2.3 was able to enhance the binding of VcMYB1 to the VcDFR promoter. Via regulation transcription of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, VcSnRK2.3 promoted anthocyanin accumulation in blueberry. The above results suggest that VcSnRK2.3 plays an important role in blueberry anthocyanin synthesis, is induced by ABA, and can interact with VcMYB1 to promote anthocyanin biosynthesis in blueberry.

PEMANFAATAN TEPUNG BERAS MERAH DAN BERAS HITAM DALAM PEMBUATAN PRODUK EDIBLE SPOON

The most widely used tableware is plastic spoon. However, its usage can cause environmental problems in the form of plastic waste. This plastic waste can be overcome by alternative innovations of making environmentally friendly tablespoon or edible spoon. Edible spoon can be made from a mixture of cereal flour, namely wheat flour, red rice flour, and black rice flour. Gluten from wheat flour is used to form a sturdy edible spoon texture, while red rice flour and black rice have anthocyanin pigments that act as natural dyes and antioxidants. The type of cereal flour used affects the characteristics of the edible spoons produced. The purpose of this study was to determine the physical characteristics and antioxidant activity of edible spoons made from a mixture of flour and red rice flour as well as wheat and black rice flour. This experiment used a randomized block research design (RBD) with 6 levels of treatment comparing the use of wheat flour with red rice flour or black rice flour, namely 65:35; 60:40; 55:45; 50:50; 45:55; and 40:60. The research data was analyzed by ANOVA and DMRT (α=5%). The fracture power of black and red rice edible spoons ranged from 13,196±0,5312 to 71,545±0,0091 and 15,637±0,0113 to 37,348±0,0230, the rehydration power range of black and red rice edible spoons were 16,56±0,7332 to 25,75±0,0005 and 14,88±0,1357 to 17,81±1,3077, as well as the antioxidant activity for red rice edible spoons were 87,6250 to 97,5500 and black rice 85,1250 to 98,0250.

Metabolic engineering of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway in Artemisia annua and relation to the expression of the artemisinin biosynthetic pathway

Four types of cells were engineered from Artemisia annua to produce approximately 17 anthocyanins, four of which were elucidated structurally. All of them expressed the artemisinin pathway. Artemisia annua is the only medicinal crop to produce artemisinin for the treatment of malignant malaria. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of people still lose their life every year due to the lack of sufficient artemisinin. Artemisinin is considered to result from the spontaneous autoxidation of dihydroartemisinic acid in the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in an oxidative condition of glandular trichomes (GTs); however, whether increasing antioxidative compounds can inhibit artemisinin biosynthesis in plant cells is unknown. Anthocyanins are potent antioxidants that can remove ROS in plant cells. To date, no anthocyanins have been structurally elucidated from A. annua. In this study, we had two goals: (1) to engineer anthocyanins in A. annua cells and (2) to understand the artemisinin biosynthesis in anthocyanin-producing cells. Arabidopsis Production of Anthocyanin Pigment 1 was used to engineer four types of transgenic anthocyanin-producing A. annua (TAPA1-4) cells. Three wild-type cell types were developed as controls. TAPA1 cells produced the highest contents of total anthocyanins. LC-MS analysis detected 17 anthocyanin or anthocyanidin compounds. Crystallization, LC/MS/MS, and NMR analyses identified cyanidin, pelargonidin, one cyanin, and one pelargonin. An integrative analysis characterized that four types of TAPA cells expressed the artemisinin pathway and TAPA1 cells produced the highest artemisinin and artemisinic acid. The contents of arteannuin B were similar in seven cell types. These data showed that the engineering of anthocyanins does not eliminate the biosynthesis of artemisinin in cells. These data allow us to propose a new hypothesis that enzymes catalyze the formation of artemisinin from dihydroartemisinic acid in non-GT cells. These findings show a new platform to increase artemisinin production via non-GT cells of A. annua.

