Alboglabra Research Articles

The Effectiveness of Rice Husk Ash as Additive in Palm Oil-Based Compost in Enhancing the Nitrogen Uptake by Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra L. (Chinese Kale) Plant

Rice husk ash (RHA), palm oil mill effluent (POME) sludge, and decanter cake can be utilized as compost to reduce environmental pollution. This research attempted to investigate the effect of RHA addition to palm oil-based compost in boosting the nitrogen (N) uptake and the growth of Brassica oleracea var. <i>alboglabra</i> L. (Chinese kale plant). Two categories of compost treatment were prepared in this study: Treatment 1 (control) and Treatment 2 [consisting of 10% (wt/wt) of RHA]. Both treatments were composted for 60 days until it was matured. The temperature and pH of the composts were recorded daily throughout the study. The treatments were analyzed for moisture, water-holding capacity, and nutrient content. The Chinese kale plant was grown in growing media and applied with Treatment 1 and Treatment 2 composts. The progress of plant growth was tracked every week. Based on the analysis, Treatment 2 exhibited a higher temperature and pH profile than Treatment 1. Meanwhile, the contents of N, P, and K were higher in Treatment 1 compost. However, Treatment 2 compost had higher silicon (Si) content, moisture content, and water-holding capacity. Based on the field test study carried out on the Chinese kale plant, the N uptake, and the growth of the plant, were found to be significantly higher when applied with Treatment 2 compost compared to Treatment 1 by 19% to 31% and 13% to 53%, respectively. It was proven that the addition of 10% RHA managed to provide an adequate amount of Si, moisture content, and water-holding capacity in Treatment 2 compost that can enhance the N uptake and improve the growth of the Chinese kale plant in this study.

An Enveloping, Centering, and Grabbing Mechanism for Harvesting Hydroponic Leafy Vegetables Cultivated in Pipeline

Manually harvesting hydroponic leafy vegetables from a cultivation pipeline is labor-intensive and expensive. Rapidly grabbing hydroponic leafy vegetables grown in different positions and orientations in the planting hole is the primary issue for efficient mechanical harvesting. Thus, a novel grabbing mechanism with double-pivot rotation cross fingers is proposed. The fingers’ inner surfaces could envelop the grabbable area of the leafy vegetable in the grasping process and position each leafy vegetable stalk to the center of the planting hole before taking it out. A grabbing mechanism for harvesting hydroponic Chinese kale was designed and optimized with less than 1 mm of grasping error, enough enveloping range, and no collision with the extended leaves. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate centering and grabbing at different initial positions and inclination angles of the hydroponic Chinese kale and varied finger deflection speeds. It was indicated that for the grasping inclination angle and grabbing success rate, the initial inclination angle was a significant factor, as was the position, whereas the finger deflection speed was insignificant. As the initial inclination angle of matured hydroponic Chinese kale in different initial positions is mostly larger than 60°, the best results were achieved with a finger deflection speed in the range of 40° s−1 to 60° s−1 and grasping inclination angles of 85° to 95°, with a grabbing success rate of more than 95%. This showed the promising applicability of the studied grabbing mechanism for harvesting hydroponic Chinese kale or other varieties of leafy hydroponic vegetables with similar growth characteristics.

Comparison of neural network and response surface methodology techniques on optimization of biodiesel production from mixed waste cooking oil using heterogeneous biocatalyst

The present research aims to optimize the process parameters of biodiesel production from mixed waste cooking oil, consisting of sunflower and palm oil. The biocatalyst was synthesized from Chinese broccoli, Cauliflower and Napa cabbage vegetable wastes and potassium hydroxide-impregnated biocatalyst was synthesized through the incipient wet impregnation method. Artificial neural networks (Scaled Conjugate Gradient, Bayesian Regularization and Levenberg Marquardt Neural Network) and RSM-based central composite design are used to optimize the parameters in biodiesel production. The obtained predicted results from ANN and RSM models are compared with experimental results. The experimental results showed that biocatalyst impregnated with KOH has produced a maximum yield of 94.7 % at a reaction temperature of 60 °C, time of 120 min, catalyst loading of 7 wt%, 1:9 M ratio and 900 rpm stirrer speed. In addition, among the three algorithms of ANN, BRNN neural network had better prediction results in biodiesel production. At the same time, LMNN, and SCGNN are nearly similarly efficient on the other hand the BRNN model has lower error values. The ANN and CCD models have demonstrated lower RMSE and MAPE such as 0.001 to 0.018, and 3.22–4.37 % respectively, and high R2 values in the ranges of 0.97 to 0.99, indicating the excellent reliability of these two approaches for process optimization. Hence, the above study recommended a biocatalyst impregnated with KOH as a catalyst to achieve maximum biodiesel yield. Further, ANN and RSM techniques are suggested for biodiesel process optimization and yield prediction.

