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Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants

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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural and Floricultural Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2020) | Viewed by 33157

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Dr. Ferdinando Branca

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Department of Agricultural Sciences, Food and Environment-Di3A, University of Catania Via Valdisavoia n. 5, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: conservation and exploitation of the germplasm of species of interest as vegetable and medicinal interest, organic breeding, plant propagation and seed production, systems and growing techniques and methods with low environmental impact, biometric, biochemical and genetic characterization of species of interest as vegetable and/or medicinal, vegetable product and process innovation
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Dear Colleagues,

The domestication and crop evolution have occurred for several species, but until now, not all the agro-biodiversity available has been well exploited and utilized. In addition, a great contribution could be offered by several landraces and crop wild relatives that to date have grown in several traditional agrosystems and/or conserved in several genebanks around the world. So far, there is a long list of neglected and/or underutilized species of interest for innovating and for improving vegetables and aromatic and medicinal product. The climate change constraints and the new requests of consumers for healthy foods and of growers for resilient, efficient, and sustainable new cultivars and crops have encouraged several research groups to characterize and to evaluate the collected germplasm for their agronomic, organoleptic, nutraceutical, technological, and genetic traits.

The proposed Special Issue would like to point the attention to the ongoing research activities dealing with the germplasm exploitation of traditional, neglected and underutilized species for innovative vegetable, aromatic, and medicinal food supply chains.

Dr. Ferdinando Branca
Guest Editor

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Keywords

vegetable, aromatic, and medicinal plant innovation
crop domestication and evolution
agronomic, organoleptic, nutraceutical, and technological traits
miRNAs
healthy and super foods

Published Papers (10 papers)

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18 pages, 1501 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Italian and Spanish Accessions of Brassica rapa L.: Effect of Flowering Earliness on Fresh Yield and Biological Value

by María Elena Cartea, Maria Concetta Di Bella, Pablo Velasco, Pilar Soengas, Stefania Toscano and Ferdinando Branca

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010029 - 25 Dec 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2552

Abstract

A comparative study for evaluating Italian and Spanish accessions of Brassica rapa var. rapa L., including turnip greens and turnip tops, was carried out at different locations with a view to determine the effect of earliness on crop production, antioxidant activity, glucosinolates amount, and profile (GLSs) and total phenolics content. The accessions evaluated were represented by two turnip top local varieties (one Italian variety and a Galician one), four new synthetic varieties established by Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), and three commercial varieties widely used by growers in Galicia and in Italy. The results showed a great variability regarding flowering time, fresh and dry weight of the leaves and flower buds, and the branch number per plant. The highest turnip greens production was found in two synthetic varieties (“SIN07” and “SIN01”) for both countries. Local varieties “BRS550” and “CM39” were also suitable for turnip greens production in Spain and Italy, respectively. For turnip tops, the highest production was found for “SIN07” in Spain, for “CM39” in Italy and for “BRS550” in both countries. We found a high diversity in the total and individual glucosinolate, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity among genotypes, geographical origins, and the different parts of the plant (leaf and flower). Varieties “SIN01” and “SIN07” showed the highest values in total GLSs, total aliphatic and gluconapin contents in turnip greens followed by the two commercial varieties. For turnip tops, the highest values in gluconapin, aliphatic, and total GLSs contents were found in “SIN01” and “BRS550”. Even though different varieties stand out over the rest depending on the location, “SIN01”, “SIN07”, “CM39”, and “BRS550” could be recommended for turnip greens production because of its high antioxidant activity. The study showed that the latest varieties are more productive and show higher bioactive compounds than the earlier ones and that it is possible to improve genotypes for different growing cycles. Therefore, these varieties could be proposed for further breeding programs for B. rapa production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)

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20 pages, 3726 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Root and Agro-Morphological Traits Performance in Cowpea under Drought Stress

by Ricardo Santos, Márcia Carvalho, Eduardo Rosa, Valdemar Carnide and Isaura Castro

Agronomy 2020, 10(10), 1604; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101604 - 20 Oct 2020

