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杂志简介/稿件收录要求《园艺研究》（Horticulture Research）是由英国自然出版集团(Nature publishing group, NPG)与南京农业大学合作创办的英文期刊，由程宗明教授担任主编。Horticulture Research《园艺研究》刊载原创性研究文章以及评论和微型评论，专注于所有的园艺作物，其中包括水果、蔬菜、观赏树木及花卉和草本植物，以及采前与采后阶段的茶树。期刊将主要关注具有能引起广泛的国际和学科兴趣的基础和理论研究。其范围将涵盖遗传学、育种、“组学”和演化、园艺作物的起源及循化、生物技术、生物化学、生理学和细胞与分子生物学，以及包括与其它有机体互动在内的环境生物学。开放获取期刊Horticulture Research《园艺研究》向作者提供知识共享许可协议，其中包括知识共享署名许可(CCBY)。论文被接受时收取文章处理费用(Article Processing Charge)。所有发表的文章将可立即被全球读者免费阅读。2017年进入SCIE收录Horticulture Research&is an online-only, open&access international journal devoted to publish original research results and reviews on, but not limited to, genetics, genomics and breeding, biotechnology, biochemistry, physiology, cellular and molecular biology, evolution, and environmental biology of horticultural plants. The journal is published by Springer Nature&in partnership with Nanjing Agricultural University. The journal also publishes News and Views on current events and hot topics in global horticultural fields. The journal aims to become a highly respected and trusted resource of cutting-edge information in the field of horticulture. The journal will also provide a much-needed platform to promote worldwide academic exchange.Now, this journal&is indexed in Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), PubMed Central, Scopus&and DOAJ.Find out further information on the journal aims and scope&.The&Editor-in-Chief&of&Horticulture Research&is&, Joint Professor at Nanjing Agricultural University and University of Tennessee.Visit the ‘’ page for&the full list of&Horticulture Research&editorial board members.
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即刻扫码下载梅斯医学App，免费订阅“命中率/一审周期历史变化曲线”。梅斯海量服务数据，即将发布！Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology | RG Impact & Description | Impact Rankings ( 2017 and 2018 )
2018 RG Journal impactAvailable summer 20192015 RG Journal impact0.922014 RG Journal impact1.122013 RG Journal impact0.782012 RG Journal impact0.53RG Journal impact over timeRG Journal impactRG Journal impact over timeGraph showing a linear path with a yearly representation of impact points of the journalPublisher detailsThis journal may support self-archiving.Publications in this journalMar 2018Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThe objective of this research was to identify the growing medium that yielded the highest nutritional quality and longest marketable shelf life in tomato fruits. ‘TY Megaton’ and ‘Yureka’ cultivars were grown on soil and coir pith in the same climate-controlled glasshouse using a standard nutrient solution and the recommended cultivation practices. Fruits were harvested at the pink stage of ripening and stored at 12 °C in 85 ± 5% relative humidity for 20 days. The fruits of both cultivars grown on either growing medium were of acceptable quality for sale after 3 weeks of storage. The contents of the most important secondary metabolites of tomato responsible for providing their antioxidant activity (ascorbic acid, lycopene, and polyphenols) were not significantly affected by the choi however, significant differences were observed between the cultivars throughout the storage period. The results of this study demonstrated that the choice of cultivar is more important for fruit quality than the growing medium. The lycopene content and antioxidant activity of the fruits suggest that it is possible to achieve optimum nutrition from the pink-stage fruit of both cultivars after 12 days of storage, irrespective of the growing medium used.Expand abstractMar 2018Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Plants have emerged as one of the most attractive systems for producing human therapeutic proteins against viral diseases. These include diagnostic reagents, vaccines, and antibodies. This process is known as molecular biofarming. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate tobacco and Arabidopsis as plant platforms for producing human anti-rabies monoclonal antibody (mAb). Both tobacco and Arabidopsis transgenic plants were generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Purification of mAb SO57K from each plant was performed with ammonium sulfate-mediated precipitation and protein A affinity columns. SDS–PAGE analysis showed that the purity of mAb SO57K obtained from each transgenic plant was similar, whereas Arabidopsis showed approximately twofold greater protein expression than tobacco. The N-glycosylation was not significantly different between proteins from the two plant species, with both showing oligo-mannose glycan structures. The mAbs SO57 derived from both the model plants had similar neutralizing efficacy against target virus strain CVS-11. Taken together, tobacco and Arabidopsis are both promising platforms for producing a human anti-rabies mAb.Expand abstractMar 2018Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThe plants have potential on carbon sink because plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) in ambient and use that for photosynthesis. CO2 enrichment, which is a commonly used technique in vegetable culture, may gain importance in ornamental production, potentially shortening the growth period. However, compared with forests and crop plants, the studies of CO2 enrichment on orchids are relatively limited. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of elevated CO2 concentrations on leaf initiation and photosynthesis in the orchid Doritaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’. Leaf growth and photosynthetic characteristics were measured in the plants grown under 450 (ambient control), 800, and 1600 umol mol?? CO2 during the latter 6 h of the dark period for 36 weeks. The number of leaves increased with the elevated CO2 concentration, and the time to leaf initiation decreased with elevated CO2 concentration. However, leaf span and biomass was lower in the plants grown under the higher CO2 concentrations compared to the plants grown under ambient CO2. Maximum net CO2 uptake, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance were higher in the plants grown under 1600 umol mol?? CO2 than in the plants grown under 450 umol mol?? CO2. The 800 and 1600 umol mol?? CO2 concentrations accelerated leaf initiation and net CO2 uptake. We found that concentrations of CO2 in the 800 and 1600 umol mol?? CO2 range were controlled for growth of Doritaenopsis orchids.Expand abstractMar 2018Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyIn the present study, the effect of light quality on endoreduplication and growth in Phalaenopsis ‘Spring Dancer’ plantlets was studied. The response of protocorm-like body (PLB)-derived plantlets subjected to monochromatic red (R60), blue (B60), and various combinations of both lights was investigated. Flow cytometry was used to investigate the effect of light on endocycle and growth, cell division, and endopolyploidy levels. In addition, the activities of stress-related enzymes such as catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) were analyzed from leaves and roots. After 8 weeks, the leaf area of plants grown under monochromatic R60 and B60 light was found to be higher than that of plants grown under other wavelengths of light, except the control plants (fluorescent light). These results revealed monochrome blue (B60) light increased the ratio of endoreduplicated cells (4C–8C). CAT activity was highest in leaves grown under R60; however, the oxidized phenol concentration in the culture medium was lowest under R60 while it was the highest under B60 and fluorescent light (F). This indicates that plantlets were less stressed under R60 than B60 or F. The results of this study reveal that stress induced by monochromatic light stimulates endopolyploidy in leaves, which may subsequently increase Phalaenopsis leaf size.Expand abstractMar 2018Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThe suitable size of runner plants based on separation time from their stock plants was determined to maximize propagation rate of strawberry transplants