Identification, Characterization, and Control of Black Spot on Chinese Kale Caused by Sphaerobolus cuprophilus sp. nov.

Chinese kale (Brassica alboglabra) is commonly grown and consumed throughout Asia and is often treated with chemicals to control pests and diseases. In Thailand, public standards, Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), and International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) programs were introduced for the cultivation of Chinese kale with minimum input of chemical treatments. Black spot caused by the fungus Sphaerobolus has been affecting the plants grown under IFOAM standards in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for several years. Strongly adhering glebal spore masses of the fungus on leaf and stem surfaces have adversely affected postharvest management, especially in the quality classification of the product. Both morphological and phylogenetic (combined ITS, mtSSU, and EF 1-α dataset) studies confirmed a novel species, S. cuprophilus. Pathogenicity tests involving inoculation of Chinese kale by non-wound and mulch inoculation bioassays resulted in the production of symptoms of black spot and the re-isolation of S. cuprophilus, indicating that the new fungal species is the causal agent of black spots. Inhibitory effects of antagonistic bacteria and chemical fungicides, both allowed for use in plant cultivation under either IFOAM or GAP standards, indicated that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains (PBT2 and YMB7), chlorothalonil (20 and 500 ppm) and thiophanate-methyl (500 and 1500 ppm) were the most effective in controlling the growth of the causal fungus by 83 to 93%. However, copper oxychloride (5 to 20 ppm), a recommended chemical in control of downy mildew of Chinese kale, showed hormetic effects on S. cuprophilus by promoting the growth and sporulation of the fungus. The findings of this study provide vital information regarding the association of S. cuprophilus and Chinese kale and will support decisions to manage fungal diseases of this vegetable.

Potential application of dry medicinal plant powders in controlling black spot on Chinese kale and chili anthracnose diseases

Potential application of dry medicinal plant powders in controlling black spot on Chinese kale and chili anthracnose diseases

Lighting conditions affect the growth and glucosinolate contents of Chinese kale leaves grown in an aeroponic plant factory

Lighting conditions affect the growth and glucosinolate contents of Chinese kale leaves grown in an aeroponic plant factory

BocODD1 and BocODD2 Regulate the Biosynthesis of Progoitrin Glucosinolate in Chinese Kale.

Progoitrin (2-hydroxy-3-butenyl glucosinolate, PRO) is the main source of bitterness of Brassica plants. Research on the biosynthesis of PRO glucosinolate can aid the understanding of the nutritional value in Brassica plants. In this study, four ODD genes likely involved in PRO biosynthesis were cloned from Chinese kale. These four genes, designated as BocODD1-4, shared 75-82% similarities with the ODD sequence of Arabidopsis. The sequences of these four BocODDs were analyzed, and BocODD1 and BocODD2 were chosen for further study. The gene BocODD1,2 showed the highest expression levels in the roots, followed by the leaves, flowers, and stems, which is in accordance with the trend of the PRO content in the same tissues. Both the expression levels of BocODD1,2 and the content of PRO were significantly induced by high- and low-temperature treatments. The function of BocODDs involved in PRO biosynthesis was identified. Compared with the wild type, the content of PRO was increased twofold in the over-expressing BocODD1 or BocODD2 plants. Meanwhile, the content of PRO was decreased in the BocODD1 or BocODD2 RNAi lines more than twofold compared to the wildtype plants. These results suggested that BocODD1 and BocODD2 may play important roles in the biosynthesis of PRO glucosinolate in Chinese kale.

Effects of Pre-Harvest Supplemental UV-A Light on Growth and Quality of Chinese Kale.

