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Topic Review
Essential Oil Standards for Lavandula angustifolia
Lavender is in the research spotlight due to its increasing economic importance, while market demand is expected to continue to grow. Among the hundreds of essential-oil-bearing plants, Lavandula angustifolia Mill. remains one of the most valuable. Due to the increasing market demand as well as the expanding use of essential oils, the development of regulations, guidelines and standards aiming to maintain a high level of quality and safety remains a priority. Exigence is necessary for ensuring that buyers are receiving what they paid for, and in addition, depending on the destination of use and industry, for ensuring the derived product quality is not adversely affected.
  • 4.1K
  • 13 Mar 2023
Topic Review
YUC in Plant Developmental Processes
The YUC gene family encodes the rate-limiting enzymes in the TAA/YUC pathway, which stands as the primary endogenous auxin biosynthesis pathway in plants. YUC-medicated local auxin biosynthesis is important for establishing auxin gradient within cells/tissues and precisely regulating various major developmental processes such as root development, leaf morphogenesis, and reproductive development. The spatiotemporal expressions of different YUC genes enable function specialization across different plant species.
  • 4.0K
  • 23 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Glucosinolate Biosynthesis
Glucosinolates are amino acid-derived plant-specialized metabolites that are largely found within the members of the family Brassicaceae, which includes vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and mustard, as well as the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress). The aliphatic glucosinolates are derived from methionine, alanine, leucine, isoleucine, or valine; aromatic glucosinolates are built from phenylalanine or tyrosine; and the indole glucosinolates originate with tryptophan. Each of class of glucosinolate shares a core chemical structure consisting of a β-D-glucosyl residue linked to a (Z)-N-hydroximinosulfate ester through a sulfur and a variable amino acid-derived R group. To date, more than 130 glucosinolate molecules, of which Arabidopsis contains 40 mainly derived from methionine and tryptophan, have been described.
  • 4.0K
  • 11 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Purple Tomatoes
Purple tomatoes represent a recent variant of tomato fruits characterized by a purple coloration, not present in the more common red fruited varieties. This peculiar pigmentation is due to the presence of anthocyanins. These are plant secondary metabolites responsible for red, purple and blue colorations of flowers, fruits and leaves in many species. They are usually assumed with the diet, being rich sources mostly represented by red and purple fruits or dark vegetables (e.g., berries, cherries, plums, grapes, black beans, red onions, eggplant, red cabbage, purple sweet potatoes). As other polyphenolic compounds, they can provide many health benefits, and, as a consequence, their consumption can be helpful in reducing the incidence of cardiovascular, metabolic and degenerative or chronic diseases and of certain types of cancer. Tomato fruits are naturally rich of carotenoids, vitamins and polyphenols, but do not contain anthocyanins, due to mutations in their specific biosynthetic pathway. However, in recent years, either through genetic engineering or introgression by breeding of specific gene variants using wild relatives, this biosynthetic block has been overcome. This allowed the production of the new tomatoes’ phenotypes characterized by purple pigmentation localized only on the fruit peel or in both peel and flesh. In purple tomatoes, the high concentrations of anthocyanins that can be achieved, and not to the detriment of other metabolites, represent a real added nutritional value of these fruits.
  • 4.0K
  • 15 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Musa Fruits in Nutritive Phytopharmacology
Nutritional quality and the well-being of the body system are directly linked aspects     of human survival. From the unborn foetus to adulthood, the need for sustainable access to micronutrient-rich foods is pertinent and the global consumption of banana and plantain fruits, in effect, contributes to the alleviation of the scourge of malnutrition. This review is particularly aimed at evaluating the pharmacological dimensions through the biological mechanisms of Musa fruits  in the body, which represent correlations with their constituent micronutrient factors and dietary polyphenolic constituents such as minerals, vitamin members, anthocyanins, lutein, α-,β- carotenes, neoxanthins and cryptoxanthins, epi- and gallo catechins, catecholamines, 3-carboxycoumarin, β-sitosterol, monoterpenoids, with series of analytical approaches for the various identified compounds being highlighted therein.
  • 4.0K
  • 05 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Domesticated Plants and Animals of Austronesia
One of the major human migration events was the maritime settlement of the islands of the Indo-Pacific by the Austronesian peoples, believed to have started from at least 5,500 to 4,000 BP (3500 to 2000 BC). These migrations were accompanied by a set of domesticated, semi-domesticated, and commensal plants and animals transported via outrigger ships and catamarans that enabled early Austronesians to thrive in the islands of Maritime Southeast Asia (also known as 'Island Southeast Asia'), Near Oceania (Melanesia), Remote Oceania (Micronesia and Polynesia), Madagascar , and the Comoros Islands. They include crops and animals believed to have originated from the Hemudu and Majiabang cultures in the hypothetical pre-Austronesian homelands in mainland China , as well as other plants and animals believed to have been first domesticated from within Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, and New Guinea. Some of these plants are sometimes also known as "canoe plants", especially in the context of the Polynesian migrations. Domesticated animals and plants introduced during historic times are not included.
