Lycopene Content Research Articles

A new spiral press filter to purify tomato juice: A central composite strategy for experimental design and optimization

We investigated and optimized the simultaneous effects of pressure and fluid temperature on the tomato juice filtration process. For this purpose, we manufactured a new spiral press filter. This filter is innovative in that it has a fixed spiral cylinder, while the fluid travels along the spiral path using hydraulic force. This design has the advantages of both press filters and spiral press filters. The turbidity of filtered tomato juice decreased from 1632NTU to 643NTU. The optimum conditions for the tomato juice filtration process were found to be 6 bar fluid pressure and 45 °C fluid temperature. These conditions resulted in a desirability index of 0.99, which is a very good value. The optimum values of the response variables, including permeate flux, total energy consumption, lycopene content, and vitamin C content of filtered tomato juice were 503.15 × 10−6 m3 m2 s−1, 0.033 kWh, 2.44 mg 100 g−1, and 13.40 mg 100 g−1, respectively.

Carotenoid gene expression and metabolic changes in the pericarp of Mandarin ‘Shatangju’ under net shed shading during growth

Fruit colour is mostly determined by the composition and content of carotenoids. In this study, a metabolic transcription analysis of carotenoids in the pericarp of ‘Shatangju’ at three different growth periods under two cultivation methods, open-air and netting, was performed. The results showed that the lightness value, red-green value and yellow-blue value indices of the pericarp varied greatly. Fourteen carotenoids were detected in the citrus pericarp. The content of lycopene was 3.21 μg/g and 3.43 μg/g, and the content of β-citraurin was 6 μg/g and 7.27 μg/g under open-air and net shed cultivation, respectively. Shading affected the synthesis of key genes such as phytoene synthase (PSY), carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 4 (CCD4), and zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP), thereby inhibiting the accumulation of lycopene and β-citraurin. Studies have shown that the degreening of the ‘Shatangju’ pericarp was accelerated, but the accumulation of carotenoid biosynthesis genes was inhibited, which was not conducive to the synthesis of carotenoids.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with contrasting life-history strategies differently affect health-promoting compounds in field-grown tomato by changing arbuscule occurrence and mycorrhizal assemblages in roots

Contrasting life-history characteristics of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal families may have important implications for mycorrhizal functioning. Nevertheless, the effect of inoculation with AM fungi having different life-history strategies on the quality parameters of tomato fruits was not investigated. In this study, fruit and sauce quality of two tomato varieties were evaluated in field conditions after inoculation with four AM fungal species belonging to Glomeraceae and Gigasporaceae. The functional relationship between AM fungal traits (i.e., root colonization structures, community diversity) and fruit quality parameters was analyzed. AM fungal inoculation increased total phenols (TPC) and lycopene concentration in fruits of both varieties (47% and 247%, respectively) and antioxidant activity in var. Rio Grande (85%). Gigasporaceae were more effective in increasing TPC and antioxidant activity compared to Glomeraceae in var. Rio Grande. Gigaspora gigantea outperformed Scutellospora pellucida in var. Pisanello for TPC, antioxidant activity, and lycopene. Inoculated strains of G. gigantea, S. pellucida, Funneliformis mosseae, and Sclerocystis sinuosa were molecularly retrieved within tomato roots. In both varieties, a functional relationship between occurrence of arbuscules in roots and fruit quality was found. In var. Rio Grande, the abundance of some native AM fungal taxa shaped the pattern of fruit quality parameters. Gigasporaceae might be of great relevance for the synthesis of health-promoting compounds in tomato and should be included in biostimulant programmes targeting the production of high-quality vegetables.

Advancing carotenoid Quantification: A new method for semi-quantitative assessment of β -Carotene and lycopene content in food extracts

