Horticulturae

13 pages, 4829 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nitrates and Microbiome Components Engaged in Denitrification within Soil Regulate Morchella spp. Growth

by Yujia Li, Wei Lin, Jie Chen, Junbin Lin, Rencai Feng, Junjie Yan, Renyun Miao and Bingcheng Gan

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090905 (registering DOI) - 26 Aug 2024

Abstract

Morels (Morchella spp.) are a kind of rare and precious edible fungus and have been successfully cultivated in many places. Currently, the widespread cultivation of morels poses a significant challenge owing to their demanding environmental requirements. Soil properties and the soil microbiome [...] Read more.

Morels (Morchella spp.) are a kind of rare and precious edible fungus and have been successfully cultivated in many places. Currently, the widespread cultivation of morels poses a significant challenge owing to their demanding environmental requirements. Soil properties and the soil microbiome are thought to play pivotal roles in morel growth. However, it remains unknown what factors exert a decisive influence on morel growth. In this study, soils with different morel yields were studied in nine sites from four locations. The basic soil physical and chemical properties were measured. In addition, the soil microbiome was analyzed using high-throughput metagenomic sequencing. We found that soil pH, nitrogen, carbon and conductivity were key indicators for the impact on microbial communities in soil for cultivating morels. Among these, nitrate was more positively associated with morel yield. The soil microbial diversity was more abundant in the soil with a high morel yield. Moreover, certain unknown archaea might be unfavorable to morel growth. The microbes that perform incomplete denitrification (no step of N₂O reduction to N₂) and nitrogen fixation were positively and negatively correlated with morel growth, respectively. In summary, morels prefer to live in nutrient-rich soils with a variety of microbes and are supported by nitrate and microbiome components involved in denitrification. The findings elucidate a pivotal mechanism in eliciting morel fructification and provide valuable insights for guiding production practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Morel Crops: Cultivation, Breeding and Their Processing Innovation)

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29 pages, 589 KiB

Open AccessReview

Advancing Fruit Preservation: Ecofriendly Treatments for Controlling Fruit Softening

by Sisanda Sibusiso Mthembu, Lembe Samukelo Magwaza, Samson Zeray Tesfay and Asanda Mditshwa

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090904 - 26 Aug 2024

Abstract

Textural softening is a major factor that limits the storage potential of fruit. Fresh produce markets incur severe financial losses due to excessive fruit softening. The application of preservation strategies aimed at mitigating fruit softening is crucial for optimising the marketability of fruit. [...] Read more.

Textural softening is a major factor that limits the storage potential of fruit. Fresh produce markets incur severe financial losses due to excessive fruit softening. The application of preservation strategies aimed at mitigating fruit softening is crucial for optimising the marketability of fruit. Proposed preservation strategies include ecofriendly treatments, namely, hexanal, edible coatings, heat treatments, ozone and UV-C irradiation. These treatments optimise firmness retention by targeting the factors that affect fruit softening, such as ethylene, respiration rates, enzymes and pathogens. This review discusses the mechanisms by which ecofriendly treatments inhibit fruit softening, providing insights into their effect on ethylene biosynthesis, cell wall metabolism and disease resistance. Although ecofriendly treatments offer a promising and sustainable approach for delaying fruit softening, the optimisation of treatment application protocols is needed to improve their efficacy in retaining fruit firmness. Studies reporting on the molecular mechanisms by which ecofriendly treatments inhibit fruit softening are limited. Future studies should prioritise proteomic and transcriptome analyses to advance our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms by which ecofriendly treatments delay the fruit-softening process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Molecular Mechanism of Fruit Softening)

26 pages, 4308 KiB

Open AccessReview

Drought Stress Effects and Ways for Improving Drought Tolerance in Impatiens walleriana Hook.f.—A Review

by Marija Milovančević, Milana Trifunović-Momčilov, Olga Radulović, Snežana Milošević and Angelina Subotić

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 903; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090903 - 26 Aug 2024

Abstract

Drought is one of the main abiotic stresses affecting plant growth and development. Reduced plant yield and quality are primarily caused by the reductions in photosynthesis, mineral uptake, metabolic disorders, damages from the increased production of reactive oxygen species, and many other disruptions. [...] Read more.

