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Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) is the predominant isothiocyanate produced by damaged tissues of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L) Czerniak). This study investigated Indian mustard and AITC mediated suppression of mycelial growth and sclerotial germination of Sclerotium rolfsii Saccardo, a common soilborne pathogen. Indian mustard (IM) treatments of 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.6, 1.0, 2.0, 4.1, 5.1, 10.2, 20.4, 40.8, 81.6, and 163.3 g·L-1 (weight of reconstituted mustard per liter of air) were evaluated for suppression of mycelial growth. Treatment effect was evaluated by measuring the radial growth of mycelia. Sclerotia were placed in culture tubes containing 18 g autoclaved soil and covered with an additional 5 g soil. AITC at concentrations of 0, 4.0, 16.0, 64.0, 256.0, 1024.0, or 4096.0 μmol·L-1 was injected into the tubes. Treated sclerotia were removed from tubes and plated on potato dextrose agar to determine viability. Mycelial growth was inhibited with IM treatments (P < 0.01). Inhibiting concentrations (IC) of IM for mycelial growth inhibition of 50% and 90% were 0.7 and 1.0 g·L-1, respectively, with death resulting with >2 g·L-1. Inhibition attributable to AITC alone was lower than that achieved by IM producing equivalent amounts of AITC. Germination of sclerotia was negatively correlated with AITC concentration (r = 0.96; P < 0.01). The IC50 and IC90, of AITC were 249.0 and 528.8 μmol·L-1, respectively, at 42 hours. The lethal concentration for sclerotia was not reached; only suppression occurred at the highest treatment concentrations. Sclerotium rolfsii mycelia were sensitive to the IM volatiles and were suppressed at low concentrations. Sclerotia were more resistant than the mycelia and required higher concentrations of AITC to suppress germination.
Rapid cycling brassica (RCB) plants, because of their short life cycle and ease of growth under laboratory conditions, offer a valuable tool for studying Brassica nutrition. We have been particularly interested in B nutrition in Brassica and, therefore, a hydroponic system was developed to accurately deliver micronutrient concentrations to RCB plants. RCB plants were supported in predrilled holes in the lids of brown 1-L plastic containers. Nutrients were supplied by spraying a modified Hoagland's solution onto the plant roots as they developed inside the containers. This system provided adequate solution aeration for plant growth and allowed analysis of both plant shoots and roots. RCB seeds were pregerminated for radicle emergence, then placed in the holes in the plastic container lids. The effect of B nutrient concentration on B uptake was examined using nutrient solutions containing 0.08, 0.02 and 0.00 ppm added B. Leaf B contents were 139.5, 26.1, and 7.1 g·g–1 for plants grown in 0.08, 0.02 and 0.00 ppm added B, respectively. Effects of drought stress on B uptake and distribution were studied by adjusting nutrient solution osmotic potential using polyethylene glycol (PEG) 8000. PEG-induced drought, (osmotic potential –0.1 MPa) reduced leaf and root B content ≈50% compared to plants grown in nutrient solution only (–0.05 MPa). Boron content in the shoots and pods, however, was not affected by PEG-induced drought stress. These results suggest that this system provides a reliable tool for studying nutrition and drought stress effects using RCB plants.
Plants encounter various environmental stress factors that can potentially impact nutritional requirements and fruit quality. Adequate levels of calcium (Ca) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit have positive effects on fruit quality, specifically firmness. One of the results of insufficient Ca uptake and movement in tomato is the physiological disorder blossom-end rot (BER), which is associated with a Ca deficiency in the distal fruit tissue. Previous research has demonstrated that foliar abscisic acid (ABA) applications decreased the incidence of BER and increased the uptake of Ca into fruit tissue. This study examined how root and foliar spray ABA applications, individually and in combination, affect the partitioning of Ca between the leaves and fruit of tomato plants, especially in the distal tissue, and how ABA affects the incidence of BER in the distal tissue of tomato fruit. ‘Mt. Fresh Plus’ tomato were grown in the greenhouse at 25/20 °C (day/night) under a 16-hour photoperiod. Plants were treated with different Ca concentrations in the fertilizer solution. Plants were also treated with foliar spray ABA applications weekly. Calcium was applied through the irrigation lines at 60, 90, or 180 mg·L−1. ABA treatments were applied as a combination of foliar sprays and root applications. Foliar ABA applications, treatments consisted of deionized (DI) water control (0.0 mg ABA/L) or 500 mg ABA/L. For ABA root applications, treatments consisted of a DI water control (0.0 mg ABA/L) or 50 mg ABA/L applied through the irrigation lines. ABA spray treatments were applied once weekly until dripping from the foliage (tops of pots were covered to prevent spray drip into the pot), whereas root applications were applied four times per day through the irrigation system. Fruit tissues were harvested 84 to 90 days after seeding. Fruit tissue was harvested at red ripe maturity and evaluated for yield, BER, and Ca concentrations. Leaves were harvested at the time of fruit and were analyzed for Ca concentrations. The results indicate that a combination of the spray and root applications of ABA resulted in the greatest decrease in BER. The foliar spray application of ABA combined with the Ca treatment of 180 mg·L−1 decreased the incidence of BER. Results also demonstrate that ABA treatments are effective in increasing fruit Ca and preventing BER in the early stages of plant development but are less effective in preventing Ca deficiency in the later stages of growth.
