 Subjects -> GARDENING AND HORTICULTURE (Total: 37 journals)
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- L. Kunth a Bio-Resource with Potential: Overview and Opportunities
Abstract: ABSTRACTByrsonima crassifolia L. Kunth is a plant native to the Americas that grows in tropical and subtropical areas. Fresh B. crassifolia fruits are a good source of ascorbic acid and carotenoids and contain volatile compounds such as butyric and caproic acids. Although B. crassifolia is commonly exploited from wild natural ecosystems, it exhibits the potential to become a crop plant. When optimal agronomic management systems support propagation by seed, fruits with more homogeneous characteristics can be produced compared to those obtained from wild or backyard plants. B. crassifolia fruits can be found in local markets in Central and South America. The pulp, peel, and other B. crassifolia fruit components can be processed to make traditional and innovative food products, namely candies, cookies, cakes, candied fruits, ice creams, sorbets, jellies, juices, liqueurs, jams, nectars, pickles, and fruit drinks as an alternative to avoid the waste of overripe fruits. Additionally, the woody fraction of the B. crassifolia tree is used as a source of firewood, as shade, and for constructing living fences. These uses also allow the maximum use of biomass by establishing support for cultivation with the circular economy and strengthening food security. Therefore, this review aims to provide insights into the generation and dissemination of knowledge supporting the development of strategies in the areas of agronomy, postharvest management, and technological processing of B. crassifolia to promote its sustainable use and exploitation.
PubDate: Sat, 18 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Evaluation of alternative substrates for hydroponics based on biological
parameters of leaf lettuce ( L.) and its stress response
Abstract: ABSTRACTThe study focusses on alternative substrates with the potential to replace common substrates, such as mineral wool and perlite, as the influence of these on ecosystems and resources is being debated. To this aim, wood fibre, sheep wool and coco peat substrates were selected for testing. Leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. ‘Lisboa’) is taken as the model crop for the evaluation of alternative substrates. The closed hydroponic system ebb and flow with growing in pots was used for the experiment. The parameters of the nutrient solution were EC 1.5–2 mS and pH 6–7. Biological parameters, content of nitrates, plant stress indicators, antioxidant activity (AA) as % scavenging of DPPH (AA), glutathione (GSH), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), total phenol content (TPC) and the content of chosen elements in the drain from substrates were evaluated. According to the biomass production of lettuce, the substrates can be ranked from the lowest as follows: sheep wool < wood fibre < mineral wool < perlite < coco peat. The levels of GSH and APX did not affect AA. The TPC showed the greatest effect on AA and the stress response in general. The nitrate content ranged between 426 and 686 mg · kg–1 of fresh mass. Instead of mineral wool and perlite, coco fibre could be a promising alternative organic substrate for lettuce production in the ebb and flow hydroponics system. Wood fibre and sheep wool still have unresolved circumstances regarding their physical and chemical parameters.
PubDate: Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Inhibitory action of ginkgolic acid against pathogenic fungi and
characterisation of its inhibitory activities on
Abstract: Ginkgolic acid is a natural plant antifungal substance with important biological activities, present in the testa of Ginkgo biloba. This research aims to analyse the antifungal action of ginkgolic acid against pathogenic fungi. Ginkgolic acid was analyzed by HPLC and FTIR, and the in vitro inhibitory activities of ginkgolic acid against pathogenic fungi has been investigated. Results showed that ginkgolic acid was a small hydrophobic molecule composed of five ginkgolic acids and their derivatives, with the alkyl and phenolic hydroxyl groups being located on the skeleton of the aromatic ring. Among Nigrospora oryzae (N. oryzae), Alternaria alternata (A. alternata) and Penicillium expansum (P. expansum), ginkgolic acid showed the strongest inhibition against N. oryzae, and the inhibition rate of ginkgolic acid at 5 mg · mL−1 reached 65.82%. Ginkgolic acid lysed the cell membrane of N. oryzae, causing the leaking of the mycelial protein and enhancement of the permeability of the cell membrane, which caused the electrical conductivity of the liquid medium to increase. In addition, it also decreased the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the mycelium of N. oryzae, thereby weakening the cell's protective function by damaging the integrity of the biomembrane. Furthermore, ginkgolic acid can effectively protect the leaves of Epipremnum aureum from infection by N. oryzae. It was concluded that ginkgolic acid effectively inhibited the activity of N. oryzae.
