Review
Horticulture
Iftekhar Alam, Md Salimullah
Summary: Eggplant is a significant vegetable in Asia and the Mediterranean, but faces limitations in productivity due to pests and environmental stresses. Genetic engineering offers new traits to enhance eggplant, but further research is needed to maximize benefits.
Article
Plant Sciences
Suli Shi, Dalu Li, Shaohang Li, Yingying Wang, Xin Tang, Yang Liu, Haiyan Ge, Huoying Chen
Summary: This study investigated the molecular regulatory mechanisms of early fruit development in long and round eggplants through morphological observations and transcriptome analysis. The results revealed distinct phenotypic differences between the two varieties at the initial stage of fruit development before flowering, with rapid fruit enlargement starting on the sixth day after flowering. Transcriptome analysis identified upregulated phytohormone-related genes on the day of flowering, suggesting their involvement in regulating early fruit growth. Additionally, several differentially expressed genes of the SUN, YABBY, and OVATE families were potentially involved in fruit development or shape regulation. Overall, this study provides new insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms of eggplant fruit development and identifies genes that may be valuable for various fruit shape breeding programs.
PLANT CELL REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
Niccolo Terzaroli, Gianpiero Marconi, Luigi Russi, Emidio Albertini
Summary: Aglione della Valdichiana is a landrace of Great Headed Garlic with historical and healthy value, grown in a region between Tuscany and Umbria, Italy. Despite its vegetative propagation, it shows higher within accession variability possibly due to somatic mutations. Genetic analysis revealed a closer relationship between Aglione and garlic compared to Aglione and leek.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhimin Wang, Chao Yuan, Shaowei Zhang, Shibing Tian, Qinglin Tang, Dayong Wei, Yi Niu
Summary: Anther indehiscence is an important form of male sterility that can aid in hybrid seed production. Through transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR assays, this study identified key genes related to hormone biosynthesis that show differential expression between male sterile and fertile eggplant lines. Variations in phytohormone levels, particularly jasmonic acid, auxin, gibberellin, and abscisic acid, may contribute to anther indehiscence. Additionally, protein-protein interaction studies revealed potential regulatory mechanisms underlying anther dehiscence in eggplant.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Chao Yuan, Shaowei Zhang, Ruolin Hu, Dayong Wei, Qinglin Tang, Yongqin Wang, Shibing Tian, Yi Niu, Zhimin Wang
Summary: RNA sequencing was used to analyze the transcriptomic profiles of eggplants with different fertility levels, revealing genes and pathways associated with anther dehiscence. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of anther dehiscence in eggplant.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ning Yu, Guiyun Gan, Dandan Li, Weiliu Li, Yaqin Jiang, Qihong Yang, Peng Wang, Wenjia Li, Yikui Wang
Summary: This study analyzed the genomic characteristics and genetic variation of reciprocal cross F1 hybrids of cultivated eggplant and bitter gourd. The results showed stable genomes at the chromosome level but considerable variation sites in the hybrids, which may explain the increased phenotypic diversities compared to the cultivated parent plants. Copy number variation genes were significantly enriched in pathways associated with glucose metabolism, protein synthesis, and phytohormone signaling, suggesting their role in the heterosis observed in the hybrids.
PLANT GROWTH REGULATION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Himanshu Sharma, Neena Chawla, Ajmer Singh Dhatt
Summary: This research aimed to optimize the extraction of anthocyanin from Solanum melongena L. fruits by studying the effects of extraction time, temperature, pH, and solid-to-liquid ratio using response surface methodology. The Box-Behnken design was used to analyze the anthocyanin concentration under different combinations of these parameters. The optimal conditions for anthocyanin extraction were found and the extracted anthocyanin was characterized to contain delphinidin. These findings suggest that the optimized method can be used for the efficient extraction and characterization of anthocyanins from Solanum melongena L. fruits.
NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ntombifuthi Msewu Mabuza, Sydney Mavengahama, Motlogeloa Mokolobate
Summary: Nightshades are an underutilized group of African indigenous leafy vegetables that have the potential to improve food security, nutrition, and income in rural areas. This study evaluated 15 accessions of nightshade for morphological and agronomic traits, and found significant differences among the accessions. The results suggest that there is sufficient genetic variability in nightshades for crop improvement.
