Root Starch Research Articles

Morpho-Physiological and Biochemical Responses in Prosopis laevigata Seedlings to Varied Nitrogen Sources

Nitrogen (N) fertilization promotes morphofunctional attributes that enhance plant performance under stress conditions, but the amount and form supplied modify the magnitude of plant responses. We assessed several morpho-physiological and biochemical responses of Prosopis laevigata seedlings to a high supply of N, provided as either inorganic (NH4NO3) or organic (amino acids). Such N treatments were applied on four-month-old seedlings as a supplement of 90 mg N to a regular supply of 274 mg N plant−1. Nitrogen supply modified biomass allocation patterns between leaves and roots regardless of N form. Increased N input decreased photosynthetic capacity, even when plants had high internal N reserves. Organic N fertilization reduced the N use efficiency, but increased leaf and root amino acid concentrations. Proteins accumulated in stems in plants receiving inorganic N, while the organic N increased leaf proteins. High N supply promoted root starch accumulation irrespective of N form. Nitrogen supply did not directly influence plants’ regrowth capacity. Still, resprouting was correlated to initial root-to-shoot ratios and root starch, confirming the importance of roots as storage reserves of starch for recovering biomass after browsing. These findings have practical implications for designing nutritional management strategies in nurseries to improve seedling performance in afforestation efforts.

Preparation of fern root resistant starch by pullulanase and glucoamylase combined with autoclaving-enzymatic method: physicochemical properties and structural characterization.

Fern root starch has a high percentage of amylose and has great potential for application in the field of slow-digesting foods. Clarifying the effect of treatment conditions on fern root starch is key to achieving industrialized production of fern root resistant starch. In the present study, fern root starch was treated by the autoclave-enzymatic method with pullulanase, glucoamylase and mixed enzyme. The content of resistant starch in fern roots treated with mixed enzyme was the highest (24.07 ± 1.11%), which was approximately 320% times that of the native starch, had the best water-holding capacity (151.08%), vital transparency and freeze-thaw stability. By contrast, the solubility, swelling and viscosity were lower than natural starch. In addition, mixed enzyme shows a denser structure, and the crystal form changes from C-type to V-type, with a high relative crystallinity and significantly enhanced thermal stability. After mixed enzyme combined with autoclave treatment, the content of resistant starch in fern root was greatly increased. The modified starch molecules did not produce new functional groups, which made the crystal structure of starch molecules more compact, and resistance to enzymatic hydrolysis and high temperature thermal stability were significantly enhanced. This provides a positive reference for further in-depth study of fern root starch, improvement of utilization value, development and innovation of new food health products, and diabetes treatment. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of cadmium stress on the growth and physiological characteristics of sweet potato

This study evaluated the responses of sweet potatoes to Cadmium (Cd) stress through pot experiments to theoretically substantiate their comprehensive applications in Cd-polluted agricultural land. The experiments included a CK treatment and three Cd stress treatments with 3, 30, and 150 mg/kg concentrations, respectively. We analyzed specified indicators of sweet potato at different growth periods, such as the individual plant growth, photosynthesis, antioxidant capacity, and carbohydrate Cd accumulation distribution. On this basis, the characteristics of the plant carbon metabolism in response to Cd stress throughout the growth cycle were explored. The results showed that T2 and T3 treatments inhibited the vine growth, leaf area expansion, stem diameter elongation, and tuberous root growth of sweet potato; notably, T3 treatment significantly increased the number of sweet potato branches. Under Cd stress, the synthesis of chlorophyll in sweet potato was significantly suppressed, and the Rubisco activity experienced significant reductions. With the increasing Cd concentration, the function of PS II was also affected. The soluble sugar content underwent no significant change in low Cd concentration treatments. In contrast, it decreased significantly under high Cd concentrations. Additionally, the tuberous root starch content decreased significantly with the increase in Cd concentration. Throughout the plant growth, the activity levels of catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase increased significantly in T2 and T3 treatments. By comparison, the superoxide dismutase activity in T1 treatment was significantly lower than that of CK. With the increasing application of Cd, its accumulation accordingly increased in various sweet potato organs. The the highest bioconcentration factor was detected in absorbing roots, while the tuberous roots had a lower bioconcentration factor and Cd accumulation. Moreover, the transfer factor from stem to petiole was the highest of the potato organs. These results demonstrated that sweet potatoes had a high Cd tolerance and a restoration potential for Cd-contaminated farmland.