Drought is one of the main abiotic stresses affecting plant growth and development. Reduced plant yield and quality are primarily caused by the reductions in photosynthesis, mineral uptake, metabolic disorders, damages from the increased production of reactive oxygen species, and many other disruptions. Plants utilize drought resistance mechanisms as a defense strategy, and the systems’ activation is dependent upon several factors, including plant genotype, onthogenesis phase, drought intensity and duration, and the season in which the drought occurs. Impatiens walleriana is a worldwide popular flowering plant recognized for its vibrant flower colors, and is an indispensable plant in pots, gardens and other public areas. It prefers well-draining, moisturized soil, and does not perform well in overly dry or waterlogged conditions. Consequently, inadequate water supply is a common problem for this plant during production, transportation, and market placement, which has a substantial impact on plant performance overall. This review article outlines certain features of morphological, physiological, and molecular alterations induced by drought in ornamental, drought-sensitive plant species I. walleriana, as well as research carried out to date with the aim to improve the drought tolerance. Stress proteins aquaporins and dehydrins, whose molecular structure was described for the first time in this plant species, are highlighted specifically for their role in drought stress. Furthermore, the effective improvement of drought tolerance in I. walleriana by exogenous application of Plant Growth Regulators and Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria is discussed in detail. Finally, this review can provide valuable insights for improving plant resilience and productivity in the face of water scarcity, which is critical for sustainable agriculture and horticulture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Production under Drought Stress)

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12 pages, 2575 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of the Potato Rot Nematode, Ditylenchus destructor, Parasitizing Garlic in Korea

by Sungchan Huh, Sohee Park, Hwanseok Je, Namsook Park, Donggeun Kim, Insoo Choi and Heonil Kang

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 902; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090902 - 26 Aug 2024

Abstract

A survey of plant parasitic nematodes was carried out in 650 garlic fields in Korea from 2020 to 2022. Migratory endoparasite nematodes (Ditylenchus sp.) were recovered from 6% of the garlic samples, with an average density of 494 individuals per garlic bulb. [...] Read more.

A survey of plant parasitic nematodes was carried out in 650 garlic fields in Korea from 2020 to 2022. Migratory endoparasite nematodes (Ditylenchus sp.) were recovered from 6% of the garlic samples, with an average density of 494 individuals per garlic bulb. The morphological characteristics of males and females from the 2022 survey were very similar to D. destructor, but D. dipsaci was not found. The Korean population traits have a lateral field containing six incisures, and the posterior esophagus part overlaps the intestine dorsally. PCR and DNA sequencing were performed for the D2/D3 region of the ribosomal DNA 28S and the ITS region, and the phylogenetic analysis strongly supports the monophyly of D. destructor. This is the first report of D. destructor parasitizing garlic in the Republic of Korea. In Korea, due to changes in agricultural or environmental conditions, the most damaging potential PPNs changed from D. dipsaci to D. destructor in garlic cultivation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis, Ecology, and Control of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in Horticulture)

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17 pages, 13656 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chlorine Dioxide Delays Enzymatic Browning in Postharvest Cherimoya and Enables Establishment of Kinetics Substrate Model

by Tianchang Zheng, Chongxing Huang, Xianghai Jing, Huijie Huang, Rongrong Deng and Jingjing Fang

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 901; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090901 - 26 Aug 2024

Abstract

Cherimoya (Annona squamosa L.) is a nutrient-rich fruit. However, it is not easy to store because of its susceptibility to browning. In order to prolong the storage period of cherimoya, the fruit was treated with chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) at different [...] Read more.

Cherimoya (Annona squamosa L.) is a nutrient-rich fruit. However, it is not easy to store because of its susceptibility to browning. In order to prolong the storage period of cherimoya, the fruit was treated with chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) at different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 mg L⁻¹) and stored at 15 °C for 8 days. The quality and biochemical indexes of the fruit were investigated using a chromameter, high-performance liquid chromatography and scanning electron microscopy, etc. The results showed that all the treatments with various concentrations of ClO₂ could delay the increase in the browning index, loss of weight, and decrease in hardness. Meanwhile, ClO₂ treatment effectively reduced the consumption of starch, titratable acids, and phenolics as well as inhibited the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and enzymatic oxidation. It can be seen from the Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR) that the C=O stretching peak at 1731 cm⁻¹ disappeared at a ClO₂ concentration of 60 mg L⁻¹. We think the ClO₂ treatment may inhibit the oxidation of phenol to quinone. According to the Arrhenius formula, the values of the apparent activation energy (E_a) for enzymatic browning reaction were estimated. The E_a with catechol in cherimoya pericarp and flesh were 67.00 and 47.83 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. It was found that the phenolic enzyme reaction with catechol has a much smaller E_a and a higher affinity for PPO. Therefore, treatment with ClO₂ at a suitable concentration for cherimoya stored at 15 °C could effectively maintain fruit quality and prolong the storage period; the most appropriate concentration is 60 mg L⁻¹. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress on Ripening and Postharvest Biology of Horticulture Crops)

