Search Results (80)

Both the pulp and the seeds of rosehip are important for human health. Rosehip seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fats, which support a healthy skin membrane and protect it from inflammatory factors. In order to be used, the seeds require initial processing, mainly by grinding. This paper first presents a brief review of the physicochemical properties and the content of bioactive compounds in rosehip (Rosa canina) and its seeds. Original research results on the compression behavior of rosehip seeds are presented below, together with the key values of the most important parameters derived from the analysis. For seeds with a thickness ranging from 1.80 to 3.55 mm, the compressive force at the onset of fracture was recorded to be between 94.4 and 156.0 N, while the force required for complete fracture ranged from 114.0 to 495.0 N (with about 12.5% of values considered outside a normal distribution). Additionally, for these forces, the deformation of the seeds ranged between 0.142 and 0.916 mm at the onset of fracture and between 0.248 and 1.878 mm at complete fracture. For these characteristics, the energy consumed ranged between 0.012 and 0.041 J at the onset of fracture and between 0.017 and 0.322 J at complete breaking. The elasticity of the seeds also ranged between 159.9 and 789.1 N/mm, considering the forces and deformations at the onset of fracture. The results of our study contribute to expanding the database on the mechanical characteristics of rosehip seeds, knowledge of which is essential for the initial processing operations used in the pharmaceutical industry aimed at oil extraction. Full article

Optimized in vitro cultivation offers a sustainable solution to enhance blackberry (Rubus spp.) production while reducing pathogen contamination during propagation. This study developed and validated protocols for in vitro cultivation and ex vitro acclimatization of the Tupy, Brazos, and Kiowa cultivars at the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Los Reyes, Michoacán. A 20 min treatment with 2% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) reduced contamination by below 10% and achieved explant survival rates exceeding 95%. Temporary Immersion Systems (TIS) with four to six immersion cycles of 5 min each maximized survival (above 95%) while minimizing necrosis and hyperhydricity and increasing fresh mass. Shoot development was significantly enhanced with 2 mg L⁻¹ 6-benzylaminopurine, and 1 mg L⁻¹ indole-3-butyric acid promoted optimal root formation. Acclimatization success rates exceeded 90% in covered trays compared to significant losses in uncovered trays during early stages. These protocols enabled robust plant development and yields exceeding 10 t ha ⁻¹ during vegetative and reproductive stages, providing a scalable framework for sustainable blackberry production and broader applications in crop propagation. Full article

Previous studies have demonstrated that slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) treatment can enhance rice seed growth and promote the accumulation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a bioactive compound. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. This study systematically investigated the effects of pH and available chlorine concentration (ACC) of SAEW on rice seed germination and GABA biosynthesis. The changing trends were monitored within 7 days. The results revealed that the treatment group with moderate pH (S2, pH 5.74 ± 0.04) showed significantly higher GABA accumulation (71.27 ± 0.45 mg/100 g) compared with S1 (pH 5.04 ± 0.03) and S3 (pH 6.38 ± 0.04) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between ACC levels and GABA accumulation, suggesting that ACC plays a crucial regulatory role in rice seed germination. These findings were further substantiated by monitoring the enzymatic activity of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) throughout the germination process. Notably, while higher ACCs negatively impacted rice seed growth, pH variations within the tested range showed no adverse effects on seed development. The results show that optimal SAEW parameters, considering both pH and ACC, should be carefully determined for practical applications in rice seed production. Full article

Cultivated and wild cardoons are versatile plants with significant economic and bioactive potential. They have gained attention in recent years for their nutritional value and potential health benefits due to their high mineral content and unique composition. The aim of this study was to investigate the variations in mineral composition and ash content of thirteen distinct genotypes (four commercial, four wild, and five self-developed by Catania University) of cultivated and wild cardoon seeds over three consecutive growing seasons. The results showed that ash content and macro and micro-elements are significantly influenced by environmental conditions, genetic factors, and the interaction between both. For example, ash content showed notable fluctuations over the three seasons, with the lowest value recorded in season 2, probably linked to the higher rainfall level with respect to seasons 1 and 3. The genotypes self-developed showed the highest mean content of all micro-mineral elements under study, with Zn and Cu peaking in Linea 7. In general, it was reported that cardoon seeds are a valuable source of macro and micro-elements, highlighting, in particular, the potential of the genotypes developed by Catania University. This research provides, for the first time, valuable insights into the long-term consistency and variability of mineral content and ash composition in cardoon seeds, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of their nutritional value and potential applications. Full article

