Search Results (29)

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

In order to innovate the planting mode and improve the quality of Chinese chive, we designed an outside-filling Chinese chive adjustable-capacity precision seed-metering device with an adjustable number of sown seeds. The diameter, number of shaped holes, and seed slot parameters of the seeding plate were designed based on the physical characteristics and agronomic planting requirements of the Haoji Chinese chive. A simulation of the seed-metering device’s seeding process was carried out using EDEM software. To carry out the quadratic general rotary combination design experiment, use seed slot diameter and seed slot depth as test factors, longitudinal concentration and transverse concentration as evaluation indexes, and carry out the bench validation test and comparison test under the optimal parameter combination. In the simulation test, the factors affecting the longitudinal concentration in order of priority were seed slot depth and seed slot diameter, and the factors affecting the transverse concentration in order of priority were seed slot diameter and seed slot depth. The optimal parameters were seed slot diameter of 3.075 mm, seed slot depth of 3.323 mm, longitudinal concentration of 0.563, and transverse concentration of 0.634. In the bench test, the relative error of longitudinal concentration was 3.20%, the relative error of transverse concentration was 2.47%, and the number of seeds sown per hole was linearly correlated with the length of the seed slot. The results of the bench test and simulation test are close to each other, which proves that the outside-filling Chinese chive adjustable-capacity precision seed-metering device has a better sowing effect, and the number of sowing grains can be adjusted. Full article

Volatile compounds are important components of the flavor quality of Chinese chives, but the distribution of flavor components in different organs of Chinese chives is still unclear. In this experiment, two Chinese chive varieties, ‘Fu Jiu Bao F1’ and ‘Jiu Xing 22’, were taken as test materials, and the contents of volatile compounds in different stages and organs of Chinese chive were determined by HS-SPME/GC-MS technology. A total of 70 and 85 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected in various organs of two varieties at the commodity harvesting stage and physiological maturity stage, respectively. The total volatile compound content of Fu Jiu Bao F1 in the stage of commodity harvesting was higher than that of the physiological maturity stage, but Jiu Xing 22 showed the opposite trend. The organ distribution pattern of total volatile compounds in Fu Jiu Bao F1 and Jiu Xing 22 at the commodity harvesting stage was consistent, as follows: leaf > pseudostem > root. However, at the physiological maturity stage, the distribution pattern of Fu Jiu Bao F1 was different from that of Jiu Xing 22. Further, sulfur-containing compounds at different stages showed different organic distributions. Comprehensive analysis indicated that organic-common and organic-specific compounds varied from different cultivars and growth stages of Chinese chive, and organ differences in VOC distribution were greater than the varieties’ differences based on PCA analysis. The results of this study clarify the composition and organ distribution of volatile compounds in Chinese chive and provide a direction for the study of Chinese chive flavor quality. Full article

Traditional fermented foods are known to offer cardiovascular health benefits. However, the potential of fermented Chinese chives (FCC) in reducing coronary heart disease (CHD) remains unclear. This study employed anaerobic fermentation to investigate Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) P470 from FCC. The results indicated that L. plantarum P470 enhanced hydroxyl radical scavenging and exhibited anti-inflammatory effects on RAW264.7 macrophages in the fecal fermentation supernatant of CHD patients. These effects were attributed to the modulation of gut microbiota and metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Specifically, L. plantarum P470 increased the abundance of Bacteroides and Lactobacillus while decreasing Escherichia-Shigella, Enterobacter, Veillonella, Eggerthella, and Helicobacter in CHD patient fecal samples. Furthermore, L. plantarum P470 regulated the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and linoleic acid metabolism. These findings suggest that L. plantarum P470 from FCC can improve the fecal physiological status in patients with CHD by modulating intestinal microbiota, promoting SCFA production, and regulating lipid metabolism. Full article

This study investigated the performance of four different fertigation scheduling methods in greenhouse-grown, drip-fertigated Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) cultivation. These methods were based on (1) the use of a timer (control), (2) accumulated radiation (AR), (3) estimated evapotranspiration (ET), and (4) measured soil moisture (SM), with fertilizer application proportional to the supplied water. These methods caused considerable variations in the amount of fertigation water (I), soil volumetric water content (θ), and bulk soil electrical conductivity, leading to variations in the harvested fresh weight (FW). The SM-based method maintained the target θ and achieved the highest irrigation water productivity (WP; the ratio of FW to ΣI), while the ET-based method led to insufficient I and FW loss. The AR-based method over-fertigated, but no FW loss was observed. Compared to the WP of the control, those of the SM-, ET-, and AR-based methods varied by +1%, −14%, and −57%, respectively. Different fertigation methods did not significantly affect leaf photosynthetic capacity, but under-fertigation caused a significant decline in stomatal conductance. Compared to the ET- and AR-based methods, the SM-based method seemed to have a lower risk of under-/over-fertigation because I in the SM-based method could be adjusted according to θ. Full article

