The Experts below are selected from a list of 1851 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Gene E Lester - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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impact of potassium nutrition on postharvest fruit quality melon cucumis melo l case study
Plant and Soil, 2010Co-Authors: Gene E Lester, John L Jifon, Donald J MakusAbstract:Among the many plant mineral nutrients, potassium (K) stands out as a cation having the strongest influence on quality attributes that determine fruit marketability, consumer preference, and the concentration of critically important human-health associated Phytonutrients. However, many plant, soil, and environmental factors often limit adequate uptake of K from the soil in sufficient amounts to satisfy fruit K requirements during development to optimize the aforementioned quality attributes. The objectives of this review are 1) to summarize published study abstracts on the effects of soil and/or foliar K fertilization as well as diverse K forms, on fruit phytonutrient concentrations; and 2) to illustrate the important role of K forms on fruit quality with a case study of Cucumis melo L (muskmelon) fruit produced with optimal soil applied K . The muskmelon studies will compare commercial sources (forms) of K applied to examine seasonal effects (spring vs. autumn) and the number of foliar K applications during fruit development on fruit marketability (maturity, yield, firmness, soluble solids, sugars, relative sweetness), consumer preference attributes (sugar content, sweetness, texture), and phytochemical concentrations (K, ascorbic acid, and β-carotene concentrations). Numerous studies have consistently demonstrated that specific K fertilizer forms, in combination with specific application regimes, can improve fruit quality attributes. Potassium fertilizer forms in order of effectiveness (Glycine (Gly)-complexed K = K2SO4 ≥ KCl > no K > KNO3) when applied wet (foliar or hydroponic) vs. dry (soil) were generally superior in improving fruit marketability attributes, along with many human-health nutrients. The muskmelon case study demonstrated that two K forms: Gly-complexed K and K2SO4, combined with a silicone-based surfactant, applied weekly, as a foliar spray, during fruit development, from both autumn and spring-grown plants, had the greatest impact on improving fruit marketability attributes (maturity, yield, firmness, and sugars), as well as fruit quality attributes (human-health bioactive compounds K, ascorbic acid, and β-carotene). Among several foliar applied K salts studied under field conditions so far, salts with relatively low salt indices appeared to have the greatest impacts on fruit quality when applied during the mid- to late-season fruit development periods.
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antioxidant sugar mineral and phytonutrient concentrations across edible fruit tissues of orange fleshed honeydew melon cucumis melo l
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008Co-Authors: Gene E LesterAbstract:Orange-fleshed, non-netted honeydew (Cucumis melo L.) is a relatively new melon in the marketplace and has shown a lot of potential as an alternative to netted muskmelons (cantaloupes), which are often prone to surface contamination by enteric bacteria. Orange-fleshed honeydew is a cross between orange-fleshed cantaloupe and non-netted, green-fleshed honeydew. This glasshouse study investigated the nutritional profile (phytonutrient and sugar contents) in different tissues of mature orange-fleshed honeydew melon fruit. The equatorial mesocarp of ripe fruit was segmented into hypodermal (subpeel), outer, middle, and inner (near the seed cavity) tissues and then assayed for total sugars, mineral nutrients, Phytonutrients, total proteins, and enzymatic antioxidant activities. The concentrations of soluble solids, sucrose, total sugars, β-carotene, and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid increased in an inward direction from the subpeel mesocarp tissues toward the seed cavity. The activities of ascorbate peroxidase,...
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antioxidant sugar mineral and phytonutrient concentrations across edible fruit tissues of orange fleshed honeydew melon cucumis melo l
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2008Co-Authors: Gene E LesterAbstract:Orange-fleshed, non-netted honeydew ( Cucumis melo L.) is a relatively new melon in the marketplace and has shown a lot of potential as an alternative to netted muskmelons (cantaloupes), which are often prone to surface contamination by enteric bacteria. Orange-fleshed honeydew is a cross between orange-fleshed cantaloupe and non-netted, green-fleshed honeydew. This glasshouse study investigated the nutritional profile (phytonutrient and sugar contents) in different tissues of mature orange-fleshed honeydew melon fruit. The equatorial mesocarp of ripe fruit was segmented into hypodermal (subpeel), outer, middle, and inner (near the seed cavity) tissues and then assayed for total sugars, mineral nutrients, Phytonutrients, total proteins, and enzymatic antioxidant activities. The concentrations of soluble solids, sucrose, total sugars, beta-carotene, and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid increased in an inward direction from the subpeel mesocarp tissues toward the seed cavity. The activities of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase also increased in an inward direction. The concentrations of calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, and sodium all decreased in the inward direction. When expressed on a dry weight basis, the concentrations of ascorbic acid, boron, copper, fructose, glucose, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc were higher in the subpeel region compared to the inner mesocarp tissues, but the reverse was true when data were expressed on a fresh weight basis. These data reveal that there is considerable variation in sugars, minerals, and Phytonutrients across the mesocarp regions and that expressing the data on a fresh or dry weight basis can alter interpretations of the nutritional significance and health benefits of fruit. The data also confirm that orange-fleshed honeydew melon can be a rich source of many human health-related nutrients.