Article
Plant Sciences
Anis Ali Shah, Nasim Ahmad Yasin, Kanwal Akram, Aqeel Ahmad, Waheed Ullah Khan, Waheed Akram, Muhammad Akbar
Summary: The study examined the synergistic role of Bacillus subtilis FBL-10 and silicon in mitigating lead-induced phytotoxicity in Solanum melongena L., showing that the co-application of Si and B. subtilis FBL-10 significantly improved biochemical and growth attributes of Pb challenged plants. This research highlights the interactive role of Si and PGPB in reducing Pb toxicity in S. melongena plants, suggesting that the combination of both shows promising potential in enhancing metal tolerance in crop plants.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Anis Ali Shah, Azna, Nasim Ahmad Yasin, Shakil Ahmed, Muhammad Abbas, Ghulam Hassan Abbasi
Summary: The study revealed the potential of 4-hydroxymelatonin in alleviating nickel toxicity in Solanum melongena L., by enhancing growth, photosynthesis rate, antioxidant enzyme activity and glutathione level, while reducing hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels. Further research on the stress mitigation potential of 4-OHMT in other crops could contribute to increased crop productivity.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2021)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Ovidiu Nicolae Berghi, Daniela Vrinceanu, Romica Cergan, Mihai Dumitru, Adrian Costache
Summary: The Solanaceae family, including eggplants, is one of the most widely cultivated crops globally. Allergies to eggplants can lead to various symptoms due to multiple triggering mechanisms and molecules, including an important cross-reactivity mechanism.
EXPERIMENTAL AND THERAPEUTIC MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Akio Ohyama, Hirotaka Yamaguchi, Koji Miyatake, Satomi Negoro, Tsukasa Nunome, Takeo Saito, Hiroyuki Fukuoka
Summary: This study successfully mapped the accumulation profiles of anthocyanins and surface patterns in eggplant fruit using two F-2 intracrossed populations, identifying potential causes of variations in eggplant appearance traits such as inactivation of key enzymes in anthocyanin metabolism and the orthologous gene to the tomato u gene.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tao Tao, Wei Hu, Yang Yang, Min Zou, Shanshan Zhou, Shibing Tian, Yongqing Wang
Summary: This study investigated the differences in flesh colour of eggplants and identified metabolic pathways and genes related to colour formation, including porphyrin and flavonoid biosynthesis. The formation of chloroplasts was hindered in white-fleshed eggplants, resulting in the absence of chlorophyll and only leucoplasts. The differential gene expression in the chlorophyll metabolic pathway was found to be the main cause of the differences in flesh colour formation.
Article
Horticulture
Sara Alessandri, Ana Maria Ramos Cabrer, M. Angela Martin, Claudia Mattioni, Santiago Pereira-Lorenzo, Luca Dondini
Summary: This study explored the genetic variability and origin of chestnuts in Europe. It revealed the presence of two genetically distinct groups of chestnuts in Spain and Italy, with a common genetic structure between southern Spain and southern Italy. The results also showed no genetic differentiation between cultivated and wild chestnuts, indicating gene flow between them.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2022)
Review
Horticulture
Luana Oliveira de Oliveira, Dalvan Carlos Beise, Daniele Damian Dos Santos, Jordana Caroline Nagel, Tales Poletto, Igor Poletto, Valdir Marcos Stefenon
Summary: Research using molecular markers in pecan mainly focuses on genetic diversity and breeding, with the need to further integrate study outcomes to better impact orchards and breeding programs. The scientific advances in molecular markers research and the growth of the pecan's supply chain may lead to these biotechnologies becoming regularly used tools for breeders and farmers.
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Mariola Plazas, Sara Gonzalez-Orenga, Huu Trong Nguyen, Irina M. Morar, Ana Fita, Monica Boscaiu, Jaime Prohens, Oscar Vicente
Summary: This study evaluated drought tolerance in 18 eggplant accessions and 8 wild relatives, identifying accessions with higher drought tolerance based on dry matter content, proline concentration, and biochemical parameters. Tolerant materials such as S. incanum, S. pyracanthos, S. dasyphyllum, and S. torvum showed better performance in terms of oxidative stress and biochemical responses to water stress. The results suggest a high diversity in drought tolerance among eggplant wild relatives, providing insights for breeding programmes to develop new cultivars with higher drought tolerance.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Elena Rosa-Martinez, Ana M. Adalid-Martinez, Maria Dolores Garcia-Martinez, Giulio Mangino, Maria Dolores Raigon, Mariola Plazas, Pietro Gramazio, Jaime Prohens, Santiago Vilanova
