IONS CONCENTRATION AND THEIR RATIO IN ROOTS AND SHOOTS OF TOMATO GENOTYPES ASSOCIATED WITH SALINITY TOLERANCE AT EARLY GROWTH STAGE

ABSTRACT: In order to identify the significance of Na + , Ca + , K + and Mg + concentration and ratios in plant shoots and roots as indicators for salinity tolerance, growth and biomass of seven wild, cultivated and inbred lines tomato genotypes were evaluated under stresses of saline water. The NaCl 2 was used to prepare four treatments of irrigation water salinity,2000ppm (3.12 dsm -1 ), 4000ppm (6.25 dsm -1 ), 6000ppm (9.37 dsm -1 ) and 8000ppm (12.5 dsm -1 ), while the control treatment was irrigated with tap water. The experiment was conducted in Completely Randomized design (CR) using three replications. The results indicated significant differences between tomato genotypes, irrigation water salinity levels and their interaction at all assessed growth parameters and ions concentration and their ratios in plant shoots and roots. With increasing the salinity levels, a significant reduction was observed in number of leaves/plant and plant fresh and dry weight (g) of all tested tomato genotypes

Prostanoid Receptor Subtypes and Its Endogenous Ligands with Processing Enzymes within Various Types of Inflammatory Joint Diseases

A complex inflammatory process mediated by proinflammatory cytokines and prostaglandins commonly occurs in the synovial tissue of patients with joint trauma (JT), osteoarthritis (OA), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study systematically investigated the distinct expression profile of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), its processing enzymes (COX-2), and microsomal PGES-1 (mPGES-1) as well as the corresponding prostanoid receptor subtypes (EP1-4) in representative samples of synovial tissue from these patients (JT, OA, and RA). Quantitative TaqMan®-PCR and double immunofluorescence confocal microscopy of synovial tissue determined the abundance and exact immune cell types expressing these target molecules. Our results demonstrated that PGE2 and its processing enzymes COX-2 and mPGES-1 were highest in the synovial tissue of RA, followed by the synovial tissue of OA and JT patients. Corresponding prostanoid receptor, subtypes EP3 were highly expressed in the synovium of RA, followed by the synovial tissue of OA and JT patients. These proinflammatory target molecules were distinctly identified in JT patients mostly in synovial granulocytes, in OA patients predominantly in synovial macrophages and fibroblasts, whereas in RA patients mainly in synovial fibroblasts and plasma cells. Our findings show a distinct expression profile of EP receptor subtypes and PGE2 as well as the corresponding processing enzymes in human synovium that modulate the inflammatory process in JT, OA, and RA patients

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Phenotyping Using Morphometric and Spectral Analysis Can Quantify Responses of Wild Tomato Plants to Salinity Stress

With salt stress presenting a major threat to global food production, attention has turned to the identification and breeding of crop cultivars with improved salt tolerance. For instance, some accessions of wild species with higher salt tolerance than commercial varieties are being investigated for their potential to expand food production into marginal areas or to use brackish waters for irrigation. However, assessment of individual plant responses to salt stress in field trials is time-consuming, limiting, for example, longitudinal assessment of large numbers of plants. Developments in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) sensing technologies provide a means for extensive, repeated and consistent phenotyping and have significant advantages over standard approaches. In this study, 199 accessions of the wild tomato species, Solanum pimpinellifolium, were evaluated through a field assessment of 600 control and 600 salt-treated plants. UAV imagery was used to: (1) delineate tomato plants from a time-series of eight RGB and two multi-spectral datasets, using an automated object-based image analysis approach; (2) assess four traits, i.e., plant area, growth rates, condition and Plant Projective Cover (PPC) over the growing season; and (3) use the mapped traits to identify the best-performing accessions in terms of yield and salt tolerance. For the first five campaigns, >99% of all tomato plants were automatically detected. The omission rate increased to 2–5% for the last three campaigns because of the presence of dead and senescent plants. Salt-treated plants exhibited a significantly smaller plant area (average control and salt-treated plant areas of 0.55 and 0.29 m2, respectively), maximum growth rate (daily maximum growth rate of control and salt-treated plant of 0.034 and 0.013 m2, respectively) and PPC (5–16% difference) relative to control plants. Using mapped plant condition, area, growth rate and PPC, we show that it was possible to identify eight out of the top 10 highest yielding accessions and that only five accessions produced high yield under both treatments. Apart from showcasing multi-temporal UAV-based phenotyping capabilities for the assessment of plant performance, this research has implications for agronomic studies of plant salt tolerance and for optimizing agricultural production under saline conditions