Carotenoids, such as lycopene and β-carotene, have been widely recognized for their antioxidant properties and potential health benefits. Accurate quantification of carotenoids in plant extracts is essential for nutritional assessment, quality control, and research investigations. This study introduces an innovative method for quantifying lycopene and β-carotene, in plant extracts and aims to bridge the gap between complex and expensive carotenoid quantification techniques and the need for accessible methods that can be widely adopted. The primary difference between HPLC and HPTLC lies in the medium used for separation. HPLC employs a liquid phase within columns, while HPTLC utilizes a thin layer of adsorbent on a plate. This distinction impacts factors like equipment, cost, and analysis time. The VisionCats software, combined with the CAMAG Visualizer-2, allows the semi-quantification of metabolites using an image-based evaluation method enabling the simultaneous assessment of qualitative and semi-quantitative information from the HPTLC images.Sample preparation involves washing and drying the vegetal material, followed by dichloromethane extraction. HPTLC analysis is performed using the CAMAG Advanced Herbal System, and the validation studies include establishing calibration curves and determining the detection threshold and minimum quantification threshold for lycopene and β-carotene. Specificity and precision were evaluated to ensure accurate identification and repeatability of the method. Data analysis involves selecting the regression method based on the nature of the data and assessing the goodness of fit using the R2 value. The results showed distinct peaks corresponding to lycopene and β-carotene in the chromatograms of the plant extract samples. The visualizer-based method demonstrates good specificity and precision, with no interfering peaks observed and low relative standard deviation. The method shows promising results regarding specificity, precision, and reliability. It has the potential for broader implementation in carotenoid research and rapid monitoring of carotenoid content in various agricultural and food products, particularly in resource-limited settings. Further optimization and validation on a wider range of samples would enhance the applicability of this method in carotenoid research.Sample preparation involves washing and drying the vegetal material, followed by dichloromethane extraction. HPTLC analysis is performed using the CAMAG Advanced Herbal System, and the validation studies include establishing calibration curves and determining the detection threshold and minimum quantification threshold for lycopene and β-carotene. Specificity and precision were evaluated to ensure accurate identification and repeatability of the method. Data analysis involves selecting the regression method based on the nature of the data and assessing the goodness of fit using the R2 value. The results showed distinct peaks corresponding to lycopene and β-carotene in the chromatograms of the plant extract samples. The visualizer-based method demonstrates good specificity and precision, with no interfering peaks observed and low relative standard deviation. The method shows promising results regarding specificity, precision, and reliability. It has the potential for broader implementation in carotenoid research and for rapid screening and monitoring of carotenoid content in various agricultural and food products, particularly in resource-limited settings. Further optimization and validation on a wider range of samples would enhance the applicability of this method in carotenoid research.

Waste-Derived Fertilizer Acts as Biostimulant, Boosting Tomato Quality and Aroma

Tomato quality is intricately regulated by a combination of factors, including the presence of bioactive compounds referred to as secondary metabolites and various organoleptic characteristics. These attributes are notably influenced and harmonized by the specific growing conditions, with a particular emphasis on the type of fertilization employed. Traditionally, chemical fertilizers have been favored in crop cultivation due to their cost-effectiveness and ability to accelerate crop growth. However, in pursuit of sustainable and intelligent agricultural practices, there is a growing need for alternative fertilizers. In this context, the present study aimed to assess the impact of fertilizers derived from waste materials, specifically sulfur bentonite and orange residue (referred to as SB), on tomato quality. This assessment extended to examining qualitative and quantitative alterations in aroma-related volatile compounds and the antioxidant systems of tomatoes, in comparison to the conventional use of fertilizers such as horse manure (HM) and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK). The results obtained revealed distinct effects of different fertilizers on tomato quality. Notably, parameters such as TPRO (total protein), TCARB (total carbohydrate), LIC (lycopene content), TCAR (total carotenoid content), total phenols (TPHE), total flavonoids (TFLA), and aroma profiling exhibited significantly superior values in the group treated with sulfur bentonite (SB) fertilizer. These findings strongly suggest that the novel fertilizer functioned as a biostimulant, enhancing the nutraceutical and sensory attributes of tomatoes, with a pronounced impact on the synthesis of secondary metabolites and the aroma profile of the fruits.

Effect of root imbibition with selenium and iodine on antioxidant compounds in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) crop

