Search Results (70)

Soil organic carbon (OC) storage in crop rotation systems benefits soil productivity and global climate change. However, the regulatory mechanisms and pathways by which soil OC storage is affected under medium-term crop rotation at the aggregate level are not fully understood. Herein, fifteen soil samples from five cropping systems (abandoned farmland, continuous cropping of tobacco, tobacco–pea rotation, continuous cropping of dasheen, and dasheen–ryegrass rotation for over 10 years) were collected from soil at 0 to 20 cm depths in Miyi County, Sichuan Province, China. The soil aggregates and aggregate-associated OC, enzyme activities, and microbial biomass were evaluated. The effects of medium-term crop rotation on soil aggregate-associated OC content and biochemical properties varied between crop types. Specifically, tobacco–pea rotation significantly decreased the proportion of macro-aggregates (0.25–2 mm); the contents of OC, Ca-OC, aliphatic C, alcohols, and phenols; enzyme activities; and fungal biomass in the aggregate fractions, compared with those associated with the continuous cropping of tobacco. In contrast, dasheen–ryegrass rotation significantly increased the recalcitrant OC content, β-glucosidase and polyphenol oxidase activities, microbial biomass in mega-aggregates (>2 mm) and macro-aggregates, and the recalcitrant OC content and enzyme activity in microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm) and slit clay (<0.053 mm), relative to those in the continuous cropping of dasheen. Moreover, for the continuous-cropping soils, the OC contents were positively correlated with POD activity but negatively correlated with other enzymes. For the rotational soils, the OC content was positively related to the Fe/Al-OC, aromatic-C, aliphatic-C, and microbial biomass contents but negatively related to the carbohydrate content. The increased OC content was driven by the microbial biomass in the aggregate fractions, and medium-term crop rotation changed the negative effect of microorganisms on the OC content into a positive effect at the aggregate level. Overall, medium-term crop rotation enhances OC storage by improving soil structural stability and microbial community dynamics. Full article

The market value of litchi fruit is declining quickly due to its susceptibility to disease and rapid pericarp browning. Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) treatment is recognized as a safe disinfection technology that not only preserves the quality of postharvest produce, but also enhances disease resistance. This study assessed the efficacy of SAEW in preserving litchi fruit and boosting its resistance to disease. Litchi fruit underwent treatment with SAEW at various available chlorine concentrations (ACC) (10, 25, 50, and 75 mg/L) and subsequently stored at 25 °C for a duration of six days. The results revealed that SAEW with an ACC of 25 mg/L markedly improved the postharvest quality of litchi fruits, reduced disease incidence, and enhanced the appearance of the pericarp and nutrient levels in the arils. Additionally, this treatment enhanced the levels of disease resistance-related compounds, including lignin, flavonoids, and total phenolics, in the pericarp of litchis during the later storage stages (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in the final three days of storage, there were also noticeable increases (p < 0.01) in the activities of pericarp disease resistance enzymes (DREs), such as phenylalanine ammonialyase, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase, 4-coumarate CoA ligase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, chitinase, and β-1,3-glucanase. Based on these results, it was concluded that SAEW triggered DRE activities and increased the accumulation of disease resistance-related compounds by regulating the phenylpropane pathway to suppress disease development, and elevated the storage quality of harvested litchi fruit. Consequently, SAEW has proven to be an effective and safe method for enhancing the storability of litchi fruit. Full article

