Endive (Cichorium endivia L.) is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant which belongs to the Asteraceae family, widely distributed, and grown worldwide. During the March of 2022, a disease with leaf ...spot symptoms was observed on Cichorium endivia L in 35% of the planted area in a farm field in Ding xi city, Gansu Province, China. Disease symptoms were observed in leaves of endives with pinpoint-sized green spots. The entire plant turns yellow and wilts, and becomes dry starting in the center until it splits or cracks. The K1 strain isolated from infected plants was identified as Epicoccum nigrum based on morphological characteristics, culture features, and molecular identification. To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. nigrum causing leaf spots on endive (Cichorium endivia L.) in China.
•The first report of Epicoccum nigrum Causing Leaf Spot of Endive in China.•This can be helpful for the control of bitterchrysanthemum leaf spot.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Endive (Cichorium endivia L.) is a leafy vegetable in the Asteraceae family. Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) in endive leaves bring a bitter taste that varies between varieties. Despite their ...importance in breeding varieties with unique flavours, sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis pathways in endive are poorly understood. We assembled a chromosome-scale endive genome of 641 Mb with a contig N50 of 5.16 Mb and annotated 46,711 protein-coding genes. Several gene families, especially terpene synthases (TPS) genes, expanded significantly in the C. endivia genome. STLs biosynthesis-related genes and TPS genes in more bitter varieties have shown a higher level of expression, which could be attributed to genomic variations. Our results penetrate the origin and diversity of bitter taste and facilitate the molecular breeding of endive varieties with unique bitter tastes. The high-quality endive assembly would provide a reference genome for studying the evolution and diversity of Asteraceae.
•First high-quality chromosome-scale genome assembly of Cichorium genus (Asteraceae family).•Endive (Cichorium endivia) genome encodes 46,711 protein-coding genes and 60.26% repetitive elements.•Endive genome harbors higher collinearity with the lettuce (Lactuca sativa) genome.•Key genes involved in the sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis pathways were identified.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
•The quality of organically grown cauliflower, endive and zucchini was investigated.•Organic farming per se does not necessarily improve vegetables nutritional quality.•Many variables (cultivar, ...fertilization, soil type) interact in determining quality.•Controlling some growth determinants enhances the accumulation of useful molecules.
Consumers demand for healthier food and governments’ policies for environmental sustainability of agricultural processes are increasingly promoting a rapid expansion of organic farming. Nevertheless, the link between organic products and their enhanced nutritional/environmental values is far from being fully understood. In this context, we have begun to assess the effect of cultivation variables that may interact with farming systems and ultimately affect the final product quality. By comparing the response to conventional vs. organic farming of cauliflower, endive and zucchini here we demonstrate that the overall quality of organic products depends on many interacting variables. In cauliflower, the cultivar effect overwhelms other quality determinants with respect to antioxidant activity and nitrate accumulation. In endive, the liposoluble antioxidant activity increases under organic cultivation only in the absence of mulching. Finally, organic farming promotes the accumulation of K in zucchini grown on clay but not on sandy soil. Therefore, understanding the functional links between cultivation variables and physiological responses is essential to improve and standardize the quality of organic products.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The
genus offers a unique opportunity to study the sporophytic self-incompatibility (SSI) system, being composed of species characterized by highly efficient self-incompatibility (e.g.,
) and ...complete self-compatibility (e.g.,
). To this end, the chicory genome was used to map seven previously identified SSI locus-associated markers. The region containing the S-locus was therefore restricted to an ~4 M bp window on chromosome 5. Among the genes predicted in this region,
(
) was particularly promising as a candidate for SSI. Its ortholog in Arabidopsis (
is involved in pollen-stigma recognition reactions, and its protein structure is similar to that of S-receptor kinase (SRK), a key component of the SSI system in the
genus. The amplification and sequencing of
in chicory and endive accessions revealed two contrasting scenarios. In
,
was fully conserved even when comparing different botanical varieties (i.e., smooth and curly endive). In
, 387 polymorphic positions and 3 INDELs were identified when comparing accessions of different biotypes all belonging to the same botanical variety (i.e., radicchio). The polymorphism distribution throughout the gene was uneven, with hypervariable domains preferentially localized in the LRR-rich extracellular region, putatively identified as the receptor domain. The gene was hypothesized to be under positive selection, as the nonsynonymous mutations were more than double the synonymous ones (dN/dS = 2.17). An analogous situation was observed when analyzing the first 500 bp of the
promoter: no SNPs were observed among the endive samples, whereas 44 SNPs and 6 INDELs were detected among the chicory samples. Further analyses are needed to confirm the role of MIK2 in SSI and to demonstrate whether the 23 species-specific nonsynonymous SNPs in the CDS and/or the species-specific 10 bp-INDEL found in a CCAAT box region of the promoter are responsible for the contrasting sexual behaviors of chicory and endive.