Quinoa phenotyping methodologies: An international consensus

Quinoa is a crop originating in the Andes but grown more widely and with the genetic potential for significant further expansion. Due to the phenotypic plasticity of quinoa, varieties need to be assessed across years and multiple locations. To improve comparability among field trials across the globe and to facilitate collaborations, components of the trials need to be kept consistent, including the type and methods of data collected. Here, an internationally open-access framework for phenotyping a wide range of quinoa features is proposed to facilitate the systematic agronomic, physiological and genetic characterization of quinoa for crop adaptation and improvement. Mature plant phenotyping is a central aspect of this paper, including detailed descriptions and the provision of phenotyping cards to facilitate consistency in data collection. High-throughput methods for multi-temporal phenotyping based on remote sensing technologies are described. Tools for higher-throughput post-harvest phenotyping of seeds are presented. A guideline for approaching quinoa field trials including the collection of environmental data and designing layouts with statistical robustness is suggested. To move towards developing resources for quinoa in line with major cereal crops, a database was created. The Quinoa Germinate Platform will serve as a central repository of data for quinoa researchers globally.Fil: Stanschewski, Clara S.. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Rey, Elodie. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Fiene, Gabriele. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Craine, Evan B.. Washington State University; Estados UnidosFil: Wellman, Gordon. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Melino, Vanessa J.. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Patiranage, Dilan S. R.. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Johansen, Kasper. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Schmöckel, Sandra M.. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Bertero, Hector Daniel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Producción Vegetal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; ArgentinaFil: Oakey, Helena. University of Adelaide; AustraliaFil: Colque Little, Carla. Universidad de Copenhagen; DinamarcaFil: Afzal, Irfan. University of Agriculture; PakistánFil: Raubach, Sebastian. The James Hutton Institute; Reino UnidoFil: Miller, Nathan. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Streich, Jared. Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Amby, Daniel Buchvaldt. Universidad de Copenhagen; DinamarcaFil: Emrani, Nazgol. Christian-albrechts-universität Zu Kiel; AlemaniaFil: Warmington, Mark. Agriculture And Food; AustraliaFil: Mousa, Magdi A. A.. Assiut University; Arabia Saudita. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Wu, David. Shanxi Jiaqi Agri-Tech Co.; ChinaFil: Jacobson, Daniel. Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Andreasen, Christian. Universidad de Copenhagen; DinamarcaFil: Jung, Christian. Christian-albrechts-universität Zu Kiel; AlemaniaFil: Murphy, Kevin. Washington State University; Estados UnidosFil: Bazile, Didier. Savoirs, Environnement, Sociétés; Francia. Universite Paul-valery Montpellier Iii; FranciaFil: Tester, Mark. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia Saudit

Abundance and Population Dynamics of the Key Insect Pests and Agronomic Traits of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) Varieties under Different Planting Densities as a Sustainable Pest Control Method

In Saudi Arabia, the tomato is susceptible to a wide range of insect pests that could destroy this valuable vegetable crop, cause yield losses, and affect fruit quality and quantity. Insecticides are widely applied to protect tomatoes and control pests that develop a resistance to pesticides, but these affect human health and have a negative impact on the environment. The application of Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) is a worthwhile sustainable alternative for controlling insect pests in tomato fields. To investigate the population dynamics of the major pests affecting tomato growth and yield, two commercial varieties (Areenez F1 and Tala F1) were cultivated at three plant spacings (30 × 50 cm, 60 × 50 cm, and 90 × 50 cm) under the conditions of the desert climate. The experiments were conducted in the field in 2020 and 2021 and were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with each treatment repeated for 4 times. A total of 14 major insect pests including Empoasca fabae, Bemisia tabaci, Orosius orientalis, Acheta domesticus, and Lasius niger were recorded on a weekly basis. The results showed that the mean abundances of E. fabae, O. orientalis, and B. tabaci were higher in the 30 × 50 cm plant spacing, whereas the 90 × 50 cm plant spacing resulted in a higher abundance of A. domesticus and L. niger. The measured agronomic traits, plant height (cm), plant dry mass (g), and total yield/ha (ton) of both the tomato varieties were significantly increased when the plants were spaced at 60 cm between plants and 50 cm between rows. We recommend that growing tomato plants at 60 cm between plants and 50 cm between rows may reduce the need to apply pesticides given that this plant spacing significantly reduced the abundance of some key insect pests and enhanced the tomato fruit yield

Management Fusarium Wilt Disease in Tomato by Combinations of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Peppermint Oil

