Spinach Research Articles

Comparing the infection biology and gene expression differences of Plasmodiophora brassicae primary and secondary zoospores.

Plasmodiophora brassicae (Wor.) is an obligate plant pathogen affecting Brassicae worldwide. To date, there is very little information available on the biology and molecular basis of P. brassicae primary and secondary zoospore infections. To examine their roles, we used microscope to systematically investigate the infection differences of P. brassicae between samples inoculated separately with resting spores and secondary zoospores. The obvious development of P. brassicae asynchrony that is characterized by secondary plasmodium, resting sporangial plasmodium, and resting spores was observed at 12 days in Brassica rapa inoculated with resting spores but not when inoculated with secondary zoospores at the same time. Inoculation with resting spores resulted in much more development of zoosporangia clusters than inoculation with secondary zoospores in non-host Spinacia oleracea. The results indicated that primary zoospore infection played an important role in the subsequent development. To improve our understanding of the infection mechanisms, RNA-seq analysis was performed. Among 18 effectors identified in P. brassicae, 13 effectors were induced in B. rapa seedlings inoculated with resting spores, which suggested that the pathogen and host first contacted, and more effectors were needed. Corresponding to those in B. rapa, the expression levels of most genes involved in the calcium-mediated signaling pathway and PTI pathway were higher in plants inoculated with resting spores than in those inoculated with secondary zoospores. The ETI pathway was suppressed after inoculation with secondary zoospores. The genes induced after inoculation with resting spores were suppressed in B. rapa seedlings inoculated with secondary zoospores, which might be important to allow a fully compatible interaction and contribute to a susceptible reaction in the host at the subsequent infection stage. The primary zoospores undertook an more important interaction with plants.

Nutritional Assessment and Proximate Analysis of Selected Vegetables Grown in Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan

Food security and protection are the most crucial concerns worldwide. However, vegetables may significantly contribute to the macro and micro-nutrients for good health compared to dietary supplements. Eight vegetables of the Larkanadivision, namely spinach (Spinacia oleracea), brinjal (Solanum melongina L.), sponge gourd (Luffa acutangula), lotus root (Lelumbo nucifera), okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), coriander leave (Coriandrum sativum), fenugreek leave (Trigonella foenum graecum), and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) were studied for their proximate, macro and micro-mineral contents to estimate their importance in human nutrition. The results showed that almost all vegetables contain appreciable amounts of essential nutrients. All the vegetables showed moisture contents of >70.00%. Lotus and sponge gourd have a maximum level of carbohydrates (>10.00%). Fiber was found in the range of 2.70 – 5.10%, with the highest in the okra. Protein and fat were found at < 4.00%, with maximum protein in spinach and fat in fenugreek leaves. The studied vegetables showed maximum levels of K and Ca, followed by Na, Mg, Fe, Zn, and Cu while Cr and Mn were observed to be < 5.00 µg/g. The macro and micro-minerals in the studied vegetables were within the maximum permissible limits recommended by WHO. Moreover, the eight studied vegetables of the Larkana division can also provide up to 1.00% of the required dietary daily intake of macro and micro-nutrients as recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board.

Comparative study on changes in Cd accumulation and ionome between rice and spinach: Impact of zinc ion activity.

Excessive Cd accumulation in rice grain has caused chronic Cd diseases in humans. In most crops, 100 times more Zn than Cd strongly inhibits Cd uptake and translocation. However, this response is not found for rice (Oryza sativa L.), which was found to have an unusual Cd uptake pattern compared with other crops, such as spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). Moreover, studies on shared transporters between Zn and Cd using normal solution experiments with traditional high concentrations of metal ions may result in irrelevant interactions. Therefore, we developed ethyleneglycoltetraacetate-buffered nutrient solutions in this work. Rice and spinach seedlings were grown under calibrated low Cd2+ activity and low to phytotoxic Zn2+ activity levels while buffering other micronutrient cations at sufficient levels. Results showed that as rice grew with pZn2+ =8.1-5.4, root Cd and shoot Ni decreased significantly and gradually. However, shoot Cd and Mn in rice decreased slightly with the increase of solution Zn2+ from deficiency to sufficiency and then increased at toxic Zn2+ solution (pZn2+ =5.4). The shoot/root ratios of Cd in rice under toxic pZn2+ (5.6 and 5.4 pZn2+ activity) were significantly increased (p<.05). It could be concluded that rice absorption of Cd is not inhibited by co-contaminating (toxic) Zn. For spinach, with Zn varying from pZn2+ =8.1-5.7, both shoot and root Cd substantially decreased, as did shoot Ni. This work revealed that, to understand food chain Cd risks, one needs to consider the inhibitory role of Zn in limiting Cd absorption in all crops studied except rice.

