Managing Rhizoctonia Damping-Off of Rocket (Eruca sativa) Seedlings by Drench Application of Bioactive Potato Leaf Phytochemical Extracts

Plants produce a huge array of secondary metabolites that play a key role in defense mechanisms against detrimental microorganisms and herbivores, and represent a suitable alternative to synthetic fungicides in sustainable agriculture. In this work, twelve crude hydroethanolic extracts derived from leaves of different potato cultivars were chemically characterized by LC/MS and their antioxidant properties were investigated in vitro. Furthermore, the biological activity against the fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Extracts showed the ability to inhibit R. solani growth in vitro and significantly reduced damping-off incidence in in vivo experiments. Furthermore, R. solani mycelia exposed to the extracts showed an altered morphology (low translucency, irregular silhouette, and cytoplasmatic content coagulation) compared to the untreated control in light microscopy examination. Principal component analysis conducted on identified chemical compounds highlighted significant metabolic variations across the different extracts. In particular, those that inhibited most of the growth of the pathogen were found to be enriched in α-chaconine or α-solanine content, indicating that their biological activity is affected by the abundance of these metabolites. These results clearly indicated that plant-derived compounds represent a suitable alternative to chemicals and could lead to the development of new formulates for sustainable control of plant diseases

Mapping quantitative trait loci affecting biochemical and morphological fruit properties in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Eggplant berries are a source of health-promoting metabolites including antioxidant and nutraceutical compounds, mainly anthocyanins and chlorogenic acid; however, they also contain some anti-nutritional compounds such as steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGA) and saponins, which are responsible for the bitter taste of the flesh and with potential toxic effects on humans. Up to now, Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for the metabolic content are far from being characterized in eggplant, thus hampering the application of breeding programs aimed at improving its fruit quality. Here we report on the identification of some QTL for the fruit metabolic content in an F2 intraspecific mapping population of 156 individuals, obtained by crossing the eggplant breeding lines ‘305E40’ x ‘67/3’. The same population was previously employed for the development of a RAD-tag based linkage map and the identification of QTL associated to morphological and physiological traits. The mapping population was biochemically characterized for both fruit basic qualitative data, like dry matter, °Brix, sugars and organic acids, as well as for health-related compounds such chlorogenic acid, (the main flesh monomeric phenol), the two peel anthocyanins (i.e. delphinidin-3-rutinoside (D3R) and delphinidin-3-(p-coumaroylrutinoside)-5-glucoside (nasunin)) and the two main steroidal glycoalkaloids, solasonine and solamargine. For most of the traits, one major QTL (PVE ≥ 10%) was spotted and putative orthologies with other Solanaceae crops are discussed. The present results supply valuable information to eggplant breeders on the inheritance of key fruit quality traits, thus providing potential tools to assist future breeding programs

Table_2_An integrated genomic and biochemical approach to investigate the potentiality of heirloom tomatoes: Breeding resources for food quality and sustainable agriculture.xlsx

A revival of interest in traditional varieties reflects the change in consumer preferences and the greater awareness of the quality of locally grown products. As ancient cultivars, heirlooms have been selected for decades in specific habitats and represent nowadays potential germplasm sources to consider for breeding high-quality products and cultivation in sustainable agriculture. In this study, 60 heirloom tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) accessions, including diverse varietal types (beefsteak, globe, oxheart, plum, and cherry), were profiled over two seasons for the main chemical and biochemical fruit traits. A medium–high level of heritability was found for all traits ranging from 0.52 for soluble solids to 0.99 for fruit weight. The average content of ascorbic acid was ~31 mg 100 g−1 of fw in both seasons, while the greatest variability was found for carotenoids with peaks of 245.65 μg g−1 of fw for total lycopene and 32.29 μg g−1 of fw for β-carotene. Dissection of genotypic (G) and seasonal (Y) factors highlighted genotype as the main source of variation for all traits. No significant effect of Y and G × Y was found for ascorbic acid and fruit weight, respectively, whereas a high influence of Y was found on the variation of lycopene. Molecular fingerprinting was performed using the 10K SolCAP array, yielding a total of 7,591 SNPs. Population structure, phylogenetic relationships, and principal components analysis highlighted a differentiation of plum and cherry genotypes with respect to the beefsteak and globe types. These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis of phenotypic traits, shedding light on how breeding and selection focused on fruit characteristics have influenced the genetic and phenotypic makeup of heirlooms. Marker–trait association showed 11 significantly associated loci for β-carotene and fruit weight. For β-carotene, a single variant on chromosome 8 was found at 12 kb to CCD8, a cleavage dioxygenase playing a key role in the biosynthesis of apocarotenoids. For fruit weight, a single association was located at less than 3 Mbp from SLSUN31 and fw11.3, two candidates involved in the increasing of fruit mass. These results highlight the potentiality of heirlooms for genetic improvement and candidate gene identification.</p