The use of trace elements such as iodine and selenium in agriculture is gaining great importance due to the benefits in plants before different types of biotic or abiotic stress. This research aimed to evaluate the seedling root priming with Na2SeO3 (0, 0,5, 1, 2, 3 mg L-1) and KIO3 (0, 100, 150, 200, 250 mg L-1) on the antioxidant compounds of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruits and leaves. The crop was established under greenhouse conditions in 10-L polyethylene containers containing peat moss and perlite 1:1 (v/v), in a randomized complete block experimental design with a 52 factorial arrangement. In the fruits, the Na2SeO3 influenced the GHS, flavonoids, lycopene and β-carotene contents, while the KIO3 influenced the GHS, vitamin C and lycopene contents. The KIO3-Na2SeO3 interactions affected the GSH, phenols, flavonoids, lycopene and β-carotene contents in fruits. In the leaves the GHS content increased with the Na2SeO3, while the GSH, flavonoids, and chlorophyll contents increased with the KIO3 factor and KIO3-Na2SeO3 interactions. The evaluated enzymes in fruits and leaves decreased with the both the KIO3 and Na2SeO3 concentrations. The Na2SeO3 influenced the hydrophilic compounds by ABTS and DPPH, while the KIO3 influenced the hydrophilic compounds by ABTS. In the leaves, the KIO3 influenced the lipophilic compounds by ABTS. The KIO3-Na2SeO3 interactions influenced the hydrophilic compounds by ABTS in both the fruits and leaves. Seedling root imbibition in KIO3 and Na2SeO3 is a method that implemented in the tomato crop presents interesting aspects in the increase of the antioxidant capacity and the non-enzymatic compounds, such as vitamin C, phenols, flavonoids and GSH contents. However, this method presented an inhibition in the antioxidant enzymes.

Free and open-source software for object detection, size, and colour determination for use in plant phenotyping

BackgroundObject detection, size determination, and colour detection of images are tools commonly used in plant science. Key examples of this include identification of ripening stages of fruit such as tomatoes and the determination of chlorophyll content as an indicator of plant health. While methods exist for determining these important phenotypes, they often require proprietary software or require coding knowledge to adapt existing code.ResultsWe provide a set of free and open-source Python scripts that, without any adaptation, are able to perform background correction and colour correction on images using a ColourChecker chart. Further scripts identify objects, use an object of known size to calibrate for size, and extract the average colour of objects in RGB, Lab, and YUV colour spaces. We use two examples to demonstrate the use of these scripts. We show the consistency of these scripts by imaging in four different lighting conditions, and then we use two examples to show how the scripts can be used. In the first example, we estimate the lycopene content in tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) var. Tiny Tim using fruit images and an exponential model to predict lycopene content. We demonstrate that three different cameras (a DSLR camera and two separate mobile phones) are all able to model lycopene content. The models that predict lycopene or chlorophyll need to be adjusted depending on the camera used. In the second example, we estimate the chlorophyll content of basil (Ocimum basilicum) using leaf images and an exponential model to predict chlorophyll content.ConclusionA fast, cheap, non-destructive, and inexpensive method is provided for the determination of the size and colour of plant materials using a rig consisting of a lightbox, camera, and colour checker card and using free and open-source scripts that run in Python 3.8. This method accurately predicted the lycopene content in tomato fruit and the chlorophyll content in basil leaves.

Nutritionally enriched tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) grown with wood distillate: chemical and biological characterization for quality assessment.

Bio-based products are nowadays useful tools able to affect the productivity and quality of conventionally cultivated crops. Several bio-based products are currently on the market; one of the newest and most promising is the wood distillate (WD) derived from the pyrolysis process of waste biomass after timber. Its foliar application has been widely investigated and shown to promote the antioxidant profile of cultivated crops. WD was used here as additive for the cultivation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants. The application improved quality (chemical) parameters, minerals, polyphenols, and lycopene contents of tomato fruits. The extracts of WD-treated and untreated tomatoes have been chemically and biologically characterized. The 1 H-NMR and ESI-mass spectrometry analyses of the extracts revealed the presence of different fatty acids, amino acids and sugars. In particular, the WD-treated tomatoes showed the presence of pyroglutamic acid and phloridzin derivatives, but also dihydrokaempferol, naringenin glucoside, cinnamic acid, and kaempferol-3-O-glucoside. When tested in cells, the extracts showed a promising anti-inflammatory profile in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, the extracts displayed a slight vasorelaxant activity on rat aorta rings (either endothelium-denuded or endothelium-intact) pre-contracted with phenylephrine or potassium chloride. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Wood distillate has been used for tomato plant growth. Tomatoes showed improved nutritional parameters, and their extracts displayed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

GABA primes defense responses against Botrytis cinerea in tomato fruit by modulating ethylene and JA signaling pathways

