- FYTOKOU STREET
N. Ionia, Magnissia
Research Interests:
Soil is an essential resource, and its degradation is challenging modern agriculture, while its impact is expected to increase in the near future. One of the strategies to address this issue is to incorporate new alternative crops able to... more
Soil is an essential resource, and its degradation is challenging modern agriculture, while its impact is expected to increase in the near future. One of the strategies to address this issue is to incorporate new alternative crops able to tolerate arduous conditions, as well as for the use of sustainable agricultural practices in order to recover and/or improve soil health. Additionally, the increasing market for new functional/healthy natural foods promotes the search for potential alternative crop species with promising bioactive compounds content. For this purpose, wild edible plants are a key option because they have already been consumed for hundreds of years in traditional gastronomy and there is well-established evidence of their health-promoting effects. Moreover, since they are not a cultivated species, they are able to grow under natural conditions without human intervention. Among them, common purslane is an interesting wild edible species and a good candidate for integra...
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The cultivation of tolerant species with low-quality irrigation water is one of the main strategies to address the lack of availability of irrigation water. In this work, the effect of salinity on plant growth, nutritional composition,... more
The cultivation of tolerant species with low-quality irrigation water is one of the main strategies to address the lack of availability of irrigation water. In this work, the effect of salinity on plant growth, nutritional composition, and quality features of Hedypnois cretica and Urospermum picroides was tested. Fresh yield of leaves and roots of both species were severely decreased under high salinity, while the mineral profile of leaves and roots also showed a decrease in most minerals. The recorded values of K/Na and Ca/Na ratios indicate that H. cretica has a higher susceptibility to salt stress due to a higher decrease in the values of the respective ratios compared to U. picroides. Leaf pigments and total phenolic compounds content were not significantly affected by salinity, while total soluble solids and titratable acidity increased under increasing salinity in most cases. Moreover, free proline content increased with increasing salinity, while the opposite trend was record...
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Irrigated agricultural lands are prone to salinity problems which may imperil horticultural crops by reducing growth, yield and even qualitative traits. Eco-friendly approaches such as biostimulant application and in particular protein... more
Irrigated agricultural lands are prone to salinity problems which may imperil horticultural crops by reducing growth, yield and even qualitative traits. Eco-friendly approaches such as biostimulant application and in particular protein hydrolysates from vegetal origin are implemented to mitigate salinity stress effects on crops. For this reason, a greenhouse experiment on spinach irrigated with increasing concentrations of saline water (EC = 3 dS m−1 (EC3), 6 dS m−1 (EC6) and 9 dS m−1 (EC9), in addition to non-saline treatment (EC0)) was organized, while plants were subjected to foliar applications of a protein hydrolysate from vegetal origin on a weekly basis. The application of this biostimulant helped mitigate the adverse effects of saline stress, by increasing the SPAD index and total chlorophylls of spinach plants. Yield was significantly boosted under biostimulant treatment in saline conditions and reached the value obtained in control treatment (no biostimulants added) × EC0 ...
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Salt stress is considered as one of the most common abiotic stresses reducing the productivity and fruit quality of crop plants. The present study was carried out to assess the salt tolerance among 15 local squash (Cucurbita maxima... more
Salt stress is considered as one of the most common abiotic stresses reducing the productivity and fruit quality of crop plants. The present study was carried out to assess the salt tolerance among 15 local squash (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne) landraces. Different salt (NaCl) concentrations of 0, 100, 200 and 300 mM were selected in order to evaluate the response of the study germplasm to salt stress based on 12 agronomic parameters and 3 biochemical traits, proline, malondialdehyde (MDA) and chlorophylls. A varied effect of the salt stress level was observed among the studied landraces based on germination potential, as well as on growth and biochemical parameters at seedling stage. Results showed that all landraces were drastically affected at high stress level with a significant variation in their stress response, indicating the existence of considerable genetic variability. Landraces “746” and “747” were the best performing cultivars across stress levels, whereas “1007”, “1008” an...
