Leafy Vegetables Research Articles

Evapotranspiration increase is more sensitive to vegetation greening than to vegetation type conversion in arid and semi-arid regions of China

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a crucial component of both the water cycle and energy balance, with vegetation being a key factor influencing ET. Vegetation impacts ET primarily through two modes: vegetation growth change (VGC) and vegetation type conversion (VTC). Despite the different mechanisms by which VGC and VTC influence ET, previous studies have rarely differentiated their individual effects. This has left the relative contributions of VGC and VTC to ET changes unclear. To address this gap, this study focuses on the arid and semi-arid regions of China (ASAC), where substantial vegetation changes have been observed. The spatiotemporal patterns of ET in ASAC were analyzed using remote sensing ET data from 2001 to 2018. The leaf area index (LAI) and land use/land cover (LULC) data were incorporated to perform pairwise comparison and contribution analysis to investigate the specific effects of VGC and VTC on ET. The results revealed a significant increase in mean annual ET across ASAC, with a rate of 4.5 mm/yr (p < 0.05). This increase was more pronounced in forest land and cropland compared to grasslands. ET increased across all seasons, with the largest increase occurring in summer, accounting for approximately 50 % of the annual ET increment. The pairwise comparison and contribution analysis indicated that ET in ASAC is more sensitive to vegetation greening than to VTC. VTC played a moderating role in ET changes, with relative contribution ranging from 1.3 % to 57.8 % across different LULC change types. These findings enhance our understanding of how vegetation changes influence ET. They can also provide valuable insights for land management strategies in ASAC, aiming to optimize vegetation construction and promote ecosystems sustainability.

How to improve sustainability of nutrient dense diets for children and adolescents: an exemplary assessment in Germany

BackgroundThe global climate crisis requires a paradigm shift in dietary concepts, respecting the needs of children. A global reference diet has been suggested by the EAT-Lancet Commission. On this basis, the detailed “Planetary Health Diet Index” (PHDI) has been proposed. The objective of this assessment is (1) to apply the PHDI to the Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, the so-called Optimized Mixed Diet (OMD) for children and adolescents in Germany in its original composition and (2) to check how the planetary value of the OMD could be improved by modifying food selection within meals while keeping the high nutrient densities of the guideline diet.MethodsThe PHDI specifies 16 food groups and their proportion of total daily energy intake. The PHDI of the original OMD was calculated by assigning the foods of the 7-day menu to the PHDI food groups in order to score them. In this way, it became apparent which food groups had the potential to improve the sustainability. The diet was then updated by either reducing or increasing individual foods from these food groups in the meals and deriving the resulting PHDI. The nutrient densities of the original and updated daily OMD were calculated.ResultsThe original diet obtained a PHDI score of 68.24 points, representing 45.5% of the theoretical maximum of 150 points. The following food groups achieved 9.9 to 10 out of 10 points: fruits, total vegetables, fish & seafood, vegetable oils, chicken (and substitutes). Conversely, food groups receiving a zero score included tubers & potatoes, dairy, red meat, animal fat, and added sugars. The updated diet resulted in increased consumption of ‘nuts & peanuts’, ‘legumes’, ‘green vegetables’, ‘whole grains’, and decreased consumption of ‘tubers & potatoes’ and ‘red meat’. Overall, the PHDI increased from 68.24 to 81.51 points with the updated OMD, reflecting a 13.27% increase compared to the original diet. The nutrient densities were not significantly affected, but even slightly increased for most nutrients.ConclusionsThe PHDI was applied to demonstrate how the sustainability of the guideline diet for children and adolescents in Germany could be improved through changes in individual food groups that can be easily implemented in practice while maintaining high nutrient densities and acceptability for children.Trial registrationNA.