PubDate: Fri, 17 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Morphological characteristics of flower organs and micropropagation of
male sterile lines of hybrids
Abstract: Lily pollen causes many problems affecting humans' quality of life and health, such as clothing contamination and skin or nasal allergies. The manual removal of anthers is time-consuming and labour-intensive, and thus, not conducive to commercial production. It is of great importance to produce pollen-free lily varieties with beautiful shapes. In this study, we studied the morphological characteristics of flower organs and polyploids of six pollen-free filial generations of four lily species and their micropropagations. Lily ‘5-21’ is male sterile and produces uncrackable anthers with inactive pollens under natural conditions. Lily ‘3-12’ is unable to produce anthers, because the petals become stamens, thereby leading to infertility. Lilies ‘3-1’, ‘5-4’, ‘5-35’ and ‘0-0.2’ are unable to produce anthers, because they lack floral organs. Polyploids of six hybrid lilies were identified by flow cytometry and chromosome counting, and the results showed that lily ‘5-4’ was triploid and the rest were diploid. Morphological observation indicated that flowering periods were from early July to early August and lasted for about 11 days. Six male sterile lilies had low seed setting rates when they were used as female parents. Most of the seeds were flaky with developed embryos. Therefore, asexual reproduction is optimal for these six male sterile lilies. The male sterility of six lilies was associated with their parents' pollen activity. Scales of ‘5-4’ and ‘5-35’ were used as explants for in vitro micropropagation. The findings of the present study lay a foundation for breeding of pollen-free lilies.
PubDate: Fri, 10 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Effect of different water contents in the substrate on cultivation of
Jacq. P. Kumm
Abstract: Pleurotus ostreatus is a widely cultivated and investigated mushroom for its economical and ecological values and medicinal properties. P. ostreatus can be cultivated on different lignocellulosic substrates (oak sawdust, wheat straw, corn cobs and many more). Optimal growth is influenced not only by the composition of the substrate but also by the amount of water in it. In our study, P. ostreatus was cultivated on wheat straw pellets with different water contents (60%, 65%, 70% and 75%). Mycelium growth, biological efficiency (BE), moisture of substrate, pH, enzymatic activities and relationships were the parameters that were evaluated. Based on the results, the optimum initial substrate water content for mycelial growth and BE of the substrate ranged between 65% and 75%. On the other hand, the highest enzymatic activities of hydrolytic and ligninolytic enzymes (Mn-dependent peroxidase, 1,4-β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase) were determined for substrates with 75% of water content.
PubDate: Thu, 02 Feb 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Effects of a weak supply of light at night on the growth and quality
components of tea plants
Abstract: Supplying artificial light is widely used in crop cultivation to improve yield and quality. In this study, we investigated the effects of a weak supply of light (WSL) on the growth and quality components of tea plants. Starting from mid-winter (20 January 2021), the purple tea (Camellia sinensis) cultivar ‘Ziyan’ was exposed to four different spectra at an intensity of 2 μmol · m−2 · s−1 or 5 μmol · m−2 · s−1 for 3 h or 5 h after sunset. The field observations showed that the sprouting index, which represents the time and speed of bud flush, was significantly higher in most of the WSL treatments than in the control (CK, p < 0.01). The total content of catechin in the harvested leaves of 3 WSL treatments was 11.51%–18.94% higher than that of the CK, but the content of anthocyanin of 4 WSL treatments unexpectedly decreased by 6.77%–11.69% (p < 0.05). The differences in yield, free amino acids and caffeine contents between the WSL treatments and CK were not significant. We concluded that the WSL treatments during the early spring night had positive impacts on the growth and some quality components of tea plants.
