Search Results (906)

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is a legume of great importance for food and nutritional security, especially in regions where malnutrition and climate change compromise agricultural production. Cowpea is an excellent source of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, while also having low lipid content. This crop was included in a biofortification program in Brazil, aiming at increasing its iron content. Biofortified cultivars represent a potential strategy to reduce anemia and malnutrition, as their iron concentrations are approximately 60 mg/kg and protein levels approach 30 g/100 g. Studies have shown that the iron bioavailability of cowpea is higher or comparable to that of ferrous sulfate in animal trials. However, in Caco-2 cell culture, iron bioaccessibility is low, likely due to the presence of phenolic compounds. Biofortification, as well as the addition of foods biofortified with beta-carotene, such as cassava or sweet potato, did not significantly influence the iron bioavailability of cowpeas. Germination increased bioaccessibility but did not alter iron bioavailability. Iron bioavailability was also unaffected by a diet high in fat and sugar, although certain gut health benefits were more evident with biofortified cowpea compared to a conventional variety. Biofortified and conventional cowpeas contain a comparable quantity of protein, but little is known regarding whether biofortification can affect the protein quality of cowpea and limitations in sulfur amino acids (methionine and cysteine). Biofortified cowpea demonstrated potential anti-inflammatory effects in cell culture studies (RAW 264.7 macrophages) and a low glycemic index in humans. In summary, studies have shown promising results for biofortified cowpea as a source of protein and high bioavailable iron, comparable to conventional cowpea, with potential functional benefits for gut health. Full article

Potato tuber formation is a complex developmental process regulated by coordinated interactions among multiple phytohormones and genes. TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) transcription factors play important roles in plant growth, development and responses to environmental stimuli; however, their specific functions in tuber development in tetraploid potato remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed genome-wide identification and systematic characterization of the TCP gene family in tetraploid potato, integrated transcriptome profiling, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), protein–protein interaction prediction and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify candidate genes potentially associated with tuber development. A total of 57 StTCP genes were identified across 29 chromosomes and classified into eight subfamilies. Members within the same subfamily generally shared similar gene structures, conserved motifs and protein domains, whereas their promoter regions contained abundant cis-acting elements associated with light and phytohormone responses, growth and development, and stress responses. Expression profiling revealed distinct StTCP expression patterns under temperature stress and across tuber developmental stages. Eight StTCP genes exhibited pronounced stage-specific expression across the four developmental stages, and their expression trends were broadly supported by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). In particular, StTCP42, StTCP55, and StTCP57 showed significantly higher expression at the stolon hook stage than at the other stages (p < 0.05), whereas StTCP20 was significantly upregulated at the subapical swelling stage (p < 0.05). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of RNA-seq data from the four developmental stages identified 27 co-expression modules. The turquoise, dark red, pink, and green modules were significantly and positively associated with the stolon hook, subapical swelling, initial tuber formation, and tuber formation stages, respectively; the turquoise module showed the strongest positive correlation with the stolon hook stage (r = 0.997, false discovery rate (FDR) = 2.77 × 10⁻¹⁰). Notably, StTCP42 and StTCP57 were both highly expressed at the stolon hook stage and were assigned to the turquoise module. StTCP42 further exhibited high module membership (kME = 0.930) and gene significance (GS = 0.937, p = 6.79 × 10⁻⁶), providing convergent evidence for its association with early tuber development by the transcriptomic, qRT-PCR, and co-expression evidence. This study systematically characterised the TCP gene family in tetraploid potato and identified several candidate genes potentially associated with tuber development, particularly StTCP42 and StTCP57. These findings provide a foundation for future functional studies aimed at elucidating the roles of TCP transcription factors in potato tuber formation and development. Full article

This study evaluated the physicochemical, functional, pasting, and thermal properties and digestibility of precooked unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca L. cv. Hartón) and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas cv. Agrosavia Aurora) flours. Both raw materials were subjected to steam cooking at 4 min, followed by drying at 60 °C and grinding to particle sizes below 150 µm. Sweet potato flour exhibited higher protein (3.82%), fat (0.22%), crude fiber (2.92%), ash (3.40%), total phenolic content (180.45 mg GAE/100 g), antioxidant activity (58.22% DPPH inhibition), β-carotene (3.85 mg/100 g), and water/oil absorption capacities. In contrast, unripe plantain flour showed higher carbohydrate content (94.30%), starch content (76%), greater swelling power at elevated temperatures, and higher peak, breakdown, and final viscosities. The precooking process reduced the pasting temperature and modified the viscosity profiles of both flours compared to unprocessed counterparts, expanding their technological versatility. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of typical starch, lipid, protein, and phenolic vibrational bands, with β-carotene-related peaks in sweet potato flour. Powder flowability analysis revealed that sweet potato flour presented higher cohesiveness and lower flowability than plantain flour. These results demonstrate that both precooked flours exhibit complementary nutritional and functional properties, supporting their potential application as gluten-free ingredients for functional food development and the industrial valorization of tropical perishable crops. Full article