Influence of Electrical Conductivity on Plant Growth, Nutritional Quality, and Phytochemical Properties of Kale (Brassica napus) and Collard (Brassica oleracea) Grown Using Hydroponics

Kale (Brassica napus) and collard (Brassica oleracea) are two leafy greens in the family Brassicaceae. The leaves are rich sources of numerous health-beneficial compounds and are commonly used either fresh or cooked. This study aimed to optimize the nutrient management of kale and collard in hydroponic production for greater yield and crop quality. ‘Red Russian’ kale and ‘Flash F1’ collard were grown for 4 weeks after transplanting in a double polyethylene-plastic-covered greenhouse using a nutrient film technique (NFT) system with 18 channels. Kale and collard were alternately grown in each channel at four different electrical conductivity (EC) levels (1.2, 1.5, 1.8, and 2.1 mS·cm−1). Fresh and dry yields of kale increased linearly with increasing EC levels, while those of collard did not increase when EC was higher than 1.8 mS·cm−1. Kale leaves had significantly higher P, K, Mn, Zn, Cu, and B than the collard at all EC levels. Additionally, mineral nutrients (except N and Zn) in leaf tissue were highest at EC 1.5 and EC 1.8 in both the kale and collard. However, the changing trend of the total N and NO3- of the leaves showed a linear trend; these levels were highest under EC 2.1, followed by EC 1.8 and EC 1.5. EC levels also affected phytochemical accumulation in leaf tissue. In general, the kale leaves had significantly higher total anthocyanin, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, and glucosinolates but lower total chlorophylls and carotenoids than the collard. In addition, although EC levels affected neither the total chlorophyll or carotenoid content in kale nor glucosinolate content in either kale or collard, other important health-beneficial compounds (especially vitamin C, anthocyanin, and phenolic compounds) in kale and collard leaves reduced with the increasing EC levels. In conclusion, the kale leaf had more nutritional and phytochemical compounds than the collard. An EC level of 1.8 mS·cm−1 was the optimum EC level for the collard, while the kale yielded more at 2.1 mS·cm−1. Further investigations are needed to optimize nitrogen nutrition for hydroponically grown kale.

EARLY FLOWERING 3 alleles affect the temperature responsiveness of the circadian clock in Chinese cabbage.

Temperature is an environmental cue that entrains the circadian clock, adapting it to local thermal and photoperiodic conditions that characterize different geographic regions. Circadian clock thermal adaptation in leafy vegetables such as Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) is poorly understood but essential to sustain and increase vegetable production under changing climates. We investigated circadian rhythmicity in natural Chinese cabbage accessions grown at 14, 20, and 28 °C. The circadian period was significantly shorter at 20 °C than at either 14 or 28 °C, and the responses to increasing temperature and temperature compensation (Q10) were associated with population structure. Genome-wide association studies mapping identified variation responsible for temperature compensation as measured by Q10 value for temperature increase from 20 to 28 °C. Haplotype analysis indicated that B. rapa EARLY FLOWERING 3 H1 Allele (BrELF3H1) conferred a significantly higher Q10 value at 20 to 28 °C than BrELF3H2. Co-segregation analyses of an F2 population derived from a BrELF3H1 × BrELF3H2 cross revealed that variation among BrELF3 alleles determined variation in the circadian period of Chinese cabbage at 20 °C. However, their differential impact on circadian oscillation was attenuated at 28 °C. Transgenic complementation in Arabidopsis thaliana elf3-8 mutants validated the involvement of BrELF3 in the circadian clock response to thermal cues, with BrELF3H1 conferring a higher Q10 value than BrELF3 H2 at 20 to 28 °C. Thus, BrELF3 is critical to the circadian clock response to ambient temperature in Chinese cabbage. These findings have clear implications for breeding new varieties with enhanced resilience to extreme temperatures.

Determination of Forest Health using Remote Sensing Techniques in Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Northeast, Nigeria