A biosensor for the determination of glucose, lactate, ethanol and starch in beverages has been developed using enzymes immobilized by a redox-active gel on a screen-printed electrode. A significant improvement proposed for multichannel biosensors, overcoming stability and sensitivity issues by covalently binding phenazine mediators to a biocompatible protein hydrogel, enhancing the packaging of the enzyme. Glucose oxidase (GOx), alcohol oxidase (AOx) and lactate oxidase (LOx) were used as biological materials, as well as a mixture of GOx with γ-amylase (Am). Redox gels were synthesized from bovine serum albumin (BSA) and phenazine derivatives. It was shown that a neutral red-based redox gel combined with single-walled carbon nanotubes is more promising than other substrates for enzyme immobilization. The lower limit of quantification for glucose, ethanol, lactate and starch using these systems is 0.035 mM, 2.3 mM, 15 mM and 2 mg/L, respectively. Biosensors were used to analyze the content of these substances in alcoholic, kvass and fermentation mass. Statistical analysis of the results showed that the values of glucose, ethanol, lactic acid and starch determined using biosensors and obtained by reference methods differ insignificantly. A set of biosensors developed on the basis of specifically selected enzymes is effective for controlling biotechnological processes and can be used as an alternative to classical analytical methods. Full article

Intracellular alcohol oxidase (AOX) was isolated from the basidiomycetous white rot fungus Cerrena unicolor FCL139. The enzyme was semi-purified (13-fold) using two-step chromatography with 30% activity recovery. The identity of the protein was confirmed by LC-MS/MS analysis, and its MW (72 kDa) and pI (6.18) were also determined. The kinetics parameters of the AOX reaction towards various substrates were analysed, which proved that, in addition to methanol (4.36 ± 0.27% of the oxidised substrate), AOX most potently oxidises aromatic alcohols, such as 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (14.0 ± 0.8%), benzyl alcohol (4.2 ± 0.3%), anisyl alcohol (7.6 ± 0.4%), and veratryl alcohol (5.0 ± 0.3%). Moreover, the influence of selected commercially available proteases on the biocatalytic properties of AOX from C. unicolor was studied. It was proved that the digested enzyme lost its catalytic potential properties except when incubated with pepsin, which significantly boosted its activity up to 123%. Full article

Terpenes are plant secondary metabolites known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. According to ethnobotanical knowledge, Rhododendron luteum Sweet was used in traditional medicine against inflammation. The present study was conducted to determine the triterpene profile and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of supercritical CO₂ (SC-CO₂) extracts of Rhododendron luteum Sweet flower (RLF). An LC-APCI-MS/MS analysis showed the presence of eight pentacyclic triterpenes and one phytosterol in the extracts obtained with pure CO₂ as well as CO₂ with the addition of aqueous ethanol as a co-solvent. Among the compounds detected, oleanolic/ursolic acid, β-sitosterol and 3β-taraxerol were the most abundant. The extract obtained with pure SC-CO₂ was additionally subjected to HS-SPME-GC-FID-MS, which revealed more than 100 volatiles, mainly eugenol, β-phenylethanol, dodecane, β-caryophyllene, estragole and (Z)- and (E)-cinnamyl alcohol, followed by δ-cadinene. The extracts demonstrated significant hyaluronidase inhibition and exhibited varying modes of lipoxygenase and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. The studies of RLF have shown that their SC-CO₂ extracts can be a rich source of triterpenes with anti-inflammatory potential. Full article

Molybdenum (Mo) is an essential element for human life, acting as a cofactor in various enzymes crucial for metabolic homeostasis. This review provides a comprehensive insight into the latest advances in research on molybdenum-containing enzymes and their clinical significance. One of these enzymes is xanthine oxidase (XO), which plays a pivotal role in purine catabolism, generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) capable of inducing oxidative stress and subsequent organ dysfunction. Elevated XO activity is associated with liver pathologies such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Aldehyde oxidases (AOs) are also molybdenum-containing enzymes that, similar to XO, participate in drug metabolism, with notable roles in the oxidation of various substrates. However, beneath its apparent efficacy, AOs’ inhibition may impact drug effectiveness and contribute to liver damage induced by hepatotoxins. Another notable molybdenum-enzyme is sulfite oxidase (SOX), which catalyzes the conversion of sulfite to sulfate, crucial for the degradation of sulfur-containing amino acids. Recent research highlights SOX’s potential as a diagnostic marker for HCC, offering promising sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing cancerous lesions. The newest member of molybdenum-containing enzymes is mitochondrial amidoxime-reducing component (mARC), involved in drug metabolism and detoxification reactions. Emerging evidence suggests its involvement in liver pathologies such as HCC and NAFLD, indicating its potential as a therapeutic target. Overall, understanding the roles of molybdenum-containing enzymes in human physiology and disease pathology is essential for advancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for various health conditions, particularly those related to liver dysfunction. Further research into the molecular mechanisms underlying these enzymes’ functions could lead to novel treatments and improved patient outcomes. Full article