This research set out to investigate the potential action mechanism of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the control of Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea) in tomato fruit. The findings confirmed that 10 mM GABA treatment effectively lowered the disease incidence and lesion diameter of tomato fruit caused by B. cinerea. Meanwhile, GABA treatment maintained lower electrical conductivity, color change index and lycopene content. GABA alone had little effect on most disease resistance indexes, but it triggered faster and stronger defense responses after B. cinerea infection. These responses included increases in total phenolics and flavonoids accumulation as well as the activities of chitinase (CHI), β-1,3-glucanase (GLU), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and up-regulated expression of the pathogenesis-related genes (SlPR1, SlPR2a, SlPR2b, SlPR3a, SlPR3b and SlPR-STH2). Furthermore, GABA inhibited the expression of key synthesis genes of ethylene (SlACS2, SlACS4 and SlACO1) and the accumulation of a key metabolic intermediate 1-Aminocyclo-propane-l-carboxylic acid (ACC) in non-infected fruit, leading to a slight reduction in ethylene production. However, it also reduced the ethylene burst carried on by B. cinerea infection at the early storage and restored the ethylene peak at the end of storage. Furthermore, GABA up-regulated the expression level of SlERF6 directly but induced the up-regulation of SlERF2, SlERF.A4, SlERF.B12, SlERF.C6 and SlERF.H9 in a primed manner. In addition, GABA pretreatment markedly enhanced jasmonic acid (JA) content by activating the transcription of JA biosynthetic genes (SlLoxD, SlAOC and SlOPR3), up-regulated the downstream receptor gene SlCOI1 and down-regulated the suppressor gene SlJAZ2. These results demonstrated that tomato fruit treated with GABA can efficiently enhance resistance against B. cinerea through defense priming, and ethylene and JA signaling pathways are involved in this process.

Non-thermal processing of watermelon and red grape juices in thin-profile continuous-flow pulsed UV light reactors: Effect on microbiological safety and nutritional value

Herein, we report successful non-thermal pasteurization of fruit juices (watermelon and red grape juices) in a flow-through pulsed light (PL) reactor. Impact of PL reactor configuration (annular/coiled tube), product flow rates (14–75 L/h) and pulse frequency (1–5 Hz) on the inactivation of Escherichia coli ATCC 29055, Listeria innocua ATCC 33090, and Clostridium sporogenes ATCC 7955 in red grape (pH = 3.37) and watermelon juice (pH = 5.02), and changes in quality and nutritional parameters, was explored. >5 and > 7 log10 microbial reductions were achieved in annular and coiled reactor respectively, demonstrating PL's potential in juice pasteurization. Watermelon juice exhibited higher microbial inactivation, while E. coli was found to be most susceptible. The inactivation kinetics using three different models were compared wherein ‘log-linear plus tail model’ showed the best fit. During PL processing, there were minor changes in pH and colour of both juices, whereas nutritional parameters (total anthocyanins, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, vitamin C, trans-resveratrol, and lycopene content) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) by up to 39.1%, 62.2%, 53.8%, ∼70%, 82%, and 46.8%, respectively, yet at levels lower than conventional thermal pasteurization. These results shall inspire commercialization of PL based fruit beverage pasteurization systems.

Effects of harvest ripeness on storage quality of tomato fruits

For studying the different recovery maturity influence on tomato postharvest storage quality, in different harvest maturity tomato (green ripe period, color-changing period, red period) as experiment material, put it in 3℃ and 28℃temperature storage, and the determination of three different harvest maturity tomato in weightlessness rate, decay rate in the process of storage, reducing sugar content, titratable acid content, lycopene content and the content of ascorbic acid and so on six indicators, according to the fuzzy weight methods to establish comprehensive evaluation index weights, determine the harvest maturity of science. The results showed that under two different temperature environments, the highest comprehensive evaluation index of tomato was 0.6644 and the storage quality was the best. The comprehensive evaluation index of tomatoes harvested in the color-changing period was 0.4709, which was more suitable for storage at 3℃. The comprehensive evaluation index of tomatoes harvested in green ripening period was 0.3919, and the storage quality was relatively poor. Key words: Tomato ；Ripeness； Effect of storage； Quality; Fuzzy weight methods

Effects of long-term blue light irradiation on carotenoid biosynthesis and antioxidant activities in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis)