Research Interests: Agronomy, Horticulture, Biology, Squash, Medicine, and 7 moreSalinity, Plants, Proline, Germination, Germplasm, Seedling, and Cucurbita maxima
Soil salinization is one of the major environmental factors responsible for limited crop production throughout the world. Therefore, there is urgent need to find tolerant/resistant species to exploit in commercial cultivation systems. In... more
Soil salinization is one of the major environmental factors responsible for limited crop production throughout the world. Therefore, there is urgent need to find tolerant/resistant species to exploit in commercial cultivation systems. In this context, the valorization of wild edible greens for human consumption and/or medicinal purposes is gaining more and more interest. The aim of the present work was to study the effect of salinity, e.g., electrical conductivity: 2 mS cm−1 (nutrient solution EC), 6 mS cm−1 and 10 mS cm−1 on plant growth and chemical composition of Reichardia picroides and Taraxacum officinale plants grown in a floating hydroponic system. The results showed that R. picroides is a moderately salt-tolerant species, as the majority of plant growth parameters determined were not negatively affected under the treatment of 6 mS cm−1. On the other hand, the growth parameters of T. officinale plants were severely affected under the same conditions. Moreover, high salinity ...
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Microgreens are receiving increasing popularity as functional and healthy foods due to their nutritional value and high content of bioactive compounds. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of nutrient deprivation... more
Microgreens are receiving increasing popularity as functional and healthy foods due to their nutritional value and high content of bioactive compounds. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of nutrient deprivation through the regulation of nutrient solution (NS) feeding days on the plant growth and chemical composition of spinach microgreens. For this purpose, spinach microgreens were subjected to four different fertigation treatments—namely, 0 (control), 5, 10, and 20 NS feeding days before harvesting—and harvested tissues were evaluated with regard to fresh and dry yield, color of true leaves, antioxidant activity, and chlorophyll, carotenoid, and phenolic compound contents. The results of our study revealed that prolonged NS feeding (20 NS) resulted in the highest fresh yield and photosynthetic pigment contents (chlorophylls, lutein, and β-carotene). In contrast, mineral concentrations (P, K, Ca, and Mg) were the lowest for the 20 NS, whereas the control (0 NS)...
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Given the important medicinal and nutritional value of wild edible greens, the last few years there is an increasing interest for their domestication and commercial exploitation. However, information concerning their adaptation to... more
Given the important medicinal and nutritional value of wild edible greens, the last few years there is an increasing interest for their domestication and commercial exploitation. However, information concerning their adaptation to environmental conditions and their response to modern agricultural systems are scarce. In the present study, the effect of nutrient solution pH (4.0, 5.5 and 7.0) on the growth, chemical composition and inorganic nutrition of Taraxacum officinale and Reichardia picroides plants grown indoors in a floating hydroponic system was evaluated. Both species performed better at pH 5.5 and were slightly affected by pH 7.0, whereas pH 4.0 was not prohibitive for growth for both species, although R. picroides was less tolerant than T. officinale at low pH. Moreover, pH 4.0 did not severely affect nutrients uptake and transport within the plant tissues, suggesting that R. picroides susceptibility to low pH should not be attributed to nutrients imbalance. Nevertheless,...
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Biostimulants, are a diverse class of compounds including substances or microorganism which have positive impacts on plant growth, yield and chemical composition as well as boosting effects to biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. The... more
Biostimulants, are a diverse class of compounds including substances or microorganism which have positive impacts on plant growth, yield and chemical composition as well as boosting effects to biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. The major plant biostimulants are hydrolysates of plant or animal protein and other compounds that contain nitrogen, humic substances, extracts of seaweeds, biopolymers, compounds of microbial origin, phosphite, and silicon, among others. The mechanisms involved in the protective effects of biostimulants are varied depending on the compound and/or crop and mostly related with improved physiological processes and plant morphology aspects such as the enhanced root formation and elongation, increased nutrient uptake, improvement in seed germination rates and better crop establishment, increased cation exchange, decreased leaching, detoxification of heavy metals, mechanisms involved in stomatal conductance and plant transpiration or the stimulation of plant imm...
