A Systematic Review on Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizer Levels on Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) Production in Ethiopia.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) holds significant agricultural and nutritional importance in Ethiopia; yet, its production faces challenges, including suboptimal nitrogen fertilizer management. The aim of this review was to review the possible effect of nitrogen fertilizer levels on the production of cabbage in Ethiopia. Nitrogen fertilization significantly influences cabbage yield and quality. Moderate to high levels of nitrogen application enhance plant growth, leaf area, head weight, and yield. However, excessive nitrogen levels can lead to adverse effects such as delayed maturity, increased susceptibility to pests and diseases, and reduced postharvest quality. In Ethiopia, small-scale farmers use different nitrogen levels for cabbage cultivation. In Ethiopia, NPSB or NPSBZN fertilizers are widely employed for the growing of various crops such as cabbage. 242 kg of NPS and 79 kg of urea are the blanket recommendation for the current production of cabbage in Ethiopia. The existing rate is not conducive for farmers. Therefore, small-scale farmers ought to utilize an optimal and cost-effective nitrogen rate to boost the cabbage yield. Furthermore, the effectiveness of nitrogen fertilization is influenced by various factors including the soil type, climate, cabbage variety, and agronomic practices. Integrated nutrient management approaches, combining nitrogen fertilizers with organic amendments or other nutrients, have shown promise in optimizing cabbage production while minimizing environmental impacts. The government ought to heed suggestions concerning soil characteristics such as the soil type, fertility, and additional factors such as the soil pH level and soil moisture contents.

Size-dependent Effect on Foliar Utilization and Biocontrol Efficacy of Emamectin Benzoate Delivery Systems.

The development of nanopesticides provides new avenues for pesticide reduction and efficiency improvement. However, the size effect of nanopesticides remains unclear, and its underlying mechanisms of influence have become a major obstacle in the design and application of pesticide nanoformulations. In this research, the noncarrier-coated emamectin benzoate (EB) solid dispersions (Micro-EB and Nano-EB) were produced under a constant surfactant-to-active ingredient ratio by a self-emulsifying-carrier solidification technique. The particle size of Micro-EB was 162 times that of spherical Nano-EB. The small size and large specific surface area of Nano-EB facilitated the adsorption of surfactants on the surface of the particles, thereby improving its dispersibility, suspensibility, and stability. The pinning effect of nanoparticles significantly suppressed droplet retraction and rebounding. Moreover, Nano-EB exhibited a 25% higher retention of the active ingredient on cabbage leaves and a 70% higher washing resistance than Micro-EB, and both were significantly different. The improvement of abilities in wetting, spreading, and retention of Nano-EB on crop leaves contributed to the increase in foliar utilization, which further resulted in a 1.6-fold enhancement of bioactivity against target Spodoptera exigua compared to Micro-EB. Especially, Nano-EB did not exacerbate the safety risk to the nontarget organism zebrafish with no significant difference. This study elaborates the size effect on the effectiveness and safety of pesticide formulations and lays a theoretical foundation for the development and rational utilization of efficient and environmentally friendly nanopesticides.

Do differentially charged nanoplastics affect imidacloprid uptake, translocation, and metabolism in Chinese flowering cabbage?

Micro(nano)plastics are ubiquitous in the environment. Among the microplastics, imidacloprid (IMI) concentration has been increasing in some intensive agricultural regions, thus receiving increased attention. However, only a few studies have investigated the interaction of nanoplastics (polystyrene (PS)) and IMI in vegetable crops. We studied the effects of positively (PS-NH2) and negatively (PS-COOH) charged nanoplastics on the uptake, translocation, and degradation of IMI in Chinese flowering cabbage grown in Hoagland solution for 28 days. PS-NH2 co-exposure with IMI inhibited plant growth, resulting in decreased plant weight, height, and root length. Translocation of IMI from the roots to the shoots was significantly lower in the presence of PS-NH2, whereas PS-COOH accelerated the accumulation and translocation of IMI in plants, thus potentially affecting IMI metabolism in plants. Notably, IMI-NTG and 5-OH-IMI were the two dominant metabolites. PS-NH2 co-exposure with IMI induced significant oxidation stress and considerably affected the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD), indicating that the antioxidant defense system was the main mechanism for reducing oxidative damage. Notably, both positively and negatively charged nanoplastics can accumulate in Chinese flowering cabbage. Plants in the PS-COOH alone treatment group had the highest concentration of nanoplastics in both roots and shoots. The accumulation of nanoplastics, IMI, and its metabolites in plants raises concerns about their combined potential toxicity because it compromises food safety.

