Berry Quality and Anthocyanin Content of 'Consort' Black Currants Grown under Artificial Shade.

The effect of artificial shade on berry quality parameters for the field-grown black currant cultivar 'Consort' were investigated over two growing seasons in Urbana, Illinois. Four shade treatments reduced photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) from 37 to 83%. Shade had no effect on soluble solids in up to 65% PAR reduction but decreased 11% in 83% shade in one of two years.

Linking anthocyanin diversity, hue, and genetics in purple corn.

While maize with anthocyanin-rich pericarp (purple corn) is rising in popularity as a source of natural colorant for foods and beverages, information on color range and stability-factors associated with anthocyanin decorations and compositional profiles-is currently limited. Furthermore, to maximize the scalability and meet growing demands, both anthocyanin concentrations and agronomic performance must improve in purple corn varieties. Using the natural anthocyanin diversity present in a purple corn landrace, Apache Red, we generated a population with variable flavonoid profiles-flavanol-anthocyanin condensed forms (0-83%), acylated anthocyanins (2-72%), pelargonidin-derived anthocyanins (5-99%), C-glycosyl flavone co-pigments up to 1904 µg/g, and with anthocyanin content up to 1598 µg/g.

A natural colorant system from corn: Flavone-anthocyanin copigmentation for altered hues and improved shelf life.

Anthocyanins are a major source of natural red colorants but currently face difficulties matching the hue range, stability, and affordability of synthetic options. Purple corn offers an FDA and EFSA-approved economical source of anthocyanin-based colorants. A C-glycosyl flavone and anthocyanin copigmentation system consisting of a flavone-rich anthocyanin-poor line and two anthocyanin-rich flavone-poor lines containing either pelargonidin or cyanidin-derived anthocyanins is described.

Prospects for economical natural colorants: insights from maize.

Anthocyanin pigments from maize offer a natural yet economical alternative to artificial dyes. Breeding for optimal colorant production requires understanding and integrating all facets of anthocyanin chemistry and genetics research. Replacing artificial dyes with natural colorants is becoming increasingly popular in foods and beverages.

Relationship of phenolic composition of selected purple maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes with their anti-inflammatory, anti-adipogenic and anti-diabetic potential.

This study aimed to investigate the associations between phenolic composition of selected purple maize genotypes and their anti-inflammatory, anti-adipogenic and anti-diabetic properties in vitro. Anthocyanin-rich water extracts (PMWs) from 20 purple maize genotypes were evaluated in RAW 264.7 macrophages and 3T3-L1 adipocytes under different conditions.

Activating Effects of Phenolics from Apache Red L. on Free Fatty Acid Receptor 1 and Glucokinase Evaluated with a Dual Culture System with Epithelial, Pancreatic, and Liver Cells.

The aim was to characterize a phenolic-rich water extract from the pericarp of an improved genotype of Apache red maize (RPE) and evaluate its ability to activate the type 2 diabetes markers free fatty acid receptor 1 (GPR40) and glucokinase (GK) . The extract contained mainly phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and other flavonoids. RPE inhibited α-amylase (IC = 88.

Unique Flavanol-Anthocyanin Condensed Forms in Apache Red Purple Corn.

Anthocyanin pigments from purple corn are being explored as a potential alternative to artificial colorants and for their health-promoting properties. However, all pericarp-pigmented corn varieties examined to date primarily contain cyanidin-derived anthocyanins, which produce bluish-red or pink extracts. Here we describe the first pelargonidin-dominant pericarp-pigmented corn lines from the landrace Apache Red (AR).

Differential methylation and expression of HUA1 ortholog in three sex types of papaya.

Papaya is trioecious and an excellent system for studying sex determination and differentiation in plants. An ortholog of HUA1, CpHUA1, a gene controlling stamen and carpel development in Arabidopsis, was cloned and characterized in papaya. CpHUA1 consists of 12 exons with full genomic length of 19,313 bp in male AU9 and 19,312 bp in hermaphrodite SunUp, whereas the Arabidopsis HUA1 consists of 12 exons with full genomic length of 4300 bp.

Comparison of chemical, color stability, and phenolic composition from pericarp of nine colored corn unique varieties in a beverage model.

The objective was to compare the chemical stability and color of nine unique anthocyanin-rich colored corn varieties named/coded as V1, V2, V3… V9. Extracts were added to a beverage model and stored at 4 °C, 22°C, or 32°C for 12weeks. After 12 weeks of storage at 32°C, variety V6 [high condensed form (CF), high cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G)] had the longest anthocyanin half-life, based on the quantification by HPLC.

A comparative study of anthocyanin distribution in purple and blue corn coproducts from three conventional fractionation processes.

The aim was to compare the distribution of ANCs in purple and blue corn coproducts from three conventional corn fractionation processes and linking ANC partitioning in different coproducts to corn kernel phenotype. Total monomeric anthocyanin (TA) from purple corn extract was 4933.1±43.

Survey of Anthocyanin Composition and Concentration in Diverse Maize Germplasms.

Increasing consumer demand for natural ingredients in foods and beverages justifies investigations into more economic sources of natural colorants. In this study, 398 genetically diverse pigmented accessions of maize were analyzed using HPLC to characterize the diversity of anthocyanin composition and concentration in maize germplasm. One hundred and sixty-seven accessions were identified that could produce anthocyanins in the kernel pericarp or aleurone and were classified into compositional categories.

Managing the evolution of herbicide resistance.

Background: Understanding and managing the evolutionary responses of pests and pathogens to control efforts is essential to human health and survival. Herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds undermine agricultural sustainability, productivity and profitability, yet the epidemiology of resistance evolution - particularly at landscape scales - is poorly understood. We studied glyphosate resistance in a major agricultural weed, Amaranthus tuberculatus (common waterhemp), using landscape, weed and management data from 105 central Illinois grain farms, including over 500 site-years of herbicide application records.