1,721,435 research outputs found
Advances and Sustainable Practices for the Rapidly Changing Field of Agronomy
No full textHuman welfare is strictly linked to the Earth’s natural resources, which are heavily exploited, thus making food production systems unsustainable [...
Chemical eustress and biofortification: Targeted nutrient solution management for enhancing quality in hydroponically grown vegetables
No full textSoilless cultivation including both open and closed loop systems is considered an efficient tool to increase crop productivity all year round, as well as enhancing nutritional and qualitative aspects of vegetables. Manipulation of secondary metabolites or phytochemicals in vegetables, by management of the nutrient solution is an exciting research area attracting scientists, growers and extension specialists. Proper management of salt concentration (all ions, salinity or electrical conductivity), cationic and/or anionic composition in the nutrient solution can improve the quality of a wide range of vegetables. After a brief introduction on the advantages of soilless cultivation systems and the concept of quality of fresh vegetables, the paper focuses on the effective application of salinity or nutritional eustress to improve the sensorial and functional traits of several leafy and fruit vegetables. Accurate control of essential and beneficial micronutrients (iron, silicon and selenium) concentrations in the nutrient solution, as an instrument for the biofortification of vegetables will be also covered. The present paper concludes by providing an overview of the future perspective and challenges on scientific advances in open/closed soilless cultivation aimed at enhancing the phytochemical profiling of vegetables
Biostimulant substances for sustainable agriculture: Origin, operating mechanisms and effects on cucurbits, leafy greens, and nightshade vegetables species
No full textClimate change is a pressing matter of anthropogenic nature to which agriculture contributes by abusing production inputs such as inorganic fertilizers and fertigation water, thus degrading land and water sources. Moreover, as the increase in the demand of food in 2050 is estimated to be 25 to 70% more than what is currently produced today, a sustainable intensification of agriculture is needed. Biostimulant substances are products that the EU states work by promoting growth, resistance to plant abiotic stress, and increasing produce quality, and may be a valid strategy to enhance sustainable agricultural practice. Presented in this review is a comprehensive look at the scientific literature regarding the widely used and EU-sanctioned biostimulant substances categories of silicon, seaweed extracts, protein hydrolysates, and humic substances. Starting from their origin, the modulation of plants’ hormonal networks, physiology, and stress defense systems, their in vivo effects are discussed on some of the most prominent vegetable species of the popular plant groupings of cucurbits, leafy greens, and nightshades. The review concludes by identifying several research areas relevant to biostimulant substances to exploit and enhance the biostimulant action of these substances and signaling molecules in horticulture
Protein hydrolysate-based biostimulant improves yield and fruit quality of greenhouse fresh tomato
No full textThe use of natural plant biostimulants has been proposed as one of the most promising and innovative approach to address the challenges to sustainable greenhouse horticulture, to ensure optimal nutrient uptake and crop yield. Very limited information are available concerning the effect of natural biostimulants on yield and quality attributes of vegetables. Accordingly, it is in the best interest of growers, extension specialists and scientists to elucidate how biostimulant applications can modulate quality and yield of greenhouse vegetables. A greenhouse experiment were carried out to assess the crop productivity and fruit quality traits of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in relation to foliar protein hydrolysate-based biostimulant applications (untreated or treated at a concentration of 3 mL L-1). Foliar application of the protein hydrolysate-based biostimulant enhanced marketable yield and mean fruit weight by 15.4 and 19.8%, respectively compared to untreated tomato plants, with no significant effect on the fruit number. Similarly to crop performance, the foliar application of protein hydrolysate incurred a significant increase in total soluble solids, total ascorbic acid and by 10.2, 22.9 and 37.5%, respectively compared to untreated tomato plants
Genetic diversity among and within tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) landraces grown in Southern Italy
No full textLandraces can be defined as locally adapted cultivated forms of domesticated plant species that have distinctive traits resulting from both environmental adaptation and farmer selection. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), they are important for preserving genetic diversity and as a potential source of adaptive traits that are not found in contemporary commercial varieties. In this work, we analyzed the genetic variability within and between 16 tomato landraces originating in Southern Italy, a secondary center of diversity. We used the highly discriminant (GATA)4 DNA fingerprinting to assess genetic homogeneity, relationship, differentiation, and structure, as well as to infer the occurrence of possible contaminant or admixed genotypes. Within-landrace variability was found in a third of the landraces. The population structure (without using predefined groups) indicated in different instances, a correspondence between fruit type and landraces’ clusters. The results of multivariate and Bayesian analyses showed a low frequency of possible admixed or contaminant genotypes. Moreover, the quantification of intra-landrace variability allowed to estimate the potential loss of diversity in storing tomato landraces as pure lines. Finally, issues related to possible contamination of the germplasm also imply that more thorough assessment of variability is required not only to store genuine diversity but also to exploit tomato landraces in breeding programs
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
Growth response and nitrogen use efficiency of two dieffenbachia cultivars grown in soilless culture
No full textPlant biostimulants: Innovative tool for enhancing plant nutrition in organic farming
No full textOrganic farming has generated significant interest among consumers and scientists owing to their healthier and safer characteristics to human health. However, nutrient (N and P) availability has been identified to be a major yield-limiting factor in many organic farming systems. Plant biostimulants which are defined as substances (humic acids, protein hydrolysates and seaweed extracts) and/or microbial inoculants (plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Trichoderma spp.) applied to plants with the aim to enhance plant resilience and also to improve nutrient uptake and translocation. This review focuses on how the plant biostimulants application can overcome nutrient limitation typical of organic systems by improving nutrient availability, uptake and assimilation, and consequently reducing the gap between organic and conventional yields. The agronomical, physiological and molecular responses conferring tolerance to nutrient deficiency were also covered. The review concluded by proposing several research areas to understand the specific application of plant biostimulants to improve the yield of organic horticulture
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