Summary: The wild species Solanum incanum has been used in breeding eggplant introgression lines with potential for stress tolerance and fruit quality. Evaluation of fruit composition traits showed that the introgression lines produced fruits with safe levels of glycoalkaloids and similar nutritional quality to the recipient parent. Additionally, potential candidate genes were identified for several traits, providing new information for eggplant breeding.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lorenzo Raggi, Luca C. Pacicco, Leonardo Caproni, Clara Alvarez-Muniz, Kulli Annamaa, Ana M. Barata, Diana Batir-Rusu, Maria J. Diez, Maarit Heinonen, Vojtech Holubec, Shelagh Kell, Hrvoje Kutnjak, Helene Maierhofer, Gert Poulsen, Jaime Prohens, Parthenopi Ralli, Filomena Rocha, Maria L. Rubio Teso, Dan Sandru, Pietro Santamaria, Sarah Sensen, Olivia Shoemark, Salvador Soler, Silvia Strajeru, Imke Thormann, Jens Weibull, Nigel Maxted, Valeria Negri
Summary: Over the past century, the switch from landraces to modern high yielding varieties in Europe has led to a significant reduction in crop diversity. However, a recent study has collected information on over 19,000 geo-referenced landrace cultivation sites from 14 European countries, highlighting the cultivation of 141 herbaceous and 48 tree species across the continent. Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Spain have the highest number of landrace species cultivated.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jose Blanca, Clara Pons, Javier Montero-Pau, David Sanchez-Matarredona, Peio Ziarsolo, Lilian Fontanet, Josef Fisher, Mariola Plazas, Joan Casals, Jose Luis Rambla, Alessandro Riccini, Samuela Pombarella, Alessandra Ruggiero, Maria Sulli, Stephania Grillo, Angelos Kanellis, Giovanni Giuliano, Richard Finkers, Maria Cammareri, Silvana Grandillo, Andrea Mazzucato, Mathilde Causse, Maria Jose Diez, Jaime Prohens, Dani Zamir, Joaquin Canizares, Antonio Jose Monforte, Antonio Granell
Summary: A study on European traditional tomato varieties found that high phenotypic diversity was created by traditional farmer-driven selection, inadvertently combining a few polymorphic loci. Analysis of 1254 tomato accessions revealed a continuous genetic gradient between traditional and modern varieties, with low genetic diversity and distinct genetic groups among traditional European tomatoes. Spanish and Italian varieties showed higher genetic diversity, possibly indicating independent secondary centers of diversity, while other varieties may be the result of recent migrations and hybridizations among European regions. A few highly polymorphic loci were associated with fruit morphological traits in the European traditional collection, suggesting a history of balancing selection by tomato farmers to maintain morphological variation.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Giulio Mangino, Andrea Arrones, Mariola Plazas, Torsten Pook, Jaime Prohens, Pietro Gramazio, Santiago Vilanova
Summary: The development of the first eggplant MAGIC population provides a valuable tool for the genetic dissection of complex traits in eggplant. Through genotyping and phenotyping analysis, strong associations between traits and specific genes were identified. This population is the largest recombinant population in eggplant and is significant for eggplant genetics and breeding studies.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Clara Pons, Joan Casals, Samuela Palombieri, Lilian Fontanet, Alessandro Riccini, Jose Luis Rambla, Alessandra Ruggiero, Maria del Rosario Figas, Mariola Plazas, Athanasios Koukounaras, Maurizio E. Picarella, Maria Sulli, Josef Fisher, Peio Ziarsolo, Jose Blanca, Joaquin Canizares, Maria Cammareri, Antonella Vitiello, Giorgia Batelli, Angelos Kanellis, Matthijs Brouwer, Richard Finkers, Konstantinos Nikoloudis, Salvador Soler, Giovanni Giuliano, Stephania Grillo, Silvana Grandillo, Dani Zamir, Andrea Mazzucato, Mathilde Causse, Maria Jose Diez, Jaime Prohens, Antonio Jose Monforte, Antonio Granell
Summary: This study evaluated a large traditional tomato collection from Southern Europe, revealing a wide range of phenotypic variability and differences among countries. By integrating phenotypic data and origin information, eight main tomato types were defined and 159 novel loci associations were identified.