Inhibition of Virulence Factors and Biofilm Formation by Wogonin Attenuates Pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 via Targeting pqs Quorum-Sensing System.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an important opportunistic pathogen, is capable of producing various virulence factors and forming biofilm that are regulated by quorum sensing (QS). It is known that targeting virulence factor production and biofilm formation instead of exerting selective pressure on growth such as conventional antibiotics can reduce multidrug resistance in bacteria. Therefore, many quorum-sensing inhibitors (QSIs) have been developed to prevent or treat this bacterial infection. In this study, wogonin, as an active ingredient from Agrimonia pilosa, was found to be able to inhibit QS system of P. aeruginosa PAO1. Wogonin downregulated the expression of QS-related genes and reduced the production of many virulence factors, such as elastase, pyocyanin, and proteolytic enzyme. In addition, wogonin decreased the extracellular polysaccharide synthesis and inhibited twitching, swimming, and swarming motilities and biofilm formation. The attenuation of pathogenicity in P. aeruginosa PAO1 by wogonin application was further validated in vivo by cabbage infection and fruit fly and nematode survival experiments. Further molecular docking analysis, pathogenicity examination of various QS-related mutants, and PQS signal molecule detection revealed that wogonin could interfere with PQS signal molecular synthesis by affecting pqsA and pqsR. Taken together, the results indicated that wogonin might be used as an anti-QS candidate drug to attenuate the infection caused by P. aeruginosa.

Novel DNA Aptameric Sensors to Detect the Toxic Insecticide Fenitrothion.

Fenitrothion is an insecticide belonging to the organophosphate family of pesticides that is widely used around the world in agriculture and living environments. Today, it is one of the most hazardous chemicals that causes severe environmental pollution. However, detection of fenitrothion residues in the environment is considered a significant challenge due to the small molecule nature of the insecticide and lack of molecular recognition elements that can detect it with high specificity. We performed in vitro selection experiments using the SELEX process to isolate the DNA aptamers that can bind to fenitrothion. We found that newly discovered DNA aptamers have a strong ability to distinguish fenitrothion from other organophosphate insecticides (non-specific targets). Furthermore, we identified a fenitrothion-specific aptamer; FenA2, that can interact with Thioflavin T (ThT) to produce a label-free detection mode with a Kd of 33.57 nM (9.30 ppb) and LOD of 14 nM (3.88 ppb). Additionally, the FenA2 aptamer exhibited very low cross-reactivity with non-specific targets. This is the first report showing an aptamer sensor with a G4-quadruplex-like structure to detect fenitrothion. Moreover, these aptamers have the potential to be further developed into analytical tools for real-time detection of fenitrothion from a wide range of samples.

High oxygen atmospheric packaging treatment regulates the postharvest changes of Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra) during storage.

Chinese kale is one of the most popular vegetables in southern China and Asia, but it has a short shelf-life. The effect of high oxygen atmospheric packaging (HOAP) treatment on the respiration rate as well as chlorophyll content and the expression of their metabolism-related genes of the soluble proteins in Chinese kale during storage were assessed. The results showed that Chinese kale subjected to HOAP treatment showed stimulated respiration rate and regulated expression of chlorophyll metabolism-related genes, such as BrChlases, BrPPH (pheophytin pheophorbide hydrolase), BrPAO (pheidea oxygenase gene), BrRCCR (red chlorophyll catabolite reductase), and BrSAG12 (senescence-associated gene), compared to the Chinese kale in the control. The activities of chlorophyll enzymes, that is, Chlase and Mg-dechelatase, were also influenced by HOAP treatment during storage. Furthermore, the total content of soluble proteins was stimulated to accumulate, and the intensity of protein bands, detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profiling, increased in HOAP-treated samples. Based on the current results, as well as the results of our previous study regarding HOAP treatment of other vegetables, we speculate that HOAP may function by regulating the respiration rate and the accumulation of functional proteins, especially chlorophyll catabolic and antioxidant enzymes, to maintain the freshness of Chinese kale during storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: HOAP treatment could be a potential method for delaying quality changes and extending the shelf-life of Chinese kale after harvest.