Breadmaking Potential of Andean Roots and Tuber Starches from Ahipa (Pachyrhizus ahipa), Oca (Oxalis tuberosa), and Arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza)

AbstractAim is to explore the breadmaking potential for gluten‐free goods of non‐conventional starches from Andean crops ahipa, oca, and arracacha. Their characteristics and performance in breadmaking are compared with those of cassava, taken as a reference for conventional gluten‐free root starch. Physicochemical properties of breads are studied along with the pasting and thermal properties, composition, and α‐amylase hydrolysis of starches. Arracacha starch has the lowest amylose content (2.4%) and the highest water hydration (1.4 g g−1). Its batter shows adequate proofing, but the bread is highly adhesive, with dense crumb. Ahipa starch paste has the lowest peak, trough and final viscosities determined by rapid visco analyzer, and the highest hydrolysis rate (kRVA = 2.30 min−1). Its batter exhibits, along with oca, the highest volume increase during fermentation (193–197%), but structure collapses in the oven and no alveoli are observed in the crumb. Conversely, oca forms a crumb structure similar to cassava, but with higher cell density (131 alveoli cm−2), cohesiveness (0.95), and resilience (0.65) than the latter (71 alveoli cm−2, 0.88, and 0.45, respectively). Oca starch has lower pasting temperature (64 °C) and the starch paste has similar hydrolysis rate (kRVA = 1.92 min−1) compared to cassava (71.9 °C and 2.08 min−1, respectively), making it a suitable option for providing gluten‐free yeast‐leavened breads with improved technological properties and a comparable glycemic index.

Effect of Time of Nitrogen Fertilization on Use of Root Reserves in Megathyrsus maximus Cultivars

Nitrogen is a very important nutrient in grass maintenance fertilization and therefore must be applied at the appropriate moment. The objective of this study was to identify the most responsive moment to nitrogen fertilization and to verify if root mass and the content of carbohydrates and nitrogen in roots influence the moment of fertilization in cultivars of Megathyrsus maximus (syn. Panicum maximum). This study was carried out simultaneously in a greenhouse using a completely randomized design, with sixteen treatments and five replications, in a 4×4 factorial design. The treatments consisted of four intervals between cultivar defoliation and nitrogen fertilization (0, 3, 6 and 9 days) and four Megathyrsus maximus cultivars, Mombasa, BRS Zuri, BRS Quenia and BRS Tamani, which were evaluated in five regrowth cycles. No difference in forage mass was observed among cultivars when fertilization was performed on days zero, three and nine after harvesting. On day nine, Mombasa showed a higher forage mass compared to BRS Tamani. Nitrogen content in the roots of Zuri decreased when fertilization was performed on the third day after defoliation, remaining constant in the other fertilization intervals. A linear reduction in root starch in BRS Zuri was observed, while in Mombasa cultivars, a linear increase was observed when fertilization was performed nine days after harvesting. Thus, nitrogen fertilization of BRS Tamani should be carried out closer to defoliation, while Mombasa, BRS Zuri and BRS Quenia can be fertilized up to nine days after harvesting, which results in greater flexibility regarding the moment of nitrogen fertilization.