In order to address the significant prediction errors resulting from the substantial fluctuations in agricultural product prices and the non-linear features, this paper proposes a hybrid forecasting model based on variational mode decomposition (VMD), ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), and long short-term memory networks (LSTM). This combined model is referred to as the VMD–EEMD–LSTM model. Initially, the original time series of agricultural product prices undergoes decomposition using VMD to obtain a series of variational mode functions (VMFs) and a residual component with higher complexity. Subsequently, the residual component undergoes a secondary decomposition using EEMD. All components are then fed into an LSTM model for training to obtain predictions for each component. Finally, the predictions for each component are linearly combined to generate the ultimate price forecast. To validate the effectiveness of the VMD–EEMD–LSTM model, empirical analyses were conducted for one-step and multi-step forecasts using weekly price data for pork, Chinese chives, shiitake mushrooms, and cauliflower from China’s wholesale agricultural markets. The results indicate that the composite model developed in this study provides enhanced forecasting accuracy. Full article

The matrix effect refers to the change in the analytical signal caused by the matrix in which the sample is contained, as well as the impurities that are co-eluted with the target analyte. In crop sample analysis using LC–MS/MS, the matrix effect can affect the quantification results. Chinese chives are likely to exhibit a strong matrix effect when co-extracted with bifenthrin and butachlor due to the presence of phytochemicals and chlorophyll. A novel analytical method was developed to reduce the matrix effects of bifenthrin and butachlor to a negligible level in Chinese chives. The established method had a limit of quantitation of 0.005 mg/kg and correlation coefficients greater than 0.999 within the range of 0.005–0.5 mg/kg. Matrix effects were found to be negligible, with values ranging from −18.8% to 7.2% in four different sources of chives and two leafy vegetables. Compared to conventional analytical methods for the LOQ and matrix effect, the established method demonstrated improved performances. The analytical method was further applied in a residual study in chive fields. The active ingredient of butachlor 5 granule (GR) was not detected after soil admixture application, while that of bifenthrin 1 emulsifiable concentrate (EC) showed a range from 1.002 to 0.087 mg/kg after foliar spraying. The dissipation rate constant (k) of bifenthrin was determined to be 0.115, thus its half-life was calculated to be 6.0 days. From the results, PHI and safety use standards of both pesticides were suggested. The developed analytical method can be applied to accurately determine bifenthrin and butachlor residues in Chinese chives and provides a foundation for further research on the fate and behavior of these pesticides in the environment. Full article

Sodium chloride (NaCl), as a eustressor, can trigger relevant pathways to cause plants to produce a series of metabolites, thus improving the quality of crops to a certain extent. However, there are few reports on the improvement of nutrient quality and flavor of hydroponic Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum Rottler) by sodium chloride. In this study, five NaCl concentrations were used to investigate the dose-dependent effects on growth, nutritional quality and flavor in Chinese chives. The results show that 10 mM NaCl had no significant effect on the growth of Chinese chives, but significantly decreased the nitrate content by 40% compared with 0 mM NaCl treatment, and the content of soluble protein and vitamin C was increased by 3.6% and 2.1%, respectively. In addition, a total of 75 volatile compounds were identified among five treatments using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS). Compared with the 0 mM NaCl treatment, 10 mM NaCl had the greatest effect on the quantity and content of volatile compounds, with the total content increased by 27.8%. Furthermore, according to the odor activity values (OAVs) and odor description, there were 14 major aroma-active compounds (OAVs > 1) in Chinese chives. The “garlic and onion” odor was the strongest among the eight categories of aromas, and its highest value was observed in the 10 mM NaCl treatment (OAVs = 794).Taken together, adding 10 mM NaCl to the nutrient solution could improve the nutritional quality and flavor of Chinese chives without affecting their normal growth. Full article