Combination of Selenium and UVA Radiation Affects Growth and Phytochemicals of Broccoli Microgreens.

Addition of selenium or application of ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation for crop production could be an effective way of producing phytochemical-rich food. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of selenium and UVA radiation, as well as their combination on growth and phytochemical contents in broccoli microgreens. There were three treatments: Se (100 µmol/L Na2SeO3), UVA (40 µmol/m2/s) and Se + UVA (with application of Se and UVA). The control (CK) was Se spraying-free and UVA radiation-free. Although treatment with Se or/and UVA inhibited plant growth of broccoli microgreens, results showed that phytochemical contents increased. Broccoli microgreens under the Se treatment had higher contents of total soluble sugars, total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, ascorbic acid, Fe, and organic Se and had lower Zn content. The UVA treatment increased the contents of total chlorophylls, total soluble proteins, total phenolic compounds, and FRAP. However, the Se + UVA treatment displayed the most remarkable effect on the contents of total anthocyanins, glucoraphanin, total aliphatic glucosinolates, and total glucosinolates; here, significant interactions between Se and UVA were observed. This study provides valuable insights into the combinational selenium and UVA for improving the phytochemicals of microgreens grown in an artificial lighting plant factory.

Quantification of field-incurred residues of cyantraniliprole and IN-J9Z38 in cabbage/soil using QuEChERS/HPLC-PDA and dietary risk assessment.

Cyantraniliprole is an anthranilic diamide insecticide used for the effective management of diamondback moth in cabbage. Dietary risk assessment of pesticides in food is a major concern now. This study developed a QuEChERS/HPLC-PDA-based highly efficient and reliable method, registering 89.80-100.11% recoveries of cyantraniliprole and its metabolite IN-J9Z38 from cabbage and soil with a relative standard deviation of 0.43-5.77%. Field experiment was conducted to study the residue dissipation of cyantraniliprole in cabbage and soil. Two foliar treatments of 10.26% formulation (Benevia) at 60 (T1 ) and 120 (T2 ) gram active ingredient/hectare were applied. The dissipation half-lives of cyantraniliprole in cabbage and soil were determined to be 3.5-4.2 and 3.8-5.3 days at T1 and 3.9-4.8 and 4.1-4.7 days at T2 , respectively. The maximum concentrations of IN-J9Z38 at T1 and T2 were 0.819 and 1.061 mg/kg, respectively, on the fifth day. A risk quotient value of <1 indicates no dietary risk to the consumers. The residues in the harvested cabbage were below the tolerance level of 2.0 mg/kg established by the regulatory body in India.

Application of exogenous salicylic acid reduces disease severity of Plasmodiophora brassicae in pakchoi (Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis Makino).

Clubroot is one of the most serious diseases affecting Brassicaceae plants worldwide. However, there is no effective control method for clubroot. Salicylic acid (SA) is a plant hormone that plays a critical role in plant defense. In our study, we found the disease severity of a clubroot-sensitive cultivar of pakchoi, Xinxiaqing, was reduced with 0.6mM exogenous SA after the infection of P. brassicae. To investigate the mechanism of SA-reduced disease severity against clubroot, then we analyzed the plant growth, alteration of antioxidant enzyme system, and related gene expression of Xinxiaqing. Results showed that the clubroot incidence rate and disease index were decreased after being treated with 0.6 mM exogenous SA. Furthermore, plant growth, reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents, and membrane lipid peroxidation were changed. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbic acid-peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GR), were increased. Additionally, the production rates of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide anion (O2·-) were also inhibited. The expression levels of genes, encoding SOD, APX, CAT, and GR, were increased. By summering all results, we conclude that 0.6 mM SA contributes to the reduction of disease severity to clubroot by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes, abilities of osmotic regulation, and ROS scavenging to reduce the clubroot-induced damage in pakchoi.

Effect of Botanical Extracts on the Growth and Nutritional Quality of Field-Grown White Head Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata).