Image_1_An integrated genomic and biochemical approach to investigate the potentiality of heirloom tomatoes: Breeding resources for food quality and sustainable agriculture.jpeg

A revival of interest in traditional varieties reflects the change in consumer preferences and the greater awareness of the quality of locally grown products. As ancient cultivars, heirlooms have been selected for decades in specific habitats and represent nowadays potential germplasm sources to consider for breeding high-quality products and cultivation in sustainable agriculture. In this study, 60 heirloom tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) accessions, including diverse varietal types (beefsteak, globe, oxheart, plum, and cherry), were profiled over two seasons for the main chemical and biochemical fruit traits. A medium–high level of heritability was found for all traits ranging from 0.52 for soluble solids to 0.99 for fruit weight. The average content of ascorbic acid was ~31 mg 100 g−1 of fw in both seasons, while the greatest variability was found for carotenoids with peaks of 245.65 μg g−1 of fw for total lycopene and 32.29 μg g−1 of fw for β-carotene. Dissection of genotypic (G) and seasonal (Y) factors highlighted genotype as the main source of variation for all traits. No significant effect of Y and G × Y was found for ascorbic acid and fruit weight, respectively, whereas a high influence of Y was found on the variation of lycopene. Molecular fingerprinting was performed using the 10K SolCAP array, yielding a total of 7,591 SNPs. Population structure, phylogenetic relationships, and principal components analysis highlighted a differentiation of plum and cherry genotypes with respect to the beefsteak and globe types. These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis of phenotypic traits, shedding light on how breeding and selection focused on fruit characteristics have influenced the genetic and phenotypic makeup of heirlooms. Marker–trait association showed 11 significantly associated loci for β-carotene and fruit weight. For β-carotene, a single variant on chromosome 8 was found at 12 kb to CCD8, a cleavage dioxygenase playing a key role in the biosynthesis of apocarotenoids. For fruit weight, a single association was located at less than 3 Mbp from SLSUN31 and fw11.3, two candidates involved in the increasing of fruit mass. These results highlight the potentiality of heirlooms for genetic improvement and candidate gene identification.</p

Image_3_An integrated genomic and biochemical approach to investigate the potentiality of heirloom tomatoes: Breeding resources for food quality and sustainable agriculture.tif

A revival of interest in traditional varieties reflects the change in consumer preferences and the greater awareness of the quality of locally grown products. As ancient cultivars, heirlooms have been selected for decades in specific habitats and represent nowadays potential germplasm sources to consider for breeding high-quality products and cultivation in sustainable agriculture. In this study, 60 heirloom tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) accessions, including diverse varietal types (beefsteak, globe, oxheart, plum, and cherry), were profiled over two seasons for the main chemical and biochemical fruit traits. A medium–high level of heritability was found for all traits ranging from 0.52 for soluble solids to 0.99 for fruit weight. The average content of ascorbic acid was ~31 mg 100 g−1 of fw in both seasons, while the greatest variability was found for carotenoids with peaks of 245.65 μg g−1 of fw for total lycopene and 32.29 μg g−1 of fw for β-carotene. Dissection of genotypic (G) and seasonal (Y) factors highlighted genotype as the main source of variation for all traits. No significant effect of Y and G × Y was found for ascorbic acid and fruit weight, respectively, whereas a high influence of Y was found on the variation of lycopene. Molecular fingerprinting was performed using the 10K SolCAP array, yielding a total of 7,591 SNPs. Population structure, phylogenetic relationships, and principal components analysis highlighted a differentiation of plum and cherry genotypes with respect to the beefsteak and globe types. These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis of phenotypic traits, shedding light on how breeding and selection focused on fruit characteristics have influenced the genetic and phenotypic makeup of heirlooms. Marker–trait association showed 11 significantly associated loci for β-carotene and fruit weight. For β-carotene, a single variant on chromosome 8 was found at 12 kb to CCD8, a cleavage dioxygenase playing a key role in the biosynthesis of apocarotenoids. For fruit weight, a single association was located at less than 3 Mbp from SLSUN31 and fw11.3, two candidates involved in the increasing of fruit mass. These results highlight the potentiality of heirlooms for genetic improvement and candidate gene identification.</p

Image_2_An integrated genomic and biochemical approach to investigate the potentiality of heirloom tomatoes: Breeding resources for food quality and sustainable agriculture.tif

