Total Carotenoid Content Research Articles

Enhancing growth, yield and physiological quality of sweet pepper fruit through application of fertiliser and moringa leaf powder (MLP)

ABSTRACT Most farmers rely heavily on inorganic fertilisers to enhance the production of horticultural crops. This can lead to environmental pollution, soil degradation and even human health problems. Reducing the usage of inorganic fertilisers by incorporating organic fertilisers (e.g. moringa leaf powder (MLP) and chicken litter (CL)) into inorganic fertiliser blends is likely to impact the environment less negatively than the sole application of inorganic fertiliser. The aim of this study was to produce sweet peppers using a combination of organic and inorganic fertilisers. In a controlled environment, MLP (20 g) was blended with CL (30 g) and inorganic fertiliser (Nitrogen Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK 3:1:3)) at different concentrations (10 g (33,33%), 20 g (66,66%), and 30 g (100%)), and applied to the root zone of transplanted sweet pepper seedlings. Treating sweet pepper plants with NPK (20 g) + CL (30 g) + MLP (20 g) resulted in the highest yield, with fruit containing higher total carotenoid concentrations than other treatments. Neither leaf number nor plant height was positively correlated with fruit weight per plant. Leaf chlorophyll and fruit carotenoids were present in the highest concentration in the chemical fertiliser (20 g) + CL (30 g) + MLP (20 g) (T11). Based on the yield, the best-performing combination (3:1:3 fertiliser with CL and MLP), optimal carotenoid concentration on pepper fruits was obtained on chemical fertiliser (20 g) + CL (30 g) + MLP (20 g), suggesting that peppers perform well, despite chemical fertiliser reduction from 30 to 20 g per plant, if CL and MLP are added to the medium.

Genome-Wide Analysis of Fruit Color and Carotenoid Content in Capsicum Core Collection.

This study investigated carotenoid content and fruit color variation in 306 pepper accessions from diverse Capsicum species. Red-fruited accessions were predominant (245 accessions), followed by orange (35) and yellow (20). Carotenoid profiles varied significantly across accessions, with capsanthin showing the highest mean concentration (239.12 μg/g), followed by β-cryptoxanthin (63.70 μg/g) and zeaxanthin (63.25 μg/g). Total carotenoid content ranged from 7.09 to 2566.67 μg/g, emphasizing the diversity within the dataset. Correlation analysis revealed complex relationships between carotenoids, with strong positive correlations observed between total carotenoids and capsanthin (r = 0.94 ***), β-cryptoxanthin (r = 0.87 ***), and zeaxanthin (r = 0.84 ***). Principal component analysis (PCA) identified two distinct carotenoid groups, accounting for 67.6% of the total variance. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified 91 significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with fruit color (15 SNPs) and carotenoid content (76 SNPs). These SNPs were distributed across all chromosomes, with varying numbers on each. Among individual carotenoids, α-carotene was associated with 28 SNPs, while other carotenoids showed different numbers of associated SNPs. Candidate genes encoding diverse proteins were identified near significant SNPs, potentially contributing to fruit color variation and carotenoid accumulation. These included pentatricopeptide repeat-containing proteins, mitochondrial proton/calcium exchangers, E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase SINAT2, histone-lysine N-methyltransferase, sucrose synthase, and various enzymes involved in metabolic processes. Seven SNPs exhibited pleiotropic effects on multiple carotenoids, particularly β-cryptoxanthin and capsanthin. The findings of this study provide insights into the genetic architecture of carotenoid biosynthesis and fruit color in peppers, offering valuable resources for targeted breeding programs aimed at enhancing the nutritional and sensory attributes of pepper varieties.