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of long-term exposure to blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the accumulation of indolic glucosinolates and carotenoids, as well as the plant growth and antioxidant activities in both orange and common Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis). Blue light treatment also induced higher ferric-reducing antioxidant power and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl by 20.66 % and 30.82 % and antioxidant enzyme activities catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and the accumulation of non-enzymatic antioxidant substances (total phenols and total flavonoids) in the orange Chinese cabbage. Furthermore, long-term exposure to blue light had negative effects on the net photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll fluorescence levels. Meanwhile, blue light promoted accumulation of Indol-3-ylmethyl glucosinolate (I3M), β-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin due to the high expression of regulatory and biosynthetic genes of the above metabolic pathways. In particular, lycopene and β-carotene content in orange Chinese cabbage increased by 60.14 % and 65.33 % compared to the ones in common line. The accumulation of carotenoid and increasing antioxidant levels in the orange cabbage line was influenced by long-term blue light irradiation, leading to better tolerance to low temperature and drought stresses. The up-regulation of transcription factors such as BrHY5-2, BrPIF4 and BrMYB12 may also contribute to the increased tolerance in orange Chinese cabbage to extreme environmental stresses. The BrHY5-2 gene could activate carotenoid biosynthetic genes and induce the accumulation of carotenoids. These findings suggested that long-term blue light irradiation could be a promising technique for increasing the nutrition value and enhancing tolerance to low temperature and drought stresses in Chinese cabbage.

Comparative study of phytochemicals, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of infusion and decoction extracts from Pycnoporus sanguineus (L.) Murril collected in West Bengal

Mushrooms are well-known pharmaceutical agents as they possess bioactive secondary metabolites along with a large amount of proteins, carbohydrates, crude fiber, fat and other beneficial compounds. Due to their remarkable pharmacological property, they are used in traditional medicine in different countries of Asia. Pycnoporus sanguineus is a polypore fungus having a wide variety of bioactive substances and therapeutic activities that are reported previously in different countries of the world. The present study is focused to estimate different bioactive compounds and evaluate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of P. sanguineus using two different extraction procedures (infusion and decoction). In this study, total phenol, total flavonoid, β-carotene, lycopene and ascorbic acid contents are estimated. Antioxidant and inti-inflammatory activities are investigated by total antioxidant capacity, DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, chelating of ferrous ion (Fe2+), reducing power assays and protein denaturation assay respectively. The aim of the study is to establish P. sanguineus as a natural drug that could be used against oxidative stress and inflammation-related diseases substituting commercial drugs.

The Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of the Main Carotenoids from Tomatoes via Nrf2 and NF-κB Signaling Pathways.

Oxidative stress and inflammation are crucial factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases. In previous research, the oxidative stress and inflammation models have frequently been explored independently. In the current study, we investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of tomato extract and its two main carotenoids (lutein and lycopene) with various concentrations using a rat cardiomyocyte model of co-existing oxidative stress and persistent chronic inflammation. It was discovered that the antioxidant effects of 0.5-5 μM lutein, 0.5-5 μM lycopene, and 50-200 μg/mL tomato extract increased in a dose-dependent manner. However, the pro-oxidation effects emerged by measuring the antioxidant-related indices, including the levels of ROS, SOD, and GPX in H9c2 cells as concentrations exceeded those mentioned above. The anti-inflammatory effects of lutein, lycopene, and tomato extract were simultaneously strengthened with higher concentrations, potentially due to the suppression of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, high concentrations of lutein, lycopene, and tomato extract potentially regulated Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB signaling pathways dependent on TGF-1β and IL-10 to demonstrate high concentrations of pro-oxidation and anti-inflammation effects. Our findings indicate that the dose-effect regulatory mechanisms of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties among lutein, lycopene, and tomato extract will be advantageous in developing more effective therapeutic strategies to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Effect of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) Infection of some Tomato (Solanum lycopersicom L.) Genotypes on Fruits Content of Lycopene and some Vitamins

