Active packaging from chitosan-titanium dioxide nanocomposite film for prolonging storage life of tomato fruit.

PubMed

Kaewklin, Patinya; Siripatrawan, Ubonrat; Suwanagul, Anawat; Lee, Youn Suk

2018-06-01

The feasibility of active packaging from chitosan (CS) and chitosan containing nanosized titanium dioxide (CT) to maintain quality and extend storage life of climacteric fruit was investigated. The CT nanocomposite film and CS film were fabricated using a solution casting method and used as active packaging to delay ripening process of cherry tomatoes. Changes in firmness, weight loss, a*/b* color, lycopene content, total soluble solid, ascorbic acid, and concentration of ethylene and carbon dioxide of the tomatoes packaged in CT film, CS film, and control (without CT or CS films) were monitored during storage at 20°C. Classification of fruit quality as a function of different packaging treatments was visualized using linear discriminant analysis. Tomatoes packaged in the CT film evolved lower quality changes than those in the CS film and control. The results suggested that the CT film exhibited ethylene photodegradation activity when exposed to UV light and consequently delayed the ripening process and changes in the quality of the tomatoes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of modified atmosphere and ethylene levels on quality attributes of fresh tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.).

PubMed

Domínguez, Irene; Lafuente, María T; Hernández-Muñoz, Pilar; Gavara, Rafael

2016-10-15

Controlling storage atmosphere is a key factor for delaying postharvest fruit quality loss. The objective of this study is to evaluate its influence on physico-chemical, sensorial and nutritional quality attributes of two tomato fruit cultivars (Delizia and Pitenza) that respectively have a short- and long-storage life. To that end, the effect of two types of bags with different gas permeability, combined or not with an ethylene sorbent, on tomato organoleptic and nutritional properties were compared during fruit storage at 13°C. CO2 and O2 were critical factors for controlling tomato postharvest behaviour. Weight loss, firmness, color and visual quality were only affected by bag permeability just as total sugar content and acidity for Pitenza tomatoes. (trans)-2-Hexenal also appears to be related with CO2 and O2 levels. Lycopene, total phenols (TP) and ascorbic acid (AA) contents were also affected by the packaging form and the storage length. Ethylene removal in combination with MAP led to a higher content in TP and AA in the short-life tomato cultivar. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition, at consuming ripeness level of tomatoes irradiated at mature green and greenish yellow stages of maturity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Wandawi, H. K.; Abdul-Rahman, M. H.; Al-Shaickley, K. A.

Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum L.,var.Monte carlo) have been Y-irradiated (100-400Krad) and left to ripen to consuming ripeness. The results revealed that in fruits irradiated with 100,200 and 300 krad at mature-green, 48 hour after harvesting and at greenish yellow stages of maturity, 24 hours after harvesting, the levels of ascorbic acid were accounted to 62, 51, 27% and 84, 59, 34% of control samples respectively. In fruits irradiated with 200 krad at mature-green stage and 48 hours after harvesting and in fruits irradiated with 400 krad at greenish yellow stage and 48 hours after harvesting, the levels of lycopene were 279 and 246% of that of control samples; while the lowest levels of lycopene were in fruits irradiated with 400 krad and at mature-green and greenish yellow stages and 48 hours after harvesting where lycopene accounted to 11 and 24% respectively when compared to control samples . on the other hand, radiation had no significant effect on PH, titrable acidity and °Brix of tomatoes.

Mango kernel starch as a novel edible coating for enhancing shelf- life of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit.

PubMed

Nawab, Anjum; Alam, Feroz; Hasnain, Abid

2017-10-01

Mango kernel starch (MKS) coatings containing different plasticizers were used to extend the shelf life of tomato. The coating slurry was prepared by gelatinizing 4% mango kernel starch, plasticized with glycerol, sorbitol and their 1:1 mixture (50% of starch weight; db). The samples were kept at room temperature (20°C) and analyzed for shelf life. Significant difference in coated and control fruits were observed and all the coated fruits delayed ripening process that was characterized by reduction in weight loss and restricted changes in soluble solids concentration, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, firmness and decay percentage compared to uncoated sample. The formulations containing sorbitol were found to be the most effective followed by combined plasticizers (glycerol: sorbitol) and glycerol. Sensory evaluation conducted to monitor the change in color, texture and aroma also proved the efficacy of MKS coating containing sorbitol by retaining the overall postharvest quality of tomato during the storage period. The results showed that MKS could be a promising coating material for tomatoes that delayed the ripening process up to 20days during storage at 20°C with no adverse effect on postharvest quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regulation of fruit ascorbic acid concentrations during ripening in high and low vitamin C tomato cultivars

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background To gain insight into the regulation of fruit ascorbic acid (AsA) pool in tomatoes, a combination of metabolite analyses, non-labelled and radiolabelled substrate feeding experiments, enzyme activity measurements and gene expression studies were carried out in fruits of the ‘low-’ and ‘high-AsA’ tomato cultivars ‘Ailsa Craig’ and ‘Santorini’ respectively. Results The two cultivars exhibited different profiles of total AsA (totAsA, AsA + dehydroascorbate) and AsA accumulation during ripening, but both displayed a characteristic peak in concentrations at the breaker stage. Substrate feeding experiments demonstrated that the L-galactose pathway is the main AsA biosynthetic route in tomato fruits, but that substrates from alternative pathways can increase the AsA pool at specific developmental stages. In addition, we show that young fruits display a higher AsA biosynthetic capacity than mature ones, but this does not lead to higher AsA concentrations due to either enhanced rates of AsA breakdown (‘Ailsa Craig’) or decreased rates of AsA recycling (‘Santorini’), depending on the cultivar. In the later stages of ripening, differences in fruit totAsA-AsA concentrations of the two cultivars can be explained by differences in the rate of AsA recycling activities. Analysis of the expression of AsA metabolic genes showed that only the expression of one orthologue of GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase (SlGGP1), and of two monodehydroascorbate reductases (SlMDHAR1 and SlMDHAR3) correlated with the changes in fruit totAsA-AsA concentrations during fruit ripening in ‘Ailsa Craig’, and that only the expression of SlGGP1 was linked to the high AsA concentrations found in red ripe ‘Santorini’ fruits. Conclusions Results indicate that ‘Ailsa Craig’ and ‘Santorini’ use complementary mechanisms to maintain the fruit AsA pool. In the low-AsA cultivar (‘Ailsa Craig’), alternative routes of AsA biosynthesis may supplement biosynthesis via L-galactose, while in the high-AsA cultivar (‘Santorini’), enhanced AsA recycling activities appear to be responsible for AsA accumulation in the later stages of ripening. Gene expression studies indicate that expression of SlGGP1 and two orthologues of SlMDHAR are closely correlated with totAsA-AsA concentrations during ripening and are potentially good candidates for marker development for breeding and selection. PMID:23245200

Role for the banana AGAMOUS-like gene MaMADS7 in regulation of fruit ripening and quality.

PubMed

Liu, Juhua; Liu, Lin; Li, Yujia; Jia, Caihong; Zhang, Jianbin; Miao, Hongxia; Hu, Wei; Wang, Zhuo; Xu, Biyu; Jin, Zhiqiang

2015-11-01

MADS-box transcription factors play important roles in organ development. In plants, most studies on MADS-box genes have mainly focused on flower development and only a few concerned fruit development and ripening. A new MADS-box gene named MaMADS7 was isolated from banana fruit by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) based on a MADS-box fragment obtained from a banana suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library. MaMADS7 is an AGAMOUS-like MADS-box gene that is preferentially expressed in the ovaries and fruits and in tobacco its protein product localizes to the nucleus. This study found that MaMADS7 expression can be induced by exogenous ethylene. Ectopic expression of MaMADS7 in tomato resulted in broad ripening phenotypes. The expression levels of seven ripening and quality-related genes, ACO1, ACS2, E4, E8, PG, CNR and PSY1 in MaMADS7 transgenic tomato fruits were greatly increased while the expression of the AG-like MADS-box gene TAGL1 was suppressed. Compared with the control, the contents of β-carotene, lycopene, ascorbic acid and organic acid in transformed tomato fruits were increased, while the contents of glucose and fructose were slightly decreased. MaMADS7 interacted with banana 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase gene 1 (MaACO1) and tomato phytoene synthase gene (LePSY1) promoters. Our results indicated that MaMADS7 plays an important role in initiating endogenous ethylene biosynthesis and fruit ripening. © 2015 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Tomato type and post-treatment water rinse affect efficacy of acid washes against Salmonella enterica inoculated on stem scars of tomatoes and product quality.

PubMed

Fan, Xuetong; Gurtler, Joshua B; Sokorai, Kimberly J B

2018-09-02

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of post-treatment rinsing with water on the inactivation efficacy of acid treatments against Salmonella inoculated onto stem scar areas of two types of tomatoes. In addition, impact on fruit quality was investigated during 21 days post-treatment storage at 10 °C. A four-strain cocktail of Salmonella enterica (S. Montevideo, S. Newport, S. Saintpaul, and S. Typhimurium) was inoculated onto stem scar areas of grape and large round tomatoes. The inoculated fruits were then treated for 2 min with the following solutions: water, 2% lactic acid +2% acetic acid +2% levulinic acid, 1.7% lactic acid +1.7% acetic acid +1.7% levulinic acid, and 3% lactic acid +3% acetic acid. After treatments, half of the fruits were rinsed with water while another half were not rinsed. Non-inoculated grape tomatoes for quality analysis were treated with the same solutions with and without subsequent water rinse. Results demonstrated that the acid combinations reduced populations of Salmonella enterica on the stem scar area of grape tomatoes by 1.52-1.90 log CFU/fruit, compared with the non-treated control while water wash and rinse removed the bacterium by only 0.23-0.30 log CFU/fruit. On the stem scar of large round tomatoes, the same acid treatments achieved 3.54 log CFU/fruit reduction of the pathogen. The varying response to the acid washes between grape and large round tomatoes seems to be related to the differences in surface characteristics of stem scar areas observed with SEM. Rinsing with water after acid combination treatments did not significantly affect the efficacy of the treatments in either grape or large round tomatoes. Acidic off-odor was detected on fruits treated with acid combination without water rinse 1 day after treatment while water rinse eliminated the off-odor. The acid treatments with and without water rinse did not consistently affect appearance, color, firmness, or lycopene or ascorbic acid contents of tomatoes during 21-days storage at 10 °C. Considering the similarity in antimicrobial efficacy between the fruits with and without water rinse following acid treatments, and the elimination of acidic odor by water rinse, fruits should be rinsed with water after acid treatments. Overall, our results demonstrated that the acids were more effective in inactivating Salmonella on large round tomatoes than on grape tomatoes, and water rinses following acid treatments eliminated the acidic odor without affecting the efficacy of the acids against Salmonella. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Quality comparison of hydroponic tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) ripened on and off vine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arias, R.; Lee, T. C.; Specca, D.; Janes, H.

2000-01-01

There is a general belief that the quality of tomatoes ripened on vine is better than tomatoes ripened off the vine, influencing among other parameters, the price of this commodity. We compared the quality of hydroponic tomatoes ripened on and off vine by chemical, physical, and sensory evaluation to find what attributes are affected and to what extent. Lycopene, beta-carotene, total and soluble solids, moisture content, ascorbic acid, acidity, pH, texture, and color were analyzed. Tomatoes ripened on vine had significantly more lycopene, beta-carotene, soluble and total solids, higher a* and lower L*, and were firmer. However, a 100-judge panel rated only the color and overall liking of the vine-ripened tomatoes as more intense than the fruit ripened off vine. Therefore, the chemical and physical differences were mostly not large enough to influence the panelist's perception. The characterization of tomatoes ripened on and off vine may help to guide post-harvest handling and treatment and to improve the quality of tomatoes ripened off vine.

Glutathione homeostasis as an important and novel factor controlling blossom-end rot development in calcium-deficient tomato fruits.

PubMed

Mestre, Teresa C; Garcia-Sanchez, Francisco; Rubio, Francisco; Martinez, Vicente; Rivero, Rosa M

2012-11-15

Based on previous results in which oxidative metabolism was suggested as a possible inducer of blossom-end rot (BER), the main questions addressed here were whether calcium deficiency is the main factor that induces BER or whether this physiological disorder a general stress-related phenomenon? Tomato plants were grown under optimal or deficient calcium concentrations. Only the application of 0.1mM calcium resulted in BER induction, although only half of the fruits grown under this treatment had this disorder. Having fruits showing or not showing BER in the same plant and treatment provided us with a powerful tool that we used to investigate whether calcium deficiency operates alongside another mechanism in the induction of BER. Whether or not this other mechanism was the one controlling BER incidence was also investigated. We performed a complete study of the oxidative metabolism in the pericarp of healthy fruits and in the healthy portion of BER-affected fruits. Calcium deficiency led to an induction of NADPH oxidase, superoxide dismutase, dehydro- and monodehydroascorbate reductase, and to an inhibition of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase, with a concomitant accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and an increase in lipid peroxidation. While the ascorbate redox state was not affected by calcium deficiency, the glutathione redox state was markedly reduced. We conclude that calcium deficiency fundamentally affected the activity of the ascorbate-glutathione enzymes, with special importance to the inhibition of GR, which lead to a reduction of the glutathione redox state. This could cause the breakdown of cellular homeostasis, the inhibition of other enzymes responsible for H(2)O(2) detoxification, and ultimately an increase of lipid peroxidation. Therefore, BER is defined here as the visual symptom of a massive lipid peroxidation event caused by the breakdown of cellular glutathione homeostasis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Genetic and genome-wide transcriptomic analyses identify co-regulation of oxidative response and hormone transcript abundance with vitamin C content in tomato fruit.

PubMed

Lima-Silva, Viviana; Rosado, Abel; Amorim-Silva, Vitor; Muñoz-Mérida, Antonio; Pons, Clara; Bombarely, Aureliano; Trelles, Oswaldo; Fernández-Muñoz, Rafael; Granell, Antonio; Valpuesta, Victoriano; Botella, Miguel Ángel

2012-05-14

L-ascorbic acid (AsA; vitamin C) is essential for all living plants where it functions as the main hydrosoluble antioxidant. It has diverse roles in the regulation of plant cell growth and expansion, photosynthesis, and hormone-regulated processes. AsA is also an essential component of the human diet, being tomato fruit one of the main sources of this vitamin. To identify genes responsible for AsA content in tomato fruit, transcriptomic studies followed by clustering analysis were applied to two groups of fruits with contrasting AsA content. These fruits were identified after AsA profiling of an F8 Recombinant Inbred Line (RIL) population generated from a cross between the domesticated species Solanum lycopersicum and the wild relative Solanum pimpinellifollium. We found large variability in AsA content within the RIL population with individual RILs with up to 4-fold difference in AsA content. Transcriptomic analysis identified genes whose expression correlated either positively (PVC genes) or negatively (NVC genes) with the AsA content of the fruits. Cluster analysis using SOTA allowed the identification of subsets of co-regulated genes mainly involved in hormones signaling, such as ethylene, ABA, gibberellin and auxin, rather than any of the known AsA biosynthetic genes. Data mining of the corresponding PVC and NVC orthologs in Arabidopis databases identified flagellin and other ROS-producing processes as cues resulting in differential regulation of a high percentage of the genes from both groups of co-regulated genes; more specifically, 26.6% of the orthologous PVC genes, and 15.5% of the orthologous NVC genes were induced and repressed, respectively, under flagellin22 treatment in Arabidopsis thaliana. Results here reported indicate that the content of AsA in red tomato fruit from our selected RILs are not correlated with the expression of genes involved in its biosynthesis. On the contrary, the data presented here supports that AsA content in tomato fruit co-regulates with genes involved in hormone signaling and they are dependent on the oxidative status of the fruit.

Abiotic Stress Response to As and As+Si, Composite Reprogramming of Fruit Metabolites in Tomato Cultivars

PubMed Central

Marmiroli, Marta; Mussi, Francesca; Imperiale, Davide; Lencioni, Giacomo; Marmiroli, Nelson

2017-01-01

The toxic element arsenic interacts with the beneficial element silicon at many levels of the plant metabolism. The ability of the tomato plant to take up and translocate As into its fruit has risen concerns that it could facilitate the entry of this element into the human food chain above the admitted level. Here, the fruit of two contrasting tomato cultivars, Aragon and Gladis, were evaluated following exposures of either 48 h or 14 days to As-contaminated irrigation water, with or without supplementary Si. The focus was on selected biochemical stress response indicators to dissect metabolic fruit reprogramming induced by As and Si. A multivariate statistical approach was utilized to establish the relationship between tissue As and Si concentrations and selected biochemical aspects of the stress response mechanisms to identify a set of relevant stress response descriptors. This resulted in the recognition of strong cultivar and temporal effects on metabolic and biochemical stress parameters following the treatments. In this paper the metabolic changes in H2O2 content, lipid peroxidation, lycopene and carotenoids content, ascorbate and GSH redox state, total phenolics, ABTS and DPPH radicals inhibition were in favor of an oxidative stress. The significance of some of these parameters as reliable arsenic exposition biomarkers is discussed in the context of the limited knowledge on the As-induced stress response mechanisms at the level of the ripening fruit which presents a distinctive molecular background dissimilar from roots and shoots. PMID:29312426

The Potential of the MAGIC TOM Parental Accessions to Explore the Genetic Variability in Tomato Acclimation to Repeated Cycles of Water Deficit and Recovery

PubMed Central

Ripoll, Julie; Urban, Laurent; Bertin, Nadia

2016-01-01

Episodes of water deficit (WD) during the crop cycle of tomato may negatively impact plant growth and fruit yield, but they may also improve fruit quality. Moreover, a moderate WD may induce a plant “memory effect” which is known to stimulate plant acclimation and defenses for upcoming stress episodes. The objective of this study was to analyze the positive and negative impacts of repeated episodes of WD at the plant and fruit levels. Three episodes of WD (–38, –45, and –55% of water supply) followed by three periods of recovery (“WD treatments”), were applied to the eight parents of the Multi-Parent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross population which offers the largest allelic variability observed in tomato. Predawn and midday water potentials, chlorophyll a fluorescence, growth and fruit quality traits [contents in sugars, acids, carotenoids, and ascorbic acid (AsA)] were measured throughout the experiment. Important genotypic variations were observed both at the plant and fruit levels and variations in fruit and leaf traits were found not to be correlated. Overall, the WD treatments were at the origin of important osmotic regulations, reduction of leaf growth, acclimation of photosynthetic functioning, notably through an increase in the chlorophyll content and in the quantum yield of the electron transport flux until PSI acceptors (J0RE1/JABS). The effects on fruit sugar, acid, carotenoid and AsA contents on a dry matter basis ranged from negative to positive to nil depending on genotypes and stress intensity. Three small fruit size accessions were richer in AsA on a fresh matter basis, due to concentration effects. So, fruit quality was improved under WD mainly through concentration effects. On the whole, two accessions, LA1420 and Criollo appeared as interesting genetic resources, cumulating adaptive traits both at the leaf and fruit levels. Our observations show that the complexity involved in plant responses, when considering a broad range of physiological traits and the variability of genotypic effects, represent a true challenge for upcoming studies aiming at taking advantage of, not just dealing with WD. PMID:26779213

Influence of Paclobutrazol (PP333) and Sridiamin (Human hair-derived aminoacid mixture) on growth and quality of Tomato PKM-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suja, S.; Anusuya, N.

2018-03-01

Tomato is one of the most popular vegetable in subtropics and tropics. Plant growth regulators have potential for manipulating growth of many agricultural crops. Among the plant growth retardants, paclobutrazol (PP333) has been reported to exert profound effects on improving the yield of certain vegetables. Aminoacids are essential prerequisite for plant growth. Sridiamin a natural blend of 17 essential L-aminoacids, fortified with vitamins ensuring better crop growth and higher productivity. Therefore the present study was designed with 5mg and 10 mg concentration of PP333 as soil drench and a foliar spray of sridiamin of 0.5% and 1% concentration as individual and as combined treatment improved the yield and quality of tomato PKM1. Various biometric parameters, along with chlorophyll, starch, aminoacid and protein content were analysed in the leaves. In fruit analysis like titrable acidity, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid, lycopene, total sugars, macronutrients and micronutrients were analysed.

Qualitative and nutritional differences in processing tomatoes grown under commercial organic and conventional production systems.

PubMed

Barrett, D M; Weakley, C; Diaz, J V; Watnik, M

2007-11-01

Organically grown products experienced a doubling in percent penetration of organic sales into retail markets during the period from 1997 to 2003; however, there is still a debate over the perceived quality advantage of organically grown fruits and vegetables. In a study focusing on commercial production of processing tomatoes, samples were analyzed from 4 growers with matched organic and conventional fields. For the 4 growers studied, individual analysis of variance results indicated that tomato juice prepared from organically produced tomatoes on some farms was significantly higher in soluble solids ( degrees Brix), higher in consistency, and titratable acidity, but lower in red color, ascorbic acid, and total phenolics content in the microwaved juice. Results were significantly different among specific growers, and this may be attributed to differences in soil type and soil nutrients, tomato cultivar, environmental conditions, or other production-related factors. Higher levels of soluble solids, titratable acidity, and consistency are desirable for the production of tomato paste, in that tomatoes with these attributes may be more flavorful and require less thermal treatment. This has the potential to result both in cost savings from less energy required in paste manufacture and potentially a higher quality product due to less thermal degradation of color, flavor, and nutrients. Future work may involve a larger number of commercial growers and correlation to controlled university research plots.

Clarification of Tomato Juice with Polygalacturonase Obtained from Tomato Fruits Infected by Aspergillus niger.

PubMed

Ajayi, A A; Peter-Albert, C F; Akeredolu, M; Shokunbi, A A

2015-02-01

Two varieties of tomato fruits commonly available in Nigerian markets are the Roma VF and Ibadan local varieties of tomato fruits. The Roma VF fruits are oval in shape. It is a common type of cultivar in the Northern region of Nigeria and it is not susceptible to cracking. The Ibadan local variety of tomato fruits is a local variety commonly found on farmers fields in South-western region of Nigeria. They are highly susceptible to cracking. The Ibadan local variety was employed for this research. There are lots of benefits derived from the consumption of tomato fruits. The fruits can be made into tomato juice clarified with pectinases. Polygalacturonase is one of the pectinases used commercially in the clarification of fruit juice from different fruits. This study examined the production of polygalacturonase during the deterioration of tomato fruits by Aspergillus niger and the role of the purified polygalacturonase in the clarification of tomato juice. Tomato fruits of the Ibadan local variety were inoculated with mycelia discs containing spores of a 96-h-old culture of Aspergillus niger served as the inoculum. The organism from the stock culture was subcultured onto potato dextrose agar plates. The extraction of polygalacturonase after 10 days of incubation at 27 degrees C was carried out by homogenizing the fruits with liquid extractant using the MSE homogenizer after the deteriorated fruits had been chilled for 30 min inside a freezer. Control fruits were similarly treated except that sterile potato dextrose agar served as the inoculum. The effect of different temperature of incubation and different volume of enzyme on the tomato juice from the tomato fruits was investigated. Extracts from the inoculated fruits exhibited appreciable polygalacturonase activity. The juice with polygalacturonase was visually clearer and more voluminous than the juice treated with water for all parameters studied. The highest volume of juice was obtained after an incubation period of 30 min for the tomato fruits. The increase in juice yield can be attributed to the hydrolysis of pectin which releases the sap inside the cells of the pulp. The occurrence of polygalacturonase in tomato tissues infected by A. niger coupled with the trace amount in the non-infected tissues suggests that the enzyme is of fungal origin. The role of the polygalacturonase in the clarification process was established. This study will be very useful for industrial tomato juice production.

Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Plants Subjected to Boron Toxicity

PubMed Central

Cervilla, Luis M.; Blasco, Begoña; Ríos, Juan J.; Romero, Luis; Ruiz, Juan M.

