ReDivia - Repositorio Digital de l'Instit Valencià d'Investigacions Agràries
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The Nutritional Quality Potential of Microgreens, Baby Leaves, and Adult Lettuce: An Underexploited Nutraceutical Source
Get PDFInterest in the cultivation of lettuce landraces is increasing because native varieties, as high-quality products, are particularly attractive to consumers. Lettuce is a popular leafy vegetable worldwide, and interest in the consumption of first leaves (microgreens) and seedlings (baby leaves) has grown due to the general belief that young plants offer higher nutritional value. The content of some bioactive compounds and antioxidants (chlorophylls, carotenoids, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, phenols, antioxidant activity) was monitored in six lettuce landraces and five commercial varieties, and compared across three development stages: microgreen, baby, and adult. Ascorbic acid and phenolic contents were 42% and 79% higher, respectively, in the early stages than in adult lettuces, and red-leaf varieties (CL4 and L11) stood out. This finding agrees with lettuce’s marked antioxidant capacity and correlates with its pigment contents, especially anthocyanins. The nutritional value of adult lettuce is conditioned by its size, shape, and head structure as phytochemical concentrations are regulated by light. The low content of ascorbic acid, phenolics, and anthocyanins in crisphead lettuce (CL5) is a clear example (49, 67%, and 27% lower, respectively, than the adult mean). Our results indicate the wide variability of lettuces’ nutritional characteristics and emphasize that traditional varieties are a helpful source of agricultural biodiversity
Gutación de las plantas: una fuente nutritiva de alimento para insectos
Get PDFLa gutación de las plantas es un fluido que proviene del xilema y del floema y que es secretado en el borde de las hojas de muchas especies de plantas. Hasta ahora, todos los estudios previos han considerado la gutación de las plantas como una fuente de agua para los insectos. En este trabajo, hipotetizamos que la gutación de las plantas puede servir como una fuente de alimento rico en nutrientes para los insectos, y además con efectos sobre la comunidad de insectos. En esta investigación, utilizando el arándano como sistema de estudio, demostramos que las gotas de la gutación contienen una cantidad significativa de carbohidratos y proteínas. Además, insectos con distintos hábitos alimenticios, como un herbívoro, un parasitoide y un depredador vieron incrementada su longevidad y su fecundidad cuando se
alimentaron de gotas de gutación comparado con los que se alimentaron de agua
Bacteriófagos para el control de la bacteria fitopatógena Xylella fastidiosa
Get PDFXylella fastidiosa (Xf) es una bacteria patógena que habita en el xilema de la planta hospedadora y el tracto digestivo de insectos que actúan como vectores. Afecta a un elevado número de especies vegetales, siendo una de las principales bacterias de cuarentena en la Unión Europea. Puesto que actualmente no existen medidas terapéuticas eficaces y los antibióticos están
prohibidos en Europa, el control de Xf se basa principalmente en la erradicación de las plantas infectadas y el uso de compuestos químicos contra los vectores, pero estas medidas no son suficientes
Bacterias antagonistas de Erwinia amylovora aisladas de microbiota asociada a plantas: cribado y caracterización
Get PDFEl control de las enfermedades bacterianas, como el fuego bacteriano de las rosáceas causado por Erwinia amylovora, requiere la búsqueda de estrategias de gestión eficaces y eco-sostenibles, como la utilización de agentes de biocontrol. En este trabajo presentamos un cribado de aislados bacterianos, recuperados de diversos nichos asociados a las plantas y orígenes geográficos, como una primera etapa de un programa de búsqueda y selección de agentes de biocontrol de E. amylovora. Se obtuvo una colección de aislados, con los que se evaluó su antagonismo in vitro frente a E. amylovora y su capacidad de reducir la incidencia y severidad del fuego bacteriano ex vivo, tanto en frutos inmaduros como en brotes, así como el retraso en la aparición de los mismos
Ripening process study in persimmon (D. kaki) fruits on tree focused in ethylene