Hot water extraction, ultrasound, microwave and pectinase-assisted extraction of anthocyanins from blue pea flower

This study investigated the hot water extraction, ultrasound, microwave, and pectinase-assisted extraction of anthocyanin pigments from petals of blue pea flowers. The effect of substrate: solvent ratio, extraction time, and extraction temperature on the extraction yield, total anthocyanin content (TAC), and total phenolic content (TPC) of the anthocyanin extracts obtained from hot water extraction were determined. Substrate: solvent ratio of 1:15 at 50 °C for 30 min was the best extraction condition to obtain an anthocyanin extract with high extraction yield, TAC, and TPC. With these conditions, the extraction yield, TAC and TPC of the anthocyanin extract of blue pea flower were 56.9 ± 5.85%, 6.74 ± 0.21 mg cyanidin-3-O-glucoside/g (mg CGE/g) and 81.1 ± 3.82 mg gallic acid equivalent/g (mg GAE/g), respectively. Microwave-assisted extraction was the best method to obtain an anthocyanin extract with high extraction yield, TAC, TPC, and good antioxidant activity. Delphinidin-3-(trans-p-coumaroyl)-glucoside was the most prominent anthocyanin in the anthocyanin extracts.

Integrated Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses Provide Insights into the Coloring Mechanism of Dark-red and Yellow Fruits in Chinese Cherry [Cerasus pseudocerasus (Lindl.) G. Don

Chinese cherry [Cerasus pseudocerasus (Lindl.) G. Don] is an important fruit tree from China that has excellent ornamental, economic, and nutritional values with various colors. The dark-red or red coloration of fruit, an attractive trait for consumers, is determined by anthocyanin pigmentation. In this study, the coloring patterns during fruit development in dark-red and yellow Chinese cherry fruits were firstly illustrated by integrated transcriptome and widely-targeted metabolome analyses. Anthocyanin accumulation in dark-red fruits was significantly higher compared with yellow fruits from the color conversion period, being positively correlated to the color ratio. Based on transcriptome analysis, eight structural genes (CpCHS, CpCHI, CpF3H, CpF3'H, CpDFR, CpANS, CpUFGT, and CpGST) were significantly upregulated in dark-red fruits from the color conversion period, especially CpANS, CpUFGT, and CpGST. On contrary, the expression level of CpLAR were considerably higher in yellow fruits than in dark-red fruits, especially at the early stage. Eight regulatory genes (CpMYB4, CpMYB10, CpMYB20, CpMYB306, bHLH1, CpNAC10, CpERF106, and CpbZIP4) were also identified as determinants of fruit color in Chinese cherry. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry identified 33 and 3 differential expressed metabolites related to anthocyanins and procyanidins between mature dark-red and yellow fruits. Cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside was the predominant anthocyanin compound in both fruits, while it was 6.23-fold higher in dark-red than in yellow fruits. More accumulated flavanol and procyanidin contents resulted in less anthocyanin content in flavonoid pathway in yellow fruits due to the higher expression level of CpLAR. These findings can help understand the coloring mechanism of dark-red and yellow fruits in Chinese cherry, and provide genetic basis for breeding new cultivars.

Comprehensive anthocyanin and flavonol profiling and fruit surface color of 20 blueberry genotypes during postharvest storage

Blueberry surface color is determined in large part by anthocyanin pigments and is one of the most important quality traits influencing consumer preference. Postharvest changes in fruit surface color and phenolic compounds, including anthocyanins, have been reported in blueberries; however, the relationships between these changes had not yet been investigated. A total of 25 anthocyanins and 14 flavonols were quantified across 20 blueberry genotypes at harvest and during four weeks of postharvest storage in 2019 and 2020. Total anthocyanin concentration ranged from 585.4 to 2556.4 mg kg‐1 across genotypes and was higher than total flavonol concentration that ranged from 129.3 to 331.0 mg kg‐1. Malvidin glycosides were the major anthocyanins in all genotypes; however, distinct anthocyanin profiles were observed among genotypes based on differences in the type of glycosylation. Quercetin 3-O-galactoside was the most abundant flavonol in all genotypes. Changes in total anthocyanin and total flavonol concentrations showed various trends during storage, depending on the genotype and the season. In contrast, anthocyanin and flavonol profiles for each genotype remained constant during storage and between seasons. Surface color parameters (lightness, chroma, and hue angle) showed weak correlations (r < 0.4) with anthocyanin concentrations measured at harvest and during postharvest storage. However, the color changes (Δ color) over four weeks of storage showed a strong correlation (r > 0.7) with changes in anthocyanin concentrations. This study provides novel understanding of the relationship between changes in anthocyanins and fruit surface color during postharvest storage in blueberries.