A revival of interest in traditional varieties reflects the change in consumer preferences and the greater awareness of the quality of locally grown products. As ancient cultivars, heirlooms have been selected for decades in specific habitats and represent nowadays potential germplasm sources to consider for breeding high-quality products and cultivation in sustainable agriculture. In this study, 60 heirloom tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) accessions, including diverse varietal types (beefsteak, globe, oxheart, plum, and cherry), were profiled over two seasons for the main chemical and biochemical fruit traits. A medium–high level of heritability was found for all traits ranging from 0.52 for soluble solids to 0.99 for fruit weight. The average content of ascorbic acid was ~31 mg 100 g−1 of fw in both seasons, while the greatest variability was found for carotenoids with peaks of 245.65 μg g−1 of fw for total lycopene and 32.29 μg g−1 of fw for β-carotene. Dissection of genotypic (G) and seasonal (Y) factors highlighted genotype as the main source of variation for all traits. No significant effect of Y and G × Y was found for ascorbic acid and fruit weight, respectively, whereas a high influence of Y was found on the variation of lycopene. Molecular fingerprinting was performed using the 10K SolCAP array, yielding a total of 7,591 SNPs. Population structure, phylogenetic relationships, and principal components analysis highlighted a differentiation of plum and cherry genotypes with respect to the beefsteak and globe types. These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis of phenotypic traits, shedding light on how breeding and selection focused on fruit characteristics have influenced the genetic and phenotypic makeup of heirlooms. Marker–trait association showed 11 significantly associated loci for β-carotene and fruit weight. For β-carotene, a single variant on chromosome 8 was found at 12 kb to CCD8, a cleavage dioxygenase playing a key role in the biosynthesis of apocarotenoids. For fruit weight, a single association was located at less than 3 Mbp from SLSUN31 and fw11.3, two candidates involved in the increasing of fruit mass. These results highlight the potentiality of heirlooms for genetic improvement and candidate gene identification.</p

Image_4_An integrated genomic and biochemical approach to investigate the potentiality of heirloom tomatoes: Breeding resources for food quality and sustainable agriculture.tif

A revival of interest in traditional varieties reflects the change in consumer preferences and the greater awareness of the quality of locally grown products. As ancient cultivars, heirlooms have been selected for decades in specific habitats and represent nowadays potential germplasm sources to consider for breeding high-quality products and cultivation in sustainable agriculture. In this study, 60 heirloom tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) accessions, including diverse varietal types (beefsteak, globe, oxheart, plum, and cherry), were profiled over two seasons for the main chemical and biochemical fruit traits. A medium–high level of heritability was found for all traits ranging from 0.52 for soluble solids to 0.99 for fruit weight. The average content of ascorbic acid was ~31 mg 100 g−1 of fw in both seasons, while the greatest variability was found for carotenoids with peaks of 245.65 μg g−1 of fw for total lycopene and 32.29 μg g−1 of fw for β-carotene. Dissection of genotypic (G) and seasonal (Y) factors highlighted genotype as the main source of variation for all traits. No significant effect of Y and G × Y was found for ascorbic acid and fruit weight, respectively, whereas a high influence of Y was found on the variation of lycopene. Molecular fingerprinting was performed using the 10K SolCAP array, yielding a total of 7,591 SNPs. Population structure, phylogenetic relationships, and principal components analysis highlighted a differentiation of plum and cherry genotypes with respect to the beefsteak and globe types. These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis of phenotypic traits, shedding light on how breeding and selection focused on fruit characteristics have influenced the genetic and phenotypic makeup of heirlooms. Marker–trait association showed 11 significantly associated loci for β-carotene and fruit weight. For β-carotene, a single variant on chromosome 8 was found at 12 kb to CCD8, a cleavage dioxygenase playing a key role in the biosynthesis of apocarotenoids. For fruit weight, a single association was located at less than 3 Mbp from SLSUN31 and fw11.3, two candidates involved in the increasing of fruit mass. These results highlight the potentiality of heirlooms for genetic improvement and candidate gene identification.</p

Table_1_An integrated genomic and biochemical approach to investigate the potentiality of heirloom tomatoes: Breeding resources for food quality and sustainable agriculture.xlsx

A revival of interest in traditional varieties reflects the change in consumer preferences and the greater awareness of the quality of locally grown products. As ancient cultivars, heirlooms have been selected for decades in specific habitats and represent nowadays potential germplasm sources to consider for breeding high-quality products and cultivation in sustainable agriculture. In this study, 60 heirloom tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) accessions, including diverse varietal types (beefsteak, globe, oxheart, plum, and cherry), were profiled over two seasons for the main chemical and biochemical fruit traits. A medium–high level of heritability was found for all traits ranging from 0.52 for soluble solids to 0.99 for fruit weight. The average content of ascorbic acid was ~31 mg 100 g−1 of fw in both seasons, while the greatest variability was found for carotenoids with peaks of 245.65 μg g−1 of fw for total lycopene and 32.29 μg g−1 of fw for β-carotene. Dissection of genotypic (G) and seasonal (Y) factors highlighted genotype as the main source of variation for all traits. No significant effect of Y and G × Y was found for ascorbic acid and fruit weight, respectively, whereas a high influence of Y was found on the variation of lycopene. Molecular fingerprinting was performed using the 10K SolCAP array, yielding a total of 7,591 SNPs. Population structure, phylogenetic relationships, and principal components analysis highlighted a differentiation of plum and cherry genotypes with respect to the beefsteak and globe types. These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis of phenotypic traits, shedding light on how breeding and selection focused on fruit characteristics have influenced the genetic and phenotypic makeup of heirlooms. Marker–trait association showed 11 significantly associated loci for β-carotene and fruit weight. For β-carotene, a single variant on chromosome 8 was found at 12 kb to CCD8, a cleavage dioxygenase playing a key role in the biosynthesis of apocarotenoids. For fruit weight, a single association was located at less than 3 Mbp from SLSUN31 and fw11.3, two candidates involved in the increasing of fruit mass. These results highlight the potentiality of heirlooms for genetic improvement and candidate gene identification.</p