Nutraceuticals and functional foods are gaining more attention amongst consumers interested in nutritious food. The consumption of foodstuffs with a high content of phytochemicals has been proven to provide various health benefits. The application of biostimulants is a potential strategy to fortify cultivated plants with beneficial bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, it has not yet been established whether the proposed higher plants (St. John's wort, giant goldenrod, common dandelion, red clover, nettle, and valerian) are appropriate for the production of potential bio-products enhancing the nutritional value of white cabbage. Therefore, this research examines the impact of botanical extracts on the growth and nutritional quality of cabbage grown under field conditions. Two extraction methods were used for the production of water-based bio-products, namely: ultrasound-assisted extraction and mechanical homogenisation. Bio-products were applied as foliar sprays to evaluate their impact on total yield, dry weight, photosynthetic pigments, polyphenols, antioxidant activity, vitamin C, nitrates, micro- and macroelements, volatile compounds, fatty acids, sterols, and sugars. Botanical extracts showed different effects on the examined parameters. The best results in terms of physiological and biochemical properties of cabbage were obtained for extracts from common dandelion, valerian, nettle, and giant goldenrod. When enriched with nutrients, vegetables can constitute a valuable component of functional food.

A novel W/O/W double emulsion co-delivering brassinolide and cinnamon essential oil delayed the senescence of broccoli via regulating chlorophyll degradation and energy metabolism.

The postharvest senescence accompanied by yellowing limited the shelf-life of broccoli. In this study, we developed a novel W/O/W double emulsion co-delivering brassinolide and cinnamon essential oil and applied it to broccoli for preservation. Results showed that double emulsion prepared by whey protein concentrate-high methoxyl pectin (1:3) exhibited best storage stability with largest particle size (581.30 nm), lowest PDI (0.23) and zeta potential (-40.31 mV). This double emulsion also exhibited highest encapsulation efficiency of brassinolide (92%) and cinnamon essential oil (88%). The broccoli coated with double emulsion maintained higher chlorophyll contents and activities of chlorophyllase and magnesium-dechelatase were reduced by 9% and 24%, respectively. The energy metabolic enzymes (SDH, CCO, H+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase) were also activated, inducing higher level of ATP and energy charge. These results demonstrated W/O/W double emulsion co-delivering brassinolide and cinnamon essential delayed the senescence of broccoli via regulating chlorophyll degradation and energy metabolism.

Employing phytosulfokine α (PSKα) for delaying broccoli florets yellowing during cold storage.

The yellowing of florets limits the economic and nutritional value of broccoli during postharvest. We investigated mechanisms of action of 150 nM phytosulfokine α (PSKα) for delaying florets yellowing in broccoli during cold storage. Our results showed that SUMO E3 ligase (SIZ1) gene expression was higher in florets treated with PSKα, which may prevent endogenous H2O2 accumulation, resulting from the higher activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase. Besides, higher expression of methionine sulfoxide reductase and cysteine peroxiredoxin genes, concomitant with higher expression of heat shock proteins 70/90 genes, may arise from higherexpression of SIZ1 gene. Lower expression and activity of phospholipase D and lipoxygenase may be liable for membrane integrity protection featured by lower malondialdehyde accumulation in florets treated with PSKα. Additionally,florets treated with PSKα exhibited higher endogenous cytokinin accumulation which may arise from higher expression of isopentenyl transferase gene, concomitant with lower expression of cytokinin oxidase gene.

Cabbage defense response provoked by Trichoderma Th-LAAO.

To investigate the molecular mechanism of Trichoderma L-amino acid oxidase (Th-LAAO) in protecting and in promoting growth of cabbage infected with Botrytis cinerea, a three-way interaction system was established. Cabbage leaves treated with purified Th-LAAO significantly constrained damaged leaf area caused by B. cinerea infection. In response to Th-LAAO treatment, the expression levels of genes involved in photosynthesis, such as ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase, Rubisco activase, and ATP synthase increased 2.54, 2.18, and 1.41 folds, respectively. The transcription levels of sucrose transport protein 1 increased 7.6 fold. As to the expression of defense-related genes, the transcription level of ascorbate peroxidase increased 1.46 fold. On the contrary, pathogenesis-related protein 1, chitinase, ß-1,3 glucanase, and glutathione S-transferase decreased significantly. Overall, the results indicated that Th-LAAO may stimulate CO2 fixation and sucrose transport and elicit host defense responses in cabbage against B. cinerea, and this elicitation of defense response is likely to contribute to induced systemic resistance of host plant.

Jasmonic acid-mediated enhanced regulation of oxidative, glyoxalase defense system and reduced chromium uptake contributes to alleviation of chromium (VI) toxicity in choysum (Brassica parachinensis L.).