The effects of supplemental UV-A (385 nm) period and UV-A intensity for 5 days before harvest (DBH) on growth, antioxidants, antioxidant capacity, and glucosinolates contents in Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey) were studied in plant factory. In the experiment of the UV-A period, three treatments were designed with 10 W·m-2 UV-A supplement, T1(5 DBH), T2 (10 DBH), and no supplemental UV-A as control. In the experiment of UV-A intensity, four treatments were designed with 5 DBH, control (0 W·m-2), 5 w (5 W·m-2), 10 w (10 W·m-2), and 15 w (15 W·m-2). The growth light is as follows: 250 μmol·m-2·s-1; red light: white light = 2:3; photoperiod: 12/12. The growth and quality of Chinese kale were improved by supplemental UV-A LED. The plant height, stem diameter, and biomass of Chinese kale were the highest in the 5 W·m-2 treatment for 5 DBH. The contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll were only highly increased by 5 W·m-2 UV-A for 5 DBH, while there was no significant difference in the content of carotenoid among all treatments. The contents of soluble sugar and free amino acid were higher only under 10 DBH treatments than in control. The contents of total phenolic and total antioxidant capacity were the highest in 5 W·m-2 treatment for 5 DBH. There was a significant positive correlation between total phenolic content and DPPH and FRAP value. After 5 DBH treatments, the percentages and contents of total aliphatic glucosinolates, sinigrin (SIN), gluconapin (GNA), and glucobrassicanapin (GBN) were highly increased, while the percentages and contents of glucobrassicin (GBS), 4-methoxyglucobrassicin (4-MGBS), and Progoitrin (PRO) were significantly decreased, especially under 10 W·m-2 treatment. Our results show that UV-A LED supplements could improve the growth and quality of Chinese kale, and 5 W·m-2 UV-A LED with 5 DBH might be feasible for Chinese kale growth, and 10 W·m-2 UV-A LED with 5 DBH was better for aliphatic glucosinolates accumulation in Chinese kale.

Transcriptomic analysis of succulent stem development of Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey) and its synthetic allotetraploid via RNA sequencing.

Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey, CC) is a succulent stem vegetable in the Brassica family. Its allotetraploid (AACC) vegetable germplasm, which was synthesized via distant hybridization with the colloquially named 'yellow turnip' (B. rapa L. ssp. rapifera Matzg., AA), has a swelling stem similar to CC. To address the molecular mechanism of stem development for CC and AACC, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to investigate transcriptional regulation of their stem development at three key stages including 28 days, 42 days and the bolting stage (BS) after sowing. As a result, 32,642, 32,665, 33,816, 32,147, 32,293 and 32,275 genes were identified in six corresponding cDNA libraries. Among them, 25,459 genes were co-expressed, while 7,183, 7,206, 8,357, 6,688, 6,834 and 6,814 genes were specifically expressed. Additionally, a total of 29,222 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found for functional enrichment as well as many genes involved in plant hormones including gibberellin (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinin (CTK) and auxin (AUX). Based on gene expression consistency between CC and AACC, the gene families including DELLA, GID, PYR/PYL, PP2C, A-ARR and AUX/IAA might be related to stem development. Among these, eight genes including Bo00834s040, Bo5g093140, Bo6g086770, Bo9g070200, Bo7g116570, Bo3g054410, Bo7g093470 and Bo5g136600 may play important roles in stem development based on their remarkable expression levels as confirmed by qRT-PCR. These findings provide a new theoretical basis for understanding the molecular mechanism of stem development in Brassica vegetable stem breeding.

Variation of chlorophyll and carotenoids in different varieties and organs of Chinese kale

The concentrations of chlorophyll and carotenoids were analyzed in two organs (leaves and bolting stems) of 19 varieties of Chinese kale (including four maturity periods and two flower colors). Two chlorophylls and four carotenoids were identified in Chinese kale. The concentrations of chlorophyll and carotenoids varied widely in different organs and varieties. JL-03 was a good candidate for the future breeding programs, since it contained the highest concentrations of chlorophyll and carotenoids (except violaxanthin) in leaves. Lutein was the main component of carotenoids and accounted for approximately 50% of total carotenoids. The concentrations of chlorophyll and carotenoids in leaves significantly exceeded those in bolting stems. Principal component analysis showed that organ was the main source of differences of chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations in different varieties of Chinese kale, while the maturity and flower color have little effect. Correlation analysis identified a significantly positive correlation between chlorophyll and carotenoids in Chinese kale. These results provided evidence for improving human dietary nutrition and breeding of Chinese kale.