DataSheet_1_An integrated genomic and biochemical approach to investigate the potentiality of heirloom tomatoes: Breeding resources for food quality and sustainable agriculture.xlsx

A revival of interest in traditional varieties reflects the change in consumer preferences and the greater awareness of the quality of locally grown products. As ancient cultivars, heirlooms have been selected for decades in specific habitats and represent nowadays potential germplasm sources to consider for breeding high-quality products and cultivation in sustainable agriculture. In this study, 60 heirloom tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) accessions, including diverse varietal types (beefsteak, globe, oxheart, plum, and cherry), were profiled over two seasons for the main chemical and biochemical fruit traits. A medium–high level of heritability was found for all traits ranging from 0.52 for soluble solids to 0.99 for fruit weight. The average content of ascorbic acid was ~31 mg 100 g−1 of fw in both seasons, while the greatest variability was found for carotenoids with peaks of 245.65 μg g−1 of fw for total lycopene and 32.29 μg g−1 of fw for β-carotene. Dissection of genotypic (G) and seasonal (Y) factors highlighted genotype as the main source of variation for all traits. No significant effect of Y and G × Y was found for ascorbic acid and fruit weight, respectively, whereas a high influence of Y was found on the variation of lycopene. Molecular fingerprinting was performed using the 10K SolCAP array, yielding a total of 7,591 SNPs. Population structure, phylogenetic relationships, and principal components analysis highlighted a differentiation of plum and cherry genotypes with respect to the beefsteak and globe types. These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis of phenotypic traits, shedding light on how breeding and selection focused on fruit characteristics have influenced the genetic and phenotypic makeup of heirlooms. Marker–trait association showed 11 significantly associated loci for β-carotene and fruit weight. For β-carotene, a single variant on chromosome 8 was found at 12 kb to CCD8, a cleavage dioxygenase playing a key role in the biosynthesis of apocarotenoids. For fruit weight, a single association was located at less than 3 Mbp from SLSUN31 and fw11.3, two candidates involved in the increasing of fruit mass. These results highlight the potentiality of heirlooms for genetic improvement and candidate gene identification.</p

Involvement of the Putative N-Acetylornithine Deacetylase from Arabidopsis thaliana in Flowering and Fruit Development

In eukaryotic cells, the non-proteinogenic amino acid ornithine is the precursor of arginine and polyamines (PAs). The final step of ornithine biosynthesis occurs in plants via a cyclic pathway catalyzed by N(2)-acetylornithine:N-acetylglutamate acetyltransferase (NAOGAcT). An alternative route for ornithine formation, the linear pathway, has been reported for enteric bacteria and a few other organisms; the acetyl group of N(2)-acetylornithine is released as acetate by N(2)-acetylornithine deacetylase (NAOD). NAOD activity has never been demonstrated in plants, although many putative NAOD-like genes have been identified. In this investigation, we examined the effect of down-regulation of the putative Arabidopsis thaliana NAOD gene by using AtNAOD-silenced (sil#17) and T-DNA insertional mutant (atnaod) plants. The ornithine content was consistently reduced in sil#17 and atnaod plants compared with wild-type plants, suggesting that in addition to NAOGAcT action, AtNAOD contributes to the regulation of ornithine levels in plant cells. Ornithine depletion was associated with altered levels of putrescine and spermine. Reduced AtNAOD expression resulted in alterations at the reproductive level, causing early flowering and impaired fruit setting. In this regard, the highest level of AtNAOD expression was observed in unfertilized ovules. Our findings suggest that AtNAOD acts as a positive regulator of fruit setting and agree with those obtained in tomato auxin-synthesizing parthenocarpic plants, where induction of SlNAOD was associated with the onset of ovary growth. Thus, here we have uncovered the first hints of the functions of AtNAOD by connecting its role in flower and fruit development with the regulation of ornithine and PA levels