The cultivation of leafy vegetables on metal contaminated soil embodies a serious threat to yield and quality. In the present study, the potential role of exogenous jasmonic acid (JA; 0, 5, 10, and 20 µM) on mitigating chromium toxicity (Cr; 0, 150, and 300 µM) was investigated in choysum (Brassica parachinensis L.). With exposure to increasing Cr stress levels, a dose-dependent decline in growth, photosynthesis, and physio-biochemical attributes of choysum plants was observed. An increase in Cr levels also resulted in oxidative stress closely associated with higher lipoxygenase activity (LOX), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation, lipid peroxidation (MDA), and methylglyoxal (MG) levels. Exogenous application of JA alleviated the Cr-induced phytotoxic effects on photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange parameters, and restored growth of choysum plants. While exposed to Cr stress, JA supplementation induced plant defense system via enhanced regulation of antioxidant enzymes, ascorbate and glutathione pool, and the glyoxalase system enzymes. The coordinated regulation of antioxidant and glyoxalase systems expressively suppressed the oxidative and carbonyl stress at both Cr stress levels. More importantly, JA restored the mineral nutrient contents, restricted Cr uptake, and accumulation in roots and shoots of choysum plants when compared to the only Cr-stressed plants. Overall, the application of JA2 treatment (10 µM JA) was more effective and counteracted the detrimental effects of 150 µM Cr stress by restoring the growth and physio-biochemical attributes to the level of control plants, while partially mitigated the detrimental effects of 300 µM Cr stress. Hence, JA application might be considered as an effective approach for minimizing Cr uptake and its detrimental effects in choysum plants grown on contaminated soils.

Enhanced vacuole compartmentalization of cadmium in root cells contributes to glutathione-induced reduction of cadmium translocation from roots to shoots in pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.).

Our previous studies showed that exogenous glutathione (GSH) decreased cadmium (Cd) concentration in shoots and alleviated the growth inhibition in pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) under Cd stress. Nevertheless, it is largely unknown how GSH decreases Cd accumulation in edible parts of pakchoi. This experiment mainly explored the mechanisms of GSH-induced reduction of Cd accumulation in shoot of pakchoi. The results showed that compared with sole Cd treatment, Cd + GSH treatment remarkably increased the expression of BcIRT1 and BcIRT2, and further enhanced the concentrations of Cd and Fe in root. By contrast, GSH application declined the concentration of Cd in the xylem sap. However, these results were not caused by xylem loading process because the expression of BcHMA2 and BcHMA4 had not significant difference between sole Cd treatment and Cd + GSH treatment. In addition, exogenous GSH significantly enhanced the expression of BcPCS1 and promoted the synthesis of PC2, PC3 and PC4 under Cd stress. At the same time, exogenous GSH also significantly improved the expression of BcABCC1 and BcABCC2 in the roots of seedling under Cd stress, suggesting that more PCs-Cd complexes may be sequestrated into vacuoles by ABCC1 and ABCC2 transporters. The results showed that exogenous GSH could up-regulate the expression of BcIRT1/2 to increase the Cd accumulation in root, and the improvement of PCs contents and the expression of BcABCC1/2 enhanced the compartmentalization of Cd in root vacuole of pakchoi under Cd stress. To sum up, exogenous GSH reduce the concentration of free Cd2+ in the cytoplast of root cells and then dropped the loading of Cd into the xylem, which eventually given rise to the reduction of Cd accumulation in edible portion of pakchoi.

Beneficial impact of exogenous arginine, cysteine and methionine on postharvest senescence of broccoli.

This study examined the ability of l-arginine, l-cysteine and l-methionine, to inhibit postharvest senescence of broccoli. Florets were dipped in aqueous solutions of the amino acids at concentrations from 1.0 to 100 mM and stored at 10 °C. A 5 mM dip was found to be optimal in delaying senescence as measured by retention of green colour, vitamin C and antioxidant activity, and a lower level of ethylene production, respiration, weight loss, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity and ion leakage with the benefits being similar for all three amino acids. Arginine, cysteine and methionine have Generally Recognised As Safe (GRAS) status and should have few impediments in obtaining regulatory approval for commercial use if similar effects were found for other leafy vegetables.