Morpho-molecular characterization of ethnic Bora rice for conservation and breeding

Glutinous Bora rice plays an important role in socio-economic and cultural livelihood of Boro tribes of Assam. However, neither systematic survey had been done, nor databanks are available on their detailed morpho-molecular characterization essential for breeding programme. Present study attempted to prepare a morphological database with molecular signature using a total of 22 Bora rice lines collected from upper Brahmaputra basin of Assam, which were phenotyped with 27 popular agro-morphological traits followed by marker based genotyping, sequence diversity study and expression profiling for selected genetic loci associated with low amylose content. Long day flowering and less number of tillers with panicles are the main discouraging traits of Bora rice that showed negative association with culm length. Among the 8 different phenotypic markers established, anthocyanin pigment in different parts of the plant and availability of awn may be used as identifying criteria for selection of the hybrid lines introgress with “Komal” trait. In marker based genotyping, all the studied marker loci were reported to be polymorphic with variable number of allelic forms and RM241 showed highest PIC value. In case of expression study, 5 days (after anthesis) old developing grains of selected Komal genotype (Aghani Bora) showed 90.9-fold down regulation of GBSSI (loci associated with amylose deposition in rice grain) with respect to the commonly grown popular rice (IR36). Phylogenetic relationship study with 5 different rice genomes (O. rufipogon, O. glaberrima, O. sativa japonica group, O. sativa indica group and IR36) based on sequence diversity of six major genetic loci (associated with starch deposition in endosperm) showed distinct relationship. Selected morpho-molecular markers (polymorphic between Bora and improved rice) were subjected to validation on hybrid population developed from selected Bora rice (Vogali Bora) and improved rice (IR36), which showed a promising response for use in marker assisted breeding program.

Effect of Acidification and Types of Solvent on Anthocyanin Yield, Total Phenols, Flavonoids, Antioxidant Activity and Colour Values of Extracts from Mangosteen Pericarp (Garcinia mangostana L.)

Background: Anthocyanin is a natural pigment with potential application in the textile, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.), the ‘Queen of fruits’ is famous for its nutritious edible aril. The mangosteen pericarp is rich in anthocyanin and can be utilized as a natural colorant with health benefits. There is a need to standardize easier methods for the efficient extraction of anthocyanin from mangosteen pericarp so that it can be effectively utilized in food industry. Materials: The pericarp of ripe mangosteen fruits were dried, pulverized and the anthocyanin was extracted by hot maceration with distilled water (aqueous extraction) and ethanol as solvents, acidified at different levels with citric acid (0.1% and 0.2%) and acetic acid (1% and 2%). The anthocyanin yield, total phenol, flavonoid, antioxidant activity and colour values of the concentrated extracts were determined. Result: Acidification of the solvent medium increased the extraction efficiency of anthocyanin pigment from mangosteen pericarp. The hot maceration with 50% ethanol acidified at 2% acetic acid contributed the highest yield for anthocyanin, total phenols and flavonoids with 82.68% antioxidant activity and exhibited good colour values. This anthocyanin pigment can be utilized as a safe natural colorant for the development of functional foods.