This study was conducted in order to determine the health status of forest vegetation in Gashaka-Gumti National Park. Landsat images were downloaded from the USGS website. The images were pre-processed using radiometric correction since the reflectance values were needed for computing spectral indices, the digital numbers were converted to radiance and reflectance, and analysis was carried out using a raster calculator. The range of NDVI, GNDVI, ARVI and MSI were used for health assessment. Utilizing NDVI, GNDVI, ARVI, and MSI as assessment tools revealed moderate to good health in most forest regions, with higher ARVI, GNDVI, and NDVI indicating healthier vegetation and elevated MSI values suggesting areas under moisture stress. the average values of NDVI, GNDVI, ARVI, and MSI over three decades indicate a potential decline in overall vegetation health, reduced green vegetation, changes in vegetation conditions, and a decrease in moisture stress, suggesting a potential increase in greening and photosynthetic activities in plants. These trends highlight the dynamic nature of the forest ecosystem over the studied period. Positive correlations between ARVI, GNDVI, and NDVI across years indicate a consistent vegetation pattern, while negative correlations with MSI suggest potential inverse relationships, providing valuable insights into forest health dynamics. Higher values of ARVI, GNDVI, and NDVI generally signify healthier vegetation, whereas elevated MSI values may indicate areas experiencing moisture stress, emphasizing the importance of monitoring these indices for sustainable forest management. The study recommends the sustained use of NDVI, GNDVI, ARVI, and MSI for forest health monitoring in the study area, implementing integrated pest management based on identified stress conditions, utilize spatial maps for strategic timber harvest planning, developing climate-resilient management considering moisture stress, and invest in research for enhanced assessment precision and understanding of ecosystem dynamics.

Consumer Risk Perception of Food Contamination as an Influencer to Purchase Irradiated Ground Beef, Chicken, and Leafy Greens – United States, October 2022

Foodborne illness continues to be a substantial public health concern in the United States with contaminated ground beef, chicken, and leafy greens identified as important sources of illnesses and outbreaks. These foods also have been identified by consumers as foods that are likely to carry germs that can make people sick. Food irradiation is a promising tool to enhance food safety. Despite this, there has been limited application of food irradiation in the U.S. During October 7–9, 2022, we licensed data from a Porter Novelli Public Services survey (N = 1,008) to examine consumer risk perception of contamination of ground beef, chicken, and leafy greens with pathogens, and the potential influence risk perception has on purchasing irradiated versions of these foods. Among respondents familiar with food irradiation, a higher proportion of those who believed ground beef and leafy greens were likely contaminated also indicated they were likely to consider purchasing irradiated ground beef (55.6% vs 35.4%; p = 0.0061) and leafy greens (60.8% vs 36.1%; p ≤ 0.0001) compared with those who did not; chicken was not significant (58.6% vs 45.4%; p = 0.0727). This survey demonstrated the importance of risk perception as an influencer on a consumer’s decision to purchase irradiated foods.

Optimized QuEChERS method in determination of multiresidues on high-risk leafy vegetables and monitoring data analysis from 2021 to 2023

Pesticide pollution poses significant risks to human health, ecosystem, and biodiversity. Among agro-products, leafy vegetables exhibited particularly severe pesticide residue due to their short harvest periods and large leaf surfaces. However, investigations on multiresidues in high-risk leafy vegetables based on Chinese dietary habits were still limited. In this study, we developed a weak basic citrate-buffered QuEChERS method for the simultaneous extraction of 43 pesticides in bok choy, celery, Chinese chive and cilantro. Coupled with the high-throughput UPLC-MS/MS technique, this method achieved LODs ranging from 0.1–3.0 μg/kg and LOQs ranging from 0.4–10.0 μg/kg for the four matrices with high sensitivity. The recovery experiments on blank samples indicated that the method recoveries were in the range of 76.2 %–116.3 %, with RSDs less than 12.1 %. The developed method provided a highly accurate and precise technical approach for the analyses of high-risk leafy vegetables. Furthermore, 211 vegetables were collected from markets in Hangzhou from 2021 to 2023. The total detection frequency was 92.9 %, and high detection frequencies for pesticides such as acetamiprid, carbendazim, clothianidin, dimethomorph, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, propiconazole, pyraclostrobin, and thiamethoxam. The distribution of pesticides in different vegetables varied significantly due to factors such as application amount and plant absorption, providing valuable insights for implementing targeted detection and regulatory interventions. The mixed use of multiple pesticides in cilantro was observed. Combined use of pesticides such as tebuconazole, difenoconazole, and propiconazole (all belonged to sterol demethylation inhibitors), might lead to pathogen resistance. In summary, the frequently detected pesticides in the four leafy vegetables presented acceptable dietary risks, with hazard quotients ranging from 0.005 % to 3.634 %.

