ACS agricultural science & technology最新文献

Conservation biology aims to prevent the decline in biodiversity by reducing the factors that cause it. One way to achieve this is by producing economically valuable orchids in high quantities, allowing humans to rely less on natural populations. In the study, Serapias orientalis seeds were successfully germinated using symbiotic methods and transplanted into a natural field. After 18 months, the plants began to flower, marking the first successful production of S. orientalis in a natural environment. The researchers then analyzed the fatty acid and chemical contents of the leaves and flowers using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, identifying 28 fatty acids and 19 other substances. The most abundant fatty acids were linoleic acid (21.72%), palmitic acid (20.22%), allylinolenic acid (16.87%), oleic acid (8.67%), and stearic acid (6.13%). Major compounds identified in the methanol extract included hydroxyacetic acid hydrazide (7.38%), semicarbazide hydrochloride (5.06%), dl-glyceraldehyde (5.42%), pentacosane (39.85%), and cholesterol (13.05%). These findings offer a new method for conserving S. orientalis and highlight the potential use of these plants in food, medical, and industrial applications due to their high concentration of bioactive compounds.

Lupins (Lupinus spp.) are legumes with high relevance for the sustainability of agricultural systems as they improve the soil quality, namely, through the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, and have good adaptability to different climates and soil conditions. Besides, they possess high nutritive value, especially due to the high protein content of the seeds. Nevertheless, the plants’ productivity and metabolism can be influenced by the genotype, the edaphoclimatic conditions, and the sowing practices. In this work, the effect of edaphoclimatic conditions and sowing dates on the productivity, nutritional factors, and alkaloids of the seeds of L. albus cv. Estoril, L. angustifolius cv. Tango, and L. luteus cv. Cardiga was evaluated. High variability in the seeds and protein productions, nutritional traits, and alkaloid content related to the species was observed, along with a significant effect of the location. Lupinus albus cv. Estoril showed a good compromise between productivity and low alkaloid content, being an interesting genotype for food and feed use in the conditions of this trial.

This manuscript presents a multiomics investigation into the metabolic and proteomic responses of wheat to molybdenum (Mo)- and copper (Cu)-based engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) exposure via root and leaf application methods. Wheat plants underwent a four-week growth period with a 16 h photoperiod (light intensity set at 150 μmol·m^–2·s^–1), at 22 °C and 60% humidity. Six distinct treatments were applied, including control conditions alongside exposure to Mo- and Cu-based ENMs through both root and leaf routes. The exposure dosage amounted to 6.25 mg of the respective element per plant. An additional treatment with a lower dose (0.6 mg Mo/plant) of Mo ENM exclusively through the root system was introduced upon the detection of phytotoxicity. Utilizing LC–MS/MS analysis, 82 metabolites across various classes and 24 proteins were assessed in different plant tissues (roots, stems, leaves) under diverse treatments. The investigation identified 58 responsive metabolites and 19 responsive proteins for Cu treatments, 71 responsive metabolites, and 24 responsive proteins for Mo treatments, mostly through leaf exposure for Cu and root exposure for Mo. Distinct tissue-specific preferences for metabolite accumulation were revealed, highlighting the prevalence of organic acids and fatty acids in stem or root tissues, while sugars and amino acids were abundant in leaves, mirroring their roles in energy storage and photosynthesis. Joint-pathway analysis was conducted and unveiled 23 perturbed pathways across treatments. Among these, Mo exposure via roots impacted all identified pathways, whereas exposure via leaf affected 15 pathways, underscoring the reliance on exposure route of metabolic and proteomic responses. The coordinated response observed in protein and metabolite concentrations, particularly in amino acids, highlighted a dynamic and interconnected proteomic-to-metabolic-to-proteomic relationship. Furthermore, the contrasting expression patterns observed in glutamate dehydrogenase (upregulation at 1.38 ≤ FC ≤ 1.63 with high Mo dose, and downregulation at 0.13 ≤ FC ≤ 0.54 with low Mo dose) and its consequential impact on glutamine expression (7.67 ≤ FC ≤ 39.60 with high Mo dose and 1.50 ≤ FC ≤ 1.95 with low Mo dose) following Mo root exposure highlighted dose-dependent regulatory trends influencing proteins and metabolites. These findings offer a multidimensional understanding of plant responses to ENMs exposure, guiding agricultural practices and environmental safety protocols while advancing knowledge on nanomaterial impacts on plant biology.