Locally Available Natural Dyes for Dyesensitized Solar Cells

Different types of natural dyes are commonly used to fabricate dyesensitized solar cells which are cheaper, simpler, and environmentally friendlier than conventional crystalline silicon solar cells. This paper objectifies the performance of locally grown natural dyes from Dhaka, Bangladesh using a simple fabrication design. Four natural dyes were obtained separately from spinach, turmeric, pomegranate, and beetroot which contain chlorophyll, curcumin, anthocyanin, and betanin pigments respectively. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy illustrated the optical properties of these dyes diluted in ethanol. Spinach and turmeric extracts showed sharper absorption peaks which qualify them as better sensitizers than pomegranate and beetroot extracts. Photoanodes (of thickness 15-20 μm) were prepared by employing the doctor blade technique on fluorine-doped tin oxides using TiO2 nanoparticles of anatase form and graphite coated fluorine-doped tin oxides were used as counter electrodes. The photoelectric measurements of the fabricated cells were done under air mass (AM) 1.5 and power density of 100 mW/cm2. The fabricated cell of turmeric extracted dye showed the highest efficiency of 0.031% (Open circuit voltage, VOC = 380 mV, Short circuit current density, JSC = 0.234 mA/cm2) and the cell using beetroot extract gave the highest fill factor (FF) of about 50% among the prepared dyesensitized solar cells. DUJASE Vol. 7(1) 38-44, 2022 (January)

Kencana Ungu (Ruellia tuberosa L.): Botani, Fitokimia Dan Pemanfaatannya Di Indonesia

Kencana ungu (Ruellia tuberosa L.) or commonly known as pletekan flower, one of the flowering plants that classified tp Acanthacea family. This plant grows a lot on the sides of the road, bushes, in the meadows, or around the rice fields. Kencana ungu (Ruellia tuberosa L.) contains a lot of phytochemicals that potentially provides some benefits for the community. However, the influence of modernization has resulted in humans preferring not to use wild plants as herbal medicines. A literature review is needed to document previous research regarding the medicinal potential of this plant. The phytochemical content of Kencana ungu includes anthocyanin pigment type malvidin which is located in the flower. This pigment can be used to dye clothes, The others phytochemicals are alkaloids, flavanoids, triterpenoids, steroids and saponins. The bioactivity performed by Ruellia tuberosa L. around antidiabetic, antifungal, antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial. Several regions in Indonesia use this plants as a diabetes drug, such as Southeast Sulawesi and West Java. In Indonesia, this plant is used as herbal medicine which is used to cure various diseases.

Comparative analysis of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of red, blue, and black tea for health benefits

The current COVID-19 predicament necessitates a greater emphasis on developing immunity. Herbal teas are abundant in antioxidants which are important for strengthening the immune system. Hot water decoction of Hibiscus rosa sinensis flowers (red tea), Clitoria ternatea flowers (blue tea) and commercially available black tea were evaluated by comparing for in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Anthocyanin pigment in red, blue, and black tea demonstrated Rf values of 0.52, 0.86 and 0.78 respectively. Blue and black teas exhibited dominance of polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, terpenoids, saponins as compared to red tea. The highest total phenolic (12.25 ± 0.245 mg GAE/gm extract-1) and flavonoid (15.84 ± 0.268mg QE/gm extract-1) content were observed with black and blue tea respectively. Blue tea, and black tea extracts exhibited FRPA values of 1.81 ± 0.413 mg and 1.93 ± 0.178 mg AAE per gram extract-1 respectively. Black tea exhibits the highest antioxidant capacity in reducing molybdate ions (1.94 ± 0.354 mg AAE per gram extract-1) followed by blue tea (1.56 ± 0.199 mg AAE per gram extract-1). Blue tea extract at a very low concentration showed highest percentage hemolytic inhibition (57.14 ± 0.567%). According to the study, blue tea is a rich source of antioxidants with significant anti-inflammatory properties. The research may offer a valuable supplementary strategyfor its therapeutic applications.

Anthocyanin metabolism in Nelumbo: translational and post-translational regulation control transcription