2007-01-01

Background and Aims Boron (B) toxicity triggers the formation of reactive oxygen species in plant tissues. However, there is still a lack of knowledge as to how B toxicity affects the plant antioxidant defence system. It has been suggested that ascorbate could be important against B stress, although existing information is limited in this respect. The objective of this study was to analyse how ascorbate and some other components of the antioxidant network respond to B toxicity. Methods Two tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivars (‘Kosaco’ and ‘Josefina’) were subjected to 0·05 (control), 0·5 and 2 mm B. The following were studied in leaves: dry weight; relative leaf growth rate; total and free B; H2O2; malondialdehyde; ascorbate; glutathione; sugars; total non-enzymatic antioxidant activity, and the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase, ascorbate oxidase and l-galactose dehydrogenase. Key Results The B-toxicity treatments diminished growth and boosted the amount of B, malondialdehyde and H2O2 in the leaves of the two cultivars, these trends being more pronounced in ‘Josefina’ than in ‘Kosaco’. B toxicity increased ascorbate concentration in both cultivars and increased glutathione only in ‘Kosaco’. Activities of antioxidant- and ascorbate-metabolizing enzymes were also induced. Conclusions High B concentration in the culture medium provokes oxidative damage in tomato leaves and induces a general increase in antioxidant enzyme activity. In particular, B toxicity increased ascorbate pool size. It also increased the activity of l-galactose dehydrogenase, an enzyme involved in ascorbate biosynthesis, and the activity of enzymes of the Halliwell–Asada cycle. This work therefore provides a starting point towards a better understanding of the role of ascorbate in the plant response against B stress. PMID:17660516

Accumulation of anthocyanins in tomato skin extends shelf life.

PubMed

Bassolino, Laura; Zhang, Yang; Schoonbeek, Henk-Jan; Kiferle, Claudia; Perata, Pierdomenico; Martin, Cathie

2013-11-01

Shelf life is one of the most important traits for the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) industry. Two key factors, post-harvest over-ripening and susceptibility to post-harvest pathogen infection, determine tomato shelf life. Anthocyanins accumulate in the skin of Aft/Aft atv/atv tomatoes, the result of introgressing alleles affecting anthocyanin biosynthesis in fruit from two wild relatives of tomato, which results in extended fruit shelf life. Compared with ordinary, anthocyanin-less tomatoes, the fruits of Aft/Aft atv/atv keep longer during storage and are less susceptible to Botrytis cinerea, a major tomato pathogen, post-harvest. Using genetically modified tomatoes over-producing anthocyanins, we confirmed that skin-specific accumulation of anthocyanins in tomato is sufficient to reduce the susceptibility of fruit to Botrytis cinerea. Our data indicate that accumulation of anthocyanins in tomato fruit, achieved either by traditional breeding or genetic engineering can be an effective way to extend tomato shelf life. © 2013 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2013 New Phytologist Trust.

Western flower thrips can transmit Tomato spotted wilt virus from virus-infected tomato fruits

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Acquisition and transmission of Tomato spotted wilt virus from symptomatic tomato fruits by western flower thrips was demonstrated for the first time. This suggests that infected tomato fruits may be a source of virus and also provide an additional means of virus movement between geographic areas....

Water deficit effects on tomato quality depend on fruit developmental stage and genotype.

PubMed

Ripoll, Julie; Urban, Laurent; Brunel, Béatrice; Bertin, Nadia

2016-01-15

Many studies have advocated that water deficit (WD) may exert beneficial effects on fruit quality. However, the fruit response to WD at specific developmental stages was seldom investigated, although different mechanisms could be involved at each stage and lead to different effects on final fruit quality. In the present study, a moderate WD (-60% of water supply compared to control) was applied during each of the three major phases of fruit development, namely cell division (CD), cell expansion (CE) and maturation (MT). Two cocktail tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genotypes were studied, one producing poor quality fruits (LA1420), and the other one producing tasty fruits (PlovdivXXIVa named Plovdiv). Contrasted responses were observed between the two genotypes. For both of them, fruit fresh mass and size were not significantly reduced by WD, whatever the developmental phase affected. Osmotic regulations were likely involved in the CD treatment for LA1420 fruits, which accumulated more sugars (both on a dry and fresh matter basis) and less acids (on a dry matter basis). In the CE treatment, other adaptive strategies involving sugar metabolism and sub-cellular compartmentation were suggested. In contrast, the composition of Plovdiv fruits changed only under the MT treatment, with less sugars, acids and carotenoids compared to control fruits (both on a dry and fresh matter basis). Total ascorbic acid (AsA) was not significantly influenced by treatments in both genotypes. On their whole, results suggest that, depending on genotypes, fruits are sweeter and less acidic under WD, but that the nutritive value related to vitamin and carotenoid contents may be lessened. The sensitivity of each developmental phase highly depends on the genotype. All phases were sensitive to WD for LA1420, but only the ripening phase for Plovdiv. Interestingly, major changes in fruit composition were observed in LA1420 which presents poor fruit quality under control conditions. This suggests the onset of fast adaptive response to WD at the fruit level in this genotype. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Developmental gene regulation during tomato fruit ripening and in-vitro sepal morphogenesis

PubMed Central

Bartley, Glenn E; Ishida, Betty K

2003-01-01

Background Red ripe tomatoes are the result of numerous physiological changes controlled by hormonal and developmental signals, causing maturation or differentiation of various fruit tissues simultaneously. These physiological changes affect visual, textural, flavor, and aroma characteristics, making the fruit more appealing to potential consumers for seed dispersal. Developmental regulation of tomato fruit ripening has, until recently, been lacking in rigorous investigation. We previously indicated the presence of up-regulated transcription factors in ripening tomato fruit by data mining in TIGR Tomato Gene Index. In our in-vitro system, green tomato sepals cultured at 16 to 22°C turn red and swell like ripening tomato fruit while those at 28°C remain green. Results Here, we have further examined regulation of putative developmental genes possibly involved in tomato fruit ripening and development. Using molecular biological methods, we have determined the relative abundance of various transcripts of genes during in vitro sepal ripening and in tomato fruit pericarp at three stages of development. A number of transcripts show similar expression in fruits to RIN and PSY1, ripening-associated genes, and others show quite different expression. Conclusions Our investigation has resulted in confirmation of some of our previous database mining results and has revealed differences in gene expression that may be important for tomato cultivar variation. We present new and intriguing information on genes that should now be studied in a more focused fashion. PMID:12906715

QTL mapping of fruit mineral contents provides new chances for molecular breeding of tomato nutritional traits.

PubMed

Capel, Carmen; Yuste-Lisbona, Fernando J; López-Casado, Gloria; Angosto, Trinidad; Heredia, Antonio; Cuartero, Jesús; Fernández-Muñoz, Rafael; Lozano, Rafael; Capel, Juan

2017-05-01

Agronomical characterization of a RIL population for fruit mineral contents allowed for the identification of QTL controlling these fruit quality traits, flanked by co-dominant markers useful for marker-assisted breeding. Tomato quality is a multi-variant attribute directly depending on fruit chemical composition, which in turn determines the benefits of tomato consumption for human health. Commercially available tomato varieties possess limited variability in fruit quality traits. Wild species, such as Solanum pimpinellifolium, could provide different nutritional advantages and can be used for tomato breeding to improve overall fruit quality. Determining the genetic basis of the inheritance of all the traits that contribute to tomato fruit quality will increase the efficiency of the breeding program necessary to take advantage of the wild species variability. A high-density linkage map has been constructed from a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between tomato Solanum lycopersicum and the wild-relative species S. pimpinellifolium. The RIL population was evaluated for fruit mineral contents during three consecutive growing seasons. The data obtained allowed for the identification of main QTL and novel epistatic interaction among QTL controlling fruit mineral contents on the basis of a multiple-environment analysis. Most of the QTL were flanked by candidate genes providing valuable information for both tomato breeding for new varieties with novel nutritional properties and the starting point to identify the genes underlying these QTL, which will help to reveal the genetic basis of tomato fruit nutritional properties.

Dissipation of chlorantraniliprole in tomato fruits and soil.

PubMed

Malhat, Farag; Abdallah, Hend; Hegazy, Islam

2012-03-01

The main objective of this study was to understand the residue and persistence behaviour of new insecticide chlorantraniliprole in tomato fruit and soil samples. Its residue was analyzed by HPLC and it dissipated in tomato fruit and soil following first order kinetics. The results showed half life (t(1/2)) value of 3.30 and 3.66 days for chlorantraniliprole in tomato fruit and soil, respectively. According to maximum residue limit (MRL) the pre-harvest interval (PHI) of chlorantraniliprole on tomato was 8-days after the treatment.

Evaluation of the genotype, environment and their interaction on carotenoid and ascorbic acid accumulation in tomato germplasm.

PubMed

Roselló, Salvador; Adalid, Ana Maria; Cebolla-Cornejo, Jaime; Nuez, Fernando

2011-04-01

Tomatoes are an important source of antioxidants (carotenoids, vitamin C, etc.) owing to their high level of consumption. There is great interest in developing cultivars with increased levels of lycopene, β-carotene or L-ascorbic acid. There is necessary to survey new sources of variation. In this study, the potential of improvement for each character in tomato breeding programmes, in a single or joint approach, and the nature of genotype (G), environment (E) and G × E interaction effects in the expression of these characters were investigated. The content of lycopene, β-carotene and ascorbic acid determined was very high in some phenotypes (up to 281, 35 and 346 mg kg(-1) respectively). The important differences in the three environments studied (with some stressing conditions in several situations) had a remarkable influence in the phenotypic expression of the functional characters evaluated. Nevertheless, the major contribution came from the genotypic effect along with a considerable G × E interaction. The joint accumulation of lycopene and β-carotene has a high genetic component. It is possible to select elite genotypes with high content of both carotenoids in tomato breeding programmes but multi-environment trials are recommended. The improvement of ascorbic acid content is more difficult because the interference of uncontrolled factors mask the real genetic potential. Among the accessions evaluated, there are four accessions with an amazing genetic potential for functional properties that can be used as donor parents in tomato breeding programmes or for direct consumption in quality markets. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Spermidine affects the transcriptome responses to high temperature stress in ripening tomato fruit.

PubMed

Cheng, Lin; Sun, Rong-rong; Wang, Fei-yan; Peng, Zhen; Kong, Fu-ling; Wu, Jian; Cao, Jia-shu; Lu, Gang

2012-04-01

High temperature adversely affects quality and yield of tomato fruit. Polyamine can alleviate heat injury in plants. This study is aimed to investigate the effects of polyamine and high temperature on transcriptional profiles in ripening tomato fruit. An Affymetrix tomato microarray was used to evaluate changes in gene expression in response to exogenous spermidine (Spd, 1 mmol/L) and high temperature (33/27 °C) treatments in tomato fruits at mature green stage. Of the 10101 tomato probe sets represented on the array, 127 loci were differentially expressed in high temperature-treated fruits, compared with those under normal conditions, functionally characterized by their involvement in signal transduction, defense responses, oxidation reduction, and hormone responses. However, only 34 genes were up-regulated in Spd-treated fruits as compared with non-treated fruits, which were involved in primary metabolism, signal transduction, hormone responses, transcription factors, and stress responses. Meanwhile, 55 genes involved in energy metabolism, cell wall metabolism, and photosynthesis were down-regulated in Spd-treated fruits. Our results demonstrated that Spd might play an important role in regulation of tomato fruit response to high temperature during ripening stage.

Sucrose synthase in wild tomato Lycopersicon chmielewskii and tomato fruit sink strength

Treesearch

Shi-Jean S. Sung; T. Loboda; S.S. Sung; C.C. Black

1992-01-01

Here it is reported that sucrose synthase can be readily measured in growing wild tomato fruits (Lycopersicon chmielewskii) when suitable methods are adopted during fruit extraction. The enzyme also was present in fruit pericarp tissues, in seeds, and in flowers.In mature, nongrowing fruits, sucrose synthase activities approached nil values.Therefore, sucrose synthase...

Evaluating carotenoid changes in tomatoes during postharvest ripening using Raman chemical imaging.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

During the postharvest ripening of tomato fruits, the increasing presence of lycopene in the tomatoe samples spanning a range of fruit maturity. In this study, Raman chemical images were acquired of tomato samples spanning a range of fruit maturity stages, and were evaluated for the presence and di...

Comparative sequencing in the genus Lycopersicon. Implications for the evolution of fruit size in the domestication of cultivated tomatoes.

PubMed Central

Nesbitt, T Clint; Tanksley, Steven D

2002-01-01

Sequence variation was sampled in cultivated and related wild forms of tomato at fw2.2--a fruit weight QTL key to the evolution of domesticated tomatoes. Variation at fw2.2 was contrasted with variation at four other loci not involved in fruit weight determination. Several conclusions could be reached: (1) Fruit weight variation attributable to fw2.2 is not caused by variation in the FW2.2 protein sequence; more likely, it is due to transcriptional variation associated with one or more of eight nucleotide changes unique to the promoter of large-fruit alleles; (2) fw2.2 and loci not involved in fruit weight have not evolved at distinguishably different rates in cultivated and wild tomatoes, despite the fact that fw2.2 was likely a target of selection during domestication; (3) molecular-clock-based estimates suggest that the large-fruit allele of fw2.2, now fixed in most cultivated tomatoes, arose in tomato germplasm long before domestication; (4) extant accessions of L. esculentum var. cerasiforme, the subspecies thought to be the most likely wild ancestor of domesticated tomatoes, appear to be an admixture of wild and cultivated tomatoes rather than a transitional step from wild to domesticated tomatoes; and (5) despite the fact that cerasiforme accessions are polymorphic for large- and small-fruit alleles at fw2.2, no significant association was detected between fruit size and fw2.2 genotypes in the subspecies--as tested by association genetic studies in the relatively small sample studied--suggesting the role of other fruit weight QTL in fruit weight variation in cerasiforme. PMID:12242247

7 CFR 966.5 - Tomatoes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Tomatoes. 966.5 Section 966.5 Agriculture Regulations... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 966.5 Tomatoes. Tomatoes means all varieties of the edible fruit (Lycopersicon...

Proteomic analysis of ripening tomato fruit infected by Botrytis cinerea.

PubMed

Shah, Punit; Powell, Ann L T; Orlando, Ron; Bergmann, Carl; Gutierrez-Sanchez, Gerardo

2012-04-06

Botrytis cinerea, a model necrotrophic fungal pathogen that causes gray mold as it infects different organs on more than 200 plant species, is a significant contributor to postharvest rot in fresh fruit and vegetables, including tomatoes. By describing host and pathogen proteomes simultaneously in infected tissues, the plant proteins that provide resistance and allow susceptibility and the pathogen proteins that promote colonization and facilitate quiescence can be identified. This study characterizes fruit and fungal proteins solubilized in the B. cinerea-tomato interaction using shotgun proteomics. Mature green, red ripe wild type and ripening inhibited (rin) mutant tomato fruit were infected with B. cinerea B05.10, and the fruit and fungal proteomes were identified concurrently 3 days postinfection. One hundred eighty-six tomato proteins were identified in common among red ripe and red ripe-equivalent ripening inhibited (rin) mutant tomato fruit infected by B. cinerea. However, the limited infections by B. cinerea of mature green wild type fruit resulted in 25 and 33% fewer defense-related tomato proteins than in red and rin fruit, respectively. In contrast, the ripening stage of genotype of the fruit infected did not affect the secreted proteomes of B. cinerea. The composition of the collected proteins populations and the putative functions of the identified proteins argue for their role in plant-pathogen interactions.

The role of alternative oxidase in tomato fruit ripening and its regulatory interaction with ethylene

PubMed Central

Lin, Hong-Hui

2012-01-01

Although the alternative oxidase (AOX) has been proposed to play a role in fruit development, the function of AOX in fruit ripening is unclear. To gain further insight into the role of AOX in tomato fruit ripening, transgenic tomato plants 35S-AOX1a and 35S-AOX-RNAi were generated. Tomato plants with reduced LeAOX levels exhibited retarded ripening; reduced carotenoids, respiration, and ethylene production; and the down-regulation of ripening-associated genes. Moreover, no apparent respiratory climacteric occurred in the AOX-reduced tomato fruit, indicating that AOX might play an important role in climacteric respiration. In contrast, the fruit that overexpressed LeAOX1a accumulated more lycopene, though they displayed a similar pattern of ripening to wild-type fruit. Ethylene application promoted fruit ripening and anticipated ethylene production and respiration, including the alternative pathway respiration. Interestingly, the transgenic plants with reduced LeAOX levels failed to ripen after 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment, while such inhibition was notably less effective in 35S-AOX1a fruit. These findings indicate that AOX is involved in respiratory climacteric and ethylene-mediated fruit ripening of tomato. PMID:22915749

Implication of processing and differential blending on quality characteristics in nutritionally enriched ketchup (Nutri-Ketchup) from acerola and tomato.

PubMed

Prakash, Anand; Prabhudev, S H; Vijayalakshmi, M R; Prakash, Maya; Baskaran, Revathy

2016-08-01

The present study was focused on the development of nutritionally enriched ketchup (Nutri-ketchup) from acerola and tomato and evaluation of the effect of blending and processing on physicochemical characteristics, phytonutrients retention, antioxidant activity and sensorial quality. Acerola and tomato pulps blended in various ratios viz. 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100 were used for the preparation of five formulations of ketchup and compared with commercially available tomato ketchup. The retention of phytonutrients varied among formulations viz. ascorbic acid- ~18-29 %, anthocyanins- ~17-25 %, phenolics- ~11-70 %, flavonoids- ~24-42 %, lycopene- ~24-33 % and carotenoids- ~23-34 %. Antioxidant capacity of 80 % methanol extract and ascorbic acid fraction of the formulations evaluated using DPPH and ABTS assays showed higher activity than the commercial sample. Ketchup prepared from acerola and tomato blend of 75:25 showed the best overall quality, while all the other formulations were also sensorily acceptable.

Polycomb-group protein SlMSI1 represses the expression of fruit-ripening genes to prolong shelf life in tomato.

PubMed

Liu, Dan-Dan; Zhou, Li-Jie; Fang, Mou-Jing; Dong, Qing-Long; An, Xiu-Hong; You, Chun-Xiang; Hao, Yu-Jin

2016-08-25

Polycomb-group (PcG) protein MULTICOPY SUPPRESSOR OF IRA1 (MSI1) protein is an evolutionarily conserved developmental suppressor and plays a crucial role in regulating epigenetic modulations. However, the potential role and function of MSI1 in fleshy fruits remain unknown. In this study, SlMSI1 was cloned and transformed into tomato to explore its function. The quantitative real-time PCR results showed that SlMSI1 was highly expressed in flowers and fruits and that its transcript and protein levels were significantly decreased in fruits after the breaker stage. Additionally, SlMSI1-overexpressing transgenic tomatoes displayed abnormal non-ripening fruit formation, whereas its suppression promoted fruit ripening in transgenic tomatoes. Quantitative real-time PCR assays also showed that RIN and its regulons were decreased in SlMSI1 overexpression transgenic tomato fruits. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that SlMSI1 inhibits fruit ripening by negatively regulating a large set of fruit-ripening genes in addition to RIN and its regulons. Finally, genetic manipulation of SlMSI1 and RIN successfully prolonged the fruit shelf life by regulating the fruit-ripening genes in tomato. Our findings reveal a novel regulatory function of SlMSI1 in fruit ripening and provide a new regulator that may be useful for genetic engineering and modification of fruit shelf life.

Polycomb-group protein SlMSI1 represses the expression of fruit-ripening genes to prolong shelf life in tomato

PubMed Central

Liu, Dan-Dan; Zhou, Li-Jie; Fang, Mou-Jing; Dong, Qing-Long; An, Xiu-Hong; You, Chun-Xiang; Hao, Yu-Jin

2016-01-01

Polycomb-group (PcG) protein MULTICOPY SUPPRESSOR OF IRA1 (MSI1) protein is an evolutionarily conserved developmental suppressor and plays a crucial role in regulating epigenetic modulations. However, the potential role and function of MSI1 in fleshy fruits remain unknown. In this study, SlMSI1 was cloned and transformed into tomato to explore its function. The quantitative real-time PCR results showed that SlMSI1 was highly expressed in flowers and fruits and that its transcript and protein levels were significantly decreased in fruits after the breaker stage. Additionally, SlMSI1-overexpressing transgenic tomatoes displayed abnormal non-ripening fruit formation, whereas its suppression promoted fruit ripening in transgenic tomatoes. Quantitative real-time PCR assays also showed that RIN and its regulons were decreased in SlMSI1 overexpression transgenic tomato fruits. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that SlMSI1 inhibits fruit ripening by negatively regulating a large set of fruit-ripening genes in addition to RIN and its regulons. Finally, genetic manipulation of SlMSI1 and RIN successfully prolonged the fruit shelf life by regulating the fruit-ripening genes in tomato. Our findings reveal a novel regulatory function of SlMSI1 in fruit ripening and provide a new regulator that may be useful for genetic engineering and modification of fruit shelf life. PMID:27558543

Integration of tomato reproductive developmental landmarks and expression profiles, and the effect of SUN on fruit shape

PubMed Central

Xiao, Han; Radovich, Cheryll; Welty, Nicholas; Hsu, Jason; Li, Dongmei; Meulia, Tea; van der Knaap, Esther

2009-01-01

Background Universally accepted landmark stages are necessary to highlight key events in plant reproductive development and to facilitate comparisons among species. Domestication and selection of tomato resulted in many varieties that differ in fruit shape and size. This diversity is useful to unravel underlying molecular and developmental mechanisms that control organ morphology and patterning. The tomato fruit shape gene SUN controls fruit elongation. The most dramatic effect of SUN on fruit shape occurs after pollination and fertilization although a detailed investigation into the timing of the fruit shape change as well as gene expression profiles during critical developmental stages has not been conducted. Results We provide a description of floral and fruit development in a red-fruited closely related wild relative of tomato, Solanum pimpinellifolium accession LA1589. We use established and propose new floral and fruit landmarks to present a framework for tomato developmental studies. In addition, gene expression profiles of three key stages in floral and fruit development are presented, namely floral buds 10 days before anthesis (floral landmark 7), anthesis-stage flowers (floral landmark 10 and fruit landmark 1), and 5 days post anthesis fruit (fruit landmark 3). To demonstrate the utility of the landmarks, we characterize the tomato shape gene SUN in fruit development. SUN controls fruit shape predominantly after fertilization and its effect reaches a maximum at 8 days post-anthesis coinciding with fruit landmark 4 representing the globular embryo stage of seed development. The expression profiles of the NILs that differ at sun show that only 34 genes were differentially expressed and most of them at a less than 2-fold difference. Conclusion The landmarks for flower and fruit development in tomato were outlined and integrated with the effect of SUN on fruit shape. Although we did not identify many genes differentially expressed in the NILs that differ at the sun locus, higher or lower transcript levels for many genes involved in phytohormone biosynthesis or signaling as well as organ identity and patterning of tomato fruit were found between developmental time points. PMID:19422692

Contrasting metabolic profiles of tasty Andean varieties of tomato fruit in comparison with commercial ones.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Matilde; Zanor, María I; Sance, María; Cortina, Pablo R; Boggio, Silvana B; Asprelli, Pablo; Carrari, Fernando; Santiago, Ana N; Asís, Ramón; Peralta, Iris E; Valle, Estela M

2018-02-02

The fruits of most commercial tomato cultivars (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are deficient in flavour. In contrast, traditional 'criollo' tomato varieties are appreciated for fruit of excellent organoleptic quality. Small farmers from the Andean valleys in Argentina have maintained their own tomato varieties, which were selected mainly for flavour. This work aims to correlate the chemical composition of the fruit with the sensory attributes of eight heirloom tomato varieties. The long-term goal is to identify potential candidate genes capable of altering the chemicals involved in flavour. A sensory analysis was conducted and the metabolomics of fruit were determined. The data revealed that defined tomato aroma and sourness correlated with citrate and several volatile organic compounds (VOC), such as α-terpineol, p-menth-1-en-9-al, linalool and 3,6-dimethyl-2,3,3a,4,5,7a-hexahydrobenzofuran (DMHEX), a novel volatile recently identified in tomato. Two sensory attributes - sweetness and a not-acidic taste - correlated with the characteristic tomato taste, and also with fructose, glucose, and two VOCs, benzaldehyde, and 2-methyl-2-octen-4-one. These data provide new evidence of the complex chemical combination that induced the flavour and aroma of the good-tasting 'criollo' tomato fruit. That is, the compounds that correlated with defined tomato aroma and acidic taste did not correlate with sweetness, or with characteristic tomato taste. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Differential regulation of Salmonella typhimurium genes involved in O-antigen capsule production and their role in persistence within tomato fruit.