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9 pages, 892 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Influence of Solvent Concentration on the Amount of Individual Phenolic Compounds in Apple and Sour Cherry Pomace

by Maria Bianca Mandache, Ana-Maria Stoenescu and Sina Cosmulescu

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 900; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090900 - 26 Aug 2024

Abstract

Apple and sour cherry pomace, by-products resulting from fruit processing for juice production, were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to identify and quantify individual phenolic compounds. In order to determine the most efficient method of extracting these phenolic compounds from pomace, different [...] Read more.

Apple and sour cherry pomace, by-products resulting from fruit processing for juice production, were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to identify and quantify individual phenolic compounds. In order to determine the most efficient method of extracting these phenolic compounds from pomace, different concentrations of ethanol were used as the organic solvent. The following phenolic compounds were analysed: gallic acid, neochlorogenic acid, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, salicylic acid, ellagic acid, rutin, and myricetin. The amounts of these compounds varied depending on the concentration of ethanol used in the extraction process. Neochlorogenic acid, a potent antioxidant, was quantified in apple and sour cherry pomace extracts, showing significant variation with solvent concentration. In apple pomace, the highest amount was found in ethanol 100% (46.44 mg 100 g⁻¹ DW), followed by ethanol 75% (32.09 mg 100 g⁻¹ DW) and ethanol 50% (7.66 mg 100 g⁻¹ DW). In sour cherry pomace, the highest amount was also extracted into ethanol 100% (45.20 mg 100 g⁻¹ DW) and the lowest in ethanol 50% (29.12 mg 100 g⁻¹ DW). Catechin was detected exclusively in cherry pomace, with a maximum yield observed in 75% ethanol (137.86 mg 100 g⁻¹ DW), which was significantly higher compared to the other phenolic compounds analysed. The obtained results demonstrate the importance of apple and sour cherry pomace as valuable by-products, with the potential to be used in the production of functional foods. Full article

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16 pages, 10071 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Efficient Detection of the Pitaya Growth Status Based on the YOLOv8n-CBN Model

by Zhi Qiu, Shiyue Zhuo, Mingyan Li, Fei Huang, Deyun Mo, Xuejun Tian and Xinyuan Tian

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 899; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090899 - 25 Aug 2024

Viewed by 255

Abstract

The pitaya is a common fruit in southern China, but the growing environment of pitayas is complex, with a high density of foliage. This intricate natural environment is a significant contributing factor to misidentification and omission in the detection of the growing state [...] Read more.

The pitaya is a common fruit in southern China, but the growing environment of pitayas is complex, with a high density of foliage. This intricate natural environment is a significant contributing factor to misidentification and omission in the detection of the growing state of pitayas. In this paper, the growth states of pitayas are classified into three categories: flowering, immature, and mature. In order to reduce the misidentification and omission in the recognition process, we propose a detection model based on an improvement of the network structure of YOLOv8, namely YOLOv8n-CBN. The YOLOv8n-CBN model is based on the YOLOv8n network structure, with the incorporation of a CBAM attention mechanism module, a bidirectional feature pyramid network (BiFPN), and a C2PFN integration. Additionally, the C2F module has been replaced by a C2F_DCN module containing a deformable convolution (DCNv2). The experimental results demonstrate that YOLOv8n-CBN has enhanced the precision, recall, and mean average precision of the YOLOv8n model with an IoU threshold of 0.5. The model demonstrates a 91.1% accuracy, a 3.1% improvement over the original model, and an F1 score of 87.6%, a 3.4% enhancement over the original model. In comparison to YOLOv3-tiny, YOLOv5s, and YOLOv5m, which are highly effective target detection models, the [email protected]–0.95 of our proposed YOLOv8n-CBN is observed to be 10.1%, 5.0%, and 1.6% higher, respectively. This demonstrates that YOLOv8n-CBN is capable of more accurately identifying and detecting the growth status of pitaya in a natural environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Intelligent Agriculture: Perception Technologies and Agricultural Equipment for Crop Production Processes)