BackgroundLotus (Nelumbo Adans.) is used as an herbal medicine and the flowers are a source of natural flavonoids. ‘Da Sajin’, which was firstly found in the plateau area, is a natural mutant in flower color with red streamers dyeing around white petals.ResultsThe LC–MS-MS results showed that eight anthocyanin compounds, including cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-galactoside, malvidin 3-O-galactoside, and malvidin 3-O-glucoside, were differentially enriched in red-pigmented tissues of the petals, whereas most of these metabolites were undetected in white tissues of the petals. Transcriptome profiling indicated that the relative high expression levels of structural genes, such as NnPAL, NnF3H, and NnANS, was inconsistent with the low anthocyanin concentration in white tissues. Members of the NnMYB and NnbHLH transcription factor families were presumed to play a role in the metabolic flux in the anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthetic pathway. The expression model of translational initiation factor, ribosomal proteins and SKP1–CUL1–F-box protein complex related genes suggested an important role for translational and post-translational network in anthocyanin biosynthesis. In addition, pathway analysis indicated that light reaction or photo destruction might be an important external cause for floral color determination in lotus.ConclusionsIn this study, it is supposed that the natural lotus mutant ‘Da Sajin’ may have originated from a red-flowered ancestor. Partial loss of anthocyanin pigments in petals may result from metabolic disorder caused by light destruction. This disorder is mainly regulated at post translation and translation level, resulting in a non-inherited phenotype. These results contribute to an improved understanding of anthocyanin metabolism in lotus, and indicate that the translational and post-translational regulatory network determines the metabolic flux of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins under specific environmental conditions.

Vineyard light manipulation and silicon enhance ethylene-induced anthocyanin accumulation in red table grapes.

Red color resulted from anthocyanin pigment, is an essential trait for premium table grape production. Anthocyanin biosynthesis occurs through the flavonoid pathway which includes several enzymatic reactions coded by different genes. The expression of these genes is regulated by different cultural practices, cultivars, environmental conditions, and plant hormones. Recently, we reported that the anthocyanin pathway is regulated by several factors such as light and antioxidant activity. Despite the advances in cultural practices, it is still challenging to produce table grapes with high coloration, especially under the current and expected global climate change in warmer areas such as California. In the current study, we deployed two approaches to improve the accumulation of red pigment in table grapes. The first approach involves improving the expression of critical genes involved in the anthocyanin pathway through hormonal treatments and light manipulation using a reflective ground cover (RGC). The second approach was to reduce the negative effect of heat stress through stimulation of the antioxidant pathway to help remove free radicals. Treatments included ethephon (ET) at 600 mg/L, silicon (Si) at 175 mg/L, and a commercial light-reflective white ground cover (RGC) alone and in various combinations. Treatments were conducted either with or without a combination of cluster-zone leaf removal at veraison (LR) on Flame seedless (Vitis vinifera L.). Data collected in 2019 and 2020 showed that the best treatment to improve berry coloration was using ET in combination with Si and RGC, applied at veraison. Adding the LR to this combination did not improve berry color any further, but rather caused a reduction in color development. RGC without conducting LR at veraison significantly increased the quantity of reflected blue and red lights as well as the red (R) to far-red (FR) ratio (R: FR) around clusters. Results were in accordance with the increase in gene expression of flavonoid-3-O-glucosyltransferase (UFGT), a key gene in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway, as well as Peroxidase dismutase (POD). Manipulating the light spectrum and application of silicon in combination with the ethephon treatment could be used in table grape vineyards to improve the ethylene-induced anthocyanin accumulation and coloration.

Cellulose nanofiber‐based emulsion coatings with enhanced hydrophobicity and surface adhesion for preserving anthocyanins within thermally processed blueberries packed in aqueous media

AbstractTo enhance hydrophobicity and surface adhesion of edible coatings onto blueberries, an emulsion system consisting of polysaccharides and oleic acid (OA) was developed and incorporated into layer‐by‐layer (LBL) cellulose nanofiber (CNF)‐based coating. The surface tension (ST) of CNF‐based emulsion coating with chitosan (CS), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and OA was 34.28 mN/m, within the range of critical ST (28.41–37.52 dyne/cm) of blueberry surface after washing and copigmentation treatment by phenolic acid, which is essential to ensure good adhesion of coatings on fruit surface. CNF‐based emulsion coating demonstrated lower water sorption (9.47%) and water solubility (35.42%) and higher water contact angle (82.49 °) than CNF‐based coating without emulsion (control; 378.60%, 51.72%, and 67.37 °, respectively). CNF‐based emulsion coating also showed lower tensile strength (5.9 MPa) and elongation at break (2.55%) than control (28.17 MPa and 17.85%, respectively). CNF‐based emulsion coating was validated on thermally processed blueberries for preventing anthocyanin pigment leaching as the first layer in a LBL coating system with sodium alginate as the second layer. The CNF emulsion incorporated LBL coating system significantly preserved anthocyanin pigment in the processed blueberries compared with that of control due to increased surface adhesion and hydrophobicity and decreased mechanical damage. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of emulsion system in coatings for enhancing hydrophobicity and surface adhesion of coatings to preserve the nutritional and organoleptic qualities of thermally processed blueberries.Practical ApplicationDegradation of anthocyanins in processed fruit and fruit products has been a long‐term challenge for processed food industry. The hydrophobic and heat‐resistant coatings developed in this study can be used to preserve antioxidant anthocyanin pigments within fruit when subjected to thermal (simulated canning) process in aqueous solution, thus overcoming the barriers that the food industry has been facing. CNF plays a critical role to enhance thermal stability and adhesion of coatings onto fruit surface. The developed technology can be utilized for not only improving existing products, but also developing new and novel fruit products.