Calcium affects glucoraphanin metabolism in broccoli sprouts under ZnSO4 stress.

CaCl2, Ca2+ chelator (EGTA) and Ca2+ channel blocker (verapamil) were used to investigate mechanism of glucoraphanin metabolism in broccoli sprouts under ZnSO4 stress. CaCl2 treatment promoted sprout growth, reduced MDA (malonaldehyde) content and electrolyte leakage in sprouts under ZnSO4 stress. The highest MDA content and electrolyte leakage were obtained in ZnSO4 plus verapamil-treated sprouts. In addition, ZnSO4 plus CaCl2 treatment significantly enhanced glucoraphanin content and sulforaphane formation, while an opposite result was observed after ZnSO4 plus EGTA treatment; which were further supported by expression of glucoraphanin biosynthetic and hydrolytic genes as well as myrosinase (MYR) and epithiospecifier protein (ESP) activities. These results indicated that exogenous and endogenous calcium promoted glucoraphanin biosynthesis and the conversion rate of glucoraphanin into sulforaphane. Verapamil treatment also stimulated glucoraphanin biosynthesis, but exerted an adverse influence on sulforaphane formation from the hydrolysis of glucoraphanin because of much higher ESP expression and ESP activity than ZnSO4 treatment.

Production of low potassium kale with increased glucosinolate content from vertical farming as a novel dietary option for renal dysfunction patients.

The production of low potassium vegetables arose out of the dietary needs of patients with renal dysfunction. Attempts have been made to reduce potassium content in vegetables and fruits; however, induced potassium deficiency has often resulted in decreased yields. Here, we investigated a new method of producing low potassium kale and present the characteristics of the resulting produce. By substituting potassium nitrate with calcium nitrate in the nutrient solution 2 weeks before harvesting, the potassium content of kale was reduced by 70% without a deterioration in yield and semblance qualities. Despite no relationships being detected between potassium deficiency and anti-oxidative properties, the total glucosinolate content, an indicator of the anti-cancer effect of cruciferous vegetables, was significantly increased by potassium deficiency in kale. This study demonstrates a novel method of producing low potassium kale for patients with renal failure, without a reduction in yield but with beneficial increase in glucosinolates.

Effect of folic acid on the postharvest physiology of broccoli during storage.

The objective of the present study was to explore the effect of folic acid on the postharvest physiology of broccoli placed in storage. Broccoli heads were immersed in 5 mg L-1 folic acid for 10 min, then stored at 20 ± 1 °C for 4 days. Results indicated that the postharvest treatment of broccoli with folic acid decreased the rate of flower opening and yellowing, inhibited weight loss, reduced the level of respiration, as well as ethylene generation. Folic acid-treated broccoli maintained their level of chlorophyll, total soluble solids, vitamin C, total phenolics, flavonoids, glucosinolate, and folic acid. Treated broccoli also exhibited reduced accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Concomitantly, antioxidant enzyme activity and corresponding gene expression were also enhanced. In contrast, chlorophyll-degrading enzyme gene expression was suppressed. These results indicated that folic acid treatment of broccoli could be used to prolong shelf-life.

The Combination of Selenium and LED Light Quality Affects Growth and Nutritional Properties of Broccoli Sprouts.

Selenium (Se) supplement was combined with different LED light qualities to investigate mutual effects on the growth, nutritional quality, contents of glucosinolates and mineral elements in broccoli sprouts. There were five treatments: CK:1R1B1G, 1R1B1G+Se (100 µmol L-1 Na2SeO3), 1R1B+Se, 1R2B+Se, 2R1B+Se, 60 µmol m-2 s-1 PPFD, 12 h/12 h (light/dark). Sprouts under a combination of selenium and LED light quality treatment exhibited no remarkable change fresh weight, but had a shorter hypocotyl length, lower moisture content and heavier dry weight, especially with 1R2B+Se treatment. The contents of carotenoid, soluble protein, soluble sugar, vitamin C, total flavonoids, total polyphenol and contents of total glucosinolates and organic Se were dramatically improved through the combination of Se and LED light quality. Moreover, heat map and principal component analysis showed that broccoli sprouts under 1R2B+Se treatment had higher nutritional quality and health-promoting compound contents than other treatments. This suggests that the Se supplement under suitable LED lights might be beneficial to selenium-biofortified broccoli sprout production.