Image_1_Influence of foliar spray and post-harvest treatments on head yield, shelf-life, and physicochemical qualities of broccoli.pdf

Rapid senescence is the key factor in the deterioration of post-harvest shelf-life in broccoli heads. This study evaluates the head yield and its related traits, and physicochemical attributes of broccoli under four foliar sprays of mineral nutrients (B, Zn, Mo, and B + Zn + Mo) with control. The interaction effects of shelf-life and physicochemical attributes of broccoli for these five pre-harvest and five post-harvest storage treatments (LDP bag, HDP vacuum pack, 2% eggshell powder solution, 2% ascorbic acid, and control) both at cold storage and room temperature were evaluated with three replications. The significantly higher marketable head yield of 28.02 t ha−1, maximum gross return [(Bangladesh Taka (BDT 420300 ha−1)], net return (BDT 30565 ha−1), and maximum benefit–cost ratio (BCR) of 3.67 were obtained from the pre-harvest foliar application of B + Zn + Mo in broccoli. Pre-harvest foliar spray of combined nutrient B + Zn + Mo and post-harvest treatment high-density polyethylene (HDP, 15 μm) vacuum packaging efficiently improve post-harvest physicochemical attributes, viz., compactness, green color, texture, carbohydrates, fats, energy, antioxidants, vitamin C, and total phenols in broccoli head compared to the rest of the treatment combinations. In addition, this treatment combination also confirmed a maximum shelf-life of 24.55 days at cold storage [relative humidity (RH) 90–95% and 4°C] and 7.05 days at room temperature (RH 60–65% and 14–22°C) compared to the rest of the treatment combinations. Therefore, we recommend a pre-harvest foliar spray of combined nutrient elements B + Zn + Mo and an HDP (15 μm) vacuum post-harvest packaging for the maximum benefits for both farmers and consumers to get the best head yield, anticipated physicochemical attributes, and maximum shelf-life of broccoli.</p

Data_Sheet_1_Influence of foliar spray and post-harvest treatments on head yield, shelf-life, and physicochemical qualities of broccoli.docx

Rapid senescence is the key factor in the deterioration of post-harvest shelf-life in broccoli heads. This study evaluates the head yield and its related traits, and physicochemical attributes of broccoli under four foliar sprays of mineral nutrients (B, Zn, Mo, and B + Zn + Mo) with control. The interaction effects of shelf-life and physicochemical attributes of broccoli for these five pre-harvest and five post-harvest storage treatments (LDP bag, HDP vacuum pack, 2% eggshell powder solution, 2% ascorbic acid, and control) both at cold storage and room temperature were evaluated with three replications. The significantly higher marketable head yield of 28.02 t ha−1, maximum gross return [(Bangladesh Taka (BDT 420300 ha−1)], net return (BDT 30565 ha−1), and maximum benefit–cost ratio (BCR) of 3.67 were obtained from the pre-harvest foliar application of B + Zn + Mo in broccoli. Pre-harvest foliar spray of combined nutrient B + Zn + Mo and post-harvest treatment high-density polyethylene (HDP, 15 μm) vacuum packaging efficiently improve post-harvest physicochemical attributes, viz., compactness, green color, texture, carbohydrates, fats, energy, antioxidants, vitamin C, and total phenols in broccoli head compared to the rest of the treatment combinations. In addition, this treatment combination also confirmed a maximum shelf-life of 24.55 days at cold storage [relative humidity (RH) 90–95% and 4°C] and 7.05 days at room temperature (RH 60–65% and 14–22°C) compared to the rest of the treatment combinations. Therefore, we recommend a pre-harvest foliar spray of combined nutrient elements B + Zn + Mo and an HDP (15 μm) vacuum post-harvest packaging for the maximum benefits for both farmers and consumers to get the best head yield, anticipated physicochemical attributes, and maximum shelf-life of broccoli.</p

Table_5_Comparative genomic analysis and phylogeny of NAC25 gene from cultivated and wild Coffea species.DOCX

Coffee is a high value agricultural commodity grown in about 80 countries. Sustainable coffee cultivation is hampered by multiple biotic and abiotic stress conditions predominantly driven by climate change. The NAC proteins are plants specific transcription factors associated with various physiological functions in plants which include cell division, secondary wall formation, formation of shoot apical meristem, leaf senescence, flowering embryo and seed development. Besides, they are also involved in biotic and abiotic stress regulation. Due to their ubiquitous influence, studies on NAC transcription factors have gained momentum in different crop plant species. In the present study, NAC25 like transcription factor was isolated and characterized from two cultivated coffee species, Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora and five Indian wild coffee species for the first time. The full-length NAC25 gene varied from 2,456 bp in Coffea jenkinsii to 2,493 bp in C. arabica. In all the seven coffee species, sequencing of the NAC25 gene revealed 3 exons and 2 introns. The NAC25 gene is characterized by a highly conserved 377 bp NAM domain (N-terminus) and a highly variable C terminus region. The sequence analysis revealed an average of one SNP per every 40.92 bp in the coding region and 37.7 bp in the intronic region. Further, the non-synonymous SNPs are 8-11 fold higher compared to synonymous SNPs in the non-coding and coding region of the NAC25 gene, respectively. The expression of NAC25 gene was studied in six different tissue types in C. canephora and higher expression levels were observed in leaf and flower tissues. Further, the relative expression of NAC25 in comparison with the GAPDH gene revealed four folds and eight folds increase in expression levels in green fruit and ripen fruit, respectively. The evolutionary relationship revealed the independent evolution of the NAC25 gene in coffee.</p

The measured “Analysis of variance” of <i>Capsicum annum</i> L. traits under drought stress.

The measured “Analysis of variance” of Capsicum annum L. traits under drought stress.</p

PC1, PC2, and PC3 loading plots in a rotated space.

PC1, PC2, and PC3 loading plots in a rotated space.</p

Eigen values, individual variance (%), cumulative variance (%), and coefficients of determination of the first three principal components based on biological component correlation matrix.

Eigen values, individual variance (%), cumulative variance (%), and coefficients of determination of the first three principal components based on biological component correlation matrix.</p

Analysis of correlation between physiological and biochemical components in <i>Capsicum annuum</i> L.

Analysis of correlation between physiological and biochemical components in Capsicum annuum L.</p

Fig 2 -

Effect of varying levels of exogenously applied GABA on shoot length (a) shoot fresh weight (b) shoot dry weight (c) root shoot ratio (d) of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) grown under varying drought stress conditions. Letters (A–D) indicating least significance difference among the mean values at p≤0.05.</p

Fig 1 -

Effect of varying levels of exogenously applied GABA on root length (a) root fresh weight (b) root dry weight (c) relative water content (d) electrolyte leakage (e) of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) grown under varying drought stress conditions. Letters (A–G) indicating least significance difference among the mean values at p≤0.05.</p

Fig 3 -

Effect of varying levels of exogenously applied GABA on chlorophyll “a” content (a) chlorophyll “b” content (b) chlorophyll a/b ratio (c) total chlorophyll content (d) of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) grown under varying drought stress conditions. Letters (A–E) indicating least significance difference among the mean values at p≤0.05.</p