Investigation on electrochemical analysis of ZnO nanoparticles and its performance for dye-sensitized solar cells using various natural dyes

The dye-sensitized solar cells were fabricated using five different dyes extracted from the Ixora flower, Pongame leaves, Neem leaves, Pongame leaves, and Almond fruit. ZnO nanoparticle has been prepared via the solvothermal method. The prepared samples were characterized by structural properties of XRD, FE-SEM EDAX, and HR-TEM, Optical properties of UV–Visible and FTIR studies, and Conductivity studies of EIS spectra. The effect of natural dye extract from chlorophyll and anthocyanin pigment group was investigated for the performance of J-V characterization. The efficiency of almond extract of solar cells is found to be better than that of the other four solar cells.

Characterization in F1 generation of Kabuli, Desi and wild Cicer genotypes for plant traits

It is important to understand the magnitude of the changes in variation created by the crossbreeding of cultivated chickpea varieties with a narrow genetic base, desi and kabuli types, and C. reticulatum and C. echinospermum, which are closely related species to cultivated chickpeas. The study was conducted at Dicle University, Agriculture of Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkiye, in 2023. The experiment laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Desi ? kabuli, kabuli ? kabuli and kabuli ? wild Cicer F1 crosses and their parents were evaluated to estimate the heterosis, heterobeltiosis, potence ratios and heritability for the days to first flowering, leave traits, plant height, number of nodes per plant, flower and foliage color, anthocyanin pigmentation and plant growth habit. The differences among genotypes were significant for all these traits. The magnitude of heterosis was differed between traits and crosses. For days to first flowering, heterosis for early crosses ranged from -2.56% to -7.13%. Azkan (lately) ? C. reticulatum (medium early) (-14.06%) had the highest negative heterobeltiosis for days to first flowering. The high heritability was estimated for days to first flowering, days from emergence to podded, and days from flowering to podded. The estimated values of potence ratios in most F1 crosses were negative for the number of days to first flowering. In crosses between the white-flowered parents Azkan, Gokce, ILC 533, ILC 1929 and ILC 482 and the pink-flowered parents JG 11, ICCV 96029, ICCV 03107, Black and wild Cicer species the F1s were pink. When the white-flowered the kabuli parents to the pink-flowered the desi parents were crossed, the F1s showed the anthocyanin pigmentation on various plant parts.

Two independent loss‐of‐function mutations in anthocyanidin synthase homeologous genes are responsible for the all‐green phenotype of sweet basil

Sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum L., is an important culinary herb grown worldwide. Although basil is green, many landraces, breeding lines, and exotic cultivars have purple stems and flowers. This anthocyanin pigmentation is unacceptable in traditional Italian basil used for Pesto sauce production. In the current study, we aimed to resolve the genetics that underlines the different colors. We used the recently published sweet basil genome to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for flower and stem color in a bi-parental F2 population. It was found that the pigmentation is governed by a single QTL, harboring an anthocyanidin synthase (ANS) gene (EC 1.14.20.4). Further analysis revealed that the basil genome harbors two homeologous ANS genes, each carrying a loss-of-function mutation. ObANS1 carries a single base pair insertion resulting in a frameshift, and ObANS2 carries a missense mutation within the active site. In the purple-flower parent, ANS1 is functional, and ANS2 carries a nonsense mutation. The functionality of the ObANS1 active allele was validated by complementation assay in an Arabidopsis ANS mutant. Moreover, we have restored the functionality of the missense-mutated ObANS2 using site-directed activation. We found that the non-functional alleles were expressed to similar levels as the functional allele, suggesting polyploids invest futile effort in expressing non-functional genes, offsetting their advantageous redundancy. This work demonstrated the usefulness of the genomics and genetics of basil to understand the basic mechanism of metabolic traits and raise fundamental questions in polyploid plant biology.

