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.

Air channels create a directional light signal to regulate hypocotyl phototropism.

In plants, light direction is perceived by the phototropin photoreceptors, which trigger directional growth responses known as phototropism. The formation of a phototropin activation gradient across a photosensitive organ initiates this response. However, the optical tissue properties that functionally contribute to phototropism remain unclear. In this work, we show that intercellular air channels limit light transmittance through various organs in several species. Air channels enhance light scattering in Arabidopsis hypocotyls, thereby steepening the light gradient. This is required for an efficient phototropic response in Arabidopsis and Brassica. We identified an embryonically expressed ABC transporter required for the presence of air channels in seedlings and a structure surrounding them. Our work provides insights into intercellular air space development or maintenance and identifies a mechanism of directional light sensing in plants.

Morphological and molecular diversity in mid-late and late maturity genotypes of cauliflower.

Genetic diversity is the prerequisite for the success of crop improvement programmes. Keeping in view, the current investigation was undertaken to assess the agro-morphological and molecular diversity involving 36 diverse mid-late and late cauliflower genotypes following α-RBD design during winter season 2021-22. Six morphological descriptors predicted as polymorphic using Shannon diversity index with maximum for leaf margin (0.94). The genotypes grouped into nine clusters based on D2 analysis with four as monogenotypic and gross plant weight (32.38%) revealed maximum contribution towards the genetic diversity. Molecular diversity analysis revealed 2-7 alleles among 36 polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSR) with average of 4.22. Primer BoESSR492 (0.77) showed maximum polymorphic information content (PIC) with mean of 0.58. SSR analysis revealed two clusters each with two subclusters with a composite pattern of genotype distribution. STRUCTURE analysis showed homogenous mixture with least amount of gene pool introgression within the genotypes. Thus, based on morphological and molecular studies, the diverse genotypes namely, DPCaCMS-1, DPCaf-W4, DPCaf-US, DPCaf-W131W, DPCaf-S121, DPCaf-18, DPCaf-13, DPCaf-29 and DPCaf-CMS5 can be utilized in hybridization to isolate potential transgressive segregants to broaden the genetic base of cauliflower or involve them to exploit heterosis.

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Light simplified cultivation and high quality rice are the main directions of rice production in China. Meteorological factors are the most important environmental factors affecting rice growth and yield. Few studies examined the relationship between rice yield and microclimate under different light simplified cultivation modes. To explore the relationship between rice yield and climatic factors (temperature, sunshine and water) at different growth stages of hybrid rice under different forecrops in southwest China, we carried out a split-plot design experiment in 2019 and 2020, with two forecrops of green cabbage and rape as the main plot, and three planting methods, direct-seeding, blanket-transplanting, and artificial transplanting as the subplots, taking Yixiangyou 2115 as the experimental variety. Results showed that compared with rape-paddy cropping system, cabbage-paddy cropping system significantly improved the accumulated temperature and precipitation production efficiency and consequently improved the effective panicles, setting rate, and 1000-grain weight. The yield was increased by 12.7% and 8.3% under cabbage-paddy and rape-paddy cropping system, respectively. Compared with manual transplanting, mechanical transplanting improved effective panicles, production efficiency of radiation, accumulated temperature and precipitation, and the radiation use efficiency of grain during the whole growth period. The mean yield was increased by 4.6% in 2019 and 2020. However, the above parameters of direct-seeding significantly decreased, but the yield decreased by 8.7%. Compared with 2019, mechanical transplanting and artificial transplanting were sown one month earlier in 2020 under the same stubble, which shortened growth period, reduced air temperature, and increased precipitation after flowering, leading to a significant decrease in effective accumulated temperature and light radiation; production efficiency of accumulated temperature, light energy, and precipitation; and utilization efficiency of light energy of grain, spikelets per panicle, setting rate, and 1000-grain weight. However, the yield was significantly reduced. Partial least squares regression analysis was used to establish the production forecast equation of standardized regression coefficients of meteorological factors. There was a positive correlation between rice yield and effective accumulated temperature and total radiation during the growth stage or the whole growth period. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between rice yield and precipitation during the whole growth period. In conclusion, mechanical transplanting under cabbage-paddy cropping system was a rice planting method that optimised the seasonal sunshine and temperature resources in southwest China. The method facilitated the full utilization of temperature and sunshine resources, resulting in high yield. However, it was not advisable to sow or transplant too early.