Endothelial dysfunction plays a key role in the development of liver cirrhosis. Among the biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction, the soluble form of Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (sVAP-1) is an unconventional and less known adhesion molecule endowed also with amine oxidase activity. The aim of this study was to explore and correlate the behavior of sVAP-1 with that of the soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and with the severity of liver cirrhosis. A cross-sectional study was carried out by enrolling 28 controls, 59 cirrhotic patients without hepatocellular carcinoma, and 56 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), mainly caused by alcohol abuse. The levels of adhesion molecules and of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-αα) were determined by immunoassay and the enzymatic activity of sVAP-1 by a fluorometric assay. In non-diabetic patients without HCC, a specific behavior of sVAP-1 was highlighted. Differently from sVCAM-1, sICAM-1, and cytokines, the sVAP-1 level was significantly increased only in the early stage of disease, and then, it decreased in the last stage (866 ± 390 ng/mL vs. 545 ± 316 ng/mL, in Child–Pugh class A vs. C, respectively, p < 0.05). Bivariate analysis correlates sVAP-1 to sVCAM-1, in the absence of HCC (Spearman’s rho = 0.403, p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that sVCAM-1 appears to be a predictor of sVAP-1 (β coefficient = 0.374, p = 0.021). In conclusion, in non-diabetic and non-HCC cirrhotic patients, sVAP-1 may be a potential prognostic biomarker that, together with sVCAM-1 and pro-inflammatory cytokines, may provide information on the progression of sinusoidal liver endothelium damage. Full article

Harvested wampee fruit is susceptible to disease, resulting in postharvest losses. Acidic electrolyzed water (AEW), a safe and innovative sterilization technology, plays a role in enhancing disease resistance in harvested produce. In this study, the efficacy of AEW in delaying wampee disease development was assessed, along with its association with disease resistance metabolism. Wampee fruit was treated with AEW (pH 2.5) at different available chlorine concentrations (ACCs) (20, 40, 60, and 80 mg/L) and subsequently stored at 25 °C for 8 days. Results revealed that 40 mg/L ACC in AEW (pH 2.5) was most effective in improving the postharvest quality of wampee fruit. Compared with control wampee fruit, those treated with 40 mg/L ACC in AEW exhibited lower incidence of fruit disease, higher pericarp lignin content, and higher activities of pericarp disease resistance enzymes (DREs), such as cinnamate-4-hydroxylase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, polyphenol oxidase, 4-coumarate CoA ligase, and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase. These results suggested that AEW elevated DRE activities, promoted lignin accumulation, and ultimately enhanced disease resistance, suppressed disease development, and improved storage quality in harvested wampee fruit. Consequently, AEW emerged as a safe technology to mitigate the disease development and enhance the storage quality of harvested wampee fruit. Full article