PubDate: Wed, 18 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Green extraction of bioactive compounds from in aqueous glycerol and
modelling and optimisation by response surface methodology
Abstract: Development of efficient and green methods for extracting bioactive phytochemicals has great industrial value. Increasing environmental sensitivity at the global level has tremendously enhanced the demand for such methods. Azadirachta indica is a well-known medicinal tree. As glycerol has emerged as a green and safe extraction solvent for bioactive phytochemicals, this study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a glycerol–water solvent system to extract bioactive compounds from A. indica leaves. Modelling and optimisation were carried out by using response surface methodology (RSM) as per the Box–Behnken design with three variables, namely, solvent concentration, time and temperature. The responses were total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and metal chelating activity (MCA). The optimum conditions found by numerical optimisation were a solvent concentration of 69.713%, a time period of 38.328 min and a temperature of 32.114 °C with the predicted values of TPC, TFC, %DPPH and %MCA as 5.27 mg gallic acid equivalents · g−1 DW (dry weight), 9.869 mg rutin equivalents · g−1 DW, 73.8% and 54.366%, respectively. The validation experiments showed almost the same results for each response with very low% errors (5.431–7.661). Increasing glycerol concentration in the extracting medium favoured the extraction of TPC, TFC and antioxidant phytochemicals, but for MCA, the trend was the opposite. In conclusion, 70% aqueous glycerol is an effective medium for the extraction of polyphenolic and antioxidant phytochemicals from A. indica leaves. Extraction models suggested by RSM have high prospects to be used on a large industrial scale.
PubDate: Wed, 11 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Comparative study of the effects of selenium nanoparticles and selenite on
selenium content and nutrient quality in soybean sprouts
Abstract: Soybean (Glycine max L.) sprouts are a common vegetable with rich nutrients, such as protein, vitamin C and isoflavones. Soybean is also capable of accumulating selenium (Se). To study the effects of Se biofortification on the nutrient of this crop, soybean sprouts were treated with different concentrations of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) or selenite (i.e., 10 μM, 20 μM, 40 μM, 80 μM and 100 μM) in a hydroponic experiment. Results showed that SeNPs and selenite remarkably increased the total Se concentration in soybean sprouts. Five Se speciations, namely, selenocystine, selenomethionine, methyl selenocysteine, selenite and selenate were detected in soybean sprouts, but selenomethionine was found to be the dominant Se speciation. SeNPs and selenite increased the contents of chlorophyll, carotenoid, soluble sugar, soluble protein, vitamin C and isoflavones in soybean sprouts. SeNPs treatments led to less malondialdehyde content compared with selenite. SeNPs and selenite both enhanced the glutathione content. The modest dosage of exogenous Se stimulated the catalase activity, whereas the large amount reduced it. The peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase activities were stimulated by SeNPs and selenite. SeNPs posed no significant influence on the superoxide dismutase activity. This study suggests that SeNPs are a good exogenous Se source for the production of Se-rich soybean sprouts.
PubDate: Wed, 04 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT
- Growth and yield in taro ( (L.) Schott) grown using different planting
materials and exposed to different morphological alteration treatments
Abstract: This study aimed to compare cormels and suckers to determine the better planting material (PM) and to evaluate the effects of morphology-altering treatments on both shoot growth and corm yield in taro plants. The PMs used included cormel (PMC), suckers with two leaves (PMS2) and suckers with four leaves (PMS4). Morphological alteration (MA) treatment included removal of all suckers (MAS), excising the mother plant (MAM), and non-treated control (NMA). Data were collected weekly for non-destructive and at 12, 20, and 28 weeks after planting (WAP) for destructive measurements. Results of this study indicated that the SPAD values were higher in taro plants grown using cormel and morphologically non-altered plants. Removal of all suckers caused the mother plant to increase the number of leaves. The dry weight of the leaf blades, petioles and fibrous roots of the mother plant and the number of suckers decreased after the corm enlargement process took place. Fresh and dry weights of the corm increased at 20 WAP and then slowed down at 28 WAP. The moisture content of corm was relatively constant at 75%. Cormel could form on the fibrous roots and on suckers, but the total wet and dry weights of the cormels were decreased if the suckers were periodically removed. The growth of suckers was very dominant compared to the NMA plant when the mother plant was excised. Meanwhile, if all the suckers were removed, the growth of the mother plant was relatively comparable to that of the NMA plants.