The most important disease of tomato is Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL). To control this disease, this study examined the combined use of bacterial bioagents and peppermint oil (PO). Seven bacterial isolates were collected from tomato plant rhizospheres and tested in vitro against FOL. The highest growth inhibition against FOL was shown by isolate No.3. This isolate was identified using 16S rRNA sequencing gene as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BA). Peppermint oil tested at different concentrations (1, 2, and 3%) against FOL mycelial growth in vitro showed the highest inhibition at 3%. The effects of BA, PO, and BA + PO in vitro on the seed germination and seedling vigor index of the tomato cv. ‘Tala F1’ was also tested. All “BA, PO, and BA + PO” treatments increased the percentage of germinated seeds and seedlings’ main shoots and root length compared to control treated seeds. The BA, PO, and BA + PO treatments were further tested under greenhouse and field conditions with pre-treated seedlings in FOL-contaminated soil. Under greenhouse conditions, each treatment decreased disease severity compared to untreated seedlings. Under field conditions, pre-treatment of tomato seedlings with BA and PO treatments reduced disease severity greater than BA + PO in combination and the mock-treated plants (66.6% for BA, 66.6% for PO and 55.3% for BA + PO, respectively). These findings support the use of BA or PO as bio-control agents against F. oxysporum in tomato. The interplay between peppermint oil, B. amyloliquefaciens, F. oxysporum, and the host plant requires further study to identify the causative mechanism for this increased disease resistance

Phytochemical Characterization, Antimicrobial Activity and In Vitro Antiproliferative Potential of Alchemilla vulgaris Auct Root Extract against Prostate (PC-3), Breast (MCF-7) and Colorectal Adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) Cancer Cell Lines

Despite the proven biological activity of the aerial part extract of Alchemilla vulgaris, scarce information is available about the activity of the root extract. This encouraged us to initiate the current investigation to study the cytotoxic activity of A. vulgaris methanolic root extract against various cancer cell lines in vitro, along with its antimicrobial activity and phytochemical screening. MTT assay was applied to test the cytotoxic effect against the prostate (PC-3), breast (MCF-7) and colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2), together with normal Vero cells. Flow cytometry was employed to assess cell cycle arrest and apoptosis vs. necrosis in PC-3 cells. The expression of apoptosis-related genes (BAX, BCL2 and P53) was quantified by qRT-PCR analysis. The obtained results showed strong antiproliferative activity on the three cancer cell lines and the normal Vero cells in a dose-dependent manner. A high selectivity index (SI) was recorded against the three cell lines with PC-3 cells showing the highest SI and the lowest IC50. This effect was associated with cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and induction of total apoptosis at 27.18% being mainly early apoptosis. Apoptosis induction was related to the upregulation of the proapoptotic genes P53 and BAX and the downregulation of the antiapoptotic gene BCL2. Additionally, the extract demonstrated in vitro antibacterial activity against Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Serratia marcescens and Acinetobacter johnsoni. Additionally, it showed antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani, Penicillium italicum and Fusarium oxysporium. Seven phenolic acids and seven flavonoids were detected. The predominant phenolic acids were cinnamic and caffeic acids, while hisperdin and querestin were the principal flavonoids. These findings provide clear evidence about the promising proapoptotic effect of A. vulgaris root extract, which contributes to laying the basis for broader and in-depth future investigations

Azadirachta indica A. Juss Fruit Mesocarp and Epicarp Extracts Induce Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Effects against Prostate (PC-3), Breast (MCF-7), and Colorectal Adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) Cancer Cell Lines through Upregulation of Proapoptotic Genes

Effective alternative strategies and methodological approaches are critically necessary for cancer prevention and therapy. In this study, we investigated the antitumor potential of neem fruit mesocarp and epicarp extracts. The chemical composition of the derived extracts was characterized using GC–MS. Data were collected on the antimicrobial activity of the extracts in addition to the cytotoxicity effect evaluated against PC-3, MCF-7, and Caco-2 cancer cell lines, compared with the normal Vero cells. Cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, and expression of apoptosis-related genes were assessed on PC-3 cells. Both extracts had significant antiproliferative effects on all tested cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, with the mesocarp extract being more potent. Both extracts also showed high antibacterial and antifungal activities. These results were related to the chemical constituents of the extracts identified by the GC–MS analysis. The extract of neem fruit mesocarp caused cell-cycle arrest at G2/M phase of PC-3 cells. The cytotoxicity of neem mesocarp extract is strongly correlated with the induction of apoptosis, where it caused downregulation of the antiapoptotic BCL2 gene but upregulation of the proapoptotic P53 and BAX genes. This study showed that neem fruit extract is potential anticancer material in the future

