Search Results (36)

The utilization of red and blue light-emitting diode (LED) lights for cultivating leafy vegetables in closed plant factories has increased in recent years. This study examined the growth and biosynthesis of functional compounds in twelve Spinacia accessions, including cultivars and wild relatives, under the irradiation of fluorescent light and three different red-to-blue LED light combinations (red:blue = 1:1, 1:3, and 3:1). Results showed that, except for the three examined Japanese cultivars, the fresh weight of most spinach accessions increased when red light comprised 50–75% of the light’s spectral composition. This indicated the vital role of the red-light photoreceptor phytochrome in inducing plant growth. The contribution of blue-light photoreceptors was also notable. Significant variations in the accumulation of amino acids and sugars were observed in specific accessions. The effects of spectral photons on the primary metabolite pathways were probably the leading causes of these variations. Some critical enzymes in the Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt cycle and the asparagine and glycolysis pathways were suggested as rate-limiting enzymes, which determined the biosynthesis of functional compounds. Among the examined Spinacia accessions, ‘CGN09429’, ‘CGN09511’, and the wild S. turkestanica ‘CGN25013’ were identified as potential breeding materials, while red:blue = 1:1 was determined as the optimal red-to-blue ratio for spinach growth in a closed-cultivation system. Full article

The present work investigates the nutritional and bioactive composition, as well as the organoleptic and sensory properties, of S. oleraceus and S. tenerrimus, two wild plant species traditionally used in the gastronomy of the Mediterranean area. Additionally, the effect of cultivation on leaf composition was assessed to explore their potential for large-scale production and commercialization from the point of view of possible losses or gains in quality. Both species were characterized as a good source of bioactive compounds, such as vitamins, pro-vitamins and carotenoids, with health-promoting and antioxidant properties that are highly appreciated. The sensory profile revealed a good general acceptance of S. oleraceus and S. tenerrimus, indicating that they could be included in the diet. Although the cultivation of S. oleraceus resulted in a decrease in the concentration of phenolic compounds when compared to wild-harvested plants, the opposite occurred for vitamin C. In S. tenerrimus, cultivation also increased the concentration of other compounds with important nutritional and healthy properties, such as sugars, organic acids and β-carotene. The results of the composition, organoleptic and sensory properties of S. oleraceus and S. tenerrimus support the idea of their potential to be used as edible leafy vegetables and as promising assets for functional foods. Full article

Soybean is an important oilseed crop that is used as a feed for livestock and has several industrial uses. Lipid biosynthesis and accumulation primarily occur during seed development in plants. This process is regulated by several transcription factors and interconnected biochemical pathways. This study investigated the role of glycine max LEAFY COTYLEDON 1 (GmLEC1) in soybean seed development and the accumulation of storage reserves. The overexpression of GmLEC1 significantly increased the amount of triacylglycerol (TAG) in transgenic Arabidopsis seeds compared to the wild-type and an atlec1 mutant. Similarly, the high expression of GmLEC1 led to a 12% increase in TAG content in transgenic soybean hairy roots compared to the control. GmLEC1 also altered the fatty acid composition in transgenic Arabidopsis seeds and soybean hairy roots. Additionally, the overexpression of GmLEC1 resulted in a reduction in starch accumulation in seeds and vegetative tissues, as well as changes in cotyledon and seed morphology. The cotyledons of the atlec1 mutant displayed abnormal trichome development, and the seeds were smaller and less tolerant to desiccation. A complementation assay in Arabidopsis restored normal cotyledon phenotype and seed size. The main downstream targets of LEC1 are GL2 and WRI1, which were found to participate in fatty acid biosynthesis and trichome formation through the regulation of phytohormones and various transcription factors involved in seed development and maturation. The findings of this study suggest that GmLEC1 controls seed development and regulates the accumulation of seed storage compounds. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that GmLEC1 could be a reliable target for the genetic improvement of oil biosynthesis in soybean. Full article

The human intake of selenium (Se), which is an essential element in animals and humans, can be increased through the consumption of vegetables that have been biofortified during cultivation. There is increasing interest in wild edible plants (WEPs) due to their positive effects on health. In fact, many WEPs are rich in microelements, vitamins, dietary fibers, and several antioxidant compounds. Among WEPs, sea beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima) is the wild ancestor of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla). The present study investigated the potential of fortifying Swiss chard and sea beet with Se. The two subspecies were cultivated in a floating system with a nutrient solution enriched with four concentrations of Se (0, 1, 3, and 5 mg L⁻¹), and the production and quality of the baby leaves were evaluated. The addition of Se to the nutrient solution resulted in a higher leaf concentration of this microelement in both subspecies, with a positive effect on the yield (+20%) and leaf chlorophyll concentration (+25%) at the Se concentration of 1 mg L⁻¹. The leaf concentration of nitrates was reduced by the Se treatment in sea beet regardless of the Se concentration (−24%, on average). Selenium biofortification was more effective in sea beet plants than in Swiss chard due to the higher ability of the wild species to acquire readily available minerals from the hydroponic nutrient solution. In conclusion, both subspecies accumulated a significant amount of Se without negative effects on yield or leaf quality, thus proving them to be suitable for the production of Se-enriched baby leaves. Full article