PubMed

Marvasi, Massimiliano; Cox, Clayton E; Xu, Yimin; Noel, Jason T; Giovannoni, James J; Teplitski, Max

2013-07-01

Enteric pathogens, including non-typhoidal Salmonella spp. and enterovirulent Escherichia coli, are capable of persisting and multiplying within plants. Yet, little is still known about the mechanisms of these interactions. This study identified the Salmonella yihT gene (involved in synthesis of the O-antigen capsule) as contributing to persistence in immature tomato fruit. Deletion of yihT reduced competitive fitness of S. enterica sv. Typhimurium in green (but not ripe, regardless of color) tomato fruit by approximately 3 logs. The yihT recombinase-based in vivo expression technology (RIVET) reporter was strongly activated in unripe tomato fruit, and fitness of the mutant inversely correlated with the level of the yihT gene expression. Expression of yihT in mature tomato fruit was low, and yihT did not affect competitive fitness within mature fruit. To better understand the molecular basis of the phenotype, behaviors of the yihT RIVET reporter and the yihT mutant were tested in tomato fruit defective in ethylene signaling. These experiments suggest a role for functional ethylene-mediated signaling in the persistence of Salmonella spp. within tomato fruit. Furthermore, jasmonic acid and its precursors strongly reduced expression of yihT.

Early anther ablation triggers parthenocarpic fruit development in tomato.

PubMed

Medina, Mónica; Roque, Edelín; Pineda, Benito; Cañas, Luis; Rodriguez-Concepción, Manuel; Beltrán, José Pío; Gómez-Mena, Concepción

2013-08-01

Fruit set and fruit development in tomato is largely affected by changes in environmental conditions, therefore autonomous fruit set independent of fertilization is a highly desirable trait in tomato. Here, we report the production and characterization of male-sterile transgenic plants that produce parthenocarpic fruits in two tomato cultivars (Micro-Tom and Moneymaker). We generated male-sterility using the cytotoxic gene barnase targeted to the anthers with the PsEND1 anther-specific promoter. The ovaries of these plants grew in the absence of fertilization producing seedless, parthenocarpic fruits. Early anther ablation is essential to trigger the developing of the transgenic ovaries into fruits, in the absence of the signals usually generated during pollination and fertilization. Ovaries are fully functional and can be manually pollinated to obtain seeds. The transgenic plants obtained in the commercial cultivar Moneymaker show that the parthenocarpic development of the fruit does not have negative consequences in fruit quality. Throughout metabolomic analyses of the tomato fruits, we have identified two elite lines which showed increased levels of several health promoting metabolites and volatile compounds. Thus, early anther ablation can be considered a useful tool to promote fruit set and to obtain seedless and good quality fruits in tomato plants. These plants are also useful parental lines to be used in hybrid breeding approaches. © 2013 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Changes in oxidative stress in transgenic RNAi ACO1 tomato fruit during ripening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eglous, Najat Mohamed; Ali, Zainon Mohd; Hassan, Maizom; Zainal, Zamri

2013-11-01

Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.) is the second most cultivated vegetable in the world and widely used as a system for studying the role of ethylene during fruit ripening. Our objective was to study the oxidative stress and antioxidative metabolism during ripening of non transgenic tomato and transgenic line-21 tomato which reduced ethylene. The line-21 of transgenic tomato plants (RNAi ACO1) had lower ethylene production and longer shelf-life more than 32 days as compared to the wild-type fruits which have very short shelf-life. In this study, tomato fruit were divided into five different stages (MG: mature green 5%, B: breaker 25%, T: turning 50%, O: orange75%, RR: red ripe100%). The activity of lipoxygenase (LOX) and lipid peroxidation (MDA) were measured to assess changes in oxidative stress. The LOX activity and MDA content decreased significantly obtaining 2.6-fold and 1.2-fold, respectively, as compared to the wild type fruit. However, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were increased to 1.9 and 1.2 folds from the mature green to the fully ripe stage in transgenic tomatoes. Furthermore, the wild type tomato increases 1.3 in SOD and 1.6 in CAT activities. The overall results indicate that the wild type tomato fruit showed a faster rate of ripening, parallel to decline in the rate of enzymatic antioxidative systems as compared to the transgenic line-21 tomato fruit. In addition, the results show that the antioxidant capacity is improved during the ripening process and is accompanied by an increase in the oxidative stress.

Industrial processing versus home processing of tomato sauce: Effects on phenolics, flavonoids and in vitro bioaccessibility of antioxidants.

PubMed

Tomas, Merve; Beekwilder, Jules; Hall, Robert D; Sagdic, Osman; Boyacioglu, Dilek; Capanoglu, Esra

2017-04-01

The effect of industrial and home processing, in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, individual phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity of tomato into tomato sauce were investigated. Industrial processing of tomato fruit into sauce had an overall positive effect on the total antioxidant capacity (∼1.2-fold higher) compared to tomato fruit whereas home processing of tomato fruit into sauce led to a decrease in these values. Untargeted LC-QTOF-MS analysis revealed 31 compounds in tomato that changed upon processing, of which 18 could be putatively identified. Naringenin chalcone is only detectable in the fruit, while naringenin is strongly increased in the sauces. Rutin content increased by 36% in the industrial processed sauce whereas decreased by 26% in the home processed sauce when compared to fruit. According to the results of an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion model, industrial processing may lead to enhanced bioaccessibility of antioxidants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome-Wide Identification and Evaluation of Reference Genes for Quantitative RT-PCR Analysis during Tomato Fruit Development.

PubMed

Cheng, Yuan; Bian, Wuying; Pang, Xin; Yu, Jiahong; Ahammed, Golam J; Zhou, Guozhi; Wang, Rongqing; Ruan, Meiying; Li, Zhimiao; Ye, Qingjing; Yao, Zhuping; Yang, Yuejian; Wan, Hongjian

2017-01-01

Gene expression analysis in tomato fruit has drawn increasing attention nowadays. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is a routine technique for gene expression analysis. In qPCR operation, reliability of results largely depends on the choice of appropriate reference genes (RGs). Although tomato is a model for fruit biology study, few RGs for qPCR analysis in tomato fruit had yet been developed. In this study, we initially identified 38 most stably expressed genes based on tomato transcriptome data set, and their expression stabilities were further determined in a set of tomato fruit samples of four different fruit developmental stages (Immature, mature green, breaker, mature red) using qPCR analysis. Two statistical algorithms, geNorm and Normfinder, concordantly determined the superiority of these identified putative RGs. Notably, SlFRG05 (Solyc01g104170), SlFRG12 (Solyc04g009770), SlFRG16 (Solyc10g081190), SlFRG27 (Solyc06g007510), and SlFRG37 (Solyc11g005330) were proved to be suitable RGs for tomato fruit development study. Further analysis using geNorm indicate that the combined use of SlFRG03 (Solyc02g063070) and SlFRG27 would provide more reliable normalization results in qPCR experiments. The identified RGs in this study will be beneficial for future qPCR analysis of tomato fruit developmental study, as well as for the potential identification of optimal normalization controls in other plant species.

Genome-Wide Identification and Evaluation of Reference Genes for Quantitative RT-PCR Analysis during Tomato Fruit Development

PubMed Central

Cheng, Yuan; Bian, Wuying; Pang, Xin; Yu, Jiahong; Ahammed, Golam J.; Zhou, Guozhi; Wang, Rongqing; Ruan, Meiying; Li, Zhimiao; Ye, Qingjing; Yao, Zhuping; Yang, Yuejian; Wan, Hongjian

2017-01-01

Gene expression analysis in tomato fruit has drawn increasing attention nowadays. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is a routine technique for gene expression analysis. In qPCR operation, reliability of results largely depends on the choice of appropriate reference genes (RGs). Although tomato is a model for fruit biology study, few RGs for qPCR analysis in tomato fruit had yet been developed. In this study, we initially identified 38 most stably expressed genes based on tomato transcriptome data set, and their expression stabilities were further determined in a set of tomato fruit samples of four different fruit developmental stages (Immature, mature green, breaker, mature red) using qPCR analysis. Two statistical algorithms, geNorm and Normfinder, concordantly determined the superiority of these identified putative RGs. Notably, SlFRG05 (Solyc01g104170), SlFRG12 (Solyc04g009770), SlFRG16 (Solyc10g081190), SlFRG27 (Solyc06g007510), and SlFRG37 (Solyc11g005330) were proved to be suitable RGs for tomato fruit development study. Further analysis using geNorm indicate that the combined use of SlFRG03 (Solyc02g063070) and SlFRG27 would provide more reliable normalization results in qPCR experiments. The identified RGs in this study will be beneficial for future qPCR analysis of tomato fruit developmental study, as well as for the potential identification of optimal normalization controls in other plant species. PMID:28900431

Network inference analysis identifies an APRR2-like gene linked to pigment accumulation in tomato and pepper fruits.

PubMed

Pan, Yu; Bradley, Glyn; Pyke, Kevin; Ball, Graham; Lu, Chungui; Fray, Rupert; Marshall, Alexandra; Jayasuta, Subhalai; Baxter, Charles; van Wijk, Rik; Boyden, Laurie; Cade, Rebecca; Chapman, Natalie H; Fraser, Paul D; Hodgman, Charlie; Seymour, Graham B

2013-03-01

Carotenoids represent some of the most important secondary metabolites in the human diet, and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a rich source of these health-promoting compounds. In this work, a novel and fruit-related regulator of pigment accumulation in tomato has been identified by artificial neural network inference analysis and its function validated in transgenic plants. A tomato fruit gene regulatory network was generated using artificial neural network inference analysis and transcription factor gene expression profiles derived from fruits sampled at various points during development and ripening. One of the transcription factor gene expression profiles with a sequence related to an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ARABIDOPSIS PSEUDO RESPONSE REGULATOR2-LIKE gene (APRR2-Like) was up-regulated at the breaker stage in wild-type tomato fruits and, when overexpressed in transgenic lines, increased plastid number, area, and pigment content, enhancing the levels of chlorophyll in immature unripe fruits and carotenoids in red ripe fruits. Analysis of the transcriptome of transgenic lines overexpressing the tomato APPR2-Like gene revealed up-regulation of several ripening-related genes in the overexpression lines, providing a link between the expression of this tomato gene and the ripening process. A putative ortholog of the tomato APPR2-Like gene in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) was associated with pigment accumulation in fruit tissues. We conclude that the function of this gene is conserved across taxa and that it encodes a protein that has an important role in ripening.

Tomato response to legume cover crop and nitrogen: differing enhancement patterns of fruit yield, photosynthesis and gene expression

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomatoes responded to soil and residue from a hairy vetch cover crop differently on many levels than tomato response to inorganic nitrogen. Tomato fruit production, plant biomass parameters, and photosynthesis were higher in plants grown in vetch than bare soil. Tomato growth and photosynthesis metr...

Isolation of Tonoplast Vesicles from Tomato Fruit Pericarp

PubMed Central

Snowden, Christopher J.; Thomas, Benjamin; Baxter, Charles J.; Smith, J. Andrew C.; Sweetlove, Lee J.

2017-01-01

This protocol describes the isolation of tonoplast vesicles from tomato fruit. The vesicles isolated using this procedure are of sufficiently high purity for downstream proteomic analysis whilst remaining transport competent for functional assays. The methodology was used to study the transport of amino acids during tomato fruit ripening (Snowden et al., 2015) and based on the procedure used by Betty and Smith (Bettey and Smith, 1993). Such vesicles may be useful in further studies into the dynamic transfer of metabolites across the tonoplast for storage and metabolism during tomato fruit development. PMID:29085859

Effect on tomato plant and fruit of the application of biopolymer-oregano essential oil coatings.

PubMed

Perdones, Ángela; Tur, Núria; Chiralt, Amparo; Vargas, Maria

2016-10-01

Oregano essential oil (EO) was incorporated into film-forming dispersions (FFDs) based on biopolymers (chitosan and/or methylcellulose) at two different concentrations. The effect of the application of the FFDs was evaluated on tomato plants (cultivar Micro-Tom) at three different stages of development, and on pre-harvest and postharvest applications on tomato fruit. The application of the FFDs at '3 Leaves' stage caused phytotoxic problems, which were lethal when the EO was applied without biopolymers. Even though plant growth and development were delayed, the total biomass and the crop yield were not affected by biopolymer-EO treatments. When the FFDs were applied in the 'Fruit' stage the pre-harvest application of FFDs had no negative effects. All FFDs containing EO significantly reduced the respiration rate of tomato fruit and diminished weight loss during storage. Moreover, biopolymer-EO FFDs led to a decrease in the fungal decay of tomato fruit inoculated with Rhizopus stolonifer spores, as compared with non-treated tomato fruit and those coated with FFDs without EO. The application of biopolymer-oregano essential oil coatings has been proven to be an effective treatment to control R. stolonifer in tomato fruit. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cholera toxin B protein in transgenic tomato fruit induces systemic immune response in mice.

PubMed

Jiang, Xiao-Ling; He, Zhu-Mei; Peng, Zhi-Qiang; Qi, Yu; Chen, Qing; Yu, Shou-Yi

2007-04-01

Cholera toxin B (CTB) subunit is a well-characterized antigen against cholera. Transgenic plants can offer an inexpensive and safe source of edible CTB vaccine and may be one of the best candidates for the production of plant vaccines. The present study aimed to develop transgenic tomato expressing CTB protein, especially in the ripening tomato fruit under the control of the tomato fruit-specific E8 promoter by using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic plants were selected using PCR and Southern blot analysis. Exogenous protein extracted from leaf, stem, and fruit tissues of transgenic plants was detected by ELISA and Western blot analysis, showing specific expression in the ripening fruit, with the highest amount of CTB protein being 0.081% of total soluble protein. Gavage of mice with ripe transgenic tomato fruits induced both serum and mucosal CTB specific antibodies. These results demonstrate the immunogenicity of the CTB protein in transgenic tomato and provide a considerable basis for exploring the utilization of CTB in the development of tomato-based edible vaccine against cholera. The rCTB antigen resulted in much lower antibody titers than an equal amount of exogenous CTB in transgenic fruits, suggesting the protective effect of the fibrous tissue of the fruit to the exogenous CTB protein against the degradation of protease in the digestive tracts of mice.

Cell Expansion and Endoreduplication Show a Large Genetic Variability in Pericarp and Contribute Strongly to Tomato Fruit Growth1

PubMed Central

Cheniclet, Catherine; Rong, Wen Ying; Causse, Mathilde; Frangne, Nathalie; Bolling, Laurence; Carde, Jean-Pierre; Renaudin, Jean-Pierre

2005-01-01

Postanthesis growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) as of many types of fruit relies on cell division and cell expansion, so that some of the largest cells to be found in plants occur in fleshy fruit. Endoreduplication is known to occur in such materials, which suggests its involvement in cell expansion, although no data have demonstrated this hypothesis as yet. We have analyzed pattern formation, cell size, and ploidy in tomato fruit pericarp. A first set of data was collected in one cherry tomato line throughout fruit development. A second set of data was obtained from 20 tomato lines displaying a large weight range in fruit, which were compared as ovaries at anthesis and as fully grown fruit at breaker stage. A remarkable conservation of pericarp pattern, including cell layer number and cell size, is observed in all of the 20 tomato lines at anthesis, whereas large variations of growth occur afterward. A strong, positive correlation, combining development and genetic diversity, is demonstrated between mean cell size and ploidy, which holds for mean cell diameters from 10 to 350 μm (i.e. a 32,000-times volume variation) and for mean ploidy levels from 3 to 80 C. Fruit weight appears also significantly correlated with cell size and ploidy. These data provide a framework of pericarp patterning and growth. They strongly suggest the quantitative importance of polyploidy-associated cell expansion as a determinant of fruit weight in tomato. PMID:16306145

Persistence, metabolism and safety evaluation of thiamethoxam in tomato crop.

PubMed

Karmakar, Rajib; Kulshrestha, Gita

2009-08-01

Thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid insecticide, has been widely accepted for use in various crops, including vegetables, owing to its high efficacy against various chewing and sucking insect pests. In this particular study, the authors examined the residue dynamics of this insecticide in tomato and soil and calculated a safety index for this insecticide in an Indian context. In tomato fruits, the insecticide dissipated from 82 to 87% in 10 days with a half-life of 4 days, whereas dissipation in soil, under tomato crop, varied between 72 and 75% in 15 days with a half-life of 9 days. Total residues reached below detectable level in 15 days in tomato fruits and 20 days in soil. Maximum damage (30%) was found in control plots, as opposed to 8-10% of fruit damage in treated plots. One degradation product was detected on the tomato fruit surface, and three metabolites were identified in tomato fruits by the LC-MS technique. The metabolites have been reported for the first time in tomato fruits. Thiamethoxam at normal and double the recommended use rate effectively controlled aphids, whiteflies and Helicoverpa, as the insect population decreased to a minimum within 10 days of spraying in comparison with the control. There was no significant difference between the two rates of application, and both thiamethoxam treatments significantly increased tomato fruit yield compared with the untreated control. A maximum residue limit (MRL) of 0.05 mg kg(-1) for tomato has been proposed, with a corresponding preharvest interval (PHI) of 8 days. These parallel advances in toxicology and analytical chemistry have strengthened the observations that thiamethoxam can be used safely and efficiently in crop protection programmes.

Network Inference Analysis Identifies an APRR2-Like Gene Linked to Pigment Accumulation in Tomato and Pepper Fruits1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Pan, Yu; Bradley, Glyn; Pyke, Kevin; Ball, Graham; Lu, Chungui; Fray, Rupert; Marshall, Alexandra; Jayasuta, Subhalai; Baxter, Charles; van Wijk, Rik; Boyden, Laurie; Cade, Rebecca; Chapman, Natalie H.; Fraser, Paul D.; Hodgman, Charlie; Seymour, Graham B.

2013-01-01

Carotenoids represent some of the most important secondary metabolites in the human diet, and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a rich source of these health-promoting compounds. In this work, a novel and fruit-related regulator of pigment accumulation in tomato has been identified by artificial neural network inference analysis and its function validated in transgenic plants. A tomato fruit gene regulatory network was generated using artificial neural network inference analysis and transcription factor gene expression profiles derived from fruits sampled at various points during development and ripening. One of the transcription factor gene expression profiles with a sequence related to an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ARABIDOPSIS PSEUDO RESPONSE REGULATOR2-LIKE gene (APRR2-Like) was up-regulated at the breaker stage in wild-type tomato fruits and, when overexpressed in transgenic lines, increased plastid number, area, and pigment content, enhancing the levels of chlorophyll in immature unripe fruits and carotenoids in red ripe fruits. Analysis of the transcriptome of transgenic lines overexpressing the tomato APPR2-Like gene revealed up-regulation of several ripening-related genes in the overexpression lines, providing a link between the expression of this tomato gene and the ripening process. A putative ortholog of the tomato APPR2-Like gene in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) was associated with pigment accumulation in fruit tissues. We conclude that the function of this gene is conserved across taxa and that it encodes a protein that has an important role in ripening. PMID:23292788

Difference in volatile composition between the pericarp tissue and inner tissue of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Numerous studies have reported the volatile profiles in the whole fruit or pericarp tissue of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit; however, information is limited on the volatile composition in the inner tissue and its contribution to tomato aroma. For this, the pericarps and inner tissues of “Money...

Activating glutamate decarboxylase activity by removing the autoinhibitory domain leads to hyper γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulation in tomato fruit.

PubMed

Takayama, Mariko; Matsukura, Chiaki; Ariizumi, Tohru; Ezura, Hiroshi

2017-01-01

The C-terminal extension region of SlGAD3 is likely involved in autoinhibition, and removing this domain increases GABA levels in tomato fruits. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a ubiquitous non-protein amino acid with several health-promoting benefits. In many plants including tomato, GABA is synthesized via decarboxylation of glutamate in a reaction catalyzed by glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), which generally contains a C-terminal autoinhibitory domain. We previously generated transgenic tomato plants in which tomato GAD3 (SlGAD3) was expressed using the 35S promoter/NOS terminator expression cassette (35S-SlGAD3-NOS), yielding a four- to fivefold increase in GABA levels in red-ripe fruits compared to the control. In this study, to further increase GABA accumulation in tomato fruits, we expressed SlGAD3 with (SlGAD3 OX ) or without (SlGAD3ΔC OX ) a putative autoinhibitory domain in tomato using the fruit ripening-specific E8 promoter and the Arabidopsis heat shock protein 18.2 (HSP) terminator. Although the GABA levels in SlGAD3 OX fruits were equivalent to those in 35S-SlGAD3-NOS fruits, GABA levels in SlGAD3ΔC OX fruits increased by 11- to 18-fold compared to control plants, indicating that removing the autoinhibitory domain increases GABA biosynthesis activity. Furthermore, the increased GABA levels were accompanied by a drastic reduction in glutamate and aspartate levels, indicating that enhanced GABA biosynthesis affects amino acid metabolism in ripe-fruits. Moreover, SlGAD3ΔC OX fruits exhibited an orange-ripe phenotype, which was associated with reduced levels of both carotenoid and mRNA transcripts of ethylene-responsive carotenogenic genes, suggesting that over activation of GAD influences ethylene sensitivity. Our strategy utilizing the E8 promoter and HSP terminator expression cassette, together with SlGAD3 C-terminal deletion, would facilitate the production of tomato fruits with increased GABA levels.

Optical and mechanical nondestructive tests for measuring tomato fruit firmness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manivel-Chávez, Ricardo A.; Garnica-Romo, M. G.; Arroyo-Correa, Gabriel; Aranda-Sánchez, Jorge I.

2011-08-01

Ripening is one of the most important processes to occur in fruits which involve changes in color, flavor, and texture. An important goal in quality control of fruits is to substitute traditional sensory testing methods with reliable nondestructive tests (NDT). In this work we study the firmness of tomato fruits by using optical and mechanical NDT. Optical and mechanical parameters, measured along the tomato shelf life, are shown.

Higher transcription levels in ascorbic acid biosynthetic and recycling genes were associated with higher ascorbic acid accumulation in blueberry.

PubMed

Liu, Fenghong; Wang, Lei; Gu, Liang; Zhao, Wei; Su, Hongyan; Cheng, Xianhao

2015-12-01

In our preliminary study, the ripe fruits of two highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars, cv 'Berkeley' and cv 'Bluecrop', were found to contain different levels of ascorbic acid. However, factors responsible for these differences are still unknown. In the present study, ascorbic acid content in fruits was compared with expression profiles of ascorbic acid biosynthetic and recycling genes between 'Bluecrop' and 'Berkeley' cultivars. The results indicated that the l-galactose pathway was the predominant route of ascorbic acid biosynthesis in blueberry fruits. Moreover, higher expression levels of the ascorbic acid biosynthetic genes GME, GGP, and GLDH, as well as the recycling genes MDHAR and DHAR, were associated with higher ascorbic acid content in 'Bluecrop' compared with 'Berkeley', which indicated that a higher efficiency ascorbic acid biosynthesis and regeneration was likely to be responsible for the higher ascorbic acid accumulation in 'Bluecrop'. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fruit-localized Phytochromes Regulate Plastid Biogenesis, Starch Synthesis and Carotenoid Metabolism in Tomato.