Biochemical diversity in Brassica leafy greens and sensory evaluation of its Saag, an Indian cuisine known for its cancer-preventive properties

Abstract Despite the wide consumption of Brassica leaves as Saag in North India during the winter season, there is a notable gap in the information regarding the nutritional profile of the available germplasm resources. This study aims to compare the nutritional value and mineral composition of eleven green leafy Brassica accessions of Indian and exotic origin. A significant variation was recorded in health-promoting compounds among the different accessions. The heat map generated through hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) depicts three promising accessions, namely Chinese Sarson, Saag sarson, and KPT 9, which exhibit rich nutritional and antioxidant properties. Additionally, ascorbic acid and total phenols significantly correlated with the antioxidant activity of Brassica leafy greens. A significant difference in the compositional pattern of key macro-minerals (Ca, Mg, P) and micro-minerals (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn) was noticed in the accessions. Among the eleven accession studied, GSC 7, Saag Sarson and Kangra Brown Sarson 3 exhibited richness in these elements, making them a suitable source for supplying a sizable portion of our daily mineral requirements. Subsequently, the Saag, an Indian cuisine prepared from the leaves of these accessions was subjected to sensory evaluation. The results showed that Chinese Sarson and Saag sarson received the highest consumer acceptance and were greatly appreciated. The information acquired from this study could serve as a valuable reference for the selection of high-quality leafy Brassica varieties for breeding programs aimed at enhancing nutritional value and broadening the genetic base of this important food crop.

Effectiveness of protected areas in the Caucasus Mountains in preventing rangeland degradation.

As land use intensifies globally, it increasingly exerts pressure on protected areas. Despite open, nonforested landscapes comprising up to 40% of protected areas globally, assessments have predominately focused on forests, overlooking the major pressures on rangelands from livestock overgrazing and land conversion. Across the southern Caucasus, a biodiversity hotspot extending over 5 countries, we conducted a broadscale assessment of the extent to which protected areas mitigate land-use pressure on rangelands in them. Using satellite-based indicators of rangeland vegetation greenness from 1988 to 2019, we assessed the effectiveness of 52 protected areas. This period encompassed the collapse of the Soviet Union, economic crises, armed conflicts, and a major expansion of the protected area network. We applied matching statistics combined with fixed-effects panel regressions to quantify the effectiveness of protected areas in curbing degradation as indicated by green vegetation loss. Protected areas were, overall, largely ineffective. Green vegetation loss was higher inside than outside protected areas in most countries, except for Georgia and Turkey. Multiple-use protected areas (IUCN categories IV-VI) were even more ineffective in reducing vegetation loss than strictly protected areas (I & II), highlighting the need for better aligning conservation and development targets in these areas. Mapping >10,000 livestock corrals from satellite images showed that protected areas with a relatively high density of livestock corrals had markedly high green vegetation loss. Ineffectiveness appeared driven by livestock overgrazing. Our key finding was that protected areas did not curb rangeland degradation in the Caucasus. This situation is likely emblematic of many regions worldwide, which highlights the need to incorporate degradation and nonforest ecosystems into effectiveness assessments.

Anaemia prevalence, its determinants and profile of micronutrient status among rural school adolescent girls aged 14-19 years: a cross-sectional study in Nagpur district, Maharashtra, India.

The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of anaemia among 14-19 years school going girls, risk factors for it and profile of micronutrient status among rural girls from western state of India. Using a cross-sectional design, we obtained information on socio-demography, menstruation, dietary habits, knowledge and daily consumption of the government recommended iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets, and anthropometry. Blood was collected to assess Hb, red blood cell indices, serumFe, folate and vitamin B12 levels. Nagpur district, Maharashtra, India. A total of 221 girls aged 14-19 years studying in twenty-four government institutes included. 57 % girls were anaemic, 84 % had deficiency of one or more micronutrients and 60 % were malnourished based on body mass index (BMI). The prevalence of Fe, vitamin B12 and folate deficiency was 37·7 %, 69·8 % and 1·4 %, respectively. Among anaemic girls, Fe and vitamin B12 deficiency was observed in 45·5 % and 67·5 %, respectively, v. among non-anaemic girls it was 27 % and 73 %, respectively. Fe deficiency was a predictor of anaemia and its severity. Girls residing in non-nuclear family were more likely to have anaemia. The consumption of daily non-vegetarian food and green leafy vegetables was 3 % and 3·6 %, respectively. Only 9 % consumed IFA tablets in the past 2 weeks. Anaemia is common in adolescent girls, particularly associated with Fe and vitamin B12 deficiency. There is need to reconsider the approach to prevention of anaemia in adolescent girls, particularly before they become pregnant.