Wild rocket is a leafy vegetable with economic interest as a consequence of baby leaf ready-to-eat salads. The climate crisis is expected to influence wild rocket production, but these effects could be confronted with cultivation in greenhouses and plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs). Climate responses are related to growing seasons. Our objective was to test the impact of two growing seasons, winter and summer, on the growth and physiology of wild rocket baby leaves in different controlled environment systems (greenhouse and PFAL). The growth cycle was reduced by 27% in the PFAL compared to the greenhouse during winter. Summer yield was greater in the greenhouse, but leaf number and area were greater in the PFAL. The lowest water use efficiency was recorded in the greenhouse during summer. Energy use efficiency was lower in PFAL compared to the greenhouse. Land use efficiency was not affected by the growing system, but in PFALs it is able to increase it by growing in vertical layers. Relative chlorophyll content and total soluble solids were enhanced in the greenhouse. The photosynthetic efficiency evaluation showed considerable stress in summer-grown plants in the greenhouse, as shown by PI_ABS and φ_P0. In general, the production was similar in the PFAL regardless of seasons. Full article

Wild edible leafy plants, thanks to their organoleptic characteristics and nutritional value that can make them be appreciated as salads by consumers, represent a good opportunity for growers and the fresh-cut industry, which are always looking for new crops to expand the number of products they offer. In this study, four wild species (dandelion, sorrel, wild chicory, and wild lettuce) were cultivated hydroponically up to the baby leaf stage in order to evaluate them as potential crops. At harvest, yield and antioxidant compounds, minerals, and nitrates content were assessed. The contribution to human mineral intake and the possible health risk associated with heavy metals were investigated. A characterization of the sensory profile was also carried out. Yield and chlorophylls and carotenoids content of the investigated species were comparable to those of common leafy vegetables. Variability in nitrate content was observed, with the lowest value in sorrel and the highest in dandelion. All species could contribute in Cr, Mg, and Se intake, and health risks due to heavy metals were excluded. Each species was well characterized by distinctive and peculiar sensory notes. In conclusion, the results of this preliminary study suggest that the four wild investigated species may be promising for baby leaf production. Full article

The snowy Mespilus, or serviceberry (Amelanchier ovalis Medik., Rosaceae) represents a neglected and underutilized small fruit tree species with high nutritional value. In this work, we present the results of a long-term study facilitating the sustainable exploitation of A. ovalis as a new germplasm resource from the Greek flora. Ten wild-growing population samples of A. ovalis have been collected from natural habitats in northern Greece. Asexual propagation trials on these materials delivered successful propagation (83.3% rooting) on a selected genotype via leafy cuttings of young, primary, non-lignified soft wood with the application of the rooting hormone. The ex situ cultivation potential of the selected genotype has been evaluated under distinct fertilization regimes in a pilot field trial. Three-year results of this ongoing trial have shown that A. ovalis does not require external nutrient enhancement to be established during its early stages since plant growth rates between conventional fertilization and control plants were similar for the first two years and higher compared to organic fertilization. Conventional fertilization delivered higher fresh fruit production in the third year, with higher fruit number and fruit size compared to organic fertilization and control plants. The phytochemical potential of the cultivated genotype was assessed via the total phenolic content and radical scavenging activity of separate extracts from leaves, twigs, flowers, and young fruits, which revealed that individual plant organs have strong antioxidant activity despite their moderate total phenolic content. The multifaceted approach applied herein has provided novel data that may set the framework for further applied research toward the sustainable agronomic exploitation of Greek A. ovalis as a diversified superfood crop. Full article