using autotrophic transplant propagation method, a novel propagation method in a plant factory with artificial lighting for transplant production (T-PFAL). When runner tips with unfolded bracts were fixed on a growing medium to generate runner plants, the first true leaf, a runner, and roots of the runner plants appeared 6–10 days after fixing the runner tips (DAF), and their shoot and root dry weights significantly increased 6 and 10 DAF, respectively. The top/root ratio was the greatest 10 DAF. The net photosynthetic rate of runner plants 9, 11, and 13 DAF decreased after separation, while that at 15, 17, and 19 DAF did not. The runner plants separated from their stock plants 15, 20, and 25 DAF were successfully grown until 30 DAF; however, those 10 DAF was not. At 30 DAF, the root dry weight of the runner plants separated from the stock plants 15 DAF was smaller than that of the runner plants separated 20, 25, and 30 DAF, whereas the dry weights of leaves and runners were not significantly different. The use of small stock plants could reduce the required timescale from placing stock plants to produce new runner plants, but there was no significant difference in the timescales when the runner plants were separated 15 or 20 DAF due to the relatively insufficient growth of runner plants separated 15 DAF. These results indicate that runner plants separated 20 DAF, with two true leaves and a 5-mm crown diameter, would be suitable stock plants for the autotrophic transplant propagation method in a T-PFAL for strawberry propagation.Expand abstractFeb 2018Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Feb 2018Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThis study aimed to assess the diversity of Moringa oleifera and Moringa peregrina in Saudi Arabia. Seven genotypes per species were characterized morphologically using 14 morphological characteristics and genetically using 10 ISSR primers. The studied genotypes were classified according to each characterization, and the correlation between morphological and genetic diversity was investigated. M. oleifera genotypes were distinguished by long, thick stems with more crown spread, and larger pinnate leaf area compared to those of M. peregrina. Plant height and pinnate dimensions were the most pertinent indicators for the discrimination among genotypes where they were correlated to all morphological characteristics and gave representative classification. Diversity was found between the two species and among the genotypes of each species. The ISSR molecular markers were effective in the characterization of genetic diversity of Moringa where the average of polymorphism across the 14 genotypes was sufficient (90.8%). Dinucleotide repeat (AC)n primers (UBC825, UBC826 and UBC827) and a trinucleotide primer (UBC864) were the best primers, regenerating the maximum number of polymorphic bands per primer (8–10) and the highest polymorphism level among genotypes (91–100%). Principal coordinate analysis showed similar classification for morphological and molecular data where the two species were separated in two main clusters with three sub-clusters per species. The association analysis showed good correlation, up to a 0.84 determination coefficient, between genetic diversity and morphological variability. The primers UBC826 and UBC827 were the most informative markers, revealing correlations with 12 morphological characteristics. The results of the present study provide valuable morphological and molecular characterizations of the two most important Moringa species. Efficient morphological classification based on three characteristics could facilitate the evaluation of diversity in Moringa. Genetic diversity could be simply assessed using the two best ISSR primers (UBC826 and UBC827). The diversity found among genotypes could be of great importance for the selection of clones with desirable characteristics for further improvements of Moringa.Expand abstractFeb 2018Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]American/European strawberry cultivars are morphologically different from Asian cultivars with American cultivars generally having higher yields, fruit weight, and fruit hardness and Asian cultivars tending to have higher sugar content. In this study, we performed backcrossing to improve the fruit qualities of Asian varieties of strawberries using American cultivars as the donor parent. The F1 progeny derived from crosses between Asian and American cultivars tended to have lower sugar content and higher fruit weight and yield than Asian cultivars, but fruit hardness did not differ between the Asian cultivars and the progenies. The percent germination and survival ratio were not significantly different between the BC1F1 and BC2F1 generations, whereas the percent germination decreased rapidly with advancing backcross generations. The BC1F1 generation had slightly higher sugar content and the sugar content of the BC2F1 generation increased significantly over the BC1F1 generation, but fruit weight and yield decreased. However, there was variability among individual progeny from the same cross. With advancing generations of backcrossing (BC3F1, BC4F1, BC5F1), sugar content tended to improve while fruit weight and yield tended to decrease, and hardness tended not to change. Therefore, to develop new cultivars with the combined qualities of Asian and American cultivars, we concluded that generations beyond the BC2F1 are not necessary, and that the selection efficiency of superior individual plants can be improved if the number of seedlings is increased in generations before the BC1F1 or BC2F1.Expand abstractFeb 2018Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Plants in the genus Acer include medicinal plants and deciduous tree species in which several bioactive compounds have been isolated. In this study, flavonoids were isolated from the aerial parts of Acer okamotoanum by open column chromatography and identified by spectroscopic analysis as afzelin, quercitrin, and isoquercitrin. Among these flavonoids, quercitrin and isoquercitrin exhibited potent aldose reductase inhibitory activity (IC50 value of 0.40 and 0.63 μM, respectively). Almost all studied tissues of Acer spp. contained high amounts of quercitrin. The leaf of A. mono had the highest amount of quercitrin (61.90 μg g??). Our results demonstrated that Acer species contain high concentrations of flavonoids with promising aldose reductase inhibitory activity that could be utilized to develop novel therapeutics for diabetic disorders.Expand abstractFeb 2018Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]‘Lingwu Long’ jujube (Ziziphus jujuba cv. Mill) is a fresh fruit variety that is popular in China. Low temperature storage is an important method for retaining fruit quality postharvest. However, jujube fruits are susceptible to surface pitting under low temperature storage. Therefore, we performed transcriptome analysis to investigate the changes in gene expression in surface-pitted jujube fruit (SPF). First, we developed cDNA libraries of SPF and surface-intact fruit (SIF) that had been stored at - 1 ± 0.5 °C. As a result, 21,136,649 and 21,663,126 high-quality clean reads were generated and 47,386 contigs were obtained. Second, we performed sequences annotation by gene description and gene ontology (GO term) analysis, which clustered the genes into three functional groups. A total of 2706 predicted proteins were assigned to specific metabolic pathways by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database. An analysis of differential gene expression between SPF and SIF revealed more than 1210 genes that are differentially expressed in jujube in response to surface-pitting under low temperature storage, which are involved in lipid, carbohydrate, energy, amino acid, terpenoids, and polyketides metabolism, as well as membrane transport, signal transduction, translation, signal transduction, and biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites. We investigated the pattern of phenylalanine ammonia