HORTICULTURE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Raluca Cicevan, Adriana F. Sestras, Mariola Plazas, Monica Boscaiu, Santiago Vilanova, Pietro Gramazio, Oscar Vicente, Jaime Prohens, Radu E. Sestras
Summary: Marigolds are flowering plants with numerous uses and ornamental value. This study analyzed the morphological and genetic differences among 21 cultivars of three marigold species. The results showed significant differences in genotypes between cultivars and species, including variations in seed characteristics, germination capacity, and adult plant morphological traits. The analysis also revealed considerable genetic diversity among the evaluated species, which has important implications for conserving germplasm and breeding new marigold varieties.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ruth J. Eastwood, Beri B. Tambam, Lawrence M. Aboagye, Zeynal Akparov, Sunday E. Aladele, Richard Allen, Ahmed Amri, Noelle L. Anglin, Rodolfo Araya, Griselda Arrieta-Espinoza, Aydin Asgerov, Khadijah Awang, Tesfaye Awas, Ana Maria Barata, Samuel Kwasi Boateng, Joana Magos Brehm, Joelle Breidy, Elinor Breman, Arturo Brenes Angulo, Marilia L. Burle, Nora P. Castaneda-Alvarez, Pedro Casimiro, Nestor F. Chaves, Adelaide S. Clemente, Christopher P. Cockel, Alexandra Davey, Lucia De la Rosa, Daniel G. Debouck, Hannes Dempewolf, Hiba Dokmak, David Ellis, Aisyah Faruk, Catia Freitas, Sona Galstyan, Rosa M. Garcia, Krishna H. Ghimire, Luigi Guarino, Ruth Harker, Roberta Hope, Alan W. Humphries, Nelissa Jamora, Shakeel Ahmad Jatoi, Manana Khutsishvili, David Kikodze, Angelos C. Kyratzis, Pedro Leon-Lobos, Udayangani Liu, Ram P. Mainali, Afig T. Mammadov, Norma C. Manrique-Carpintero, Daniele Manzella, Mohd Shukri Mat Ali, Marcelo B. Medeiros, Maria A. Merida Guzman, Tsira Mikatadze-Pantsulaia, El Tahir Ibrahim Mohamed, Alvaro Monteros-Altamirano, Aura Morales, Jonas Muller, John W. Mulumba, Anush Nersesyan, Humberto Nobrega, Desterio O. Nyamongo, Matija Obreza, Anthony U. Okere, Simone Orsenigo, Fernando Ortega-Klose, Astghik Papikyan, Timothy R. Pearce, Miguel A. A. Pinheiro de Carvalho, Jaime Prohens, Graziano Rossi, Alberto Salas, Deepa Singh Shrestha, Sadar Uddin Siddiqui, Paul P. Smith, Diego A. Sotomayor, Marcelo Tacan, Cesar Tapia, Alvaro Toledo, Jane Toll, Dang Toan Vu, Tuong Dang Vu, Michael J. Way, Mariana Yazbek, Cinthya Zorrilla, Benjamin Kilian
Summary: The Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change Project aimed to enhance the diversity and accessibility of crop wild relatives through seed collecting expeditions. A total of 4587 unique seed samples from at least 355 CWR taxa were collected, conserved, and made available through the Multilateral System of the Plant Treaty. Collections were made for all 28 targeted crops, with potato and eggplant being the most collected genepools. Several of the newly collected samples have already been utilized in pre-breeding programs to adapt crops to future challenges.
Article
Plant Sciences
Andrea Arrones, Giulio Mangino, David Alonso, Mariola Plazas, Jaime Prohens, Ezio Portis, Lorenzo Barchi, Giovanni Giuliano, Santiago Vilanova, Pietro Gramazio
Summary: Understanding the synthesis of chlorophylls in eggplant fruit peel is important for breeding. Through screening and genetic analysis, a major gene associated with the absence of chlorophyll pigmentation in the fruit peel was identified. Multiple mutations in this gene were found and showed geographical differentiation in their frequency, indicating independent selection events.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sara Gonzalez-Orenga, Mariola Plazas, Elvira Ribera, Claudia Pallotti, Monica Boscaiu, Jaime Prohens, Oscar Vicente, Ana Fita
Summary: In the face of climate change, improving crop tolerance to drought is crucial due to its negative impact on agricultural yields globally. Researchers studied the response to drought of eggplant and its wild relatives and found that certain wild relatives, such as S. insanum, displayed better drought tolerance. These findings can be valuable for future breeding programs aimed at enhancing drought tolerance in eggplants.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Leontina Simionca I. Marcasan, Ion Oltean, Sergiu Popa, Mariola Plazas, Santiago Vilanova, Pietro Gramazio, Adriana F. Sestras, Jaime Prohens, Radu E. Sestras
Summary: This study investigated pear genotypes from different sources and identified some potential resistant varieties, which can be used to develop new pear cultivars with disease resistance through breeding programs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Elena Rosa-Martinez, Gloria Villanueva, Ahmet Sahin, Pietro Gramazio, Maria Dolores Garcia-Martinez, Maria Dolores Raigon, Santiago Vilanova, Jaime Prohens, Mariola Plazas
Summary: Lowering nitrogen inputs is an important goal in sustainable agriculture. This study evaluated a set of introgression lines under different nitrogen treatments and identified potential QTL associated with various traits. The results showed that lowering nitrogen inputs did not significantly affect plant growth and yield, but most traits were highly correlated under both treatments. The introgressed fragment of S. incanum generally had a negative effect on the traits, and the genetic differences among the lines provided insights for eggplant breeding under low nitrogen fertilization.
HORTICULTURAL PLANT JOURNAL
(2023)
