Defense Metabolites in Brassicas Crops

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Breeding and Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2021) | Viewed by 12046

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Plant Genetics, Spanish National Research Council-Misión Biológica de Galicia, 36080 Pontevedra, Spain
Interests: rassica; glucosinolates; phenolic compounds; circadian clock; herbivory; metabolomics; defense compounds; plant protection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Crops belonging to the Brassica genus are one of the ten most economically important vegetables in the global agriculture and markets. The principal vegetable species of this genus are Brassica oleracea (i.e., broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts), Brassica rapa (i.e., turnip, Chinese cabbage, pak choi), Brassica napus (i.e., rapeseed, leaf rape), Raphanus sativus (radish), and Sinapis alba (mustard).

Over the last few decades, secondary metabolites present in Brassica crops have been widely investigated for their prominent function in the protection against predators and microbial pathogens, and researchers are now attempting to elucidate the basis of their toxic nature and repellence to herbivores and microbes. Other metabolites, by contrast, hace been studied because they are involved in the defense against abiotic stress. Hence, novel research on natural compounds involved in crop defense will help to provide a sustainable, safe, and secure food supply.

This Special Issue of the Agronomy journal will focus on “Defense Metabolites in Brassica Crops”. We invite experts and researchers to contribute original research, reviews, and opinion pieces covering all related topics on Brassica defense metabolites, including metabolomics, chemistry of secondary metabolites, biosynthetic pathways, gene mapping and cloning, breeding for defense metabolites, evolutionary ecology, and role of defensive compounds against biotic and abiotic stress.

Dr. Marta Francisco
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Brassica crops

Myrosinase–glucosinolate system;

volatile compounds;

lectins;

phytoalexins;

phytoanticipins;

phenolic compounds;

plant protection;

biotic stress;

abiotic stress;

metabolomics;

biochemistry of defense metabolites;

genetics of defense metabolites;

breeding for defense metabolites;