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19 pages, 2866 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling Tomato Yield and Quality Responses to Water and Nitrogen Deficits with a Modified Crop Water Production Function

by Xuelian Jiang, Mengying Fan, Tianci Wang, Shuai Gong, Wenya Hao, Yingxin Ye, Yueling Zhao, Ningbo Cui, Huan Zhao and Lu Zhao

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 898; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090898 - 24 Aug 2024

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Abstract

Increasingly severe crises, such as climate change, water scarcity and environmental pollution, pose significant challenges to global food security and sustainable agricultural development. For efficient and sustainable tomato cultivation management under resource constraints, quantitatively describing the relationship between yield-quality harvest and water-nitrogen application [...] Read more.

Increasingly severe crises, such as climate change, water scarcity and environmental pollution, pose significant challenges to global food security and sustainable agricultural development. For efficient and sustainable tomato cultivation management under resource constraints, quantitatively describing the relationship between yield-quality harvest and water-nitrogen application is practically beneficial. Two successive greenhouse experiments with three irrigation levels (1/3 FI, 2/3 FI, and full irrigation (FI)) and four nitrogen fertilizer treatments (0 FN, 1/3 FN, 2/3 FN, and full nitrogen (FN)) were conducted on tomatoes during the whole phenological stage. The tomato evapotranspiration and nitrogen application amount, yield, comprehensive quality, solid–acid ratio, and lycopene content were measured. Based on crop water production functions, three equation forms of water-nitrogen production functions containing 20 models were established and evaluated to predict tomato harvest parameters. The results show that water increased tomato yield while decreasing fruit quality, and the effect of nitrogen was primarily contrary. Water most significantly impacted tomato formation, and the interaction of water and nitrogen changed among different harvest parameters. Tomato yield and quality formation was more sensitive to water and nitrogen at the flowering and fruit maturation stages. Model Singh-2 outweighed other models for yield estimates, with an R² of 0.71 and an RMSE of 0.11. Singh-Log, Singh-sigmoid and Rao-Root models were effective models for comprehensive quality, solid–acid ratio, and lycopene content prediction, with an R² of 0.41, 0.62, and 0.42, and an RMSE of 0.33, 0.50, and 0.16, respectively. Finally, models in the form of f(ET_i)·f(N) were ideal for tomato harvest prevision and are recommended for water and nitrogen management in tomato cultivation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Stresses and Horticulture Crop Yields)

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Graphical abstract

16 pages, 2056 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increasing Sweet Orange Growth in the Winter Nursery with Supplemental Light and Heating

by Rayane Barcelos Bisi, Kim D. Bowman and Ute Albrecht

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 897; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090897 - 24 Aug 2024

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Abstract

In the winter season, citrus nursery production faces challenges including shorter days, lower light levels, and lower temperatures that delay vegetative budbreak and scion shoot growth. With the goal of improving the production cycle in the citrus nursery, we investigated the effect of [...] Read more.

In the winter season, citrus nursery production faces challenges including shorter days, lower light levels, and lower temperatures that delay vegetative budbreak and scion shoot growth. With the goal of improving the production cycle in the citrus nursery, we investigated the effect of supplemental LED light on the production of bud-grafted citrus trees during short winter days. Three experiments were conducted under different temperature conditions. “Washington” Navel sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) was budded on Carrizo citrange (C. sinensis × Poncirus trifoliata) and Rubidoux trifoliate (P. trifoliata) rootstocks in early December. Light treatments included no supplemental light, day-length extension to 16 h with LED light, and night interruption (1 h of LED light at night). Day-length extension and night interruption were studied with and without preconditioning plants with the respective light treatments for 6 weeks before grafting. Day-length extension increased the scion growth, but only when supplemental heating was provided, implying that low temperatures are a limiting factor for plant growth. Growth effects were stronger when the Navel scion was grafted on Carrizo compared to Rubidoux, likely because of the higher dormancy of the latter rootstock. Night interruption did not affect scion budbreak or growth under any of the tested conditions. Preconditioning enhanced scion growth in some instances. The results suggest that the use of supplemental LED light to extend the day length may increase plant growth during the short winter days, but the effects are limited under low-temperature conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Fruit Production Systems)