This study focused on the seed germination of the local Cretan endemic Campanula cretica, an endangered and nationally protected species with ornamental value. To determine its seed germination requirements, high-resolution bioclimatic (temperature and precipitation) maps were integrated with geographic distribution data of C. cretica using Geographic Information Systems. The seed germination was tested at four constant temperatures (10, 15, 20, and 25 °C) with a photoperiod of 12 h light/12 h dark and under light/darkness and darkness at 15 °C. Pre-treatments with gibberellic acid solutions (500 and 1000 mg·L⁻¹ GA₃) and cold moist stratification at 5 °C were applied to investigate seed dormancy. Seed germination was significantly affected by the interaction of temperature and seed pre-treatments; without pre-treatment, the seeds germinated better (>85%) at 10 and 15 °C. The detected seed germination pattern matched the natural temperatures prevailing in situ during late autumn. Pre-treatments with GA₃ solutions and cold stratification first reported herein widened the seed germination range at 20 and 25 °C. The seeds germinated better in light (94.38%) than in darkness (69.38%). The results of this investigation addressed existing research gaps (GIS-derived bioclimatic profiling, effects of incubation temperature, cold stratification, GA₃, and light investigated for the first time), thus facilitating species-specific conservation efforts and enabling sustainable utilization strategies. Full article

Plant cuticles are crucial for protecting plants from various environmental stresses. Seed priming with abscisic acid (ABA) enhances crop stress tolerance, but its molecular mechanisms in cuticular wax and cutin biosynthesis remain unclear. This study investigated ABA-priming’s role in boosting cuticular wax and cutin accumulation in sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) using physiological and transcriptomic analyses. Abscisic acid priming increased leaf wax (37.7%) and cutin (25.6%) under drought, reducing water loss (9.8–36.6%) and improving leaf water content (28.4–120%). Transcriptomics identified 921 differentially expressed genes, including key fatty acid biosynthesis genes (ADH2, DES2, KAS2). Co-expression analysis revealed the synergistic regulation of wax and cutin biosynthesis by the abscisic acid and jasmonic acid (JA) pathways. Exogenous ABA and JA application confirmed their roles, with combined treatment increasing wax content by 71.7% under drought stress. These findings were validated in other sweet sorghum cultivars (DLS and ML8000), highlighting the potential of ABA priming as a universal strategy to enhance wax deposition in crops. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying ABA-induced drought resistance and offers a practical approach for improving crop resilience in water-limited environments. Full article

This study investigates the germination ecology of three Lepidium species, including the invasive, indehiscent-fruited Lepidium appelianum and Lepidium draba, and the invasive, dehiscent-fruited Lepidium campestre. The ability of Lepidium species to germinate under a wide range of temperature conditions is significant for understanding their potential invasiveness and establishment in novel and extreme environments. This study aims to clarify the germination behavior of L. appelianum, L. draba, and L. campestre, thereby enhancing our understanding of their invasive potential and ecological implications in the context of a changing climate. The base (Tb), optimum (To), and maximum temperatures for 50% germination (Tc(50)) were determined across a broad thermal gradient following standard protocols. Freshly harvested seeds and fruits of L. appelianum are non-dormant. In contrast, L. draba exhibit pericarp-mediated chemical dormancy, while L. campestre demonstrates physiological dormancy, which is released through after-ripening. The results indicate that L. appelianum and L. draba seeds and fruits germinate at a base temperature (Tb) of 1 °C and 4 °C, respectively. On the other hand, L. campestre seeds germinate at a Tb of 5.8 °C. The optimum temperature (To) for the germination of seeds and fruits in L. appelianum and L. draba ranges from 23 °C to 25 °C, while the To for L. campestre seed germination is 16 °C to 18 °C. Additionally, the maximum temperature for 50% germination (Tc(50)) for L. appelianum fruits is 39.8 °C, for L. draba it is 34.4 °C, and L. campestre reports a (Tc(50)) ranging from 27.4 °C to 33.3 °C for freshly harvested and after-ripened seeds, respectively. These results demonstrated that L. appelianum and L. draba can germinate across a broad temperature range, from very cold to very hot, unlike L. campestre. These findings suggest that the unique reproductive strategy of indehiscent fruits, coupled with a wide thermal germination niche, may contribute to the invasive success of L. appelianum and L. draba. Given the projected climate warming, the results highlight the potential for increased invasiveness of these species and suggest the need for targeted management strategies. Full article

Maize is one of the most productive cereal crops, and is increasingly being grown over large areas. Using the right cultivar of high-quality selected seeds for sowing can be crucial for its productivity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of kernel fraction on the seed quality, seed vigor, morphological traits, and seed yield of the trilinear hybrid maize cv. ‘Lokata’. The research factor was the kernel fraction, categorized based on the thousand-kernel weight (TKW) into four groups: I—small; II—medium; III–large; and IV–very large. A three-year experiment showed that increases in the TKW resulted in increases in germination and vigor up to fraction III (large seeds) in maize. Sowing maize seeds with a higher TKW resulted in plants with higher fresh and dry weights in the early stages of maize development; however, this response decreased as growth progressed. The seed yield was significantly correlated with plant height and the number of kernels per cob for all fractions sown, but the fraction did not significantly modify the seed yield of ‘Lokata’ maize. Full article