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Microgreens are receiving increasing popularity as functional and healthy foods due to their nutritional value and high content of bioactive compounds. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of nutrient deprivation... more
Microgreens are receiving increasing popularity as functional and healthy foods due to their nutritional value and high content of bioactive compounds. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of nutrient deprivation through the regulation of nutrient solution (NS) feeding days on the plant growth and chemical composition of spinach microgreens. For this purpose, spinach microgreens were subjected to four different fertigation treatments—namely, 0 (control), 5, 10, and 20 NS feeding days before harvesting—and harvested tissues were evaluated with regard to fresh and dry yield, color of true leaves, antioxidant activity, and chlorophyll, carotenoid, and phenolic compound contents. The results of our study revealed that prolonged NS feeding (20 NS) resulted in the highest fresh yield and photosynthetic pigment contents (chlorophylls, lutein, and β-carotene). In contrast, mineral concentrations (P, K, Ca, and Mg) were the lowest for the 20 NS, whereas the control (0 NS)...
The effect of grafting and post-grafting temperature on the plant development of two watermelon cultivars at transplantation and on subsequent fruit quality was studied. Watermelon cv. Sugar Baby and Crimson Sweet were self-rooted or... more
The effect of grafting and post-grafting temperature on the plant development of two watermelon cultivars at transplantation and on subsequent fruit quality was studied. Watermelon cv. Sugar Baby and Crimson Sweet were self-rooted or grafted onto rootstock RS 841 F1 (Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata) or bottlegourd [Lagenaria siceraria f. clavata] (year 1), plus L. siceraria f. pyrotheca (year 2). After grafting, plants were held at 8 oC or 16 oC (minimum) until transplantation (28-29 days), at which stage growth was compared with that of the self-rooted control held under the same conditions. Plants were planted in the field and fruit quality assessed at harvest. At the time of transplantation in year 1, plants at 16 oC were taller and had a higher total fresh weight than those at 8 oC. The grafted plants of both cultivars were taller and had a higher leaf area and fresh weight than the self-rooted plants, irrespective of rootstock. In year 2, the grafted plants of both cultivars had...
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Environmental pollution, increasing CO2 atmospheric levels and the greenhouse effect are closely associated with the ongoing climate change and the extreme climatic events we are witnessing all over the Earth. Drought, high temperature... more
Environmental pollution, increasing CO2 atmospheric levels and the greenhouse effect are closely associated with the ongoing climate change and the extreme climatic events we are witnessing all over the Earth. Drought, high temperature and salinity are among the main environmental stresses that negatively affect the yield of numerous crops, challenging the world food safety. These effects are more profound in vegetable crops which are generally more susceptible to climate change than field or tree crops. The response to single or combined environmental stressors involves various changes in plant morphology and physiology or in molecular processes. Knowing the mechanisms behind these responses may help towards the creation of more tolerant genotypes in the long-term. However, the imediacy of the problem requires urgently short-term measures such as the use of eco-sustainable agricultural practices which can alleviate the negative effects of environmental pollution and allow vegetable...
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In the present study, three red-colored (Dark Opal, Basilico Rosso, and Red Basil) and one green-colored landrace (Mitikas) of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) were grown under four nitrogen regimes, namely Control (no fertilizer added), 200... more
In the present study, three red-colored (Dark Opal, Basilico Rosso, and Red Basil) and one green-colored landrace (Mitikas) of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) were grown under four nitrogen regimes, namely Control (no fertilizer added), 200 ppm, 400 ppm, and 600 ppm of nitrogen (N). Fresh yield varied depending on N input following a quadratic function in all four genotypes, and green basil performed better compared to the red cultivars. A significant interaction of genotype × N input was recorded for most of the chemical parameters measured. Tocopherols contents of leaves were consistently higher in plants that received 200 ppm of N and lower in those receiving 600 ppm of N, especially in Dark Opal and Red Basil cultivars. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were the major category of fatty acids and Red Basil had the lowest ratio of omega-6/omega 3 (0.29) and thus the best fatty acid profile. Polyphenols content was the highest in Red Basil and Dark Opal (25 mg/g of extract on average)...