Background: The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is recognized as a healthy dietary pattern. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by the excessive accumulation of fat in the liver. Objectives: To assess the antioxidant status in erythrocytes, plasma, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of NAFLD patients following a 24-month lifestyle intervention based on the MedDiet. Adult patients (n = 40; aged 40–60 years) diagnosed with NAFLD by magnetic resonance imaging were divided into two groups based on their adherence to the MedDiet. Consumption was assessed using a validated 143-item semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. Anthropometrics, biochemistry parameters, intrahepatic fat contents (IFC), antioxidants, and inflammatory biomarkers were measured in plasma and erythrocytes before and after the intervention. Results: After the intervention, body mass index (BMI) and plasma levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-chol), triglycerides, malondialdehyde (MDA), and cytokeratin-18 (CK18) decreased, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-chol) increased. Participants with high adherence to MedDiet showed lower IFC, hepatic enzyme (AST, ALT, and GGT), glycemia, oxidase LDL (oxLDL) plasma levels, and erythrocyte MDA levels. Higher antioxidant activity (erythrocyte catalase-CAT, superoxide dismutase-SOD, glutathione peroxidase-GPx, glutathione reductase-GRd, and total glutathione-GSH as well as PBMCs-CAT gene expression) was observed in these patients, along with a reduction of PBMCs reactive oxygen species production and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression. Inverse associations were observed between adherence to the MedDiet and BMI, glycemia, AST, IFC, and CK18 plasma levels and oxLDL, CAT, SOD, and GRd activities in erythrocytes. A significant linear regression was observed between adherence to the MedDiet and antioxidant score. Conclusions: Adherence to the MedDiet is associated with improved plasma and PBMC antioxidant and inflammatory biomarker profiles and high antioxidant defences in erythrocytes. Full article

The liver plays a vital role in the defense against infections. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a dominant etiologic oral bacterium implicated in periodontal disease (PD), has been associated with various systemic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the influence of P. gingivalis on alcohol-associated liver diseases (ALD). Mice were fed a Lieber–DeCarli liquid diet containing 5% ethanol for 10 days after an initial adaptation period on a diet with lower ethanol content for 7 days. Two days before tissue sample collection, the mice were administered P. gingivalis strain W83 (Pg) through intraperitoneal injection (IP). Pair-fed mice with Pg infection (PF+Pg) exhibited an activated immune response to combat infections. However, alcohol-fed mice with Pg infection (AF+Pg) showed liver injury with noticeable abscess lesions and elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Additionally, these mice displayed liver infiltration of inflammatory monocytes and significant downregulation of proinflammatory cytokine gene expression levels; and AF+Pg mice also demonstrated increased intrahepatic neutrophil infiltration, as confirmed by chloroacetate esterase (CAE) staining, along with elevated gene expression levels of neutrophil cytosol factor 1 (Ncf1), neutrophilic inflammation driver lipocalin 2 (Lcn2), and complement component C5a receptor 1 (C5ar1), which are associated with neutrophilic inflammation. Interestingly, compared to PF+Pg mice, the livers of AF+Pg mice exhibited downregulation of gene expression levels of NADPH oxidase 2 (Cybb), the leukocyte adhesion molecule Cd18, and the Toll-like receptor adaptor Myd88. Consequently, impaired clearance of P. gingivalis and other bacteria in the liver, increased susceptibility to infections, and inflammation-associated hepatic necrotic cell death were observed in AF+Pg mice, which is likely to have facilitated immune cell infiltration and contributed to liver injury. Furthermore, in addition to the Srebf1/Fasn pathway induced by alcohol feeding, Pg infection also activated carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) in AF+Pg mice. In summary, this study demonstrates that P. gingivalis infection, acting as a “second hit”, induces dysfunction of immune response and impairs the clearance of bacteria and infections in alcohol-sensitized livers. This process drives the development of liver injury. Full article

The ‘Huangguan’ pear is one of the high-quality pear cultivars produced in China. However, the bagged fruit of the ‘Huangguan’ pear often suffers from peel browning spots after rain during their mature period. In this study, in an effort to discover the impact of bagging treatments on the occurrence of peel browning spots and fruit quality, fruits were covered by single-layer, two-layer, or triple-layer paper bags six weeks after reaching full bloom. The results showed that the bagged fruits were characterized by smooth surfaces and reduced lenticels compared with the unbagged ones. The unbagged and the two-layer bagged fruits had yellow/green peels, while the single- and triple-layer bagged ones had yellow/white peels. Compared with the unbagged fruits, the bagged fruits had higher vitamin C (Vc) contents and values of peel color indexes L and a and lower soluble solid contents (SSCs), titratable acid (TA) contents, absorbance index differences (I_AD), and b values. Additionally, the triple-layer bagged group was superior to other groups in terms of fruit quality, but it also had the maximum incidence of peel browning spots. Before and after the appearance of peel browning spots, the bagged fruits had smoother and thinner cuticles compared with the unbagged ones. Furthermore, the triple-layer bagged fruits had minimum lignin contents and maximum phenolic contents in their peels, with minimum activity of lignin synthesis-related enzymes such as phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), as well as minimum expressions of relevant genes such as cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), cinnamoyl CoA reductase (CCR), 4-coumarate: coenzyme A ligase (4CL6), and cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H1). It was deduced that POD activity and the relative expressions of CAD9, CCR3, CCR4, and CCR5 may play key roles in the occurrence of peel browning spots. In summary, lignin synthesis affected the incidence of peel browning spots in bagged ‘Huangguan’ pears. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the incidence of peel browning spots in ‘Huangguan’ pears. Full article