lyase gene expression in SPF by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR analysis. Our results provide new insights into the biology of surface pitting in jujube, which occurs under low temperature storage. Our findings help confirm the low-temperature tolerance pathways that function in postharvest fruit.Expand abstractFeb 2018Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyIn order to improve photosynthesis efficiency and crop growth, it is important to predict CO2 concentration as well as CO2 consumption in greenhouses. The objective of this study was to predict greenhouse CO2 concentration via an artificial neural network (ANN) that incorporated environmental factors. Temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, solar radiation, and CO2 concentration were measured every 10 min over a 6-month period in a greenhouse located in Boryeong, Korea. Measured environmental data were used to train the ANN. Among the 14,866 data points used in the experiment, 10,000 and 4866 data points were used for training and testing, respectively. An ANN with an input layer with input neurons, two hidden layers with 32–2048 neurons, and an output later with one neuron was selected. A rectified linear unit was used as the activation function in each node of the ANN. An ANN structure that included 256 neurons in the hidden layers showed the highest test accuracy (R? = 0.97) was selected from all the structures, while multivariate linear regression showed lower test accuracy than the ANN (R? = 0.78). The ANN accurately estimated CO2 concentration in the greenhouse using big data for changing patterns of the inside environmental factors without vent position data. Furthermore, it is possible to estimate crop CO2 consumption in greenhouses with this ANN using the change in greenhouse CO2 concentration.Expand abstractFeb 2018Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Chinese cymbidium are a group of valuable ornamental plants that is formed by genetically distinct species. Currently, a robust Chinese cymbidium classification system, such as that based on cytotaxonomy, is lacking. To investigate the genetic variation within Chinese cymbidium, we selected 28 individual Chinese cymbidium cultivars as experimental material to perform karyotype analysis. The results showed that chromosome number among these 28 cultivars was constant and diploid (i.e., 2n = 40). In addition, no satellite chromosomes were observed. The karyotypes were more symmetrical and consisted mainly of 1B and 2B types with a small number of 2A and 2C types. Based on principal component analysis, the five karyotype parameters with the highest classification values were screened, which revealed that the mean of long to short arm ratio, the mean relative length of long arms, and the asymmetry coefficient of karyotypes (As.K.) were reliable parameters for use in Chinese cymbidium cytotaxonomy. Cluster analysis of karyotype parameters successfully identified cultivars of the bamboo petal, narcissus petal, and plum petal types, thus confirming the accuracy of the cytological classification system. Furthermore, flower traits of Chinese cymbidium were strongly correlated with karyotype parameters. Overall, we conclude that karyotype parameters can provide valuable information for studies on the classification, identification, and genetic diversity of Chinese cymbidium.Expand abstractFeb 2018Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThe authors are retracting this article (Cho et al., 2013). After publication the authors became aware that the article contains errors in the reporting and interpretation of data, and consequently, the conclusions drawn are not valid. Hae Ryong C all other authors agree with this retraction.Expand abstractFeb 2018Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]The genus Fritillaria is an important herbaceous medicinal plant. The dried bulbs of many Fritillaria species are used as Fritillariae Bulbus in traditional oriental medicines. However, these herbal medicines frequently contain mixtures of different types of Fritillariae Bulbus and other Fritillaria species with little or no medicinal value. The accurate identification of different types of Fritillariae Bulbus is very difficult due to the morphological similarities between the pl therefore, it is necessary to accurately identify these herbal medicines and other Fritillaria species based on their genetic characteristics. To find molecular markers for Fritillaria species and elucidate the genomic characteristics of F. thunbergii, we sequenced the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of F. thunbergii and performed a comparative analysis with related plant taxa. The complete cp genome of F. thunbergii is 152,155 bp with a quadripartite structure, which is similar to other plants, and was highly similar to previously reported Fritillaria cp genomes in regard to gene content, order, orientation, and GC contents. Comparative analysis of the cp genomes identified two genes, matK and rps16, that contained sufficient markers to distinguish between two herbal medicines (Fritillariae Thunbergii and Fritillariae Hupehensis Bulbus) and five Fritillaria species. These results provide useful information for identification of Fritillaria species and quality control of Fritillariae Bulbus.Expand abstractFeb 2018Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThe original version of this article contained errors. The correct version should be written as shown in the following table.Expand abstractJan 2018Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyTOUSLED (TSL) is a nuclear serine/threonine kinase highly conserved in plants and animals, including humans. In Arabidopsis thaliana, TSL participates in leaf and flower morphogenesis, cell-cycle regulation, and maintenance of transcriptional gene silencing. To identify the functions of TSL in tomato, we conducted TSL gene silencing using a reassortant Gn-CMV vector. Two parts of the tomato TSL gene, the 3′ proximal and middle regions of the TSL ORF (termed tsl-4 and tsl-9), were amplified and cloned into the Y-R2A1 vector. Tomato plants inoculated with the Gn-tsl4 and Gn-tsl9 vectors showed pleiotropic effects, such as changes in leaf color, formation of thick stems, reduction of genome size, and extreme bud outgrowth. The mechanisms of bud outgrowth have been well studied in various plant species, but this is the first report of a function for TSL in bud outgrowth of tomato. In addition, our results showed that the reassortant Gn-CMV vector can be successfully applied for virus-induced gene silencing to study functional genomics in tomato.Expand abstractJan 2018Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Organic fertilizers were applied in four different forms: mixed organic matter, fermentation cake, bacterial culture, and rice husks, excluding conventional chemical fertilizer and non-treatment used as control. The results showed that soil pH was acidified after fermentation cake and chemical fertilizer treatment. Specifically, chemical fertilizer treatment showed higher phosphoric-acid content than other treatments, while total N content was higher in fermentation cake, mixed organic matter and chemical fertilizer. Growth of Codonopsis lanceolata showed superior tendency in the treatment of mixed organic matter and fermentation cake. Lancemacides, the major saponin of C. lanceolata, could be identified as foetidissimoside A, lancemaside A, lancemaside B, and lancemaside D. However, among them, quantitative analysis could not be conducted on foetidissimoside A due to its very low content, and lancemaside A was the most abundant saponin in the root from all the treatments. The content of lancemaisde A according to organic fertilizer application showed the highest value of 0.12 mg g?? in the treatment of mixed organic matter, followed by the fermentation cake, bacterial culture, non-treatment, rice husks and chemical fertilizer, in that order. The content of lancemaside B and D was very low