Fine Mapping and Identification of a Candidate Gene of Downy Mildew Resistance, RPF2, in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.)

Downy mildew is a major threat to the economic value of spinach. The most effective approach to managing spinach downy mildew is breeding cultivars with resistance genes. The resistance allele RPF2 is effective against races 1-10 and 15 of Peronospora farinosa f. sp. Spinaciae (P. effusa) and is widely used as a resistance gene. However, the gene and the linked marker of RPF2 remain unclear, which limit its utilization. Herein, we located the RPF2 gene in a 0.61 Mb region using a BC1 population derived from Sp39 (rr) and Sp62 (RR) cultivars via kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) markers. Within this region, only one R gene, Spo12821, was identified based on annotation information. The amino acid sequence analysis showed that there were large differences in the length of the LRR domain between the parents. Additionally, a molecular marker, RPF2-IN12821, was developed based on the sequence variation in the Spo12821, and the evaluation in the BC1 population produced a 100% match with resistance/susceptibility. The finding of the study could be valuable for improving our understanding of the genetic basis of resistance against the downy mildew pathogen and breeding resistance lines in the future.

Understanding foraging practices in Lagos metropolis to redesign urban greenspaces in support of human-nature interactions

Enhancing knowledge of urban foraging across different urban landscapes is an urgent matter given that about two-thirds of the world’s population is projected to live in urban areas by 2050, whilst 50 % of Africa’s population is expected to live in cities by 2030. This study was conducted in Lagos metropolis which is the economic hub of Africa’s most populous country. Data was collected using an in-person, semi-structured questionnaire from 347 persons who were 18 years or older to identify foragers and non-foragers, their sociodemographic profiles, and their foraging practices. Results revealed that about two out of three persons sampled forage to some degree. The collection happened more in domestic gardens (34 %) and streets (27 %) than in other foraging sites (such as unused lands, institutional grounds and lakes and riparian fringes). A total of 35 species were reportedly foraged within the metropolis, mostly for food (71 %) and medicine (26 %). Mango (Mangifera indica), pawpaw (Carica papaya), tropical almond (Terminalia catappa), fish (various species), bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) were the most gathered species. The distance travelled to foraging wild species ranged from 5 m to 25 km. The primary motivation for foraging was the acquisition of fresh and natural materials. However, some felt that foraging was a stressful activity. The unavailability of foraging sites and species was the major constraint to foraging in this megacity. Hence, efforts to increase the edible components of public green spaces and to provide free access could potentially allow more people to forage and make current foraging more secure. We suggest that making provisions for foraging in urban planning goals could contribute to the sustainable development of cities in Africa and elsewhere.

CAM-21, a novel lytic phage with high specificity towards Escherichia coli O157:H7 in food products

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that has become a serious global concern for food safety. Despite the application of different traditional biocontrol methods in the food industry, food borne disease outbreaks linked to this organism remain. Due to their high specificity, lytic bacteriophages are promising antimicrobial agents that could be utilized to control pathogens in foods. In this study, a novel Escherichia phage, CAM-21, was isolated from a dairy farm environment. CAM-21 showed targeted host specificity towards various serotypes of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, including O157:H7, O26, O103, and O145. Morphological analyses revealed that CAM-21 has a polyhedron capsid and a contractile tail with a diameter of about 92.83 nm, and length of about 129.75 nm, respectively. CAM-21 showed a strong inhibitory effect on the growth of E. coli O157:H7, even at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of as low as 0.001. Phage adsorption and one-step growth analysis indicated that the target pathogen was rapidly lysed by CAM-21 that exhibited a short latent time (20 min). Electron microscopic and genomic DNA analyses suggested that CAM-21 is a lytic phage, classified as a new species in the Tequatrovirus genus of the Myoviridae Family. Based on whole genome sequencing, CAM-21 has a double-stranded DNA with 166,962 bp, 265 open reading frames and 11 tRNA. The genome of CAM-21 did not encode toxins, virulence factors, antibiotic resistance, lysogeny or allergens. Phylogenetic and genomic comparative analyses suggested that CAM-21 is a T4-like phage species. The growth of E. coli O157:H7 was effectively controlled in milk, ground beef and baby spinach at MOIs of 1000 and 10,000. CAM-21 significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced the bacterial counts of the treated foods, ranging from 1.4–2.0 log CFU/mL in milk to 1.3–1.4 log CFU/g in ground beef and baby spinach. These findings suggest that the lytic phage, CAM-21, is a potential candidate for controlling E. coli O157:H7 contamination in foods.