X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) is an analytical technique employed to determine the elemental composition of diverse materials. Due to its nondestructive nature and direct analysis that requires little or no sample preparation, it has been particularly useful for investigating the mineral composition of plants and soil. However, commercially available XRF benchtop equipment often restricts this type of experiment in plant science due to the volume of the sample chamber and the source–detector geometry. To overcome this problem, we developed an XRF setup that prioritizes in vivo-based experiments. The equipment is equipped with a 4 W Ag X-ray tube and a silicon drift detector. The detection limits are comparable to those of commercial instruments and suitable for evaluating plant tissues. Finally, a case study using tomato plants as a model species and rubidium (Rb⁺) and strontium (Sr²⁺) as tracers for potassium (K⁺) and calcium (Ca²⁺), respectively, demonstrated their feasibility for long-term in vivo analysis. Therefore, the present XRF system stands out as a viable and cost-effective tool for assessing the absorption and transport of minerals in plant tissues probed by time-resolved in vivo X-ray spectroscopy.

Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) is a devastating disease within the Citrus industry. Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) is one of the most prevalent HLB-associated strains that has not been cultured in vitro. To ensure the accuracy and comparability of the molecular diagnostic method for HLB detection, certified reference materials urgently need to be developed for CLas detection. Here, we developed a series of DNA reference materials of CLas using 16S rDNA as the target gene and the SAND gene as the Citrus reference gene. The 16S rDNA gene fragment cloned by the NCBI sequence and Citrus DNA extracted by healthy Citrus leaves are thoroughly mixed for preparation. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) was used as an accurate quantification method for 16S rDNA, and the SAND was established and optimized through this study. Nine laboratories collaborated in determining these two parameters, and the homogeneity and stability were adequate. The quantification results demonstrated that the copy number certified values and expanded uncertainty of 16S rDNA and SAND in the high-concentration reference material were (3.86 ± 0.34) × 10³ and (4.43 ± 0.39) × 10³ cp/μL, respectively. The copy number certified values and expanded uncertainty of 16S rDNA and SAND in the low-concentration reference material were (3.98 ± 0.36) × 10² and (4.34 ± 0.37) × 10³ cp/μL, respectively. In addition, this certified reference material will provide reliable quality control for detecting CLas.

Organic contaminants, such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals, are commonly found in agricultural systems. With the growing use of plastic products, micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are increasingly detected in these agricultural systems, necessitating research into their interactions and joint effects to truly understand their impact. Unfortunately, while there has been a long history of research into the uptake of organic pollutants by plants, similar research with MNPs is only beginning, and studies on their mutual effects and plant uptake are extremely rare. In this study, we examined the effects of three agriculturally relevant organic pollutants with distinctive hydrophobicity as measured by log K_OW (trimethoprim: 0.91, atrazine: 2.61, and ibuprofen: 3.97) and 500 nm polystyrene nanoplastics on their uptake and accumulation by lettuce at two different salinity levels. Our results showed that nanoplastics increased the shoot concentration of ibuprofen by 77.4 and 309% in nonsaline and saline conditions, respectively. Alternatively, organic co-contaminants slightly lowered the PS NPs uptake in lettuce with a more pronounced decrease in saline water. These results underscore the impactful interactions of hydrophobic organic pollutants and increasing MNPs on a dynamic global environment.