Boosting Stevia's sweetness: Growth regulators mitigate salt stress and enhance steviol glycosides

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a plant species with sweet-tasting leaves that can be used as a natural, low-calorie sweetener with potential health benefits. Salt stress can reduce plant growth and productivity, but the application of growth regulators like salicylic acid (SA), methyl jasmonate (MeJ), and spermidine (Spd) can manage various plant abiotic stresses and improve plant growth and productivity. In this work, we investigated the role of exogenous SA, MeJ, and Spd in conferring salt stress tolerance in Stevia by analyzing plant growth, chlorophyll (Chl), total phenolic, total carotenoid content, antioxidant defense system and steviol glycosides. The aim of a recent study was to assess the effects of these regulators on Stevia plants under both individual and combined salt stress conditions. Foliar application of these regulators improved plant growth under salt stress, with moderate salinity stress increasing glycoside compounds. SA was most effective in increasing rebaudioside A (Reb A), while MeJ + Spd combination was best for increasing stevioside (Stv) content. Individual applications of Spd, MeJ, and SA significantly impacted plant growth and antioxidant content, although their combined use was less effective. Spd application under salt stress yielded the highest increases in total carotenoid and Chl a content, while MeJ and Spd together significantly boosted Chl b content. The study found that SA enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reduced catalase (CAT) activity under salt stress, whereas MeJ alone increased both CAT and SOD activity. The distinct responses to Spd, SA, and MeJ suggest varied mechanisms in oxidative stress-induced antioxidant production. Overall, the use of these growth regulators can improve the growth, yield, and nutritional value of Stevia under salt stress, offering significant implications for agriculture and food security.

Packaging and storage of Porphyridium cruentum: Metallised polyethylene terephthalate/polyethylene (PETmet/PE) versus polyethylene (PE)

AbstractThe effect of the storage conditions of light (presence; absence) and relative humidity (50%; 75% RH) on the water content and colour of Porphyridium cruentum microalga powder was studied, then two packaging materials, low-density polyethylene (PE-LD) and metallised polyethylene terephthalate with polyethylene (PETmet/PE), were used to study their effect on the water content, colour, total carotenoids and chlorophylls contents, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH, ORAC) of P. cruentum during storage at 23 °C and 50% RH. An atmosphere with 50% RH is recommended to minimise the water vapour absorption and lightness loss. In addition to the expected light protection, PETmet/PE material protected P. cruentum powder also against water absorption, contrary to PE material. There were no relevant colour changes of the microalga during storage in PETmet/PE. Regarding the total content of carotenoids and the antioxidant activity of the microalga, no significant differences were found between the biomasses stored in either packaging material. The TPC and DPPH values were practically constant during two months of storage, while ABTS and ORAC decreased more than 50% and 20%, respectively, during this time.

ORANGE gene positively regulates chromoplast formation and carotenoid accumulation in Osmanthus fragrans

Sweet osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans) cultivar from Aurantiacus Group shows orange or orange-red flower color due to the accumulation of abundant carotenoids in the petals. Orange (Or) gene has been functionally characterized in the formation of plant chromoplasts and carotenoid accumulation in several species. However, whether Or gene from sweet osmanthus plays essential role in the formation of plant chromoplasts is not clear. In this study, we isolated Or homologous gene OfOr from sweet osmanthus by transcriptome homology search. The protein encoded by the gene has two transmembrane domains and a zinc finger domain, and is co-localized with the chloroplasts. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of the petal tissues of sweet osmanthus showed that the chromoplast volume, the plastoglobule number and volume increased significantly with petal development, accompanied by an increase in the expression level of OfOr. Correlation analysis showed that the development of chromoplasts was significantly positively correlated with the expression pattern of OfOr. In addition, after stable overexpression of OfOr in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), it was found that the transgenic tomato fruits exhibited significantly higher redness, yellowness and chroma, as well as an increased distribution of carotenoids in the pulp cells, with total carotenoid content significantly higher than that of wild type. In summary, our study indicate that OfOr positively regulates chromoplast formation and carotenoid accumulation. This study also further reveals that OfOr can be used as a novel genetic tool to increase the accumulation of carotenoids and improve the coloring of colored organs in crops and ornamental plants.

