When Light Is Crucial, but Wind Is Rather Trivial: A Basil Case Study.

Light intensity and wind are critical environmental factors of abiotic stress on plants, triggering a considerable number of morphological and physiological responses. This study tested the hypothesis that different light and wind conditions (full sunlight ± wind, shade ± wind) would affect the leaf content of photosynthetic pigments and anthocyanins, as well as the plant height, the fresh and dry weight of the aboveground part, and Water-Use Efficiency on plants. About 16 days after the application of the different conditions, all leaf pigments of the shaded plants exhibited increased contents compared to the lightened ones.

LED omics in Rocket Salad (): Comparative Analysis in Different Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Spectrum and Energy Consumption.

By applying three different LED light treatments, designated as blue (B), red (R)/blue (B), red (R) and white (W) light, as well as the control, the effect on phenotype (yield and quality), and physiological, biochemical, and molecular status, as well as growing system resource use efficiency, was examined. We observed that basic leaf characteristics, such as leaf area, leaf number, relative chlorophyll content, as well as root characteristics, such as total root length and root architecture, remained unaffected by different LEDs. Yield expressed in fresh weight was slightly lower in LED lights than in the control (1113 g m), with R light producing the least (679 g m).

and Silicon-Based Biostimulants Differentially Affect the Physiology and Growth of Watermelon Transplants under Abiotic Stress Factors: The Case of Salinity.

Salinization of cultivated soils is a global phenomenon mainly caused by agricultural practices and deteriorates plant production. Biostimulants are products which can be applied exogenously to enhance the plants' defense mechanism and improve their developmental characteristics, also under abiotic stresses. We studied the potential of two biostimulants, (Asc) seaweed and a silicon-based (Si), to alleviate the saline conditions endured by watermelon transplants.

Diurnal photosynthetic performance of two oak species from two provenances in a Mediterranean and a central European common garden.

Oaks may contribute to the stabilization of European forests under climate change. We utilized two common gardens established in contrasting growth regimes, in Greece (Olympiada) and Germany (Schwanheim), to compare the diurnal photosynthetic performance of a Greek and an Italian provenance of two Mediterranean oaks ( and ) during the 2019 growing season. Although the higher radiation in the southern common garden led to a strong midday depression of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (maximum quantum efficiency of PSII, performance index on absorption basis), comparable light-saturated net photosynthetic rates were achieved in both study areas.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis in Homo- and Hetero-Grafted Cucurbit Seedlings.

Watermelon () is a valuable horticultural crop with nutritional benefits grown worldwide. It is almost exclusively cultivated as grafted scions onto interspecific squash rootstock ( × ) to improve the growth and yield and to address the problems of soilborne diseases and abiotic stress factors. This study aimed to examine the effect of grafting (homo- and hetero-grafting) on the transcriptome level of the seedlings.

Blue light promotes vascular reconnection, while red light boosts the physiological response and quality of grafted watermelon seedlings.

The wound inflicted during grafting of watermelon seedlings requires rapid and sufficient vascular development which is affected by light quality. Our objective was to investigate the effect of light spectra emitted by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) during healing of grafted watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) seedlings on their vascular development, physiological and phytohormonal profile, and root architecture. Three LEDs emitting red (R), blue (B), and RB with 12% blue (12B) were tested in a healing chamber.

Light Spectrum Differentially Affects the Yield and Phytochemical Content of Microgreen Vegetables in a Plant Factory.

Light quality exerts considerable effects on crop development and phytochemical content. Moreover, crops grown as microgreens are ideal for plant factories with artificial lighting, since they contain greater amounts of bioactive compounds compared to fully-grown plants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of broad-spectra light with different red/blue ratios on the yield, morphology, and phytochemical content of seven microgreens.

Influence of Light Spectra from LEDs and Scion × Rootstock Genotype Combinations on the Quality of Grafted Watermelon Seedlings.

Grafting is the main means of propagation for watermelon crops. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether light quality during graft healing variably affects different scion × rootstock genotype combinations. Two watermelon hybrid scions (Sunny Florida F1 and Celine F1) and two interspecific squash rootstocks (Radik and TZ-148) were used, and four scion × rootstock genotype combinations derived.

A comprehensive review on carotenoids in foods and feeds: , applications, patents, and research needs.

Carotenoids are isoprenoids widely distributed in foods that have been always part of the diet of humans. Unlike the other so-called food bioactives, some carotenoids can be converted into retinoids exhibiting vitamin A activity, which is essential for humans. Furthermore, they are much more versatile as they are relevant in foods not only as sources of vitamin A, but also as natural pigments, antioxidants, and health-promoting compounds.

Controlled root-zone temperature effect on baby leaf vegetables yield and quality in a floating system under mild and extreme weather conditions.

Background: A floating system is a suitable low-cost hydroponic method for growing baby leaf vegetables. Among other, an important characteristic of the system is the use of large volume of nutrient solution which is characterized by high heat capacity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different root-zone temperatures on baby leaves of lettuce and rocket plants grown in a floating system under mild (spring) or extreme environmental conditions (summer and winter).