Transgenic Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.)

Effects of modified atmosphere package (MAP) with a silicon gum film window on the quality of stored green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L) spears

Green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is known to be rich in functional components. In the present study, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were used to clarify whether green asparagus prevents hypertension by inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity. Six-week-old male SHR were fed a diet with (AD group) or without (ND group) 5% asparagus for 10 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) (AD: 159 ± 4.8 mmHg, ND: 192 ± 14.7 mmHg), urinary protein excretion/creatinine excretion, and ACE activity in the kidney were significantly lower in the AD group compared with the ND group. Creatinine clearance was significantly higher in the AD group compared with the ND group. In addition, ACE inhibitory activity was observed in a boiling water extract of asparagus. The ACE inhibitor purified and isolated from asparagus was identified as 2″-hydroxynicotianamine. In conclusion, 2″-hydroxynicotianamine in asparagus may be one of the factors inhibiting ACE activity in the kidney, thus preventing hypertension and preserving renal function.

Characterization of metabolite profiles of white and green spears of asparagus officinalis L. from Caoxian, East China

This paper reviews the field efficacy of Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita against slugs in different crops (Cymbidium, butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata), iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa), cabbages (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera), green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis), rape (Brassica napus var. oleifera), wheat (Triticum aestivum) and sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris var. saccharifera)) and presents some previously unpublished experimental data. Various application strategies and environmental conditions needed for success in pest control are also reviewed.

The aim of the study was to assess, through a comparative shelf-life test, the suitability of two packaging materials, namely macro-perforated polypropylene (PP MA) and micro-perforated coextruded polypropylene (PP C), for the quality preservation of green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L. ‘Vegalim’). Quality of spears was evaluated during 30 days at refrigerated storage by monitoring chemical, physical, and enzymatic parameters as well as sensory descriptors. PP C kept headspace composition close to suggested values for fresh green asparagus. Total color difference increased during the storage and it was highly correlated with chlorophyll-a and carotenoids, however, sensory color perception did not change significantly until 22 days of storage. PP C maintained ascorbic acid concentrations close to the initial levels, limited total phenolic compound loss to 24% (45% in PP MA), determined an increase of 72% in fiber content and small changes in lignin value; enzymatic changes were significantly inhibited. Significant sensorial differences were detected after 22 days of storage, with PP C performing better than PP MA. PP C film was confirmed as the best choice, limiting weight loss and maintaining a fresh-like appearance during 30 days of storage, thus allowing an extension in postharvest life.

Antioxidant activity and quality of asparagus affected by microwave-circulated water combination and conventional sterilization

Effect of ultrasound treatment on microbial inhibition and quality maintenance of green asparagus during cold storage

Effects of postharvest light spectra on quality and health-related parameters in green Asparagus officinalis L.

Garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is a horticultural crop with high nutritional and medical value, considered an ideal plant for sex determination research among many dioecious plants, whose genomic information can support genetic analysis and breeding programs. In this research, the entire mitochondrial genome of A. officinalis was sequenced, annotated and assembled using a mixed Illumina and PacBio data. The garden asparagus circular mitochondrial genome measures 492,062 bp with a GC value of 45.9%. Thirty-six protein-coding genes, 17 tRNA and 6 rRNA genes were annotated, among which 8 protein-coding genes contained 16 introns. In addition, 254 SSRs with 10 complete tandem repeats and 293 non-tandem repeats were identified. It was found that the codons of edited sites located in the amino acids showed a leucine-formation trend, and RNA editing sites mainly caused the mutual transformation of amino acids with the same properties. Furthermore, 72 sequence fragments accounting for 20,240 bp, presentating 4.11% of the whole mitochondrial genome, were observed to migrate from chloroplast to mitochondrial genome of A. officinalis. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the closest genetic relationship between A. officinalis with onion (Allium cepa) inside the Liliaceae family. Our results demonstrated that high percentage of protein-coding genes had evolutionary conservative properties, with Ka/Ks values less than 1. Therefore, this study provides a high-quality garden asparagus mitochondrial genome, useful to promote better understanding of gene exchange between organelle genomes.

A PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis approach to assess Fusarium diversity in asparagus

The urgent need to reduce our reliance on oil and at the same time reduce carbon emissions, has triggered the search for alternative energy sources such as biofuels. New technologies have made possible the conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose into sugars that can be fermented to produce ethanol. This opened the possibility that any plant species can be used for ethanol production. Species that produce large amounts of biomass in a short time are desirable. For this reason, one of the most critical steps in the development of biofuel production is to identify appropriate species that will provide the necessary biomass for cellulosic ethanol or direct combustion. Energycanes are wide crosses of commercial sugarcane (a complex hybrid of Saccharum spp.) with S. spontaneum clones which produce high-biomass plants with high fiber content and good cold and disease tolerance as well as excellent ratooning ability. A large scale study has been established to evaluate biomass production, growth characteristics and invasive potential of energycane clones under tropical (Limón, Costa Rica) and subtropical (South Florida) conditions since 2008. In Florida in a low fertility sandy soil, energycane clones and the grass species Pennisetum purpureum var. Merkeron showed the highest yields ranging from 50 to 78 ton ha-1 of fresh weight. These clones were not susceptible to smut (Sporisorium scitaminea) unlike the energycane L79-1002 which is currently the most widely grown clone of energycane. Most clones showed lateral vegetative growth, but no pollen or seed viability. In Costa Rica, the evaluation of 15 energycane clones is still in progress, however preliminary results indicated that the energycane clones had faster and more vigorous growth than the commercial sugarcane varieties, only exceeded by P. purpureum. In comparison with commercial sugarcane varieties, the energycane clones recorded 37% higher leaf area index (LAI) and height, and 65% more stalks per unit area. No evident disease susceptibility was observed in the energycane clones in the tropics, although lateral vegetative growth was observed in all clones. Additionally, all clones flowered and produced viable pollen which suggests that these clones have a higher invasive potential in the tropics. The information available until now suggests that the behavior of energycane germplasm varies importantly between tropical and sub-tropical conditions. Therefore, selection and breeding programs must be carefully developed accounting for the unique responses that this germplasm could show under these two different climatic conditions.