PubMed

Ernesto Bianchetti, Ricardo; Silvestre Lira, Bruno; Santos Monteiro, Scarlet; Demarco, Diego; Purgatto, Eduardo; Rothan, Christophe; Rossi, Magdalena; Freschi, Luciano

2018-04-18

Light signaling has long been reported to influence fruit biology, though the regulatory impact of fruit-localized photoreceptors on fruit development and metabolism remains elusive. Studies performed in phytochrome(PHY)-deficient tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) mutants suggest that SlPHYA, SlPHYB2 and to a lesser extent SlPHYB1 influence fruit development and ripening. By employing fruit-specific RNAi-mediated silencing of SlPHY genes, we demonstrated that fruit-localized SlPHYA and SlPHYB2 play contrasting roles in regulating plastid biogenesis and maturation in tomato. Data revealed that fruit-localized SlPHYA, rather than SlPHYB1 or SlPHYB2, positively influence tomato plastid differentiation and division machinery via changes in both light and cytokinin signaling-related gene expression. Fruit-localized SlPHYA and SlPHYB2 were also shown to modulate sugar metabolism in early developing fruits via overlapping, yet distinct, mechanisms involving the coordinated transcriptional regulation of sink- and starch biosynthesis-related genes. Fruit-specific SlPHY silencing also drastically altered the transcriptional profile of genes encoding light repressor proteins and carotenoid biosynthesis regulators, leading to reduced carotenoid biosynthesis during fruit ripening. Therefore, besides providing conclusive evidence on the regulation of tomato quality by fruit-localized phytochromes, our data also demonstrate the existence of an intricate PHY-hormonal interplay during fruit development and ripening.

Effect of photo-selective nettings on post-harvest quality and bioactive compounds in selected tomato cultivars.

PubMed

Selahle, Maphoko Kamogelo; Sivakumar, Dharini; Soundy, Puffy

2014-08-01

Photo-selective coloured netting is referred to as a 'new agro-technological' concept adopted to manipulate light quality changes that can induce favourable responses in plants. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivars AlvaV, Irit and SCX 248 grown under the black net (commercial net, 25% shading) showed higher weight loss, loss of firmness, ascorbic acid content and decline in the ratio of soluble solids content/titrable acidity during post-harvest storage (low-temperature storage at 10°C and 90% relative humidity for 21 days followed by market shelf conditions at 25°C for 2 days). During post-harvest storage, lycopene, β-carotene, total phenolic content and antioxidant scavenging activity were higher in cvs AlfaV and Irit grown under the black or pearl nets. However, the β-carotene, total phenolic content and antioxidant scavenging activity were higher in SCX 248 grown under the red net during post-harvest storage. Cultivar AlfaV grown under the red and pearl nets had a higher number of odour active aroma compounds during post-harvest storage. Panellists preferred cv. AlfaV grown under the pearl nets after storage based on taste, overall appearance and firm textured fruits. Pearl photo-selective nets retained the overall fruit quality and bioactive components in cvs AlfaV and Irit during post-harvest storage. Red photo-selective nets, however, showed greater influence on retention of overall fruit quality and bioactive compounds in cv. SCX 248 during post-harvest storage. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

The identification of a gene (Cwp1), silenced during Solanum evolution, which causes cuticle microfissuring and dehydration when expressed in tomato fruit.

PubMed

Hovav, Ran; Chehanovsky, Noam; Moy, Michal; Jetter, Reinhard; Schaffer, Arthur A

2007-11-01

One of the most intriguing phenomena of fleshy fruit is the ability to maintain high water content at maturity, even following harvest. This is accomplished by a fruit cuticle that is highly impermeable to water diffusion. In this paper, we report on a novel genotype of tomato, developed via introgression from the wild species Solanum habrochaites, which is characterized by microfissuring of the fruit cuticle and dehydration of the mature fruit. The microfissure/dehydration phenotype is inherited as a single gene, termed Cwp1 (cuticular water permeability). The gene was fine mapped, and its identity was determined by map-based cloning and differential expression analysis in near-isogenic lines. Causality of the Cwp1 gene was shown by the heterologous transgenic expression of the gene in the cultivated tomato, which caused a microfissured fruit cuticle leading to dehydrated fruit. Cwp1 encodes for a protein of unidentified function in the DUF833 domain family. The gene is expressed in the fruit epidermis of the dehydrating genotype harbouring the wild-species introgression, but not in the cultivated tomato. It is expressed only in the primitive green-fruited wild tomato species, but is not expressed in the cultivated Solanum lycopersicum and the closely related Solanum cheesmaniae and Solanum pimpinellifolium, indicating a pre-adaptive role for Cwp1 silencing in the evolution and domestication of the cultivated tomato.

Unraveling the Protein Network of Tomato Fruit in Response to Necrotrophic Phytopathogenic Rhizopus nigricans

PubMed Central

Pan, Xiaoqi; Zhu, Benzhong; Luo, Yunbo; Fu, Daqi

2013-01-01

Plants are endowed with a sophisticated defense mechanism that gives signals to plant cells about the immediate danger from surroundings and protects them from pathogen invasion. In the search for the particular proteins involved in fruit defense responses, we report here a comparative analysis of tomato fruit (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Ailsa Craig) infected by Rhizopus nigricans Ehrenb, which is a significant contributor to postharvest rot disease in fresh tomato fruits. In total, four hundred forty-five tomato proteins were detected in common between the non-infected group and infected tomato fruit of mature green. Forty-nine differentially expressed spots in 2-D gels were identified, and were sorted into fifteen functional groups. Most of these proteins participate directly in the stress response process, while others were found to be involved in several equally important biological processes: protein metabolic process, carbohydrate metabolic process, ethylene biosynthesis, and cell death and so on. These responses occur in different cellular components, both intra- and extracellular spaces. The differentially expressed proteins were integrated into several pathways to show the regulation style existing in tomato fruit host. The composition of the collected proteins populations and the putative functions of the identified proteins argue for their roles in pathogen-plant interactions. Collectively results provide evidence that several regulatory pathways contribute to the resistance of tomato fruit to pathogen. PMID:24023804

Regulations on growth and development in tomato cotyledon, flower and fruit via destruction of miR396 with short tandem target mimic.

PubMed

Cao, Dongyan; Wang, Jiao; Ju, Zheng; Liu, Qingqing; Li, Shan; Tian, Huiqin; Fu, Daqi; Zhu, Hongliang; Luo, Yunbo; Zhu, Benzhong

2016-06-01

Despite many studies about functions of miR396 were concentrated on cotyledon and leaf growth and development, only few researches were focused on flower and fruit, especially for fleshy fruit, for example, tomato fruit. Here, the roles of miR396 throughout the growth and development of tomato plant were explored with combining bioinformatics and transgene-mediated methods. In tomato, miR396 had two mature types (miR396a and miR396b), and miR396a expressed significantly higher than miR396b in cotyledon, flower, sepal and fruit. Generally, plant growth and development were regulated by miR396 via growth-regulating factors (GRFs). In tomato, all 13 SlGRFs were analyzed comprehensively, including phylogeny, domain and expression patterns. To investigate the roles of miR396 further, STTM396a/396a-88 was over-expressed in tomato, which induced miR396a and miR396b both dramatical down-regulation, and the target GRFs general up-regulation. As a result, the flowers, sepals and fruits all obviously became bigger. Most significantly, the sepal length of transgenic lines #3 and #4 at 39 days post-anthesis was separately increased 75% and 81%, and the fruit weight was added 45% and 39%, respectively. Overall, these results revealed novel roles of miR396 in regulating flower and fruit development, and provided a new potential way for improving tomato fruit yield. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ascorbic acid metabolism during sweet cherry (Prunus avium) fruit development

PubMed Central

Ni, Zhiyou; Lin, Lijin; Tang, Yi; Wang, Zhihui; Wang, Xun; Wang, Jin; Lv, Xiulan; Xia, Hui

2017-01-01

To elucidate metabolism of ascorbic acid (AsA) in sweet cherry fruit (Prunus avium ‘Hongdeng’), we quantified AsA concentration, cloned sequences involved in AsA metabolism and investigated their mRNA expression levels, and determined the activity levels of selected enzymes during fruit development and maturation. We found that AsA concentration was highest at the petal-fall period (0 days after anthesis) and decreased progressively during ripening, but with a slight increase at maturity. AsA did nevertheless continue to accumulate over time because of the increase in fruit fresh weight. Full-length cDNAs of 10 genes involved in the L-galactose pathway of AsA biosynthesis and 10 involved in recycling were obtained. Gene expression patterns of GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase (GGP2), L-galactono-1, 4-lactone dehydrogenase (GalLDH), ascorbate peroxidase (APX3), ascorbate oxidase (AO2), glutathione reductase (GR1), and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR1) were in accordance with the AsA concentration pattern during fruit development, indicating that genes involved in ascorbic acid biosynthesis, degradation, and recycling worked in concert to regulate ascorbic acid accumulation in sweet cherry fruit. PMID:28245268

[Cloning and sequence analysis of tomato fruit-specific E8 promoter from Lycopersicon esculentum (Zhongshu No.5)].

PubMed

Zhou, Xiao-hong; Chen, Xiao-guang; Zhang, Xiao-dong; Wang, Ya-nan; Li, Lin; Xi, Jia-fei; Hu, Jian-jun

2003-01-01

To obtain the gene encoding tomato fruit-specific E8 promoter therefore to prepare for exogenous gene transcription and expression in transgenic tomato fruit. The cotyledons of tomato Lycopersicon esculentum (Zhongshu No.5) were collected for extracting the genomic DNA of this plant. The fruit-specific E81.1 and E82.2 promoter DNA were then amplified by PCR, the product of which was subcloned into pGEM-T vector. After identification by restriction enzymes, the recombinant T-vectors were subjected to sequence analysis. The fragments of the promoter as amplified by PCR were of predicted length. Digestion with Xba I and Hind III /BamH I proved correct insertion of the target fragments with expected length into the recombinant T vectors. As indicated by homology analysis, the resultant tomato fruit-specific E8 promoter was highly conservative, and E82.2 promoter of Zhongshu No.5, with GenBank submission number of AF515784, proved to share 99% homology with E82.2 promoter of Zhongshu No.5 Cherry as reported by Deikman J. Tomato fruit-specific E8 promoter of Zhongshu No.5 has been successfully cloned, thus making possible the subsequent research in oral vaccine of transgenic tomato.

Bacterial community diversity and variation in spray water sources and the tomato fruit surface.

PubMed

Telias, Adriana; White, James R; Pahl, Donna M; Ottesen, Andrea R; Walsh, Christopher S

2011-04-21

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) consumption has been one of the most common causes of produce-associated salmonellosis in the United States. Contamination may originate from animal waste, insects, soil or water. Current guidelines for fresh tomato production recommend the use of potable water for applications coming in direct contact with the fruit, but due to high demand, water from other sources is frequently used. We sought to describe the overall bacterial diversity on the surface of tomato fruit and the effect of two different water sources (ground and surface water) when used for direct crop applications by generating a 454-pyrosequencing 16S rRNA dataset of these different environments. This study represents the first in depth characterization of bacterial communities in the tomato fruit surface and the water sources commonly used in commercial vegetable production. The two water sources tested had a significantly different bacterial composition. Proteobacteria was predominant in groundwater samples, whereas in the significantly more diverse surface water, abundant phyla also included Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. The fruit surface bacterial communities on tomatoes sprayed with both water sources could not be differentiated using various statistical methods. Both fruit surface environments had a high representation of Gammaproteobacteria, and within this class the genera Pantoea and Enterobacter were the most abundant. Despite the major differences observed in the bacterial composition of ground and surface water, the season long use of these very different water sources did not have a significant impact on the bacterial composition of the tomato fruit surface. This study has provided the first next-generation sequencing database describing the bacterial communities living in the fruit surface of a tomato crop under two different spray water regimes, and therefore represents an important step forward towards the development of science-based metrics for Good Agricultural Practices.

Different Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging Properties of Flavonoids Determine Their Abilities to Extend the Shelf Life of Tomato.

PubMed

Zhang, Yang; De Stefano, Rosalba; Robine, Marie; Butelli, Eugenio; Bulling, Katharina; Hill, Lionel; Rejzek, Martin; Martin, Cathie; Schoonbeek, Henk-jan

2015-11-01

The shelf life of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit is determined by the processes of overripening and susceptibility to pathogens. Postharvest shelf life is one of the most important traits for commercially grown tomatoes. We compared the shelf life of tomato fruit that accumulate different flavonoids and found that delayed overripening is associated with increased total antioxidant capacity caused by the accumulation of flavonoids in the fruit. However, reduced susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea, a major postharvest fungal pathogen of tomato, is conferred by specific flavonoids only. We demonstrate an association between flavonoid structure, selective scavenging ability for different free radicals, and reduced susceptibility to B. cinerea. Our study provides mechanistic insight into how flavonoids influence the shelf life, information that could be used to improve the shelf life of tomato and, potentially, other soft fruit. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Different Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging Properties of Flavonoids Determine Their Abilities to Extend the Shelf Life of Tomato1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yang; De Stefano, Rosalba; Robine, Marie; Butelli, Eugenio; Bulling, Katharina; Hill, Lionel; Rejzek, Martin; Martin, Cathie; Schoonbeek, Henk-jan

2015-01-01

The shelf life of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit is determined by the processes of overripening and susceptibility to pathogens. Postharvest shelf life is one of the most important traits for commercially grown tomatoes. We compared the shelf life of tomato fruit that accumulate different flavonoids and found that delayed overripening is associated with increased total antioxidant capacity caused by the accumulation of flavonoids in the fruit. However, reduced susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea, a major postharvest fungal pathogen of tomato, is conferred by specific flavonoids only. We demonstrate an association between flavonoid structure, selective scavenging ability for different free radicals, and reduced susceptibility to B. cinerea. Our study provides mechanistic insight into how flavonoids influence the shelf life, information that could be used to improve the shelf life of tomato and, potentially, other soft fruit. PMID:26082399

Simultaneous transgenic suppression of LePG and LeExp1 influences fruit texture and juice viscosity in a fresh market tomato variety.

PubMed

Powell, Ann L T; Kalamaki, Mary S; Kurien, Philip A; Gurrieri, Sergio; Bennett, Alan B

2003-12-03

Tomatoes are grown for fresh consumption or for processing of the fruit. Some ripening-associated processes of the fruit can either contribute to or degrade attributes associated with both fresh and processing quality. For example, cell wall disassembly is associated with loss of fresh fruit firmness as well as with loss of processed tomato product viscosity. Several enzymes contribute to cell wall polysaccharide disassembly. Polygalacturonase (PG, poly[1,4-alpha-d-galactouronide] glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.15) is among the most abundant polysaccharide hydrolases in ripening tomato fruit and is the major contributor to pectin depolymerization. Expansin (LeExp1) is also abundant in ripening fruit and is proposed to contribute to cell wall disassembly by nonhydrolytic activity, possibly by increasing substrate accessibility to other enzymes. Suppression of either LePG or LeExp1 expression alone results in altered softening and/or shelf life characteristics. To test whether simultaneous suppression of both LePG and LeExp1 expression influences fruit texture in additive or synergistic ways, transgenic Lycopersicon esculentum var. Ailsa Craig lines with reduced expression of either LePG or LeExp1 were crossed. Fruits from the third generation of progeny, homozygous for both transgenic constructs, were analyzed for firmness and other quality traits during ripening on or off the vine. In field-grown transgenic tomato fruit, suppression of LeExp1 or LePG alone did not significantly increase fruit firmness. However, fruits suppressed for both LePG and LeExp1 expression were significantly firmer throughout ripening and were less susceptible to deterioration during long-term storage. Juice prepared from the transgenic tomato fruit with reduced LePG and LeExp1 expression was more viscous than juice prepared from control fruit.

The SlFSR Gene Controls Fruit Shelf-Life in Tomato.

PubMed

Zhang, Lincheng; Zhu, Mingku; Ren, Lijun; Li, Anzhou; Chen, Guoping; Hu, Zongli

2018-04-04

Fruit ripening represents a process changing flavor and appearance and also a process dramatically increasing fruit softening. Fruit softening and textural variations are mainly resulted from the disrupted cell wall of fruit throughout ripening, whereas, the exact mechanisms and specific modifications of cell wall remain unclear. Plant-specific GRAS proteins play a critical role in development and growth. To date, few GRAS genes have been functionally categorized in tomato. The expression of a novel GRAS gene revealed herein is designated as SlFSR (fruitshelf-liferegulator), specifically increased during fruit ripening, whereas significantly decreased in tomato mutant rin (ripening inhibitor). RNAi repression of SlFSR resulted in reduced expression of multiple cell wall modification-related genes, decreased PG (polygalacturonase), TBG (tomato β-galactosidase), CEL (cellulase) and XYL (β-D-xylosidase) activities, and significantly prolonged fruit shelf-life. Furthermore, overexpression of SlFSR in mutant rin gave rise to up-regulated expression of multiple cell wall modification-related genes, such as PG, TBG4, CEL2, XYL1, PL, PE, MAN1, EXP1 and XTH5, and significantly shortened fruit shelf-life. Our findings make it possible to reveal the genetic mechanisms underlying fruit cell wall metabolisms and suggest that SlFSR gene is another biotechnological targeted control of tomato fruit shelf-life.

Specific Responses of Salmonella enterica to Tomato Varieties and Fruit Ripeness Identified by In Vivo Expression Technology

PubMed Central

Noel, Jason T.; Arrach, Nabil; Alagely, Ali; McClelland, Michael; Teplitski, Max

2010-01-01

Background Recent outbreaks of vegetable-associated gastroenteritis suggest that enteric pathogens colonize, multiply and persist in plants for extended periods of time, eventually infecting people. Genetic and physiological pathways, by which enterics colonize plants, are still poorly understood. Methodology/Principal Findings To better understand interactions between Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium and tomatoes, a gfp-tagged Salmonella promoter library was screened inside red ripe fruits. Fifty-one unique constructs that were potentially differentially regulated in tomato relative to in vitro growth were identified. The expression of a subset of these promoters was tested in planta using recombinase-based in vivo expression technology (RIVET) and fitness of the corresponding mutants was tested. Gene expression in Salmonella was affected by fruit maturity and tomato cultivar. A putative fadH promoter was upregulated most strongly in immature tomatoes. Expression of the fadH construct depended on the presence of linoleic acid, which is consistent with the reduced accumulation of this compound in mature tomato fruits. The cysB construct was activated in the fruit of cv. Hawaii 7997 (resistant to a race of Ralstonia solanacearum) more strongly than in the universally susceptible tomato cv. Bonny Best. Known Salmonella motility and animal virulence genes (hilA, flhDC, fliF and those encoded on the pSLT virulence plasmid) did not contribute significantly to fitness of the bacteria inside tomatoes, even though deletions of sirA and motA modestly increased fitness of Salmonella inside tomatoes. Conclusions/Significance This study reveals the genetic basis of the interactions of Salmonella with plant hosts. Salmonella relies on a distinct set of metabolic and regulatory genes, which are differentially regulated in planta in response to host genotype and fruit maturity. This enteric pathogen colonizes tissues of tomatoes differently than plant pathogens, and relies little on its animal virulence genes for persistence within the fruit. PMID:20824208

Expression of Ascorbic Acid Oxidase in Zucchini Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.).

PubMed

Lin, L S; Varner, J E

1991-05-01

The expression of ascorbic acid oxidase was studied in zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.), one of the most abundant natural sources of the enzyme. In the developing fruit, specific activity of ascorbic acid oxidase was highest between 4 and 6 days after anthesis. Protein and mRNA levels followed the same trend as enzyme activity. Highest growth rate of the fruit occurred before 6 days after anthesis. Within a given fruit, ascorbic acid oxidase activity and mRNA level were highest in the epidermis, and lowest in the central placental region. In leaf tissue, ascorbic acid oxidase activity was higher in young leaves, and very low in old leaves. Within a given leaf, enzyme activity was highest in the fast-growing region (approximately the lower third of the blade), and lowest in the slow-growing region (near leaf apex). High expression of ascorbic acid oxidase at a stage when rapid growth is occurring (in both fruits and leaves), and localization of the enzyme in the fruit epidermis, where cells are under greatest tension during rapid growth in girth, suggest that ascorbic acid oxidase might be involved in reorganization of the cell wall to allow for expansion. Based on the known chemistry of dehydroascorbic acid, the end product of the ascorbic acid oxidase-catalyzed reaction, we have proposed several hypotheses to explain how dehydroascorbic acid might cause cell wall "loosening."

Ethylene independent induction of lycopene biosynthesis in tomato fruits by jasmonates

PubMed Central

Wei, Jia; Wang, Qiaomei

2012-01-01

One of the main characteristics of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit ripening is a massive accumulation of carotenoids (mainly lycopene), which may contribute to the nutrient quality of tomato fruit and its role in chemoprevention. Previous studies have shown that ethylene (ET) plays a central role in promoting fruit ripening. In this study, the role of jasmonic acid (JA) in controlling lycopene accumulation in tomato fruits was analysed by measuring fruit lycopene content and the expression levels of lycopene biosynthetic genes in JA-deficient mutants (spr2 and def1) and a 35S::prosystemin transgenic line (35S::prosys) with increased JA levels and constitutive JA signalling. The lycopene content was significantly decreased in the fruits of spr2 and def1, but was enhanced in 35S::prosys fruits. Simultaneously, the expression of lycopene biosynthetic genes followed a similar trend. Lycopene synthesis in methyl jasmonate (MeJA) vapour-treated fruits showed an inverted U-shaped dose response, which significantly enhanced the fruit lycopene content and restored lycopene accumulation in spr2 and def1 at a concentration of 0.5 µM. The results indicated that JA plays a positive role in lycopene biosynthesis. In addition, the role of ET in JA-induced lycopene accumulation was also examined. Ethylene production in tomato fruits was depressed in spr2 and def1 while it increased in 35S::prosys. However, the exogenous application of MeJA to Never ripe (Nr), the ET-insensitive mutant, significantly promoted lycopene accumulation, as well as the expression of lycopene biosynthetic genes. Based on these results, it is proposed that JA might function independently of ethylene to promote lycopene biosynthesis in tomato fruits. PMID:22945939

The SlFSR gene controls fruit shelf-life in tomato

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lincheng; Zhu, Mingku; Ren, Lijun; Li, Anzhou; Chen, Guoping

2018-01-01

Abstract Fruit ripening represents a process that changes flavor and appearance and also a process that dramatically increases fruit softening. Fruit softening and textural variations mainly result from disruptions to the cell walls of the fruit throughout ripening, but the exact mechanisms and specific modifications of the cell wall remain unclear. Plant-specific GRAS proteins play a critical role in development and growth. To date, few GRAS genes have been functionally categorized in tomato. The expression of a novel GRAS gene described in this study and designated as SlFSR (fruit shelf-life regulator) specifically increased during fruit ripening, but was significantly decreased in the tomato mutant rin (ripening inhibitor). RNAi repression of SlFSR resulted in reduced expression of multiple cell wall modification-related genes, decreased the activities of PG (polygalacturonase), TBG (tomato β-galactosidase), CEL (cellulase), and XYL (β-D-xylosidase), and significantly prolonged fruit shelf-life. Furthermore, overexpression of SlFSR in mutant rin gave rise to up-regulated expression of multiple cell wall modification-related genes, such as PG, TBG4, CEL2, XYL1, PL, PE, MAN1, EXP1, and XTH5, and significantly shortened the fruit shelf-life. These findings reveal some of the genetic mechanisms underlying fruit cell wall metabolism and suggest that the SlFSR gene is another potential biotechnological target for the control of tomato fruit shelf-life. PMID:29635354

Role of the tomato TAGL1 gene in regulating fruit metabolites elucidated using RNA sequence and metabolomics analyses.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaodan; Yuan, Xinyu; Chen, Sha; Meng, Lanhuan; Fu, Daqi

2018-01-01

Fruit ripening is a complex biological process affecting fruit quality. In tomato the fruit ripening process is delicately regulated by transcription factors (TFs). Among these, the TOMATO AGAMOUS-LIKE 1 (TAGL1) gene plays an important role in both the development and ripening of fruit. In this study, the TAGL1 gene was successfully silenced by virus-induced gene silencing technology (VIGS), and the global gene expression and metabolites profiles of TAGL1-silenced fruits were analyzed by RNA-sequence analysis (RNA-seq) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The TAGL1-silenced fruits phenotypically displayed an orange pericarp, which was in accordance with the results expected from the down-regulation of genes associated with carotenoid synthesis. Levels of several amino acids and organic acids were lower in the TAGL1-silenced fruits than in the wild-type fruits, whereas, α-tomatine content was greatly increased (more than 10-fold) in the TAGL1-silenced fruits compared to wild-type fruits. The findings of this study showed that TAGL1 not only regulates the ripening of tomato fruits, but also affects the synthesis and levels of nutrients in the fruit.