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The present study investigated the effect of salinity (Control: 1.8 dS/m, S1: 3.0 dS/m and S2: 4.5 dS/m) on the chemical composition and bioactive properties of three basil cultivars (Red Basil, Dark Opal Red and Basilico Rosso). Crop... more
The present study investigated the effect of salinity (Control: 1.8 dS/m, S1: 3.0 dS/m and S2: 4.5 dS/m) on the chemical composition and bioactive properties of three basil cultivars (Red Basil, Dark Opal Red and Basilico Rosso). Crop performance was not affected by increasing salinity in DoR and BaR. Fat, ash and carbohydrates content increased by salinity in DoR, whereas energetic value was negatively affected. Free sugars (total and individual compounds) increased under saline conditions (S2) in BaR, whereas reducing trends were observed for the main organic acids and tocopherols in all the cultivars. The major fatty acids were α-linolenic, linoleic and palmitic acids with no consistent salinity effects, while the richest polyphenols were sagerinic acid and eriodictyol-O-malonylhexoside. Finally, basil extracts showed moderate antioxidant and strong antifungal activity. In conclusion, salinity showed a genotype dependent effect on the chemical profile and bioactivities of the tes...
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Petroselinum crispum Mill., Fuss., is a culinary vegetable used as an aromatic herb that garnishes and flavours a great variety of dishes. In the present study, the chemical profiles and bioactivities of leaf samples from 25 cultivars... more
Petroselinum crispum Mill., Fuss., is a culinary vegetable used as an aromatic herb that garnishes and flavours a great variety of dishes. In the present study, the chemical profiles and bioactivities of leaf samples from 25 cultivars (three types: plain- and curly-leafed and turnip-rooted) from this species were assessed. Seven phenolic compounds were identified in all the varieties, including apigenin and kaempherol derivates. Apigenin-O-pentoside-O-hexoside was the major compound in all the tested parsley types (20, 22 and 13 mg/g of extract, respectively) and responsible for its excellent antioxidant activity, also investigated in this study. Antimicrobial activities were also explored, and the results revealed a good bioactivity against specific tested pathogens, such as bacteria and fungi. In conclusion, the leaves of all the types of P. crispum are a good source of natural bioactive compounds that confer health benefits, and thus, they should be part of a balanced and diversi...
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The increasing scarcity of water demands proper water management practices to ensure crop sustainability. In this study, the effect of drought stress and biostimulants application on the yield and chemical composition of green pods and... more
The increasing scarcity of water demands proper water management practices to ensure crop sustainability. In this study, the effect of drought stress and biostimulants application on the yield and chemical composition of green pods and seeds of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was evaluated. For this purpose, four commercially available biostimulant products, namely Nomoren (G), EKOprop (EK), Veramin Ca (V), and Twin-Antistress (TW), were tested under two irrigation regimes: normal irrigation (W+) and water-holding (W-) conditions. The highest increase (20.8%) of pods total yield was observed in EKW+ treatment due to the formation of more pods of bigger size compared to control treatment (CW+). In addition, the highest yield under drought stress conditions was recorded for the GW- treatment (5691 ± 139 kg/ha). Regarding the effects of biostimulants on the protein and ash content of pods, the application of VW+ treatment (first harvest of pods; 201 ± 1 and 79 ± 1 g/kg dw for prote...
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During the last few decades, the food and beverage industry faced increasing demand for the design of new functional food products free of synthetic compounds and artificial additives. Anthocyanins are widely used as natural colorants in... more
During the last few decades, the food and beverage industry faced increasing demand for the design of new functional food products free of synthetic compounds and artificial additives. Anthocyanins are widely used as natural colorants in various food products to replenish blue color losses during processing and to add blue color to colorless products, while other compounds such as carotenoids and betalains are considered as good sources of other shades. Root vegetables are well known for their broad palette of colors, and some species, such as black carrot and beet root, are already widely used as sources of natural colorants in the food and drug industry. Ongoing research aims at identifying alternative vegetable sources with diverse functional and structural features imparting beneficial effects onto human health. The current review provides a systematic description of colored root vegetables based on their belowground edible parts, and it highlights species and/or cultivars that ...