The response of some genotypes of tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicom L.) to infection with the Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) was tested, and the effect of infection on genotypes (123, Narcan and Summer 21) on the fruit content of vitamins C and E and lycopene was evaluated. The field experiment was carried out in the western orchards of Samawah, Al-Muthanna Governorate, Iraq, and the analysis of vitamins and lycopene was carried out in the laboratories of Ghayat Al-Maarifa Company - Babylon. The genotypes were inoculated with whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed that all genotypes of tomato plants were sensitive to the virus, with differences in the time of appearance and severity of disease symptoms. The genotypes Nahrayn and Summer 21 were the most severely infected with the virus (96 and 87%, respectively) compared to the rest of the genotypes. The results showed a decrease in the vitamin C and vitamin E content of tomato fruits to 8.84 and 0.403 mg /100 gm, respectively, in virus-infected plants, with a significant difference from their normal levels in uninoculated plants, which resulted in 15.8 and 0.931 mg /100 gm, respectively. It was also observed that infection with the virus had a clear effect and significantly decreased the level of lycopene to 9.79 mg/kg fresh weight compared to 14.12 mg/kg fresh weight in uninfected plants. Regardless of the type of plant, infection with the Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) significantly reduced the average dry weight of shoots and roots of infected plants by 28.89 and 3.15 g/plant, compared to 84.08 and 10.13 g/plant for control plants, respectively. The results also showed a clear effect of the virus in reducing the yield of genotypes, which recorded 409.1 g/plant, with a significant difference from the yield of the same genotypes not infected with the virus, which recorded 1697.3 g/plant.

Comparison of nutrient composition, phytochemicals and antioxidant activities of two large fruit cultivars of sea buckthorn in Xinjiang of China

Although the basic nutritional composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of different cultivars of sea buckthorn fruit have been reported, the contents of sugars, acids, antioxidant components and antioxidant activities of two large fruit cultivars, ZhuangYuanHuang (ZYH) and ShenQiuHong (SQH), sea buckthorn fruits from Xinjiang of China have not been studied. In this study, we found that the soluble sugars were mainly glucose and fructose, and no significant difference in soluble sugars content was found between the two cultivars. ZYH exhibited higher contents of total acids, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid and succinic acid, but lower quinic acid compared to that in SQH. ZYH owned higher total phenolics and total flavonoids contents than that in SQH. A total of 12 phenolics were found in the two cultivars, isorhamnetin and quercetin contents were considerably higher in ZYH than in SQH, while protocatechuic acid, catechin, ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid contents were lower than in SQH. VC and VE (γ-VE, α-VE, δ-VE) were much higher in ZYH than in SQH. The contents of total carotenoids, β-carotene and lycopene in ZYH were considerably higher than those of SQH. In addition, the DPPH and FRAP scavenging activity and cellular antioxidant activity of ZYH were significantly higher than those of SQH. Taken together, the higher antioxidant activities of ZYH may be due to its higher levels of phenolics, flavonoids, VC, VE and carotenoids.

A water-absorbent hydrogel prepared with arabinoxylans from flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) and galactomannans from subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) impacts the growth and composition of cherry tomatoes in potted experiments

A water-absorbent hybrid hydrogel was prepared using arabinoxylans from flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) (FX) and galactomannans from subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) (SG) in the presence of kappa-carrageenan (κC) with variable concentration of potassium chloride as crosslinker (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25 and 0.3 M), and evaluated on the basis of their swelling rate (%). The optimized hydrogel (GAXH) from a blend of SG, κC, FX and KCl at 5.5% w/v, 1.32% w/v, 1% w/v and 0.3M, respectively, showed 300% swelling in water at room temperature and pH 7.4 with 100% retention of water for 30 days at 10 °C. Blending 50% w/w GAXH in the soil could retain 140% water for 30 days, acting as a water reservoir in the soil system at 35 °C and pH 7.4 which reached 100% evaporation after 60 days. Incorporation of 50% w/w GAXH in sandy, loamy soil was used for the potted cultivation of cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) and observed for growth and composition of the tomatoes. GAXH enhanced the physiological growth of both the plant as well as cherry tomatoes by controlling the release of KCl into the soil and maintaining soil moisture when 3 day intermittent watering schedule was used. An additional advantage was an improved water use efficiency and reduction in water footprint from 3.23 cm3/g to 9.32 cm3/g and 19.87 mL/fruit to 8.56 mL/fruit, respectively. The fully ripened tomatoes grown on GAXH-incorporated soil showed higher contents of lycopene, total carotenoids, and total polyphenols from 166 to 257 μg/g fresh weight, 99–107 mg β-carotene equivalent/100g fresh weight, 223–241 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g fresh weight, respectively, than control cherry tomatoes grown in soil with no added GAXH. This was also reflected in enhanced antioxidant activity of cherry tomatoes grown in GAXH-incorporated soil.

Lycopene Alleviates the Adverse Effects of Feeding High-Lipid Diets to Hybrid Grouper (♀Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ×♂E. lanceolatus).

