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Innovative Cultivation Techniques to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Vegetables

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A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 23378

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Athanasios Koukounaras

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Guest Editor

Department of Horticulture, Aristotle University, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: cultivation techniques for vegetable production; quality of vegetable products; hydroponic vegetable production; postharvest physiology of vegetables; role of light on vegetables’ growth; quality of seedlings; quality and seed germination; vegetable grafting; innovative forms of vegetable products; organic cultivation of vegetables
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Prof. Dr. Zoran Ilic

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Faculty of Agriculture, University of Pristina, Serbia, Piština, 38219 Lešak, Serbia
Interests: organic vegetables production and quality; postharvest physiology of vegetables; preharvest factors effect on qualiy (especially shadow nets and grafting)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over 800 vegetables species are cultivated worldwide, offering a wide range of commodities with different quality characteristics (appearance and taste). Additionally, over the last years, there has been continuously increasing interest about the nutritional quality of vegetables, as their beneficial contribution to human health, because of their content on health-promoting substances (vitamins, phenolics, carotenoids, etc). On the contrary, vegetables could contain compounds that could be harmful to consumers, such as nitrates or heavy metals. To attend to consumers’ demands is critical in order to answer how preharvest factors are controlling the content of the compounds that contribute to the nutritional quality. The aim of this Issue is the effect of novel, innovative, and cultivation practices and technologies to manage production of vegetables, with a high nutritional value.

Dr. Athanasios Koukounaras
Prof. Dr. Zoran Ilic
Guest Editors

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Keywords

biodiversity
fertilization
grafting
shading nets
hydroponics
indoor growing systems
antioxidants
nitrates

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 716 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Strategic Successive Harvesting of Rocket and Spinach Baby Leaves Enhanced Their Quality and Production Efficiency

by Filippos Bantis, Chrysos Kaponas, Charalambos Charalambous and Athanasios Koukounaras

Agriculture 2021, 11(5), 465; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11050465 - 20 May 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2823

Abstract

Rocket and spinach baby leaves are valuable commodities since they are basic components of popular ready-made salads. Two methods may follow after harvesting: establishment of new cultivations or successive revegetations and harvests. This study aimed to investigate the yield and nutritional value of rocket and spinach baby leaves after individual cultivations or successive revegetations in a floating system to improve their production strategy. The crops were cultivated in a greenhouse for seven weeks using a floating system with an adjusted nutrient solution. The leaves were either harvested and immediately replaced with a new set of plants (control) or harvested and placed again in the same tank in order to revegetate (revegetation). Revegetated rocket baby leaves in five cuts produced similar yield, with greater antioxidant capacity (DPPH scavenging activity) and total phenolic content, and greater nitrate content (eight times below the maximum allowed by EU) compared to control. Revegetated spinach produced more yield with enhanced antioxidant activity and total phenolic content and the same nitrate content compared to the control. Colour was not affected in either crop, thus eliminating the possibility for market rejection. Production efficiency was increased, as shown by the yields and the reduced resources provided in the revegetation tank. Thus, successive harvesting and revegetation are suggested for increased production efficiency and quality of rocket and spinach baby leaves. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Cultivation Techniques to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Vegetables)

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12 pages, 746 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

EC Sensitivity of Hydroponically-Grown Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Types in Terms of Nitrate Accumulation

by Noémi Kappel, Ildikó Fruzsina Boros, Francia Seconde Ravelombola and László Sipos

Agriculture 2021, 11(4), 315; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11040315 - 03 Apr 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4765

Abstract

The goal of this research was to investigate the effect of electrical conductivity (EC) levels of the nutrient solution on the fresh weight, chlorophyll, and nitrate content of hydroponic-system-grown lettuce. The selected cultivars are the most representative commercial varieties grown for European markets. Seven cultivars (‘Sintia,’ ‘Limeira,’ ‘Corentine,’ ‘Cencibel,’ ‘Kiber,’ ‘Attiraï,’ and ‘Rouxaï’) of three Lactuca sativa L. types’ (butterhead, loose leaf, and oak leaf) were grown in a phytotron in rockwool, meanwhile the EC level of the nutrient solutions were different: normal (<1.3 dS/m) and high (10 dS/m). The plants in the saline condition had a lower yield but elevated chlorophyll content and nitrate level, although the ‘Limeira’ and ‘Cencibel’ cultivars had reduced nitrate levels. The results and the special characteristic of the lollo-type cultivars showed that the nitrate level could be very different due to salinity (‘Limeira’ had the lowest (684 µg/g fresh weight (FW)) and ‘Cencibel’ had the highest (4396 µg/g FW)). There was a moderately strong negative correlation (−0.542) in the reverse ratio among the chlorophyll and nitrate contents in plants treated with a normal EC value, while this relationship was not shown in the saline condition. Under the saline condition, cultivars acted differently, and all examined cultivars stayed under the permitted total nitrate level (5000 µg/g FW). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Cultivation Techniques to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Vegetables)

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12 pages, 1492 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physiological and Phytochemical Responses of Spinach Baby Leaves Grown in a PFAL System with LEDs and Saline Nutrient Solution

by Filippos Bantis, Mariangela Fotelli, Zoran S. Ilić and Athanasios Koukounaras

Agriculture 2020, 10(11), 574; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10110574 - 23 Nov 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4198