Due to the declining availability of fungicides for use in commercial tomato production, there is a need to investigate alternative disease control methods. Several theories of disease resistance are associated with an increase in plant tissue calcium content, which has increased resistance of tomato seedlings to bacterial wilt and other diseases. Three tomato cultivars (`Mountain Supreme', `Sunrise', and `Celebrity') were grown in a greenhouse hydroponic system to study the role of Ca in reducing decay of fruit by Botrytis cinerea. Calcium treatments of 20, 200, or 1000 ppm were applied in a modified Hoagland's solution. A 3 × 3 factorial randomized complete-block design was used. Mature whole leaves were collected from immediately below the third flower clusters and the calcium content analyzed by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrophotometry. Harvested fruit were inoculated with a 5 × 105 spore/ml conidial suspension of B. cinerea and the decay lesion diameter measured once daily for 7 days. This was repeated for 8 consecutive weeks. Leaf Ca content significantly increased (P < 0.01) as the Ca treatments increased from low to medium (310%) and from medium to high (150%). The medium and high Ca treatments significantly reduced the area of decay caused by gray mold rot (P < 0.01). There were no differences in Ca content or decay among cultivars, and the Ca × cultivar interaction was not significant. It appears that leaf Ca content is negatively associated with resistance of greenhouse-grown tomatoes to gray mold rot, strengthening the hypothesized role of calcium in promoting disease resistance.
One important regulator that coordinates response to environmental stress is the hormone abscisic acid (ABA), which is synthesized from xanthophyll pigments. Despite the fact that there is strong evidence of increases in ABA concentrations under various environmental stresses, information concerning the effects of exogenous ABA applications on leaf pigments and fruit carotenoids in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is lacking. This study investigated the impacts of root tissue ABA applications on tomato leaf and fruit pigmentation concentrations of ‘MicroTina’ and ‘MicroGold’ tomato plants. Tomato plants were treated with increasing concentrations of ABA in the nutrient solution. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine dose–response effects of ABA treatment in solution culture for maximum leaf pigmentation and fruit carotenoids in two distinct genotypes of dwarf tomato. Because ABA is a product of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, we hypothesized that applications of ABA treatments would have a positive impact on leaf chlorophylls and carotenoids. Applications of ABA treatments may also have a positive impact on tomato fruit carotenoids. The results indicated that ‘MicroTina’ plants treated with ABA (0.5, 5.0, and 10.0 mg·L−1) had a significant increase in β-carotene [BC (P ≤ 0.001)], lutein [LUT (P ≤ 0.001)], zeaxanthin [ZEA (P ≤ 0.05)], and neoxanthin [NEO (P ≤ 0.001)] in the leaf tissue. In ‘MicroGold’ tomato plants, carotenoids responded similarly. For example, there were significant increases in BC (P ≤ 0.01), LUT (P ≤ 0.001), ZEA (P ≤ 0.05), and NEO (P ≤ 0.001). In ‘MicroTina’ tomato leaves, there were significant increases in chlorophyll a [Chl a (P ≤ 0.001)] and chlorophyll b [Chl b (P ≤ 0.001)] concentrations. Furthermore, there were significant increases in Chl a (P ≤ 0.001) and Chl b (P ≤ 0.001) in ‘MicroGold’ leaf tissue. In ‘MicroTina’ tomato fruit tissue, the concentration increased significantly for lycopene [LYCO (P ≤ 0.01)]. However, in ‘MicroGold’, there were no significant changes in BC and LUT concentrations. In addition, LYCO was found to be below detection limits in ‘MicroGold’ tomato fruit. Therefore, ABA has been shown to positively change tomato leaf pigments in both genotypes and fruit tissue carotenoid concentrations in ‘MicroTina’ tomato.