The sugar transporter inventory of tomato: genome-wide identification and expression analysis.

PubMed

Reuscher, Stefan; Akiyama, Masahito; Yasuda, Tomohide; Makino, Haruko; Aoki, Koh; Shibata, Daisuke; Shiratake, Katsuhiro

2014-06-01

The mobility of sugars between source and sink tissues in plants depends on sugar transport proteins. Studying the corresponding genes allows the manipulation of the sink strength of developing fruits, thereby improving fruit quality for human consumption. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is both a major horticultural crop and a model for the development of fleshy fruits. In this article we provide a comprehensive inventory of tomato sugar transporters, including the SUCROSE TRANSPORTER family, the SUGAR TRANSPORTER PROTEIN family, the SUGAR FACILITATOR PROTEIN family, the POLYOL/MONOSACCHARIDE TRANSPORTER family, the INOSITOL TRANSPORTER family, the PLASTIDIC GLUCOSE TRANSLOCATOR family, the TONOPLAST MONOSACCHARIDE TRANSPORTER family and the VACUOLAR GLUCOSE TRANSPORTER family. Expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing and phylogenetic analyses established a nomenclature for all analyzed tomato sugar transporters. In total we identified 52 genes in tomato putatively encoding sugar transporters. The expression of 29 sugar transporter genes in vegetative tissues and during fruit development was analyzed. Several sugar transporter genes were expressed in a tissue- or developmental stage-specific manner. This information will be helpful to better understand source to sink movement of photoassimilates in tomato. Identification of fruit-specific sugar transporters might be a first step to find novel genes contributing to tomato fruit sugar accumulation. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Oral immunization of mice with transgenic tomato fruit expressing respiratory syncytial virus-F protein induces a systemic immune response.

PubMed

Sandhu, J S; Krasnyanski, S F; Domier, L L; Korban, S S; Osadjan, M D; Buetow, D E

2000-04-01

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most important pathogens of infancy and early childhood. Here a fruit-based edible subunit vaccine against RSV was developed by expressing the RSV fusion (F) protein gene in transgenic tomato plants. The F-gene was expressed in ripening tomato fruit under the control of the fruit-specific E8 promoter. Oral immunization of mice with ripe transgenic tomato fruits led to the induction of both serum and mucosal RSV-F specific antibodies. The ratio of immunoglobulin subclasses produced in response to immunization suggested that a type 1 T-helper cell immune response was preferentially induced. Serum antibodies showed an increased titer when the immunized mice were exposed to inactivated RSV antigen.

Characterization of Mineral Nutrients in National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) Tomato Varieties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit quality and yield are highly dependent on adequate uptake of nutrients. Potassium, magnesium and calcium are essential elements that influence fruit quality traits such as color, uniformity of ripening, hollow fruit, fruit shape, firmness, and acidity. Sodium is...

Melatonin content of pepper and tomato fruits: effects of cultivar and solar radiation.

PubMed

Riga, Patrick; Medina, Sonia; García-Flores, Libia Alejandra; Gil-Izquierdo, Ángel

2014-08-01

We evaluated the effect of cultivar and solar radiation on the melatonin content of Capsicum annuum (pepper) and Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) fruits. The melatonin content of red pepper fruits ranged from 31 to 93ngg(-1) (dry weight). The melatonin content of tomato ranged from 7.5 to 250ngg(-1) (dry weight). We also studied the effect of ripeness on melatonin content and identified one group of pepper cultivars in which the melatonin content increased as the fruit ripened and another in which it decreased as the fruit ripened. Under shade conditions, the melatonin content in most of tomato cultivars tended to increase (up to 135%), whereas that of most pepper cultivars decreased (to 64%). Overall, the results also demonstrated that the melatonin content of the fruits was not related to carbon fluxes from leaves. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EXPERIMENTS ON THE PRESERVATION OF FRESH FRUIT BY IRRADIATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

de Zeeuw, D.

1961-01-01

Soft fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries and plums, were irradiated by means of an electron accelerator. The fruits were placed in small plastic boxes and irradiated on both sides with 1 Mev-electrons. The irradiation dosages varied from 0 to 700 kilorads. The storage temperature was usually 15 deg C. In general the consistency of soft fruits, irradiated with dosages of 300 to 700 kilorads, was superior to that of the non-irradiated fruits. It seems that a medium dose treatment affects both the shelf-life time and the ripening of fruit. In order to investigate the effect of ionizing radiation on themore » ripening process of fruit, experiments were carried out with tomatoes in different stages of maturity. In these investigations tomatoes were used because they do not get mouldy during a long storage period. Consequently, there is no interference of the metabolism of the micro-organisms with that of the tomato. In measuring the CO/sub 2/ production, it appeared that with mature green tomatoes this was considerably increased immediately after irradiation. However, there was no difference between the CO/sub 2/ production of irradiated and non-irradiated tomatoes of the turning mature stage. (auth)« less

Combination of ozone and packaging treatments maintained the quality and improved the shelf life of tomato fruit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainuri; Jayaputra; Sauqi, A.; Sjah, T.; Desiana, R. Y.

2018-01-01

Tomato is very important vegetable crop but has short shelf life. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of ozone and packaging combination treatment on the quality and the storage life of tomato fruit. There were six treatments including: control (without ozone and packaging); without ozone and packaged with polyethylene bag; without ozone and polyethylene terephtalate punnet; with ozone but without packaging; with ozone and packaged with polyethylene bag; and with ozone and polyethylene terephtalate punnet. Each treatment was made into 3 replications. Tomato samples were harvested at turning stage. Ozone treatment was applied for 60 seconds. Tomatoes were then treated with and without packaging. The fruit were then stored at room temperature for up to 12 days. The parameters for assessment were water content, color, texture, weight loss and the population of naturally contamination Escherichia coli. Each parameter was assessed on day 0, 6 and 12 of storage. The results indicated that combination of ozone and packaging treatments significantly affected the physical and biochemical changes (water content, color, texture and weight loss) of the fruit, suppressed the microbiological contamination on the fruit and maintained fruit freshness or quality after 12 days of storage. The combination of ozone and perforated polyethylene packaging treatment was the best treatment to maintain the quality and prolonged the shelf life of tomato fruit to be 12 days at room temperature.

Fleshy Fruit Expansion and Ripening Are Regulated by the Tomato SHATTERPROOF Gene TAGL1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Vrebalov, Julia; Pan, Irvin L.; Arroyo, Antonio Javier Matas; McQuinn, Ryan; Chung, MiYoung; Poole, Mervin; Rose, Jocelyn; Seymour, Graham; Grandillo, Silvana; Giovannoni, James; Irish, Vivian F.

2009-01-01

The maturation and ripening of fleshy fruits is a developmental program that synchronizes seed maturation with metabolism, rendering fruit tissues desirable to seed dispersing organisms. Through RNA interference repression, we show that Tomato AGAMOUS-LIKE1 (TAGL1), the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) ortholog of the duplicated SHATTERPROOF (SHP) MADS box genes of Arabidopsis thaliana, is necessary for fruit ripening. Tomato plants with reduced TAGL1 mRNA produced yellow-orange fruit with reduced carotenoids and thin pericarps. These fruit are also decreased in ethylene, indicating a comprehensive inhibition of maturation mediated through reduced ACC Synthase 2 expression. Furthermore, ectopic expression of TAGL1 in tomato resulted in expansion of sepals and accumulation of lycopene, supporting the role of TAGL1 in ripening. In Arabidopsis, the duplicate SHP1 and SHP2 MADS box genes regulate the development of separation layers essential for pod shatter. Expression of TAGL1 in Arabidopsis failed to completely rescue the shp1 shp2 mutant phenotypes, indicating that TAGL1 has evolved distinct molecular functions compared with its Arabidopsis counterparts. These analyses demonstrate that TAGL1 plays an important role in regulating both fleshy fruit expansion and the ripening process that together are necessary to promote seed dispersal of fleshy fruit. From this broad perspective, SHP1/2 and TAGL1, while distinct in molecular function, regulate similar activities via their necessity for seed dispersal in Arabidopsis and tomato, respectively. PMID:19880793

Plastid and stromule morphogenesis in tomato.

PubMed

Pyke, Kevin A; Howells, Caroline A

2002-11-01

By using green fluorescent protein targeted to the plastid organelle in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), the morphology of plastids and their associated stromules in epidermal cells and trichomes from stems and petioles and in the chromoplasts of pericarp cells in the tomato fruit has been revealed. A novel characteristic of tomato stromules is the presence of extensive bead-like structures along the stromules that are often observed as free vesicles, distinct from and apparently unconnected to the plastid body. Interconnections between the red pigmented chromoplast bodies are common in fruit pericarp cells suggesting that chromoplasts could form a complex network in this cell type. The potential implications for carotenoid biosynthesis in tomato fruit and for vesicles originating from beaded stromules as a secretory mechanism for plastids in glandular trichomes of tomato is discussed.

Plastid and Stromule Morphogenesis in Tomato

PubMed Central

PYKE, KEVIN A.; HOWELLS, CAROLINE A.

2002-01-01

By using green fluorescent protein targeted to the plastid organelle in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), the morphology of plastids and their associated stromules in epidermal cells and trichomes from stems and petioles and in the chromoplasts of pericarp cells in the tomato fruit has been revealed. A novel characteristic of tomato stromules is the presence of extensive bead‐like structures along the stromules that are often observed as free vesicles, distinct from and apparently unconnected to the plastid body. Interconnections between the red pigmented chromoplast bodies are common in fruit pericarp cells suggesting that chromoplasts could form a complex network in this cell type. The potential implications for carotenoid biosynthesis in tomato fruit and for vesicles originating from beaded stromules as a secretory mechanism for plastids in glandular trichomes of tomato is discussed. PMID:12466096

Enhancement of phytochemical using next generation technologies for the production of high quality fruits and vegetables

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an excellent plant model for unraveling physiological processes, fruit quality and fruit shelf determinants, stress responsive signaling, pathogenicity, and ripening development in climacteric fruits. Tomato is a popular vegetable, and along with potato, it is cla...

Genetic difference in macro-element mineral concentrations among 52 historically important tomato varieties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit quality and yield are highly dependent on adequate uptake of nutrients. Potassium, magnesium and calcium are essential elements that influence fruit quality traits such as color, uniformity of ripening, hollow fruit, fruit shape, firmness, and acidity. Sodium is n...

Analyses of tomato fruit brightness mutants uncover both cutin-deficient and cutin-abundant mutants and a new hypomorphic allele of GDSL lipase.

PubMed

Petit, Johann; Bres, Cécile; Just, Daniel; Garcia, Virginie; Mauxion, Jean-Philippe; Marion, Didier; Bakan, Bénédicte; Joubès, Jérôme; Domergue, Frédéric; Rothan, Christophe

2014-02-01

The cuticle is a protective layer synthesized by epidermal cells of the plants and consisting of cutin covered and filled by waxes. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit, the thick cuticle embedding epidermal cells has crucial roles in the control of pathogens, water loss, cracking, postharvest shelf-life, and brightness. To identify tomato mutants with modified cuticle composition and architecture and to further decipher the relationships between fruit brightness and cuticle in tomato, we screened an ethyl methanesulfonate mutant collection in the miniature tomato cultivar Micro-Tom for mutants with altered fruit brightness. Our screen resulted in the isolation of 16 glossy and 8 dull mutants displaying changes in the amount and/or composition of wax and cutin, cuticle thickness, and surface aspect of the fruit as characterized by optical and environmental scanning electron microscopy. The main conclusions on the relationships between fruit brightness and cuticle features were as follows: (1) screening for fruit brightness is an effective way to identify tomato cuticle mutants; (2) fruit brightness is independent from wax load variations; (3) glossy mutants show either reduced or increased cutin load; and (4) dull mutants display alterations in epidermal cell number and shape. Cuticle composition analyses further allowed the identification of groups of mutants displaying remarkable cuticle changes, such as mutants with increased dicarboxylic acids in cutin. Using genetic mapping of a strong cutin-deficient mutation, we discovered a novel hypomorphic allele of GDSL lipase carrying a splice junction mutation, thus highlighting the potential of tomato brightness mutants for advancing our understanding of cuticle formation in plants.

Analyses of Tomato Fruit Brightness Mutants Uncover Both Cutin-Deficient and Cutin-Abundant Mutants and a New Hypomorphic Allele of GDSL Lipase[C][W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Petit, Johann; Bres, Cécile; Just, Daniel; Garcia, Virginie; Mauxion, Jean-Philippe; Marion, Didier; Bakan, Bénédicte; Joubès, Jérôme; Domergue, Frédéric; Rothan, Christophe

2014-01-01

The cuticle is a protective layer synthesized by epidermal cells of the plants and consisting of cutin covered and filled by waxes. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit, the thick cuticle embedding epidermal cells has crucial roles in the control of pathogens, water loss, cracking, postharvest shelf-life, and brightness. To identify tomato mutants with modified cuticle composition and architecture and to further decipher the relationships between fruit brightness and cuticle in tomato, we screened an ethyl methanesulfonate mutant collection in the miniature tomato cultivar Micro-Tom for mutants with altered fruit brightness. Our screen resulted in the isolation of 16 glossy and 8 dull mutants displaying changes in the amount and/or composition of wax and cutin, cuticle thickness, and surface aspect of the fruit as characterized by optical and environmental scanning electron microscopy. The main conclusions on the relationships between fruit brightness and cuticle features were as follows: (1) screening for fruit brightness is an effective way to identify tomato cuticle mutants; (2) fruit brightness is independent from wax load variations; (3) glossy mutants show either reduced or increased cutin load; and (4) dull mutants display alterations in epidermal cell number and shape. Cuticle composition analyses further allowed the identification of groups of mutants displaying remarkable cuticle changes, such as mutants with increased dicarboxylic acids in cutin. Using genetic mapping of a strong cutin-deficient mutation, we discovered a novel hypomorphic allele of GDSL lipase carrying a splice junction mutation, thus highlighting the potential of tomato brightness mutants for advancing our understanding of cuticle formation in plants. PMID:24357602

Tomato is a highly effective vehicle for expression and oral immunization with Norwalk virus capsid protein.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiuren; Buehner, Norene A; Hutson, Anne M; Estes, Mary K; Mason, Hugh S

2006-07-01

Norwalk virus (NV) is an important agent of epidemic gastroenteritis, and an oral subunit vaccine shows potential for protection. Recombinant Norwalk virus (rNV) capsid protein expressed in plants assembles virus-like particles (VLPs) that are orally immunogenic in mice and humans. In this article we examine rNV expression in tomato and potato using a plant-optimized gene, and test the immunogenicity of dried tomato fruit and potato tuber fed to mice. The synthetic gene increased rNV expression fourfold in tomato and potato plants, which assembled VLP. Four doses of 0.4 g freeze-dried tomato fruit containing 64 microg rNV (40 microg VLPs) induced NV-specific serum IgG and mucosal IgA in > or = 80% of mice, while doses of 0.8 g elicited systemic and mucosal antibody responses in all mice. Feedings of 1 g freeze-dried potato tuber containing 120 microg rNV (90 microg VLPs) were required to produce 100% responsiveness. Oxidation of phenolic compounds upon rehydration of dried tuber caused significant VLP instability, thus decreasing immunogenicity. Air-dried tomato fruit stimulated stronger immune responses than freeze-dried fruit of the same mass, perhaps by limiting the destruction of plant cell matrix and membrane systems that occurs with freeze-drying. Thus, rNV in dried transgenic tomato fruit was a more potent immunogen than that in dried potato tubers, based on the total VLPs ingested. These findings support the use of stabilized, dried tomato fruit for oral delivery of subunit vaccines.

A new tomato NAC (NAM/ATAF1/2/CUC2) transcription factor, SlNAC4, functions as a positive regulator of fruit ripening and carotenoid accumulation.

PubMed

Zhu, Mingku; Chen, Guoping; Zhou, Shuang; Tu, Yun; Wang, Yi; Dong, Tingting; Hu, Zongli

2014-01-01

Fruit ripening in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a complicated development process affected by both endogenous hormonal and genetic regulators and external signals. Although the role of NOR, a member of the NAC domain family, in mediating tomato fruit ripening has been established, its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. To explore further the role of NAC transcription factors in fruit ripening, we characterized a new tomato NAC domain protein, named SlNAC4, which shows high accumulation in sepal and at the onset of fruit ripening. Various stress treatments including wounding, NaCl, dehydration and low temperature significantly increased the expression of SlNAC4. Reduced expression of SlNAC4 by RNA interference (RNAi) in tomato resulted in delayed fruit ripening, suppressed Chl breakdown and decreased ethylene synthesis mediated mainly through reduced expression of ethylene biosynthesis genes of system-2, and reduced carotenoids by alteration of the carotenoid pathway flux. Transgenic tomato fruits also displayed significant down-regulation of multiple ripening-associated genes, indicating that SlNAC4 functions as a positive regulator of fruit ripening by affecting ethylene synthesis and carotenoid accumulation. Moreover, we also noted that SlNAC4 could not be induced by ethylene and may function upstream of the ripening regulator RIN and positively regulate its expression. Yeast two-hybrid assay further revealed that SlNAC4 could interact with both RIN and NOR protein. These results suggested that ethylene-dependent and -independent processes are regulated by SlNAC4 in the fruit ripening regulatory network.

Methyl de-esterification as a major factor regulating the extent of pectin depolymerization during fruit ripening: a comparison of the action of avocado (Persea americana) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) polygalacturonases.

PubMed

Wakabayashi, Kazuyuki; Hoson, Takayuki; Huber, Donald J

2003-06-01

Pectinmethylesterase (PME, EC 3.2.1.11) and polygalacturonase (PG, EC 3.2.1.15) are known to operate in tandem to degrade methylesterified polyuronides. In this study, PGs purified from tomato and avocado fruit were compared in terms of their capacity to hydrolyze water-soluble polyuronides from avocado before and following enzymic or chemical de-esterification. When assayed using polygalacturonic acid or polyuronides from avocado fruit, the activity of PG from tomato fruit was 3-4 times higher than that from avocado fruit. High molecular mass, low methylesterified (33%) water-soluble polyuronides (WSP) from pre-ripe avocado fruit (day 0) were partially depolymerized upon incubation with purified avocado and tomato PGs. In contrast, middle molecular mass, highly methylesterified (74%) WSP from day 2 fruit were largely resistant to the action of both PGs. PME or weak alkali treatment of highly methylesterified WSP decreased the methylesterification values to 11 and 4.5%, respectively. Treatment of de-esterified WSP with either avocado or tomato PGs caused extensive molecular mass downshifts, paralleling those observed during avocado fruit ripening. Although PME and PG are found in many fruits, the pattern of depolymerization of native polyuronides indicates that the degree of cooperativity between these enzymes in vivo differs dramatically among fruits. The contribution of PME to patterns of polyuronide depolymerization observed during ripening compared with physically compromised fruit tissues is discussed.

Ascorbic acid and tannins from Emblica officinalis Gaertn. Fruits--a revisit.

PubMed

Majeed, Muhammed; Bhat, Beena; Jadhav, Atul N; Srivastava, Jyotish S; Nagabhushanam, Kalyanam

2009-01-14

The fruits of Emblica officinalis Gaertn. (Euphorbiaceae), also known as amla in Ayurveda, are considered to be a rich source of ascorbic acid. However, the antioxidant activities exhibited by E. officinalis extract are superior to those of ascorbic acid itself. Low molecular hydrolyzable tannins emblicanins A and B have been suggested in the earlier literature to be the contributory antioxidant molecules in the extract. This work finds no evidence for the presence of emblicanins A and B in the extract. In addition, the high content of ascorbic acid is also questionable due to previous nonidentification of coeluting mucic acid gallates. This paper reports a new HPLC method to detect even trace amounts of ascorbic acid in E. officinalis fruit juice or extract.

Bacterial community diversity and variation in spray water sources and the tomato fruit surface

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) consumption has been one of the most common causes of produce-associated salmonellosis in the United States. Contamination may originate from animal waste, insects, soil or water. Current guidelines for fresh tomato production recommend the use of potable water for applications coming in direct contact with the fruit, but due to high demand, water from other sources is frequently used. We sought to describe the overall bacterial diversity on the surface of tomato fruit and the effect of two different water sources (ground and surface water) when used for direct crop applications by generating a 454-pyrosequencing 16S rRNA dataset of these different environments. This study represents the first in depth characterization of bacterial communities in the tomato fruit surface and the water sources commonly used in commercial vegetable production. Results The two water sources tested had a significantly different bacterial composition. Proteobacteria was predominant in groundwater samples, whereas in the significantly more diverse surface water, abundant phyla also included Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. The fruit surface bacterial communities on tomatoes sprayed with both water sources could not be differentiated using various statistical methods. Both fruit surface environments had a high representation of Gammaproteobacteria, and within this class the genera Pantoea and Enterobacter were the most abundant. Conclusions Despite the major differences observed in the bacterial composition of ground and surface water, the season long use of these very different water sources did not have a significant impact on the bacterial composition of the tomato fruit surface. This study has provided the first next-generation sequencing database describing the bacterial communities living in the fruit surface of a tomato crop under two different spray water regimes, and therefore represents an important step forward towards the development of science-based metrics for Good Agricultural Practices. PMID:21510867

In Vivo Measurement of Phytochrome in Tomato Fruit 1

PubMed Central

Jen, Joseph J.; Norris, Karl H.; Watada, Alley E.

1977-01-01

Presence of phytochrome in two kinds of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), the yellow lutescent strain and cherry tomatoes (L. esculentum Mill. var. cerasiformecv. Red Cherry), was established by measuring the absorption difference spectra of the whole fruit after irradiation with red and with far red light. Phytochrome content was determined in yellow lutescent tomatoes and decreased gradually during the ripening period. PMID:16659907

Superoxide dismutase in ripening fruits.

PubMed

Baker, J E

1976-11-01

The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in extracts of preclimacteric apple, banana, avocado, and tomato fruits were not greatly different than in extracts of postclimacteric fruits. The results indicate that no major quantitative change in SOD occurs in fruits with or preceding the onset of senescence. Tomato fruit SOD was studied in more detail, and was found largely in the soluble fraction, and to a lesser extent in the mitochondrial and plastid fractions. The soluble fraction was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, column chromatography, and isoelectric focusing. Isoelectric focusing separated SOD from contaminating peroxidases. The purified tomato SOD showed an apparent molecular weight of 31,500 determined by gel filtration. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of this preparation indicated two SOD components corresponding to two protein bands, one of which stained more intensely than the other. The purified tomato enzyme was inhibited 90% by 1 mm KCN.