compared to lancemaside A, and there was no difference among treatments. Therefore, it was verified that the growth of C. lanceolata was superior in application of mixed organic matter and fermentation cake, and the major saponin, lancemaside A, was also increased.Expand abstractJan 2018Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Phalaenopsis plants are distributed throughout tropical regions with high humidity, which is generally necessary for their cultivation. This study was conducted to determine the effects of different relative humidity (RH) conditions on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of young Phalaenopsis plants. Three-month-old clones of Phalaenopsis ‘Blanc Rouge’ and Doritaenopsis ‘Mantefon’ plants were grown under 30 ± 10, 50 ± 10, 70 ± 10, or 90 ± 10% RH conditions. The RH treatments were maintained for approximately 6 months in environment-controlled growth chambers. The temperature and photoperiod were maintained at 28 °C and 12/12 h, respectively. At the start of the RH treatments, the mean leaf span was 14.2 and 16.7 cm in ‘Blanc Rouge’ and ‘Mantefon’ plants, respectively. In both cultivars, plants grown under 70% RH showed the longest leaf span, which was 25.3 and 20.6 cm in ‘Blanc Rouge’ and ‘Mantefon’, respectively. High-humidity conditions (i.e. 70 and 90% RH) generally promoted the length of leaf span, but the growth rate of leaf span was slightly lower at 90% RH than at 70% RH. CO2 exchange, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate of the uppermost mature leaf were observed in ‘Blanc Rouge’ plants grown at 30, 50, and 70% RH. The highest rate of CO2 uptake was observed in the plants grown at 70% RH, followed by 50 and 30% RH. The stomatal conductance increased and transpiration decreased with increasing RH. The maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) of plants grown under 70 and 90% RH slightly decreased after 9 weeks of treatments, but there were no differences among the treatment groups at the conclusion of the study. These results indicated that high RH (e.g. 70%) slightly increases CO2 uptake and leaf span of young Phalaenopsis plants.Expand abstractJan 2018Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThe content and accumulation patterns of flavonoids in response to light were investigated in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) sprouts over the course of 9 days. Buckwheat sprouts were grown under fluorescent (FL), red (RL), and blue (BL) light sources, as well as in darkness, and their extracts were analyzed. Sprout elongation and chlorophyll content were high in the presence of red light. The contents of the major buckwheat sprout flavonoids, orientin, isoorientin, vetexin, isovetexin, and rutin all peaked 5 days after germination under all four growth conditions, then gradually decreased. Sprouting cotyledons accumulated around 1.5-fold more orientin, isoorientin, quercetin-3-O-robinobioside, and rutin in the presence of red light, including from the RL and FL light sources, than in blue light alone. The C-glycosyl flavones, orientin, isoorientin, vetexin, and isovetexin, were not detected in the stem tissues of the hypocotyls, but C-glycosyl flavonols, such as quercetin-3-O-robinobioside and rutin, were present, and were twice as abundant under BL and FL than in the RL and darkness conditions. In the root tissues, a small amount of C-glycosyl flavonols was detected after BL however, the other flavonoids were not detected at all. These results indicated that red light induces flavonoid biosynthesis in the cotyledons of buckwheat seedlings, but blue light has a greater effect on the accumulation of C-glycosyl flavonols in other seedling tissues.Expand abstractDec 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC. contains a variety of triterpene saponins induced from the base structure of oleanane-type in roots. The β-amyrin synthase (bAS) plays an important role in controlling the biosynthesis of triterpene saponins and we obtained the full-length cDNA of the gene, which is named PlgOSC1 in P. grandiflorum. To identify the PlgOSC1 products, we expressed it in heterologous yeast cells. Results of GC-MS analysis showed a unique peak that was consistent with that of the authentic β-amyrin standard with exactly the same retention time. Furthermore, the pattern of MS fragments of the peak was also exactly the same as that of the β-amyrin. In qRT-PCR analysis of four organs of P. grandiflorum, no difference in PlgOSC1 expressio therefore, platycosides derived from β-amyrin might be present in all P. grandiflorum tissues. In conclusion, PlgOSC1 encodes a bAS enzyme that catalyzes the first committed step of platycosides biosynthesis in P. grandiflorum.Expand abstractDec 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyAminochelates are relatively new fertilizer formulations with improved efficiency for agricultural applications. Many plant responses to these amino acid-based fertilizers have not yet been well studied. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of soil (six split applications at a final volume of 5 mL) and foliar application (six applications at 0.2% concentration) of a commercial aminochelate (liquid fertilizer consisting of 2.0% N-amino acid, 2.5% Zn, 2.0% Fe, 1.5% Mn and 0.4% Cu) on growth, yield, and quality traits in three vegetable crops including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), and green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) under field conditions in lime soil. Plant growth, yield, and quality parameters significantly increased in response to foliar application, and to lesser extent soil application of aminochelate fertilizer. Plants treated with foliar application of aminochelate had a significantly higher chlorophyll index, number of lateral shoots, shoot dry weight, number of fruits, plant yield, and leaf N concentration in all three vegetable crops compared to the control. Soil application of aminochelate resulted in significantly higher fruit or pod vitamin C content and total soluble solids content versus the control. However, for most traits, there was no significant difference between soil application of aminochelate versus chemical fertilizer a (N, P, K mixture). Nevertheless, the results indicate that the application of aminochelate especially foliar application, is a preferred method for fertilization under lime soil conditions to improve plant growth, productivity, and quality.Expand abstractDec 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyA pre-bloom application of gibberellin (GA) on grapevines (Vitis spp.) induces fruit set without fertilization (parthenocarpy) by inhibiting pollen tube growth. In the present study, we analyzed transcriptional changes in the Vitis γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) metabolic genes and the levels of GABA in grapevines with or without GA treatment to understand how GA induces parthenocarpy in grapevines. Four Vitis glutamate decarboxylases (VvGAD), two GABA transaminases (VvGABA-T), and three succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenases (VvSSADH) were identified in grapevines, and their expression patterns were analyzed during inflorescence development from 14 days before full bloom (DBF) to 5 days after full bloom (DAF). Without GA treatment, we observed simultaneously high expression levels of VvGAD1 and VvGABA-T2, with low levels of GABA from 10 to 5 DBF. With GA application, the levels of GABA were mostly unaltered, and the expression levels of VvGAD1 and VvGABA-T2 were around 30% lower compared to the plants without GA treatment at 12 DBF. However, at near full bloom in the plants treated with GA, GABA levels increased more than two-fold and VvGAD1 was upregulated. These results indicate that GABA levels are tightly regulated by VvGAD1 and VvGABA-T2 before pollination and that application of GA alters the pattern of GABA accumulation at near full bloom. This is the first report to describe how treatment with GA disrupts the crosstalk between the pistil