Light Intensity and Photoperiod Affect Growth and Nutritional Quality of Brassica Microgreens.

We explored the effects of different light intensities and photoperiods on the growth, nutritional quality and antioxidant properties of two Brassicaceae microgreens (cabbage Brassica oleracea L. and Chinese kale Brassica alboglabra Bailey). There were two experiments: (1) four photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) of 30, 50, 70 or 90 µmoL·m-2·s-1 with red:blue:green = 1:1:1 light-emitting diodes (LEDs); (2) five photoperiods of 12, 14, 16, 18 or 20 h·d-1. With the increase of light intensity, the hypocotyl length of cabbage and Chinese kale microgreens shortened. PPFD of 90 µmol·m-2·s-1 was beneficial to improve the nutritional quality of cabbage microgreens, which had higher contents of chlorophyll, carotenoids, soluble sugar, soluble protein and vitamin C, as well as increased antioxidant capacity. The optimal PPFD for Chinese kale microgreens was 70 µmol·m-2·s-1. Increasing light intensity could increase the antioxidant capacity of cabbage and Chinese kale microgreens, while not significantly affecting glucosinolate (GS) content. The dry and fresh weight of cabbage and Chinese kale microgreens were maximized with a 14-h·d-1 photoperiod. The chlorophyll, carotenoid and soluble protein content in cabbage and Chinese kale microgreens were highest for a 16-h·d-1 photoperiod. The lowest total GS content was found in cabbage microgreens under a 12-h·d-1 photoperiod and in Chinese kale microgreens under 16-h·d-1 photoperiod. In conclusion, the photoperiod of 14~16 h·d-1, and 90 µmol·m-2·s-1 and 70 µmol·m-2·s-1 PPFD for cabbage and Chinese kale microgreens, respectively, were optimal for cultivation.

Chemical Changes in the Broccoli Volatilome Depending on the Tissue Treatment.

The storage of plant samples as well as sample preparation for extraction have a significant impact on the profile of metabolites, however, these factors are often overlooked during experiments on vegetables or fruit. It was hypothesized that parameters such as sample storage (freezing) and sample pre-treatment methods, including the comminution technique or applied enzyme inhibition methods, could significantly influence the extracted volatile metabolome. Significant changes were observed in the volatile profile of broccoli florets frozen in liquid nitrogen at -20 °C. Those differences were mostly related to the concentration of nitriles and aldehydes. Confocal microscopy indicated some tissue deterioration in the case of slow freezing (-20 °C), whereas the structure of tissue, frozen in liquid nitrogen, was practically intact. Myrosinase activity assay proved that the enzyme remains active after freezing. No pH deviation was noted after sample storage - this parameter did not influence the activity of enzymes. Tissue fragmentation and enzyme-inhibition techniques applied prior to the extraction influenced both the qualitative and quantitative composition of the volatile metabolome of broccoli.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the MYC transcription factor family and its response to sulfur stress in cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.).

MYC transcriptional factors are members of the bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) superfamily, and play important roles in plant growth, biological and abiotic stress. Recent studies have revealed that some MYCs are involved in the synthesis of sulfur-containing secondary metabolites. Cabbage, as a typical sulfur-loving crop and rich in sulfur-containing secondary metabolites, the regulatory relationship between sulfur stress and MYC gene family, related reports are relatively rare. In this study, we conducted the first genome-wide analysis of the MYC transcription factor family of cabbage and identified 17 BoMYC genes. Homology of the 17 BoMYC genes, 12 Arabidopsis, 12 Chinese cabbage, 8 wheat and 21 maize MYC were analyzed using the phylogenetic analysis. Meanwhile, chromosome locations, physical and chemical characteristics, gene structures, conserved motif, cis-element, specific expression in different tissues were studied. Finally, we analyzed the expression of the BoMYC gene under sulfur stress and its GO annotation and KEGG enrichment analysis, determined the expression of the BoMYC gene under hormone treatment and the growth index, photosynthetic capacity and hormone content in the leaves. This study is of great significance for functional identification and revealed the effect of S on BoMYC transcription factors.

AgNPs seed priming accelerated germination speed and altered nutritional profile of Chinese cabbage.