Leafy vegetables are common components of the human diet and are a source of antioxidant, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Fresh-cut or minimally processed industries are always looking for product innovations. Many wild species, based on their composition, can be evaluated as potential vegetables. In this work, hedge mustard has been studied as a potential leafy vegetable, and two wild populations were grown under 100% crop water requirement (WR) and 50% WR. The effect of water reduction was monitored using non-destructive measurements of chlorophyll a fluorescence and by the analytical determination of primary or secondary metabolism associated parameters such as sugars, anthocyanins, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, and nitrate concentrations. The results demonstrated that hedge mustard [Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop.] can be grown with 50% WR without yield reduction. The yield was not statistically different between the two water regimes and ranged from 22.3 to 40 g plant⁻¹ FW. Leaf nitrate concentrations showed high variability in the MI population grown with 100% WR, while in the BG population, they did not change when the WR was shifted from 100% to 50%. The total phenols were 25% higher in the leaves of plants grown under 50% WR in both wild populations. The total sugars and anthocyanins did not show significant variations. Chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters did not show significant changes. The results suggest that hedge mustard can be grown in environments with limited water availability or in the winter season using less water to avoid disease development. The highest yield was obtained from the BG population. Full article

Bristly oxtongue (Helminthotheca echioides (L.) Holub) is a broad-leaved weed species that is commonly found in cereal crops. However, it is also an edible species whose leaves are consumed at the rosette growth stage of the plant. Three pot experiments were conducted to evaluate different cultivation protocol suggestions for this underutilized wild leafy vegetable. In the first experiment, early sowing (14 October) increased the rosette diameter and fresh biomass of bristly oxtongue compared with late sowing (13 November). In the second experiment, the application of calcium ammonium nitrate (26-0-0) at a rate of 100 kg ha⁻¹ (N10 treatment) increased the relative chlorophyll content in the leaves compared with the control treatment. Similarly, the highest rosette diameter, leaf number, and fresh biomass values were recorded in the N10 treatment, while chitosan application had no impact on growth of plants. In the third experiment, increased root dry biomass was obtained with top dressing application of calcium ammonium nitrate at a rate of 100 kg N ha⁻¹ compared with 0 or 50 kg N ha⁻¹, regardless of the basal fertilization (15-5-20) rate applied. Moreover, the highest rosette diameter, relative chlorophyll content, and fresh biomass values were recorded in the treatment where the highest top dressing rate of calcium ammonium nitrate was applied. In conclusion, our results reveal that the appropriate selection of the sowing date, as well as the combination of the basal fertilizer (15-5-20) at a rate of 250 kg ha⁻¹ with 100 kg N ha⁻¹ calcium ammonium nitrate, can maximize the growth and yield of bristly oxtongue. Full article

Wild leafy vegetables are commonly included in the diet of people in rural homesteads. Among various wild edible vegetables in South Africa, Trachyandra divaricata (Sandkool) is one of the most abundant but underutilized due to the dearth of literature on its cultivation and nutritional value. In the present study, the effect of potassium application and pruning on growth dynamics, mineral composition, and proximate and phytochemical content in T. divaricata were evaluated. Treatments consisted of three potassium concentrations (0.0072, 0.0144, and 0.0216 M) supplemented in the form of potassium sulphate (K₂SO₄) with four pruning levels (unpruned, 5, 10, and 15 cm) applied in each treatment. The potassium doses were added to the nutrient solution, while the control treatment was sustained and irrigated with nutrient solution only. The results revealed a significant increase in flower bud yield, height, total dry and wet weight of shoots and roots, as well as ash and neutral detergent fibre in plants irrigated with 0.0072 M of K₂SO₄ without pruning. Conversely, chlorophyll content and Ca were comparable among treatments, while the highest yield of Na, P, N, and Zn was recorded in treatment 100 mL of K₂SO₄ with 10 cm pruning. Likewise, the highest antioxidant value (Polyphenols, Flavonol and DPPH) was obtained from plants irrigated with 0.0072 M of K₂SO₄ with 10 cm pruning. Based on these findings, T. divaricata is a promising leafy vegetable as a minimum dose (0.0072 M) of K with moderate pruning optimised its productivity in terms of growth, biomass parameters, nutritional content, and antioxidant potential. Due to its rich nutritional value, the plant should be domesticated and studied further for its potential nutraceutical benefits. Full article

The vast majority of angiosperms attracts animal pollinators with the nectar secreted through specialized floral nectaries (FNs). Although there is evidence that principal patterns of regulation of FN development are conserved in large angiosperm clades, these structures are very diverse considering their morphology and position within a flower. Most data on genetic control of FN formation were obtained in surveys of a model plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae). There are almost no data on genetic factors affecting FN development in Leguminosae, the plant family of a high agricultural value and possessing outstandingly diverse flowers. In this work, the morphology of FNs was examined in a set of leguminous species, both wild-type and developmental mutants, by the means of a scanning electron microscopy. Unlike Brassicaceae, FNs in legumes are localized between stamens and a carpel instead of being associated with a certain floral organ. FNs were found stable in most cases of mutants when perianth and/or androecium morphology was affected. However, regulation of FN development by BLADE-ON-PETIOLE-like genes seems to be a shared feature between legumes (at least Pisum) and Arabidopsis. In some legumes, the adaxial developmental program (most probably CYCLOIDEA-mediated) suppresses the FN development. The obtained results neither confirm the role of orthologues of UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS and LEAFY in FN development in legumes nor reject it, as two studied pea mutants were homozygous at the weakest alleles of the corresponding loci and possessed FNs similar to those of wild-type. Full article