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4224

Abstract

Drought is responsible for major yield losses in many worldwide crops and is expected to occur more frequently due to climate change. Cowpea, one of the most drought tolerant legumes, stands as a promising crop in the future climatic context. The screening for genotypes well adapted to this constraint is an essential step to improve cowpea production. A collection of 29 cowpea genotypes (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) from the Iberian Peninsula and 11 other countries from worldwide regions was grown and submitted to drought stress using pipes with 30 cm (control) and 90 cm (stress) of height in which water was supplied through the bottom. A set of root and agro-morphological parameters were evaluated, including shoot and root dry weight, root:shoot ratio and stem greenness. Overall, results show that under drought stress, plants seem to invest in root development and reduce shoot biomass. Higher root dry weight under drought conditions could be related to a higher drought tolerance in cowpea. Based on the evaluated traits, it was possible to identify genotypes, particularly C47 (Iran), C56 and C11 (Portugal), which might represent promising cowpea genetic resources for improved drought tolerance breeding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)

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11 pages, 2079 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Black Rot Resistance in a Wild Brassica Species and Its Potential Transferability to Cauliflower

by Xiao-Guang Sheng, Ferdinando Branca, Zhen-Qing Zhao, Jian-Sheng Wang, Hui-Fang Yu, Yu-Sen Shen and Hong-Hui Gu

Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1400; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091400 - 16 Sep 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3861

Abstract

Black rot is a destructive disease that affects B. oleracea crops, causing significant losses to growers throughout the world. The purpose of this study was to screen out new sources resistant to Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris race 4 (Xcc4) in 26 cauliflower and six related wild species, and to assess the inheritance of resistance. The results indicate that most of the tested accessions were susceptible or had intermediate resistance, except the Boc4601 (a cauliflower stable inbred line) and PI435896, UNICT5168, and UNICT5169 (wild accessions). Among them, UNICT5169 (Brassica montana) and PI435896 (Brassica balearica) showed the strongest resistance to Xcc4, with significantly lower disease index (DI), area of the infected part (AIP) and proportion of the infected part to the total leaf area (PTL) values. UNICT 5169 was selected as an Xcc4-resistant parent because of its relatively good cross seed-setting rate with cauliflower cultivars. F₁ hybrids were successfully produced between this wild resistant accession (UNICT 5169) and one susceptible cauliflower breeding line (Boc3202-4), indicating the potential transferability of this resistance to cauliflower. The results of the symptoms severity evaluation of the F₂ population indicate that Xcc4 resistance in UNICT5169 is a quantitative trait, which guides future resistance gene location and black rot resistance breeding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)

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15 pages, 2816 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Diversity Analysis of Valeriana officinalis L. Using DArT-seq Derived SNP Markers

by Maja Boczkowska, Katarzyna Bączek, Olga Kosakowska, Anna Rucińska, Wiesław Podyma and Zenon Węglarz

Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1346; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091346 - 07 Sep 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3264

Abstract

Common valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.) is one of the most important medicinal plants, with a mild sedative, nervine, antispasmodic and relaxant effect. Despite a substantial number of studies on this species, the genetic diversity and population structure have not yet been analyzed. Here, we use a next-generation sequencing-based Diversity Array Technology sequencing (DArT-seq) technique to analyze Polish gene bank accessions that originated from wild populations and cultivars. The major and, also, the most astounding result of our work is the low level of observed heterozygosity of individual plants from natural populations, despite the fact that the species is widespread in the studied area. Inbreeding in naturally outcrossing species such as valerian decreases reproductive success. The analysis of the population structure showed the potential presence of a metapopulation in the central part of Poland and the formation of a distinct gene pool in the Bieszczady Mountains. The results also indicate the presence of the cultivated gene pool within wild populations in the region where the species is cultivated for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry, and this could lead to structural and genetic imbalances in wild populations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)

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15 pages, 1804 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Lebanese Germplasm of Snake Melon (Cucumis melo subsp. melo var. flexuosus) Using Morphological Traits and SSR Markers

by Joe Merheb, Magdalena Pawełkowicz, Ferdinando Branca, Hanna Bolibok-Brągoszewska, Agnieszka Skarzyńska, Wojciech Pląder and Lamis Chalak