PubDate: Fri, 23 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Does the sunblock alleviate abiotic stress in mango trees grown in the
tropical semiarid'
Abstract: Mango is the most exported fruit of Brazil, especially grown in São Francisco Valley (tropical semiarid) where there is high temperatures and low air humidity, a condition that can cause stress to plants. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of different sunblocks to alleviate the abiotic stress of “Palmer” mango trees grown in a semiarid environment. The experimental design consisted of randomised blocks with six treatments, four repetitions and three plants per plot. The treatments consisted of different strategies of sunblocks as follows: (T1) control (no sunblock); (T2) calcium carbonate (50 g · L−1); (T3) sunblock (5 mL · L−1); (T4) sunblock (5 mL · L−1) + calcium carbonate (50 g · L−1); (T5) sunblock (5 mL · L−1) + sunblock silicon concentrated (20 mL · L−1) and (T6) sunblock (20 mL · L−1). The results indicate a clear action of sunblock in attenuating the abiotic stress of mango, with a persistent effect with time elapsing, considering the evaluated interval. The sunblock clearly promotes a differentiated leaf coverage pattern, protecting the photosynthetic apparatus and increasing its performance and consequently improving the production of plant reserves. The use of calcium carbonate individually promotes a very short protective effect, without positive reflexes after a few days of application. Mango fruit yield is affected by the sunblock with an increase of 4.2 t · ha−1 from the treatment with sunblock (20 mL · L−1) in relation to the control treatment.
PubDate: Thu, 08 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Development of dandelion ( spp.) quality evaluation technology based on
phenolic acids
Abstract: One of the main purposes for which dandelions are cultivated is to derive phenolic acids from their processing. Phenolic acids, which are one of the main useful compounds in dandelion, constitute one of the important groups of therapeutically significant bioactive compounds in traditional Chinese medicine. To carry out a relatively full evaluation of dandelion quality, it was found advisable to use multiple indices to avoid conflict with the single evaluation index stipulated by China Pharmacopoeia. Thus, a quality evaluation method was created based on traditional Chinese medicinal theory and relevant statistics on phenolic acids. Firstly, four main kinds of phenolic acids – caftaric acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and cichoric acid – were chosen as the main indices for quality evaluation through the optimisation of high performance liquid chromatography detection conditions and fingerprint comparison analysis; then, the content of each component was divided into five levels based on the descriptive statistics of 578 dandelion samples and references; finally, the equal weight average method was used to convert content levels of the four components into a comprehensive quality index, which served as the means for dandelion quality to be identified and segregated into grades, as follows: Grade 1 (super high, probability of 0.8%), Grade 2 (high, 18.72%), Grade 3 (medium, 37.28%), Grade 4 (qualified, 32%) and Grade 5 (low, 11.2%). This method is the first to comprehensively evaluate dandelion quality for setting an industry standard in China, and has practical and scientific characteristics.
PubDate: Fri, 18 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Waste apple wood: A safe and economical alternative substrate for the
cultivation of and
Abstract: The use of waste apple-wood as a source of sawdust to cultivate the mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinula edodes is a common practice, but it is imperative to ensure that the wood does not contain unsafe amounts of heavy-metals or pesticide residues. In this study, we sampled and investigated the pollution of heavy metals and pesticide residues in apple-wood from Yantai, Shandong, China and cultivated P. ostreatus and L. edodes using apple-wood as substrate. Heavy metals, pesticide residues, mineral elements, and biological efficiency were measured. Heavy metals were more commonly detected in the 73 apple-wood samples, but serious pollution was only an isolated phenomenon. No Pb was detected in P. ostreatus and L. edodes. The contents of Hg, As, Cd, and Cr were at safe levels. The contents of Ni were equivalent to those of wild mushrooms. Most notably, chlorpyrifos was detected in all the apple-wood tested. However, chlorpyrifos was only detected in L. edodes cultivated with apple sawdust. No other pesticide residues were detected in the other mushroom samples. The biological efficiency of P. ostreatus cultivated by apple sawdust was 89%, which was 80% of the control. The biological efficiency of L. edodes cultivated with apple sawdust was 81%, which did not differ significantly from the control. Apple-wood can replace wild oak as the material for L. edodes cultivation, but producers should ensure that the raw materials are safe. The main materials chosen to cultivate P. ostreatus should balance the two factors of raw material price and biological efficiency.