Jie Li - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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medicine is not health care food is health care plant metabolic engineering diet and human health
New Phytologist, 2017Co-Authors: Cathie Martin, Jie LiAbstract:Contents 'Summary' I. 'Introduction' II. 'The two faces of nutritional enhancement' III. 'Biofortification to address deficiency diseases' IV. 'How successful has metabolic engineering been in biofortification?' V. 'Improving the concentrations of Phytonutrients in foods' VI. 'Conclusions' 'Acknowledgements' References Summary Plants make substantial contributions to our health through our diets, providing macronutrients for energy and growth as well as essential vitamins and Phytonutrients that protect us from chronic diseases. Imbalances in our food can lead to deficiency diseases or obesity and associated metabolic disorders, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Nutritional security is now a global challenge which can be addressed, at least in part, through plant metabolic engineering for nutritional improvement of foods that are accessible to and eaten by many. We review the progress that has been made in nutritional enhancement of foods, both improvements through breeding and through biotechnology and the engineering principles on which increased phytonutrient levels are based. We also consider the evidence, where available, that such foods do enhance health and protect against chronic diseases.
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medicine is not health care food is health care plant metabolic engineering diet and human health
New Phytologist, 2017Co-Authors: Cathie Martin, Jie LiAbstract:Contents 699 I. 699 II. 700 III. 700 IV. 706 V. 707 VI. 714 714 References 714 SUMMARY: Plants make substantial contributions to our health through our diets, providing macronutrients for energy and growth as well as essential vitamins and Phytonutrients that protect us from chronic diseases. Imbalances in our food can lead to deficiency diseases or obesity and associated metabolic disorders, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Nutritional security is now a global challenge which can be addressed, at least in part, through plant metabolic engineering for nutritional improvement of foods that are accessible to and eaten by many. We review the progress that has been made in nutritional enhancement of foods, both improvements through breeding and through biotechnology and the engineering principles on which increased phytonutrient levels are based. We also consider the evidence, where available, that such foods do enhance health and protect against chronic diseases.
Cathie Martin - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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medicine is not health care food is health care plant metabolic engineering diet and human health
New Phytologist, 2017Co-Authors: Cathie Martin, Jie LiAbstract:Contents 'Summary' I. 'Introduction' II. 'The two faces of nutritional enhancement' III. 'Biofortification to address deficiency diseases' IV. 'How successful has metabolic engineering been in biofortification?' V. 'Improving the concentrations of Phytonutrients in foods' VI. 'Conclusions' 'Acknowledgements' References Summary Plants make substantial contributions to our health through our diets, providing macronutrients for energy and growth as well as essential vitamins and Phytonutrients that protect us from chronic diseases. Imbalances in our food can lead to deficiency diseases or obesity and associated metabolic disorders, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Nutritional security is now a global challenge which can be addressed, at least in part, through plant metabolic engineering for nutritional improvement of foods that are accessible to and eaten by many. We review the progress that has been made in nutritional enhancement of foods, both improvements through breeding and through biotechnology and the engineering principles on which increased phytonutrient levels are based. We also consider the evidence, where available, that such foods do enhance health and protect against chronic diseases.
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medicine is not health care food is health care plant metabolic engineering diet and human health
New Phytologist, 2017Co-Authors: Cathie Martin, Jie LiAbstract:Contents 699 I. 699 II. 700 III. 700 IV. 706 V. 707 VI. 714 714 References 714 SUMMARY: Plants make substantial contributions to our health through our diets, providing macronutrients for energy and growth as well as essential vitamins and Phytonutrients that protect us from chronic diseases. Imbalances in our food can lead to deficiency diseases or obesity and associated metabolic disorders, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Nutritional security is now a global challenge which can be addressed, at least in part, through plant metabolic engineering for nutritional improvement of foods that are accessible to and eaten by many. We review the progress that has been made in nutritional enhancement of foods, both improvements through breeding and through biotechnology and the engineering principles on which increased phytonutrient levels are based. We also consider the evidence, where available, that such foods do enhance health and protect against chronic diseases.