In this study, the performance of AgNPs-priming (20, 40, and 80 mg/L) on the seed germination, yield, and nutritional quality of Chinese cabbage were evaluated. We found that AgNPs-priming at 20 and 40 mg/L for 15 h significantly accelerated seed germination speed and seedling development. Cabbage seeds primed with different concentrations of AgNPs (0, 20, 40, and 80 mg/L) were then planted in a real soil and allowed to grow for 1 month in greenhouse. Results showed that AgNPs-priming at 40 mg/L significantly increased cabbage yield by 44.3%. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combining with sparse partial least squares-discriminant analysis (sPLS-DA) reveals that AgNPs priming altered the metabolite profile of cabbage leaves in a dose-dependent manner, decreasing carbohydrates and increasing nitrogen related compounds. This indicates that the metabolic stimulation during germination stage can influence the entire life cycle of cabbage. The nutritional quality of cabbage edible leaves was evaluated by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results showed that AgNPs-priming at all tested concentrations significantly increased the content of essential amino acids for several folds in cabbage leaves, including alanine, aspartic acid, glutamine, glutamic acid, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tyrosine, and valine. Meanwhile, AgNPs-priming (40 mg/L) significantly increased iron (Fe) content by 23.8% in cabbage leaves. Ag did not bioaccumulate in edible tissues, indicating the bio-safety of AgNPs-priming. These results suggest that AgNPs-priming is a low-cost and eco-friendly approach to increase crop yield and nutritional quality.

Organelle Comparative Genome Analysis Reveals Novel Alloplasmic Male Sterility with orf112 in Brassica oleracea L.

B. oleracea Ogura CMS is an alloplasmic male-sterile line introduced from radish by interspecific hybridization and protoplast fusion. The introduction of alien cytoplasm resulted in many undesirable traits, which affected the yield of hybrids. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the composition and reduce the content of alien cytoplasm in B. oleracea Ogura CMS. In the present study, we sequenced, assembled, and compared the organelle genomes of Ogura CMS cabbage and its maintainer line. The chloroplast genome of Ogura-type cabbage was completely derived from normal-type cabbage, whereas the mitochondrial genome was recombined from normal-type cabbage and Ogura-type radish. Nine unique regions derived from radish were identified in the mitochondrial genome of Ogura-type cabbage, and the total length of these nine regions was 35,618 bp, accounting for 13.84% of the mitochondrial genome. Using 32 alloplasmic markers designed according to the sequences of these nine regions, one novel sterile source with less alien cytoplasm was discovered among 305 materials and named Bel CMS. The size of the alien cytoplasm in Bel CMS was 21,587 bp, accounting for 8.93% of its mtDNA, which was much less than that in Ogura CMS. Most importantly, the sterility gene orf138 was replaced by orf112, which had a 78-bp deletion, in Bel CMS. Interestingly, Bel CMS cabbage also maintained 100% sterility, although orf112 had 26 fewer amino acids than orf138. Field phenotypic observation showed that Bel CMS was an excellent sterile source with stable 100% sterility and no withered buds at the early flowering stage, which could replace Ogura CMS in cabbage heterosis utilization.

Drought and Subsequent Soil Flooding Affect the Growth and Metabolism of Savoy Cabbage.

An important factor of current climate change is water availability, with both droughts and flooding becoming more frequent. Effects of individual stresses on plant traits are well studied, although less is known about the impacts of sequences of different stresses. We used savoy cabbage to study the consequences of control conditions (well-watered) versus continuous drought versus drought followed by soil flooding and a potential recovery phase on shoot growth and leaf metabolism. Under continuous drought, plants produced less than half of the shoot biomass compared to controls, but had a >20% higher water use efficiency. In the soil flooding treatment, plants exhibited the poorest growth performance, particularly after the "recovery" phase. The carbon-to-nitrogen ratio was at least twice as high, whereas amino acid concentrations were lowest in leaves of controls compared to stressed plants. Some glucosinolates, characteristic metabolites of Brassicales, showed lower concentrations, especially in plants of the flooding treatment. Stress-specific investment into different amino acids, many of them acting as osmolytes, as well as glucosinolates, indicate that these metabolites play distinct roles in the responses of plants to different water availability conditions. To reduce losses in crop production, we need to understand plant responses to dynamic climate change scenarios.

Analysis of SI-Related BoGAPDH Family Genes and Response of BoGAPC to SI Signal in Brassica oleracea L.

Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is not only involved in carbohydrate metabolism, but also plays an important role in stress resistance. However, it has not been reported in Brassica oleracea. In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification of BoGAPDH in B. oleracea and performed cloning and expression analysis of one of the differentially expressed genes, BoGAPC. A total of 16 members of the BoGAPDH family were identified in B. oleracea, which were conserved, distributed unevenly on chromosomes and had tandem repeat genes. Most of the genes were down-regulated during self-pollination, and the highest expression was found in stigmas and sepals. Different transcriptome data showed that BoGAPDH genes were differentially expressed under stress, which was consistent with the results of qRT-PCR. We cloned and analyzed the differentially expressed gene BoGAPC and found that it was in the down-regulated mode 1 h after self-pollination, and the expression was the highest in the stigma, which was consistent with the result of GUS staining. The promoter region of the gene not only has stress response elements and plant hormone response elements, but also has a variety of specific elements for regulating floral organ development. Subcellular localization indicates that the BoGAPC protein is located in the cytoplasm and belongs to the active protein in the cytoplasm. The results of prokaryotic expression showed that the size of the BoGAPC protein was about 37 kDa, which was consistent with the expected results, indicating that the protein was induced in prokaryotic cells. The results of yeast two-hybrid and GST pull-down showed that the SRK kinase domain interacted with the BoGAPC protein. The above results suggest that the BoGAPDH family of B. oleracea plays an important role in the process of plant stress resistance, and the BoGAPC gene may be involved in the process of self-incompatibility in B. oleracea, which may respond to SI by encoding proteins directly interacting with SRK.

Identification of DELLA Genes and Key Stage for GA Sensitivity in Bolting and Flowering of Flowering Chinese Cabbage.

Flowering Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. utilis Tsen et Lee) is an important and extensively cultivated vegetable in south China, and its stalk development is mainly regulated by gibberellin (GA). DELLA proteins negatively regulate GA signal transduction and may play an important role in determining bolting and flowering. Nevertheless, no systematic study of the DELLA gene family has been undertaken in flowering Chinese cabbage. In the present study, we found that the two-true-leaf spraying of gibberellin A3 (GA3) did not promote bolting but did promote flowering, whereas the three-true-leaf spraying of GA3 promoted both bolting and flowering. In addition, we identified five DELLA genes in flowering Chinese cabbage. All five proteins contained DELLA, VHYNP, VHIID, and SAW conserved domains. Protein-protein interaction results showed that in the presence of GA3, all five DELLA proteins interacted with BcGID1b (GA-INSENSITIVE DWARF 1b) but not with BcGID1a (GA-INSENSITIVE DWARF 1a) or BcGID1c (GA-INSENSITIVE DWARF 1c). Their expression analysis showed that the DELLA genes exhibited tissue-specific expression, and their reversible expression profiles responded to exogenous GA3 depending on the treatment stage. We also found that the DELLA genes showed distinct expression patterns in the two varieties of flowering Chinese cabbage. BcRGL1 may play a major role in the early bud differentiation process of different varieties, affecting bolting and flowering. Taken together, these results provide a theoretical basis for further dissecting the DELLA regulatory mechanism in the bolting and flowering of flowering Chinese cabbage.

Evidence on the Bioaccessibility of Glucosinolates and Breakdown Products of Cruciferous Sprouts by Simulated In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion.

Cruciferous vegetables are gaining importance as nutritious and sustainable foods, rich in phytochemical compounds such as glucosinolates (GSLs). However, the breakdown products of these sulfur-based compounds, mainly represented by isothiocyanates (ITC) and indoles, can contribute to human health. In the human digestive system, the formation of these compounds continues to varying extents in the different stages of digestion, due to the contact of GSLs with different gastric fluids and enzymes under the physicochemical conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to uncover the effect of gastrointestinal digestion on the release of glucosinolates and their transformation into their bioactive counterparts by applying a simulated in vitro static model on a range of brassica (red radish, red cabbage, broccoli, and mustard) sprouts. In this sense, significantly higher bioaccessibility of ITC and indoles from GSLs of red cabbage sprouts was observed in comparison with broccoli, red radish, and mustard sprouts, due to the aliphatic GSLs proportion present in the different sprouts. This indicates that the bioaccessibility of GSLs from Brasicaceae sprouts is not exclusively associated with the initial content of these compounds in the plant material (almost negligible), but also with the release of GSLs and the ongoing breakdown reactions during the gastric and intestinal phases of digestion, respectively. Additionally, aliphatic GSLs provided higher bioaccessibility of their corresponding ITC in comparison to indolic and aromatic GSLs.