PubDate: Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Optimization of solvent-free microwave-assisted extraction of antioxidant
compounds from fruit by response surface methodology
Abstract: Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd) fruit is highly celebrated for its nutritional as well as therapeutic properties. The present study was undertaken with the aim of exploring an efficient green solvent-free microwave-assisted extraction method for bioactives from this fruit. Optimization was done according to response surface methodology (RSM), where microwave power (W) and time (s) were independent factors, and percent extraction yield, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) and iron chelating activity (ICA) were the responses. TPC, TFC, DPPH radical scavenging activity, FRAP and ICA were highest at 480 W and 60 s. The TPC was 288.9 mg GAE · g−1 DW (milligram gallic acid equivalent per gram dry weight), TFC was 214.1 mg RE · g−1 (rutin equivalent per gram DW), anti-radical activity was 32.96%, FRAP was 289.7 mg AAE · g−1 (mg ascorbic acid equivalents per gram) and ICA was 19.52%. The results of the study thus demonstrate that the solvent-free microwave-assisted extraction method, which utilised an optimum power of 480 W and a time of 60 s, is an effective and green method for extraction of antioxidant compounds from bottle gourd fruit.
PubDate: Fri, 19 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- First characterisation of chrysanthemum virus B infecting chrysanthemum in
Thailand and development of colourimetric RT-LAMP for rapid and sensitive
detection
Abstract: Chrysanthemum is among the world's most important ornamental plants because of its high economic and cultural value. Our report is the first to describe the detection of chrysanthemum virus B (CVB) in chrysanthemum leaf samples collected from Thailand, which showed yellowing and mild mottling symptoms. The coat protein sequences of CVB isolated in this study share 95.15% identity with previously characterised CVB isolates. Biological indexing found that CVB induced both local and systemic symptoms in tobacco plants, while petunia displayed systemic symptoms. To improve the rapidity and sensitivity of CVB detection, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique was developed. LAMP detection was found to be optimal when incubation was conducted at 65 °C for 45 min, wherein the LAMP reaction demonstrated 106 times higher sensitivity than polymerase chain reaction. To simplify the interpretation of results, we designed the method such that a positive result is clearly indicated based on a change of colour (colourimetry), from pink to yellow, as observed visually and via gel electrophoresis. To our best knowledge, this is the first report on the characterisation of molecular, biological and morphological characteristics of CVB infecting chrysanthemum in Thailand, along with the development of colourimetric RT-LAMP for improving detection efficiency.
PubDate: Fri, 19 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Foliar application of potassium silicate, potassium fulvate and betaine
improve summer-time tomato yield by promoting plant nitrogen and potassium
uptake
Abstract: During the summer months, greenhouse tomato production is challenged by the heat, causing yield reduction; therefore, we conducted a study to test the effectiveness of different foliar spray compositions for the improvement of Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme ‘Qianxi’ nutrition uptake and fruit yield. Two forms of silicon, two kinds of organic nitrogenous compounds and water as the control factor were two-two paired to become nine different recipes, which were as follows: CK (H2O), ISi (K2SiO3), organic silicon (OSi), potassium fulvate (BSFA), BSFA + ISi, BSFA + OSi, betaine (GB), GB + ISi and GB + OSi. The plants were sprayed three times during the period of the first, second and third truss fruit expansions with a 2-week interval. As a result, BSFA or K2SiO3 generated higher yield in plants compared with the other compositions. Also, K2SiO3 significantly enhanced the total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium accumulation in fruit and the whole plant. Comparing across the nine recipes, BSFA + ISi, ISi and GB had improved the fruit yield by 17%, 12.7% and 9.5%, performing the best. BSFA + ISi, ISi and GB also improved the plant nitrogen uptake by 8.2%, 18.8% and 9.8%, as well as the potassium uptake by 16.2%, 12.3% and 15.2%, compared with CK, respectively. Thus, K2SiO3, BSFA and GB stimulated the plant nitrogen and potassium uptake, which improved the marketable yield.