Optimizing starch content prediction in kudzu: Integrating hyperspectral imaging and deep learning with WGAN-GP

Rapid and non-destructive prediction of starch content in kudzu is essential for the food industry. In this work, we present an approach combining hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and deep learning (DL) techniques for predicting kudzu root starch content. Practical constraints such as equipment and experimental conditions limit the quantity of spectral data and labels obtained, which leads to diminish model performance. To address this restriction, we employ Wasserstein generative adversarial networks with gradient penalty (WGAN-GP) to augment spectral and starch content data simultaneously. Through numerous iterations, synthetic data that closely resemble real data is generated, which is validated through comprehensive evaluations using various qualitative and quantitative analysis. Additionally, we establish and compare partial least squares regression (PLSR), support vector regression (SVR) and one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1DCNN) model before and after data augmentation. Experimental results demonstrate that the introduction of synthetic data could improve model performance significantly. Particularly, 1DCNN model exhibits the best performance, achieving correlation coefficients (R2) of 92.97% and 93.43% for starch content in the two types of kudzu roots. Overall, this study not only provides an effective method for rapidly, non-destructively, and accurately determining starch content in kudzu roots, but also addresses the challenge of requiring a large amount of data.

Carbon usage in yellow-fleshed Manihot esculenta storage roots shifts from starch biosynthesis to cell wall and raffinose biosynthesis via the myo-inositol pathway.

Cassava is a crucial staple crop for smallholder farmers in tropical Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Although high yield remains the top priority for farmers, the significance of nutritional values has increased in cassava breeding programs. A notable negative correlation between provitamin A and starch accumulation poses a significant challenge for breeding efforts. The negative correlation between starch and carotenoid levels in conventional and genetically modified cassava plants implies the absence of a direct genomic connection between the two traits. The competition among various carbon pathways seems to account for this relationship. In this study, we conducted a thorough analysis of 49 African cassava genotypes with varying levels of starch and provitamin A. Our goal was to identify factors contributing to differential starch accumulation. Considering carotenoid levels as a confounding factor in starch production, we found that yellow- and white-fleshed storage roots did not differ significantly in most measured components of starch or de novo fatty acid biosynthesis. However, genes and metabolites associated with myo-inositol synthesis and cell wall polymer production were substantially enriched in high provitamin A genotypes. These results indicate that yellow-fleshed cultivars, in comparison to their white-fleshed counterparts, direct more carbon toward the synthesis of raffinose and cell wall components. This finding is underlined by a significant rise in cell wall components measured within the 20 most contrasting genotypes for carotenoid levels. Our findings enhance the comprehension of the biosynthesis of starch and carotenoids in the storage roots of cassava.

Construction and characterization of a novel Myr-OSADS-CIn micelle for enhanced stability and bioavailability of myricetin

In this study, a novel self-assembled micelle (Myr-OSADS-CIn) based on OSA-debranched lotus root starch (OSADS) and cationic inulin (CIn) was successfully constructed to enhance the stability and bioavailability of myricetin (Myr). Firstly, lotus root starch and inulin were chemically modified. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Element analysis confirmed the successful synthesis of OSADS and CIn. When the optimal weight ratio of Myr/OSADS/CIn was 1:40:120, a stable Myr-OSADS-CIn composite micelle was successfully formed. The key characteristics of the micelle included a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.321, a zeta-potential of +24.247 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency of 87.536%. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed unique core-shell structures within the Myr-OSADS-CIn micelle. The formation and stability of the composite micelle were primarily influenced by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. Notably, the Myr-OSADS-CIn micelle exhibited excellent biocompatibility, significant antioxidant activity and controlled release of Myr. Furthermore, in vivo bioavailability of Myr in the Myr-OSADS-CIn micelle was found to be 4.054 times higher compared to free Myr. In conclusion, the Myr-OSADS-CIn micelle shows promise as a delivery system for the effective use of Myr in the food industry.