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Apium plants belong to the Apiaceae family and are included among plants that have been in use in traditional medicine for thousands of years worldwide, including in the Mediterranean, as well as the tropical and subtropical regions of... more
Apium plants belong to the Apiaceae family and are included among plants that have been in use in traditional medicine for thousands of years worldwide, including in the Mediterranean, as well as the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa. Some highlighted medical benefits include prevention of coronary and vascular diseases. Their phytochemical constituents consist of bergapten, flavonoids, glycosides, furanocoumarins, furocoumarin, limonene, psoralen, xanthotoxin, and selinene. Some of their pharmacological properties include anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, nematocidal, anti-rheumatism, antiasthma, anti-bronchitis, hepatoprotective, appetizer, anticonvulsant, antispasmodic, breast milk inducer, anti-jaundice, antihypertensive, anti-dysmenorrhea, prevention of cardiovascular diseases, and spermatogenesis induction. The present review summarizes data on ecology, botany, cultivation, habitat, medicinal use, phytochemical composition, preclinical and c...
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In Eastern Europe, wild mushrooms are widely collected in mountain areas and used for their medicinal properties or as healthy foods. This study aimed at determining the chemical composition (nutritional value, free sugars, organic acids,... more
In Eastern Europe, wild mushrooms are widely collected in mountain areas and used for their medicinal properties or as healthy foods. This study aimed at determining the chemical composition (nutritional value, free sugars, organic acids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids and tocopherols) and bioactive properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiquorum sensing) of wild Polyporus squamosus (Huds.) Fr from Romania. The results indicate that the fruiting bodies of P. squamosus are rich in carbohydrates (74.22 g per 100 g dw) and proteins (18.7 g per 100 g dw). Trehalose was the main free sugar, while malic acid was the organic acid detected in the highest amount (2.21 g per 100 g dw), and p-hydroxybenzoic acid was the main phenolic compound. Among tocopherols, β-tocopherol was the most abundant form (114.7 μg per 100 g dw). Additionally, regarding the fatty acids' pattern, polyunsaturated acids represent more than 57% of all fatty acids, followed by monounsaturated fatty acids (24...
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Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is a drought-tolerant weed cultivated for its fresh leaves and stems. In the present study, a field experiment was conducted to determine plant development and photosynthesis of several common... more
Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is a drought-tolerant weed cultivated for its fresh leaves and stems. In the present study, a field experiment was conducted to determine plant development and photosynthesis of several common purslane genotypes in a high-density planting system. The experiment was carried out according to randomized complete block design with four replications per treatment. Four local populations and two commercial cultivars of common purslane were studied. During the experiment, plant biomass, plant height, leaf relative chlorophyll content (SPAD values), stomatal conductance (gs) and photosynthetic rate (A) were recorded. From the results of our study significant differences in plant height and biomass were observed among the studied genotypes. The lowest height and biomass were found in genotype ‘Domokos’ whose growth was prostrate to semi-prostrate, whereas all the other genotypes had erect growth. Differences were also observed in physiological paramete...
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Wild greens are considered a rich source of phenolic compounds and antioxidants and an essential part of the so-called Mediterranean diet. In the present study, Cichorium spinosum L. ecotypes, cultivated or collected in situ from wild... more
Wild greens are considered a rich source of phenolic compounds and antioxidants and an essential part of the so-called Mediterranean diet. In the present study, Cichorium spinosum L. ecotypes, cultivated or collected in situ from wild plants from the eastern Mediterranean, were evaluated regarding their phenolic composition and antioxidant activity. Significant differences were observed among the various studied ecotypes regarding their phenolic compound content and profile, especially between wild and cultivated ecotypes, as well as the phenolic acid content between commercial products and cultivated plants. The antioxidant activity also varied among the various studied ecotypes and growing conditions, with commercial products having the highest antioxidant activity, whereas wild ecotypes showed lower antioxidant activity. Cichorium spinosum leaves are a rich source of chicoric and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, while significant differences in total phenolic acids, flavonoids and phenol...