BioClay nanosheets infused with GA3 ameliorate the combined stress of hexachlorobenzene and temperature extremes in Brassica alboglabra plants.

Environmental pollutants and climate change are the major cause of abiotic stresses. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) is an airborne and aero-disseminated persistent organic pollutants (POP) molecule causing severe health issues in humans, and temperature extremes and HCB in combination severely affect the growth and yield of crop plants around the globe. The higher HCB uptake and accumulation by edible plants ultimately damage human health through the contaminated food chain. Hence, confining the passive absorbance of POPs is a big challenge for researchers to keep the plant products safer for human consumption. BioClay functional layered double hydroxide is an effective tool for the stable delivery of acidic molecules on plant surfaces. The current study utilized gibberellic acid (GA3) impregnated BioClay (BioClayGA) to alleviate abiotic stress in Brassica alboglabra plants. Application of BioClayGA mitigated the deleterious effects of HCB besides extreme temperature stress in B. alboglabra plants. BioClayGA significantly restricted HCB uptake and accumulation in applied plants through increasing the avoidance efficacy (AE) up to 377.61%. Moreover, the exogenously applied GA3 and BioClayGA successfully improved the antioxidative system, physiochemical parameters and growth of stressed B. alboglabra plants. Consequently, the combined application of BioClay and GA3 can efficiently alleviate low-temperature stress, heat stress, and HCB toxicity.

Effects of nitrogen and magnesium nutrient on the plant growth, quality, photosynthetic characteristics, antioxidant metabolism, and endogenous hormone of Chinese kale (Brassica albograbra Bailey)

In this study, the variety ‘Cuibao’ was used as material. Hydroponic culture trial was conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N) and magnesium (Mg) on plant growth, quality, photosynthetic characteristics, antioxidant metabolism, and endogenous hormone of Chinese kale. Three N levels (2.5, 7.5 and 22.5 mmol/L) and three Mg levels (0.5, 1.4 and 4.2 mmol/L) were applied, respectively. The experiment was laid out in a completely orthogonal design which formed a total of nine different combined treatments of N and Mg (N2.5Mg0.5, N2.5Mg1.4, N2.5Mg4.2, N7.5Mg0.5, N7.5Mg1.4, N7.5Mg4.2, N22.5Mg0.5, N22.5Mg1.4, and N22.5Mg4.2). As compared to other combined treatments, the N7.5Mg1.4 treatment obviously promoted plant weight and improved the quality. Moreover, the N7.5Mg1.4 treatment significantly increased catalase (CAT) activity and decreased the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline (Pro). Interestingly, the combinations of N and Mg significantly affected the homeostasis of endogenous hormones. The N7.5Mg1.4 treatment obviously increased the contents of growth promoting hormones indo-3-acetic acid (IAA) and zeatin (ZT) and reduced the contents of growth inhibitory hormone abscisic acid (ABA), increased the ratios of IAA/ABA, gibberellin acid (GA3)/ABA and ZT/ABA. These results revealed that the reasonable combined treatment of N and Mg effectively improved the photosynthetic characteristics, and the homeostasis of antioxidant metabolism and endogenous hormones, which resulted in regulating the plant growth and increasing plant fresh weight of Chinese kale.

First report of Cercospora cf. malloti causing brown eyespot on strawberry in Brazil.

