1,721,095 research outputs found
AMINO ACID, SUGAR, POLIPHENOL, VITAMIN C AND VITAMIN E CONTENTS IN FRESHLY HARVESTED FRUITS OF PLUM LANDRACES OF CAMPANIA REGION (ITALY)
No full textAMINO ACID, SUGAR, POLIPHENOL, VITAMIN C AND VITAMIN E
CONTENTS IN FRESHLY HARVESTED FRUITS OF PLUM LANDRACES
OF CAMPANIA REGION (ITALY)
IANNUZZI F., MIRTO A., WOODROW P., CARILLO P., FUGGI A.
Department of Environmental Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, II
University of Naples, Via A. Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta (Italy)
plum biodiversity, sugars, poliphenols, vitamins, free amino acids
The characterization of traditional cultivars (landraces), selected by farmers and particularly
adapted to the environment in which they evolved is fundamental in the conservation and
enhancement of the Agro-biodiversity. Morphological, phenological and genetic methods, actually
are integrated by proteomics and metabolomics ones. Such methods evaluate phenotypic traits
modulated by the environmental conditions (abiotic and biotic stress). In food products they allow
the quality assessment at harvest, during postharvest storage and/or treatments. Metabolic profiling
can proved fingerprints of typical products useful to define, protect and track them along their
lifestory.
In this work sugars, organic acids, polyphenols, anthocyanins, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid and
dehidroascorbic acid) and vitamin E (α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol), free amino acids, were
determined in fruits from plum landraces of Campania (Italy). Fruits from sixteen plum landraces
cultivated at "CRAA-Azienda Agricola Sperimentale Improsta" of Campania Region were
analysed. The edible part of freshly harvested fruits were cutted in small pieces, frozen in liquid
nitrogenand saved at -80°C. Three samples of cutted materials were powedered in liquid nitrogen
and used to prepare extracts for the analyses. The results were expressed on a fresh weight basis as
means and standard error.
The plum fruits showed a huge variability in the distribution of soluble sugars: they were
about 4% of fresh weight (FW) In the landrace "Sila", while in "Del Carmine" and "Pezza Rossa" it
was less than 1% of FW. Sorbitol content, on average, was about 18% of the soluble sugars. The
polyphenol contents were at least 100% higher than the USDA one. Higher levels of poliphenols
occurred in "Santa Paola", "Coglie e Astad Bianca” and “Santangiolese”, while the lower one was
found in "San Rafele" and "Pappacona". Among the analysed landraces the anthocyanins occurred
mainly in the skin, and, therefore, the amounts were, generally, lower than 1% of total polyphenols.
The Vitamin E (α, γ tocopherols) was similar to USDA average data in most of the landraces, while
they were more than 100% higher in "Santa Paola" and "Santangiolese". Only in some landraces γ
tocopherol content was higher than the α one. However Vitamin E was highly correlated to
polyphenol content. Among the free amino acids asparagine occurred at the highest concentration
followed by GABA, aspartate and glutamate. Proline was at the highest level in “Sila” and “Del
Carmine”. Organic acids and Vitamine C were also analysed.
PCA analysis of all data evidenced a main cluster with 12 landraces of the 16 analysed ones.
Such data can integrate the genetic and agronomic ones for a better characterization of plum
landraces.