Growing interest in sustainable and clean-label foods has increased the need for meat products with reduced animal meat content. This study comparatively characterized three deli ham formulations: a conventional control, a hybrid formulation in which 50% of the pork meat mass was replaced with chickpea flour, red lentil flour and potato protein isolate, and a clean-label hybrid formulation with the same meat replacement. For physicochemical, nutritional, texture and rheological analyses, one production batch was prepared for each formulation. A second, independently produced batch of each formulation was prepared for the sensory evaluation. The hybrid formulations showed lower moisture (48%) and in vitro protein digestibility (66%) than the control (78% and 87.4%, respectively) although all samples exhibited predominantly elastic behaviour. Mineral content and in vitro bioaccessibility varied according to the mineral and formulation. From a nitrogen footprint perspective, the hybrid formulations exhibited lower estimated nitrogen footprint values than the control under the assumptions and system boundaries applied in the model. Overall, sensory responses differed among formulations for several evaluated attributes, indicating differences in sensory acceptance across formulations. These findings show that partial replacement of pork meat modified the physicochemical, nutritional, technological and sensory characteristics of deli ham, while providing a potential approach for reducing the modelled nitrogen footprint of the product. Full article

Auricularia heimuer, an economically important edible mushroom species, is reported for the first time in Thailand based on combined morphological and molecular analyses. Three strains (SL115, SL150, and SL160) were collected from decaying wood in dipterocarp forests in Phayao and Lampang provinces, northern Thailand. Phylogenetic analyses based on combined ITS and nLSU sequence data confirmed their identity as A. heimuer, with morphological characteristics consistent with the type description. Mycelial growth experiments demonstrated that culture medium, temperature, pH, and nitrogen source significantly influenced mycelial growth and biomass production. Potato dextrose agar (PDA) was the most suitable medium for strains SL115 and SL150, whereas corn dust agar (CDA) was optimal for SL160. All strains exhibited optimal growth at 30 °C under acidic to neutral pH conditions and in media supplemented with organic nitrogen sources, particularly tryptone, peptone, and yeast extract. For inoculum production, potato dextrose broth and corn stalk-based media were the most suitable substrates for liquid spawn, while corn kernels and barley were optimal for grain spawn, rubber sawdust for solid spawn, and lotus stalk, giant mimosa stalk, and rubber tree wood for stick spawn. Cultivation trials showed that A. heimuer strains SL115 and SL150 produced lower yield and biological efficiency (BE) than A. cornea SL167 when grown on a 100% rubber sawdust substrate. However, supplementation of the cultivation substrate with Dipterocarpus or teak leaves significantly improved productivity. Among the tested treatments, T10 (A. heimuer SL150 cultivated on a substrate containing 50% rubber sawdust and 50% Dipterocarpus leaves) achieved the highest yield (43.86 g per bag) and BE (37.59%). The fruiting bodies showed favorable nutritional properties, including high carbohydrate, moderate protein, and low-fat contents. These findings establish A. heimuer as a newly recorded, cultivable mushroom species in Thailand and provide fundamental data on its optimal cultivation parameters, suitable spawn substrates, and nutritional value to support its further development for local mushroom production. Full article

Soil salinization restricts potato yield by inducing excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and oxidative damage. Exogenous silicon (Si) can alleviate salt-induced oxidative injury, yet the concentration-dependent mechanisms remain unclear in potato. Here, we conducted a tiered investigation combining phenotypic, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses. An in vitro gradient screening under 0.3% NaCl stress identified 1.0 mM Si as optimal. Compared with NaCl-alone treatment, 1.0 mM Si enhanced Catalase (CAT), Peroxidase (POD), and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activities by approximately 2.1-fold, 2.3-fold, and 1.3-fold, respectively. This Si supplementation also dramatically reduced ROS accumulation and membrane lipid peroxidation, as evidenced by 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) staining and decreased Malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Subsequent pot experiments under 100 and 200 mM NaCl confirmed that 2.0 mM Si most effectively alleviated oxidative injury, accompanied by increased proline, higher relative water content, and reduced ROS and MDA. These data demonstrated that Si exerts dose-dependent protection by orchestrating both enzymatic (SOD, POD, CAT) and non-enzymatic (proline, glutathione) antioxidant systems. Transcriptome profiling coupled with Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and RT-qPCR revealed eight candidate hub genes, with antioxidant defense-related StGSH1 (glutathione synthesis) and StPRX52 (peroxidase) as key components, alongside genes involved in protein homeostasis and osmotic adjustment. Collectively, our findings establish optimal Si regimes and demonstrate that Si mitigates salt injury primarily through enhancing antioxidative capacity and ROS detoxification, providing candidate genes for antioxidative breeding in potato. Full article