In order to enrich the research on the influence of weather factors on agricultural economy and provide practical decision-making references for the relevant market entities, this study took pointed pepper, loofah, Chinese chives and tomato as examples, using weekly wholesale prices and corresponding weather factors data from one of the main production areas in China based on the vector autoregressive (VAR) and the time-varying parameter vector autoregressive (TVP-VAR) models to explore the dynamic impacts of weather changes on vegetable price fluctuations. It was found that price fluctuations of specific vegetable varieties were affected by changes in specific weather factors. The shock intensity of weather factor changes in the same lag period on the current vegetable price fluctuations was time-varying, which could describe the historical dynamics of the impacts of weather changes on vegetable price fluctuations. The dissipation characteristics of the dynamic impacts of weather factors changes occurring at selected time points on vegetable price fluctuations had strong consistency, and the obtained rules could be used to analyze the life cycle and dynamic characteristics of extreme weather impacts on vegetable price fluctuations. In addition, vegetable price fluctuations were affected mostly by their own lag periods, and the shock intensity of vegetable price fluctuations with equal lag periods on their own current price fluctuations were relatively stable. The dynamic impacts of vegetable price fluctuations occurring at chosen time points on its own later fluctuations were highly consistent in the variation from the beginning of the strongest positive shock to the final dissipation. Full article

The present study explores the application of CC juice as a suitable feed additive and alternative to conventional antibiotics. We performed a comparative study to investigate the effects of non-fermented and fermented CC juice on broiler productivity, meat quality, blood characteristics, intestinal characteristics, and microbiota associated with intestinal characteristics. A total of 800 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to one of the four dietary treatment groups: (1) basal diet (negative control; NC); (2) basal diet + 0.01% enramycin (positive control; PC); (3) basal diet + 3% non-fermented CC juice (NCC; CC juice 10%, water 90%); and (4) basal diet + 3% fermented CC juice (FCC; CC juice 10%, water 90%, Lactobacillus plantarum SK4719). Feed and water were provided ad libitum. Intriguingly, all treatments showed similar results in terms of broiler productivity and chicken meat quality. Considering organ characteristics, the FCC group showed a low spleen weight and lower (p < 0.05) blood levels of AST and total cholesterol (TCHO). Regarding intestinal characteristics, the CC feed additive (NCC and FCC) resulted in a heavier intestinal weight (p < 0.05) without affecting the length ratio of the villi or the crypt compared to the control (NC or PC). NCC and FCC lowered the growth of intestinal pathogens (p < 0.01). In summary, the addition of FCC can maintain poultry health by improving blood compositions and inhibiting the growth of intestinal pathogens, leading to a productivity comparable to that of poultry treated with growth-promoting antibiotics. Full article

Chinese chives is a popular herb vegetable and medicine in Asian countries. Southwest China is one of the centers of origin, and the mountainous areas in this region are rich in wild germplasm. In this study, we collected four samples of germplasm from different altitudes: a land race of cultivated Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum), wide-leaf chives and extra-wide-leaf chives (Allium hookeri), and ovoid-leaf chives (Allium funckiaefolium). Leaf metabolites were detected and compared between A. tuberosum and A. hookeri. A total of 158 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAM) were identified by Gas Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Liquid Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), among which there was a wide range of garlic odor compounds, free amino acids, and sugars. A. hookeri contains a higher content of fructose, garlic odor compounds, and amino acids than A. tuberosum, which is supported by the higher expression level of biosynthetic genes revealed by transcriptome analysis. A. hookeri accumulates the same garlic odor compound precursors that A. tuberosum does (mainly methiin and alliin). We isolated full-length gene sequences of phytochelatin synthase (PCS), γ-glutamyltranspeptidases (GGT), flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO), and alliinase (ALN). These sequences showed closer relations in phylogenetic analysis between A. hookeri and A. tuberosum (with sequence identities ranging from 86% to 90%) than with Allium cepa or Allium sativum (which had a lower sequence identity ranging from 76% to 88%). Among these assayed genes, ALN, the critical gene controlling the conversion of odorless precursors into odor compounds, was undetected in leaves, bulbs, and roots of A. tuberosum, which could account for its weaker garlic smell. Moreover, we identified a distinct FMO1 gene in extra-wide-leaf A. hookeri that is due to a CDS-deletion and frameshift mutation. These results above reveal the molecular and metabolomic basis of impressive strong odor in wild Chinese chives. Full article