  • 4.0K
  • 25 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Lantana camara
Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) is native to tropical America and has been introduced into many other countries as an ornamental and hedge plant.
  • 4.0K
  • 04 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Pinus
The pine (Pinus L.) is the largest and most heteromorphic plant genus of the pine family (Pinaceae Lindl. ), which grows almost exclusively in the northern hemisphere. The demand for plant-based remedies, supplements and functional food is growing worldwide.
  • 3.8K
  • 17 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Platycodon grandiflorus
Platycodon grandiflorus is a widely used edible, traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It is rich in saponins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and other compounds. It contains a large number of fatty acids such as linoleic acid (up to 63.24%), a variety of amino acids, vitamins, and multiple essential trace elements.  In this entry, the active chemical components and the health benefits of P. grandiflorus have been reviewed, providing new ideas for the further development of nutraceutical products to prevent and manage chronic diseases.
  • 3.8K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Salinity Stress in Plants
Plant growth and development is adversely affected by different kind of stresses. One of the major abiotic stresses, salinity, causes complex changes in plants by influencing the interactions of genes. 
  • 3.8K
  • 05 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Mimusops zeyheri
Many African countries are endowed with rich biodiversity with enormous nutritional and economic prospects, but the majority of these resources are not fully harnessed. Exploring these neglected resources, for example, the Transvaal red milkwood tree [(Mimusops zeyheri) Sond. family: Sapotaceae] is of paramount importance for food and nutritional security as well as economic prosperity. This review provides a critical appraisal of the nutritional and health benefits as well as the economic potential of Mimusops zeyheri. The plant is known for its diverse uses among rural communities. In folk medicine, the decoction from the bark and leaves of Mimusops zeyheri are used for treating wounds and ulcers, while the root is used as an infusion taken to treat candidiasis and other health issues. The nutritional profile of the fruit tree is similar to popular exotic fruits and richer in vitamin C when compared to guava and orange. Mimusops zeyheri is a rich source of vitamins, protein, and fatty acids. Based on the rich chemical pool, especially in the fruit and seeds, it has the potential to provide an accessible, readily available, and affordable enriched functional food with valuable health benefits. However, the successful exploration of Mimusops zeyheri for food security and sustainability requires multidisciplinary research. This will help achieve the envisaged food-nutrition security and poverty alleviation potential of the plant, especially among local communities.
  • 3.8K
  • 19 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Plectranthus Scutellarioides
Plectranthus scutellarioides, commonly known as coleus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae (the mint or deadnettle family), native to southeast Asia through to Australia. Typically growing to 60–75 cm (24–30 in) tall and wide, it is a bushy, woody-based evergreen perennial, widely grown for the highly decorative variegated leaves found in cultivated varieties. Another common name is painted nettle, reflecting its relationship to deadnettles (Lamium species), which are in the same family. (True nettles and their close kin are in the family Urticaceae.) The synonyms Coleus blumei and Solenostemon scutellarioides are also widely used names for this species.
  • 3.7K
  • 28 Nov 2022
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Bagnoli Urban Regeneration through Phytoremediation
The Bagnolidistrict in Naples has needed urban redevelopmentfor many years. The area is not only affected by pollution caused by many industries but also by environmental pollutants, according togeognostic surveys that have found numerous contaminantsin the subsoil and water.Currently, the combination of an urban rehabilitation processwith the phytodepuration technique may represent a successful idea for obtaining bothurban regenerationand environmental remediation. Phytoremediation, a biologically based technology, has attracted the attention of both thepublic and scientists as a low-cost alternative for soil requalification. The use of plants as well as the microorganisms present in their root systems plays an important role in the ecological engineering field in controlling and reducing pollutants present in theair, water and soil.The result is efficient, sustainable and cost-effective environmental recovery compared to conventional chemical–physical techniques. In this way, not only the environmental recovery of SIN Bagnoli-Corogliocan be obtained, but also the regeneration of its landscape.
  • 3.7K
  • 27 Apr 2022
Topic Review
New Uses of Common Vetch for Sustainable Agriculture
Common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) is a grain legume used in animal feed. It is rich in protein, fatty acid and minerals content, therefore is a very suitable component for feed enrichment. Furthermore, important pharmacological properties in humans have been described. Like other legumes, common vetch has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, an important characteristic in sustainable agricultural systems. These characteristics enhance the usage of vetch as a cover crop and its use in intercropping systems. In addition, several studies have highlighted the potential of vetch in the phytoremediation of polluted soils. These features make common vetch an appropriate crop to address for various potential improvements. Comparative analyzes have allowed the identification of varieties with different flowering time, shattering resistance, yield, nutrient content and composition, drought response, rhizobacteria associations, nitrogen fixation capacity, and other agronomically relevant traits.