Non-structural carbohydrate dynamics of Pinus yunnanensis seedlings under drought stress and re-watering

Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are an important “buffer” for maintaining plant physiological functions under drought conditions; however, our understanding of the dynamics of NSC at the organ level during sustained drought of varying intensities and re-watering remains poor. In this study, two-year-old Pinus yunnanensis seedlings were subjected to drought and re-watering trials. Plants were subjected to three drought intensities (light drought, moderate drought, and severe drought) as well as control conditions (suitable moisture) for 51 days, including 30 days of drought followed by 21 days of re-watering for drought-treated seedlings, to study the dynamics of NSC in the leaves, stems, coarse roots, and fine roots. Changes in the distribution of NSC concentrations in the organ of P. yunnanensis seedlings under drought stress varied; in the early drought stages, the drought resistance of P. yunnanensis seedlings was enhanced by increasing soluble sugar concentrations; in later stages of drought, the stored starch in organs, stems, and coarse roots was consumed. Drought inhibited the growth of P. yunnanensis seedlings, but the maximum limit of drought tolerance was not reached under the different drought treatments after 30 days. P. yunnanensis seedlings in all treatment groups resumed growth after re-watering, and the growth of seedlings was actually promoted during re-watering in the moderate drought treatment group, indicating that drought induced the compensatory growth of seedlings. The growth of P. yunnanensis seedlings during re-watering was inhibited in the severe drought treatment group, and NSC continued to be regulated in seedlings in this group. Given that P. yunnanensis seedlings maintain growth through the consumption of coarse root starch in the late stages of drought, seedlings with a larger root-to-shoot ratio should be selected for cultivation in actual production. Based on our findings, exposure to moderate drought stress can enhance the drought tolerance of P. yunnanensis seedlings and promote the compensatory growth of seedlings.

Whey protein isolate regulates the oral processing characteristics of lotus root starch

This study aimed to investigate the influence of different levels of added whey protein isolate (WPI) on the oral processing characteristics of lotus root starch (LRS). The IDDSI test results indicated that WPI-LRS composite gels could be classified as foods suitable for individuals with dysphagia. During in vitro oral digestion process, addition of WPI increased the viscosity of the composite system. When the amount of WPI reached 100% (w/w), the reducing sugar content decreased from 105.23 to 42.35 mg. Inverted fluorescence images revealed that WPI formed a continuous network structure in the starch matrix and served as a barrier against amylase digestion. Different levels of WPI addition had diverse effects on the oral friction characteristics and rheological properties of the composite system. As the protein addition amounts were lower than 45% (w/w), the composite gels had lower lubrication properties and elastic modulus. While as the addition levels were higher than 45% (w/w), the composite gels exhibited higher lubrication properties and elastic modulus. Texture analysis indicated that the hardness value of the composite gel increased from 0.65 N for the individual LRS gel to 4.75 N for the composite gel of LRS+100% WPI. Furthermore, it was found through low-field nuclear magnetic analysis that the addition of WPI restricted the free movement of water molecules and enhanced the water-holding capacity of the composite gels.

The Effect of Lotus Root Starch Content on the Water Barrier Properties and Biodegradability of Cassava Bioplastic Films

Biodegradable films demand increases due to the awareness of the environmental effects of synthetic plastics. However, biodegradable films based on starch have high water sensibility and poor mechanical properties. This led to an interest among the scientist in improving the properties of biodegradable films. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of lotus root starch content on the water solubility, water absorption, water vapor permeability and biodegradability of cassava bioplastic films. The lotus root starch was added at 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% of cassava starch. The results showed that the water absorption properties decreased by 122% to 21% and the water vapor permeability showed a decreasing trend as the lotus starch content increased. The water solubility increased from 4% to 36% with the increase of lotus starch content and biodegradability increased by 87.5% at 50% of lotus starch content. The results exposed the potential of cassava/ lotus starch bioplastic films for food packaging applications.

Nutrient Variations and Their Use Efficiency of Pinus massoniana Seedling Tissues in Response to Low Phosphorus Conditions