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2039 KiB  
Article
Black Rot Disease Decreases Young Brassica oleracea Plants’ Biomass but Has No Effect in Adult Plants
by Carmen Vega-Álvarez, Marta Francisco and Pilar Soengas
Agronomy 2021, 11(3), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11030569 - 18 Mar 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3485
Abstract
Black rot disease, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Pammel) Dowson (Xcc), causes important yield losses in Brassica oleracea L. crops worldwide. In temperate areas, yield losses are mostly due to the discarding of those plants showing chlorotic and [...] Read more.
Black rot disease, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Pammel) Dowson (Xcc), causes important yield losses in Brassica oleracea L. crops worldwide. In temperate areas, yield losses are mostly due to the discarding of those plants showing chlorotic and necrotic lesions, since they may be unmarketable. However, the biomass loss caused by the diversion of resources from the primary to the secondary defense metabolism could also affect the final crop yield. In this work, we have focused on studying the impact of Xcc race 1 invasion on the biomass production of young and adult B. oleracea plants. The results have shown that Xcc infection reduces biomass and photosynthesis in the aerial parts of seedlings and modifies their water percentage in a time-dependent manner. When adult plants were inoculated in the field, no effect was detected on the leaves or the biomass of marketable products. This was probably due to a better immune response when compared to seedlings. Since the first developmental stages of B. oleracea crops are especially vulnerable to Xcc, plant disease control should be increased in order to avoid yield losses of marketable products at the adult stage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Defense Metabolites in Brassicas Crops)
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17 pages, 8952 KiB  
Article
From Dimness to Glossiness—Characteristics of the Spring Rapeseed Mutant Form without Glaucous Bloom (Brassica napus L.)
by Anna V. Shirokova, Valentina T. Volovik, Natalia V. Zagoskina, Georgiy P. Zaitsev, Hatima K. Khudyakova, Larisa M. Korovina, Oleg N. Krutius, Tatiana N. Nikolaeva, Olga B. Simonova, Andrey A. Alekseev and Ekaterina N. Baranova
Agronomy 2020, 10(10), 1563; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101563 - 14 Oct 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2511
Abstract
As a result of the treatment of “Vikros” spring canola with the chemical mutagen ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), a high-protein mutant form without glaucous bloom (wax bloom) on leaves, shoots, and siliques was isolated. Segregation into glossy and glaucous forms was always observed in [...] Read more.
As a result of the treatment of “Vikros” spring canola with the chemical mutagen ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), a high-protein mutant form without glaucous bloom (wax bloom) on leaves, shoots, and siliques was isolated. Segregation into glossy and glaucous forms was always observed in the progeny of glossy plants from self-pollination, and the proportion of glaucous plants could reach up to 25%. The progeny of glaucous plants were homogeneous and did not segregate. If during the period of seed germination and seedling development the soil did not dry out and remained moist, and the average daily temperature did not exceed 16 °C, then the amount of glossy plants could reach 99%. Glossy plants possessed qualities valuable for breeding forage varieties, such as the increased content of protein in seeds (more than 30%), and change phenol metabolism, чтo прoявляется a reduced amount of lignin and sinapine in comparison with the original cultivar. In addition, plants without wax coating showed weakened shoot growth, decreased pollen fertility and seed production, and reduced lignin content in the shoots. Glossy mutants are of interest for the obtaining of fodder low-sinapine and low-lignin varieties of spring rapeseed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Defense Metabolites in Brassicas Crops)
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23 pages, 4257 KiB  
Article
The Diurnal Rhythm of Brassica napus L. Influences Contents of Sulfur-Containing Defense Compounds and Occurrence of Vascular Occlusions during an Infection with Verticillium longisporum
by Sofia Isabell Rupp, Johann Hornbacher, Ina Horst-Niessen, Frank Schaarschmidt, Anja Riemenschneider and Jutta Papenbrock
Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1227; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091227 - 20 Aug 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2920
Abstract
Reduction in atmospheric sulfur and intensified agriculture have led to sulfur deficiency, often correlated with a higher susceptibility to pathogens. The spread of fungal pathogens, such as the soil-born Verticillium longisporum, was observed. Defense responses of infected plants are linked to sulfur-containing [...] Read more.
Reduction in atmospheric sulfur and intensified agriculture have led to sulfur deficiency, often correlated with a higher susceptibility to pathogens. The spread of fungal pathogens, such as the soil-born Verticillium longisporum, was observed. Defense responses of infected plants are linked to sulfur-containing compounds including glucosinolates (GSLs). Some pathogens infect their hosts at specific time periods during the day. To investigate the relation of sulfur-containing metabolites with diurnal effects of infection time points, Brassica napus plants cultivated at two different sulfur supplies, were infected with V. longisporum at four different time points during the day. It was demonstrated that 3, 7 and 14 days after inoculation the infected plants differed in their infection rate depending on the time point of infection. Additionally, infected plants had higher contents of sulfur-containing metabolites, such as specific GSLs, in comparison to non-infected plants. Sufficient sulfur fertilization was always reflected in higher contents of sulfur-containing compounds as well as a lower rate of infection compared to sulfur-deprived plants. On the microscopic level vascular occlusions in the hypocotyl were visible and the amount was dependent on the time point of infection. The results might be used to optimize sulfur fertilization to reduce susceptibility to V. longisporum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Defense Metabolites in Brassicas Crops)
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Review

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11 pages, 872 KiB  
Review
Importance of Daily Rhythms on Brassicaceae Phytochemicals
by Marta Francisco and Víctor M. Rodríguez
Agronomy 2021, 11(4), 639; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040639 - 26 Mar 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2491
Abstract
The circadian clock serves to coordinate metabolism and physiology with the diurnal cycles derived from the daily rotation of the earth. In Brassicaceae, circadian rhythms contribute to the temporal daily variation in diverse phytochemicals and, hence, to both resistance to biotic stress [...] Read more.
The circadian clock serves to coordinate metabolism and physiology with the diurnal cycles derived from the daily rotation of the earth. In Brassicaceae, circadian rhythms contribute to the temporal daily variation in diverse phytochemicals and, hence, to both resistance to biotic stress and edible crop health value. Understanding the temporal variation in the specialized metabolites present in Brassica crops can improve selection and future breeding strategies. In this review, we focus on the importance of daily rhythms in the phytochemical biochemistry of the main bioactive compounds present in Brassicaceae plants. We provide a general overview of the mechanisms that can drive the daily variation in phytochemical levels and then provide specific examples of compounds that show daily variation. Finally, we discuss how these rhythmic patterns in plant phytochemicals may impact plant protection against biotic stress, the content of nutraceuticals, and the longevity of post-harvest crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Defense Metabolites in Brassicas Crops)
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