Association between dietary consumption of multiple vitamins and age-related macular degeneration: a cross-sectional observational study in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2008.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the common causes of blindness in the elderly worldwide. Its prevention and monitoring indicators remain a key area of research. This study aims to examine the association between vitamin intake and AMD prevalence. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2005 to 2008 were used for cross-sectional analysis. Logistic regression models, subgroup analyses and multicollinearity regression were employed to assess the association between vitamin intake and AMD. A total of 1,627 participants were included, with 54.5% (weighted) males and 45.5% (weighted) females. Significant differences were observed in the intake of vitamins B (B1, B2, B6, and B12), E, and folic acid between the AMD and Non-AMD groups. The Non-AMD group had higher average intakes (weighted) of vitamin B1 (1.71 ± 1.10 vs. 1.37 ± 0.64), B2 (2.42 ± 1.22 vs. 1.86 ± 0.70), B6 (2.05 ± 1.25 vs. 1.71 ± 0.85), B12 (5.73 ± 6.18 vs. 4.54 ± 3.27), E (7.93 ± 5.47 vs. 6.39 ± 2.86), and folic acid (181.87 ± 178.04 vs. 140.72 ± 124.60). Logistic regression and subgroup analyses further supported these findings. This study found that higher vitamin intakes B and E were associated with a lower prevalence of AMD in the U.S. population. Eating a healthy diet rich in vitamins B and E, particularly B2 (eggs, green vegetables, meat, mushrooms, and almonds) may help to reduce vision loss due to AMD. However, since this is a cross-sectional study, causal associations between vitamin intake and AMD cannot be established. Further randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Determination of Particle Size for Optimum Biogas Production from Ouagadougou Municipal Organic Solid Waste

Anaerobic digestion’s contribution to sustainable development is well established. It is a sustainable production process that enables energy to be saved and produced and efficient pollution control processes to be implemented, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of our societies. Optimizing biogas yields from the anaerobic digestion of municipal organic waste is crucial for maximum energy recovery and has become an important topic of interest. Substrate particle size is a key process parameter in biogas production and precedes other pretreatment methods for most organic materials. This study aims to evaluate the impact of particle size and incubation period on biomethane production from municipal solid waste. Sampling of municipal solid waste was carried out in waste pre-collection in the city of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Waste characterization showed lignocellulolytic green waste (grass, dead leaves), waste composed of fruit and leafy vegetables and leftover food waste. TableCurve 3D v4.0 software was used to develop an optimal mathematical model to correlate particle size and biomethane productivity to describe optimal production parameters. Particle sizes ranging from 2000 to 63 µm high biogas production values, specifically 385.33 and 201.25 L·kg−1 of MSV. PCA analysis clearly showed a high correlation between particle size and biogas production, with optimum production recorded for size 250 µm with a biomethane production value of 187.53 L·kg−1 of MSV. The average relative errors and RMSE for CH4 content were improved by 24.31% and 44.97%, respectively. The data calculated with the developed mathematical model and the existing experimental data were compared and permutated to validate the model. This work enabled the identification of a mathematical model that describes the correlations between the input parameters of an experiment and the monitored parameters, as well as the definition of the particle size that allows for the optimal production of biomethane.