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is one of the most consumed fruits from the Rosaceae family in Brazil. It is cultivated on ~4,500 ha in all regions of the country, with a wide range of fungi causing leaf diseases. Strawberry leaves (cv. San Andreas) with symptoms of eyespot usually related to Mycosphaerella fragariae (Ramularia tulasnei) (Mazaro et al. 2006) were observed in April 2019, in a field located in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil (29°43'19.6"S / 53°43'04.6"W). However, the symptoms slightly differed from Mycospherella blight as well as the fungi structures observed under an optical microscope. The symptomatic leaves had small circular spots, initially reddish-purple to dark brown color, which later increased in size. The center of the lesion was grayish pale, where dark brown conidiophores were found over it. The symptom occurred in 50% of the leaves of all plants during the crop season. To identify the causal agent, symptomatic leaves were collected and superficially disinfected with 70% ethanol for 30 s followed by 0.5% bleach for 30 s and then washed in sterile water. The leaves were placed in germination boxes with a moistened paper filter and incubated at 25 ºC and 12 h photoperiod for four days. After the formation of the fungal structures, the fungi was isolated in potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and kept for 20 days at 25 ºC. Colonies were dark brown with pale pink aerial mycelium. The conidia were hyaline, single- to multi-septated with a filiform shape, straight or slightly curved. The fasciculate conidiophores on the stroma measured 20 to 70 x 2.5 to 3.5 µm. Conidia average measurement was 10.2 to 82.4 x 4. to 8.8 µm, similar to morphological characteristics of the genus Cercospora. The isolate named M6 was deposited in the Brazilian National System of Genetic Registration (SISGEN) no A57AE19. The DNA was extracted from a monosporic culture of M6 in PDA plates, which presented all typical aspects previously described. To confirm the identity, the PCR amplification was carried out for internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region ITS 1-5.8S - ITS 2 and Calmodulin region (CAL) genes (Acqua et al, 2011). The ITS (No. MZ713249) and CAL (No. MZ713254) sequences were deposited in the Genbank database. BLASTn analysis revealed the isolate was 99% similar to Cercospora cf. malloti which access codes in GenBank are KT 193689 and KT 193738 (Nguanhom et al. 2015). A pathogenicity test was performed to fulfill Koch's postulates. Strawberry plants with healthy leaves (60 days old), were inoculated by spraying a conidial suspension (1 × 105 conidia/ml). Control plants were sprayed with sterile water. The plants were incubated in a greenhouse at 28 ºC for 12 h photoperiod at 80% relative humidity under drip irrigation keeping at least 60% of field capacity. Six plants were used as replicates. Twenty days after inoculation, small circular reddish-purple spots were found, which later increased in size. Ten days later, the spots presented dark brown conidiophores over the center of the lesion. The symptoms described above were observed in all inoculated leaves. The control plants remained symptom-free. The pathogen was then re-isolated from the lesions and identified as C. cf. malloti based on the morphological aspects described above on PDA. In Thailand C. cf. malloti is reported on crops like Brassica alboglabra (cabbage) (Nguanhom et al. 2015), but not in strawberries. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. cf. malloti pathogenic to strawberries in Brazil.

Temporal Effects of the Combined Use of Cricket Frass and Eucalyptus Biochar on the Yield and Tissue Nitrate Content in Chinese Kale

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to estimate the influence of various application rates of eucalyptus-derived biochar combined with cricket frass on the soil properties and soil N transformation, and, in turn, affecting both shoot biomass yield and nitrate (NO3-) contents of Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea). Two consecutive kale crops were grown to investigate the temporal effect of the combined amendments of cricket frass and biochar. Six rates of biochar, 0%, 0.125%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% w/w in combination with 0.55% w/w of cricket frass, were applied only once at the start of the experiment in sandy loam soil. Shoot biomass significantly increased under treatments of 0.125% to 0.5% w/w in the first kale crop and 0.125% to 0.25% w/w in the second crop compared to the cricket frass alone. However, the higher rates of 0.25% and 0.5% w/w within the first and second crops decreased shoot biomass relative to their lower rates in each crop. Tissue NO3- concentrations of the first kale crop significantly decreased under all biochar rates, whereas the opposite effect was observed in the second crop. These contrasting effects of biochar on tissue NO3- concentrations were attributed to nitrification inhibition in the first crop and nitrification stimulation in the second crop. The 0.125% w/w rate of eucalyptus-derived biochar was, therefore, recommended to be combined with cricket frass to improve yield and reduce tissue NO3- content in the production of Chinese kale.