No full textFruit ripening is a highly coordinated, genetically programmed and an irreversible phenomenon involving a series of physiological, biochemical and organoleptic changes that lead to the development of a soft and edible ripe fruit with desirable quality attributes. These changes are driven by a cascade of molecular events, starting with the activation of signaling pathways. In persimmon, as in other climacteric fruits, the plant growth regulator ethylene is the major signaling molecule that controls most aspects of fruit ripening. Ethylene biosynthesis is only induced when fruits are detached from the tree, and these levels of ethylene production are scarce, similar to those produced by non-climacteric fruits. Therefore, analysis of ethylene synthesis and reception pathways will provide information of fruit ripening process. The expression profile of genes involved in ethylene synthesis and response pathways related to ripening and fruit softening, from early stages of fruit development to over-ripening, were measured in fruits of four cultivars of persimmon differing in maturity dates and astringency type. Our study suggests that ethylene accumulation in persimmon fruits determines transition from System 1 to System 2. This information provides insight into the molecular mechanisms and a description of the gene network involved in persimmon fruit ripening, contributing to the genetic knowledge of this climacteric fruit. This knowledge would be useful for crop management and breeding programs aimed at expanding the harvest season
Exclusion of Mediterranean ant species enhances biological control of the invasive mealybug Delottococcus aberiae in citrus [Dataset]
No full textThe experiment was carried out from February 2020 to November 2021 in two Clementine mandarin orchards from Valencian Community (Spain). The orchards were located in Borriol (40°00'45.5"N 0°05'56.3"W 110 m. a.s.l) and Moncófar (39°48'12.1"N 0°09'58.7"W 15 m. a.s.l) and were 1.4 and 1.1 ha, respectively. Both orchards were selected because they had a medium abundance of D. aberiae. Eight replicated blocks were evenly distributed across the two orchards. Each block was divided into paired 4x4 tree plots, one receiving the “ant-allowed” treatment and the other receiving the “ant-excluded” treatment. In ant-excluded plots, sticky barriers were applied to trunks of trees to prevent ants accessing up to the canopy. To do this, the tree trunk was wrapped with Parafilm® 10-30 cm above ground. The wrapped zone was coated with Tad All-Weather® adhesive. The four central trees of each plot were sampled monthly. From each tree, 40 leaves (ten leaves per cardinal direction) and 20 fruits (five fruit per cardinal direction) were visually inspected, and the number of mealybugs, ants and potential predators were identified and counted. The number of ants crossing (both up and down) an imaginary line surrounding the trunk at 30 cm above ground were counted for two minutes. Ants were identified to species and predators identification varied among groups from order (e.g. Araneae) to species (e.g. Rodolia cardinalis). All observations were made between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., as ant activity in citrus canopies is stable over this period.This dataset is associated to the published paper “Exclusion of Mediterranean ant species enhances biological control of the invasive mealybug Delottococcus aberiae in citrus”. In this paper, the effect of tending ants on the biological control of D. aberiae is evaluated. To do this, we compared: i) the density of D. aberiae, ii) the density of its natural enemies and iii) the damage produced by the mealybug in trees with (control) and without ants (ants excluded with sticky barriers) in two citrus orchards across two consecutive years
Leaf and Fruit Nutrient Concentration in Rojo Brillante Persimmon Grown under Conventional and Organic Management, and Its Correlation with Fruit Quality Parameters
Get PDFThis study aimed to evaluate the concentrations of the main macroelements in leaves and fruit grown following organic and conventional practices, and to relate them to physico-chemical parameters during commercial fruit harvests. Three samplings were carried out during fruit maturation. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) were determined in leaves and in two fruit flesh areas: basal and apical. Weight, color, firmness, soluble tannins (ST), and total soluble solids (TSS) were also evaluated in fruit. During the study period, the lowering leaf N concentration was accompanied by its increment in flesh. Leaf P and K lowered but did not imply changes in these concentrations in fruit. N, P, and K concentrations were higher in the apical area than in the basal flesh. No changes in Ca concentration occurred in leaf, but Ca translocation from the basal to the apical area was detected in fruit. Management affected the concentrations of leaf K and Mg and the fruit N, P and Ca. The agronomic efficiency of the macronutrients in the organic crops was superior to that in the conventional crops. The Ca and Mg and the N/Ca and Ca/(K+Mg) ratios were closely related to color, firmness, TSS, and ST content
Phenotypic Divergence among Sweet Pepper Landraces Assessed by Agro-Morphological Characterization as a Biodiversity Source