The appearance of Allium L. seeds is very similar, and it is difficult to achieve fast and accurate classification using traditional seed classification methods, which may cause damage to the seeds. Therefore, finding a quick and nondestructive classification method is very important to solve the problem of seed confounding in actual production. In this study, hyperspectral imaging technology was combined with a variety of data preprocessing and classification models to achieve rapid and nondestructive classification of Welsh onion, onion, and Chinese chives seeds. In this paper, 1050 Welsh onion, onion, and Chinese chives seeds were used as materials, and their 400–1000 nm spectral images were collected for processing. Standard Normal Variable (SNV), Multivariate Scattering Correction (MSC), First-order Differential (FD), and Second-order Differential (SD) were used to denoise the spectral data. Then the dimensionality was reduced by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Four classification models, Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and k-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), were used to classify seeds quickly and accurately. The results show that the prediction accuracies of the Original-PLS-DA model, Original-Linear SVM model, and FD-Linear SVM model are the highest, reaching 98%, while the accuracy, recall rate, and F1 score all reach 96%. This study provides a new idea for rapid and nondestructive classification of Allium L. seeds in practical production. Full article

Debaryomyces hansenii naturally colonize wheat grain and can potentially inhibit the pathogens responsible for Fusarium crown rot (FCR). Seed dressing is a recommended method for protecting crops against FCR pathogens. The effectiveness of seed dressing with antagonistic yeasts in reducing the incidence of FCR remains insufficiently investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of seed dressing with a triazole fungicide and a suspension of D. hansenii cells on the health status and development of durum wheat cultivars (Durasol and Floradur), and to analyze the structure of the mycobiome in the rhizosphere of seedlings. Under field conditions, the incidence of FCR was reduced by 57.1% by triticonazole and 35.7% by the biocontrol agent relative to the control treatment. Seed dressing with D. hansenii decreased the number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of Fusarium pathogens by 47.24% in cv. Durasol and 87.4% in cv. Floradur. The number of OTUs of autochthonous yeast species and Mortierellomycota increased in the rhizosphere of both durum wheat cultivars. The effectiveness of seed dressing with yeasts is determined by the quality and local adaptation of biocontrol agents. Full article

Smallholder potato farmers in Ethiopia do not realize the theoretical yield potential of the crop because they do not benefit from the advantages of using quality seed potato of improved varieties. The high disease incidence in seed potatoes has large implications on the potato farming system since the country lacks appropriate seed quality assurance mechanisms. Seed potato quality assurance relies more on the technical support provided by the national research and extension systems than the official seed certification agency. This paper elaborates systematic challenges and opportunities within the potato seed system and poses two research questions: (1) What type of seed quality assurance mechanisms (informal, quality declared, certified) are under implementation in Ethiopia? (2) How does the current seed quality assurance system operate in terms of reliability, accessibility, and quality standards to deliver quality seed potato? The data were collected through face-to-face in-depth key informant interviews with various seed regulatory laboratory managers and technicians in the Oromia, SNNP, and SWEP regions in the main seed- and ware-producing areas of Ethiopia. This was complemented by a comprehensive analysis of relevant documents. The findings show that currently there is no established procedure in place to officially certify early-generation seed potatoes. Two out of six seed quality control laboratories assessed for this study inspected seed potato fields in 2021 but as quality declared seed (QDS), and approved the fields inspected based on visual inspection alone. Our study revealed a weak linkage between early-generation seed (EGS) potato producers, commercial, and QDS seed potato producers, and seed quality control laboratories. Seed potato quality assurance operations were carried out by only a few seed regulatory laboratories with several concerns raised over the effectiveness of quality standards since seed-borne diseases, such as bacterial wilt, have been found at high frequency in the country’s seed potato system. Hence, the current procedures and challenges call for the necessity of upgrading current quality assurance in seed potato certification. Our study underlines the need for policymakers, development partners, and researchers to collaborate and pool efforts to consider transforming the quality declared system to appropriate seed certification. We recommended that institutionalizing novel plant disease diagnostics into seed regulatory frameworks is needed for sustainable potato production and food security in Ethiopia. Full article