Abstract

Spinach is a leafy vegetable containing a plethora of bioactive compounds. Our study aimed to evaluate the physiological (i.e., JIP-test) and phytochemical response of spinach baby leaves grown with regular or mildly saline (40 mM NaCl) nutrient solution and irradiated by four light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with broad spectra. T1 (highest red and far-red, low blue) and T3 (high red, balanced blue, green and far-red) led to a better developed photosynthetic apparatus compared to T2 (red peak in 631 nm) and T4 (highest blue and green), highlighted by PI_ABS and its structural components: RC/ABS, φ_P0, ψ_E0, and ΔV_IP. Elevated salinity only affected the latter parameter. T1 induced the maximum yield production but also the highest nitrate content which was far below the maximum level permitted by European legislation. Regardless of salinity level, T3 enhanced total phenol, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content. T2 and T4 led to inferior nutritional quality. Non-saline nutrient solution promoted the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents and the antioxidant potential, regardless of light treatment. By contrast, soluble sugar content was enhanced by saline nutrient solution. Our study shows that physiology and nutritional quality of spinach baby leaves can be manipulated by small interplays in the light spectra and salinity level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Cultivation Techniques to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Vegetables)

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8 pages, 217 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Watermelon Rootstock/Scion Relationships and the Effects of Fruit-Thinning and Stem-Pruning on Yield and Postharvest Fruit Quality

by Merav Zaaroor-Presman, Sharon Alkalai-Tuvia, Daniel Chalupowicz, Marina Beniches, Abraham Gamliel and Elazar Fallik

Agriculture 2020, 10(9), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10090366 - 19 Aug 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3550

Abstract

This study examined the effects of stem-pruning and fruit-thinning on the yield of marketable watermelon fruit (>5 kg) and watermelon quality after four days of postharvest storage at 22 °C (marketing simulation). We examined the fruits from non-grafted and grafted plants (TZ and Nurit rootstocks) for two consecutive years. Grafting increased the number of marketable fruit per m². The weight of the average marketable fruit was increased by pruning, but was not affected by thinning or by the choice of rootstock. The level of total soluble solids was higher among fruits from Nurit rootstock. Flesh texture was improved by grafting, but was not affected by thinning or pruning. Thinning improved the taste of the fruit significantly better than stem-pruning did. Grafting (both rootstocks) was associated with crispier fruits. The fruits from Nurit-grafted plants tasted best. The combination of grafting + fruit-thinning increased the fruit lycopene content. The highest levels of vitamin C were found among the fruit from Nurit-grafted plants and the pruned + Nurit-grafted plants, in particular. Overall, fruit quality was affected mainly by grafting onto Nurit rootstock in combination with fruit-thinning and less by stem-pruning. However, not all internal and nutritional quality parameters were significantly affected by the grafting + fruit-thinning treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Cultivation Techniques to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Vegetables)

14 pages, 1191 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Grafting and Shading—The Influence on Postharvest Tomato Quality

by Zoran S. Ilić, Athanasios Koukounaras, Lidija Milenković, Žarko Kevrešan, Aleksandra Bajić, Ljubomir Šunić, Renata Kovač, Elazar Fallik and Jasna Mastilović

Agriculture 2020, 10(5), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10050181 - 21 May 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3498

Abstract

Interaction of grafting and shading on tomato physical properties and chemical composition after 15 days of storage at 10 °C and 90% relative humidity was investigated in ungrafted and grafted tomato cultivars ‘Optima F₁’ and ‘Big beef F₁’ grown under shading nets (red and pearl net) and nonshaded conditions. For grafted plants ‘Maxifort’ rootstock was used. The effects of two weeks of storage was statistically significant when taking into account the effects of grafting, shading and variety for all tomato fruit composition parameters, except total phenols. A principal component analysis demonstrated that the changes in tomato fruit traits during the studied storage period were the main source of differentiation in tomato fruit quality. Beside a slight loss of firmness, tomato fruits were generally expected to have lower lycopene, sugar, malic and citric acid contents, higher succinic acid content, more elastic fruit skin and higher ascorbic acid content. Additionally, after storage, fruits from grafted plants had lower total phenol, higher ascorbic acid and higher succinic acid contents compared to fruits from ungrafted plants. Storage diminishes the differences in quality achieved through convenient grafting and shading combinations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Cultivation Techniques to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Vegetables)

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17 pages, 1377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flooding Stress and High-Pressure Treatment Enhance the GABA Content of the Vegetable Soybean (Glycine max Merr.)

by Man-Shin Shiu, Yuan-Tay Shyu and Sz-Jie Wu

Agriculture 2020, 10(5), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10050175 - 15 May 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3462

Abstract

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and of substantial physiological significance to mammals. The GABA content of plants is generally low; however, it increases significantly when plants encounter stress. The present study investigates the effects of flooding stress and high-pressure processing on GABA content enrichment in the vegetable soybean (Glycine max Merr.) cultivar Kaohsiung No. 9 and potential mechanisms. Results indicate that flooding stress increased the GABA content of vegetable soybean kernels, with the possible mechanism involving the upregulation of glutamic acid decarboxylase 5 (GAD5) and aminoaldehyde dehydrogenase (AMADH) and downregulation of succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH). High-pressure treatment increased the GABA content through increased GAD activity. A specific combination of flooding stress, high-pressure treatment, and storage treatment enhanced vegetable soybean GABA content up to 696.6 ± 65.7 mg/100 g. Flooding treatment prior to harvesting did not cause differences in consumption quality. These results show that flooding stress and high pressure treatment can increase GABA content and enhance the functional value of the vegetable soybean cultivar Kaohsiung No. 9. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Cultivation Techniques to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Vegetables)

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