ZnSO4 spraying affects the growth and phytochemicals of Chinese kale microgreens

Chinese kale microgreens are gaining interest for its phytochemical compounds and anti-cancer properties mainly from glucosinolates. Zinc is an essential for plant growth and is involved with phytochemicals accumulation. This study investigated the different concentration of ZnSO4 on the enhancement of the phytochemicals and quality of Chinese kale microgreens. Three-day-old seedlings were sprayed with 2 and 4 mM of ZnSO4 until harvesting on days 4, 5, 6 and 7. ZnSO4 significantly decreased the fresh weight of 6 and 7-day-old microgreens and dry weight on the 7th day. The total glucosinolates, total phenolic compounds and total ascorbic acid, gradually rose as the age of microgreens increased. When the 3-day-old microgreens were sprayed at 6, 12 and 18 mM, the fresh and dry weight and hypocotyl length of 7-day-old microgreens significantly decreased as the concentration increases. ZnSO4 at 18 mM was the most effective in enhancing phytochemicals, resulting in increased DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power. This concentration also induced phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity resulting to an increase in total phenolic compounds. Moreover, ZnSO4 at 18 mM induced H2O2 content but are sufficiently countered with the increase in antioxidant enzymes namely superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase. In conclusion, the 3-day-old microgreen was the most effective age for the start of the daily spraying of ZnSO4 before harvesting at 7-day-old. Higher concentrations of ZnSO4 (6-18 mM) enhanced the phytochemical compounds and enzymatic antioxidant activities but reduced growth. In contrast, lower concentration (< 4 mM) only improved microgreens growth.

UVA-Radiation Exposure of Different Durations Promoted the Growth, Phytochemicals and Glucosinolate Biosynthesis of Chinese Kale.

Ultraviolet-A (UVA) (315–400 nm) is an essential environmental signal that regulates plant development and affects phytochemicals biosynthesis, including glucosinolate biosynthesis. The effects of different UVA (380 ± 10 nm, 40 μmol/m2/s) exposure durations, including 0 h/d (UV0), 6 h/d (UV6) and 12 h/d (UV12), on the growth and phytochemicals of Chinese kale (Brassica alboglabra) under white 250 μmol/m2/s LEDs were investigated. UVA exposure of different durations influenced the growth and phytochemicals biosynthesis of Chinese kale. Prolonging UVA irradiation throughout the growth cycle positively affected the growth and the development of Chinese kale, with evident increases in the dry weights of shoots and roots, plant height, stem diameter, specific leaf weight and flower budding rate. The application of UVA increased the soluble sugar content, whereas higher flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity (FRAP) and lower nitrate content were only observed in Chinese kale exposed to UV6 treatment. Besides, the qPCR assay showed that supplemental UVA-radiation exposure up-regulated the gene expressions of UVR8, transcription factors genes and genes related to the glucosinolate biosynthesis pathway, thereby promoting the accumulation of glucosinolates. Therefore, supplemental UVA-radiation exposure for 12 h/d was more conducive to plant growth, while supplemental UVA-radiation exposure for 6 h/d was better for phytochemical biosynthesis in Chinese kale in an artificial-light plant factory.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Key Genes and Pathways Associated with the Petal Color Formation in Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata).

Petal color is an important agronomic trait in cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata). Although the key gene BoCCD4 has been functionally characterized, the underlying molecular regulatory mechanism of petal color formation in cabbage is still unclear. In this study, we applied the transcriptome analysis of yellow petals from the cabbage inbred line YL-1 and white petals from the Chinese kale inbred line A192-1 and the BoCCD4-overexpressing transgenic line YF-2 (YL-1 background), which revealed 1928 DEGs common to both the A192-1 vs. YL-1 and the YL-1 vs. YF-2 comparison groups. One key enzyme-encoding gene, BoAAO3, and two key TF-encoding genes, Bo2g151880 (WRKY) and Bo3g024180 (SBP), related to carotenoid biosynthesis were significantly up-regulated in both the A192-1 and YF-2 petals, which was consistent with the expression pattern of BoCCD4. We speculate that these key genes may interact with BoCCD4 to jointly regulate carotenoid biosynthesis in cabbage petals. This study provides new insights into the molecular regulatory mechanism underlying petal color formation in cabbage.