Investigating the mechanisms by which plants adapt to low phosphorus content in ecosystems is crucial for nutrient dynamics division. Our study investigated the growth adaptation strategies of Pinus massoniana seedlings to low phosphorus conditions, including nutrient and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) allocation, nutrient stoichiometry, and changes in nutrient resorption efficiency along a fact-based gradient. Our results showed that the total biomass and aboveground biomass proportion increased with substrate phosphorus content, reaching maximum biomass in the one-time phosphorus treatment. The nutrient concentration of components remained relatively stable, with the allocating preference to roots and needles under low phosphorus conditions. NSC was allocated as starch in fine roots and as soluble sugar in needles. Seedlings did not show signs of phosphorus limitation, even in the non-phosphorus group. The nitrogen resorption efficiency to phosphorus resorption efficiency ratio (NRE: PRE) of needles significantly varied between the high and low phosphorus treatments. In response to phosphorus deficiency, seedlings demonstrated homeostatic adjustments to maintain the relative stability of nutrient concentration. Fine roots and needles were prioritized to ensure nutrient uptake and photosynthetic product production. Additionally, it was necessary to differentiate the indicative function of nitrogen/phosphorus for various species and components, and NRE: PRE potentially provides a sensitive indicator of nutrient limitation status.

Removal of the out-shell for lotus root starch improved the effect of heat-moisture modification on multi-structure, physicochemical and digestibility properties

In this paper, the surface gelatinization method was used to remove the outer shell of lotus root starch granules, and then it was treated with heat-moist treatment (HMT). The results showed that the gelatinization pattern was gradually gelatinized towards the umbilical point and formed a transparent gelatinization layer. The integrity of the granules was maintained, but the surface of lotus root starch became rough and appeared as holes. Heat-moist treatment significantly increases the gelatinization temperature and solubility. Removing the starch shell was more conducive to the interactions between starch and water molecules. Under the same conditions of heat-moist treatment, compared with the ungelatinized starch, the proportion of A chains and peak viscosity was significantly lower. At the same time, crystallinity, solubility and digestibility were significantly higher. The intermolecular cross-linking during the treatment led to an increase and then a decrease in the 1047/1022 cm−1 ratio and a more stable molecule structure. These results may provide new insight into the structural arrangement within starch granules and expand the application of heat-moist treatment.

Relationship of potassium doses with bioethanol yield in sweet potato in Cerrado soil

Sweet potato-bioethanol yield was evaluated in response to potassium fertilizer application. Experiments were performed using a 5 × 2 factorial design in which factors included the amount of K2O applied to the soil, with five levels (0, 30, 60, 120, and 240 kg ha-1) and genotype, with two levels (industrial genotype BDGPI #25 and table genotype BDGPM #04). Root yield, root starch and soluble solid contents, bioethanol yield, and economic viability of potassium application for bioethanol production were evaluated. Potassium affected root yield of both genotypes, with the highest yield observed at 140 kg K2O ha-1. Root starch concentration at harvest depended on genotype potential rather than potassium dose. Soluble solid content in fresh roots was lower than that in cooked roots, in which case, maximum conversion efficiency was observed at 109,69 and at 123.75 kg K2O ha-1 for BDGPM#04 and BDGPI#25, respectively. Bioethanol yield reached 10,484 and 9,839 L ha-1 at 151.87 and 136 kg K2O ha-1 for BDGPI#25 and BDGPM#04, respectively. Genotype BDGPI#25 was more efficient than sugarcane in converting potassium to bioethanol at 151.87 kg K2O ha-1, producing 10,484.29 L of bioethanol. In turn, BGDPM#04 showed maximum conversion efficiency relative to sugarcane at 122 kg K2O ha-1.

CH3COONa·3H2O/flaky modified vermiculite composite phase change materials enhanced phase change behavior and thermal storage through curing lotus root starch modification

