Soluble Sugar Content Research Articles

This study investigated the effects of three different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains (Limosilactobacillus fermentum 14, Limosilactobacillus reuteri 18, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CAU808) on the nutrient components, bioactivity, and flavor profiles of a medicinal and edible homologous (MEH) plant-based beverage (QJ). Results demonstrated that QJ served as an excellent substrate for LAB growth, with viable counts of all three LAB exceeding 8.5 log CFU/mL after fermentation. Fermentation significantly reduced soluble sugar contents while increasing organic acids levels. A slight enhancement in ABTS radical scavenging capacity was also observed. Electronic tongue (E-tongue) analysis revealed that LAB fermentation markedly decreased bitterness and enhanced sourness, sweetness, and umami, thereby improving the overall taste profile. Furthermore, electronic nose (E-nose) and HS-SPME-GC-MS analyses indicated distinct alterations in odor characteristics post-fermentation. A total of 87 volatile compounds were identified, with alcohols constituting the predominant group. Compared to the other two strains, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CAU808 demonstrated superior fermentation performance and more favorable flavor characteristics. These findings provide a theoretical basis for utilizing LAB fermentation to optimize the flavor of MEH plant-based beverages.

Petroleum exposure alters the salt tolerance and rhizosphere bacterial diversity of Hippophae rhamnoides L.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi enhance the tolerance of Casuarina equisetifolia to drought and salt stress under coral sand matrix conditions.

The application of nitrogen improved the remediation ability of Hydrangea macrophylla to cadmium-contaminated soil.

Chemical exchange saturation transfer magnetic resonance imaging for metabolic mapping of ripening tomato fruit: Quite a challenge!

Exogenous melatonin affects kiwifruit growth and quality through hormone signaling pathway.

Comprehensive identification of sugar transporters in the Actinidia chinensis genomes reveals their potential roles in sugar accumulation of kiwifruits.

Long-term fertilization strategies are crucial for sustainable soil health and crop productivity. However, the synergistic effect of combining straw with lime in long-term fertilization remains underexplored, particularly regarding soil micronutrient availability and tomato yield. This study examined the 10-year effects of chicken manure (M) with straw (S) and/or lime (Ca) on soil properties, micronutrient availability, and tomato yield. The results demonstrated that all of the fertilization treatments significantly altered topsoil (0–20 cm) characteristics, reducing the pH but increasing the EC and nutrient content. The combined MSCa treatment was most effective, achieving the highest levels of total carbon (19 g/kg) and tomato yield (5.6 kg/m2), which was 12–87% higher than that achieved with the other treatments. Fertilization also significantly increased the diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn concentrations in both bulk soil and aggregate fractions, with availability strongly correlated with the soil total carbon and pH. The straw and lime amendments significantly improved the fruit quality by increasing the vitamin C and soluble sugar content while reducing the nitrate content. Furthermore, these treatments altered the distribution of micronutrients within the tomato organs, increasing their proportion in roots and fruits specifically. This study concludes that the integrated application of chicken manure with straw and lime is a highly effective strategy for improving soil fertility, enhancing micronutrient bioavailability, and boosting both the yield and nutritional quality of tomatoes.

The application of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) prediction as a tool for pre-breeding screening has immense potential but remains to be unexplored, because of technical challenges associated with these measurements. This study investigated the potential of employing FTIR spectroscopy as a high-throughput tool for forecasting NSC content, including total soluble sugar (TSS) and starch content, of 30 rice accessions from the Rice Diversity Panel 1 (RDP1) germplasm and RiceTec hybrids grown in 2019 (320 genotypes) and 2020 cropping (312 genotypes). Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression analysis was used to construct predictive models to estimate NSC content in flag leaves and stem of rice exposed to elevated and ambient nighttime air temperature during the flowering stage of rice. The TSS model exhibited a coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.63 and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) values of 3.62 mg g− 1. Notably, the NSC model demonstrated a superior metric performance, with R2 = 0.66 and RMSEP of 5.58 mg g− 1. The predictive model created in this research effectively measured the NSC composition present in the flag leaves of rice. Expanding the sample size and incorporating additional principal components may enhance the model’s predictive accuracy. The FTIR technique can produce fast accurate results and resolve the high analytical costs. Overall, the use of FTIR in conjunction with PLS regression analysis provides a potential tool to advance our understanding of various rice genotypes, particularly concerning their ability to withstand abiotic stress such as HNT.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13007-025-01444-y.