The Effect of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Polypropylene (PP) Microplastics on Ulva lactuca L. and Ceramium diaphanum R. Algal Growth

The goal of this study was to determine the effects of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polypropylene microplastics as two typical classes for microplastic pollution on algal growth, lipids, carbohydrates, chlorophyll-a and total carotenoid content of Ulva lactuca L. and Ceramium diaphanum R. collected from the Gulf coast of Izmir province. The results demonstrate that ABS-MPs had no statistical effect (P>0.05) on the various physiological parameters of U. lactuca macroalgae after 5 days of exposure, except for the total carbohydrate and lipid concentration. The chl-a value of C. diaphanum was considerably increased under the low concentration of ABS (25 mg L-1), increasing by 81.56% compared with the control while the amount of chl-a decreases (32.05%) in parallel with the increasing concentration of PP-MPs. Laboratory incubation experiments showed that MPs affect relative growth rate, pigments efficiency or carbohydrate content of C. diaphanum until reaching an extremely high concentration (100 mg L-1), indicating a high tolerance to MPs. The results showed that two macroalgae species, especially U. lactuca, were not highly affected at low MPs concentrations under laboratory conditions which were much higher than the levels of environmentally relevant concentrations.

Boosting cherry tomato yield, quality, and mineral profile through the application of a plant-derived biostimulant

The present experiment addressed the effects of a plant-derived biostimulant (PDB, Bioup® TF) on fruit quality and composition of two greenhouse cherry tomato cultivars (Caravaggio and Creativo) grown during the autumn-winter. The biostimulant application enhanced the marketable fruit yield up to 1.148 g m−2 of ‘Creativo’ (+16 %) and increased the fruit dry matter, firmness, and chroma (C*), particularly of ‘Caravaggio’ (by 23, 12, and 11 %, respectively). ‘Caravaggio’ also showed the strongest increase in total polyphenols (+26 %) and carotenoid contents (+50 %) in response to the treatment. This trend paralleled the strongest rise of the in vitro antioxidant activity of its fruit extracts, as revealed by the DPPH and FRAP assays. Moreover, the biostimulant treatment resulted in higher concentrations of 10 among 12 minerals analyzed in fresh fruit. This effect was particularly relevant for calcium, manganese, and copper, whereas ‘Caravaggio’ proved the strongest rise for potassium, magnesium, sodium, and zinc. Interestingly, the biostimulant application did not promote or even reduced the concentration of nickel in fresh ‘Caravaggio’ and ‘Creativo’ (-38 %) fruit, respectively. This suggests that the integration of PDBs in the framework of agronomic strategies could assist in producing Ni-poor tomatoes while increasing, at the same time, their levels in health-promoting minerals.

Assessing the Influence of Cumulative Chlorella vulgaris Intake on Broiler Carcass Traits, Meat Quality and Oxidative Stability.

The impacts of cumulative Chlorella vulgaris intake (proportion of microalga in the diet multiplied by the total feed consumed by each bird) on broiler carcass traits, meat quality and oxidative stability were reviewed to identify the optimal intake levels for maximising benefits. Our findings indicate that a cumulative intake of 8.73 g/bird significantly enhances thigh yield, while levels ranging from 8.73 to 401 g/bird optimise carcass weight and overall meat quality. However, higher cumulative levels may reduce carcass dressing percentage due to metabolic inefficiencies. Furthermore, C. vulgaris intake improves the oxidative stability of broiler meat by increasing antioxidant levels and balancing pro- and antioxidants. Including C. vulgaris in broiler diets boosts total carotenoid content, and antioxidant assays confirm that it enhances meat oxidative stability, with low to moderate cumulative intake levels (8.73 to 401 g/bird) providing the best balance of benefits. Optimal oxidative stability and antioxidant properties were observed at a cumulative intake level of 401 g/bird, showing significant improvements in meat antioxidant capacity. Higher levels may lead to diminishing returns or potential negative effects due to the digestibility issues of the microalga. Future research should refine intake models, understand the bioavailability of C. vulgaris nutrients and explore cost-effective methods to enhance its digestibility, to ensure its viability and sustainability as a feed additive.