Ilan Levin - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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light signaling genes and their manipulation towards modulation of phytonutrient content in tomato fruits
Biotechnology Advances, 2010Co-Authors: Raviv Azari, Yaakov Tadmor, Ayala Meir, Moshe Reuveni, Dalia Evenor, Sahadia Nahon, Haviva Shlomo, Lea Chen, Ilan LevinAbstract:Due to its economic importance, ease of genetic manipulation, cultivation and processing, the tomato plant has been a target for increasing and diversifying content of fruit Phytonutrients by transgenic and non-transgenic approaches. The tomato high pigment (hp) mutations exemplify the latter alternative and due to their positive effect on fruit lycopene content, they were introgressed into elite tomato germplasm for cost effective extraction of this important carotenoid. Interestingly, hp mutant fruits are also characterized by higher fruit levels of other functional metabolites, phenotypes caused by mutations in central genes regulating light signal-transduction. This gene identification suggests that modulation of light signaling machinery in plants may be highly effective towards manipulation of fruit Phytonutrients but has never been thoroughly reviewed. This review therefore summarizes the progress which has been made on this valuable approach, emphasizing the consequences of transgenic modulation of light signaling components on the functional properties of the tomato fruit.
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regulating phytonutrient levels in plants toward modification of plant metabolism for human health
2009Co-Authors: Ilan LevinAbstract:Plants constitute a major component of our diet, providing pigments and additional Phytonutrients that are thought to be essential for maintenance of human health and are therefore also referred to as functional metabolites. Several fruit and vegetable species already contain high levels of several of these ingredients, while others do not. Nevertheless, efforts have been devoted to increasing and diversifying the content of Phytonutrients, such as carotenoids, flavonoids, and vitamins, even in plants that normally produce high levels of such nutritional components. These efforts rely on transgenic and non-transgenic approaches which have exposed complex regulation mechanisms required for increasing the levels of functional metabolites in plants. The study of these regulatory mechanisms is essential to expedite improvement of levels of these metabolites in fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes, and starchy roots or tubers. Such improvement is important for the following reasons: (1) to increase the efficiency of the industrial extraction of these compounds that are later being used as natural food supplements or fortifiers and as a source of natural colors to replace the chemical alternatives; (2) to improve and diversify the diet in populations of developing countries, where malnutrition may occur through lack of variety in the diet; (3) to provide fresh agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables highly enriched with certain Phytonutrients to possibly substitute the chemically synthesized food supplements and vitamins; and (4) to provide an array of new and attractive colors to our diet.
Amit Dhingra - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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concomitant phytonutrient and transcriptome analysis of mature fruit and leaf tissues of tomato solanum lycopersicum l cv oregon spring grown using organic and conventional fertilizer
PLOS ONE, 2020Co-Authors: Richard M Sharpe, Luke Gustafson, Seanna Hewitt, Benjamin Kilian, James Crabb, Christopher Hendrickson, Derick Jiwan, Preston K Andrews, Amit DhingraAbstract:Enhanced levels of antioxidants, phenolic compounds, carotenoids and vitamin C have been reported for several crops grown under organic fertilizer, albeit with yield penalties. As organic agricultural practices continue to grow and find favor it is critical to gain an understanding of the molecular underpinnings of the factors that limit the yields in organically farmed crops. Concomitant phytochemical and transcriptomic analysis was performed on mature fruit and leaf tissues derived from Solanum lycopersicum L. ‘Oregon Spring’ grown under organic and conventional fertilizer conditions to evaluate the following hypotheses. 1. Organic soil fertilizer management results in greater allocation of photosynthetically derived resources to the synthesis of secondary metabolites than to plant growth, and 2. Genes involved in changes in the accumulation of Phytonutrients under organic fertilizer regime will exhibit differential expression, and that the growth under different fertilizer treatments will elicit a differential response from the tomato genome. Both these hypotheses were supported, suggesting an adjustment of the metabolic and genomic activity of the plant in response to different fertilizers. Organic fertilizer treatment showed an activation of photoinhibitory processes through differential activation of nitrogen transport and assimilation genes resulting in higher accumulation of Phytonutrients. This information can be used to identify alleles for breeding crops that allow for efficient utilization of organic inputs.