Potato fiber is a valuable coproduct of potato starch processing, but residual starch and microbial load can limit its quality and application as a food ingredient. This study evaluated continuous-flow pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment for non-thermal microbial reduction and modification of potato fiber properties. Initial batch experiments demonstrated limited microbial inactivation at low electric-field strengths, whereas higher field strengths improved microbial reduction. Continuous-flow treatment at 24 kV/cm was subsequently evaluated at specific energies of 50 and 100 kJ/L, classified as PEF50 and PEF100 respectively. PEF100 resulted in an approximate 1.6-log (96%) reduction in aerobic plate count (APC), greater than 2.5-log (99%) reduction in yeast, and greater than 1 log (97%) reduction in mold. PEF100 also significantly reduced residual starch from 31.7% to 26.8% and increased estimated fiber content from 54.9% to 59.3%. Water-holding capacity was not significantly reduced by PEF treatment, while oil-holding capacity increased modestly following PEF100 treatment. Ash content was unaffected, whereas protein content decreased from 5.8 to 4.7% following PEF treatment. The findings of this study demonstrate that continuous-flow PEF treatment at 100 kJ/L effectively reduced the microbial load and residual starch of potato fiber while maintaining, and in some cases improving, key physicochemical and functional properties. Full article

RING-zf E3 ligases play key roles in plant development and light signaling, but their genome-wide characterization and light-responsive functions in potatoes remain largely unexplored. In this study, we identified 291 StRING-zf genes containing complete RING domains in the potato genome and classified them into four major RING domain types, with RING-H2 being the predominant and structurally conserved group. Evolutionary analyses indicated that gene duplication contributed to the expansion of the StRING-zf genes, while promoter analysis revealed abundant cis-regulatory elements associated with light, hormones, and abiotic stress responses. Transcriptome analysis of the terminal leaflets of the third leaves of potato seedlings under different light qualities, combined with qRT-PCR validation, revealed diverse and gene-specific expression patterns among StRING-zf genes. Five candidate genes (Soltu.DM.01G022260.1, Soltu.DM.04G001050.1, Soltu.DM.10G023720.1, Soltu.DM.11G009040.1, and Soltu.DM.11G017440.1) exhibited distinct light-quality-dependent expression responses. These expression patterns provide preliminary evidence for their potential involvement in light-responsive regulatory processes and ubiquitin-mediated protein modification. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic resource for elucidating the evolutionary characteristics and potential functions of the StRING-zf genes and identifies candidate genes for further functional validation of light-responsive mechanisms in potatoes. Full article

Excessive vegetative growth in sweet potato often disrupts source–sink relationships, reducing assimilate allocation to storage roots in containerized systems. This study evaluated the effects of paclobutrazol (PBZ)—a gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor—on the vegetative growth, physiological parameters, and storage root yield of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) cv. Kuri Kogane grown in planting bags. A completely randomized design (CRD) was implemented using PBZ concentrations of 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 ppm. Applications at 100 and 200 ppm significantly suppressed leaf area and aboveground biomass at 2 months after planting (MAP). Conversely, 100 and 200 ppm PBZ enhanced photosynthetic pigments, significantly increasing SPAD chlorophyll meter readings (SCMRs), with 100 and 200 ppm yielding the highest chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll contents at 1 month after planting. Consequently, 100 and 200 ppm PBZ increased fresh tuber yields to 41,933 and 42,000 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Although the Harvest Index numerically increased to 0.61–0.63, this non-significant trend was driven primarily by the reduction in aboveground biomass rather than an increase in tuber yield. Furthermore, 200 ppm PBZ promoted foliar nutrient accumulation (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) and elevated tuber protein content to a maximum of 6.32%, while sweetness (°Brix) and carotenoid content remained unchanged. In conclusion, PBZ application effectively restricts excess shoot growth and enhances storage root yield and protein content in container-grown sweet potato. Full article