Powdery mildew pathogen [Erysiphe necator (Schw.) Burrill.] induced physiological and biochemical alterations in leaf tissue of grapevines (Vitis spp.)

Grapevine serves as a host for an array of pathogenic agents, among which powdery mildew (PM), a fungal disease, stands as a major threat under changing climate and erratic weather patterns. The study aimed to examine the physiological, biochemical responses and microscopic examinations of diverse grapevine genotypes including the 42 Vitis species to powdery mildew infection caused by Erysiphe necator (Schw.) Burrill. Significant reductions were observed in leaf gas exchange parameters like net photosynthetic rate (33.09 %) and transpiration rate (32.36 %) in the infected leaves of susceptible genotypes compared to resistant and moderate genotype groups. Susceptible genotypes had higher intercellular CO2 concentration (4.01 %). Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis revealed a decrease in the maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem-II in PM-infected leaves across the genotype groups. Furthermore, PM infection led to a decrease in chlorophyll content, particularly in susceptible plants, along with a notable reduction in total chlorophyll (25.86 %) and total carotenoids (3.58 %) contents. The ascorbic acid/dehydroascorbic ascorbic acid ratio was observed to be increased by 50 % in the susceptible genotypes due to PM infection. The higher potassium content was registered in healthy leaves of resistant genotypes compared to PM infection stage. This clearly demonstrated the genotype-specific ability to withstand biotic stress. Antioxidant enzyme activities, including glutathione reductase (1.27-fold), polyphenol oxidase (1.15-fold), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (1.02-fold) and peroxidase (1.21-fold), were enhanced in PM infected plants, suggesting the activation of different defence mechanisms against oxidative stress induced due to pathogen. Scanning electron microscopy revealed prominent differences in fungal hyphae growth between susceptible and resistant genotypes, which showed restricted tissue growth and host cell necrosis.

Response of postharvest treatments on shelf life, biochemical and microbial quality of banana variety Red Banana.

The popular Red Banana variety faces transportation challenges and has a limited postharvest shelf life due to its ripe fruits being less resistant and being a climacteric fruit. This study aims to prolong the shelf life of Red Banana fruits through different postharvest treatments. Fruit bunches of Red Banana were harvested at the mature green stage, separated into hands, precooled, subjected to 12 treatments and stored in corrugated fibre board boxes till the end of shelf life under ambient conditions. Fruits coated with 10% bee wax + 0.5% clove oil (T4), fruits subjected to coating with 10% bee wax and packaging with potassium permanganate (T9) and fruits dipped in hot water at 50 °C for 10 min. and packaging with potassium permanganate (T11) registered highest shelf life of 18.67 days. The highest TSS of 26.33°Brix was noticed in fruits stored with potassium permanganate (T8) after 12.67 days of storage and lowest titratable acidity of 0.19% and the highest sugar-acid ratio of 79.76 was noticed in control (T12) after 11.33 days of storage. Moreover, the highest vitamin C content (7.74 mg 100 g?¹), total sugar content (18.47%), reducing sugar content (15.49%), total carotenoid content (24.13 µg 100 g-1) was noticed in treatment T7 (hot water dipping at 50 °C for 10 min.) after 17.67 days, T10 (coating with 40% aloe vera extract and packaged with potassium permanganate) after 13.33 days, T4 (coating with 10% bee wax + 0.5% clove oil) after 18.67 days and T9 (coating with 10% bee wax + potassium permanganate) after 18.67 days of storage respectively. Furthermore, the lowest fungal and bacterial count was observed in treatments T2 (dipping in 30ppm sodium hypochlorite solution), T7 (hot water dipping at 50 °C for 10 min.), T9 (coating with 10% bee wax + potassium permanganate) and T10 (coating with 40% aloe vera extract + potassium permanganate) .