Agronomy 2020, 10(9), 1293; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091293 - 01 Sep 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3729

Abstract

Snake melon (Cucumis melo subsp. melo L. var. flexuosus (L.) Naudin) is an ancient and traditional crop in the Mediterranean region. Nevertheless, there has been poor interest in assessing snake melon germplasm where its genetic resources have not been surveyed before despite their potential in adaptation to environmental changes. In this study, we assess the genetic diversity of snake melon landraces collected from different Lebanese regions at both morphological and molecular levels. Morphological characterization using a set of 18 descriptors revealed an important phenotypic variability among the landraces studied. Principle component analysis indicated that fruit hair and its consistency, fruit size, and skin color pattern were good criteria for discriminating among landraces. Based on the scatter plot diagram, landraces of snake melon formed five different groups with one being defined as typical var. flexuosus. Ten simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used for the molecular characterization. Fifty-six different alleles were detected, with an average of 5.6 alleles per locus. Polymorphism information content of SSR markers ranged from 0.06 to 0.84 (average 0.38). Cluster analysis based on molecular markers showed high genetic diversity and divided the landraces into five distinct genetic groups, confirming thereby the morphological variability. Findings of this study indicate a significant diversity for the Lebanese snake melon germplasm that must be further conserved and considered in improvement programs of this ancient crop. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)

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16 pages, 1380 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphological Traits and Phenolic Compounds in Tunisian Wild Populations and Cultivated Varieties of Portulaca oleracea L.

by Dorra Sdouga, Ferdinando Branca, Souhir Kabtni, Maria Concetta Di Bella, Neila Trifi-Farah and Sonia Marghali

Agronomy 2020, 10(7), 948; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10070948 - 01 Jul 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3102

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the bio-morphological and biochemical variability of three Tunisian wild populations and one growing cultivar of purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.). The studied varieties should be easily distinguished by the color and the habitus of the plant as mentioned in literature, but the various analyses have shown a strong morphological heterogeneity within and among the wild and cultivated accessions as presented by the variance analysis test (ANOVA) and the PCA (Principal component analysis). We found high intrapopulation variability through the wild populations that make it hard to differentiate them only on the base of morphology. We analyzed the biochemical profile of those populations based on the analysis of freeze-dried samples of leaves and stems. We identified and quantified twelve different phenolic compounds by the HPLC-diode array detector (DAD) technique. Six phenolic acids and flavonoids were identified in the leaves and stems of the wild and cultivated populations. Sinapic acid and myricetin are the majors identified compounds through our samples. The results were significantly different in relation to the plant organs and to the geographic origin for most of the compounds. The obtained results highlighted the importance of Portulaca as a medicinal plant by showing its richness in phenols and flavonoids that have multi-medicinal effects besides their antioxidant power. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)

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16 pages, 1141 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Volatile Profile of Wall Rocket Baby-Leaves (Diplotaxis erucoides) Grown under Greenhouse: Main Compounds and Genotype Diversity

by Carla Guijarro-Real, Adrián Rodríguez-Burruezo and Ana Fita

Agronomy 2020, 10(6), 802; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10060802 - 05 Jun 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2311

Abstract

Wall rocket is a leafy vegetable with pungent flavor related to the presence of isothiocyanates (ITCs). Despite interest in it as a crop of high organoleptic quality, the variability of the volatile profile in the species remains unknown. Twenty-four populations grown under a greenhouse were evaluated. A considerable diversity for the total levels of volatiles was found, providing information of the aroma intensity among accessions. ITCs represented the main fraction. Allyl ITC was the main compound, and levels showed up to 6-fold difference among populations. The esters fraction was mainly represented by cis-3-hexenyl isovalerate and cis-3-hexenyl butyrate, with 20-fold differences among populations. Additionally, the content in sinigrin was evaluated as main GSL in wall rocket. Differences reached up to 13-fold. These results suggest that some populations can be used to develop highly pungent varieties, whereas some others can be selected for mild-pungent varieties, as it is the case of DER045 with low levels of ITCs and high in esters. The presence of several ITCs in the profile also suggested the presence of other novel GSLs. Overall, the work increases the knowledge in the variability of wall rocket for the volatile profile and sinigrin accumulation, a starting point for future breeding programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)