Anubias (Araceae) is a globally important group of ornamental aquatic plants. However, when temperatures drop to 10 °C, most species suffer obvious frostbite from cold stress, restricting winter cultivation and broader application. This study focused on two Anubias genotypes with distinct cold tolerance, adopting an integrated approach combining phenotypic, physiological, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses to reveal the mechanisms underlying their differential cold tolerance. Under 10 °C cold stress, compared with normal temperatures, the leaves of cold-tolerant Anubias sp. ‘Long Leaf’ (Jian) showed no significant frostbite, while cold-sensitive Anubias barteri var. nana ‘Coin Leaf’ (Jin) had clear frost damage. Both genotypes exhibited increased leaf relative electrical conductivity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, soluble sugar content, and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT); “Jian” had more notable rises in SOD/CAT activities and maintained higher levels, whereas “Jin” showed greater increases in conductivity, MDA, and soluble sugar. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed “Jian” specifically upregulated metabolites in pathways like flavone and flavonol biosynthesis and tryptophan metabolism, as well as genes related to valine, leucine, isoleucine degradation and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. ERFs, WRKYs, NACs and other transcription factors correlated with these differentially expressed genes, suggesting potential transcriptional regulation. These results provides insights for breeding cold-tolerant Anubias and optimizing low-temperature cultivation.

Background: As a typical xerophyte, H. halodendron can not only grow in desert sandy areas but also serves as an excellent nectar source and ornamental plant. However, research on its molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying drought tolerance remains limited. Methods: This study systematically investigated its drought resistance characteristics by integrating physiological parameters and Illumina transcriptome sequencing, and further validated key genes involved in the drought resistance mechanisms. Results: A total of 46,305 functional genes were identified, among which 6561 were differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These DEGs were significantly enriched in chloroplast function, photosynthesis, proline biosynthesis, and peroxidase activity. Under drought stress, the net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content, and transpiration rate decreased. Under severe drought conditions, only 5 out of 80 photosynthesis-related DEGs were up-regulated, while the rest were down-regulated, indicating that reduced chlorophyll content impaired light absorption, carbon reactions, and photosynthetic efficiency. Additionally, the contents of proline, soluble sugars, and soluble proteins, as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD), increased. The identification of 35 osmotic regulation-related and 39 antioxidant enzyme-related DEGs suggests that H. halodendron enhances osmotic adjustment substance synthesis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity to counteract osmotic stress. Conclusions: Physiological, biochemical and gene expression analyses under drought stress provide a basis for the study of the drought tolerance characteristics of H. halodendron, which is of great significance for ecological environment governance using H. halodendron.

Summer–autumn green tea (SAGT) is a high-yield green tea often compromised by pronounced bitterness, astringency and a weak aroma, which severely limit its consumer acceptability and economic value. To enhance its quality, this study employed solid-state fermentation with Eurotium cristatum, the core probiotic fungus in Fu brick tea (FBT), to investigate its effects on the physicochemical, sensory, and volatile profiles of SAGT. The findings showed that after fermentation, the tea leaves developed a golden-yellow color, and the tea infusion turned brown. Moreover, the contents of flavonoids, tea polyphenols, soluble sugars, catechins, and free amino acids showed decreases of 3%, 33%, 38%, 41%, and 48%, respectively, when compared to SAGT. At the same time, the astringency and bitterness levels of the infusions significantly diminished (p < 0.05) post-fermentation, and the 8-day fermented tea sample was the most preferred by the sensory panel. During fermentation, E-nose, GC-MS, and GC-IMS analyses revealed a substantial transformation of the volatile profile, with a total of 104 and 129 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified using GC-MS and GC-IMS techniques, respectively. The ROAV analysis highlighted 22 aroma-active compounds, particularly linalool and methyl salicylate, whose values increased significantly (p < 0.05), reaching values of 19,561.95 and 109.56, respectively, making them key contributors to the prominent floral and minty fragrance in the fermented tea. Additionally, PLS-DA analysis revealed 22 and 33 differential VOCs in the GC-MS and GC-IMS methods, respectively, with the majority stemming from the PAL and MEP metabolic pathways. This study provides theoretical insights aimed at enhancing the flavor quality of SAGT.

Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is one of the varieties of sorghum having stalk with high concentration of soluble sugar. Biochemical evaluations of sweet sorghum enable it to determine the potential of the crop to be utilized for sugar production at industrial level. This study was designed to evaluate the Ethiopian sweet sorghum germplasms for production of crystalized sugar. In this study, 91 sweet sorghum accessions were evaluated based on total soluble sugar content. As a result, 8 accessions having high total soluble sugar scores were selected and evaluated for further biochemical quality traits. In addition, three agronomic parameters were used to evaluate their effect on the biochemical features of the studied sweet sorghum and sugarcane accessions. These traits include total soluble sugar (degree brix), polarization, sucrose content, sugar purity, days to maturity, stem height and stalk diameter. Three high quality sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) genotypes collected from Kessem sugar industry of Ethiopia were used as standard checks. Analysis of variance (ANOVA); mean separation and correlation were analyzed using R-software. ANOVA revealed significant variations for polarization value and purity of sweet sorghum juice at p ≤ 0.001. The mean separation analysis revealed that maximum and minimum degree brix were obtained from T-11 (20.23%) and T-28 (16.88%), respectively. In the present study, the polarization values ranged from 41.57 (T-28) to 69.30 0Z (C-86/12).The three sugarcane standard cheeks showed relatively higher values of polarization in comparison with the sweet sorghum accessions. Among the sweet sorghum accessions, T-13 showed relatively higher polarization value whereas the remaining sweet sorghum accessions didn’t show significant variation. The average sucrose content (pol percentage) was ranged from 11.98% (T-28) to 16.77% (C-86/12). C-86/12 sugarcane accession showed the highest (16.77%) mean value for sucrose content whereas T-28 sweet sorghum accession scored the lowest sucrose content (11.98%). Maximum purity of sugar was recorded from SP-70 (90.77%) sugarcane accession whereas; the minimum value was recorded from T-11 (63.62%) sweet sorghum accession. In addition, the correlation analysis revealed that there were both positive and negative correlation among biochemical and agro morphological traits of sweet sorghum and sugarcane. Brix value showed positive correlation with polarization (0.56**) and sucrose content (0.71**) while it was negatively correlated with sugar purity (-0.06), days to maturity (-0.06), stem height (-0.19) and stalk diameter (-0.16). On the other hand, polarization showed strong positive correlation with sucrose content (0.95**), purity (0.76**) and days to maturity (0.78**). In comparison with sugarcane, the studied sweet sorghum accessions revealed quite lower performance in polarization, sucrose content and purity. Nevertheless, this study confirmed the existence of a climate smart and promising sweet sorghum genotypes used for the production of sugar and syrup as an alternative sweetener.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-21488-3.

Neoagaro-oligosaccharides (NAOS) are degraded seaweed polysaccharides of low molecular weight and high water solubility. Currently, little information is available on the utility of NAOS for seed germination. Here, we investigated seed germination of garden cosmos under NAOS concentrations of 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 5, and 10 g/L and monitored the role of 1 g/L NAOS in physiology of germinating seeds and recovery from plant growth inhibitor stress. The results showed that 1 g/L NAOS maximized germination potential of seeds and hypocotyl length, along with increasing α-amylase and β-amylase activities and soluble starch and soluble sugar contents of seedlings. Radicle length and hypocotyl fresh weight showed progressive decrease with the increase in NAOS concentration. The optimal dose of NAOS (1 g/L) decreased abscisic acid level but increased the levels of auxins, gibberellins and strigolactones in germinating seeds. Addition of 1 g/L NAOS to germination medium alleviated the impact of different growth retardants on seed germination and seedling growth, particularly radicle dry weight. This study shows that exogenous NAOS can improve seed germination and alleviate the stress induced by growth retardants on garden cosmos.