Determination of Bioactive Compounds in Buriti Oil by Prediction Models Through Mid-infrared Spectroscopy

Buriti oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the pulp and seeds of buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.), a palm commonly found in the Amazon region, and is used both in popular medicine and in the cosmetic and food industries. This work aimed to develop a faster and more accessible procedure to quantify the content of carotenoids, polyphenols, and total flavonoids in buriti oils, where predictive models emphasize figures of merit. The study was carried out with 50 buriti oil samples from the state of Pará, Brazil, which were sampled by combining attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy with mid-infrared Fourier transform (FT-MIR) together with partial least squares regression (PLSR). The confidence and validation matrix were obtained from ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The PLSR model regarding the total carotenoid content presented values ​​between 335.33 and 1557.05 μg/g was validated by the concentration demonstration coefficient (R2cal) equal to 0.9556, prediction demonstration coefficient (R2pred) equal to 0.85642, bias = 5.68.10−13, performance deviation ratio value (RDP) of 2.0135, and range error rate (RER) equal to 4.3747. Concentrations of phenolic compounds were predicted between 96.2964 and 121.857 GAE/100 g, where the model presented R2cal = 0.9762, R2pred = 0.8198, bias = 3.38.10−10, RDP = 5.9028, and RER = 5.7578. The flavonoid prediction model contains concentrations between 86.844 and 133.852 mg EC/100 g that circulate R2cal = 0.9445, R2pred = 0.8536, bias = 6.98.10−8, RDP = 6.7085, and RER = 6.7085. Buriti oil showed high levels of b-carotene. Prediction models are overwhelming and can be used for screening and quality control of natural products.

Enhancing growth and phytoremediation efficiency of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mahasarakham in weathered PAH-contaminated soil through thidiazuron application

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are phytotoxic, which can limit their phytoremediation. When the ability of plants to phytoremediation PAHs is compromised, the application of plant growth regulators can enhance the growth of the plants. This study aimed to determine the best plant growth regulator (1-naphthalene acetic acid, 6-benzyladenine, or thidiazuron) to enhance the phytoremediation ability of sweet grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mahasarakham) when grown in weather PAH-contaminated soil. In a greenhouse study, 0.01 mg/l thidiazuron resulted in the highest growth of sweet grass when compared to the other tested plant growth regulators (dry shoot weight 24.11 ± 1.28 g and dry root weight 0.70 ± 0.02 g). Sweet grass was grown in soil contaminated with PAH, which demonstrated the toxicity to sweet grass by reducing the total chlorophyll (1.01 µg/g fresh weight) and carotenoid (0.28 µg/g fresh weight) contents with proline increased (6.63 µg/g fresh weight). Meanwhile, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, and proline content in leaves of sweet grass grown in non-contaminated soil were 1.68, 0.44, and 5.23 µg/g fresh weight, respectively. When sweet grass was used to phytoremediate PAHs, there were reductions in acenaphthylene (4.69 ± 0.50%), acenaphthene (10.69 ± 1.47%), and phenanthrene (3.61 ± 0.07%), which compared to levels of over 30% in non-planted soil. For the three PAHs, the bioconcentration factors were 1.6 to 2.4, but the translocation factors were below 1, showing limited movement to the aerial parts of the plant, thereby suggesting that the main mechanism is rhizoremediation. Sweet grass is an excellent candidate for PAH remediation, especially when thidiazuron is applied to relieve plant stress.

Evaluation of Organic Acids and Ultrasound as Pretreatment in Convective Drying Kinetics and Quality Parameters of Pumpkin.