  • 3.7K
  • 16 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Silica Nanoparticles in Plants
The demand for agricultural crops continues to escalate with the rapid growth of the population. Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) are beneficial for plant growth and production and can be used as nanopesticides, nanoherbicides, and nanofertilizers in agriculture. SNPs can be classified as porous or non-porous in structure and can be synthesized by chemical, physical, and biological methods. In agriculture, SNP can be sprayed on foliage or irrigated into the soil. SNPs can promote plant growth and development by increasing photosynthesis and nutrient uptake rates and enhancing plant resistance to environmental stress. In the future, SNPs will provide various solutions for the healthy growth of agricultural crops.
  • 3.6K
  • 23 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Non-Coding RNAs in Plants
Plant transcriptomes encompass a large number of functional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), only some of which have protein-coding capacity. Since their initial discovery, ncRNAs have been classified into two broad categories based on their biogenesis and mechanisms of action, housekeeping ncRNAs and regulatory ncRNAs. With advances in RNA sequencing technology and computational methods, bioinformatics resources continue to emerge and update rapidly, including workflow for in silico ncRNA analysis, up-to-date platforms, databases, and tools dedicated to ncRNA identification and functional annotation.
  • 3.6K
  • 15 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Molecular Breeding in Plants
Plant breeding is a long and tedious process involving the generation of large populations through controlled crosses and the final selection of top individuals, the future new varieties. This process can take between 5 years in the case of horticultural crops to 15 years in the case of perennial fruit crops or 25 years in forest species. Plant breeding is an applied science, insofar as it is focused on solving specific problems, such as productivity, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, fruit quality, postharvest performance and sensorial attributes. In this context, a critical decision is the choice of genotypes that are used as parents. Additionally, the management, phenotyping and selection process of these seedlings are the main factors limiting the generation of new cultivars. In order to improve efficiency and sturdiness of plant breeding programs in relation to parent and seedling selection, the implementation of molecular tools is an essential requirement, including development of Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) strategies. On the other hand, we are facing a new molecular-biological perspective based on new methodologies that are affecting the genetics theory in addition to the definition of gene and Central Dogma of Molecular Biology (CDMB). This new molecular perspective, open new possibilities to improve the use of molecular tools in plant breeding. The goal of this review is the discussion about the new perspective of Plant Breeding in the context of the present Postgenomic era.
  • 3.5K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Biostimulants Application in Horticultural Crops under Abiotic Stress Conditions
Abiotic stresses strongly affect plant growth, development, and quality of production; final crop yield can be really compromised if stress occurs in plants’ most sensitive phenological phases. Additionally, the increase of crop stress tolerance through genetic improvements requires long breeding programmes and different cultivation environments for crop performance validation. Biostimulants have been proposed as agronomic tools to counteract abiotic stress. Indeed, these products containing bioactive molecules have a beneficial effect on plants and improve their capability to face adverse environmental conditions, acting on primary or secondary metabolism. Many companies are investing in new biostimulant products development and in the identification of the most effective bioactive molecules contained in different kinds of extracts, able to elicit specific plant responses against abiotic stresses. Most of these compounds are unknown and their characterization in term of composition is almost impossible; therefore, they could be classified on the basis of their role in plants. Biostimulants have been generally applied to high-value crops like fruits and vegetables; thus, in this review, we examine and summarise literature on their use on vegetable crops, focusing on their application to counteract the most common environmental stresses.
  • 3.5K
  • 29 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Moringa oleifera
Moringa oleifera belongs to the Moringaceae family and is the best known of the native Moringa oleifera genus. For centuries, it has been used as a system of Ayurvedic and Unani medicine and has a wide range of nutritional and bioactive compounds, including proteins, essential amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, fibre, vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds, phytosterols and others. These characteristics allow it to have pharmacological properties, including anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, cardioprotective, antimicrobial and hepatoprotective properties. The entire Moringa oleifera plant is edible, including its flowers, however, it is not entirely safe, because of compounds that have been found mainly in the root and bark, so the leaf was identified as the safest. Moringa oleifera is recognised as an excellent source of phytochemicals, with potential applications in functional and medicinal food preparations due to its nutritional and medicinal properties; many authors have experimented with incorporating it mainly in biscuits, cakes, brownies, meats, juices and sandwiches. The results are fascinating, as the products increase their nutritional value; however, the concentrations cannot be high, as this affects the organoleptic characteristics of the supplemented products.
  • 3.5K
  • 10 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Duckweed
Duckweed is the smallest and fastest-growing aquatic plant, and has advantages including simple processing and the ability to grow high biomass in smaller areas.
  • 3.4K
  • 20 Feb 2021
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