Kebab Sebagai Inovasi Produk Makanan Yang Berguna Sebagai Peningkatan Gizi Pada Anak-Anak Di Desa Bontokassi Kecamatan Parangloe Kabupaten Gowa

indonesia has many diverse vegetable plants. Vegetables are plants that are often used as ingredients to complement rice and side dishes. Vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals so they are very good to consume. The benefits of lettuce can be felt when consumed regularly. This green leafy vegetable is low in calories and will not be a problem when consumed in large quantities. Kebab is made from vegetables, chicken, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce leaves. Kebab bread is the latest innovation that is rarely found on the market which is made from vegetables and white bread. Thus we innovate to create nutritious food for children as an alternative food. This new innovation can also increase children's nutrition because it is made from vegetables where vegetables are very much needed by the body, especially children, so that children's nutrition is sufficient. The business of making Kebabs made from vegetables, fruit, cheese, chicken meat increases the selling power of Kebab products. This Kebab product manufacturing business will be marketed in the Bontokassi area and will be developed outside the Bontokassi area. Kebab has a fairly high business opportunity because: (1) Many people, especially children, like this type of food; (2) Raw materials that are easy to obtain; (3) An alternative vegetable substitute for children who do not like vegetables; (4) In making Kebab does not require special skills; (5) From teenagers to adults can make this product; (6) Not many people sell this product. The target of this product is small children and teenagers who do not like vegetables, especially carrots and lettuce, because this product has an affordable price and has great benefits.

FORECASTING LEAFY VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN BANGLADESH: UNRAVELLING THE NEXUS AMONG AGRO-METEOROLOGICAL FACTORS

Leafy vegetables in the food basket provide vital nutrients required for human health, but Bangladesh faces challenges of sustainable production potential due to the vulnerability of various agrometeorological factors. This study has addressed a holistic approach to forecasting leafy vegetable production through the nexus of agricultural responses and climatic factors. The secondary yearly data of seasonal leafy vegetable production and area wise daily key climatic predictors such as rainfall, humidity, sunshine, and temperature for the period 2000-2001 to 2022-2023 have been collected from Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and Bangladesh Meteorological Division (BMD), respectively. Scenario analysis and stepwise dynamic regression model was applied to diagnose the pattern and also forecast winter and summer leafy vegetable production for the years 2023-2024 to 2030-2031 addressing meteorological predictors. Results show that winter production is significantly influenced by the previous year’s output (lag-1), sunshine hour, and maximum temperature. In contrast, summer leafy vegetable production is influenced solely by previous year production. Using growth projection of sunshine hours and maximum temperature of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) in the fitted dynamic regression model, winter leafy vegetable production is forecasted to rise from 167,558 tons in 2022-2023 to 211,929 tons by 2030-2031. Summer production is expected to increase from 176,234 tons in 2022-2023 to 285,085 tons by 2030-2031. These findings provide critical insights for policymakers aiming to enhance food security and stabilize leafy vegetable markets amidst climate change for achieving sustainable development goals (SDG) 12.