The work was funded by "Regione Campania, PSR 2007/2013, Measure 214, Action f2,
project Agrigenet"
An appraisal of horticultural plant morpho-physiological and molecular responses to variable salt stress agents
No full textIn the coming years, the scientific community, extension specialists and horticulturists will have to deal with growing agronomic and horticultural crops under sub-optimal conditions dictated by a global change scenarios. Salinity which is a water or soil quality concern is one of the most serious threats limiting the productivity of vegetables which are highly susceptible to soil and/or water salinity. In vegetable crops, soil and/or water salinity have been reported to disturb biochemical, morpho-physiological, and molecular processes leading to stunted growth and yield reduction. This article gives an overview of the recent literature on salinity response of vegetable crops (in which sodium chloride, NaCl, is the predominant salt) as well as the physiological and molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance. The physiological mechanisms behind the response of vegetable crops to Na+ and Cl- and the functions that directly and/or indirectly affect the produce quality in terms of nutritional and functional quality will be elucidated. In addition, the effects of different salinity sources coming from other ions such as Mg2+, SO42-, HCO3- and Ca2+ are also discussed. Finally, the review paper identifies trendy research areas relevant to salinity as a eustressor for boosting quality of vegetables without compromising yield
ASCORBIC ACID, ASCORBATE PEROXIDASE, AND H2O2 IN FRESHLY HARVESTED FRUITS OF SWEET CHERRY LANDRACES OF CAMPANIA (ITALY)
No full textASCORBIC ACID, ASCORBATE PEROXIDASE, AND H2O2 IN FRESHLY
HARVESTED FRUITS OF SWEET CHERRY LANDRACES OF CAMPANIA
(ITALY)
MIRTO A., IANNUZZI F., VACCA F., WOODROW P., CARILLO P., FUGGI A.
Department of Environmental Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Second
University of Naples, Via A.Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta (Italy)
sweet cherry,vitamin C, ascorbate peroxidase, hydrogen peroxide,redox potential
Ascorbate (AsA) has a key role in many metabolic processes, regenerating other metabolites
like tocopherols from oxidative damages and protect many enzymes from irreversible inactivation
by oxidation mainly caused by the oxidative stress. It is among the main component of the redox
homeostasis buffering mechanism (ascorbate - glutathione cycle and is involved in many redox
signalling processes. Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) as enzyme of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle
uses ascorbate as electron donor to scavenge hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) produced in normal and
stress enhanced aerobic metabolism. (Ascorbate (vitamin C) is essential for human health and its
main dietary source are plant-derived foods. In addition high level of ascorbate in fruits and
vegetables improve their post-harvesting storage properties.
In the aim of conservation and valorization of agro-biodiversity of sweet cherry germoplasm
of Campania (Italy) a study has been conducted to measure AsA, dehydroascorbate (DHA) and
hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contents, as well as APX activities in the harvested fruits. The redox
state of the fruits was also evaluated.
Freshly harvested fruits from 23 landraces cultivated at the Regione Campania – Improsta
farm were used for the analyses.
The sweet cherry fruit extracts of the landraces varied significantly in contents of AsA and
DHA as well as in the DHA/AsA ratio. The redox potential showed the lowest value in the extracts
from the “Patanara” and “Lauretana” ones that did not show particularly high contents of AsA. The
highest potential was found in those from “Melella” and “Tamburella” that had relatively low AsA
content. Extracts from “Melella” were among those with the highest APX activity, while those
from “Tamburella” were from those with the lowest APX activity, as were also the extract from
Lauretana. The H2O2 contents also were not simply related to AsA content, APX activity and redox
potential, in agreement with the view that ascorbate concentration is dependent on biosynthesis,
catabolism and recycling. Anyway as considering that the oxidative stress in postharvest increase it
can be suggested that fruits with the lowest redox potential closer to the physiological one, at the
harvest,contains the overall most efficient antioxidant system and may be more suitable for postharvest
storage.