and pollen via changes in GABA metabolism during GA-mediated parthenocarpic fruit initiation.Expand abstractDec 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyTall spindle planting systems achieve high-quality fruit from plants that flower early and sustain a high yield. While some growers in Korea let apple trees grow up to 4 m or higher in high-density planting systems with M.9 rootstock to produce more fruits, such practices lead to very tall trees with low-quality fruit that develop in the lower canopy. To minimize this effect, we used the ‘Hongro’ cultivar to examine the effect summer pruning and installation of reflective film had on fruit size and quality in the lower canopy. We measured light distribution, diameter of flower buds, fruit quality, and leaf physiological characteristics at different parts of the canopy of trees that were treated with summer pruning (SP) and the installation of reflective film (RF), compared to those allowed to maintain their dense canopies ( UC). The SP + RF treatment improved the overall light availability throughout the canopy and increased the amount of light by approximately 25% in the lower parts of the canopy compared to that in the UC group. The SP + RF treatment increased size, color, and soluble solids content in fruits from the lower parts of the canopy. Moreover, this treatment increased leaf photosynthetic activity, specific leaf weight, and flower bud diameter. Therefore, summer pruning and the installation of reflective film helps light penetration in excessively tall spindle trees and improves fruit quality in a high-density apple production system.Expand abstractDec 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyDr. Manzer H. Siddiqui[...]Due to increasing soil salinity, the world agricultural output is being threatened by the shrinking area of fertile land. In the present study, we explored the interactive roles of nitric oxide (NO; 100 μM) and spermidine (SP; 200 μM) in ameliorating the effects of salt stress (NaCl; 100 mM) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. Five Star) seedlings. NaCl stress reduced shoot and root length, shoot and root fresh weight, shoot and root dry weight plant ?? and leaf area leaf ??. NaCl stress also suppressed the biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigments (Chlorophyll a and b) and increased proline (Pro) content, membrane damage and lipid peroxidation by inducing reactive oxygen species (H2O2 and O2o - ) generation in roots and leaves, as well as electrolyte leakage (EL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation in leaves. However, applying NO and/or SP increased the activities of catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and ascorbate peroxidase and increased photosynthetic pigment (chlorophyll a and b) and Pro accumulation, as well as reducing H2O2 and O2o - and MDA content and EL, under salt stress. When tomato plants were treated with NO and SP simultaneously, NO signaling was further enhanced, which was confirmed by the addition of cPTIO [2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3- NO scavenger].Expand abstractDec 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Hydrogen gas (H2) functions as an important signaling molecule in diverse plant developmental processes. H2 is thought to delay postharvest ripening and senescence in fruit. However, little is known about the influence of H2 on flower senescence. This study was conducted to determine whether H2 treatment could improve vase life and quality in cut lily (Lilium spp.) and rose (Rosa hybrid L.) flowers. Treatment with 0.5% and 1% hydrogen-rich water (HRW) increased vase life and maximum flower diameter in lily. In addition, 50% HRW treatment significantly increased vase life and maximum flower diameter in cut rose flowers. The fresh weight and leaf relative water content in cut lilies and roses were enhanced by proper doses of HRW. Compared with the control, HRW treatment decreased leaf stomata size in cut lily and rose flowers. HRW treatment significantly reduced leaf malondialdehyde contents and electrolyte leakage in cut lilies. Antioxidant enzyme activities were also improved by HRW treatment in cut lily and rose flowers. These results suggest that exogenously applied H2 might improve vase life and postharvest quality in cut flowers by maintaining proper water balance and membrane stability and by reducing stomata size and oxidative damage.Expand abstractDec 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Clonally propagating elite lines of oil palm via multiple shoot organogenesis is promising due to genetic stability of regenerants. In this study, we tested the effects of medium composition using three basal media types (Murashige and Skoog (MS), woody plant medium (WPM), and Y3) with concentrations of sucrose and different ionic strengths derived from sucrose, sorbitol, or both sucrose and sorbitol on the growth and development of oil palm plantlets derived from direct-shoot organogenesis and zygotic embryo-derived seedlings (control). We used histological assays to better understand the medium formulation’s efficiency for shoot organogenesis. The shoot induction percentage was the highest when plantlets were cultured on
MS medium supplemented with 5% sucrose. A minimum osmotic potential of -2.0 MPa is essential to efficiently drive shoot maturation of oil palm. Sorbitol appeared to be less effective than sucrose for shoot formation of oil palms. To determine the rate of somoclonal changes between these two micropropagation methods, we investigated the rate of DNA methylation in oil palm plantlets using the methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) technique. Our MSAP results showed that polymorphisms between in vitro seedling-derived plantlets and direct-shoot organogenesis-derived plantlets were considerably low. We conclude that regenerated plantlets derived from this established protocol are reliable for trueto- type propagation of elite oil palm clones.Expand abstractDec 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThis study investigated the effects of varying calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2) supply on seed germination, seedling growth, and antioxidant responses during cucumber seed germination. Five and 20 mM Ca(NO3)2 stimulated seed germination, while 10 and 40 mM Ca(NO3)2 inhibited it. Germinating seed weight was clearly promoted by 5 mM Ca(NO3)2, but decreased under 40 mM Ca(NO3)2. Ten or 20 mM Ca(NO3)2 caused no marked change. Addition of 10 or 40 mM Ca(NO3)2 increased the activity of many enzymes in germinating seeds, such as superoxide dismutases (SOD), peroxidases (POD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR). On the other hand, 5 and 20 mM Ca(NO3)2 markedly decreased CAT activity. Among all the treatments, only 10 mM Ca(NO3)2 increased malondialdehyde content. Similarly, the production rate of O2.