Boiling, Blanching, and Stir-Frying Markedly Reduce Pesticide Residues in Vegetables.

Nowadays, a lot of produce (fruits and vegetables) sold in many countries are contaminated with pesticide residues, which cause severe effects on consumer health, such as cancer and neurological disorders. Therefore, this study aims to determine whether cooking processes can reduce the pesticide residues in commonly consumed vegetables (Chinese kale and yard long beans) in Thailand. For cooking experiments, the two vegetables were cooked using three different processes: boiling, blanching, and stir-frying. After the treatments, all cooked and control samples were subjected to extraction and GC-MS/MS analysis for 88 pesticides. The results demonstrated that pesticide residues were reduced by 18–71% after boiling, 36–100% after blanching, and 25–60% after stir-frying for Chinese kale. For yard long beans, pesticide residues were reduced by 38–100% after boiling, 27–28% after blanching, and 35–63% after stir-frying. Therefore, cooking vegetables are proven to protect consumers from ingesting pesticide residues.

Profiling of sulforaphane content in forty‐seven Chinese broccoli germplasms

AbstractChinese broccoli [Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra (L. H. Bailey) Musil] is an annual herbaceous healthy vegetable plant mainly cultivated in southern China. Previous studies have been primarily focused on investigating the nutritional ingredients of this plant, little is known about its medicinal potentials. Here we report the profiling of sulforaphane, an active ingredient with potent anticancer activities, in 47 Chinese broccoli germplasms collected from China and some southeast‐Asian countries. High‐performance liquid chromatography technology was used to systemically quantify the sulforaphane content in leaf, stem, and flower bud clusters of all 47 Chinese broccoli germplasms. The results indicated a diverse distribution pattern of sulforaphane among different tissues. Flower bud contained the highest average of sulforaphane, roughly twice as much as in leaf and stem tissues. Interestingly, different germplasms exhibited great differences in terms of sulforaphane abundance. Germplasm BOK15‐20 is extremely rich in sulforaphane in all tissues tested, ∼2,500 times of BOK15‐15 in leaf, 66 times of BOK15‐42 in the stem, and 77 times of BOK15‐40 in flower bud. The tremendous disparity of sulforaphane content among different germplasms suggests considerable variations in germplasms’ medicinal potentials. In addition, we systemically characterized a series of morphological and phenotypic traits of all 47 Chinese broccoli germplasms. Cluster analysis through NTSYSpc v2.2 showed that the 47 germplasms were classified into five different groups, respectively, based on sulforaphane content and qualitative phenotypic traits. Our results not only confirmed the medicinal values of Chinese broccoli but also provided crucial information that will eventually benefit future germplasm development and new variety breeding.

WRKY33-mediated indolic glucosinolate metabolic pathway confers resistance against Alternaria brassicicola in Arabidopsis and Brassica crops.

The tryptophan (Trp)-derived plant secondary metabolites, including camalexin, 4-hydroxy-indole-3-carbonylnitrile, and indolic glucosinolate (IGS), show broad-spectrum antifungal activity. However, the distinct regulations of these metabolic pathways among different plant species in response to fungus infection are rarely studied. In this study, our results revealed that WRKY33 directly regulates IGS biosynthesis, notably the production of 4-methoxyindole-3-ylmethyl glucosinolate (4MI3G), conferring resistance to Alternaria brassicicola, an important pathogen which causes black spot in Brassica crops. WRKY33 directly activates the expression of CYP81F2, IGMT1, and IGMT2 to drive side-chain modification of indole-3-ylmethyl glucosinolate (I3G) to 4MI3G, in both Arabidopsis and Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey). However, Chinese kale showed a more severe symptom than Arabidopsis when infected by Alternaria brassicicola. Comparative analyses of the origin and evolution of Trp metabolism indicate that the loss of camalexin biosynthesis in Brassica crops during evolution might attenuate the resistance of crops to Alternaria brassicicola. As a result, the IGS metabolic pathway mediated by WRKY33 becomes essential for Chinese kale to deter Alternaria brassicicola. Our results highlight the differential regulation of Trp-derived camalexin and IGS biosynthetic pathways in plant immunity between Arabidopsis and Brassica crops.