The work was funded by "Regione Campania, PSR 2007/2013, Measure 214, Action f2,
project “Agrigenet"
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Nitrate Uptake and Use Efficiency: Pros and Cons of Chloride Interference in the Vegetable Crops
Full text linkOver the past five decades, nitrogen (N) fertilization has been an essential tool for boosting crop productivity in agricultural systems. To avoid N pollution while preserving the crop yields and profit margins for farmers, the scientific community is searching for eco-sustainable strategies aimed at increasing plants’ nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). The present article provides a refined definition of the NUE based on the two important physiological factors (N-uptake and N-utilization efficiency). The diverse molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying the processes of N assimilation, translocation, transport, accumulation, and reallocation are revisited and critically discussed. The review concludes by examining the N uptake and NUE in tandem with chloride stress and eustress, the latter being a new approach toward enhancing productivity and functional quality of the horticultural crops, particularly facilitated by soilless cultivation
Influence of Pre-Harvest Factors on the Storage of Fresh Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.): A Review
No full textThanks to its numerous uses in gastronomy, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, basil (Ocimum spp.) is one of the most studied and consumed aromatic plants worldwide. However, its commercialization and availability are limited by its short post-harvest shelf-life, primarily due to its strong sensitivity to cold, poor handling, and consequent microbial contamination. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research on pre-harvest techniques that can extend the shelf-life of basil, aiming to offer a practical tool for growers, distributors, retailers, and scientists. In addition to influencing the plant’s primary metabolism, pre-harvest factors, such as genotype selection, plant nutrition, irrigation, and light management, can have a direct impact on basil quality and shelf-life. Unlike previous reviews, which primarily focus on post-harvest strategies, this work provides a structured analysis of pre-harvest factors that directly influence basil’s shelf-life. By integrating recent findings on genotype selection, nutrient management, and environmental conditions, we offer a comprehensive framework to guide future agronomic practices aimed at minimizing post-harvest losses and enhancing product quality
Effects of vegetal- versus animal-derived protein hydrolysate on sweet basil morpho-physiological and metabolic traits
No full textDespite scientific evidence supporting the biostimulant activity of protein hydrolysates (PHs) derived from vegetal or animal sources, the morpho-physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying the biostimulant action of PHs from plant biomass or animal by-products are still poorly explored. Accordingly, we performed a greenhouse experiment for assessing the morphological, physiological and biochemical responses of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) to three nitrogen equivalent rates (0.05, 0.15, and 0.25 g N/kg) of an animal-derived protein hydrolysate (A-PH) and a vegetal-derived protein hydrolysate (V-PH). The V-PH and A-PH applications determined a quadratic-dose response regarding the number and area of leaves and the shoot fresh and dry weight, with the best results obtained using V-PH at the N equivalent rates of 0.05 and 0.15 g N/kg. Improvement of shoot fresh weight with V-PH foliar application at the rate of 0.15 g N/kg was associated with a higher leaf CO2 assimilation and water use efficiency, with a concomitant higher uptake and translocation of K, Mg, and S in leaf tissue. The excessive accumulation of Na, Cl, and some amino acids (e.g., proline) under A-PH applications above 0.05 g N/kg induced a rapid decrease in plant photosynthetic performance, growth, and biomass production. The plants treated with A-PH at a higher dosage appeared to activate an alternative pathway involving the synthesis of alanine and GABA for storing excess ammonia, buffering cytoplasmic acidosis, and counteracting the negative effects of Na and Cl at toxic levels. The above findings demonstrated the potential benefits of protein hydrolysate application in agriculture, especially of vegetal-derived PHs, and highlighted the need to understand dose-dependent effects in order to optimize crop response
Multiple levels of crosstalks in biostimulant modulation of plant metal homeostasis
No full textMore than 10 million sites in the world are considered polluted, corresponding to more than 20 million hectares of soil; of these, more than 50% are contaminated with heavy metals (HMs). According to a study by China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, the total arable land area contaminated by HM has reached nearly 20 million hectares in China alone. The worldwide economic impact of HM pollution is estimated to exceed $10 billion annually. To HMs belong metals and metalloids having an atomic density higher than 4g/cm3; the majority of them may be toxic to animals and humans even at low concentrations. In areas contaminated by HMs, agriculture is severely damaged due to their adverse effects on crop growth, yield, quality, marketability, and above all, if tolerated and accumulated in edible parts of the plants without visible symptoms, for the serious effects on food safety. A promising and environmental-friendly innovative strategy for improving plant tolerance and/or avoidance of toxic metals and reducing their accumulation in edible plant organs and their progressive accumulation high up the food chain would be the use of plant biostimulants. They can improve plant nutrient use efficiency, quality traits, and tolerance to abiotic stresses by eliciting changes in plant primary and secondary metabolism involving synergistic or antagonist interplays and crosstalk with other plant metabolites and phytohormones. In fact, they directly or indirectly chelate and reduce the bioavailability of HMs, modulate membrane transporters, decrease HMs uptake and/or translocation to edible plant organs, and increase oxidative defense response by upregulating antioxidant enzymes and metabolites
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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