•A dietary fibre concentrate (DFC-BE) from Belgian endive by-products was produced and characterised.•The obtained powder was tasteless, low in sugars and rich in insoluble dietary fibres.•DFC-BE ...exhibited excellent hydration properties.•DFC-BE presented potential as fibre rich functional ingredient.
By-products of Belgian endive represent an interesting yet underutilised source of dietary fibre (DF). Dietary fibre concentrates (DFC) that are low in sugar and neutral in taste are sought by the food industry to increase DF content and improve texture in food products. The aim was to set up a biorefinery process to produce DFC from forced roots of Belgian endive (DFC-BE) and characterise the resulting product. As a control, non-treated forced roots powder (FRP-BE) was tested. Water extraction significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the content of sugars, phenolic acids (PA) and sesquiterpene lactones (SL) in DFC-BE. In contrast, total dietary fibre concentration (TDF) was higher in DFC-BE (81.82 g/100 g DW) in comparison to FRP-BE (49.04 g/100 g DW). DFC-BE offers an excellent water holding capacity (WHC) of 14.71 g water/g DW and a swelling capacity (SWC) of 23.46 mL water/g DW, suggesting possible use as a functional food ingredient.
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Soilless cultivation systems are efficient tools to control nitrates by managing nutrient solution (NS) salinity and nitrogen availability, however, these nitrate-lowering strategies require ...appropriate calibration based on species/genotype-specific responses interacting with climate and growing conditions. Three experiments were carried out on lettuce and
grown in ebb-and-flow (EF) and floating (FL) systems at two levels of NS salinity (EC = 2.5 and 3.5 dS m
) (EC2.5, EC3.5, respectively) under autumn and early-spring (lettuce) and winter and late-spring conditions (
). Nitrogen deprivation (NS withdrawal a few days before the harvest) was tested at EC2.5, in the autumn and winter cycles. The EF-system caused an increase in salinity in the substrate where roots mainly develop so it mimicked the effect of the EC3.5 treatment. In the winter-grown lettuce, the EF-system or EC3.5 treatment was effective in reducing the nitrate level without effects on yield, with the EF baby-leaf showing an improved quality (color, dry matter, chlorophylls, carotenoid, vitamin C, phenol). In both seasons, the EF/EC3.5 treatment resulted in a decline in productivity, despite a further reduction in nitrate content and a rise in product quality occurring. This response was strictly linked to the increasing salt-stress loaded by the EC3.5/EF as highlighted by the concurrent Cl
accumulation. In early-spring, the FL/EC3.5 combination may represent a trade-off between yield, nitrate content and product quality. In contrast, in winter-grown endive/escarole the EC3.5, EF and EC3.5/EF reduced the nitrate level with no effect on yield, product quality or Cl
uptake, thus proving them to be more salt-tolerant than lettuce. High temperatures during the late-spring cycle promoted nitrate and Cl
uptake, overcoming the nitrate-controlling effect of salinity charged by the EF system or EC3.5. The nitrate level decreased after 3 day-long (lettuce) or 6 day-long (
) NS withdrawal. In
and EF-grown lettuce, it provoked a decrease in yield, but a concurrent improvement in baby-leaf appearance and nutritional quality. More insights are needed to fine-tune the duration of the NS removal taking into account the soilless system used and species-specific characteristics.
Variation in metabolism and partitioning of carbohydrates, particularly fructans, between annual and perennial Cichorium species remains a challenging topic. To address this problem, an annual ...(endive, Cichorium endive L. var. Crispum; Asteraceae) and a biennial species (chicory, Cichorium intybus L. var. Witloof; Asteraceae) were compared with in terms of variability in carbohydrate accumulation and expression patterns of fructan-active enzyme genes, as well as sucrose metabolism at various growth and developmental stages. In general, constituents such as 1-kestose, nystose, and inulin were detected only in the root of chicory and were not present in any of the endive tissues. For both species, flower tissue contained maximum levels of both fructose and glucose, while for sucrose, more fluctuations were observed. On the other hand, all the genes under study exhibited variation, not only between the two species but also among different tissues at different sampling times. In endive root compared to endive leaf, the expression of cell wall invertase genes and sucrose accumulation decreased simultaneously, indicating the limited capacity of its roots to absorb sucrose, a precursor to inulin production. In addition, low expression of fructan: fructan fructosyltransferase in endive root compared to chicory root confirmed the inability of endive to inulin synthesis. Overall, annual and biennial species were different in the production of inulin, transport, remobilization, and unloading of sucrose.