Ammonium (NH₄⁺) toxicity is ubiquitous in plants. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of this toxicity and bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻)-dependent alleviation, wheat plants were hydroponically cultivated in half-strength Hoagland nutrient solution containing 7.5 mM NO₃⁻ (CK), 7.5 mM NH₄⁺ (SA), or 7.5 mM NH₄⁺ + 3 mM HCO₃⁻ (AC). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that compared to CK, SA treatment at 48 h significantly upregulated the expression of genes encoding fermentation enzymes (pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) and oxygen consumption enzymes (respiratory burst oxidase homologs, dioxygenases, and alternative oxidases), downregulated the expression of genes encoding oxygen transporters (PIP-type aquaporins, non-symbiotic hemoglobins), and those involved in energy metabolism, including tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes and ATP synthases, but upregulated the glycolytic enzymes in the roots and downregulated the expression of genes involved in the cell cycle and elongation. The physiological assay showed that SA treatment significantly increased PDC, ADH, and LDH activity by 36.69%, 43.66%, and 61.60%, respectively; root ethanol concentration by 62.95%; and lactate efflux by 23.20%, and significantly decreased the concentrations of pyruvate and most TCA cycle intermediates, the complex V activity, ATP content, and ATP/ADP ratio. As a consequence, SA significantly inhibited root growth. AC treatment reversed the changes caused by SA and alleviated the inhibition of root growth. In conclusion, NH₄⁺ treatment alone may cause hypoxic stress in the roots, inhibit energy generation, suppress cell division and elongation, and ultimately inhibit root growth, and adding HCO₃⁻ remarkably alleviates the NH₄⁺-induced inhibitory effects on root growth largely by attenuating the hypoxic stress. Full article

Introduction: Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) exhibit behavioral and affective dysregulation, including hyperactivity and depression. The mechanisms are not known, but they could conceivably be due to postnatal social or environmental factors. However, we postulate that, more likely, the affective dysregulation is associated with the effects of EtOH exposure on the development of fetal serotonergic (5-HT) and/or dopaminergic (DA) pathways, i.e., pathways that in postnatal life are believed to regulate mood. Many women who use alcohol (ethanol, EtOH) during pregnancy suffer from depression and take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which might influence these monoaminergic pathways in the fetus. Alternatively, monoaminergic pathway abnormalities might reflect a direct effect of EtOH on the fetal brain. To distinguish between these possibilities, we measured their expressions in fetal brains and in fetal brain-derived exosomes (FB-Es) isolated from the mothers’ blood. We hypothesized that maternal use of EtOH and/or SSRIs during pregnancy would be associated with impaired fetal neural development, detectable as abnormal levels of monoaminergic and apoptotic biomarkers in FB-Es. Methods: Fetal brain tissues and maternal blood were collected at 9–23 weeks of pregnancy. EtOH groups were compared with unexposed controls matched for gestational age (GA). The expression of 84 genes associated with the DA and 5-HT pathways was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) on microarrays. FB-Es also were assayed for serotonin transporter protein (SERT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Six EtOH-exposed human fetal brain samples were compared to SSRI- or polydrug-exposed samples and to unexposed controls. EtOH exposure was associated with significant upregulation of DA receptor D3 and 5-HT receptor HTR2C, while HTR3A was downregulated. Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), MAOB, the serine/threonine kinase AKT3, and caspase-3 were upregulated, while mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) and AKT2 were downregulated. ETOH was associated with significant upregulation of the DA transporter gene, while SERT was downregulated. There were significant correlations between EtOH exposure and (a) caspase-3 activation, (b) reduced SERT protein levels, and (c) reduced BDNF levels. SSRI exposure independently increased caspase-3 activity and downregulated SERT and BDNF. Early exposure to EtOH and SSRI together was associated synergistically with a significant upregulation of caspase-3 and a significant downregulation of SERT and BDNF. Reduced SERT and BDNF levels were strongly correlated with a reduction in eye diameter, a somatic manifestation of FASD. Conclusions: Maternal use of EtOH and SSRI during pregnancy each was associated with changes in fetal brain monoamine pathways, consistent with potential mechanisms for the affective dysregulation associated with FASD. Full article