PubDate: Tue, 16 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Mathematical modelling of Hass avocado firmness by using destructive and
non-destructive devices at different maturity stages and under two storage
conditions
Abstract: Devices which are used to determine firmness of non-destructive nature do not penetrate the skin or damage the underlying flesh of the fruit and do provide real-time results, avoid raw biomass loss and allow the testing of every individual fruit and repeated testing of the same fruit, thus providing many advantages for researchers and the industry alike. Contrarily, destructive methods puncture the fruit and thus only a subsample, selected to represent all fruit, can be tested. In addition, different operators can generate quite different values for the same fruit using a hand-held penetrometer. Hass avocado from two commercial orchards was collected, and fruit firmness was measured at harvest, during two storage conditions controlled atmosphere (CA) and regular air (RA), during shelf-life and at the ready-to-eat stage using both destructive (Fruit Pressure Tester, mod. FT327, Wagner Instruments, Greenwich, USA) and non-destructive devices (Model TA.XT plusC, Stable Micro Systems Ltd, England). Then, the mathematical relationship between these two devices was assessed using Spearman Correlation coefficient (rho) and p-values adjusted by Benjamini-Hochberg and Bonferroni procedures. Thus, 3,200 fruits were evaluated during two harvests and two subsequent seasons. A moderate and positive association between destructive and non-destructive devices was found (rho coefficient ranging from 0.41 to 0.51). The variance explained by the regression models ranged from 0.53 to 0.63; all of them were significant with good accuracies (i.e., 0.79; 0.78; 0.73; 0.76). The results prompt us to conclude that a non-destructive texture analyser device can be used to accurately predict firmness measured by a penetrometer in Hass avocado fruit and contribute to avoiding fruit discards.
PubDate: Fri, 05 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Zn induces changes in activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain
complexes and emissions of floral volatiles in
Abstract: In recent years, there has been increasing interest in floral volatiles due to their important function in reproduction, self-protection and so on. Although some progress was made on deciphering emissions of floral volatiles and on related mechanisms under a variety of environmental factors, the effects of Zn2+ concentrations on mitochondrial function and floral volatile emissions are yet to be revealed. Dendrobium huoshanense petals were used as materials and were treated with a 0–8 mM ZnSO4 solution. Intracellular Zn2+ concentrations were evaluated by the fluorescent dye method and atomic absorption method. Mitochondrial respiratory chain complex activities and the precursor and ATP contents were determined by the biochemical method. Floral volatile components were analyzed by the gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The results indicated that ZnSO4 application significantly increased intracellular Zn2+ concentrations. Elevated intracellular Zn2+ concentrations differently affected mitochondrial respiratory chain complex activities, precursor and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) productions and floral volatile emissions. Moreover, positive correlations exist among the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, productions of precursors and ATP and emissions of floral volatiles. It is concluded that Zn2+ concentrations induce the activity changes of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, especially complex II and V, which promote or inhibit the emissions of floral volatiles by affecting the precursor and ATP levels that are closely related to the production of terpenoids, benzoids and fatty acid derivatives. The research will contribute to understanding the relationship between Zn2+ concentrations and floral volatile emissions from the perspective of mitochondrial function.