First Report of Xanthomonas hortorum pv. vitians as the Causal Agent of Bacterial Leaf Spot on Lettuce in China.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a leafy vegetable that belongs to the family Asteraceae. This cool-season crop grows well during Spring and Fall in China (Qi et al., 2021). In October 2023, a leaf disease with dark brown to black lesions was observed on lettuce (var. iceberg) in Yongning Town, Yanqing District, Beijing, China (40°53'N, 116°16'E). The disease incidence ranged from 10 to 40% in the surveyed greenhouse and field. Translucent and water-soaked brown spots were observed on the margins of leaf, then coalesced into large necrotic lesions surrounded by a chlorotic halo. Infected sections were soaked with 75% ethyl alcohol for 7 second, rinsed with sterile water for 15 second twice, and cut into pieces in the sterile water. The sample extracts were streaked on Nutrient agar medium. After incubation for 48 hours, 12 colonies were obtained and all the colonies were Gram-negative and aerobic with yellow, round-shape, smooth and glistening appearance. Four isolates SCZX1-SCZX4 with typical characteristics were selected for further identification tests. Pathogenicity test of SCZX1-SCZX4 was performed on the three-week-old lettuce (var. butterhead) by spraying with the bacterial suspension (108 CFU·ml-1). Inoculated lettuce were incubated at 26℃ and 70% relative humidity in the growth chamber. Another set of lettuce plants were mock inoculated with sterile distilled water. Three trials were carried out per isolate, and each treatment included fifteen lettuce plants. Symptoms appeared within 7-10 days after inoculation and are identical to those naturally infected lettuces. Negative control plants had no symptoms. The 16S rRNA region and two housekeeping genes (gyrB and atpD) of each isolate were amplified with universal primers F27/R1492 (Monciardini et al., 2006) and specific primers (Roach et al., 2018), respectively. According to BLAST analysis of each isolate (Genbank accession number PP027925, PP140779, PP140781 to PP140783, PP137422 to PP137428), BLAST searches of the obtained sequences revealed 100.0% of 16S rRNA region(1400/1400 nucleotides), 100.0% of gyrB(774/774 nucleotides), and 100.0% of atpD(768/768 nucleotides) identity and query coverage to Xhv CFBP 498 (Genbank accession number LR828257.1). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that SCZX1-SCZX4 clustered with the neopathotype strain Xhv LMG 938PT, which was isolated from a diseased L. sativa in Zimbabwe (Timilsina, S et al., 2015). Physiological and biochemical tests of SCZX1-SCZX4 were conducted by the BIOLOG GENIII microplate system (Biolog, Hayward, CA, USA), and the test results are consistent with the Xhv LMG 938PT (Morinière, L et al., 2020) and L1-L7 (Pernezny, K et al., 1995). Strains were re-isolated from re-inoculated lettuce, then re-identified as Xhv by the same method, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Bacterial leaf spot (BLS) is a worldwide-spread lettuce disease caused by numerous bacterial pathogens, including Xhv (Dia, N.C et al., 2022), Pseudomonas cichorii (Patel, N et al., 2021) and P. viridiflava (Alippi, A. M et al., 1999) etc. Xhv had been widely reported as the causal pathogen of BLS in Turkey (Sahin, F et al., 2000), United States (Bull, C.T et al., 2007), Saudi Arabia (Al-Saleh, M et al., 2008), and France (Morinière et al., 2020). However, the first report of Xhv causing BLS on lettuce in China is significant to provide pathogen information for growers in making effective measures to manage this disease.

Single Laboratory Evaluation of the Q20+ Nanopore Sequencing Kit for Bacterial Outbreak Investigations.

Leafy greens are a significant source of produce-related Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) outbreaks in the United States, with agricultural water often implicated as a potential source. Current FDA outbreak detection protocols are time-consuming and rely on sequencing methods performed in costly equipment. This study evaluated the potential of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) with Q20+ chemistry as a cost-effective, rapid, and accurate method for identifying and clustering foodborne pathogens. The study focuses on assessing whether ONT Q20+ technology could facilitate near real-time pathogen identification, including SNP differences, serotypes, and antimicrobial resistance genes. This pilot study evaluated different combinations of two DNA extraction methods (Maxwell RSC Cultured Cell DNA kit and Monarch high molecular weight extraction kits) and two ONT library preparation protocols (ligation and the rapid barcoding sequencing kit) using five well-characterized strains representing diverse foodborne pathogens. High-quality, closed bacterial genomes were obtained from all combinations of extraction and sequencing kits. However, variations in assembly length and genome completeness were observed, indicating the need for further optimization. In silico analyses demonstrated that Q20+ nanopore sequencing chemistry accurately identified species, genotype, and virulence factors, with comparable results to Illumina sequencing. Phylogenomic clustering showed that ONT assemblies clustered with reference genomes, though some indels and SNP differences were observed, likely due to sequencing and analysis methodologies rather than inherent genetic variation. Additionally, the study evaluated the impact of a change in the sampling rates from 4 kHz (260 bases pair second) to 5 kHz (400 bases pair second), finding no significant difference in sequencing accuracy. This evaluation workflow offers a framework for evaluating novel technologies for use in surveillance and foodborne outbreak investigations. Overall, the evaluation demonstrated the potential of ONT Q20+ nanopore sequencing chemistry to assist in identifying the correct strain during outbreak investigations. However, further research, validation studies, and optimization efforts are needed to address the observed limitations and fully realize the technology's potential for improving public health outcomes and enabling more efficient responses to foodborne disease threats.

Decline in Coupling Between Vegetation Photosynthesis and Greening in Northern Ecosystems During the Photosynthesis-Up Period.