The unique oligomeric alkaliphilic laccase-like oxidases of the ascomycete C. geniculata VKM F-3561 (with molecular masses about 1035 and 870 kDa) were purified and characterized for the first time. The ability of the enzymes to oxidize phenylpropanoids and phenolic compounds under neutral environmental conditions with the formation of previously unknown di-, tri-, and tetrameric products of transformation was shown. The possibility to obtain industrially valuable compounds (dihydroxybenzyl alcohol and hydroxytyrosol) from caffeic acid using laccase-like oxidases of C. geniculata VKM F-3561 has been shown. Complete nucleotide sequence of the laccase gene, which is expressed at the peak of alkaliphilic laccase activity of the fungus, and its promoter region were determined. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequence, the nearest relationship of the isolated laccase gene with similar genes of fungi of the genera Alternaria, Bipolaris, and Cochliobolus was shown. Homologous model of the laccase structure was predicted and a proton channel was found, which was presumably responsible for the accumulation and transport of protons to T2/T3-copper center in the alkaliphilic laccase molecule and providing the functional activity of the enzyme in the neutral alkaline environment conditions. Full article

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) F1 hybrids are grown commercially in open-field or greenhouse conditions. Hybrids are well adapted to these settings due to directed breeding. In protected cultivation systems, a small rhizosphere volume and intensive, continuous fertigation predispose the roots to waterlogging (WL) conditions and potentially to hypoxia. However, high productivity is expected and achieved under these conditions. The aim of this study was to identify traits that play a role in this surprising behavior. Initial observations revealed the presence of a significantly higher number of adventitious roots (ARs) in three greenhouse (7–14) vs. three open-field cultivars (less than two) grown under normal conditions. Further on, two contrasting representative hybrids typically grown in open-field and in greenhouse conditions were subjected to WL stress. Declining oxygen levels in the media and increased alcohol dehydrogenase activity (ADH) in the roots were experienced during the WL treatment in both hybrids, with anaerobic metabolism triggered less intensively (~4-fold less ADH activity) in the greenhouse-type ‘Oitol’. The induction characteristics of cysteine oxidase (CysOx) genes, key components of the hypoxia sensing pathway, were used to confirm the hypoxic stress experienced by the roots. The lower extent of upregulation in CysOx genes expression agreed with the milder level of hypoxic stress in the roots of ‘Oitol’ than in ‘Joker’. The more efficient induction of AR formation with a ~50% increase upon waterlogging stress was found to be a prominent trait in ‘Oitol’, apparently helping root internal aeration and mitigating hypoxia. The shoot growth of neither hybrid was set back by hypoxic root conditions. ‘Joker’ plants maintained the same growth rate as that of the control, while the growth of ‘Oitol’ accelerated when its root system was flooded with nutrient solution. Acclimation processes to hypoxia were proposed to explain the lack of growth retardation in both varieties. This corresponded well with a general abundance of AR development in greenhouse-type (slicing) cucumbers that are typically cultivated in soilless systems. Full article