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... 1. Introduction. Nitrate uptake and accumulation in plants primarily relates to the amount ( [Chen et al., 2004] and [Mantovani et al., 2005] ) and form of N-fertilizer applied to the crop ( [Breimer, 1982] , [Lairon et al., 1984] ,... more
... 1. Introduction. Nitrate uptake and accumulation in plants primarily relates to the amount ( [Chen et al., 2004] and [Mantovani et al., 2005] ) and form of N-fertilizer applied to the crop ( [Breimer, 1982] , [Lairon et al., 1984] , [Premuzic et al., 2002] and [Abu-Rayyan et al., 2004] ). ...
Research Interests: Environmental Science, Biology, Seasonality, vitamin C, Nitrogen, and 13 morePolyethylene, GREENHOUSE, Nitrogen Fertilizer, Ascorbic Acid, Nutritional Quality, Postharvest, Nutritional Value, Scientia, South West, Nutrient Solution, chlorophyll Content, Lactuca Sativa L, and Horticultural production
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Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., cv. ‘Parris Island’) was grown hydroponically in autumn, winter and spring under five levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization. Plant biomass was highest in spring and lowest in autumn at N rates of 200 and 260 mg... more
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., cv. ‘Parris Island’) was grown hydroponically in autumn, winter and spring under five levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization. Plant biomass was highest in spring and lowest in autumn at N rates of 200 and 260 mg L, respectively. Increasing N application correlated positively with rates of photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal carbon dioxide (CO2) conductance and leaf chlorophyll concentration. Photosynthetic rate, stomatal CO2 conductance, and chlorophyll a/b ratio were higher in spring than in autumn or winter. Nitrate concentrations within the leaves increased with increasing N application in all seasons. It is concluded that lettuce growth and yield is higher in spring than in winter or autumn due to enhanced photosynthesis thanks to increasingly favorable photoperiod. Regardless of season, high N rates promote yield but increase leaf nitrate concentrations. Therefore, for the production of healthy produce the recommended N rate should be based not just on yield but also on the nitrate content.
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A study to determine the effects of fruit load on the pod and seed characteristics of okra was carried out. Four cultivars of okra ('Boyiatiou', 'Veloudo', 'Clemson' and 'Pylaias'), very common in Greece... more
A study to determine the effects of fruit load on the pod and seed characteristics of okra was carried out. Four cultivars of okra ('Boyiatiou', 'Veloudo', 'Clemson' and 'Pylaias'), very common in Greece and the Mediterranean Basin, were cultivated under field conditions and three levels of fruit loading [L1, L2, and L3 (10, 15 and all fruits plant-1 respectively)] were applied on plants.. Leaving more fruit on the plant (L3) caused lower seed germination in cv. 'Boyiatiou' and 'Veloudo', where in cv. 'Pylaias' and 'Clemson' the opposite effect was observed. Highest germination was recorded for plants with the lowest fruit load (L1). The most seedhardness and least seed germination was observed in cv. 'Boyiatiou', but storage of seeds for 18 months increased germination by up to 16.2%. Flower induction, fruit set and fruit dimensions were unaffected by fruit load, irrespective of cultivar. Seed number per fruit ...