BrcuHAC1 is a histone acetyltransferase that affects bolting development in Chinese flowering cabbage.

Histone acetylation is an important posttranslational modification associated with gene activation. In Arabidopsis, histone acetyltransferase 1 (HAC1) can promote flowering by regulating the transcription of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), a major floral repressor. The size of the full-length cDNA and genomic DNA sequences of the histone acetyltransferase 1 gene (BrcuHAC1) in Chinese flowering cabbage (Brassica rapa syn. campestris ssp. chinensis var. utilis) were 5846 bp and 7376 bp, with an open reading frame (ORF) coding for a peptide with 1689 amino acids. The expression levels of BrcuHAC1 in different tissues and different developmental stages were as follows: flower>leaf>stem>root, and completed bolting and flowering stage>5th true leaf-stage>4th true leaf-stage>3rd true leaf-stage>2nd true leaf-stage>1st true leaf-stage. Silencing of BrcuHAC1 resulted in slow growth, and delayed bolting and flowering time in Chinese flowering cabbage. Molecular analysis showed that the mRNA level of FLC was increased, indicating that the delayed flowering phenomenon was mediated by FLC in the silenced group. In contrast, the expression levels of the autonomous-pathway genes were not significantly affected in the silenced group. In addition, the histone modification of FLC chromatin was also not affected in the silenced group. FLC is not the direct target gene of BrcuHAC1. However, BrcuHAC1 may affect the bolting and flowering time of Chinese flowering cabbage through the epigenetic modification of upstream factors of FLC.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of 2OGD Superfamily Genes from Three Brassica Plants.

The 2-oxoglutarate and Fe(II)-dependent dioxygenase (2OGD) superfamily is the second largest enzyme family in the plant genome, and its members are involved in various oxygenation and hydroxylation reactions. Due to their important biochemical significance in metabolism, a systematic analysis of the plant 2OGD genes family is necessary. Here, we identified 160, 179, and 337 putative 2OGDs from Brassica rapa, Brassica oleracea, and Brassica napus. According to their gene structure, domain, phylogenetic features, function, and previous studies, we also divided 676 2OGDs into three subfamilies: DOXA, DOXB, and DOXC. Additionally, homologous and phylogenetic comparisons of three subfamily genes provided valuable insight into the evolutionary characteristics of the 2OGD genes from Brassica plants. Expression profiles derived from the transcriptome and Genevestigator database exhibited distinct expression patterns of the At2OGD, Br2OGD, and Bo2OGD genes in different developmental stages, tissues, or anatomical parts. Some 2OGD genes showed high expression levels in various tissues, such as callus, seed, silique, and root tissues, while other 2OGD genes were expressed at very low levels in other tissues. Analysis of six Bo2OGD genes in different tissues by qRT-PCR indicated that these genes are involved in the metabolism of gibberellin, which in turn regulates plant growth and development. Our working system analysed 2OGD gene families of three Brassica plants and laid the foundation for further study of their functional characterization.

Identification of FadT as a Novel Quorum Quenching Enzyme for the Degradation of Diffusible Signal Factor in Cupriavidus pinatubonensis Strain HN-2.

Quorum sensing (QS) is a microbial cell-cell communication mechanism and plays an important role in bacterial infections. QS-mediated bacterial infections can be blocked through quorum quenching (QQ), which hampers signal accumulation, recognition, and communication. The pathogenicity of numerous bacteria, including Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), is regulated by diffusible signal factor (DSF), a well-known fatty acid signaling molecule of QS. Cupriavidus pinatubonensis HN-2 could substantially attenuate the infection of XCC through QQ by degrading DSF. The QQ mechanism in strain HN-2, on the other hand, is yet to be known. To understand the molecular mechanism of QQ in strain HN-2, we used whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomics studies. We discovered that the fadT gene encodes acyl-CoA dehydrogenase as a novel QQ enzyme. The results of site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated the requirement of fadT gene for DSF degradation in strain HN-2. Purified FadT exhibited high enzymatic activity and outstanding stability over a broad pH and temperature range with maximal activity at pH 7.0 and 35 °C. No cofactors were required for FadT enzyme activity. The enzyme showed a strong ability to degrade DSF. Furthermore, the expression of fadT in Xcc results in a significant reduction in the pathogenicity in host plants, such as Chinese cabbage, radish, and pakchoi. Taken together, our results identified a novel DSF-degrading enzyme, FadT, in C. pinatubonensis HN-2, which suggests its potential use in the biological control of DSF-mediated pathogens.