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13 pages, 1160 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphological Diversity and Bioactive Compounds in Wall Rocket (Diplotaxis erucoides (L.) DC.)

by Carla Guijarro-Real, Jaime Prohens, Adrián Rodríguez-Burruezo and Ana Fita

Agronomy 2020, 10(2), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10020306 - 21 Feb 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2528

Abstract

Wall rocket is a wild vegetable with interest to become a crop. However, the information regarding morphological variability in the species is scarce, despite the interest it has received for breeding programs. In addition, evaluating the phytochemical composition can also be useful for developing materials of a high quality. In this study, forty-four populations were evaluated for selected morphoagronomic traits and contents in ascorbic acid (AA), total phenolics (TP), and nitrates (NO₃⁻). Wall rocket plants had, on average, an intermediate growth habit and a good response to transplant. Moderate variability, mainly for size-related traits, was found, with low to moderate heritability estimates (H² < 0.35). A Principal Component Analysis revealed that some materials may be selected for differenced traits. On the other hand, wall rocket materials had, on average, high contents in AA (53 mg 100 g⁻¹) and TP (116 mg CAE 100 g⁻¹) but also accumulated high levels of NO₃⁻ (891 mg 100 g⁻¹). Significant positive correlations were found for AA and TP, which could be exploited for increasing the antioxidant activity and properties of the final product. We provide new information on the variation of wall rocket for traits of morphological and phytochemical interest, which together with other traits, such as the profile of glucosinolates, can be useful for the selection of materials in future breeding programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)

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21 pages, 5509 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effect of Agronomic Practices on Yield and Quality of Borage at Harvest and During Storage as Minimally-Processed Produce

by Claudia Miceli, Alessandra Moncada, Filippo Vetrano, Giovanni Iapichino, Fabio D’Anna and Alessandro Miceli

Agronomy 2020, 10(2), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10020242 - 06 Feb 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4303

Abstract

Borage (Borago officinalis L.) is a hairy pubescent herb known throughout the world for its folk medicinal uses, as well as for many culinary uses. There is still little information on the cultivation needs of this species, especially for its use as vegetable crop and as fresh-cut produce. Hence, the aim of the research was to study the effects of agronomic practices on yield and quality of borage and on the storability as minimally-processed product. Two experiments were carried out in two consecutive years in order to evaluate the effect of plant density and plastic mulching on yield and quality of two borage accessions at harvest and during storage as minimally-processed produce for 14 days at 4 °C. The highest plant density (8 plants m²) determined the highest yield of plants and minimally-processed leaves with good quality retention during storage. Mulching had a positive effect on earliness, yield, and shelf life of minimally-processed leaves but also increased nitrate accumulation and reduced ascorbic acid content. Borage plants with lower spacing grown on mulched soil showed the best yield of plants and minimally-processed leaves irrespective of the borage accession tested. Borage plants can be used to produce minimally-processed entire leaves with good quality characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)

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6 pages, 527 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Characterization of Flowering Time and Pollen Production in Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) towards a Strategy for the Selection of Elite Male Genotypes

by Noemi Tel-Zur, Ronen Rothschild, Udi Zurgil and Yiftach Vaknin

Agronomy 2020, 10(4), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10040592 - 22 Apr 2020

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2272

Abstract

The seeds of the dioecious shrub jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider) yield a liquid wax that is in high demand for the cosmetics industry. While elite female cultivars of this species are currently clonally propagated, male plants are grown from seed, resulting in large variations in both the flowering period and the pollen viability, and hence large variation in yields. We characterized the existing male plant material in a local plantation as a platform for future selection of elite male cultivars that would produce sufficient amounts of viable pollen throughout the extended flowering period of the female cultivars. Using as a guide the number of viable pollen grains per 1-m branch, defined here as the calculated effective pollen productivity (EPP), we identified plants with an elevated EPP that flower concurrently with the female cultivars. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Germplasm Exploitation and Product Innovation of Vegetable, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)

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