Annual (endive) and biennial (chicory) species of genus Chicorium were evaluated with regard to metabolism, partitioning, and remobilization of sugars by measuring water-soluble carbohydrates and gene expression of certain related genes. Display omitted
•Two species of the genus Cichorium spp. with different life cycle were compared.•Inulin was detected only in the roots of biennial species.•Annual and biennial species were different in transport and remobilization of sucrose.•The root of annual species had limited capacity for sucrose absorbing.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
•Forced roots of Belgian endive are robust feedstock for the production of DFCs.•21 different DFCs were produced from roots of 4 cultivars grown in 4 locations.•The location had the biggest impact on ...the composition and functionality of DFCs.•All DFCs had high fibre content (>80 %) and good functionality (WHC, OHC, SWC).
Forced roots of Belgian endive (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) are by-products with promising valorization potential. The roots of four cultivars grown in four locations and mixes derived thereof, were used to produce dietary fibre concentrates (DFCs). Obtained DFCs were characterized by a low concentration of total sugars (TS), phenolic compounds (PCs) and sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) and high content of the dietary fibre (DF) and functional properties. On average, total dietary fibre content (TDF) was 82.93 g/100 g DW, where the insoluble fraction was dominant (71.98–78.08 g/100 g DW). All DFCs showed high water (WHC) and oil holding capacity (OHC) (9.95–15.48 g/g DW and 2.58–4.11 g/g DW, respectively) and swelling capacity (SWC) (13.20–22.95 mL/g DW). Although differences in genotype and location induced variability in the studied parameters, the DFCs showed similar DF profile and functionality, suggesting that forced roots represent a robust feedstock for DFC production and developing market-relevant plant-based food products.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Endive is widely consumed in a fresh-cut form owing to its rich nutritional content. However, fresh-cut vegetables are susceptible to contamination by pathogenic bacteria. This study investigated the ...antibacterial activities of the combined treatment of cinnamon leaf oil emulsion containing cetylpyridinium chloride or benzalkonium chloride (CLC and CLB, respectively) as a cationic surfactant and ultrasound (US) against Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 on endive. The combined treatment of CLC or CLB with US reduced the population of L. monocytogenes by 1.58 and 1.47 log colony forming units (CFU)/g, respectively, and that of E. coli O157:H7 by 1.60 and 1.46 log CFU/g, respectively, as compared with water washing treatment. The reduction levels of both pathogens were higher than those observed with 0.2 mg/ml sodium hypochlorite. In addition, the combined treatment showed no effect on the quality of the fresh-cut endive (FCE). In particular, the degree of browning in FCE was less for the treatment group than for the control and water washing treatment groups. Thus, cationic surfactant-based cinnamon leaf oil emulsions combined with US may be an effective washing treatment for the microbial safety of FCE.
Purpose
In the agro-food industry, related to the horticultural sector, promising products are the ones called “ready to eat”, “ready to use”. Fresh processed vegetables, belonging to the “fresh cut” ...products, are considered barely treated and potentially more sustainable than frozen ones. The principal aim of this study is assessing the environmental impact of nursery step for seedlings production, commonly included in the vegetable chain production in Italy and other countries. Four different kinds of salad have been assessed:
Cichorium endivia
var. crispum (curly endive), Cicorium endivia var. latifolium (escarole),
Cichorium intybus var. foliosum
(red chicory) and
Cichorium intybus var. foliosum
(sugarloaf chicory).
Methods
The study was conducted following ISO standards on life cycle assessment (14,040, 14,044) with a “cradle to nursery gate” approach. The functional unit (FU) selected was one small plant in polystyrene tray (170 holes); this choice is due to a requirement of repeatability and comparability of the analysis outcomes. Data for inventory analysis have been detected throughout surveys, questionnaires and direct measurements. In more details, materials used for structures, energy and mass flows have been considered. Calculation method selected is the CML 2 baseline 2000 v. 2.05 with the related impact categories.
Results and discussion
Results show that the four species have a comparable environmental load. Differences among the different impact categories are lower than the 30% excluding eutrophication for escarole (−56%) with respect to sugarloaf chicory. Specie that presents the lowest impact is Escarole. This is due to the shorter cultivation cycle. Thermoplastic and plastic materials and their production, substrates extraction and direct emissions from fertilizers and pesticides are the main contributors affecting the environmental sustainability of seedlings production.
Conclusions
Consistently with other studies on similar research topic, energy consumption, such as electricity, gives a load of little relevance. Taking into account only the category of global warming, the absolute average load of one seedling produced is 2.53e-3 kg CO
2
eq. Further studies regarding the evaluation of alternative production system with a lower use of plastics and thermoplastics will be useful.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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