High Temperature and Humidity Effect on Biochemical Characteristics of Organically-Grown Parsnip Roots Compared to Garlic Bulbs.

Functional food with high concentrations of monosaccharides and antioxidants is important for quick replenishment of energy reserves and rehabilitation after intensive oxidant stress. The effect of high temperature and humidity for manufacturing such products from parsnip roots of three cultivars (Zemchug, Krugly, Bely aist) compared to garlic bulbs from cultivar Demidovsky was investigated. The processed parsnip demonstrated higher antioxidant activity than 'black garlic': phenolics (22.6 compared to 13.3 mg-GAE/g d.w.), total antioxidant activity (26.1 compared to 18.1 mg-GAE/g d.w.) and radical scavenging activity (0.24 compared to 0.18 mcM TE/g d.w.). Monosaccharides concentration in parsnip roots increased from 6.5-8.0 to 36.2-42.5 g/100 g d.w., the latter range including the value relevant to the processed garlic (37.4 g/100 g d.w.). Parsnip roots showed concurrent monosaccharides increase and disaccharides decrease (from 33.75-37.2 to 1.25-6.72 g/100 g), whereas garlic displayed the enhancement of both mono- and disaccharide biosynthesis. Total acidity level in processed parsnip also increased by 3 to 5 times and was highly correlated with monosaccharides content (r = 0.99 at P ≤ 0.01). Thanks to its higher mineral content, 'black parsnip' proved to be suitable for quick energy and antioxidant replenishment after strong physical and/or oxidant stress.

Production of Gynogenic Plants of Red Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) in Unpollinated Ovule Culture In Vitro.

The unique and balanced components of the biochemical composition, together with high antioxidant activity, make the red beet necessary a dietary vegetable crop, much contributing to healthy food ration. The application of the technology for producing gynogenic plants in vitro increases the genetic diversity and significantly reduces the period of time required to obtain the appropriate homozygous lines used to create the F1 hybrids that are demanded in the market. For induction of gynogenesis, we used IMB medium developed by us with the addition of 55 g/L sucrose, 3 g/L phytogel, 200 mg/L ampicillin, and 0.4 mg/L thidiazuron (TDZ) and cultured at 28 °C in the dark for 4-6 weeks. Shoot regeneration from embryoids and callus was performed on MS medium with 20 g/L sucrose, 3 g/L phytogel, 1 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and 0.1 mg/L gibberellic acid (GA3). Immersion of the obtained microshoots with 5-7 well-developed leaves for 10-15 s into concentrated sterile indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) solution (50 mg/L) followed by their cultivation on solid medium ½ IMB with 2% sucrose and 3 g/L phytogel was the most efficient method for root formation. The addition of silver nitrate (22 mg/L) to the nutrient medium provoked an increase in the number of induced ovules up to nine per Petri dish (up to 25% of induced ovules). Gynogenic development was produced in six out of 11 genotypes studied, and the plants that were then acclimatized to ex vitro conditions were obtained in three genotypes (Nezhnost', Dobrynya, b/a 128). The evaluation of ploidy of gynogenic plants that was carried out by flow cytometry and direct counting of chromosomes stained with propion-lacmoide revealed that all obtained gynogenic plants were haploids (2n = x = 9).