Colletotrichum coccodes (Wallr.) S. Hughes is an important causal agent of potato black dot, but variation among isolates collected in Russia remains insufficiently characterized. In this study, 68 isolates obtained from potato tubers and stems collected in major potato-producing regions of Russia and Belarus were characterized using morphological, physiological, pathogenic, multilocus, and whole-genome approaches. The collection showed variation in colony pigmentation and sclerotial distribution, together with statistically significant differences in colony growth rate and lesion diameter in a wounded detached tuber-slice assay. Among the six isolates tested for temperature response, mean growth was highest at 25 °C among the tested temperatures and was strongly reduced at 35 °C. Multilocus sequence analysis of ITS, act, cal, and his3 loci identified five haplotypes, revealing limited sequence variation in the four loci analyzed and no obvious geographic pattern in this dataset. Comparative genome analysis of two C. coccodes isolates and one C. nigrum isolate revealed high genomic similarity between C. coccodes genomes, conserved repertoires of secreted proteins, effectors, carbohydrate-active enzymes, cytochrome P450 proteins, and secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters, together with 407 orthogroups present in both sequenced C. coccodes isolates and absent from the single C. nigrum genome examined. These findings provide a comprehensive characterization of the collection of C. coccodes isolates from Russia and show that substantial phenotypic variation within the collection was accompanied by limited sequence variation in the analyzed loci, while representatives of two multilocus haplotypes remained highly similar at the whole-genome level. Full article

Potato protein hydrolysates (PPHs) produced by ultrasound-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis exhibit strong antioxidant activity. However, their inherent bitterness limits their application in food sectors. Therefore, this research investigated the effects of energy-divergent ultrasound (EDU)- and energy-gathered ultrasound (EGU)-assisted enzymatic treatment and exogenous amino acids (alanine (Ala), phenylalanine (Phe), and valine (Val)) on the peptide structure, antioxidant activity, and instrumental taste profile of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) prepared from PPHs. It was found that EDU and EGU significantly promoted the progress of the Maillard reaction (MR). All MRPs presented remarkable changes in the peptide structure compared to their PPH counterparts. Under the equal-mass addition of exogenous amino acids, MRPs from EDU with Ala at 120 min (EDU-Ala-120) presented the highest percentage of molecular weight (MW) <2 kDa fractions (68.55%), and a markedly improved oxygen radical absorption capacity value of 108.44 µg Trolox equivalent (TE)/mL. MRPs from EDU revealed significantly stronger umami taste and lower bitterness, while MRPs from EGU exhibited stronger sweetness. The umami taste of the MRPs was strongly negatively correlated with bitterness (−0.9517, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with esters (0.7293, p < 0.01), whereas the sweetness of the MRPs was positively associated with specific volatile components but negatively correlated with <1 kDa peptides (−0.6039, p < 0.05). Thus, the EDU-assisted enzymatic treatment and MR with the addition of appropriate exogenous amino acids could be a prospective way to produce natural flavor with enhanced antioxidant activity. Full article

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a widely consumed fruit rich in carotenoids, phenolic compounds, vitamins, and other bioactive constituents associated with antioxidant and health-promoting properties. The present study aimed to develop novel low-sugar watermelon jelly formulations enriched with pectin and single-cell protein (SCP), and to evaluate their bioactive and functional properties, including the antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities of their 70% ethanol (70% EtOH) extracts. Six jelly formulations (W1–W6) differing in pectin and SCP supplementation were prepared using concentrated watermelon pulp processed under low-temperature vacuum conditions to preserve thermolabile bioactive compounds. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined in the 70% EtOH extracts using spectrophotometric methods. TPC remained relatively stable among the investigated formulations, with the highest value recorded for sample W6, which contained 0.58 g pectin and 0.215 g SCP (1.37 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/mL extract). The highest TFC was observed for sample W5, corresponding to the formulation supplemented with 0.5 g pectin and 0.300 g SCP (5.87 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/mL extract). Antioxidant activity, evaluated using ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays, demonstrated considerable antioxidant potential in all 70% EtOH extracts. The strongest antioxidant activity was observed in pectin-rich samples, with ABTS and FRAP values reaching 89.06 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/mL extract and 8.99 mg ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/mL extract, respectively. The potential carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzyme inhibitory activity of the 70% EtOH extracts was assessed through α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assays. The formulation containing both pectin and SCP exhibited the strongest α-amylase inhibitory activity (58.93%), whereas the highest α-glucosidase inhibition (60.54%) was observed in the pectin-containing formulation without SCP supplementation. These findings indicate that both pectin and SCP significantly influenced the nutritional and bioactive properties of the developed watermelon jelly formulations. Overall, the results demonstrate that enrichment with pectin and SCP significantly enhances the nutritional and bioactive properties of watermelon jelly formulations. These findings highlight indicate that pectin and SCP were associated with differences in the bioactive and functional properties of the developed watermelon jelly formulations. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential of pectin- and SCP-enriched watermelon jellies as sustainable functional food products with promising antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties. Full article