Get PDFTraditional vegetable varieties constitute an important reservoir of biodiversity, so recovering, cultivating, and correctly classifying these landraces is part of key global heritage for the future of food security. In this study, 17 traditional pepper varieties from the Valencian Community (Spain) were characterized using 14 quantitative and 30 qualitative conventional morphological descriptors, including plant, flower, and fruit traits, in two ripening stages: green and red. As a result, landraces were grouped based mainly on their fruit morphology (G1: thin and elongated; G2: thick and robust; P-49: ball pepper). During a second trial, the preservation of the described characteristics was checked, and the number of fruit produced per plant was determined. From the acquired information, the most desirable traits that could be of interest for cultivation and harvesting practices were established, including erect growth habit, dense branching, big leaves, and uniformity and low persistence of fruit. Additionally, based mainly on fruit size and fruit wall thickness traits, the varieties with the highest potential to be marketed as fresh, P-37 (from G2), P-41, and P-72 (from G1), were determined. The ungrouped P-49 variety is an optimal candidate for industry processes because of its small size and robust fruit wall. The importance of phenotyping studies for preserving plant varieties is emphasized
Integrated pest management of Tuta absoluta: practical implementations across different world regions
Get PDFThe South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), has invaded most Afro-Eurasian countries and is threatening worldwide tomato production. Various strategies have been developed and implemented to manage this pest. Here, we present a timely review on the up-to-date development and practical implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) programs for tomato crops across different world regions infested by T. absoluta. While insecticide resistance is a growing concern, biological control via releasing or conserving arthropod natural enemies and sex pheromone-based biotechnical control are the most successful management practices. Agronomic control-related research is an emerging area where the soil fertilization and/or irrigation, as well as breeding of resistant cultivars, has the potential to enhance IPM effectiveness. Grower survey responses in the native areas (i.e., South America), early-invaded areas (i.e., first report between 2006 and 2012) and newly invaded areas (i.e., first report after 2012) showed that the control programs evolved along with the areas and time since invasion. Growers in the early-invaded areas shifted more rapidly from chemical control to biological control compared to those from the native area. In all concerned regions, the pest control failure risk following chemical insecticide applications and the high cost associated with either biological or biotechnical control methods have been the greatest concerns for growers. The information gathered from the native and/or early-invaded areas may help achieve a more effective management in newly invaded areas. Lastly, researchers are expected to break the bottlenecks of some key issues that would enable lowering application cost of novel biorational alternative management options
From the bacterial citrus microbiome to the selection of potentially host-beneficial microbes
Get PDFCitrus is the most cultivated fruit crop worldwide. The modern citrus industry needs new bioproducts to overcome phytopathological threats, tolerate stresses and increase yield and quality. Mutualistic microbes from roots significantly impact host physiology and health and are a potentially beneficial resource. The bacterial microbiome can be surveyed to select potentially host-beneficial microbes. To achieve this goal, a prevalent “core-citrus” bacterial microbiome was obtained by picking those operational taxonomic units (OTUs) shared among samples within and across two Citrus rootstock genotypes grown in the same soil for more than 20 years. A sub-selection of main OTUs from the defined "core-citrus" microbiome was made based on abundance, host-enriched versus bulk soil, and rhizosphere-indicator species. In parallel, an extensive census of the cultivable microbiota was performed to collect a large number of bacterial citrus isolates. Metataxonomic data were linked to cultured microbes, matching 16S rRNA gene sequences from bacterial isolates with those counterpart OTU reference sequences from the selected bacterial "core-citrus" microbiome. This approach allowed selection of potentially host-beneficial bacteria to mine for agricultural probiotics in future biotechnological applications required for the citrus industry