There is a growing interest in the food industry in new drying technologies that reduce the time required for dehydration, combined with low energy consumption, low environmental impact, and maintenance of the overall quality of the product. This work investigated convective drying of pumpkin with and without ultrasound-organic (citric or acetic) acid pretreatment for different durations (10, 20, and 30 min). Drying was carried out at 60 °C, and the Wang and Singh model had the best fit for the experimental data. Samples pretreated for 30 min had the shortest drying times. Water diffusivities ranged from 6.68 × 10-8 m2/s to 7.31 × 10-8 m2/s, with the pretreated samples presenting the highest values. The dried pumpkin water activity values were below 0.60. Regarding color parameters, there was a slight increase in luminosity, a slight reduction in a*, and a significant increase in b*. Drying resulted in the loss of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds, but the samples pretreated with citric acid showed better retention. There was also a reduction in the total carotenoid content, but samples pretreated with acetic acid for 10 and 20 min showed the best retention.

Comparative Analysis of the Characteristics of Two Hardy Kiwifruit Cultivars (Actinidia arguta cv. Cheongsan and Daebo) Stored at Low Temperatures.

A cold storage system is useful for maintaining the quality of hardy kiwifruit. However, extended cold storage periods inevitably result in cold stress, leading to lower fruit marketability; the severity of chilling injury depends on fruit types and cultivars. In this study, the impact of cold storage conditions on the physicochemical properties and antioxidant capacity of two phenotypically different hardy kiwifruit cultivars-'Cheongsan' (large type) and 'Daebo' (small type)-stored at low (L; 3 °C, relative humidity [RH]; 85-90%) and moderate-low (ML; 5 °C, RH; 85-90%) temperatures was determined. Significant differences in fruit firmness and titratable acidity between treatments L and ML were observed in both cultivars during the experimental storage period. Meanwhile, the browning and pitting rates of the 'Cheongsan' fruits in treatment L increased for 8 weeks compared with those of the 'Daebo' fruits in treatments L and ML; nonetheless, fruit decay was observed in the 'Daebo' fruits in treatment ML after 6 weeks. The total chlorophyll, carotenoid, flavonoid, and ascorbic acid concentrations as well as the antioxidant activities of both the cultivars significantly differed between treatments L and ML. After 2 weeks of storage, the 'Cheongsan' fruits in treatment L had lower antioxidant activities and ascorbic acid content than those in treatment ML. These results demonstrate that the quality attributes and antioxidant activity of hardy kiwifruit are influenced by the low-temperature storage conditions and the specific kiwifruit cultivars. Our findings suggest that optimal cold storage conditions, specific to each hardy kiwifruit cultivar, promise to maintain fruit quality, including their health-promoting compounds, during long-term storage.

Formulation and characterization of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) for simultaneous phenolics and carotenes extraction from fresh oil palm leaf

In this study, natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), comprising choline chloride (ChCl) as hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) with hydrogen bond donor (HBD) including glucose (Glu), fructose (Fru), xylose (Xyl), xylitol (Xyli), and glycerol (Gly), were formulated and characterized for simultaneous extraction of phenolic compounds (polar) and carotenoids (non-polar) from fresh oil palm leaves (OPL). pH, density, polarity, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and rheological analyses were conducted, with relation to the extraction efficiency achieved via homogenizer-assisted heating and stirring extraction approach. Among the NADES formulations tested, ChCl:Xyl (1:1) displayed the highest total phenolic content (TPC) at 20.23825 mg/g OPL, due to its optimal polarity at 49.4654 kcal mol−1 and a viscosity of 23288 mPa.s. The highest total carotenoid content (TCC) was observed in ChCl:Xyli (1:1) at 325.94 µg/g OPL, with a lower polarity at 50.0280 kcal mol−1. Despite having similar viscosity and polarity, ChCl:Fru (1:2) with a pH of 5.82 outperformed ChCl:Glu (1:1) with a pH of 6.72 due to enhanced phenolic compound solubility and stability. This study shed light on the potential of NADES, particularly in overcoming the challenge of high moisture content in OPL and other fresh biomasses, which often acted as a barrier during phytonutrients extraction.