Host plant status and damage threshold of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) for the temperate root-knot nematode Meloidogyne chitwoodi

Summary Problems with plant-parasitic nematodes remain a major challenge in most field vegetable crops worldwide. In agricultural fields in Belgium, these problems have increased in recent years. A major problem is the quarantine root-knot nematode Meloidogyne chitwoodi. The host plant status of the most commonly grown cultivars of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and the damage threshold for M. chitwoodi were determined in a climate-controlled glasshouse and in a naturally infested field. The yield data with the final population densities were fitted to Seinhorst’s yield and population dynamic models, respectively. The damage threshold values (T) for the relative fresh weight yield were 0.14, 1.08, 11.53 J2 (100 cm3 soil)−1, minimum yield (m) of 0.84, 0.64, 0.52 and maximum yield () of 12.51, 12.44 and 9.60 for ‘Gnu’, ‘Meerkat’ and ‘Whale’ spinach cultivars, respectively. The maximum multiplication rates (a) were 3.81, 2.38 and 2.72, whilst the maximum population densities (M) were 563, 916, and 922 J2 (100 cm3 soil)−1 for ‘Gnu’, ‘Meerkat’ and ‘Whale’, respectively. Meloidogyne chitwoodi had an impact on the spinach yield. The higher the nematode density the lower the yield and vice versa. The tested cultivars were all hosts for M. chitwoodi but differences between cultivars occurred. ‘Kolibri’ and ‘Rhino’ were tested as the least sensitive cultivars for M. chitwoodi during the host screening test and bring opportunities for resistance breeding. This is the first report of spinach as a host for M. chitwoodi.

Intercropping Spinach and Red Amaranth With Brinjal Under Different Planting System

The experiment was conducted at Agronomy Research Field of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, during the rabi season of 2018 to 2019 and 2019 to 2020 to find out the suitable crop combination of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and red amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) with brinjal (Solanum melongena) for higher brinjal equivalent yield, monetary advantage and maximize land utilization through intercropping system. Treatments were: T1 = 2 rows spinach (50%) in between two rows of brinjal (100%), T2 = 3 rows Spinach (75%) in between two rows of brinjal (100%), T3 = 2 rows red amaranth (50%) in between two rows of brinjal (100%), T4 = 3 rows red amaranth (75%) in between two rows of brinjal (100%), T5 = Sole brinjal ( 80 cm × 60 cm), T6 = Sole spinach (Line to line 20 cm) and T7 = Sole red amaranth (Line to line 20 cm) were used in the study. All the intercropping combinations showed better performance in terms of brinjal equivalent yield, gross return and benefit cost ratio (BCR) over sole crops. Among the intercropping combinations, 3 row spinach (75%) in between two rows of brinjal (100%) was the most feasible and profitable intercropping system in respect of brinjal equivalent yield (34.72 t ha-1), land equivalent ratio (1.57), gross return (Tk. 6,94,346 ha- 1), gross margin (Tk. 4,59,088 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (2.95). From the two years, results revealed that all intercropping treatments were productive as compared to sole treatments but 3 rows spinach (line to line 20 cm) 75% in between two rows of brinjal (80 cm × 60 cm) 100% intercropped combination might be agronomically feasible and economically profitable.&#x0D; Bangladesh Agron. J. 2022, 25(1): 91-96

Volatilomes reveal specific signatures for contamination of leafy vegetables with Escherichia coli O157:H7