- was only higher in 20 mM Ca(NO3)2. Compared with the control (0 mM Ca(NO3)2), protein content significantly increased in all treatments except for 20 mM Ca(NO3)2. Calcium nitrate strongly inhibited the growth of seedlings, and damaged leaf and root microstructure. The inhibition and damage were more severe as the Ca(NO3)2 concentration increased. Calcium nitrate promoted the accumulation of photosynthetic pigment, but led to a decrease in chlorophyll a/b. These results suggest that the effect of different Ca(NO3)2 levels on seed germination was variable, while the inhibition effect on seedling growth enhanced with increase of Ca(NO3)2 concentration. This effect is closely associated with Ca ?? and NO3? concentration, antioxidant enzyme activity, and the different growth and development stages of cucumber.Expand abstractDec 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]In Lilium, a popular horticulture crop, the main objective of crossbreeding is introgression of desirable genes and features into new cultivars. Commercial Lilium cultivars were produced primarily through 2n-gametes or 2x-gametes as parental plants or backcrossing. The primary genetic difference in 2 methods, is the presence of genomic recombination. Especially, GISH (genomic in situ hybridization) among molecular cytogenetic analysis, is the relevant technique to detect genome composition, chromosome behavior during meiosis and recombination of hybrids as using their parental DNA as a probe. Based on previous studies, in this research, 12 LA (L. longiflorum x L. Asiatic hybrids) hybrids were analyzed by GISH (genomic in situ hybridization) along with ploidy analysis, and pollen germination tests. The LA hybrids used in this study, showed less pollen germination ability (ranged 0 - 21.74%), but germination of ‘Caesars Palace’ was significantly higher (59.09%). Interestingly, ploidy analysis showed that ‘Caesars Palace’ was tetraploid and ‘Batistero’ had one more additional chromosome from the L genome. Nine of the 12 cultivars exhibited recombination and 3 had only non-rec fewer L. longiflorum chromosomes were present in the cultivars than Asiatic chromosomes. Consequentially, it is assumed that 2n-gametes were more common methodology than 2x-gametes for producing commercial cultivars. Moreover, backcrossing tended to be performed with the Asiatic hybrid cultivar.Expand abstractNov 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Oct 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThe objective of this study was to determine the effects of mild water deficit on the contents of bioactive compounds in dropwort (Oenanthe stolonifera). Dropwort plantlets with 2-3 offshoots were transplanted into plastic pots containing horticultural growing medium. The plantlets were grown at 22°C under a relative humidity of 60%, photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 285 μmol·m -2 ·s -1, 12-hour light period, and CO2 concentration of 600 μmol·mol -1 and subirrigated with nutrient solution for 3 weeks after transplanting. To induce mild water deficit, we placed wick culture systems (4- and 6-cm long wicks) between the bottom of each pot and the water surface at 3 or 4 weeks after transplanting. The control plants were subirrigated at the pot bottom without wick treatment. The soil water content of plants under water-deficit averaged 45% lower than that of the control at 5 weeks after transplanting. Moreover, mild water-deficit treatment reduced the leaf water potential by 7-25% compared to the control. However, mild water-deficit treatment did not significantly affect the fresh or dry weights of dropwort shoots at 6 weeks after transplanting. All treatments significantly inhibited the photosynthetic rate at 5 weeks after transplanting. In particular, water-deficit treatment using a 6-cm long wick for 2 weeks resulted in a 16% lower photosynthetic rate than that of the control. The total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of dropwort stems did not significantly differ between treatments. However, in the leaves, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of all plants subjected to water-deficit treatments averaged 43 and 64% higher, respectively, than those of the control. The total anthocyanin content in all treatment groups, except for treatment with a 4-cm wick at 4 weeks, was significantly higher than that of the control. These results suggest that dropwort plants subjected to mild water deficit effectively accumulate antioxidant phenolic compounds, including anthocyanins, which is more reminiscent of reddish, small dropwort plants that grow under limited water conditions than of water dropwort.Expand abstractOct 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThe levels of major bioactive compounds, such as amino acids and antioxidants, were investigated in okra sprouts and seeds of the varieties ‘Green Sword’ and ‘Benny’. Total polyphenol content was the highest in ‘Benny’ cotyledons, followed by ‘Benny’ hypocotyls and ‘Green Sword’ cotyledons. Polyphenol and flavonoid content in the two varieties were approximately 5- to 6-fold higher in sprouts than in seeds, and were higher in the cotyledons than in other tissues within the sprout. Activity of the radical scavenger DPPH was the highest in ‘Benny’ cotyledons, and mean values were 7.3-fold higher in sprouts than in seeds. Total amino acid content in both varieties was the highest in hypocotyls, followed by cotyledons and seeds. This content was about 40-fold higher in hypocotyls than in seeds. Alanine and Glycyrrhizin were the most abundant amino acids. Total vitamin C content was the highest in ‘Benny’ cotyledons, followed by ‘Green Sword’ cotyledons, and the lowest in hypocotyls of both varieties. In ‘Green Sword’ seeds, the levels of vitamins B1, B3, B5, and B6 were higher than the levels of B2 and B9. In ‘Benny’, B1 and B3 content were higher in the cotyledon, while B2, B5, and B9 content were higher in the hypocotyl. This study demonstrates the potential of okra sprouts to be used as a functional food ingredient and as a source of antioxidants.Expand abstractOct 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]In vitro culture has the potential to develop micropropagation, genetic transformation, and somaclonal variation in a variety of crops, while hydropriming may promote germination efficiency and seedling growth. In this study, we investigated the effects of hydropriming and explant origin on in vitro culture and the frequency of tetraploids in a small diploid watermelon. Hydropriming statistically reduced germination initiation time, and the time taken for 50% germination. It also enhanced the germination index, and the number of uniform seedlings with enlarged cotyledons increased by 15.5%. Correspondingly, the proximal cotyledons and cotyledonary nodes of hydroprimed seeds produced significantly more explant-producing shoots (24.4% and 17.2%, respectively). The highest level of shoot initiation was seen in hydroprimed cotyledonary nodes (94.7 ± 5.8%), followed by non-primed cotyledonary nodes (77.5 ± 6%), hydroprimed cotyledons (72.4 ± 3.9%), and non-primed cotyledons (48 ± 3.9%). Shoots were not formed from either hydroprimed or non- however, the number of shoots initiated from cotyledonary nodes and cotyledon explants was insignificant, suggesting that both cotyledons and cotyledonary nodes are good sources for the in vitro culture of watermelon. When attempting to produce plants with higher ploidy, choosing explant sources favoring tetraploidy should be considered: in our study, 10.5% of tetraploid regenerants were identified entirely from cotyledon explants. It is possible that cotyledon tissue cells undergo ploidy level changes during culture differentiation. Alternatively, some variations may have already been present in the donor plant tissues. Studying the cytological nature of regenerated plants and the mechanisms leading to tissue culture variation can be useful for inducing future somaclonal variations for crop improvement. Morphological changes in tetraploid regenerants indicated that the altered autopolyploidy trait is genotype-dependent.Expand abstractOct 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Trichomes are specialized epidermal structures that protect plants from abiotic and biotic stresses. Cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum) is known to have both glandular and non-glandular trichomes. However, the criteria for trichome type classification have not been studied in detail. In addition, there is a poor understanding of the types of trichomes that exist in wild potato species. Here, the morphology and density of trichomes were compared between a representative cultivated potato variety and 17 wild potato species using Cryo Scanning Electron Microscopy (CryoSEM). Based on trichome morphology, the cultivated variety and each of the wild species were seen to have two glandular and two non-glandular trichome types. We classified the eighteen potato species into four groups using trichome type and density criteria. Groups I and II represented species with a higher density of glandular or non-glandular trichomes, respectively, on both abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces. Group III represented species with a higher density of non-glandular trichomes on abaxial leaf surfaces alone. Group IV represented species with an overall lower trichome density on both abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces, but which was formed of both glandular and non-glandular types. Honey dew spots were quantified following infestation with the aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae to test whether trichome composition is associated with resistance to aphid feeding. Fewer honey dew spots were observed in the Group I representative species S. berthaultii and S. hougasii compared to that in species from other groups. Furthermore, correlation coefficient analysis showed that honey dew spot number was negatively associated with glandular trichome density. These results imply that glandular trichomes play an important role in aphid resistance and thus can be used for developing insect-resistant potato.Expand abstractAug 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Many ginsenoside biosynthesis-related genes have been identified in Panax ginseng. However, there is no report of the analysis of changes in gene expression induced methyl jasmonic acid (MeJA) using DNA microarray analysis. To identify the genes related to ginsenoside biosynthesis, we harvested P. ginseng adventitious roots at 0, 24, 72 and 120 h after MeJA treatment. At 120 h after MeJA elicitation, the contents of all ginsenosides increased compared to the control. We analyzed gene expression patterns in ginseng adventitious roots treated with MeJA using DNA microarray analysis and selected candidate genes related to ginsenoside biosynthesis, including genes encoding squalene synthase (SQS), squalene epoxidase (SE), dammarenediol-II synthase (DS), cytochrome P450 oxidase (CYP) and glycosyltransferase (GT). The expression patterns of these genes in MeJA-treated ginseng adventitious roots obtained by quantitative RT-PCR were consistent with those obtained by microarray analysis. Therefore, DNA microarray analysis is an efficient tool for selecting candidate genes associated with secondary metabolite biosynthesis in plants.Expand abstractAug 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]The red coloration of young crabapple (Malus orientalis) flowers results from their high cellular concentration of anthocyanins. As the petals grow larger, the color fades, which is commonly regarded as being caused by floral tissue expansion diluting the anthocyanin levels in larger cells. We hypothesized that the anthocyanins are degraded due to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and that the concentrations of each phenolic intermediate depends on the physiological growth of flower petals. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed to characterize the identities and concentrations of the diverse array of phenolics present during different growth stages in the crabapple flowers. The concentrations of gallic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, chlorogenic acid, phloridzin, procyanidin B1, procyanidin B2, and catechin significantly increased throughout development, while epicatechin and cyanidin-3-galactoside levels declined. Most flavonols (quercetin-3-xyloside, quercetin-3-rhaminose, quercetin-3-glucoside, and quercetin-3-arabinoside) increased until the fourth stage, after which they declined suddenly. Likewise, cyanidin-3-galactoside degraded sharply at stage III, exhibiting reciprocal relationship with H2O2 concentration. Our results suggest that the concentrations of phenolic compounds are congruent with their functional activities in floral tissues, and that their systematic fluctuation mainly depends on environmental cues and physiological imbalances, not merely petal expansion. The results of this study will be useful for better understanding the physiological changes in phenolic content and anthocyanin degradation that occur during flower development.Expand abstractAug 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThe objectives of this research were: 1) to assess the effect of biochar incorporation on the growth of basil (Ocimum basilicum ‘Genovese Compact, Improved’) and peppermint (Mentha × piperita) and, 2) to determine the physical characteristic differences in heat-expanded clay (HEC) substrate following incorporations of biochar at 5%, 10%, or 15% (by volume). A commercially-available green roof substrate, Rooflite Intensive Ag (IA) substrate, was included for comparison. The IA substrate had the highest total porosity (TP), container capacity (CC), and air-filled porosity (AP). The HEC substrate showed a linear increase in TP and CC and a linear decrease in dry bulk density with increasing amounts of biochar. The commercially available IA substrate had the highest water retention (CC = 25.0%). Overall, there was a maximum increase of peppermint shoot dry weight (g/shoot) response in the HEC substrate using 15% biochar. Coverage area measurements indicated that peppermint benefited more than basil from the incorporation of biochar. Biochar alone did not influence stomatal conductance, although basil or peppermint grown in the IA substrate had higher stomatal conductance than plants grown on HEC with all three biochar incorporation rates at 3 and 4 d after irrigation, probably due to the lower aboveground biomass of the IA-grown plants. In conclusion, the addition of biochar amendment to HEC substrate had a minor influence on peppermint growth and no influence on stomatal conductance of either basil or peppermint.Expand abstractAug 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cold hardiness and phospholipid and fatty acid content in leaves and roots of chrysanthemum, and to explore cold resistance mechanisms of chrysanthemum in order to provide a theoretical basis for selecting and breeding a new cold-resistant cultivar. We analyzed the phospholipid and fatty acid components in leaves and roots of 10 autumn chrysanthemum cultivars including six early-flowering cultivars and four late-flowering cultivars. We determined the content of phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), phosphatidyl choline (PC), phosphatidyl serine (PS), phosphatidyl glycerol (PG), myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), docosanoic acid (C22:0), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and linolenic acid (C18:3) in leaves and roots of chrysanthemum seedlings grown at 16°C and 5°C. The cultivars had different responses to low temperature that included changes in the cell membrane composition in leaves and roots. The main phospholipid in leaves and roots of chrysanthemum was PE, and the main saturated fatty acid was palmitic acid. Among unsaturated fatty acids, linolenic acid was found in leaves, whereas oleic acid and linoleic acid were present in the roots. Based on the unsaturated fatty acid content and the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids in leaves, the early-flowering cultivars ‘Tan Xiang Shi Zi’ and ‘Tong Que Chun Shen’ and the late-flowering cultivars ‘Guan Dong Xin Xia’ and ‘Yun Long Feng Wu’ were classified as strongly cold tolerant, while the early-flowering cultivar ‘Jin Feng Ling’ and the late-flowering cultivar ‘Mo Bao’ were weakly cold tolerant.Expand abstractAug 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyAug 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyThis study evaluated the effect of the hydrophilic polymer Super-AB-A-300 on salt and drought resistance in Eucalyptus saligna Sm. One-year-old cuttings of E. saligna were treated with salt (2 L of 300 mM NaCl), drought stress, and salt an untreated set of cuttings was used as a control. All treatments were conducted with and without the Super-AB-A-300 polymer in the soil mixture. The Super-AB-A-300 polymer held more water in the soil during water-deficit conditions and promoted tolerance to salinity and drought stresses in the E. saligna rooted cuttings. In addition, the