It has been found that high-lipid diets (HLDs) disrupt lipid metabolism in fish, leading to an excessive accumulation of lipids in various tissues of the fish body. The objective of this study was to investigate if the inclusion of lycopene (LCP) in an HLD may mitigate the adverse consequences of excessive dietary lipid intake in hybrid grouper (♀ Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × ♂ E. lanceolatus). The experimental design incorporated a control group (L0), which was administered a diet consisting of 42% protein and 16% lipid. The diets for groups L1, L2, and L3 were developed by augmenting the control diet with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg LCP, respectively. The duration of the trial spanned a period of 42 days. The results of the study showed that the weight gain rate (WGR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) of the three LCP treatment groups (L1, L2, and L3) tended to increase and then decrease, with a significant increase in WGR and PER in L2 (P < 0.05). Visceral somatic index and hepatic somatic index tended to decrease and then increase in all treatment groups, with a significant decrease in L2 (P < 0.05). In serum dietary LCP significantly reduced triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) content and significantly increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) content (P < 0.05). In the liver, dietary LCP reduced TC, TG, and very LDL levels and improved lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase, fatty acid (FA) synthetase, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase activities. The number and area of hepatic lipid droplets decreased significantly with increasing LCP content. In the liver, the addition of appropriate levels of LCP significantly upregulated lipoprotein lipase (lpl) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (pparα). In summary, dietary LCP improves growth and reduces lipid deposition in the liver of hybrid grouper by increasing lipolytic metabolism and decreasing FA synthesis. Under the experimental conditions, the fitted curve analysis showed that the recommended LCP additions to the high lipid diet for juvenile hybrid grouper were 200-300 mg/kg.

Effect of Pre-Storage Edible Coating on Post Harvest Quality of Guava Fruits cv. Lalit Under Ambient Condition

A significant fruit crop, the guava (Psidium guajava L.), is grown around the world in a wide range of tropical and subtropical climates. The shelf life of guavas is short, and they ripen quickly after being harvested. This limited shelf life necessitates effective management techniques to ensure a consistent market supply through post-harvest treatments to extend the storage life. In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of different treatments on the quality attributes of guava fruit cv. Lalit at 3-day intervals during storage. The experiment was carried out in the Postharvest Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. The findings from our investigation revealed that guava fruits harvested at the mature green stage and treated with Carboxy methylcellulose (CMC) and sodium alginate, maintained their desirable chemical and functional qualities for an extended period, up to 12 days of storage. Specifically, the post-harvest treatment using CMC (1.5%) proved to be exceptionally effective in reducing physiological weight loss and decay loss and retarding the increase in total carotenoids and lycopene content. Additionally, it delayed the decline in total soluble solids, ascorbic acid content, chlorophyll content, total antioxidant capacity and phenolic content throughout the storage period. Therefore, this treatment showed excellent results in extending the shelf life of guava fruits and maintaining their post-harvest quality by delaying the processes of ripening and senescence, lowering spoilage, and improving marketability and appearance.

Effect of Foliar Application of Silicon and Selenium on the Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Tomato in the Field

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) is a widely produced and consumed fruit vegetable worldwide. Silicon (Si) and selenium (Se) can promote crop growth and development. However, the effects of these elements on tomato fruit quality have not been investigated comprehensively, nor are their combined effects on yield and quality clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of foliar application of Si and Se on tomato growth, yield and fruit quality. The tomato plants were foliarly applied with 1 mM Si and 25 μM Se individually or in combination, and the experiment was carried out in a plastic arch shed at Yangling in spring. Our results demonstrated improved plant growth by application of Si and Se, with the effect of combined treatment being more obvious. Application of Si individually or in combination with Se increased the yield. Se addition increased the concentrations of soluble sugars, vitamin C, phenols, anthocyanin, lycopene, carotenoids, Se and protein, and decreased the nitrate level, but did not affect the concentration of total organic acids in the fruit. Si application induced similar changes to Se addition in the levels of sucrose and protein in the fruit, but had no effect on other quality traits. The combined Si and Se treatment did not show significant superior effects on the fruit quality over their individual applications. Our results suggest that Si and Se application improved the tomato plant growth. Si and Se application, respectively, had obvious effects in the yield increase and quality improvement, and the combined treatment had positive effects on both aspects. The study may provide a theoretical base for the application of Se and Si fertilizers in tomato production.