The curd is a unique indeterminate inflorescence structure, which is the most important edible organ of broccoli. Premature bolting of the curd is a major factor that limits the yield and marketability of broccoli. However, the formation and development of broccoli curd, especially the bolting of curd, remain poorly understood. In this study, BolAG, a homologous gene of the floral development gene AtAG, was highly expressed in curd and floral organ of broccoli. Overexpression of BolAG in broccoli significantly promoted curd development, leading to early bolting. Correspondingly, RNA interference (RNAi) of BolAG resulted in arrested curd development, leading to delayed or even absent bolting. Physiological analyses indicated that BolAG-overexpressing broccoli exhibited higher starch and soluble sugar contents (SSC) compared to the wild-type (WT). RNA-Seq analysis also identified significant enrichment of genes related to starch metabolism. Among them, the starch hydrolysis-related gene BolBAM4 was confirmed to be the target gene of BolAG. Additionally, BolAG was confirmed to interact with ribose-5-phosphate isomerase 2 (BolRPI2), a protein involved in the pentose phosphate pathway and their interaction enhanced the transcriptional promotion of BolAG on BolBAM4, accelerating starch degradation and thereby leading to the accumulation of soluble sugars. While BolRPI2 was demonstrated to have a positive effect on chloroplast function and promote starch synthesis, BolAG appeared to promote starch synthesis in a BolRPI2-independent manner. These results confirm that the BolAG-BolRPI2-BolBAM4 module plays a crucial role in regulating starch metabolism, providing a theoretical foundation for addressing industrial losses due to premature bolting.

The NAC transcription factor CsNAC22 modulates soluble sugar accumulation by activating the expression of sucrose synthase 5 gene in cucumber fruit.

BackgroundTropical water lilies, vital aquatic ornamental plants, face significant challenges in overwintering outdoors in northern subtropical climates, which limits their ornamental and application values. This study investigates the mechanisms underlying the survival and adaptation strategies of tropical water lilies Nymphaea ‘Eldorado’, during cold periods, focusing on physiological, morphological, and ecological responses.ResultOur research findings reveal that ‘Eldorado’ tubers, regardless of their ecodormancy state, can swiftly resume growth under favorable temperature conditions, indicating that the dormancy pattern of ‘Eldorado’ is characterized by ecodormancy. Investigations using paraffin sectioning of ‘Eldorado’ tubers demonstrate that accelerated cortical cell division and increased starch granule accumulation contribute to tuber enlargement for entering ecodormancy. Low-temperature experiments reveal that mid-ecodormant tubers of tropical water lilies are less cold-tolerant than fully ecodormant ones; after one month underwater at 4 °C, mid-ecodormant tubers showed no sprouting within seven days, while fully ecodormant tubers had an 80% sprouting rate after two months. Transcriptomic analysis of tubers at various ecodormancy stages revealed that differentially expressed genes are enriched in pathways related to secondary metabolite biosynthesis and plant hormone signaling. Combined with hormone content analysis, we propose that ABA, GA, JA, ETH, and BR are key factors inducing ecodormancy in ‘Eldorado’. Shortened photoperiod treatments effectively induced ecodormancy, with treated tubers showing greater enlargement and starch content compared to controls, alongside reduced new leaf count and soluble sugar content, indicating enhanced growth and nutrient accumulation. Furthermore, under a 5-hour light/19-hour dark photoperiod, the application of 100 µM JA significantly promoted tuber enlargement, while 50 µM ABA facilitated moderate enlargement, simultaneously supporting the induction of ecodormancy.ConclusionThese findings deepen our understanding of plant dormancy and propose strategies to improve the overwinter survival and reproductive success of tropical water lilies in non-native climates, with implications for horticultural practices and biodiversity conservation.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12870-025-07427-4.

Seed priming has become a promising technique in agriculture and crop-stress management. Several authors have shown that the positive effects of seed priming are associated with various metabolic, physiological, and biochemical modifications (enzyme activation, membrane repair, initiation of DNA/RNA, and protein synthesis) that enhance the speed, uniformity, and vigor of germination. However, the mechanisms underlying seed priming are not yet well understood. The aim of our work was to study the quantitative and qualitative metabolic changes in the embryonic axes (radicle and plumule) and cotyledons of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. Seeds were subjected to osmopriming with polyethylene glycol (PEG), simple hydropriming, and double hydropriming (a novel treatment). Results indicated that all types of priming, particularly double hydropriming, strongly stimulated the hydrolysis of protein and carbohydrate reserves. This resulted in a decrease in soluble proteins and starch contents and an increase in amino acids and soluble sugars contents. Moreover, the priming promoted the biosynthesis of osmolytes such as proline and induced qualitative changes in the composition of amino acids and soluble sugars. These biochemical changes depend on the organ and treatment method applied to the seeds. It is worth noting that double hydropriming induces metabolic modifications to a greater extent than single hydropriming.