Procymidone is used as a preventive and curative fungicide to control fungal growth on edible crops and ornamental plants. It is one of the most frequently used pesticides and has a high detection rate, but its residue behaviors remain unclear in green onion and garlic plants (including garlic, garlic chive, and serpent garlic). In this study, the dissipation and terminal residues of procymidone in four matrices were investigated, along with the validation of the method and risk assessment. The analytical method for the target compound was developed using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), which was preceded by a Florisil cleanup. The linearities of this proposed method for investigating procymidone in green onion, garlic, garlic chive, and serpent garlic were satisfied in the range from 0.010 to 2.5 mg/L with R² > 0.9985. At the same time, the limits of quantification in the four matrices were 0.020 mg/kg, and the fortified recoveries of procymidone ranged from 86% to 104%, with relative standard deviations of 0.92% to 13%. The dissipation of procymidone in green onion and garlic chive followed first-order kinetics, while the half-lives were less than 8.35 days and 5.73 days, respectively. The terminal residue levels in garlic chive were much higher than those in green onion and serpent garlic because of morphological characteristics. The risk quotients of different Chinese consumer groups to procymidone in green onion, garlic chive, and serpent garlic were in the range from 5.79% to 25.07%, which is comparably acceptable. These data could provide valuable information on safe and reasonable use of procymidone in its increasing applications. Full article

In order to rapidly and precisely identify the volatile compounds in Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum Rottler), seven key parameters of headspace solid-phase micro-extraction conditions (HS-SPME) from Chinese chive were optimized. A total of 59 volatile compounds were identified by using the optimized method, including 28 ethers, 15 aldehydes, 6 alcohols, 5 ketones, 2 hydrocarbons, 1 ester, and 2 phenols. Ethers are the most abundant, especially dimethyl trisulfide (10,623.30 μg/kg). By calculating the odor activity values (OAVs), 11 volatile compounds were identified as the major aroma-active compounds of Chinese chive. From the analysis of the composition of Chinese chive aroma, the “garlic and onion” odor (OAV = 2361.09) showed an absolute predominance over the other 5 categories of aroma. The results of this study elucidated the main sources of Chinese chive aroma from a chemical point of view and provided the theoretical basis for improving the flavor quality of Chinese chive. Full article

Bradysia odoriphaga is an agricultural pest in China’s vegetable industry. In this study, pupae and adults were exposed to various non-lethal high-temperatures. The results demonstrated a decreased rate of eclosion once the pupae were exposed to temperatures exceeding 37 °C for 1 h. No effect on the lifespan of unmated female adults was observed after exposure to temperature stress, while unmated male adult lifespan decreased (>37 °C for 2 h). The size of the testis and ovaries for unmated male and female adults decreased, as did the fecundity and egg hatching rate for mated females. Compared with the control group (25 °C), the testis size of unmated male adults decreased after high-temperature stress followed by recovery at 25 °C for 1 h, though the size of the ovaries of female adults did not change. Additionally, the size of the testis and ovaries for unmated male and female adults decreased following high-temperature stress and 24 h of recovery at 25 °C. High temperatures affected males more than females; 37 °C is the critical temperature to control the population of B. odoriphaga. These results lay the foundation for the future development of environmentally friendly high-temperature prevention and pest-control strategies. Full article

The bacterial communities and physicochemical characteristics of four types of extremely distinctive traditionally fermented vegetables (pickled pepper (PP), pickled Brassica napobrassica (PBN), salted flowers of wild chives (SFWC), and pickled cucumber (PC)) were identified and compared from north China. Lactobacillus was the main bacterial genus in PP and PBN samples, with Oceanobacillus only being observed in PBN. The predominant genus in SFWC was Weissella, while in PC they were were Carnimonas and Salinivibrio. At the species level, Companilactobacillus ginsenosidimutans, Fructilactobacillus fructivorans, and Arcobacter marinus were abundant in PP and PBN. Levilactobacillus brevis and Companilactobacillus alimentarius were enriched in PP, and L. acetotolerans, Ligilactobacillus acidipiscis and Pediococcus parvulus were observed in PBN. Weissella cibaria and Kosakonia cowanii were abundant in SFWC. Moreover, tartaric acid was the most physicochemical factor influencing microbial composition, followed by malic acid, titratable acidity (TA), and lactic acid. Furthermore, functional analysis demonstrated that the most genes of the bacterial profiles correlated with carbohydrate metabolism. However, some foodborne pathogens were existed, such as Staphylococcus and Arcobacter marinus. The results of this study provide detailed insight into the relationship between the bacterial communities and physicochemical indices of fermented vegetables, and may improve the quality and safety of traditional Chinese fermented vegetables. Full article