Integrated analysis of transcriptome, metabolome, and histochemistry reveals the response mechanisms of different ages Panax notoginseng to root-knot nematode infection.

Panax notoginseng (P. notoginseng) is an invaluable perennial medicinal herb. However, the roots of P. notoginseng are frequently subjected to severe damage caused by root-knot nematode (RKN) infestation. Although we have observed that P. notoginseng possessed adult-plant resistance (APR) against RKN disease, the defense response mechanisms against RKN disease in different age groups of P. notoginseng remain unexplored. We aimed to elucidate the response mechanisms of P. notoginseng at different stages of development to RKN infection by employing transcriptome, metabolome, and histochemistry analyses. Our findings indicated that distinct age groups of P. notoginseng may activate the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways in varying ways, leading to the synthesis of phenolics, flavonoids, lignin, and anthocyanin pigments as both the response and defense mechanism against RKN attacks. Specifically, one-year-old P. notoginseng exhibited resistance to RKN through the upregulation of 5-O-p-coumaroylquinic acid and key genes involved in monolignol biosynthesis, such as PAL, CCR, CYP73A, CYP98A, POD, and CAD. Moreover, two-year-old P. notoginseng enhanced the resistance by depleting chlorogenic acid and downregulating most genes associated with monolignol biosynthesis, while concurrently increasing cyanidin and ANR in flavonoid biosynthesis. Three-year-old P. notoginseng reinforced its resistance by significantly increasing five phenolic acids related to monolignol biosynthesis, namely p-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, 1-O-sinapoyl-D-glucose, coniferyl alcohol, and ferulic acid. Notably, P. notoginseng can establish a lignin barrier that restricted RKN to the infection site. In summary, P. notoginseng exhibited a potential ability to impede the further propagation of RKN through the accumulation or depletion of the compounds relevant to resistance within the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways, as well as the induction of lignification in tissue cells.

Grape-derived pectic polysaccharides alter the tannin and pigment composition of Cabernet Sauvignon red wines

Tannins, anthocyanins, and polymeric pigments are essential phenolic constituents of red wine because they provide color, color stability, and mouthfeel properties like astringency. The behavior of these compounds is significantly affected by pectic polysaccharides, whereby the extent of their influence on red wine quality depends on their structural features and their interactions with the polyphenols. In the present study, the composition of the pectic polysaccharides of commercially available Cabernet Sauvignon wines and their impact on anthocyanin, tannin, and polymeric pigment analyses was characterized. This was accomplished by preparation of polysaccharide deprived wines and comparison of the polyphenolic composition of both, the wines and their corresponding polysaccharide-free counterparts. The results show that the cell wall fragments enhance the spectral absorbance of anthocyanins by facilitating anthocyanin self-association, leading to a co-pigmentation-like effect. Low molecular weight pectins like rhamnogalacturonan II and polygalacturonic acids with a low degree of esterification are assumed to form soluble complexes with anthocyanins and also prevent protein precipitation of tannins, which was reduced by 6–13%. High molecular weight pectins with a high degree of esterification lead to the increased precipitability of pigments and tannins by a factor of 1.3 to 32.4 and 1.1 to 1.9, respectively, seemingly impairing the incorporation of anthocyanins in tannins to form precipitable polymeric pigments that are responsible for the longevity of red wine color. The increased precipitability of the pigments due to the interactions with the polysaccharides may indicate the formation of pigmented yet non-covalent aggregates that show comparable properties to the covalently formed precipitable pigments. The formation of those non-covalent structures may affect red wine color stability and astringency.