The quality of tomato fruit represents a key determinant of consumer preference, while functional fertilisers significantly contribute to quality enhancement. Limited research has investigated the synergistic mechanisms between functional fertilisers and vermicompost in tomato cultivation systems. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of synergistic regulation between functional fertilisers and vermicompost on soil fertility, as well as the growth and quality of two tomato cultivars, with the ultimate goal of identifying the functional fertiliser treatment exhibiting optimal comprehensive performance. A completely randomised block design was adopted, involving two tomato cultivars (DRK0568 and Sangfen 180), five functional fertiliser treatments (T1-T5), and a water-only control (CK). Measurements included tomato growth parameters, photosynthetic characteristics, fruit quality indices, yield components, biomass accumulation, soil nutrient levels, and enzyme activities. The results demonstrated significant varietal-specific responses to different functional fertiliser treatments. In terms of growth and yield, the T1 treatment exhibited a significant advantage, as it significantly increased the plant height, stem thickness, biomass, and yield of both varieties (DRK0568 and Sangfen 180) by 6.86% and 10.41%, respectively, while also significantly reducing the malformed fruit rate. For photosynthetic analyses, the T1 treatment significantly increased the chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll content in Sangfen 180, as well as the transpiration rate of both tomato varieties. The T4 treatment resulted in the highest chlorophyll b content and optimal water use efficiency in Sangfen 180. Regarding nutritional quality, the T1 treatment significantly increased the vitamin C and soluble sugar content in DRK0568; both varieties exhibited higher sugar-acid ratios under the T3 and T4 treatments. A comprehensive evaluation using the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method for multiple quality indicators (excluding yield parameters) showed that the T4 treatment achieved the highest score. Soil nutrient analyses revealed that the T1 treatment significantly increased the soil organic matter and available potassium content in DRK0568, while the T4 treatment significantly increased the urease activity in Sangfen 180. In conclusion, the T1 treatment (mineral-sourced potassium fulvate fertiliser) exhibited excellent performance in both increasing yield and improving quality, while the T4 treatment (Type II algal polysaccharide fertiliser additive) demonstrated unique advantages in enhancing fruit quality indicators.

Adventitious rooting is a key step for the clonal propagation of many economically important horticultural and woody species. Accumulating evidence suggests that nitric oxide (NO) serves as a key signaling molecule with key roles in root organogenesis. However, the role of NO in adventitious root development and its underlying mechanism in sweetpotato cuttings remain to be clarified. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted using hydroponically cultured sweetpotato cuttings (Ipomoea batatas cv. ‘Jin Ganshu No. 9’) treated with different concentrations of sodium nitroprusside (SNP, an NO donor) solution (0, 10, 50, 100, 200, and 500 μmol·L−1). Three treatments were established: Control, SNP (the optimal concentration of SNP), and SNP + 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO, an NO scavenger). The results showed that NO promoted adventitious rooting in a dose-dependent manner, with the maximal biological response observed at 100 μM SNP. At this concentration, the root number and length of adventitious roots increased by 1.22 and 2.36 times, respectively, compared to the control. SNP treatment increased fresh root weight, dry root weight, the content of soluble sugar, soluble protein, chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), and total chlorophyll (a + b) [Chl(a + b)], as well as the activities of peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and indole acetic acid oxidase (IAAO). It also enhanced the levels of maximum fluorescence (Fm), maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), absorbed light energy (ABS/RC), trapped energy flux (TRo/RC), and electron transport flux (ETo/RC), while decreasing starch content and initial fluorescence (Fo). On the 7th day, the SNP treatment significantly enhanced several biochemical parameters compared to the control. We observed an increase in many of the parameters: POD activity by 1.35 times, PPO activity by 0.55 times, chlorophyll content (Chl a by 0.66 times, Chl b by 0.22 times, and Chl a + b by 0.57 times), and photosynthesis parameters by 28–98%. Meanwhile, starch content and Fo in the SNP treatment decreased by 10.77% and 23.86%, respectively, compared to the control. Furthermore, the positive effects of NO on adventitious root development and associated biochemical parameters were reversed by the NO scavenger cPTIO. Additionally, significant and positive correlations were observed between morphological characteristics and most physiological indicators. Collectively, these results demonstrate that NO promotes adventitious root formation, which may be by enhancing rooting-related enzyme activities, improving photosynthetic performance in leaves, and accelerating the metabolism of soluble sugar, soluble protein, and starch.