Myrtle species includes the melanocarpa (with pigmented fruit when ripe) and the leucocarpa varieties (with unpigmented fruit). Myrtle-bearing pigmented fruit is more common as a wild or cultivated plant for red liqueur production, while genotypes with unpigmented fruit are rare. Myrtle is also appreciated in the international market of ornamental plants as a garden shrub, a flowering and fruiting potted plant, and for the production of cut leafy branches. Varieties with pigmented fruit, compact habitus and small leaves like microcarpa and tarentina are mostly propagated for this purpose. Contrarily, the leucocarpa variety is a strongly vigorous plant, with big leaves, large internodes, and long fruit peduncles. These unique characteristics together with the long persistence of immature fruit in the winter months may represent a new potential specimen for ornamental plant production. This innovative concept of ornamental myrtle was developed with the selection of the cultivar ‘Angela’ here described for its morphological traits, good nursery management, and performance in agamic propagation. Full article

Nutrient-efficient plants and agricultural systems could tackle issues resulting from conventional agriculture. Spiny chicory (Cichorium spinosum L.), a very adaptive, wild edible vegetable, is gaining commercial interest as a functional food. Floating-raft hydroponics is a method commonly used for the commercial cultivation of leafy vegetables due to numerous advantages compared to soil cultivation. In this paper, the simultaneous effects of different potassium, calcium and magnesium ratios and different electrical conductivity (EC) levels on the growth and mineral composition of hydroponically grown C. spinosum were investigated. Four nutrient solutions (NS) were compared, two NS with low EC (L, 2.4 dS/m) and two with high EC (H, 3.6 dS/m) with K:Ca:Mg ratios of either 50:40:10 or 40:50:10. The results showed no interactions between the two factors. No significant effects were observed on the fresh and dry weight, leaf number and leaf area. High EC levels increased the K content and decreased the Mn and Zn content in the leaf tissues. The 40:50:10 ratio led to increased Ca content in plant tissues. The Nitrate-N was only affected by the EC level and was increased under H conditions, whereas the total-N was not affected. Full article

This research aimed to investigate the bioaccumulation and health risk associated with absorption of the selected heavy metals (HMs) i.e., lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in a wild leafy vegetable Nasturtium officinale that grows along the Swat River in swampy areas. The areas were categorized using the ecological risk index (RI), which indicates how heavy metal concentrations in soil and plants change over time. The bioaccumulation factor was greater than that at the 400 ≤ RI sites, indicating a probable health risk of these metals from N. officinale consumption. Furthermore, the health risk index for Cd and Pb was more significant, i.e., greater than one in the majority of the samples, indicating health concerns associated with consuming N. officinale from the study site. However, Zn and Cu levels were lower than the nutritionally needed levels, raising the risk of deficiency in the population. Plants cultivated in Pb and Cd-polluted sites were nutrient deficient in Cu and Zn. Intake of such plants can expose people to HM contamination and nutritional deficiencies. The results concluded that the plants accumulated significant HM contents and may have health concerns but are safe for consumption in children and adults. Full article

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L., 2n = 2x = 18) is naturalized and grows wild in many parts of Europe, South and Central Asia and N. Africa; moreover, this plant is an important leafy vegetable cultivated worldwide. In Italy, this horticultural crop is known as radicchio, and different biotypes of this crop are cultivated, especially in the north-eastern part of the Italian Peninsula. Known to be introduced in and cultivated since the 17th century in the Venice area, the original biotype, still cultivated and named “Late Red of Treviso”, differentiated over the centuries, and it was also hybridized with endive (C. endivia), giving origin to many other biotypes. Several studies, based on morphological characterizations and historical reports, describe the relationships between the most popular cultivated local varieties of this species, but this work, focused on the use of molecular marker information obtained through DNA fingerprinting, presents validations and new insights into the genetic relatedness and diversity of these biotypes. By means of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) molecular markers, this study provides insights into the genetic relationship that intercourses among the five most important local biotypes historically cultivated in the Veneto region, which is also the geographic centre of differentiation of this cultivated leafy vegetable. Through the construction of a maximum-likelihood dendrogram and the reconstruction of the genetic structure of a core collection, consisting of 652 samples belonging to five biotypes of radicchio divided into 22 old farmer populations, original data on their genetic origin, distinctiveness, relatedness and differentiation are reported and discussed. Full article