With the establishment of the basic policy of environmentally-friendly and resource-saving society, the energy storage technology using phase change materials (PCMs) as the medium has developed unprecedentedly. Hydrated salt PCMs plays a vital role due to its large latent heat density, wide range of phase transition temperature, and high thermal conductivity. However, the problems of low enthalpy, poor thermal stability and phase separation are critical drawbacks of composite phase change materials (CPCMs), which limited the extensive use in fields of energy storage. In this work, the flaky vermiculite (MEVM) was fabricated by the acid treatment and alkali leaching, and the cured lotus root starch (CLRS) was embedded and used to enhance the water holding capability of hydrated salts. A series of sodium acetate trihydrate (SAT)-CLRS/MEVM was prepared, and the form-stable composite phase change materials (SAT fs-CPCMs) were obtained. Results showed that the encapsulation capacity of SAT fs-CPCM with 2 wt% CLRS was 71.3 %, and the thermal enthalpy reached 180.1 J/g, which was 43.7 % higher than that of SAT/MEVM. The contact angle of the sample with H2O was 22.24°, which represented hydrophilicity. SAT fs-CPCM also had good thermal stability and thermal reliability. After 200 thermal cycles, the enthalpy loss of the SAT fs-CPCM was only 5.2 %, and the 200th enthalpy value was 173.72 J/g. In addition, Calculations indicated that there were hydrogen bonds and van der Waals weak interaction between SAT and CLRS. This work provides a new perspective for the improvement of the thermal properties of hydrated salt and offers a promising approach for the applications of PCMs in cost-effective energy storage.

Growth and non-structural carbohydrates response patterns of Eucommia ulmoides under salt and drought stress.

Salinity and droughts are severe abiotic stress factors that limit plant growth and development. However, the differences and similarities of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) responses patterns of trees under the two stress conditions remain unclear. We determined and compared the growth, physiology, and NSCs response patterns and tested the relationships between growth and NSCs concentrations (or pool size) of Eucommia ulmoides seedlings planted in field under drought and salt stress with different intensities and durations. We found that drought and salt stress can inhibit the growth of E. ulmoides, and E. ulmoides tended to enhance its stress resistance by increasing proline concentration and leaf thickness or density but decreasing investment in belowground biomass in short-term stress. During short-term drought and salt stress, the aboveground organs showed different NSCs response characteristics, while belowground organs showed similar change characteristics: the starch (ST) and NSCs concentrations in the coarse roots decreased, while the ST and soluble sugar (SS) concentrations in the fine roots increased to enhance stress resistance and maintain water absorption function. As salt and drought stress prolonged, the belowground organs represented different NSCs response patterns: the concentrations of ST and SS in fine roots decreased as salt stress prolonged; while ST in fine roots could still be converted into SS to maintain water absorption as drought prolonged, resulting in an increase of SS and a decrease of ST. Significant positive relationships were found between growth and the SS and total NSCs concentrations in leaves and branches, however, no significant correlations were found between growth and below-ground organs. Moreover, relationships between growth and NSCs pool size across organs could be contrast. Our results provide important insights into the mechanisms of carbon balance and carbon starvation and the relationship between tree growth and carbon storage under stress, which were of great significance in guiding for the management of artificial forest ecosystem under the context of global change.

Metabolic adaptations of Pinus massoniana to low phosphorus and acidic aluminium with or without ectomycorrhization

Phosphorus (P) deficiency and aluminium toxicity often coexist and are the major constraints hampering plant growth in acidic soils. Plants have evolved several strategies to cope with these adverse environments, including the recruitment of beneficial microbes, especially mycorrhizal fungi. By employing microscopic observation, histochemical staining, and UPLC-MS/MS techniques, we analyzed the aluminium deposition and cell viability of root, symbiotic process with ECM fungus Suillus bovinus, as well as the metabolic adjustments in Pinus massoniana under low P and/or acidic aluminium conditions. The formation process of mycorrhizae between P. massoniana and S. bovinus was not affected by low P and acidic aluminium treatments, but low P postponed the development of mantle and Hartig nets. The colonization rate increased in the presence of acidic aluminium, and S. bovinus inoculation improved root cell viability and promoted the growth of P. massoniana under low P and/or acidic aluminium conditions. The metabolic responses of nonmycorrhizal and mycorrhizal P. massoniana to low P and/or acidic aluminium were different. Low P and/or acidic aluminium significantly increased the accumulation of phenolic acids and altered starch and sucrose metabolism in roots of nonmycorrhizal P. massoniana. However, for mycorrhizal P. massoniana, low P and/or acidic aluminium treatments increased the organic acids content of shared differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). Furthermore, acidic aluminium mainly altered arginine and proline metabolism, and phenylalanine metabolism was affected under low P conditions, linoleic acid metabolism was changed under the combined treatment of low P and acidic aluminium in mycorrhizal P. massoniana. These findings enhance our comprehension of how ECM fungi assist P. massoniana in coping with P deficiency and aluminium toxicity in acidic environments and provide a theoretical basis for ECM fungal application during seedling cultivation in acidic soils.