Transmission of foodborne pathogens by plants, especially shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, has become a public health concern for ready-to-eat products. Due to the patchy distribution of foodborne pathogens on commodities, random sampling before processing and following packaging cannot reliably exclude presence of pathogenic microbes. Robust, cost-effective, and reliable methods for monitoring pathogenic E. coli on fresh produce are therefore urgently needed. We investigated whether volatile organic compounds are suitable for detection of E. coli O157:H7 contamination of leafy vegetables. Using solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we analyzed volatilomes of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and rocket (Eruca sativa L.) leaf lysates, and of a common culture medium (lysogeny broth), in the presence and absence of E. coli O157:H7. Volatile profiles varied with the nutrient medium. We found higher proportions of indole, phenylmethanol, 2-methoxyphenol, ethanol, propan-1-ol, decan-1-ol, tridecan-1-ol, nonan-2-one and tridecan-2-one in headspace from inoculated compared with non-inoculated samples. This demonstrates that volatile organic compounds are suitable for detecting contamination of leafy vegetables with E. coli O157:H7. In future work we will focus on adapting the volatile assay for screening for E. coli O157:H7 contamination under different conditions, including intact and damaged baby leaves, leaf packages, or leaf batches, and on increasing its sensitivity.

Guard Cell Transcriptome Reveals Membrane Transport, Stomatal Development and Cell Wall Modifications as Key Traits Involved in Salinity Tolerance in Halophytic Chenopodium quinoa.

A comparative investigation was conducted to evaluate transcriptional changes in guard cells (GCs) of closely related halophytic (Chenopodium quinoa) and glycophytic (Spinacia oleracea) species. Plants were exposed to 3 weeks of 250 mM sodium chloride treatment, and GC-enriched epidermal fragments were mechanically prepared. In both species, salt-responsive genes were mainly related to categories of protein metabolism, secondary metabolites, signal transduction and transport systems. Genes related to abscisic acid (ABA) signaling and ABA biosynthesis were strongly induced in quinoa but not in spinach GCs. Also, expression of the genes encoding transporters of amino acids, proline, sugars, sucrose and potassium increased in quinoa GCs under salinity stress. Analysis of cell-wall-related genes suggests that genes involved in lignin synthesis (e.g. lignin biosynthesis LACCASE 4) were highly upregulated by salt in spinach GCs. In contrast, transcripts related to cell wall plasticity Pectin methylesterase3 (PME3) were highly induced in quinoa. Faster stomatal response to light and dark measured by observing kinetics of changes in stomatal conductance in quinoa might be associated with higher plasticity of the cell wall regulated by PME3 Furthermore, genes involved in the inhibition of stomatal development and differentiation were highly expressed by salt in quinoa, but not in spinach. These changes correlated with reduced stomatal density and index in quinoa, thus improving its water use efficiency. The fine modulation of transporters, cell wall modification and controlling stomatal development in GCs of quinoa may have resulted in high K+/Na+ ratio, lower stomatal conductance and higher stomatal speed for better adaptation to salinity stress in quinoa.

PH Alteration in Plant-Mediated Green Synthesis and Its Resultant Impact on Antimicrobial Properties of Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs)

Plant-mediated green synthesis is a cost-effective and eco-friendly process used to synthesize metallic nanoparticles. Experimental pH is of interest due to its ability to influence nanoparticle size and shape; however, little has been explored in comparison to the influence of this parameter on the therapeutic potential of resultant metallic nanoparticles. Our work investigated the influence of pH alternation on antimicrobial properties of plant-mediated green synthesized (using Spinacia oleracea leaf extract) silver nanoparticles. We further investigated if the antimicrobial activity was sustained at 8 weeks (after initial green synthesis). Antimicrobial properties were evaluated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. Our work confirmed that experimental pH in plant-mediated green synthesis of silver nanoparticles influenced their resultant antimicrobial properties. Silver nanoparticles generated at experimental pH 4,5, and nine showed activity against E. coli which was sustained at various levels over 8 weeks. No antimicrobial activity was observed against S. aureus, and weak antimicrobial activity against C. albicans. These interesting findings highlight the importance of experimental pH. Further understanding of the role experimental pH plays on resultant metallic nanoparticle properties as it relates to biological and therapeutic impact is required, which will have an impact on wider applications beyond antimicrobial activity.