Contamination of tomatoes with coliforms and Escherichia coli on farms and in markets of northwest Nigeria.

PubMed

Shenge, Kenneth C; Whong, Clement M Z; Yakubu, Lydia L; Omolehin, Raphael A; Erbaugh, J Mark; Miller, Sally A; LeJeune, Jeffrey T

2015-01-01

Although recent reports indicated that produce contamination with foodborne pathogens is widespread in Nigeria, the sources and magnitude of microbial contamination of fruits and vegetables on farms and in markets have not been thoroughly identified. To ascertain possible pathways of contamination, the frequency and magnitude of coliform and Escherichia coli contamination of tomatoes produced in northwest Nigeria was assessed on farms and in markets. Eight hundred twenty-six tomato fruit samples and 36 irrigation water samples were collected and assessed for fecal indicator organisms. In addition, the awareness and use of food safety practices by tomato farmers and marketers were determined. Median concentration of coliforms on all field- and market-sourced tomato fruit samples, as well as in irrigation water sources, in Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina states exceeded 1,000 most probable number (MPN) per g. Median E. coli counts from 73 (17%) of 420 field samples and 231 (57%) of 406 market tomato fruit samples exceeded 100 MPN/g. Median E. coli concentrations on tomato fruits were higher (P < 0.01) in the rainy season (2.45 Log MPN/g), when irrigation was not practiced than in the dry (1.10 Log MPN/g) and early dry (0.92 Log MPN/g) seasons. Eighteen (50%) of 36 irrigation water samples had E. coli counts higher than 126 MPN/100 ml. Median E. coli contamination on market tomato fruit samples (2.66 Log MPN/g) were higher (P < 0.001) than those from tomatoes collected on farms (0.92 Log MPN/g). Farmers and marketers were generally unaware of the relationship between food safety practices and microbial contamination on fresh produce. Good agricultural practices pertaining to food safety on farms and in local markets were seldom used. Adoption of food safety practices on-farm, during transport, and during marketing could improve the microbial quality of tomatoes available to the public in this region of the world.

Silencing of the SlNAP7 gene influences plastid development and lycopene accumulation in tomato

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Da-Qi; Meng, Lan-Huan; Zhu, Ben-Zhong; Zhu, Hong-Liang; Yan, Hua-Xue; Luo, Yun-Bo

2016-12-01

Ripening is an important stage of fruit development. To screen the genes associated with pigment formation in tomato fruit, a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library was constructed by using tomato fruit in the green ripe and break ripe stages, and 129 differential genes were obtained. Using redness as a screening marker, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of the differential genes was performed with a sprout vacuum-infiltration system (SVI). The results showed that silencing the SlNAP7 gene affected the chloroplast development of tomato leaves, manifesting as a photo-bleaching phenotype, and silenced fruit significantly affected the accumulation of lycopene, manifested as a yellow phenotype. In our study, we found that silencing the SlNAP7 gene downregulates the expression of the POR and PORA genes and destroys the normal development of the chloroplast. The expression of related genes included in the lycopene biosynthesis pathway was not significantly changed, but lycopene accumulation was significantly reduced in tomato fruit. Perhaps it was caused by the destruction of the chromoplast, which leads to the oxidation of lycopene. The results show that the SlNAP7 gene influences chloroplast development and lycopene accumulation in tomato.

Silencing of the SlNAP7 gene influences plastid development and lycopene accumulation in tomato

PubMed Central

Fu, Da-Qi; Meng, Lan-Huan; Zhu, Ben-Zhong; Zhu, Hong-Liang; Yan, Hua-Xue; Luo, Yun-Bo

2016-01-01

Ripening is an important stage of fruit development. To screen the genes associated with pigment formation in tomato fruit, a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library was constructed by using tomato fruit in the green ripe and break ripe stages, and 129 differential genes were obtained. Using redness as a screening marker, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of the differential genes was performed with a sprout vacuum-infiltration system (SVI). The results showed that silencing the SlNAP7 gene affected the chloroplast development of tomato leaves, manifesting as a photo-bleaching phenotype, and silenced fruit significantly affected the accumulation of lycopene, manifested as a yellow phenotype. In our study, we found that silencing the SlNAP7 gene downregulates the expression of the POR and PORA genes and destroys the normal development of the chloroplast. The expression of related genes included in the lycopene biosynthesis pathway was not significantly changed, but lycopene accumulation was significantly reduced in tomato fruit. Perhaps it was caused by the destruction of the chromoplast, which leads to the oxidation of lycopene. The results show that the SlNAP7 gene influences chloroplast development and lycopene accumulation in tomato. PMID:27929131

Enhancing the Health-Promoting Effects of Tomato Fruit for Biofortified Food

PubMed Central

Rigano, Maria Manuela; Frusciante, Luigi; Barone, Amalia

2014-01-01

Consumption of tomato fruits, like those of many other plant species that are part of the human diet, is considered to be associated with several positive effects on health. Indeed, tomato fruits are an important source of bioactive compounds with known beneficial effects including vitamins, antioxidants, and anticancer substances. In particular, antioxidant metabolites are a group of vitamins, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, and phenolic acid that can provide effective protection by neutralizing free radicals, which are unstable molecules linked to the development of a number of degenerative diseases and conditions. In this review, we will summarize the recent progress on tomatoes nutritional importance and mechanisms of action of different phytochemicals against inflammation processes and prevention of chronic noncommunicable diseases (e.g., obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertension). In addition, we will summarize the significant progress recently made to improve the nutritional quality of tomato fruits through metabolic engineering and/or breeding. PMID:24744504

Inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium and quality preservation of cherry tomatoes by in-package aerosolization of antimicrobials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of in-package aerosolized aqueous sanitizers in reducing populations of attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium inoculated on tomato fruit and in maintaining fruit quality. Cherry tomatoes were inoculated with a cocktail of ...

Difference in volatile profile between pericarp tissue and locular gel in tomato fruit

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aroma, a complex mixture of volatile compounds, plays an important role in the perception and acceptability of tomato products by consumers. Numerous studies have reported volatile profiles in tomatoes based on measurement of the whole fruit or pericarp tissue, however, little is understood regardin...

Use of homologous and heterologous gene expression profiling tools to characterize transcription dynamics during apple fruit maturation and ripening.

PubMed

Costa, Fabrizio; Alba, Rob; Schouten, Henk; Soglio, Valeria; Gianfranceschi, Luca; Serra, Sara; Musacchi, Stefano; Sansavini, Silviero; Costa, Guglielmo; Fei, Zhangjun; Giovannoni, James

2010-10-25

Fruit development, maturation and ripening consists of a complex series of biochemical and physiological changes that in climacteric fruits, including apple and tomato, are coordinated by the gaseous hormone ethylene. These changes lead to final fruit quality and understanding of the functional machinery underlying these processes is of both biological and practical importance. To date many reports have been made on the analysis of gene expression in apple. In this study we focused our investigation on the role of ethylene during apple maturation, specifically comparing transcriptomics of normal ripening with changes resulting from application of the hormone receptor competitor 1-methylcyclopropene. To gain insight into the molecular process regulating ripening in apple, and to compare to tomato (model species for ripening studies), we utilized both homologous and heterologous (tomato) microarray to profile transcriptome dynamics of genes involved in fruit development and ripening, emphasizing those which are ethylene regulated.The use of both types of microarrays facilitated transcriptome comparison between apple and tomato (for the later using data previously published and available at the TED: tomato expression database) and highlighted genes conserved during ripening of both species, which in turn represent a foundation for further comparative genomic studies. The cross-species analysis had the secondary aim of examining the efficiency of heterologous (specifically tomato) microarray hybridization for candidate gene identification as related to the ripening process. The resulting transcriptomics data revealed coordinated gene expression during fruit ripening of a subset of ripening-related and ethylene responsive genes, further facilitating the analysis of ethylene response during fruit maturation and ripening. Our combined strategy based on microarray hybridization enabled transcriptome characterization during normal climacteric apple ripening, as well as definition of ethylene-dependent transcriptome changes. Comparison with tomato fruit maturation and ethylene responsive transcriptome activity facilitated identification of putative conserved orthologous ripening-related genes, which serve as an initial set of candidates for assessing conservation of gene activity across genomes of fruit bearing plant species.

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase is localized to both the cytoplasm and plastids in developing pericarp of tomato fruit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, B. Y.; Wang, Y.; Janes, H. W.

1998-01-01

The intracellular location of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGP) in developing pericarp of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) has been investigated by immunolocalization. With the use of a highly specific anti-tomato fruit AGP antibody, the enzyme was localized in cytoplasm as well as plastids at both the light and electron microscope levels. The immunogold particles in plastids were localized in the stroma and at the surface of the starch granule, whereas those in the cytoplasm occurred in cluster-like patterns. Contrary to the fruit, the labeling in tomato leaf cells occurred exclusively in the chloroplasts. These data demonstrate that AGP is localized to both the cytoplasm and plastids in developing pericarp cells of tomato.

Antioxidant and Antiplatelet Activities in Extracts from Green and Fully Ripe Tomato Fruits (Solanum lycopersicum) and Pomace from Industrial Tomato Processing

PubMed Central

Fuentes, Eduardo; Carle, Reinhold; Astudillo, Luis; Guzmán, Luis; Gutiérrez, Margarita; Carrasco, Gilda; Palomo, Iván

2013-01-01

The consumption of fruits and vegetables is accepted to be one of the strategies to reduce risk factors for these diseases. The aim of this study was to examine potential relationships between the antioxidant and the antiplatelet activities in green mature and fully ripe (red) tomatoes and of lycopene-rich byproducts of tomato paste processing such as pomace. The total phenol content of tomato components was the highest in peels, pulp, and in the mucilaginous myxotesta covering the tomato seeds with values 36.9 ± 0.8, 33.3 ± 00.5, and 17.6 ± 0.9 mg GAE/100 g, respectively (P < 0.05). Tomato peels had the highest antioxidant activity, both, as measured by the FRAP (46.9 ± 0.9 μmol Fe+2/g, P < 0.05) and the DPPH assays (97.4 ± 0.2%, 1000 μg/mL, P < 0.05). Pomace extracts showed the highest antiplatelet activity induced by ADP, collagen, TRAP-6, and arachidonic acid. While the maturation stage of the tomato fruit affected the antioxidant effect, antiplatelet activity was independent of fruit ripeness. Finally, based on the present results, tomato and its byproducts may be considered as a valuable source of antioxidant and antiplatelet activities. PMID:23476707

Variation in Its C-Terminal Amino Acids Determines Whether Endo-β-Mannanase Is Active or Inactive in Ripening Tomato Fruits of Different Cultivars1

PubMed Central

Bourgault, Richard; Bewley, J. Derek

2002-01-01

Endo-β-mannanase cDNAs were cloned and characterized from ripening tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv Trust) fruit, which produces an active enzyme, and from the tomato cv Walter, which produces an inactive enzyme. There is a two-nucleotide deletion in the gene from tomato cv Walter, which results in a frame shift and the deletion of four amino acids at the C terminus of the full-length protein. Other cultivars that produce either active or inactive enzyme show the same absence or presence of the two-nucleotide deletion. The endo-β-mannanase enzyme protein was purified and characterized from ripe fruit to ensure that cDNA codes for the enzyme from fruit. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that non-ripening mutants, which also fail to exhibit endo-β-mannanase activity, do so because they fail to express the protein. In a two-way genetic cross between tomato cvs Walter and Trust, all F1 progeny from both crosses produced fruit with active enzyme, suggesting that this form is dominant and homozygous in tomato cv Trust. Self-pollination of a plant from the heterozygous F1 generation yielded F2 plants that bear fruit with and without active enzyme at a ratio appropriate to Mendelian genetic segregation of alleles. Heterologous expression of the two endo-β-mannanase genes in Escherichia coli resulted in active enzyme being produced from cultures containing the tomato cv Trust gene and inactive enzyme being produced from those containing the tomato cv Walter gene. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to establish key elements in the C terminus of the endo-β-mannanase protein that are essential for full enzyme activity. PMID:12427992

A Visual Reporter System for Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Tomato Fruit Based on Anthocyanin Accumulation1[C][W

PubMed Central

Orzaez, Diego; Medina, Aurora; Torre, Sara; Fernández-Moreno, Josefina Patricia; Rambla, José Luis; Fernández-del-Carmen, Asun; Butelli, Eugenio; Martin, Cathie; Granell, Antonio

2009-01-01

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a powerful tool for reverse genetics in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). However, the irregular distribution of the effects of VIGS hampers the identification and quantification of nonvisual phenotypes. To overcome this limitation, a visually traceable VIGS system was developed for fruit, comprising two elements: (1) a transgenic tomato line (Del/Ros1) expressing Antirrhinum majus Delila and Rosea1 transcription factors under the control of the fruit-specific E8 promoter, showing a purple-fruited, anthocyanin-rich phenotype; and (2) a modified tobacco rattle virus VIGS vector incorporating partial Rosea1 and Delila sequences, which was shown to restore the red-fruited phenotype upon agroinjection in Del/Ros1 plants. Dissection of silenced areas for subsequent chemometric analysis successfully identified the relevant metabolites underlying gene function for three tomato genes, phytoene desaturase, TomloxC, and SlODO1, used for proof of concept. The C-6 aldehydes derived from lipid 13-hydroperoxidation were found to be the volatile compounds most severely affected by TomloxC silencing, whereas geranial and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one were identified as the volatiles most severely reduced by phytoene desaturase silencing in ripening fruit. In a third example, silencing of SlODO1, a tomato homolog of the ODORANT1 gene encoding a myb transcription factor, which regulates benzenoid metabolism in petunia (Petunia hybrida) flowers, resulted in a sharp accumulation of benzaldehyde in tomato fruit. Together, these results indicate that fruit VIGS, enhanced by anthocyanin monitoring, can be a powerful tool for reverse genetics in the study of the metabolic networks operating during fruit ripening. PMID:19429602

Detection of Expansin Proteins and Activity during Tomato Fruit Ontogeny1

PubMed Central

Rose, Jocelyn K.C.; Cosgrove, Daniel J.; Albersheim, Peter; Darvill, Alan G.; Bennett, Alan B.

2000-01-01

Expansins are plant proteins that have the capacity to induce extension in isolated cell walls and are thought to mediate pH-dependent cell expansion. J.K.C. Rose, H.H. Lee, and A.B. Bennett ([1997] Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94: 5955–5960) reported the identification of an expansin gene (LeExp1) that is specifically expressed in ripening tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruit where cell wall disassembly, but not cell expansion, is prominent. Expansin expression during fruit ontogeny was examined using antibodies raised to recombinant LeExp1 or a cell elongation-related expansin from cucumber (CsExp1). The LeExp1 antiserum detected expansins in extracts from ripe, but not preripe tomato fruit, in agreement with the pattern of LeExp1 mRNA accumulation. In contrast, antibodies to CsExp1 cross-reacted with expansins in early fruit development and the onset of ripening, but not at a later ripening stage. These data suggest that ripening-related and expansion-related expansin proteins have distinct antigenic epitopes despite overall high sequence identity. Expansin proteins were detected in a range of fruit species and showed considerable variation in abundance; however, appreciable levels of expansin were not present in fruit of the rin or Nr tomato mutants that exhibit delayed and reduced softening. LeExp1 protein accumulation was ethylene-regulated and matched the previously described expression of mRNA, suggesting that expression is not regulated at the level of translation. We report the first detection of expansin activity in several stages of fruit development and while characteristic creep activity was detected in young and developing tomato fruit and in ripe pear, avocado, and pepper, creep activity in ripe tomato showed qualitative differences, suggesting both hydrolytic and expansin activities. PMID:10938374

Eelgrass slabs, a soilless culture substrate that inhibits adhesion of fungi and oomycetes and enhances antioxidant activity in tomato.

PubMed

Meot-Duros, Laetitia; Le Floch, Gaëtan; Meot, Benoit; Letousey, Patricia; Jacob, Bruno; Barbier, Georges

2011-10-26

Composed of a marine plant, Zostera sp., eelgrass slabs are a novel organic substrate for soilless cultures used in tomato production. The benefit of using eelgrass slabs for growing tomatoes was assessed by comparing it with coconut fiber slabs in regard to contamination by Pythium spp. and to the antioxidant properties of tomato fruits. First, tomato root contamination by Pythium spp. was studied by direct plate counting, and a molecular comparison of fungal and oomycete communities was conducted using PCR-DHPLC. Second, the antioxidant properties of tomato fruits were analyzed by measuring total phenol and carotenoid contents and by evaluating radical scavenging activity. Compared to plants grown on coconut fiber slabs, those on eelgrass slabs presented a lower rate of Pythium spp. root contamination. Moreover, culture on eelgrass slabs produced fruits with better radical scavenging activity and higher total phenol content compared to controls. Carotenoid content was not affected by the type of substrate. This study highlights the value of detrital leaves of Zostera sp. as a substrate for soilless culture that reduces root contamination and also promotes the production of tomato fruits with better nutritional value.

Elucidating the functional role of endoreduplication in tomato fruit development

PubMed Central

Chevalier, Christian; Nafati, Mehdi; Mathieu-Rivet, Elodie; Bourdon, Matthieu; Frangne, Nathalie; Cheniclet, Catherine; Renaudin, Jean-Pierre; Gévaudant, Frédéric; Hernould, Michel

2011-01-01

Background Endoreduplication is the major source of endopolyploidy in higher plants. The process of endoreduplication results from the ability of cells to modify their classical cell cycle into a partial cell cycle where DNA synthesis occurs independently from mitosis. Despite the ubiquitous occurrence of the phenomenon in eukaryotic cells, the physiological meaning of endoreduplication remains vague,although several roles during plant development have been proposed, mostly related to cell differentiation and cell size determination. Scope Here recent advances in the knowledge of endoreduplication and fruit organogenesis are reviewed, focusing on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) as a model, and the functional analyses of endoreduplication-associated regulatory genes in tomato fruit are described. Conclusions The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitory kinase WEE1 and the anaphase promoting complex activator CCS52A both participate in the control of cell size and the endoreduplication process driving cell expansion during early fruit development in tomato. Moreover the fruit-specific functional analysis of the tomato CDK inhibitor KRP1 reveals that cell size and fruit size determination can be uncoupled from DNA ploidy levels, indicating that endoreduplication acts rather as a limiting factor for cell growth. The overall functional data contribute to unravelling the physiological role of endoreduplication in growth induction of fleshy fruits. PMID:21199834

NON-SMOKY GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASE1 Prevents the Release of Smoky Aroma from Tomato Fruit[W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Tikunov, Yury M.; Molthoff, Jos; de Vos, Ric C.H.; Beekwilder, Jules; van Houwelingen, Adele; van der Hooft, Justin J.J.; Nijenhuis-de Vries, Mariska; Labrie, Caroline W.; Verkerke, Wouter; van de Geest, Henri; Viquez Zamora, Marcela; Presa, Silvia; Rambla, Jose Luis; Granell, Antonio; Hall, Robert D.; Bovy, Arnaud G.

2013-01-01

Phenylpropanoid volatiles are responsible for the key tomato fruit (Solanum lycopersicum) aroma attribute termed “smoky.” Release of these volatiles from their glycosylated precursors, rather than their biosynthesis, is the major determinant of smoky aroma in cultivated tomato. Using a combinatorial omics approach, we identified the NON-SMOKY GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASE1 (NSGT1) gene. Expression of NSGT1 is induced during fruit ripening, and the encoded enzyme converts the cleavable diglycosides of the smoky-related phenylpropanoid volatiles into noncleavable triglycosides, thereby preventing their deglycosylation and release from tomato fruit upon tissue disruption. In an nsgt1/nsgt1 background, further glycosylation of phenylpropanoid volatile diglycosides does not occur, thereby enabling their cleavage and the release of corresponding volatiles. Using reverse genetics approaches, the NSGT1-mediated glycosylation was shown to be the molecular mechanism underlying the major quantitative trait locus for smoky aroma. Sensory trials with transgenic fruits, in which the inactive nsgt1 was complemented with the functional NSGT1, showed a significant and perceivable reduction in smoky aroma. NSGT1 may be used in a precision breeding strategy toward development of tomato fruits with distinct flavor phenotypes. PMID:23956261

Tomato fruit and seed colonization by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis through external and internal routes.

PubMed

Tancos, Matthew A; Chalupowicz, Laura; Barash, Isaac; Manulis-Sasson, Shulamit; Smart, Christine D

2013-11-01

The Gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, causal agent of bacterial wilt and canker of tomato, is an economically devastating pathogen that inflicts considerable damage throughout all major tomato-producing regions. Annual outbreaks continue to occur in New York, where C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis spreads via infected transplants, trellising stakes, tools, and/or soil. Globally, new outbreaks can be accompanied by the introduction of contaminated seed stock; however, the route of seed infection, especially the role of fruit lesions, remains undefined. In order to investigate the modes of seed infection, New York C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis field strains were stably transformed with a gene encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). A constitutively eGFP-expressing virulent C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis isolate, GCMM-22, was used to demonstrate that C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis could not only access seeds systemically through the xylem but also externally through tomato fruit lesions, which harbored high intra- and intercellular populations. Active movement and expansion of bacteria into the fruit mesocarp and nearby xylem vessels followed, once the fruits began to ripen. These results highlight the ability of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis to invade tomato fruits and seeds through multiple entry routes.

Tomato Fruit and Seed Colonization by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis through External and Internal Routes

PubMed Central

Tancos, Matthew A.; Chalupowicz, Laura; Barash, Isaac; Manulis-Sasson, Shulamit

2013-01-01

The Gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, causal agent of bacterial wilt and canker of tomato, is an economically devastating pathogen that inflicts considerable damage throughout all major tomato-producing regions. Annual outbreaks continue to occur in New York, where C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis spreads via infected transplants, trellising stakes, tools, and/or soil. Globally, new outbreaks can be accompanied by the introduction of contaminated seed stock; however, the route of seed infection, especially the role of fruit lesions, remains undefined. In order to investigate the modes of seed infection, New York C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis field strains were stably transformed with a gene encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). A constitutively eGFP-expressing virulent C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis isolate, GCMM-22, was used to demonstrate that C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis could not only access seeds systemically through the xylem but also externally through tomato fruit lesions, which harbored high intra- and intercellular populations. Active movement and expansion of bacteria into the fruit mesocarp and nearby xylem vessels followed, once the fruits began to ripen. These results highlight the ability of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis to invade tomato fruits and seeds through multiple entry routes. PMID:24014525

Accumulation of free polyamines enhances the antioxidant response in fruits of grafted tomato plants under water stress.

PubMed

Sánchez-Rodríguez, E; Romero, L; Ruiz, J M

2016-01-15

Polyamines, small aliphatic polycations, have been suggested to play key roles in a number of biological processes. In this paper, attempts were made to investigate the possibility of improving antioxidant response of tomato fruits in relation with endogenous free polyamines content. We studied the reactive oxygen species and polyamines content, and antioxidant and polyamine-biosynthesis enzyme activities in fruits of ungrafted and grafted tomato plants under moderate water stress. We used a drought-tolerant cultivar (Zarina) and drought-sensitive cultivar (Josefina) to obtain reciprocal graft, selfgraft and ungraft plants. Fruits contained higher endogenous polyamine content during the course of the experiment relative to the control, coupled with higher arginine decarboxylase and spermine synthase activities in Zarina ungrafted and ZarxJos. In these cultivars, tomato fruits showed a lower reactive oxygen species generation and higher catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, suggesting that a higher content in polyamines (especially spermine) exerted a positive effect on antioxidant systems. All of these data suggest that spermine leads to more effective reactive oxygen species scavenging (less tissue damage) in tomato fruits, which may function collectively to enhance dehydration tolerance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A Family of at Least Seven β-Galactosidase Genes Is Expressed during Tomato Fruit Development

PubMed Central

Smith, David L.; Gross, Kenneth C.