<p>Soil organic carbon (OC) levels generally increase with increasing clay and silt content under a similar climatic zone because of increased association of OC to clay minerals and stronger occlusion inside aggregates. Surprisingly though, in Western Europe many silt loam soils actually bear low topsoil OC levels compared to lighter textured soils. Soil texture obviously also strongly controls moisture availability with consequent indirect impact on heterotrophic activity. We hypothesized that with increasingly frequent summer drought: 1) soil microbial activity in sandy soils is more likely impeded due to their limited water holding capacity retention during droughts, while soil OC mineralization in silty soils remain be less drought-limited; 2) capillary rise from sufficiently shallow groundwater would, on the other hand, alleviate the water stress in lighter textures. To test these hypotheses, we established a one-year field trial with manipulation of soil texture, monitoring of soil moisture and maize-C decomposition via <sup>13/12</sup>C-CO<sub>2</sub> emissions. The upper 0.5 m soil layer was replaced by sand, sandy loam and silt loam soil with low soil OC. Another sandy soil treatment with a gravel layer was also included beneath the sand layer to exclude capillary rise. Soil texture did not affect maize-C mineralization (C<sub>maize</sub>-min) until April 2019 and thereafter C<sub>maize</sub>-min rates were higher in the silt loam than in the sandy soils (P=0.01). θ<sub>v</sub> correlated positively with the C<sub>maize</sub>-min rate for the sand-textured soils only but not for the finer textures. These results clearly highlight that soil texture controlled C<sub>maize</sub>-min indirectly through regulating moisture under the field conditions starting from about May, when soils faced a period of drought. By the end of the experiment, more added C<sub>maize</sub> was mineralized in the silt loam soil (81%) (P<0.05) than in the sandy soil (56%). Capillary rise did not result in a significant increase in cumulative C<sub>maize</sub>-min in the sandy soil, seemingly because the capillary fringe did not reach the sandy topsoil layer. These results imply that, under future climate scenarios the frequency of drought is expected to increase, the largely unimpeded microbial activity in silty soils might lead to a further stronger difference in soil OC with coarser textured soils under similar management.</p>

The morphological variation and the isozymic polymorphism in 19 asparagus accessions currently used in cultivation and breeding are described. Moreover 2 wild populations from Turkey were added in the isozymic study. Characters of ramification height permit to separate accessions usually cultivated for white asparagus and accessions usually cultivated for green asparagus. Starch and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was realized to assay 7 enzyme systems. 29 polymorphic bands were taken into account in the study. Four accessions show specific bands for glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, shikimate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase. In particular, the two populations from Turkey and one population traditionally cultivated in local area of Spain are well differentiated from the remaining accessions. Accessions from the United States representing different selections are relatively well separated from each other.

Green asparagus spears were blanched for a short or long period by steam, water or microwave in two different systems, and spears were frozen by blast or liquid nitrogen under different conditions. The influence of the process conditions on shear force values (toughness), vitamin C, dietary fibre, chlorophyll and drip loss was investigated. Spears with similar or higher shear force values and lower vitamin C were obtained by microwave blanching than by steam and water. No differences were found in shear force values, vitamin C, chlorophyll and dietary fibre between cryogenic and blast freezing, whereas cryogenic freezing reduced the drip loss significantly. Shear force values increased and vitamin C decreased slightly, whereas dietary fibre and chlorophyll did not change during frozen storage.

FRESH green asparagus {Asparagus officinalis L.) is produced in the Southwest desert regions during a period when it cannot be produced in colder areas. The success of producing optimum yields economically is dependent on the proper applications of water and nitrogen. All water requirements must be met by irrigation since less than 75 mm (3 in.) of annual rainfall occurs in this region. Nitrogen is a critical nutrient that must be applied to obtain maximum yields. Maximum yields of 11.6, 18.6, and 10.0 Mg/ha(9700, 16,700, and 8900 Ib/ac) were predicted for asparagus crowns that were 3, 4 and 5 years old, respectively. The amount of water applied to obtain these yields ranged from 270 to 310 cm (106 to 122 in.) and the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied ranged from 370 to 630 kg/ha (330 to 560 Ib/ac). Production functions were developed to predict asparagus yields for water applications that ranged from 50 to 150% of the estimated evapotranspiration and nitrogen applications that ranged from 33 to 167% of the recommended nitrogen rate. A generalized prediction equation was calculated by normalizing the yield, and the amounts of water and nitrogen applied. A total seasonal water depletion rate of 2500 mm (98 in.) was calculated for the fern growing season. Water applications at this level would result in a relative yield of 0.98. Maximum soil water depletion rate of 14 mm (0.55 in.)/day was measured during the fern growing season from late June through early August. An average soil water depletion rate of 0.4 mm (0.01 in.)/day was measured during the harvest season. Irrigations may not be required during the harvest season to replenish soil moisture but may be required for other cultura practices.