Effect of different cooking oils and methods on physicochemical, nutritional, and microbial safety for mixed vegetables focusing on Bangladesh

SummaryCooking is an essential aspect of everyday life. Cooking oils and methods exert enormous effects on the nutritional, physicochemical, microbial qualities, and bioactive compounds of vegetables. Most of them are either directly or indirectly related to human health. Hence, the present investigation was undertaken to find out the effect of two cooking methods (traditional and steam cooking) and four selected culinary oils (soybean oil, mustard oil, extra virgin olive oil, and extra virgin coconut oil) on the cooked vegetables. The results indicated that steam‐cooked mixed vegetables retained more nutrients than traditional ones. The traditional cooking method of preparing mixed vegetables with soybean oil revealed higher amounts of crude fat, 26.90 ± 0.10%, whereas steam cooking and traditionally cooked vegetables without oils showed lower amounts of crude fat, 1.21 ± 0.04%, and 1.94 ± 0.04%, respectively. The highest crude fibre from 5.68 ± 0.20 to 6.48 ± 0.02% was recorded by the steam‐cooked vegetables in comparison with traditionally prepared mixed vegetables. Traditionally cooked vegetables with mustard oil showed a higher crude protein (13.30 ± 0.10%). The mixed vegetables that were steam‐cooked using extra virgin olive oil revealed a decreased percent of carbohydrates, 49.42 ± 0.03%. Most of the essential minerals especially for the human body like Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, and Zn were found notable in both traditional and steam‐cooking processes using extra virgin olive oil, and mustard oil. The leading bioactive compound ß‐carotene 67.04 ± 0.04 mg/100 g was noted by the steam‐cooked vegetables with mustard oil. The highest anthocyanin 32.69 ± 0.02 mg/100 g and ascorbic acid 42.31 ± 0.01 mg/100 g were recorded in the steam‐cooked vegetables without culinary oils. Steam‐cooking with extra virgin coconut and olive oil resulted in high total carotenoid and phenolic content (31.60 ± 0.05 and 3.11 ± 0.04 mg/100 g, respectively). However, the findings suggest that culinary oils used in the present study retained more essential minerals and bioactive compounds than soybean oil. Only sufficient amount of edible oil may be used for vegetables cooking and proper functioning of fat‐soluble vitamins.

Integrating Physiology, Cytology, and Transcriptome to Reveal the Leaf Variegation Mechanism in Phalaenopsis Chia E Yenlin Variegata Leaves.

Phalaenopsis orchids, with their unique appearance and extended flowering period, are among the most commercially valuable Orchidaceae worldwide. Particularly, the variegation in leaf color of Phalaenopsis significantly enhances the ornamental and economic value and knowledge of the molecular mechanism of leaf-color variegation in Phalaenopsis is lacking. In this study, an integrative analysis of the physiology, cytology, and transcriptome profiles was performed on Phalaenopsis Chia E Yenlin Variegata leaves between the green region (GR) and yellow region (YR) within the same leaf. The total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in the YR exhibited a marked decrease of 72.18% and 90.21%, respectively, relative to the GR. Examination of the ultrastructure showed that the chloroplasts of the YR were fewer and smaller and exhibited indistinct stromal lamellae, ruptured thylakoids, and irregularly arranged plastoglobuli. The transcriptome sequencing between the GR and YR led to a total of 3793 differentially expressed genes, consisting of 1769 upregulated genes and 2024 downregulated genes. Among these, the chlorophyll-biosynthesis-related genes HEMA, CHLH, CRD, and CAO showed downregulation, while the chlorophyll-degradation-related gene SGR had an upregulated expression in the YR. Plant-hormone-related genes and transcription factors MYBs (37), NACs (21), ERFs (20), bHLH (13), and GLK (2), with a significant difference, were also analyzed. Furthermore, qRT-PCR experiments validated the above results. The present work establishes a genetic foundation for future studies of leaf-pigment mutations and may help to improve the economic and breeding values of Phalaenopsis.