2000-01-01

During our search for a cDNA encoding β-galactosidase II, a β-galactosidase/exogalactanase (EC 3.2.1.23) present during tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit ripening, a family of seven tomato β-galactosidase (TBG) cDNAs was identified. The shared amino acid sequence identity among the seven TBG clones ranged from 33% to 79%. All contained the putative active site-containing consensus sequence pattern G-G-P-[LIVM]-x-Q-x-E-N-E-[FY] belonging to glycosyl hydrolase family 35. Six of the seven single-copy genes were mapped using restriction fragment length polymorphisms of recombinant inbred lines. RNA gel-blot analysis was used to evaluate TBG mRNA levels throughout fruit development, in different fruit tissues, and in various plant tissues. RNA gel-blot analysis was also used to reveal TBG mRNA levels in fruit of the rin, nor, and Nr tomato mutants. The TBG4-encoded protein, known to correspond to β-galactosidase II, was expressed in yeast and exo-galactanase activity was confirmed via a quantified release of galactosyl residues from cell wall fractions containing β(1→4)-d-galactan purified from tomato fruit. PMID:10889266

Functional characterization of a tomato COBRA-like gene functioning in fruit development and ripening

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Extensive studies have demonstrated that the COBRA gene is critical for biosynthesis of cell wall constituents comprising structural tissues of roots, stalks, leaves and other vegetative organs, however, its role in fruit development and ripening remains largely unknown. Results We identified a tomato gene (SlCOBRA-like) homologous to Arabidopsis COBRA, and determined its role in fleshy fruit biology. The SlCOBRA-like gene is highly expressed in vegetative organs and in early fruit development, but its expression in fruit declines dramatically during ripening stages, implying a primary role in early fruit development. Fruit-specific suppression of SlCOBRA-like resulted in impaired cell wall integrity and up-regulation of genes encoding proteins involved in cell wall degradation during early fruit development. In contrast, fruit-specific overexpression of SlCOBRA-like resulted in increased wall thickness of fruit epidermal cells, more collenchymatous cells beneath the epidermis, elevated levels of cellulose and reduced pectin solubilization in the pericarp cells of red ripe fruits. Moreover, transgenic tomato fruits overexpressing SlCOBRA-like exhibited desirable early development phenotypes including enhanced firmness and a prolonged shelf life. Conclusions Our results suggest that SlCOBRA-like plays an important role in fruit cell wall architecture and provides a potential genetic tool for extending the shelf life of tomato and potentially additional fruits. PMID:23140186

Optimization and development of a high-performance liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of vitamin E and carotenoids in tomato fruits.

PubMed

Irakli, Maria; Chatzopoulou, Paschalina; Kadoglidou, Kalliopi; Tsivelika, Nektaria

2016-09-01

A simple and reliable high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of lipophilic antioxidants in tomato fruits using C30 column operated at 15°C and a gradient mobile phase based on acetonitrile/methanol/dichloromethane in a total run time of 30 min. Diode array and fluorescence detectors were used respectively for the detection of carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and β-carotene) and vitamin E analogs (α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherols, and tocotrienols). The best extraction yield of analytes in tomato fruits was achieved by employing ethyl acetate/hexane (1:1, v/v) after several treatments with various solvents. In addition, low extraction yields were obtained for carotenoids compared to tocopherols by adopting solid-phase extraction as a second clean-up step. The method was validated on the basis of recovery, precision, linearity, and limit of detection and quantification using spiked tomato samples. The method was applied to cherry and medium-sized tomato fruits. Lycopene was found to be present in largest amount in tomato pulp, followed by β-carotene and lutein. Due to its simplicity, rapidity, and efficiency, the method is suitable for routine analysis of lipophilic antioxidants in tomato fruits, and may also be applied to other vegetables of similar phytochemical profiles. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Impact of Organic Farming on Quality of Tomatoes Is Associated to Increased Oxidative Stress during Fruit Development

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Aurelice B.; Moura, Carlos F. H.; Gomes-Filho, Enéas; Marco, Claudia A.; Urban, Laurent; Miranda, Maria Raquel A.

2013-01-01

This study was conducted with the objective of testing the hypothesis that tomato fruits from organic farming accumulate more nutritional compounds, such as phenolics and vitamin C as a consequence of the stressing conditions associated with farming system. Growth was reduced in fruits from organic farming while titratable acidity, the soluble solids content and the concentrations in vitamin C were respectively +29%, +57% and +55% higher at the stage of commercial maturity. At that time, the total phenolic content was +139% higher than in the fruits from conventional farming which seems consistent with the more than two times higher activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) we observed throughout fruit development in fruits from organic farming. Cell membrane lipid peroxidation (LPO) degree was 60% higher in organic tomatoes. SOD activity was also dramatically higher in the fruits from organic farming. Taken together, our observations suggest that tomato fruits from organic farming experienced stressing conditions that resulted in oxidative stress and the accumulation of higher concentrations of soluble solids as sugars and other compounds contributing to fruit nutritional quality such as vitamin C and phenolic compounds. PMID:23437115

Tomato GOLDEN2-LIKE Transcription Factors Reveal Molecular Gradients That Function during Fruit Development and Ripening[W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Cuong V.; Vrebalov, Julia T.; Gapper, Nigel E.; Zheng, Yi; Zhong, Silin; Fei, Zhangjun; Giovannoni, James J.

2014-01-01

Fruit ripening is the summation of changes rendering fleshy fruit tissues attractive and palatable to seed dispersing organisms. For example, sugar content is influenced by plastid numbers and photosynthetic activity in unripe fruit and later by starch and sugar catabolism during ripening. Tomato fruit are sinks of photosynthate, yet unripe green fruit contribute significantly to the sugars that ultimately accumulate in the ripe fruit. Plastid numbers and chlorophyll content are influenced by numerous environmental and genetic factors and are positively correlated with photosynthesis and photosynthate accumulation. GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) transcription factors regulate plastid and chlorophyll levels. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), like most plants, contains two GLKs (i.e., GLK1 and GLK2/UNIFORM). Mutant and transgene analysis demonstrated that these genes encode functionally similar peptides, though differential expression renders GLK1 more important in leaves, while GLK2 is predominant in fruit. A latitudinal gradient of GLK2 expression influences the typical uneven coloration of green and ripe wild-type fruit. Transcriptome profiling revealed a broader fruit gene expression gradient throughout development. The gradient influenced general ripening activities beyond plastid development and was consistent with the easily observed yet poorly studied ripening gradient present in tomato and many fleshy fruits. PMID:24510723

Population Modeling Approach to Optimize Crop Harvest Strategy. The Case of Field Tomato.

PubMed

Tran, Dinh T; Hertog, Maarten L A T M; Tran, Thi L H; Quyen, Nguyen T; Van de Poel, Bram; Mata, Clara I; Nicolaï, Bart M

2017-01-01

In this study, the aim is to develop a population model based approach to optimize fruit harvesting strategies with regard to fruit quality and its derived economic value. This approach was applied to the case of tomato fruit harvesting under Vietnamese conditions. Fruit growth and development of tomato (cv. "Savior") was monitored in terms of fruit size and color during both the Vietnamese winter and summer growing seasons. A kinetic tomato fruit growth model was applied to quantify biological fruit-to-fruit variation in terms of their physiological maturation. This model was successfully calibrated. Finally, the model was extended to translate the fruit-to-fruit variation at harvest into the economic value of the harvested crop. It can be concluded that a model based approach to the optimization of harvest date and harvest frequency with regard to economic value of the crop as such is feasible. This approach allows growers to optimize their harvesting strategy by harvesting the crop at more uniform maturity stages meeting the stringent retail demands for homogeneous high quality product. The total farm profit would still depend on the impact a change in harvesting strategy might have on related expenditures. This model based harvest optimisation approach can be easily transferred to other fruit and vegetable crops improving homogeneity of the postharvest product streams.

Superoxide Dismutase in Ripening Fruits

PubMed Central

Baker, James Earl

1976-01-01

The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in extracts of preclimacteric apple, banana, avocado, and tomato fruits were not greatly different than in extracts of postclimacteric fruits. The results indicate that no major quantitative change in SOD occurs in fruits with or preceding the onset of senescence. Tomato fruit SOD was studied in more detail, and was found largely in the soluble fraction, and to a lesser extent in the mitochondrial and plastid fractions. The soluble fraction was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, column chromatography, and isoelectric focusing. Isoelectric focusing separated SOD from contaminating peroxidases. The purified tomato SOD showed an apparent molecular weight of 31,500 determined by gel filtration. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of this preparation indicated two SOD components corresponding to two protein bands, one of which stained more intensely than the other. The purified tomato enzyme was inhibited 90% by 1 mm KCN. PMID:16659735

Gene and Metabolite Regulatory Network Analysis of Early Developing Fruit Tissues Highlights New Candidate Genes for the Control of Tomato Fruit Composition and Development1[C][W][OA

PubMed Central

Mounet, Fabien; Moing, Annick; Garcia, Virginie; Petit, Johann; Maucourt, Michael; Deborde, Catherine; Bernillon, Stéphane; Le Gall, Gwénaëlle; Colquhoun, Ian; Defernez, Marianne; Giraudel, Jean-Luc; Rolin, Dominique; Rothan, Christophe; Lemaire-Chamley, Martine

2009-01-01

Variations in early fruit development and composition may have major impacts on the taste and the overall quality of ripe tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit. To get insights into the networks involved in these coordinated processes and to identify key regulatory genes, we explored the transcriptional and metabolic changes in expanding tomato fruit tissues using multivariate analysis and gene-metabolite correlation networks. To this end, we demonstrated and took advantage of the existence of clear structural and compositional differences between expanding mesocarp and locular tissue during fruit development (12–35 d postanthesis). Transcriptome and metabolome analyses were carried out with tomato microarrays and analytical methods including proton nuclear magnetic resonance and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, respectively. Pairwise comparisons of metabolite contents and gene expression profiles detected up to 37 direct gene-metabolite correlations involving regulatory genes (e.g. the correlations between glutamine, bZIP, and MYB transcription factors). Correlation network analyses revealed the existence of major hub genes correlated with 10 or more regulatory transcripts and embedded in a large regulatory network. This approach proved to be a valuable strategy for identifying specific subsets of genes implicated in key processes of fruit development and metabolism, which are therefore potential targets for genetic improvement of tomato fruit quality. PMID:19144766

Improving flavour and quality of tomatoes by expression of synthetic gene encoding sweet protein monellin.

PubMed

Reddy, Chinreddy Subramanyam; Vijayalakshmi, Muvva; Kaul, Tanushri; Islam, Tahmina; Reddy, Malireddy K

2015-05-01

Monellin a sweet-tasting protein exists naturally as a heterodimer of two non-covalently linked subunits chain A and B, which loses its sweetness on denaturation. In this study, we validated the expression of a synthetic monellin gene encoding a single polypeptide chain covalently linking the two subunits under T7 and fruit-ripening-specific promoters in Escherichia coli and tomato fruits, respectively. Purified recombinant monellin protein retained its sweet flavour at 70 °C and pH 2. We developed 15 transgenic T0 tomato plants overexpressing monellin, which were devoid of any growth penalty or phenotypic abnormalities during greenhouse conditions. T-DNA integration and fruit-specific heterologous expression of monellin had occurred in these transgenic tomato lines. ELISA revealed that expression of monellin was 4.5% of the total soluble fruit protein. Functional analyses of transgenic tomatoes of T2-5 and T2-14 lines revealed distinctly strong sweetness compared with wild type. Monellin a potential non-carbohydrate sweetener, if expressed in high amounts in fruits and vegetables, would enhance their flavour and quality.

Tomato chilling injury threshold defined by the volatile profiles of pink harvested tomato fruit

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fresh tomato fruit show visible symptoms of chilling injury (CI) when stored at temperatures lower than the reported chilling threshold of 12.5°C. However, their sensitivity has been reported to decrease as they ripen. Volatile profiles change during ripening and are affected by physiological change...

Responses of volatile compounds in inner tissues on refrigeration in full ripe tomatoes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A 4-day storage of tomato fruit in refrigerator, a common consumer practice in kitchens, which is not recommended though, would significant suppress the volatile production in pericarp; however, little is reported on volatile profile in inner tissues. In this study, red “FL 47” tomato fruits were st...

Metabolite Profiling of Italian Tomato Landraces with Different Fruit Types

PubMed Central

Baldina, Svetlana; Picarella, Maurizio E.; Troise, Antonio D.; Pucci, Anna; Ruggieri, Valentino; Ferracane, Rosalia; Barone, Amalia; Fogliano, Vincenzo; Mazzucato, Andrea

2016-01-01

Increased interest toward traditional tomato varieties is fueled by the need to rescue desirable organoleptic traits and to improve the quality of fresh and processed tomatoes in the market. In addition, the phenotypic and genetic variation preserved in tomato landraces represents a means to understand the genetic basis of traits related to health and organoleptic aspects and improve them in modern varieties. To establish a framework for this approach, we studied the content of several metabolites in a panel of Italian tomato landraces categorized into three broad fruit type classes (flattened/ribbed, pear/oxheart, round/elongate). Three modern hybrids, corresponding to the three fruit shape typologies, were included as reference. Red ripe fruits were morphologically characterized and biochemically analyzed for their content in glycoalkaloids, phenols, amino acids, and Amadori products. The round/elongate types showed a higher content in glycoalkaloids, whereas flattened types had higher levels of phenolic compounds. Flattened tomatoes were also rich in total amino acids and in particular in glutamic acid. Multivariate analysis of amino acid content clearly separated the three classes of fruit types. Making allowance of the very low number of genotypes, phenotype-marker relationships were analyzed after retrieving single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among the landraces available in the literature. Sixty-six markers were significantly associated with the studied traits. The positions of several of these SNPs showed correspondence with already described genomic regions and QTLs supporting the reliability of the association. Overall the data indicated that significant changes in quality-related metabolites occur depending on the genetic background in traditional tomato germplasm, frequently according to specific fruit shape categories. Such a variability is suitable to harness association mapping for metabolic quality traits using this germplasm as an experimental population, paving the way for investigating their genetic/molecular basis, and facilitating breeding for quality-related compounds in tomato fruits. PMID:27242865

Efficacy of a coating composed of chitosan from Mucor circinelloides and carvacrol to control Aspergillus flavus and the quality of cherry tomato fruits

PubMed Central

de Souza, Evandro L.; Sales, Camila V.; de Oliveira, Carlos E. V.; Lopes, Laênia A. A.; da Conceição, Maria L.; Berger, Lúcia R. R.; Stamford, Thayza C. M.

2015-01-01

Cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) fruits are susceptible to contamination by Aspergillus flavus, which may cause the development of fruit rot and significant postharvest losses. Currently there are significant drawbacks for the use of synthetic fungicides to control pathogenic fungi in tomato fruits, and it has increased the interest in exploring new alternatives to control the occurrence of fungal infections in these fruits. This study evaluated the efficacy of chitosan (CHI) from Mucor circinelloides in combination with carvacrol (CAR) in inhibiting A. flavus in laboratory media and as a coating on cherry tomato fruits (25°C, 12 days and 12°C, 24 days). During a period of storage, the effect of coatings composed of CHI and CAR on autochthonous microflora, as well as on some quality characteristics of the fruits such as weight loss, color, firmness, soluble solids, and titratable acidity was evaluated. CHI and CAR displayed MIC valuesof 7.5 mg/mL and 10 μL/mL, respectively, against A. flavus. The combined application of CHI (7.5 or 3.75 mg/mL) and CAR (5 or 2.5 μL/mL) strongly inhibited the mycelial growth and spore germination of A. flavus. The coating composed of CHI (3.75 mg/mL) and CAR (2.5 or 1.25 μL/mL) inhibited the growth of A. flavus in artificially contaminated fruits, as well as the native fungal microflora of the fruits stored at room or low temperature. The application of the tested coatings preserved the quality of cherry tomato fruits as measured by some physicochemical attributes. From this, composite coatings containing CHI and CAR offer a promising alternative to control postharvest infection caused by A. flavus or native fungal microflora in fresh cherry tomato fruits without negatively affecting their quality over storage. PMID:26257717

Development of Aloe vera based edible coating for tomato

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Athmaselvi, K. A.; Sumitha, P.; Revathy, B.

2013-12-01

The effect of formulated Aloe vera based edible coating on mass loss, colour, firmness, pH, acidity, total soluble solid, ascorbic acid and lycopene on the coated tomato was investigated. The tomato in control showed a rapid deterioration with an estimated shelf life period of 19 days, based on the mass loss, colour changes, accelerated softening and ripening. On the contrary, the coating on tomatoes delayed the ripening and extended the shelf life up to 39 days. The physiological loss in weight was 7.6 and 15.1%, firmness was 36 and 46.2 N on 20th day for control and coated tomatoes, respectively. From the results, it was concluded that the use of Aloe vera based edible coating leads to increased tomato shelf-life.

Neural networks predict tomato maturity stage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahn, Federico

1999-03-01

Almost 40% of the total horticultural produce exported from Mexico the USA is tomato, and quality is fundamental for maintaining the market. Many fruits packed at the green-mature stage do not mature towards a red color as they were harvested before achieving its physiological maturity. Tomato gassed for advancing maturation does not respond on those fruits, and repacking is necessary at terminal markets, causing losses to the producer. Tomato spectral signatures are different on each maturity stage and tomato size was poorly correlated against peak wavelengths. A back-propagation neural network was used to predict tomato maturity using reflectance ratios as inputs. Higher success rates were achieved on tomato maturity stage recognition with neural networks than with discriminant analysis.

Vermicompost Improves Tomato Yield and Quality and the Biochemical Properties of Soils with Different Tomato Planting History in a Greenhouse Study

PubMed Central

Wang, Xin-Xin; Zhao, Fengyan; Zhang, Guoxian; Zhang, Yongyong; Yang, Lijuan

2017-01-01

A greenhouse pot test was conducted to study the impacts of replacing mineral fertilizer with organic fertilizers for one full growing period on soil fertility, tomato yield and quality using soils with different tomato planting history. Four types of fertilization regimes were compared: (1) conventional fertilizer with urea, (2) chicken manure compost, (3) vermicompost, and (4) no fertilizer. The effects on plant growth, yield and fruit quality and soil properties (including microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, NH4+-N, NO3--N, soil water-soluble organic carbon, soil pH and electrical conductivity) were investigated in samples collected from the experimental soils at different tomato growth stages. The main results showed that: (1) vermicompost and chicken manure compost more effectively promoted plant growth, including stem diameter and plant height compared with other fertilizer treatments, in all three types of soil; (2) vermicompost improved fruit quality in each type of soil, and increased the sugar/acid ratio, and decreased nitrate concentration in fresh fruit compared with the CK treatment; (3) vermicompost led to greater improvements in fruit yield (74%), vitamin C (47%), and soluble sugar (71%) in soils with no tomato planting history compared with those in soils with long tomato planting history; and (4) vermicompost led to greater improvements in soil quality than chicken manure compost, including higher pH (averaged 7.37 vs. averaged 7.23) and lower soil electrical conductivity (averaged 204.1 vs. averaged 234.6 μS/cm) at the end of experiment in each type of soil. We conclude that vermicompost can be recommended as a fertilizer to improve tomato fruit quality and yield and soil quality, particularly for soils with no tomato planting history. PMID:29209343

Vermicompost Improves Tomato Yield and Quality and the Biochemical Properties of Soils with Different Tomato Planting History in a Greenhouse Study.

PubMed

Wang, Xin-Xin; Zhao, Fengyan; Zhang, Guoxian; Zhang, Yongyong; Yang, Lijuan

2017-01-01

A greenhouse pot test was conducted to study the impacts of replacing mineral fertilizer with organic fertilizers for one full growing period on soil fertility, tomato yield and quality using soils with different tomato planting history. Four types of fertilization regimes were compared: (1) conventional fertilizer with urea, (2) chicken manure compost, (3) vermicompost, and (4) no fertilizer. The effects on plant growth, yield and fruit quality and soil properties (including microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, [Formula: see text]-N, [Formula: see text]-N, soil water-soluble organic carbon, soil pH and electrical conductivity) were investigated in samples collected from the experimental soils at different tomato growth stages. The main results showed that: (1) vermicompost and chicken manure compost more effectively promoted plant growth, including stem diameter and plant height compared with other fertilizer treatments, in all three types of soil; (2) vermicompost improved fruit quality in each type of soil, and increased the sugar/acid ratio, and decreased nitrate concentration in fresh fruit compared with the CK treatment; (3) vermicompost led to greater improvements in fruit yield (74%), vitamin C (47%), and soluble sugar (71%) in soils with no tomato planting history compared with those in soils with long tomato planting history; and (4) vermicompost led to greater improvements in soil quality than chicken manure compost, including higher pH (averaged 7.37 vs. averaged 7.23) and lower soil electrical conductivity (averaged 204.1 vs. averaged 234.6 μS/cm) at the end of experiment in each type of soil. We conclude that vermicompost can be recommended as a fertilizer to improve tomato fruit quality and yield and soil quality, particularly for soils with no tomato planting history.

The transcription factor AREB1 regulates primary metabolic pathways in tomato fruits

PubMed Central

Bastías, Adriana; Osorio, Sonia; Casaretto, José A.

2014-01-01

Tomato fruit development is regulated both by the action of plant hormones and by tight genetic control. Recent studies suggest that abscisic acid (ABA) signalling may affect different aspects of fruit maturation. Previously, it was shown that SlAREB1, an ABA-regulated transcription factor involved in stress-induced responses, is expressed in seeds and in fruit tissues in tomato. Here, the role of SlAREB1 in regulating the expression of genes relevant for primary metabolic pathways and affecting the metabolic profile of the fruit was investigated using transgenic tomato lines. Metabolite profiling using gas chromatography–time of flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) and non-targeted liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was performed on pericarp tissue from fruits harvested at three stages of fruit development. Principal component analysis of the data could distinguish the metabolite profiles of non-transgenic fruits from those that overexpress and down-regulate SlAREB1. Overexpression of SlAREB1 resulted in increased content of organic acids, hexoses, hexose-phosphates, and amino acids in immature green, mature green, and red ripe fruits, and these modifications correlated with the up-regulation of enzyme-encoding genes involved in primary carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. A non-targeted LC-MS analysis indicated that the composition of secondary metabolites is also affected in transgenic lines. In addition, gene expression data revealed that some genes associated with fruit ripening are also up-regulated in SlAREB1-overexpressing lines compared with wild-type and antisense lines. Taken together, the results suggest that SlAREB1 participates in the regulation of the metabolic programming that takes place during fruit ripening and that may explain part of the role of ABA in fruit development in tomato. PMID:24659489

Tree age, fruit size and storage conditions affect levels of ascorbic acid, total phenolic concentrations and total antioxidant activity of 'Kinnow' mandarin juice.

PubMed

Khalid, Samina; Malik, Aman U; Khan, Ahmad S; Shahid, Muhammad; Shafique, Muhammad

2016-03-15

Bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid, total phenolics and total antioxidants) are important constituents of citrus fruit juice; however, information with regard to their concentrations and changes in relation to tree age and storage conditions is limited. 'Kinnow' (Citrus nobilis Lour × Citrus deliciosa Tenora) mandarin juice from fruit of three tree ages (6, 18 and 35 years old) and fruit sizes (large, medium and small) were examined for their bioactive compounds during 7 days under ambient storage conditions (20 ± 2 °C and 60-65% relative humidity (RH)) and during 60 days under cold storage (4 ± 1 °C and 75-80% RH) conditions. Under ambient conditions, a reduction in total phenolic concentrations (TPC) and in total antioxidant activity (TAA) was found for the juice from all tree ages and fruit sizes. Overall, fruit from 18-year-old trees had higher mean TPC (95.86 µg mL(-1) ) and TAA (93.68 mg L(-1) ), as compared to 6 and 35-year-old trees. Likewise, in cold storage, TAA decreased in all fruit size groups from 18 and 35-year-old trees. In all tree age and fruit size groups, TPC decreased initially during 15 days of cold storage and then increased gradually with increase in storage duration. Ascorbic acid concentrations showed an increasing trend in all fruit size groups from 35-year-old trees. Overall, during cold storage, fruit from 18-year-old trees maintained higher mean ascorbic acid (33.05 mg 100 mL(-1) ) concentrations, whereas fruit from 6-year-old trees had higher TAA (153.1 mg L(-1) ) and TPC (115.1 µg mL(-1) ). Large-sized fruit had higher ascorbic acid (32.08 mg 100 mL(-1) ) concentrations and TAA (157.5 mg L(-1) ). Fruit from 18-year-old trees maintained higher TPC and TAA under ambient storage conditions, whereas fruit from 6-year-old trees maintained higher TPC and TAA during cold storage. Small-sized fruit had higher TPC after ambient temperature storage, whereas large fruit size showed higher ascorbic acid concentrations and TAA after cold storage. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Ectopically expressing MdPIP1;3, an aquaporin gene, increased fruit size and enhanced drought tolerance of transgenic tomatoes.