Suitability of Amaranthaceae and Polygonaceae species as food source for the sugar beet weevil Asproparthenis punctiventris Germar

This study explores the food plant spectrum of the sugar beet weevil (Asproparthenis punctiventris Germar; Coleoptera: Curculionidae), one of the most important pests of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris Altissima group). It examines the potential of various weeds and other plants to maintain populations of A. punctiventris adults and larvae outside sugar beet fields. To this end, leaf consumption of females and males on twelve Amaranthaceae and six Polygonaceae species was compared over a 24-h period in a laboratory environment. Both sexes consumed the greatest amount of leaf mass from Beta spp. and on average about a third less from Atriplex spp., indicating that these plants have the highest nutritional value for A. punctiventris. Weevils consumed between 30 and 60% of the amount of A. retroflexus and Chenopodium spp. than they fed on sugar beet leaves. Like Spinacia oleracea (Amaranthaceae), plant species of the Polygonaceae family were hardly or not at all fed on. Mated females generally consumed more leaf mass than unmated, especially from Chenopodium spp. and A. retroflexus, i.e. plants with low feeding value. Experiments with potted plants revealed that the most and heaviest 4th instar larvae developed on sugar beet, while fewer individuals with lesser weight were found on B. vulgaris subsp. maritima and A. hortensis. Very few larvae were able to develop on C. album, and none on A. retroflexus. To prevent promotion of pest population, special attention should be paid to the control of weeds from the Amaranthaceae family in sugar beet growing areas.

Evaluation of the impact of varied biochars produced from M. × giganteus waste and application rate on the soil properties and physiological parameters of Spinacia oleracea L.

The use of M. × giganteus in phytoremediation requires treatment of the contaminated biomass, which can be done by pyrolysis to produce biochar. Due to its potentially detrimental properties, the application of biochar in soil remediation must first be evaluated on a test plant to infer how the growth process was affected by the impact on soil parameters. The main goal of the current research was to investigate the effects of waste-derived Miscanthus biochars (from contaminated rhizomes (B1) and aboveground biomass (B2)) on soil properties and evaluate the impact of biochar doses and properties on Spinacia oleracea L. growth. It was revealed that incorporation of B1 at a dose of 5% and B2 at doses of 1, 3, and 5% increased soil organic carbon, pH, K (at 3 and 5%), and P 2 O 5 (at 5% B2). Cultivation of S. oleracea reduced organic carbon, soil pH as a function of biochar dosage, and K, P 2 O 5 , NH 4 , and NO 3 content in all treatments tested. The highest biomass yield was recorded at 3% B2. The photosynthetic parameters indicated that the doses of 3 and 5% B2 led to dissociation of light-harvesting complexes. Increasing the biochar dose did not necessarily increase yield or improve photosynthetic parameters. S. oleracea adapted to the initial stress by incorporating biochar and managed to establish a balance between nutrients, water supply, and light. It is recommended that the effects of biochar on the development of the target crop be evaluated through preliminary trials before biochar is applied at field scale. • Biochar derived from waste is important for Spinacia oleracea L. development. • Biochar from aboveground waste biomass showed better characteristics. • 3% dose of biochar from waste biomass was the most effective compared to 1 and 5%. • Biochar enhanced antagonistic interactions between elements’ pairs.

Comparative evaluation of bioactive phytochemicals in Spinacia oleracea cultivated under greenhouse and open field conditions.

Various factors related to growing conditions can influence the nutritional quality of plants, including vegetable crops, especially the contents of health-promoting phytochemicals. In this study, the phytochemical contents of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) cultivated under greenhouse and open field conditions were comparatively analyzed using a metabolomic approach with Mass Profiler Professional (MPP) software. S. oleracea, which is one of the well-known leafy vegetables belonging to the family Chenopodiaceae, is cultivated worldwide. Although the nutritional value of spinach is high, the phytochemical contents of spinach cultivated under greenhouse and open field conditions have not been comparatively analyzed. Metabolomic analysis of the methanol (MeOH) extracts of greenhouse-cultivated spinach (GS) and open field-cultivated spinach (OFS) using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), followed by principal component analysis (PCA) with MPP demonstrated the differential metabolite profiles of GS and OFS. The active compounds 1-3 were isolated and identified using LC-Q-TOF-MS-guided fractionation. Among these, 5,3',4'-trihydroxy-3-methoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone 4'-glucuronide (2) exhibited growth-inhibitory activities against Helicobacter pylori 51. Distribution analysis of compound 2 revealed that the anti-H. pylori compound 2 is an OFS-specific bioactive phytochemical. This indicates that the phytochemical quality of OFS is better than that of GS. These findings will aid in providing vital data for vegetable processors, dieticians, nutritionists, and consumers to select optimal green leafy vegetables.