Botrytis cinerea causes gray mold disease in numerous plant species, including economically important solanaceous crops. To investigate the molecular interaction between B. cinerea and Solanum tuberosum, we performed dual RNA-seq analyses of infected potato leaves at 24 and 72 h post inoculation (hpi). A total of 5932 potato genes were differentially expressed during infection, including genes associated with pathogen perception, hormone signaling, transcriptional regulation, and defense responses to biotic stress. In parallel, 2162 fungal genes showed differential expression, including genes encoding plant cell-wall-degrading enzymes, reactive oxygen species-related proteins, detoxification enzymes, toxins, and candidate secreted effectors. Comparative analyses with an independent transcriptomic dataset from tomato infected with B. cinerea revealed both shared and distinct transcriptional patterns. Similar expression patterns were observed for genes associated with jasmonic acid, ethylene signaling, and stress responses, while differences were found in the induction of genes involved in specialized metabolism. Potato exhibited increased expression of genes associated with germacrene B and α-farnesene biosynthesis, whereas tomato showed induction of genes related to viridiflorene and costunolide production. In addition, fungal genes involved in botrydial biosynthesis and several secreted virulence-associated enzymes showed stronger induction during tomato infection. These findings provide new insights into the transcriptional responses of potato to B. cinerea infection and the similarities and differences observed in comparison with tomato. Full article

Potato production is severely threatened by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, the fungus Alternaria solani, and the bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum; however, strategies capable of simultaneously managing these three pathogen classes remain relatively scarce. In this study, we designed a series of signal peptide (SP)-fused recombinant constructs containing four functional modules with distinct antimicrobial and immune-inducing properties: GAFP1-2×FYVE, an oomycete-inhibiting antimicrobial protein; BbAFP1-ErBD, a fungal-suppressive protein fragment; the pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) csp22 derived from R. solanacearum, which elicits effective anti-bacterial immunity; and the microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP) PpEli2 identified from Pythium periplocum, which triggers broad-spectrum plant defense responses. Through systematic evaluation of six module order rearrangements, we identified SP-cBG as the optimal multi-domain combination. Further optimization via the introduction of a rigid alpha-helical linker (HL4) yielded SP-cBG-HL4, which tended to show superior resistance against all three pathogens, as reflected in smaller lesion diameters and decreased bacterial titers. qRT-PCR analyses revealed that SP-cBG-HL4 significantly upregulated PTI (CYP71D20, PTI5), SA (PR1, PR2), and JA/ET (PR3, PR4) defense marker genes. Collectively, these findings show that modular domain assembly combined with linker-mediated modular combinatorial optimization represents a powerful engineering strategy for achieving broad-spectrum disease resistance, offering a promising approach to simultaneously control oomycete, fungal, and bacterial pathogens of plants. Full article

Reducing sodium chloride in meat products is essential for improving their nutritional profile but often impairs technological and sensory quality. This study evaluated the effects of sodium reduction on pork meat products formulated with a fixed potato starch–tara gum system. Model products with varying NaCl levels (0.57%, 1.14%, 1.71%, and 2.28%) were analysed for physicochemical properties, texture, and sensory attributes during storage. Multivariate analysis (PCA, correlation analysis) and a composite quality index were applied. Compared with the control, a 50% reduction in NaCl content (to 1.14%) resulted in increased cooking loss (from 2.66% to 3.22%), increased free water content from 0.73% to 2.23% after 20 days of storage, and reduced hardness (from 20.84 to 16.28 N after 20 days of storage), indicating a weakening of the protein matrix. The tested potato starch–tara gum formulation maintained acceptable water retention and structural properties across the evaluated NaCl levels, although progressive NaCl reduction was associated with deterioration of several quality parameters. Strong correlations between sodium content, hardness, and water-related parameters were observed. While the lowest NaCl level resulted in quality deterioration, the 1.14% variant maintained acceptable properties, demonstrating effective sodium reduction without compromising quality. Full article