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22 pages, 19130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In-Depth Understanding of Cytoplasmic Male Sterility by Metabolomics in Spring Stem Mustard (Brassica juncea var. tumida Tsen et Lee)

by Jie Wang, Ying Shen, Yunping Huang, Xiliang Ren, Tianyi Gao, Youjian Yu, Yuhong Wang and Qiufeng Meng

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 896; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090896 - 24 Aug 2024

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Abstract

Male sterility (MS) caused by aborted pollen is a vital germplasm resource. In this study, metabolomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses were performed to investigate the molecular regulatory mechanism of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in the flower buds of the male sterile line 09-05A [...] Read more.

Male sterility (MS) caused by aborted pollen is a vital germplasm resource. In this study, metabolomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses were performed to investigate the molecular regulatory mechanism of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in the flower buds of the male sterile line 09-05A and its maintainer line, 09-05B, of Brassica juncea. Our metabolomic analysis revealed that 41 metabolites involved in pollen development and male fertility formation were differentially accumulated between 09-05A and 09-05B at the bi-nucleate stage of B. juncea. Integrated omics indicated that the expression of key genes and proteins in the amino acid and phenylpropanoid metabolic pathways was remarkably downregulated in the flower buds of 09-05A. Furthermore, the abnormal expression of key transcription factor (TF) genes related to tapetum development and pollen wall formation may affect pollen development in the 09-05A CMS line. The results indicated that the downregulated expression level of critical genes and proteins in amino acid metabolism; phenylpropanoid synthesis; and TF genes, such as shikimate kinase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, and MYB103, may have led to impaired tapetum and pollen wall development, thereby causing pollen abortion in 09-05A. This study provides new insights into the metabolic and molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the formation of CMS in B. juncea and lays a foundation for detailed studies on the identity and characteristics of MS-related genes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Genetics, Genomics, Breeding, and Biotechnology (G2B2))

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12 pages, 5034 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Peat and Wood Fiber Blends: Impacts of Liming and Fertilization on Growth of Petunia (Petunia x hybrida Vilm.) and Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

by Tomasz L. Woznicki, Anita Sønsteby, Siv M. Aurdal, Krzysztof Kusnierek and Trond K. Haraldsen

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 895; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090895 - 23 Aug 2024

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Abstract

This study investigated the effects of substrates composed of various ratios of wood fiber and peat (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% peat (v/v)) mixed with different amounts of lime (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 g L⁻¹ [...] Read more.

This study investigated the effects of substrates composed of various ratios of wood fiber and peat (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% peat (v/v)) mixed with different amounts of lime (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 g L⁻¹) and start fertilizer (0, 2, and 4 g L⁻¹ Multimix) on the growth and biomass accumulation of petunia (Petunia x hybrida Vilm ‘Finity F1 Purple’) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L. ‘Marian’) in an ebb-and-flow greenhouse system. Growth parameters included plant height, weight, canopy diameter, and chlorosis symptoms for petunia, along with substrate pH and EC measurements. Petunia showed optimal growth in substrates with higher peat content, while basil produced satisfactory biomass across a pH range of 5–7 regardless of substrate type. Optimal petunia cultivation in 100% wood fiber required a significant dose of start fertilizer without lime. Monitoring pH and EC using pour-through and press methods revealed a pH decrease in substrates with added start fertilizer, while substrates with higher wood fiber content were less acidic. Substrates with over 50% (v/v) wood fiber without lime showed a rapid pH increase over five weeks. The pour-through method generally underestimated EC values compared to the press method. These findings contribute to optimizing the wood fiber/peat blends for sustainable horticulture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Protected Culture)

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15 pages, 1253 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Optimizing Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L.) Cultivation: Effects of Different Manures on Plant Growth and Essential Oil Yield

by Askar Ghanbari-Odivi, Sina Fallah and Alessandra Carrubba

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 894; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090894 - 23 Aug 2024

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Abstract

Using animal manure in organic systems can improve the quality of agricultural products, especially medicinal plants. In this study, the impact of different types and levels of animal manures on hyssop plant biomass and essential oil yield and profile was assessed. Three supply [...] Read more.