Genome-wide analysis of long noncoding RNAs in response to salt stress in Nicotiana tabacum

BackgroundLong noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play important roles in the response of plants to various abiotic stresses, including drought, heat and salt stress. However, the identification and characterization of genome-wide salt-responsive lncRNAs in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) have been limited. Therefore, this study aimed to identify tobacco lncRNAs in roots and leaves in response to different durations of salt stress treatment.ResultsA total of 5,831 lncRNAs were discovered, with 2,428 classified as differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in response to salt stress. Among these, only 214 DElncRNAs were shared between the 2,147 DElncRNAs in roots and the 495 DElncRNAs in leaves. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that these DElncRNAs were primarily associated with pathways involved in starch and sucrose metabolism in roots and cysteine and methionine metabolism pathway in leaves. Furthermore, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified 15 co-expression modules, with four modules strongly linked to salt stress across different treatment durations (MEsalmon, MElightgreen, MEgreenyellow and MEdarkred). Additionally, an lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was constructed, incorporating several known salt-associated miRNAs such as miR156, miR169 and miR396.ConclusionsThis study enhances our understanding of the role of lncRNAs in the response of tobacco to salt stress. It provides valuable information on co-expression networks of lncRNA and mRNAs, as well as networks of lncRNAs-miRNAs-mRNAs. These findings identify important candidate lncRNAs that warrant further investigation in the study of plant-environment interactions.

The potential of near–infrared spectroscopy as a rapid method for quality evaluation of cassava leaves and roots

In this study, near–infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to predict quality of cassava leaves and roots based on their own spectra and also to predict root quality based on the spectral data of the leaves. 990 cassava leaves and 330 roots were collected from 110 plants. The calibration and validation models were constructed by partial least square models with test set validation. High prediction performance models were found for predicting leaf dry matter (DM) and total cyanide (HCN) content using leaf spectra. The coefficient of determination of the validation set (R2val), root means square error of prediction (RMSEP), and the ratio performance deviation (RPDval) of leaf DM were 0.891, 1.04%, and 3.03, respectively, and those of leaf HCN were 0.909, 60.5 ppm, and 3.32, respectively. The prediction model developed from root spectra showed an excellent prediction result for root DM (R2val = 0.979, RMSEP = 0.677%, RPDval = 6.92), while good predicting ability models were obtained for HCN, starch, and TSS in root. Moreover, prediction models developed from leaf spectra could be used for qualitative screening of root quality. This study showed the potential of using NIRS as a rapid and reliable method to predict cassava quality at harvest or before processing.

Biomass yield and chemical composition of the cassava plant over two vegetative growth cycles

The objective of this work was to study the biomass production and chemical composition of the different parts of the cassava plant during the first and second vegetative cycles, with the aim of providing data that can contribute to the understanding of the response of cassava cultivars to different harvest ages. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks in split plot scheme. Plots were represented by cultivars IAC 90 and IAC 118-95 and subplots by crop age (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 months after planting). Our results showed that the ‘IAC 90’ allocated a higher proportion of assimilates to the leaves, stem and planted cutting than the ‘IAC 118-95’, which was more efficient in allocating dry matter to the storage roots. Storage roots showed an increase of more than 50% in starch content 14 months after planting. The cultivar IAC 118-95 is distinguished by the higher harvest index, allowing earlier harvesting, with possible valorisation of the leaves as industrial raw material. Variables showed different degrees of inter-relationships amongst themselves. Total plant fresh matter and dry matter yields were positively correlated with growth parameters and root starch for both cultivars. Harvest time and cultivar are key factors that should be considered to increase profits in the cassava agro-industrial chain.