The maximum seasonal vegetation photosynthesis (Phomax) is crucial to regulating the global carbon dynamics. Of particular importance are the seasonal increments in vegetation photosynthesis (ΔPho), which provide key insights into understanding Phomax. However, the interannual variability of ΔPho within the photosynthesis-up period (PUP) and its influencing factors remain unclear. To address this gap, we identified PUP and quantified the multi-year characteristics of ΔPho using satellite-derived solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence. We further investigated the response of ΔPho in northern ecosystems to climate change and vegetation greening by integrating climate data and the normalized difference vegetation index. In the northern ecosystems, longer PUP often spatially correlated with a higher ΔPho. An increasing trend was evident regarding the multi-year variations in ΔPho, suggesting enhanced vegetation photosynthesis within the PUP. This phenomenon is primarily driven by increased solar radiation and intensified vegetation greening. Additionally, based on the results derived from satellite data, we found three pieces of evidence for the decoupling trend between vegetation photosynthesis and greening under the influence of climate change: first, the inconsistent trends between ΔPho and greening; second, the declining moving trend in the correlation coefficient between ΔPho and greening, approximately 9.17 × 10-4; and third, the weakened dominant role of greening on ΔPho. These findings were further supported by results from ecosystem model simulations. In summary, this study provides insights into the interannual variability of ΔPho and its influencing factors and indicates that vegetation dynamics and terrestrial carbon cycle are likely to become more complex under future climate change scenarios.

Impacts of 2D/3D building morphology on vegetation greening trends in Hong Kong: An urban-rural contrast perspective

Building morphology profoundly impacts the microclimate, potentially affecting vegetation greening. However, the effects of 2D/3D building morphology on vegetation greening, especially the urban-rural disparities, remains understudied. In this study, we examined the effect of building morphology on vegetation greening in urban and rural areas in Hong Kong by employing a machine learning model. Vegetation greening trends were derived using the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) through the Theil-Sen median method and the Mann-Kendall (MK) test. Results indicated a prevalent greening from 2010 to 2020, with a slope of 0.0024, and more significant in rural. Statistically significant but low correlation existed between building morphology and vegetation greening. Their relationship exhibited notable urban-rural differences and non-monotonic nonlinearity, with 3D indexes showing a stronger impact than 2D indexes. Specifically, sky view factor (SVF) dominated in urban areas, contributing 23.60%, while landscape shape index (LSI) was the key contributor in rural, accounting for 27.30%. SVF, and mean building height (MBH) transitioned from negative to positive effects, whereas landscape patch index (LPI) and edge density (ED) shifted from positive to negative effects, each with distinct "turning points" in urban and rural. LSI’s impact showed a negative-positive-negative shift in urban and a negative-positive shift in rural. Building volume density (BVD) presented a positive to negative shift in urban and negative to positive shift in rural. The identified complicated relationship deepens our understanding of the drivers of vegetation greening in the built environment, informing the optimal building morphology threshold for efficient greening effect toward sustainable development.

Assessing the applicability of protein residues in combination with lipid residues to reconstruct Indus foodways from Gujarat

When extracted and analysed in tandem, proteomics and lipid residue analysis can provide high resolution identification of ancient foodstuff. Here, we apply lipid residue and shotgun proteomic analyses to 11 ceramic vessel sherds from the Gujarat, India-based Indus Valley Civilization site of Kotada Bhadli. Our results demonstrate variable success. Lipids were successfully recovered from each ceramic vessel and suggest the presence of dairy and meat from cattle/buffalo, and meat from sheep/goat and monogastric animals, such as pigs and birds. Additionally, we were also able to identify the presence of plant products such as leafy vegetables, oils and broomcorn millets. In contrast, none of the extracted proteins could be confidently traced to specific foods or ingredients and were thus unable to contribute to broader interpretations of foodways at Kotada Bhadli. Nevertheless, our results present an opportunity to discuss pathways for improving proteomic methods, and advocate for the need to report negative results as well as positive ones. We support continued efforts to apply multi-proxy approaches to the study of ancient ceramics and consider future applications of shotgun proteomics in this rapidly evolving field.

Evaluation of elite genotype in dill (Anethum graveolens L.) as leafy vegetable

Evaluation of elite genotype in dill (Anethum graveolens L.) as leafy vegetable