Shrimp-Waste-Derived Biochar Induces Metal Toxicity Tolerance of Wastewater-Irrigated Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)

The scarcity of high-quality water resources may lead to the use of lower quality water for plant production. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) plants have great potential for human nutrition, but poor water quality, such as metal contamination in wastewater, affects the seed quality. This study aims to investigate the effects of shrimp-waste-derived biochar (SWB) on the uptake of toxic metals from wastewater by quinoa plants. Additionally, the study investigates how quinoa plants’ antioxidant defenses respond to wastewater and SWB treatments. Shrimp-waste-derived biochar (SWB) was prepared by pyrolysis at 350 °C for 3 h and added to the soil at the levels of 0, 1, and 2% (based on soil weight), which are namely C, SWB1, and SWB2, respectively. SWB was applied to quinoa plants cultivated in pots filled with sandy soil and irrigated with fresh or wastewater for a continuous 90 days. The wastewater was contaminated with manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb). Quinoa seeds that were irrigated with wastewater had Cd and Pb concentrations that were above the allowable levels (for human consumption) in the absence of biochar (C) or addition of SWB1. Wastewater significantly reduced quinoa growth and photosynthetic pigments, while SWB significantly mitigated the metal toxicity and improved growth. SWB2 significantly reduced the Pb and Cd concentrations in quinoa leaves by 29 and 30% compared with C. The Cd and Pb concentrations in quinoa seeds were safe for human consumption and below the maximum allowable limits when the soil was amended with SWB2. SWB improved the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase and ascorbate peroxidase. SWB reduced the toxic metal availability and uptake, mitigated the oxidative stress, and minimized the levels of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide. The SWB addition stimulated quinoa’s antioxidant defense and protected plant cells by eliminating reactive oxygen species. The addition of 2% (w/w) shrimp waste biochar improved the quality of quinoa seeds irrigated with wastewater and decreased their toxic metal content. The obtained results contribute to sustainable development and the exploitation of wastewater to irrigate quinoa plants in arid degraded soil; additionally, it also helps in the recycling of shrimp waste

Image_1_Use of Trichoderma culture filtrates as a sustainable approach to mitigate early blight disease of tomato and their influence on plant biomarkers and antioxidants production.tif

IntroductionAlternaria solani is a challenging pathogen in the tomato crop globally. Chemical control is a rapid approach, but emerging fungicide resistance has become a severe threat. The present study investigates the use of culture filtrates (CFs) of three species of Trichoderma spp. to control this disease.MethodsHighly virulent A. solani strain and three Trichoderma fungal strains viz., T. harzianum (Accession No: MW590687), T. atroviride (Accession No: MW590689) and T. longibrachiatum (Accession No: MW590688) previously isolated by authors were used in this study. The efficacy of culture filtrates (CFs) to mitigate early blight disease were tested under greenhouse and field conditions, experiments were conducted in different seasons of 2020 using a tomato variety “doucen”.Results and discussionThe CFs of T. harzianum, T. longibrachiatum, and T. atroviride significantly inhibited the in vitro mycelial growth of A. solani (62.5%, 48.73%, and 57.82%, respectively, followed by control 100%). In the GC–MS analysis of Trichoderma CF volatile compounds viz., harzianic acid (61.86%) in T. harzianum, linoleic acid (70.02%) in T. atroviride, and hydroxymethylfurfural (68.08%) in the CFs of T. longibrachiatum, were abundantly present. Foliar application of CFs in the greenhouse considerably reduced the disease severity (%) in all treatments, viz., T. harzianum (18.03%), T. longibrachiatum (31.91%), and T. atroviride (23.33%), followed by infected control (86.91%), and positively affected the plant biomarkers. In the greenhouse, the plants treated with CFs demonstrated higher flavonoids after 6 days of inoculation, whereas phenolic compounds increased after 2 days. The CF-treated plants demonstrated higher antioxidant enzymes, i.e., phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and peroxidase (POD), after 4 days, whereas polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was higher after 6 days of inoculation, followed by healthy and infected controls. In open field conditions, disease severity in CF-treated plants was reduced in both seasons as compared to naturally infected plants, whereas CF-treated plants exhibited a higher fruit yield than controls. The present results conclude that CFs can be a potential biocontrol candidate and a promising alternative to the early blight pathogen for sustainable production.</p