PubDate: Thu, 02 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Perceived functions of allotment gardens and their importance during the
COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
Abstract: This article describes the changes taking place in the functions of allotment gardens, their perceived value, reasons for purchasing allotments and subjective (self-reported) assessments of their importance during the pandemic. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 203 owners of allotment gardens located in three highly urbanised cities in the Silesian Voivodeship (Southern Poland). Semi-structured questionnaires and non-standardised questionnaires were used to collect the data. The results demonstrate that the respondents aged above 61 years (38.5%) have observed a generational change in the function of allotments, from cultivating fruits and vegetables to recreational purposes. Regardless of age, the owners of allotment gardens did not notice any technological progress or new crops. The young respondents (21–30 years) treated allotment gardens as an investment (36.7%), while the respondents aged below 20 years and over 61 years declared that the greatest benefits of allotment gardening are improved health and growing one’s own fruits and vegetables. The respondents aged over 41 years (25.9%) also pointed out the importance of growing their own produce. Allotments were especially important during the pandemic as a private space free from COVID-related restrictions. Extended interviews with the respondents revealed that allotment gardening was perceived as a coping strategy for the stress generated during the lockdown. This study showed that allotment gardens are important sites not only for food production but also for maintaining mental health, social capital and environmental engagement.
PubDate: Fri, 13 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Therapeutic horticulture as a potential tool of preventive geriatric
medicine improving health, well-being and life quality – A systematic
review
Abstract: The global population of older people grows systematically and with age, the physical and cognitive abilities of people decline. The amount of evidence that gardening may provide substantial health benefits and enhance the quality of ageing is increasing. This paper presents a systematic review of the therapeutic effects of horticulture and gardening on clients aged ≥60 years. It encompasses articles published in English between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2021. The literature survey shows that the interest in the topic has grown significantly in recent years as over half of the published studies are from 2019 to 2021. Most of this work was done in Asia (60%), America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The most commonly used interventions were active horticultural therapy programs or gardening, but 20% of the studies explored the passive connection of being outside. The fitness of the elderly was measured using 33 psychological tests, 32 physiological and functional parameters and different kinds of self-developed questionnaires and interviews. The most commonly used psychological tests were the Geriatric Depression Scale, Self-rated Health and Quality of Life, Mini-Mental State Examination, Friendship Scale, Lubben Social Network Scale, and the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire. The physiological and functional parameters included heart rate variability, blood pressure, electroencephalography, brain nerve growth factors, and different types of biomarkers. The study outcomes demonstrated positive results of horticultural therapy on human health and well-being, particularly in a psychological dimension and to a smaller but still significant extent physiological aspect.
PubDate: Fri, 13 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT
- Comparative RNA-Seq analysis to understand anthocyanin biosynthesis and
regulations in
Abstract: Anthocyanins play a critical role in flower colour pattern formation, and their biosynthesis is typically regulated by transcription factors (TFs). Curcuma alismatifolia is a well-known ornamental plant with colourful flowers. However, little is known about the genes that regulate anthocyanin accumulation in C. alismatifolia. In the present study, high-quality RNA was extracted from three flowering stages of ‘Dutch Red’ and the blossoming stage of ‘Chocolate’. In all, 576.45 Mb clean data and 159,687 de-redundant sequences were captured. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that the pathways of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, and terpenoid backbone biosynthesis were the most enriched. Thirty unique isoforms were annotated as encoding enzymes or TFs involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Further analysis showed that the up-regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes was associated with the red colour formation of ‘Dutch Red’, and their expression was induced at the initial flowering stage. The gene flavonoid 3′, 5′-hydroxylase, a key enzyme in the formation of delphinidin-based anthocyanins, reduced expression in ‘Chocolate’. In addition, we identified totally 14 TFs including 11 MYB proteins and 3 WD proteins, which might play important roles in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. The quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) results were generally consistent with the high-throughput sequencing results. Together, the results of our study provide a valuable resource for the regulatory mechanism of anthocyanin biosynthesis in C. alismatifolia and for the breeding of Curcuma cultivars with novel and charming flower colours.
PubDate: Sun, 08 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT
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