Role of multiscale leaf surface topography in antimicrobial efficacy of chlorine-based sanitizers

Conventional washing and sanitizing approaches for leafy greens provide limited inactivation of bacteria on leaf surfaces. For a quantitative understanding of the barriers to bacterial inactivation on leaf surfaces, this study develops a numerical simulation approach based on mass transport and surface reaction kinetics. Two specific sections of a leaf surface, i.e., a local region with “macroscale” veins and a local region with “microscale” contours without veins, were selected for numerical simulation. This study also evaluates the effectiveness of a novel sanitizer composition using chlorine bound with yeast microcarriers. This composition reduces the nonspecific reactivity of free chlorine and promotes targeted binding of the microcarriers to bacteria to enhance the inactivation of leaf-attached bacteria. For experimental validation, baby spinach leaf sections with and without macroscale veins were inoculated with 5 log CFU/cm2 of E. coli and treated with these chlorine-based sanitizers for 30 min, and the surviving bacteria on the leaf samples were enumerated by plate counting. Both simulation and experimental results show ∼0.7 log reduction of inoculated bacteria by free chlorine treatment for a local region representing macroscale leaf surface geometry. However, no significant bacterial inactivation was observed on the microscale leaf surface geometry. In contrast, yeast-bound chlorine improved bacterial inactivation in both macro-and microscale geometries based on enhanced stability and bioaffinity. Overall, this study illustrates the influences of heterogeneity of leaf surface topography and chlorine delivery systems on the inactivation of leaf-attached bacteria.

Stabilization of dairy industry sludge with leaf litter using as composting and its effect on Spinacia oleracea plant growth

A dairy industry is the large scale food production industries playing an important role in causing environmental pollution. Solid waste is a serious threat to environmental hazards through its liquid and solid waste generation. Hence, it is needed to handle such waste by enhancing new cleaner technologies by recycling the waste and generate safe environment using organic fertilizer to soil. Dairy industry waste is dumped in landfill which has disadvantage of being expensive occupying more open area resulting in alteration of ground water and soil profile quality. The wastewater generated by dairy industry is categorized as raw waste. The activated sludge is treated during analysis of various parameters under the consideration. Thus, the objective of the present study is to analyze physico-chemical and phyto-chemical parameters of combination and Spinacia oleracea plant after treating with the Dairy waste and mix leaf litter waste. Current research study, revels that various concentration of dairy waste and leaf litter combination can turn into good quality compost for ecofriendly crop cultivation. In the present study, Dairy waste + Leaf waste 25 % (T3) and Dairy waste + Leaf waste 75 % (T5) combination was good compost and it is a viable organic waste management. It has a potential to enhance proper waste management system, while promoting cultivation of vegetable for food precautions. The application of this organic amendment could promote and improve agro-ecosystem and also helpful for minimization of dairy waste.

Characteristic of the Ascorbate Oxidase Gene Family in Beta vulgaris and Analysis of the Role of AAO in Response to Salinity and Drought in Beet.

Ascorbate oxidase, which is known to play a key role in regulating the redox state in the apoplast, cell wall metabolism, cell expansion and abiotic stress response in plants, oxidizes apo-plastic ascorbic acid (AA) to dehydroascorbic acid (DHA). However, there is little information about the AAO genes and their functions in beets under abiotic stress. The term salt or drought stress refers to the treatment of plants with slow and gradual salinity/drought. Contrastingly, salt shock consists of exposing plants to high salt levels instantaneously and drought shock occurs under fast drought progression. In the present work, we have subjected plants to salinity or drought treatments to elicit either stress or shock and carried out a genome-wide analysis of ascorbate oxidase (AAO) genes in sugar beet (B. vulgaris cv. Huzar) and its halophytic ancestor (B. maritima). Here, conserved domain analyses showed the existence of twelve BvAAO gene family members in the genome of sugar beet. The BvAAO_1-12 genes are located on chromosomes 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9. The phylogenetic tree exhibited the close relationships between BvAAO_1-12 and AAO genes of Spinacia oleracea and Chenopodium quinoa. In both beet genotypes, downregulation of AAO gene expression with the duration of salt stress or drought treatment was observed. This correlated with a decrease in AAO enzyme activity under defined experimental setup. Under salinity, the key downregulated gene was BvAAO_10 in Beta maritima and under drought the BvAAO_3 gene in both beets. This phenomenon may be involved in determining the high tolerance of beet to salinity and drought.