Using animal manure in organic systems can improve the quality of agricultural products, especially medicinal plants. In this study, the impact of different types and levels of animal manures on hyssop plant biomass and essential oil yield and profile was assessed. Three supply levels (Low, Medium, and High) were tested for poultry (Np), sheep (Ns), and cattle (Nc) manures. Through GC-MS and GC-FID analysis, 24 chemical constituents were identified in the hyssop essential oil, accounting for 93.7–97.8% of the total composition. The Medium-Nc and High-Np treatments had essential oil content ranging from 0.98% to 1.45%, significantly different from the control treatment at 1.17%. Essential oil yield in Low-Np, Medium-Np, and High-Np was 47.5, 53.8, and 49.2 kg ha⁻¹, respectively, showing increases of 42.5%, 61.6%, and 47.7% compared to the control. Medium-Nc and High-Nc treatments had the most potent antioxidant properties compared to the control. Different amounts of poultry, sheep, and cattle manures led to distinct differences in essential oil compounds, categorizing the manure treatments into three groups. Medium-Np had 44% more air-dried biomass than the control, while no significant difference was found in air-dried herbal product levels among sheep and cattle manures. Taken together, farmers focusing on biomass and essential oil should opt for Medium poultry manure. The pharmaceutical industry should explore other fertilizer options based on secondary metabolite needs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Isolation, Characterization and Biological Activities)

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18 pages, 3621 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Resistance of Bitter Cucumber (Momordica charantia) to Saline Stress through Physical, Biochemical, and Physiological Analysis

by Ștefănica Ostaci, Cristina Slabu, Alina Elena Marta and Carmenica Doina Jităreanu

Horticulturae 2024, 10(9), 893; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090893 - 23 Aug 2024

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Abstract

Momordica charantia is a climbing plant often used in traditional medicine to treat a large number of diseases, including diabetes. Salinity is one of the main stressors faced by plants, affecting almost half of irrigated agricultural land and constantly increasing. The aim of [...] Read more.

Momordica charantia is a climbing plant often used in traditional medicine to treat a large number of diseases, including diabetes. Salinity is one of the main stressors faced by plants, affecting almost half of irrigated agricultural land and constantly increasing. The aim of this study was to determine the resistance of some bitter cucumber genotypes to salt stress by means of dry matter analysis, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, malondialdehyde content, chlorophyll fluorescence, and potassium (K)/silicon (Si) and calcium (Ca)/silicon (Si) atomic ratios. Two varieties of bitter cucumber and three experimental lines were used for the experiment. Treatments with different saline solutions (100 mM of NaCl and 200 mM of NaCl) were applied and compared with an untreated control (0 mM of NaCl). The analyses revealed an increase in the dry matter content of the varieties subjected to salt stress. The Line 4 genotype showed an increase of up to 37.2% compared to the control when treated with 200 mM of NaCl. Following the analysis of the chlorophyll a content, a 38% decrease in its amount compared to the control was observed when treated with 100 mM of saline and 58.6% when treated with 200 mM of NaCl in genotype Line 4. Line 3 showed an increase in the chlorophyll a content compared to the control by 53% in the case of saline treatment with 200 mM. After the analysis of the chlorophyll b content, a 44% decrease was revealed in the case of Line 4 in the variant treated with 100 mM compared to the control and a 61% decrease in the 200 mM NaCl treatment. The highest increase in the concentration of malondialdehyde was recorded in the case of Line 4 in the variant treated with 200 mM of NaCl by 41% compared to the control. The maximum quantum yield of PS II decreased in the treated variants compared to the control plants. The most pronounced difference compared to the control was registered in the case of Line 4, where the treatment with 100 mM of NaCl caused a decrease of 16%, and the treatment with 200 mM caused a decrease of 25%. In the case of the atomic ratio, significant decreases in K and Ca were observed in the NaCl-treated variants. The observed differences between the values obtained for each studied genotype highlight the different degrees of their resistance to salinity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Plants’ Response to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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Horticulturae, Volume 10, Issue 9 (September 2024) – 13 articles

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