Transcriptomics analysis of genes induced by melatonin related to glucosinolates synthesis in broccoli hairy roots.

Glucoraphanin (GRA) is found in the seeds and vegetative organs of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Planch) as the precursor of anti-carcinogen sulforaphane (SF). The yield of GRA obtained from these materials is weak and the cost is high. In recent years, the production of plant secondary metabolites by large-scale hairy roots culture in vitro has succeeded in some species. Melatonin (MT) is a natural hormone which existed in numerous organisms. Studies have demonstrated that MT can improve the synthesis of secondary metabolites in plants. At present, it has not been reported that MT regulates the biosynthesis of glucoraphanin in broccoli hairy roots. In this study, the broccoli hairy roots that grew for 20 d were respectively treated by 500 µM MT for 0, 6, 12, 20 and 32. To explore the reason of changes in secondary metabolites and reveal the biosynthetic pathway of glucoraphanin at transcriptional level. Compared with 0 h, the yield of GRA under other treatments was increased, and the overall trend was firstly increased and then decreased. The total yield of GRA reached the highest at 12 h, which was 1.22-fold of 0 h. Then, the genome of broccoli as the reference, a total of 13234 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in broccoli hairy roots under treatment with 500 µM MT for 0, 6, 12, 20 and 32 h, respectively. Among these DEGs, 6266 (47.35%) were upregulated and 6968 (52.65%) were downregulated. It was found that the pathway of 'Glucosinolates biosynthesis (ko00966)' was enriched in the 16th place by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis of the upregulated DEGs. The expression of key genes in the GRA biosynthesis pathway was upregulated at all time points, and a deduced GRA biosynthesis pathway map was constructed for reference.

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.

Cauliflower fractal forms arise from perturbations of floral gene networks.

Throughout development, plant meristems regularly produce organs in defined spiral, opposite, or whorl patterns. Cauliflowers present an unusual organ arrangement with a multitude of spirals nested over a wide range of scales. How such a fractal, self-similar organization emerges from developmental mechanisms has remained elusive. Combining experimental analyses in an Arabidopsis thaliana cauliflower-like mutant with modeling, we found that curd self-similarity arises because the meristems fail to form flowers but keep the "memory" of their transient passage in a floral state. Additional mutations affecting meristem growth can induce the production of conical structures reminiscent of the conspicuous fractal Romanesco shape. This study reveals how fractal-like forms may emerge from the combination of key, defined perturbations of floral developmental programs and growth dynamics.

Doubled Haploid Broccoli (Brassica olearacea var. italica) Plants from Anther Culture.

Broccoli (Brassica olearecea var. italica) is a cole crop grown for its floral heads and stalks. It is rich in bioactive chemicals good for human health. Broccoli has been consumed as a vegetable since Roman times, but its production and consumption have increased significantly over the past few decades. Breeders try to develop new broccoli varieties with high yield, improved quality, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Almost all new broccoli varieties are F1 hybrids. Development of inbred broccoli lines that can be used as parents in hybrid production is a time-consuming and difficult process. Haploidization techniques can be utilized as a valuable support in broccoli breeding programs to speed up the production of genetically pure genotypes. Haploid plants of broccoli can be produced from immature male gametophytes via anther and microspore cultures with similar success rates. The most important parameters affecting the success of haploidization in broccoli are the genetic background (genotype) and the developmental stage of the microspores. Broccoli genotypes differ in their responses to androgenesis induction. The highest androgenesis response could be induced from microspores in late uninucleate and early binucleate stages. Recovery of diploid broccoli plants from haploids is possible via spontaneous and induced doubling. Doubled haploid (DH) broccoli lines are considered to be fully homozygous. Therefore, the production of DH lines is an alternative way to obtain pure inbred lines that can be utilized as parents in the development of new F1 hybrid varieties showing high levels of heterosis, high-quality heads, and uniform harvestable crop. We are using an anther culture-based haploid plant production system to develop DH broccoli lines in our broccoli breeding program. DH broccoli lines are produced from different genetic backgrounds within a year and handed to broccoli breeders.