Physiological response to low-nitrogen stress and comprehensive evaluation in four rice varieties.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) research has rarely focused on the response to low-nitrogen stress in different subtypes previously and lacked a low-nitrogen tolerance evaluation system. Here, we investigated the physiological characteristics under moderate and low-nitrogen stress conditions in two japonica cultivars (NG46 and NG9108) and two indica cultivars (LYP9 and 9311). Using subordinate function analysis and principal component analysis, the low-nitrogen tolerance of four rice varieties was comprehensively evaluated; stomatal conductance, total carotenoid content, and nitrate reductase NR activity were taken as the low-nitrogen tolerance evaluation system. Among the four rice cultivars, NG46 and LYP9 had significant advantages in photosynthetic gas-exchange capacity, optimizing the balance between light-harvesting capacity, the ratio of reaction center inactivation, the magnitude of decrease in heat dissipation, and nitrogen-metabolism enzyme activities. The results investigated the physiological mechanisms of rice adaptation to low-nitrogen stress and offered a reliable method for assessing low-nitrogen tolerance in rice.

Impact of Different Inoculum Levels of Cereal Cyst Nematode (Heterodera avenae) on the Physiological Traits of Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

This study aimed to examine the effects of various inoculum levels of H. avenae on wheat physiology. The experiments were conducted in the screenhouse at the Department of Nematology, CCSHAU, Hisar, with inoculum levels set at 5, 10, and 15 eggs and juveniles per gram of soil. Observations on physiological parameters were made 30 days post-sowing. It was found that increasing inoculum levels led to significant decreases in total chlorophyll, carotenoid content, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance. The highest inoculum level showed the most pronounced reductions, with respective decreases of 39.71%, 30.55%, 7.90%, 39.75%, 51.58%, and 64.86%. Highest nematode inoculum level also resulted in the highest reduction in gaseous exchange parameters, biomass and leaf pigments concentrations and maximum increment in nematode population density.

Evaluation of peel, flesh and seeds of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) for biologically active components, through development of powders and ethanolic extracts

The bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.), has been remained a well-known ethnic medicinal vegetable, used traditionally as a pharma food to obtain a plenty of pharmacological benefits. However, which fraction of fruit is most effective for provision of bioactive components, has been remained undiscovered yet. This study examined the chemical composition, phytochemicals and antioxidant activities of peel, flesh, and seeds of bitter gourd. Our results showed that fat (3.50 ± 0.03%) and protein (3.40 ± 0.06%) content were found to be significantly (P < 0.05) high in bitter gourd seed powder (BSP), whereas ash (6.26 ± 0.06%) and fiber (5.46 ± 0.10%) in bitter gourd peel powder (BPP). Microminerals including Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn were found significantly (P < 0.05) high in BSP, with values 3.95 ± 0.05, 4.92 ± 0.04, 2.44 ± 0.04 and 1.32 ± 0.20 mg/100 g, respectively, whereas, macrominerals, Ca (74.90 ± 0.60 mg/100 g) and Mg (52.59 ± 0.20 mg/100 g), in bitter gourd flesh powder (BFP). Total phenolic content (27.78 ± 0.95 mg GAE/100 g), total flavonoid content (12.18 ± 0.08 mg QE/100 g) and total antioxidant activity (16.87 ± 0.11 mg trolox/100 g) was highest in BSP. However, BFP exhibited the greatest total carotenoid content (93.45 ± 0.40 mg/100 g) and β–carotene content (41.72 ± 0.15 mg/100 g). HPLC analysis revealed that all fractions of bitter gourd were loaded with bioactives, as naringenin and catechin were highest in BFP, epicatechin, ferulic acid, kaempferol and p-coumaric acid were highest in BPP, whereas, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, gallic acid and apigenin were highest in BSP. As compared to BFP and BPP, BSP exhibited the high concentration of important bioactive components, therefore instead of discarding these waste by-products of bitter gourd could be utilized as source of bioactives.