Assessment of heavy metal accumulation and health risks in okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus L.) and spinach (Spinacia Oleracea L.) fertigated with wastwater

In many countries like Pakistan, where crops are irrigated by wastewater, the accumulation of heavy metals is a serious problem, especially when such an irrigation is a widespread practice. The focus of this study was to know the highly toxic metals like cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) in water, agricultural soil, and crops, besides their probable risk to human health in the area of Vehari district. The physicochemical parameters were determined for the samples, including organic matter, organic carbon, pH, and electrical conductivity. Water used for irrigation, samples of vegetables for Cd, Cr, and Pb concentration, as well as transfer factor from soil to plants (TF) were analyzed for calculating the daily intake of metals (DIM) and their health risk index (HRI). The results show that the wastewater used for irrigation was contaminated with Cr (0.07mg/kg), Cd (0.054mg/kg), and Pb (0.38mg/kg). In the tube well, the concentrations of heavy metals were: Cd (0.053mg/kg), Pb (0.01mg/kg), and Cd (0.03mg/kg). Application of wastewater increased heavy metals concentration in soil and vegetables. Heavy metals concentrations in wastewater irrigated soil before sowing vegetables in mg/kg were: Pb (0.91), Cd (0.12), and Cr (0.48). After the application of wastewater, significant enrichment of wastewater was observed in Pb (1.93mg/kg), Cd (0.07mg/kg), and Cr (0.34mg/kg). Our study showed a high-risk index of food crops polluted with heavy metals and resultantly greater health risk to humans and animals. That is why preventive measures should be adopted to reduce heavy metals pollution to irrigation water and soils to protect both humans and animals in the Vehari district.

Traditional Food Plants Cultivated and Managed in Home Gardens in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province.

This study aimed to document the diversity of traditional food plants in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. The survey was carried out in six local municipalities in the province, between March 2016 and September 2020. Information on the socio-economic characteristics of the informants and on traditional food plants collected from the wild and cultivated and managed in home gardens was recorded using questionnaires, personal observations, and guided field walks with 145 informants. A total of 58 edible plants belonging to 46 genera and 29 families were recorded. The plant families with the largest number of species were Solanaceae (six species), followed by Amaranthaceae and Asteraceae (five species each), Rosaceae (four species), and Apiaceae, Cactaceae, and Fabaceae sensu lato with three species each. The main uses of the documented species were edible fruits (56.9%), leafy vegetables (29.3%), and edible tubers (12.1%). Species that were categorized as valuable, with relative frequency of citation (RFC) values exceeding 0.3, were Solanum tuberosum, Allium cepa, Zea mays, Beta vulgaris, Cucurbita moschata, Brassica oleracea, Spinacia oleracea, Cucurbita maxima, Daucus carota, and Lycopersicon esculentum. The findings highlight the significance of edible plant species to the well-being of local communities in the Eastern Cape province within the context of food provisioning.

Human health risk estimation of antibiotics transferred from wastewater and soil to crops.

Antibiotics enter into agricultural land, via manure application or wastewater irrigation. The practices of using untreated wastewater in the agricultural system help in the bioaccumulation of antibiotics in vegetables and other crops. Exposure to the bioaccumulated antibiotics poses serious health risks to ecosystem and human. In this study, the prevalence of two fluoroquinolones (levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin), their bioaccumulation in five crops (Daucus carota L., Pisum sativum L., Raphanus raphanistrum L., Lactuca sativa L., Spinacia oleracea L.), and associated human health risks were investigated. Lettuce showed highest bioaccumulation of levofloxacin (LEV) (12.66 μg kg-1) and carrot showed high bioaccumulation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) (13.01 μg kg-1). In roots, bioconcentration factor (BCFroot) was observed to be relatively high in radish (LEV 0.24-0.43, CIP 0.32-0.49) and observed to be lower in spinach (LEV 0.05-0.13, CIP 0.12-0.19). The translocation factor (TF) for LEV and CIP was generally >1 for all five crops under all treatment. The final transfer and distribution of LEV and CIP in the edible parts of the crops were as follows: leaves > shoots > roots for both antibiotics. Risk quotient of both LEV and CIP in current study is found to be in between 0.018 and 0.557 and shows a medium risk (0.1 to 1) to human health due the discharge of untreated wastewater into the fields. However, our study reports that both antibiotics do accumulate in the edible plant parts; therefore, it poses potential risks to human health.