Mesotrione is used for weed control in corn and sorghum (pre-emergence) but not in wheat. Corn metabolizes mesotrione via the activity of cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes. To understand the response of wheat genotypes to mesotrione application, a collection of wheat germplasm including winter, spring genotypes, and mutant lines was used in this research. In response to a 6× (1× = 105 g ai ha^–1) dose of mesotrione, two winter wheat genotypes (WW-1 and WW-2) were found to be least sensitive compared to the most sensitive genotype (WW-24), mutant lines (J38 and J327), and spring wheat. Further, application of a P450-inhibitor (malathion) before mesotrione treatment enhanced the sensitivity of WW-1 and WW-2 to mesotrione, suggesting a possible role of P450 enzymes in the detoxification of mesotrione. WW1 and WW2 were found to tolerate higher doses of mesotrione and could be potential donors for the transfer of the mesotrione-resistant trait into elite wheat genotypes.

The objective of this work was to determine whether pulcherriminic acid was responsible for the urease inhibition activity of the extracts of the yeast Metschnikowia pulcherrima. Pulcherriminic acid was synthesized through a seven-step pathway from l-leucine, starting with the thermal cyclodimerization of l-leucine to the corresponding 2,5-diketopiperazine, followed by oxidation to the 2,5-dichloropyrazine through three consecutive steps without purification of the intermediates, oxidation to the corresponding di-N-oxide, dechlorination by nucleophilic aromatic substitution with benzyloxide, and deprotection with trifluoroacetic acid without isolation of an intermediate. The urease inhibition assay showed 57 ± 2.3% inhibition of the urease activity at 500 ppm of pulcherriminic acid, much lower than the percent inhibition obtain with the extract, in which pulcherriminic acid was not detected. The cyclic dimer of l-leucine was present in the extract, and its inhibitory capacity was also tested, showing a percent inhibition of 56.1 ± 6.11% of the urease activity at 400 ppm, again much lower than the percent inhibition of the extract. This work demonstrates that the inhibitory capacity of the extracts of the yeast M. pulcherrima is not due to either only pulcherriminic acid or only its cyclic dipeptide precursor.

Inappropriate pesticide usage leads to unsustainable agricultural practices and deteriorates the quality of fruits and vegetables by introducing potentially hazardous substances. Raman spectroscopy, specifically surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), offers high-sensitivity in situ monitoring of pesticide residues. This review emphasizes the importance of advanced databases and algorithms in interpreting Raman signals. Various statistical models are introduced for spectral analysis, including self-modeling curve resolution, multivariate curve resolution, and self-modeling mixture analysis. Additionally, this study provides comprehensive information on different SERS substrates and shows great potential in the determination of food pesticide residues. However, a multicomponent analysis is needed for pesticide mixtures. The overlapping of the bands needs to be considered due to the complex matrices of biological samples. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are applied as nonlinear models when the analytes are in a multicomponent mixture. Further research is needed to establish standardized protocols for SERS-based pesticide quantitative detection, including sample preparation and data analysis.

A major drawback of using Bacillus in the promotion of plant growth is the loss of viability under adverse field conditions and during storage. Here, we propose an encapsulation strategy using an emulsion/cross-linking technique with a starch/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based matrix for enhancing the cell viability of Bacillus megaterium. The cross-linking agent, trisodium trimetaphosphate (STMP), combined with either starch (ST) or montmorillonite (MMT), allowed the formation of microparticles (ST/PVA-STMP + ST and ST/PVA-STMP + MMT, respectively). Characterization was performed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both microparticles exhibited cell viability higher than 10.75 log₁₀ CFU g^–1 after the encapsulation procedure. When exposed to heat and fungicide stresses, the microparticles showed a protective role, maintaining cell viability around 9.5 log₁₀ CFU g^–1. The encapsulation also proved advantageous in the accelerated shelf-life test (ASLT) assay, meeting the commercialization requirements of different countries. These findings highlight the potential of the encapsulation procedure to expand the use of microbial inoculants for sustainable agriculture.