Super-AB-A-300 polymer retained Cl? and Na? in the soil solution due to its high water-holding capability and the exchangeable K? in the Super-AB-A-300 resulted in an amended K? /Na? balance in the salt-treated plants. Furthermore, the Super-AB-A-300 polymer promoted greater resistance to salinity plus drought stresses, due to the salt- and water-holding capabilities of the polymer.Expand abstractAug 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologySumoylation is a post-translational modification that mediates several regulatory processes in plants. It is associated with developmental processes such as cellular division, expansion and differentiation, and vegetative and reproductive growth. The primary function of SUMO E3 ligases is to control the mitotic cycle and maintain meristematic cells. Arabidopsis thaliana HIGH PLOIDY2 (HPY2), a SUMO E3 ligase, might therefore be expected to promote cell division and increase organ size when overexpressed in the model ornamental plant Petunia multiflora. One month after Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, nine putative transgenic P. multiflora plants were regenerated on selection medium, and were found to have high expression levels of AtHPY2. The proportion of cells in G2M phase, length of in vitro-cultivated plantlets, and trichome length all increased in transgenic lines compared with the wild type (WT). Transgenic petunia lines also exhibited increased growth, leaf and flower area, and flower number. Flowering time was also faster in transgenic P. multiflora than in the WT, and flower numbers increased. These results suggest that AtHPY2 overexpression stimulates cell division. This finding may be useful in controlling plant and flower size, and flowering timing and abundance in P. multiflora and other ornamentals.Expand abstractAug 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai var. lanatus) is an economically important crop in South Korea. Although efforts have been made to develop disease-resistant cultivars, defense signal pathways in watermelon are still unknown. GNK2 domain containing proteins in plants are involved in oxidative stress and salt stress, and in defense signaling responses to pathogens and viruses. Arabidopsis thaliana plasmodesmata-located protein 5 (PDLP5) controls cell-to-cell communication and defense signaling. We identified five Arabidopsis PDLP5 (AtPDLP5) homologous in watermelon, using the Cucurbit Genomics Database. The five putative watermelon PDLPs had two GNK2 domains and showed high sequence identities to AtPDLP5. Their mRNAs were expressed in three watermelon cultivars, PI189225, Au-Producer, and 920533. Each mRNA was differently expressed after infection of Colletotrichum orbiculare, Didymella bryoniae, and Pseudomonas syringae. In addition to pathogen infection, their expression patterns were altered when subjected to abiotic stresses (drought, salt, and cold) or salicylic acid treatment. Cla006974 mRNA was absent in the 920533 cultivar infected with D. bryoniae. Based on these findings, we propose that five putative watermelon PDLPs are involved in defense against fungal pathogens and abiotic stresses. In addition, Cla006974 could be useful as a marker for selecting Gummy stem blight-resistant cultivars via molecular screening.Expand abstractJun 2017Horticulture, Environment and BiotechnologyGrowth and flowering of Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC. ‘Sentimental Blue’ was evaluated in growing media amended with pellets (P) processed with poultry feather keratins with and without application of slow-release fertilizer. Macro- and micro-nutrients in the media were analyzed in pellets before and after mixing them with peatmoss (PM) during plant growth and flowering. Peatmoss was mixed with pellets at the ratio of 4 to 1 by volume. Leachates and leaf tissues were analyzed during plant culture. Pellets were grouped into treatments of (a) pellets with shredded or powdered forms of poultry feather keratin, (b) pellets containing polyactide as a substitution for perlite, and (c) pellets enriched with urea to evaluate if these pellets function as a slow-release fertilizer when mixed with PM. The number of days to anthesis was shorter in PM medium supplemented with P45-1, P45-2, and P84 than in other media. The number of branches, flowers, and fresh weight was greater in the media with P45-2 mixed in with PM and Osmocote (OS) application. Pellet45-2 is recommended as an inert material to prepare a new soilless growing medium. Pellets made from long fiber or long fiber plus powder forms of feather keratin did not affect growth and flowering. Low levels of soluble salts (EC) in the media and leachates 60 days after seedling transplantation suggested that additional fertilizer is required during culture. Inferior plant growth and flowering in the medium containing polylactide was not observed with Osmocote application during 60 days of growth. The feasibility of testing pellets enriched with urea (P73 Urea) as a source of slow release nitrogen should be considered carefully due to the high concentration of NH4-N in the media. Based on the growth and flowering responses and on the concentrations of macro- and micro-nutrients in the media, leachates, and leaf tissue, P45-2 can be used to prepare a growing medium with PM. The suggested ranges compiled for general ornamental plants can be recommended for platycodon ‘Sentimental Blue’ based on concentrations of macro- and micro-nutrients in growing media, leachates, and leaf tissue.Expand abstractJun 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]Mahonia bealei (Fort.) Carr., is an economic plant cultivated in Southwest China commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, a response surface methodology was used to optimize experimental conditions for the extraction of phenolic compounds from the leaves of Mahonia bealei (Fort.) Carr. The highest extraction ratio of phenolic compounds yielded 39.1 mg gallic acid equivalent/g of dry weight using an ethanol concentration of 30% (v/v) as a solvent and a liquid-to-solid ratio of 21:1 (mL·g ?? ) for 2 h in 63°C. The crude material was extracted under optimal conditions, enriched, and then purified through a D-101 macroporous adsorption resin, giving a phenolic compound-enriched fraction we named TPMB. Evaluation of its in vitro antioxidant activity suggested that TPMB significantly scavenged the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, superoxide radical, and hydrogen peroxide in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, TPMB also exhibited a strong reducing ability and provided protection against oxidative damage induced by oxidative stress in cellular antioxidant activity assays. The results from this study indicate the suitability of the response surface methodology in optimizing the solvent extraction of phenolic compounds from M. bealei. Further research showed that TPMB possesses a strong anti-radical activity and may be an effective oxidation resistance treatment in the medical and food industries.Expand abstractJun 2017Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology[...]This study investigates the effects of radiation heat-load reduction under different shading conditions on the growth of three-year-old bayberry (Myrica rubra) trees from 1 July through 31 October 2007 in the Zhejiang Province, a warm subtropical region of China. The trees were grown under direct sunlight (control) and under 25%, 50%, and 75% shading conditions using black plastic nets. Stomatal conductance and photosynthesis were greatest under 50% shading, as were plant height and leaf and root dry weights. Twenty-five percent shading did not significantly influence plant height or root and leaf dry weights, whereas 75% shading resulted in a decrease in root and leaf dry weights when compared with the controls. The photochemical efficiency and electron transport of PSII increased under shaded conditions due to an increase in D1 protein. The concentrations of chlorophyll a and b and the total chlo