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In the present study, the chemical profile and bioactive properties of the roots of turnip-rooted parsley (Petroselinum crispum spp. tuberosum) germplasm were evaluated. For this purpose, plants from seventeen parsley cultivars were grown... more
In the present study, the chemical profile and bioactive properties of the roots of turnip-rooted parsley (Petroselinum crispum spp. tuberosum) germplasm were evaluated. For this purpose, plants from seventeen parsley cultivars were grown in 6 L pots, and the obtained roots were analyzed in terms of nutritional value, chemical composition (tocopherols, sugars and organic and fatty acids) and bioactive content (antioxidant activity, phenolic compound composition and antimicrobial properties). Our results showed great variability in terms of the chemical composition and bioactive properties of root parsley germplasm. A higher fresh root yield was recorded for the common “Root parsley” common variety (164 g/pot), followed by the varieties “Osborne” (109 g/pot), “Sonata” (104 g/pot), “Kaśka” (104 g/pot) and “Halblange Berlinska” (103 g/pot), whereas the lowest yield was recorded for the “Hanacka” variety (69 g/pot). A significant variation was also observed in the nutritional value para...
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The diurnal fluctuation of nitrate concentration in the foliage of three parsley subspecies (plainleafed, curly-leafed and turnip rooted parsley) cultivated in the spring and autumn of two consecutive years was examined. Nitrogen was... more
The diurnal fluctuation of nitrate concentration in the foliage of three parsley subspecies (plainleafed, curly-leafed and turnip rooted parsley) cultivated in the spring and autumn of two consecutive years was examined. Nitrogen was applied at 30 (Control), 75, 150, 300 mg kg -1 in both years, but with the addition of 450 mg kg -1 in year 2. Harvest was carried out at 08:30, 12:30 and 17:30 on a single day for each sowing. The results showed that the nitrate concentration of the foliage was lowest when harvest was carried out at midday (12:30), although not always to a statistically significant level in the low N-application rates (≤ 75 mg kg -1 ). In addition, increasing the rate of N application from 30 to 450 mg kg -1 resulted in a progressive increase in the nitrate concentration of the foliage irrespective of the time of day at which the plants were harvested. The concentration of nitrate differed between subspecies and was higher in the older, outer leaves in the case of turn...
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In the present study the effect of both nitrogen application rate and gibberellic acid (GA 3) on yield and earliness of production and marketability (plant height and leaf color) of lettuce was examined. Three commercial cultivars [cv.... more
In the present study the effect of both nitrogen application rate and gibberellic acid (GA 3) on yield and earliness of production and marketability (plant height and leaf color) of lettuce was examined. Three commercial cultivars [cv. 'Kismy' and 'Marady' (loose-leaf types) and cv. 'Adranita' (romaine type)] were cultivated in an unheated plastic greenhouse for three consecutive growing periods. During cultivation, four nitrogen rates (0, 150, 300 and 450 mg L-1 of N) and two foliar sprayings with two concentrations of GA 3 (0 and 50 mg L-1 for the first and second sowing and 0 and 25 mg L-1 for the third sowing) were applied. Total fresh and dry weight significantly decreased and increased, respectively, by GA 3 application, especially in the second sowing date, whereas high nitrogen rates (300 and 450 mg L-1) resulted in higher fresh weight (by 11.2%) and lower dry weight (by 7.5%) respectively. Plant height was significantly increased by GA 3 application,...
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Curly-leafed and turnip-rooted parsley have recently been introduced to Greece as alternative herbs within the programme for crop diversification. Because the response of these subspecies to nitrogen (N) application under the warm... more
Curly-leafed and turnip-rooted parsley have recently been introduced to Greece as alternative herbs within the programme for crop diversification. Because the response of these subspecies to nitrogen (N) application under the warm climatic conditions of the Mediterranean region is unknown, both were cultivated over three consecutive years in order to evaluate their yield potential and quality (in terms of nitrate content) in relation to nitrogen application in comparison with the traditionally cultivated plain-leafed subspecies. Nitrogen was applied as ammonium nitrate in the form of liquid feeds at rates of 30–450mgkg−1. Foliage and root yield increased with N application up to a level of 150mgkg−1 and the nitrate content of the tissues was low. Increasing N application rates to 300 or 450mgkg−1 did not cause a further increase in yield, but the nitrate content of the tissues increased. In view of health concerns with respect to human nitrate intake and environmental threats posed by excessive N application, it is concluded that the optimum level of ammonium nitrate application under local conditions should be 150mgkg−1. Overall, all three subspecies responded to N in a similar way in terms of yield and nitrate content.