The use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for plant production is a new field of research that has great promise to optimize wavelength-specific lighting systems for precise management of plant physiological responses and important secondary metabolite production. In our experiment, hydroponically cultured kale plants (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala D.C.) were grown under specific LED wavelength treatments of 730, 640, 525, 440, and 400 nm to determine changes in the accumulation of chlorophylls, carotenoids, and glucosinolates. Maximum accumulation, on a fresh mass basis, of chlorophyll a and b and lutein occurred at the wavelength of 640 nm, whereas β-carotene accumulation peaked under the 440-nm treatment. However, when lutein was measured on a dry mass basis, maximum accumulation was shifted to 440 nm. Sinigrin was the only glucosinolate to respond to wavelength treatments. Wavelength control using LED technology can affect the production of secondary metabolites such as carotenoids and glucosinolates with irradiance levels also a factor in kale. Management of irradiance and wavelength may hold promise to maximize nutritional potential of vegetable crops grown in controlled environments.
Changes in tissue water relations, cell wall calcium (Ca) levels and physical properties of Ca-treated and untreated `Golden Delicious' apples (Malus×domestica Borkh.) were monitored for up to 8 months after harvest. Pressure infiltration of fruit with CaCl2 solutions at concentrations up to 0.34 mol·L-1 reduced both fruit softening and air space volume of fruit in a concentration-dependent manner. Turgor potential-related stress within the fruit persisted during storage and was higher in Ca-treated than in untreated fruit. Fruit that were pressure infiltrated with CaCl2 solutions between 0.14 and 0.20 mol·L-1 and then waxed to reduce water loss during storage showed no peel injury. Calcium efflux patterns from apple tissue disks indicated two distinct Ca compartments having efflux kinetics consistent with those for cell wall Donnan-phase bound and water free space soluble Ca. At Ca concentrations up to 0.20 mol·L-1, cell wall bound Ca approached saturation whereas soluble Ca showed a linear dependence. At higher external Ca concentrations, only soluble Ca in the tissue increased. During 8 months of cold storage, cell wall Ca-binding capacity increased up to 48%. The osmotic potential of apples harvested over three seasons ranged between-1.32 and -2.33 MPa. In tissue disks, turgor potential changes caused by adjusting the osmolality of the incubation solution with CaCl2 or sorbitol were accompanied by changes in the osmotic and water potentials of the tissue. In CaCl2 solutions up to 0.34 mol·L-1, turgor potential was ≥0.6 MPa in tissue incubated in 0.14 or 0.17 mol·L-1 solutions of CaCl2 and was more than 3 times higher than in tissues incubated in low (≤0.03 mol·L-1) or high (≥0.27 mol·L-1) concentrations of CaCl2. At osmotically equivalent concentrations, turgor potential was up to 40% higher in Ca-than in sorbitol-treated tissue. The results suggest that postharvest treatment with 0.14 to 0.20 mol·L-1 solutions of CaCl2 are best for maintaining fruit water relations and storage life of `Golden Delicious' apples while minimizing the risk of salt-related injuries to the fruit. While higher concentrations of CaCl2 may better maintain firmness, these treatments adversely affect fruit water relations and increase the risk of fruit injury.
Light is one of the most important environmental stimuli impacting plant growth and development. Plants have evolved specialized pigment-protein complexes, commonly referred to as photoreceptors, to capture light energy to drive photosynthetic processes, as well as to respond to changes in light quality and quantity. Blue light can act as a powerful environmental signal regulating phototropisms, suppression of stem elongation, chloroplast movements, stomatal regulation, and cell membrane transport activity. An emerging application of light-emitting diode (LED) technology is for horticultural plant production in controlled environments. Work by our research group is measuring important plant responses to different wavelengths of light from LEDs. We have demonstrated positive impacts of blue wavelengths on primary and secondary metabolism in microgreen and baby leafy green brassica crops. Results show significant increases in shoot tissue pigments, glucosinolates, and essential mineral elements following exposure to higher percentages of blue wavelengths from LED lighting. The perception of energy-rich blue light by specialized plant photoreceptors appears to trigger a cascade of metabolic responses, which is supported by current research showing stimulation of primary and secondary metabolite biosynthesis following exposure to blue wavelengths. Management of the light environment may be a viable means to improve concentrations of nutritionally important primary and secondary metabolites in specialty vegetable crops.
Abstract
Six accessions of edible amaranths (Amaranthus spp. L.) of varied geographic and genotypic origin were grown in a soil enriched with 0, 50, or 100 kg·ha–1N. Leaves were harvested at 25, 35, 45, 55, and 65 days after germination (DAG) and analyzed for crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and NO3 – N. In grain-bearing accessions, leaf CP content increased with N application but declined linearly over harvest dates. In vegetable types, leaf CP levels tended to fluctuate over time. In both types, NDF content declined with N application, whereas response to harvest date varied. Leaf NO3 – increased two-fold in plants from fertilized plots compared to plants from unfertilized plots, but declined rapidly with time. Leaf content of NO3 – did not exceed 239 mmol·kg–1 dry weight with any N fertilization treatment. Edible amaranth appeared to be adapted to soils and climate of the southeastern United States. A. tricolor was most susceptible to disease among the accessions evaluated.