Panax ginseng Meyer is one of the most popular traditional medicinal plants in Korea. Since ginseng seeds are morpho-physiologically dormant and have a very short lifespan, the harvested seeds need outdoor warm and cold stratification for 100 days each. The seeds were covered by a fruit coat (endocarp), which opened during warm stratification. Farmers must, therefore, dehisce (open the endocarp) seeds annually. The conditions for embryo growth, dehiscence percentage, and endocarp hardness were temperature, watering, stratification substances, solution scarification, and microbial inoculation of the seed endocarp. Watering, temperature (17.5 °C), and aeration are crucial for embryo growth as a germination condition. Moreover, microbial-mediated endocarp decomposition is necessary for dehiscence and embryonic development. This study suggests that a combination of embryo growth and microbial-mediated decomposition of the endocarp during warm stratification is a prerequisite for the dehiscence of ginseng seeds, implying physical and morpho-physiological dormancy. Any microbes (fungi, actinomycetes, and bacteria) tested with high or low cellulose-decomposing ability increased the dehiscence percentage by 66% compared to the untreated control. Seeds of three varieties of P. ginseng and one variety of P. quinquefolius were successfully dehisced by fungal inoculation of seeds. This approach opens the door for year-round indoor dehiscence of ginseng seeds without substrates, such as sand. Full article

The quality assurance of corn seeds is of utmost significance in all stages of production, storage, circulation, and breeding. However, the traditional detection method has some disadvantages, such as high labor intensity, strong subjectivity, low efficiency, cumbersome operation, etc. In view of this, it is of great significance to study more advanced detection methods. In this paper, the application of near-infrared spectroscopy and its imaging technology in the quality detection of corn seeds was reviewed. Firstly, the principles of these two technologies were introduced, and their components, data acquisition, and processing methods, as well as portability, were compared and discussed. Then, the application of these methods to the main quality of corn seeds (including variety and purity, vigor, internal components, mycotoxins, and other qualities such as frost damage, hardness, and maturity, etc.) was reviewed. Breakthroughs and innovations have been made in detection methods, spectral preprocessing methods and recognition algorithms. The significance of corn quality characteristics and the function of the applied algorithm were emphasized. Finally, the challenges and future research direction of spectral and its imaging technology was proposed, aiming to further enhance the accuracy, reliability, and practicability of the detection technology. With the rapid development of spectral and its imaging technology, the detection methods of corn quality are also advancing with the times. This is not just for corn, but more and more crops can be accurately detected by these technologies. It will become an important means of agricultural production inspection in the future. Full article

This study evaluates the use of biochar as a sustainable substitute to peat in the soilless cultivation of rocket salad (Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav.). Biochar was added to a peat-based substrate at concentrations of 0% (control), 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, and 70% v/v to assess its effects on seed germination, plant growth, mineral content, and nitrate accumulation. The results show that biochar concentrations up to 40% v/v maintained germination rates above 80%, similar to the control, while higher concentrations (70% v/v) drastically reduced germination to 29% and entirely compromised plant development and growth. A moderate biochar concentration (20%) had a positive effect on fresh weight and leaf area, while maintaining comparable levels of nutrient uptake, chlorophyll, and flavonols. In addition, biochar-enriched substrates (≥20% v/v) reduced nitrate accumulation in leaves by 26–30%, addressing a critical quality and safety concern. A high biochar content (≥40% v/v) altered the substrate’s physicochemical properties, including pH, porosity, and electrical conductivity, negatively affecting plant growth (a 38% reduction in plant growth and 42% in leaf area) and increasing heavy metal concentrations, such as that of zinc (~30%). These findings suggest that incorporating up to 20% v/v biochar in soilless substrates offers a sustainable alternative to peat, supporting rocket salad performance and improving leaf nitrate quality, without compromising yield or safety. Full article

Seawater intrusion into soils caused by global climate change and tsunami disasters is a significant factor contributing to soil salinization in coastal vegetation areas, posing a critical threat to agriculture and food security. This study aimed to evaluate the seawater tolerance of Vigna marina, a wild Vigna species, through comparative laboratory experiments with Vigna radiata (mung bean) and Vigna angularis (adzuki bean). Unlike V. radiata and V. angularis, the seeds of V. marina exhibited significant buoyancy in seawater, remaining afloat for at least 30 days. After this prolonged seawater incubation, V. marina seeds maintained a 100% germination rate, whereas V. radiata and V. angularis failed to germinate under the same conditions. The photosynthetic activity of V. marina seedlings, evaluated via the Fv/Fm parameter, remained stable even after seven days of seawater irrigation. In contrast, V. radiata and V. angularis perished under seawater irrigation. Furthermore, V. marina seedlings exhibited sustained growth under seawater irrigation, showing consistent increases in both fresh and dry weight. These findings confirm that V. marina possesses remarkable tolerance to seawater, a critical characteristic for cultivation in areas affected by seawater intrusion. Full article