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Page 1. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Flavour Fragr. J. 2010, 25, 2834 Research Article Received: 7 April 2009; Revised: 31 July 2009; Accepted: 22 September 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience: 25 October 2009 ...
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ABSTRACT The suitability of by-products from the cotton ginning industry for incorporation into growth media for three vegetable crops was examined. Composts were prepared by mixing the by-product with soil in 5 ratios (20:80, 40:60,... more
ABSTRACT The suitability of by-products from the cotton ginning industry for incorporation into growth media for three vegetable crops was examined. Composts were prepared by mixing the by-product with soil in 5 ratios (20:80, 40:60, 60:40, 80:20, 100:0, v/v compost and soil). Seeds of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and spinach (Spinacia oleraceae L.) were sown directly within the composts and in 100% peat (control) in October (autumn crop) and December (winter crop). Plant growth (height, leaf number, dry and fresh weight, chlorophyll content) was recorded 19 and 17 days after transplantation (first and second sowing respectively) and at harvest. Fresh and dry weight was recorded at harvest. Overall, plant height and leaf number were higher when the growth media consisted principally of compost (higher ratios of cotton by-product: soil) than in the control (peat), whereas among the various ratios of compost: soil significant differences were recorded, media with a high compost content showing better growth in most cases. Similar results were reported for fresh and dry weight and chlorophyll content, except for dry weight in the second sowing, where growth media with a lower compost content had a higher dry weight. In conclusion, the incorporation of the cotton ginning by-product into compost resulted in better growth of lettuce, spinach and radish, suggesting that the use of this material may be of economical value as a spin-off product for the cotton ginning plant and also as a means of reducing present pollution of the environment due to the accumulation of waste material.
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... a significant reduction in the growth and oil yield of citronella grass (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt.) per acre, oil yield expressed on the basis of plant fresh weight increased, with the severity of the water stress response... more
... a significant reduction in the growth and oil yield of citronella grass (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt.) per acre, oil yield expressed on the basis of plant fresh weight increased, with the severity of the water stress response varying with cultivar and plant density (Fatima et al ...
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Storage of onions is a multifaceted issue, which involves many preharvest and postharvest factors. One of the major factors that affect onion storage is the selection of the proper cultivar, since there are significant differences in... more
Storage of onions is a multifaceted issue, which involves many preharvest and postharvest factors. One of the major factors that affect onion storage is the selection of the proper cultivar,
since there are significant differences in storability between the cultivars and not all of them are suitable for storage. Proper preharvest and postharvest conditions are essential for storability of onion bulbs, whereas they also affect marketability (weight losses, texture and color depth of
bulbs) and quality (chemical composition, nutritional value, antioxidant activity). Irrigation and fertilization are essential preharvest factors that substantially affect storability, whereas curing methods and storage conditions (temperature, relative humidity, controlled atmospheres) and processing treatments are postharvest factors. This review paper examines the effect of long-term storage on the main quality features of onions, such as the incidence of sprouting and root growth, water losses and changes in chemical composition (mineral composition, sugar content, nutritional value) and antioxidant activity (phenolic and flavonoid contents, DPPH scavenging activity).
since there are significant differences in storability between the cultivars and not all of them are suitable for storage. Proper preharvest and postharvest conditions are essential for storability of onion bulbs, whereas they also affect marketability (weight losses, texture and color depth of
bulbs) and quality (chemical composition, nutritional value, antioxidant activity). Irrigation and fertilization are essential preharvest factors that substantially affect storability, whereas curing methods and storage conditions (temperature, relative humidity, controlled atmospheres) and processing treatments are postharvest factors. This review paper examines the effect of long-term storage on the main quality features of onions, such as the incidence of sprouting and root growth, water losses and changes in chemical composition (mineral composition, sugar content, nutritional value) and antioxidant activity (phenolic and flavonoid contents, DPPH scavenging activity).