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Li, Qing-Tian; Lei, Qiong; Feng, Chao; Zheng, Xiaodong; Zhou, Fangfang; Li, Lingzi; Liu, Xuan; Wang, Zhi; Kong, Jin

2017-12-19

Water deficit severely reduces apple growth and production, is detrimental to fruit quality and size. This problem is exacerbated as global warming is implicated in producing more severe drought stress. Thus water-efficiency has becomes the major target for apple breeding. A desired apple tree can absorb and transport water efficiently, which not only confers improved drought tolerance, but also guarantees fruit size for higher income returns. Aquaporins, as water channels, control water transportation across membranes and can regulate water flow by changing their amount and activity. The exploration of molecular mechanism of water efficiency and the gene wealth will pave a way for molecular breeding of drought tolerant apple tree. In the current study, we screened out a drought inducible aquaporin gene MdPIP1;3, which specifically enhanced its expression during fruit expansion in 'Fuji' apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Red Fuji). It localized on plasma membranes and belonged to PIP1 subfamily. The tolerance to drought stress enhanced in transgenic tomato plants ectopically expressing MdPIP1;3, showing that the rate of losing water in isolated transgenic leaves was slower than wild type, and stomata of transgenic plants closed sensitively to respond to drought compared with wild type. Besides, length and diameter of transgenic tomato fruits increased faster than wild type, and in final, fruit sizes and fresh weights of transgenic tomatoes were bigger than wild type. Specially, in cell levels, fruit cell size from transgenic tomatoes was larger than wild type, showing that cell number per mm 2 in transgenic fruits was less than wild type. Altogether, ectopically expressing MdPIP1;3 enhanced drought tolerance of transgenic tomatoes partially via reduced water loss controlled by stomata closure in leaves. In addition, the transgenic tomato fruits are larger and heavier with larger cells via more efficient water transportation across membranes. Our research will contribute to apple production, by engineering apples with big fruits via efficient water transportation when well watered and enhanced drought tolerance in transgenic apples under water deficit.

Induced mutations in tomato SlExp1 alter cell wall metabolism and delay fruit softening.

PubMed

Minoia, Silvia; Boualem, Adnane; Marcel, Fabien; Troadec, Christelle; Quemener, Bernard; Cellini, Francesco; Petrozza, Angelo; Vigouroux, Jacqueline; Lahaye, Marc; Carriero, Filomena; Bendahmane, Abdelhafid

2016-01-01

Fruit ripening and softening are key traits for many fleshy fruit. Since cell walls play a key role in the softening process, expansins have been investigated to control fruit over ripening and deterioration. In tomato, expression of Expansin 1 gene, SlExp1, during fruit ripening was associated with fruit softening. To engineer tomato plants with long shelf life, we screened for mutant plants impaired in SlExp1 function. Characterization of two induced mutations, Slexp1-6_W211S, and Slexp1-7_Q213Stop, showed that SlExp1 loss of function leads to enhanced fruit firmness and delayed fruit ripening. Analysis of cell wall polysaccharide composition of Slexp1-7_Q213Stop mutant pointed out significant differences for uronic acid, neutral sugar and total sugar contents. Hemicelluloses chemistry analysis by endo-β-1,4-d-glucanase hydrolysis and MALDI-TOF spectrometry revealed that xyloglucan structures were affected in the fruit pericarp of Slexp1-7_Q213Stop mutant. Altogether, these results demonstrated that SlExp1 loss of function mutants yield firmer and late ripening fruits through modification of hemicellulose structure. These SlExp1 mutants represent good tools for breeding long shelf life tomato lines with contrasted fruit texture as well as for the understanding of the cell wall polysaccharide assembly dynamics in fleshy fruits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of Candida orthopsilosis in Brazilian tomato fruits (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.)

PubMed Central

Robl, D.; Thimoteo, S.S.; de Souza, G.C.C.F.; Beux, M.R.; Dalzoto, P.R.; Pinheiro, R.L.; Pimentel, I.C.

2014-01-01

We aimed to isolate and identify yeasts found in the tomato fruit in order to obtain isolates with biotechnological potential, such as in control of fungal diseases that damage postharvest fruits. We identified Candida orthopsilosis strains LT18 and LT24. This is the first report of this yeast on Lycopersicum esculentum fruits in Brazil. PMID:24948920

BEL1-LIKE HOMEODOMAIN 11 regulated chloroplast development and chlorophyll synthesis in tomato fruit

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chloroplast development and chlorophyll content and metabolism in unripe tomato contribute to the growth and development of the fruit, and also the ripe fruit quality, but the mechanism is poorly understood. In this work, seven homeobox-containing transcription factors (TFs) with specific ripening-a...

Critical roles of DNA demethylation in the activation of ripening-induced genes and inhibition of ripening-repressed genes in tomato fruit

PubMed Central

Lang, Zhaobo; Wang, Yihai; Tang, Kai; Tang, Dengguo; Datsenka, Tatsiana; Cheng, Jingfei; Zhang, Yijing; Handa, Avtar K.

2017-01-01

DNA methylation is a conserved epigenetic mark important for genome integrity, development, and environmental responses in plants and mammals. Active DNA demethylation in plants is initiated by a family of 5-mC DNA glycosylases/lyases (i.e., DNA demethylases). Recent reports suggested a role of active DNA demethylation in fruit ripening in tomato. In this study, we generated loss-of-function mutant alleles of a tomato gene, SlDML2, which is a close homolog of the Arabidopsis DNA demethylase gene ROS1. In the fruits of the tomato mutants, increased DNA methylation was found in thousands of genes. These genes included not only hundreds of ripening-induced genes but also many ripening-repressed genes. Our results show that SlDML2 is critical for tomato fruit ripening and suggest that active DNA demethylation is required for both the activation of ripening-induced genes and the inhibition of ripening-repressed genes. PMID:28507144

A Novel Small Heat Shock Protein Gene, vis1, Contributes to Pectin Depolymerization and Juice Viscosity in Tomato Fruit1

PubMed Central

Ramakrishna, Wusirika; Deng, Zhiping; Ding, Chang-Kui; Handa, Avtar K.; Ozminkowski, Richard H.

2003-01-01

We have characterized a novel small heat shock protein gene, viscosity 1 (vis1) from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and provide evidence that it plays a role in pectin depolymerization and juice viscosity in ripening fruits. Expression of vis1 is negatively associated with juice viscosity in diverse tomato genotypes. vis1 exhibits DNA polymorphism among tomato genotypes, and the alleles vis1-hta (high-transcript accumulator; accession no. AY128101) and vis1-lta (low transcript accumulator; accession no. AY128102) are associated with thinner and thicker juice, respectively. Segregation of tomato lines heterogeneous for vis1 alleles indicates that vis1 influences pectin depolymerization and juice viscosity in ripening fruits. vis1 is regulated by fruit ripening and high temperature and exhibits a typical heat shock protein chaperone function when expressed in bacterial cells. We propose that VIS1 contributes to physiochemical properties of juice, including pectin depolymerization, by reducing thermal denaturation of depolymerizing enzymes during daytime elevated temperatures. PMID:12586896

Oral immunization of mice using transgenic tomato fruit expressing VP1 protein from enterovirus 71.

PubMed

Chen, Hsuan-Fu; Chang, Meng-Huei; Chiang, Bor-Luen; Jeng, Shih-Tong

2006-04-05

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) causes seasonal epidemics of hand-foot-and-mouth disease associated with fatal neurological complications in young children, and several major outbreaks have occurred recently. This study developed an effective antiviral agent by transforming the gene for VP1 protein, a previously defined epitope and also a coat protein of EV71, into tomato plant. VP1 protein was first fused with sorting signals to enable it to be retained in the endoplasmic reticulum of tomato plant, and its expression level increased to 27 microg/g of fresh tomato fruit. Transgenic tomato fruit expressing VP1 protein was then used as an oral vaccine, and the development of VP1-specific fecal IgA and serum IgG were observed in BALB/c mice. Additionally, serum from mice fed transgenic tomato could neutralize the infection of EV71 to rhabdomyosarcoma cells, indicating that tomato fruit expressing VP1 was successful in orally immunizing mice. Moreover, the proliferation of spleen cells from orally immunized mice was stimulated by VP1 protein, and provided further evidence of both humoral and cellular immunity. Results of this study not only demonstrate the feasibility of using transgenic tomato as an oral vaccine to generate protective immunity in mice against EV71, but also suggest the probability of enterovirus vaccine development.

The Tomato FRUITFULL Homologs TDR4/FUL1 and MBP7/FUL2 Regulate Ethylene-Independent Aspects of Fruit Ripening[W

PubMed Central

Bemer, Marian; Karlova, Rumyana; Ballester, Ana Rosa; Tikunov, Yury M.; Bovy, Arnaud G.; Wolters-Arts, Mieke; Rossetto, Priscilla de Barros; Angenent, Gerco C.; de Maagd, Ruud A.

2012-01-01

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) contains two close homologs of the Arabidopsis thaliana MADS domain transcription factor FRUITFULL (FUL), FUL1 (previously called TDR4) and FUL2 (previously MBP7). Both proteins interact with the ripening regulator RIPENING INHIBITOR (RIN) and are expressed during fruit ripening. To elucidate their function in tomato, we characterized single and double FUL1 and FUL2 knockdown lines. Whereas the single lines only showed very mild alterations in fruit pigmentation, the double silenced lines exhibited an orange-ripe fruit phenotype due to highly reduced lycopene levels, suggesting that FUL1 and FUL2 have a redundant function in fruit ripening. More detailed analyses of the phenotype, transcriptome, and metabolome of the fruits silenced for both FUL1 and FUL2 suggest that the genes are involved in cell wall modification, the production of cuticle components and volatiles, and glutamic acid (Glu) accumulation. Glu is responsible for the characteristic umami taste of the present-day cultivated tomato fruit. In contrast with previously identified ripening regulators, FUL1 and FUL2 do not regulate ethylene biosynthesis but influence ripening in an ethylene-independent manner. Our data combined with those of others suggest that FUL1/2 and TOMATO AGAMOUS-LIKE1 regulate different subsets of the known RIN targets, probably in a protein complex with the latter. PMID:23136376

An InDel in the Promoter of Al-ACTIVATED MALATE TRANSPORTER9 Selected during Tomato Domestication Determines Fruit Malate Contents and Aluminum Tolerance[OPEN

PubMed Central

Wang, Xin; Hu, Tixu; Zhang, Fengxia; Wang, Bing; Li, Changxin; Yang, Tianxia; Li, Hanxia; Lu, Yongen; Ye, Zhibiao

2017-01-01

Deciphering the mechanism of malate accumulation in plants would contribute to a greater understanding of plant chemistry, which has implications for improving flavor quality in crop species and enhancing human health benefits. However, the regulation of malate metabolism is poorly understood in crops such as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Here, we integrated a metabolite-based genome-wide association study with linkage mapping and gene functional studies to characterize the genetics of malate accumulation in a global collection of tomato accessions with broad genetic diversity. We report that TFM6 (tomato fruit malate 6), which corresponds to Al-ACTIVATED MALATE TRANSPORTER9 (Sl-ALMT9 in tomato), is the major quantitative trait locus responsible for variation in fruit malate accumulation among tomato genotypes. A 3-bp indel in the promoter region of Sl-ALMT9 was linked to high fruit malate content. Further analysis indicated that this indel disrupts a W-box binding site in the Sl-ALMT9 promoter, which prevents binding of the WRKY transcription repressor Sl-WRKY42, thereby alleviating the repression of Sl-ALMT9 expression and promoting high fruit malate accumulation. Evolutionary analysis revealed that this highly expressed Sl-ALMT9 allele was selected for during tomato domestication. Furthermore, vacuole membrane-localized Sl-ALMT9 increases in abundance following Al treatment, thereby elevating malate transport and enhancing Al resistance. PMID:28814642

Effect of Selenium on Control of Postharvest Gray Mold of Tomato Fruit and the Possible Mechanisms Involved

PubMed Central

Wu, Zhilin; Yin, Xuebin; Bañuelos, Gary S.; Lin, Zhi-Qing; Zhu, Zhu; Liu, Ying; Yuan, Linxi; Li, Miao

2016-01-01

Selenium (Se) has important benefits for crop growth and stress tolerance at low concentrations. However, there is very little information on antimicrobial effect of Se against the economically important fungus Botrytis cinerea. In the present study, using sodium selenite as Se source, we investigated the effect of Se salts on spore germination and mycelial growth of the fungal pathogen in vitro and gray mold control in harvested tomato fruit. Se treatment at 24 mg/L significantly inhibited spore germination of the fungal pathogen and effectively controlled gray mold in harvested tomato fruit. Se treatment at 24 mg/L seems to induce the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species in the fungal spores. The membrane integrity damage was observed with fluorescence microscopy following staining with propidium iodide after treatment of the spores with Se. These results suggest that Se has the potential for controlling gray mold rot of tomato fruits and might be useful in integrated control against gray mold disease of postharvest fruits and vegetables caused by B. cinerea. The mechanisms by which Se decreased gray mold decay of tomato fruit may be directly related to the severe damage to the conidia plasma membrane and loss of cytoplasmic materials from the hyphae. PMID:26779128

LeMAPK1, LeMAPK2, and LeMAPK3 are associated with nitric oxide-induced defense response against Botrytis cinerea in the Lycopersicon esculentum fruit.

PubMed

Zheng, Yanyan; Hong, Hui; Chen, Lin; Li, Jingyuan; Sheng, Jiping; Shen, Lin

2014-02-12

Nitric oxide (NO) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are signal molecules involved in the disease resistance of plants. To investigate the role of tomato MAPKs in the NO-mediated defense response, mature green tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Qian-xi) were treated with a MAPKs inhibitor (1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(o-amino-phenylmercapto) butadiene (U0126)), NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP), and SNP plus U0126. Treatment with U0126 increased the incidence of disease and size of lesion areas in the tomato fruits after being inoculated with Botrytis cinerea. NO enhanced the resistance of the tomato fruits against Botrytis cinerea invasion and the activities of nitric oxide synthase, Chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, polyphenol oxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. However, the effects of NO on disease resistance were weakened by the MAPKs inhibitor. Meanwhile, the relative expression of LeMAPK1, LeMAPK2, and LeMAPK3 in the (SNP + U0126)-treated fruits was lower than that in the SNP-treated fruits. The results suggest that LeMAPK1/2/3 are involved in NO-induced disease resistance of tomato fruits against Botrytis cinerea.

Inhibition of CUTIN DEFICIENT 2 Causes Defects in Cuticle Function and Structure and Metabolite Changes in Tomato Fruit.

PubMed

Kimbara, Junji; Yoshida, Miho; Ito, Hirotaka; Kitagawa, Mamiko; Takada, Wataru; Hayashi, Kayoko; Shibutani, Yusuke; Kusano, Miyako; Okazaki, Yozo; Nakabayashi, Ryo; Mori, Tetsuya; Saito, Kazuki; Ariizumi, Tohru; Ezura, Hiroshi

2013-09-01

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticle has been extensively studied due to its effect on the biochemical and physiological properties of the fruit. To date, several tomato mutants defective in proper cuticle formation have been identified. To gain insight into tomato cuticle formation, we investigated one such mutant, sticky peel/light green (pe lg). We verified the responsible gene by fine mapping and obtained the same conclusion as a previous report. To elucidate the pleiotropic effects of cuticle deficiency caused by the cd2 mutation, CD2 suppression lines were constructed. As found in the pe lg mutant, the suppression lines showed enhanced water permeability and aberrant leaf and fruit cuticles. Water use efficiency of the suppression line was lower than that of the wild type. However, photosynthetic ability was not affected in the suppression line. Since these phenotypes are related to altered deposition of wax and cutin, other lipidic metabolites might be changed, too. To confirm this hypothesis, we conducted metabolite profiling. The metabolite profiling revealed that not only lipid but also sugar, flavonoid and glycoalkaloid metabolites in fruit were changed in the cd2 mutant. These results indicate that CD2 is essential both for normal cutin and wax deposition and for proper accumulation of specific metabolites in tomato fruit.

Phenotypic and molecular characterization of a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) F2 population segregation for improving shelf life.

PubMed

Yogendra, K N; Ramanjini Gowda, P H

2013-02-27

Breeding for better quality fruits is a major focus for tomatoes, which are continuously subjected to post-harvest losses. Several methods have been used to improve the fruit shelf life of tomatoes, including the use of ripening gene mutants of Solanum lycopersicum. We developed extended shelf-life tomato hybrids with better quality fruits using ripening mutants. Nine tomato crosses were developed using 3 fruit ripening gene mutants of S. lycopersicum [alcobaca (alc), non-ripening, and ripening inhibitor] and 3 agronomically superior Indian cultivars ('Sankranti', 'Vaibhav', and 'Pusaruby') with short shelf life. The hybrid progenies developed from alc x 'Vaibhav' had the highest extended shelf life (up to 40 days) compared with that of other varieties and hybrids. Further, the F(2) progenies of alc x 'Vaibhav' were evaluated for fruit quality traits and yield parameters. A wide range of genetic variability was observed in shelf life (5-106 days) and fruit firmness (0.55-10.65 lbs/cm(2)). The potential polymorphic simple sequence repeat markers underlying shelf life traits were identified in an F(2) mapping population. The marker association with fruit quality traits and yield was confirmed with single-marker analysis and composite interval mapping. The genetic parameters analyzed in the parents and F(1) and F(2) populations indicated that the cross between the cultivar 'Vaibhav' and ripening gene mutant alc yielded fruit with long shelf life and good quality.

Fine Mapping of a Gene (ER4.1) that Causes Epidermal Reticulation of Tomato Fruit and Characterization of the Associated Transcriptome

PubMed Central

Cui, Lipeng; Qiu, Zhengkun; Wang, Zhirong; Gao, Jianchang; Guo, Yanmei; Huang, Zejun; Du, Yongchen; Wang, Xiaoxuan

2017-01-01

The hydrophobic cuticle that covers the surface of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit plays key roles in development and protection against biotic and abiotic stresses, including water loss, mechanical damage, UV radiation, pathogens, and pests. However, many details of the genes and regulatory mechanisms involved in cuticle biosynthesis in fleshy fruits are not well understood. In this study, we describe a novel tomato fruit phenotype, characterized by epidermal reticulation (ER) of green fruit and a higher water loss rate than wild type (WT) fruit. The ER phenotype is controlled by a single gene, ER4.1, derived from an introgressed chromosomal segment from the wild tomato species S. pennellii (LA0716). We performed fine mapping of the single dominant gene to an ~300 kb region and identified Solyc04g082540, Solyc04g082950, Solyc04g082630, and Solyc04g082910as potential candidate genes for the ER4.1 locus, based on comparative RNA-seq analysis of ER and WT fruit peels. In addition, the transcriptome analysis revealed that the expression levels of genes involved in cutin, wax and flavonoid biosynthesis were altered in the ER fruit compared with WT. This study provides new insights into the regulatory mechanisms and metabolism of the fruit cuticle. PMID:28798753

Molecular breeding of a novel orange-brown tomato fruit with enhanced beta-carotene and chlorophyll accumulation.

PubMed

Manoharan, Ranjith Kumar; Jung, Hee-Jeong; Hwang, Indeok; Jeong, Namhee; Kho, Kang Hee; Chung, Mi-Young; Nou, Ill-Sup

2017-01-01

Tomatoes provide a significant dietary source of the carotenoids, lycopene and β-carotene. During ripening, carotenoid accumulation determines the fruit colors while chlorophyll degradation. These traits have been, and continue to be, a significant focus for plant breeding efforts. Previous work has found strong evidence for a relationship between CYC-B gene expression and the orange color of fleshy fruit. Other work has identified a point mutation in SGR that impedes chlorophyll degradation and causes brown flesh color to be retained in some tomato varieties. We crossed two inbred lines, KNY2 (orange) and KNB1 (brown) and evaluated the relationship between these genes for their effect on fruit color. Phenotypes of F2 generation plants were analyzed and a novel 'orange-brown' fruit color was identified. We confirm two SNPs, one in CYC-B and another in SGR gene sequence, associated with segregation of 'orange-brown' fruit color in F2 generation. The carotenoid and chlorophyll content of a fleshy fruit was assessed across the different phenotypes and showed a strong correlation with expression pattern of carotenoid biosynthesis genes and SGR function. The orange-brown fruit has high β-carotene and chlorophyll. Our results provide valuable information for breeders to develop tomato fruit of a novel color using molecular markers.

Role of the Tomato Non-Ripening Mutation in Regulating Fruit Quality Elucidated Using iTRAQ Protein Profile Analysis

PubMed Central

Yuan, Xin-Yu; Wang, Rui-Heng; Zhao, Xiao-Dan; Luo, Yun-Bo; Fu, Da-Qi

2016-01-01

Natural mutants of the Non-ripening (Nor) gene repress the normal ripening of tomato fruit. The molecular mechanism of fruit ripening regulation by the Nor gene is unclear. To elucidate how the Nor gene can affect ripening and fruit quality at the protein level, we used the fruits of Nor mutants and wild-type Ailsa Craig (AC) to perform iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation) analysis. The Nor mutation altered tomato fruit ripening and affected quality in various respects, including ethylene biosynthesis by down-regulating the abundance of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO), pigment biosynthesis by repressing phytoene synthase 1 (PSY1), ζ-carotene isomerase (Z-ISO), chalcone synthase 1 (CHS1) and other proteins, enhancing fruit firmness by increasing the abundance of cellulose synthase protein, while reducing those of polygalacturonase 2 (PG2) and pectate lyase (PL), altering biosynthesis of nutrients such as carbohydrates, amino acids, and anthocyanins. Conversely, Nor mutation also enhanced the fruit’s resistance to some pathogens by up-regulating the expression of several genes associated with stress and defense. Therefore, the Nor gene is involved in the regulation of fruit ripening and quality. It is useful in the future as a means to improve fruit quality in tomato. PMID:27732677

Tissue specific localization of pectin-Ca²⁺ cross-linkages and pectin methyl-esterification during fruit ripening in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

PubMed

Hyodo, Hiromi; Terao, Azusa; Furukawa, Jun; Sakamoto, Naoya; Yurimoto, Hisayoshi; Satoh, Shinobu; Iwai, Hiroaki

2013-01-01

Fruit ripening is one of the developmental processes accompanying seed development. The tomato is a well-known model for studying fruit ripening and development, and the disassembly of primary cell walls and the middle lamella, such as through pectin de-methylesterified by pectin methylesterase (PE) and depolymerization by polygalacturonase (PG), is generally accepted to be one of the major changes that occur during ripening. Although many reports of the changes in pectin during tomato fruit ripening are focused on the relation to softening of the pericarp or the Blossom-end rot by calcium (Ca²⁺) deficiency disorder, the changes in pectin structure and localization in each tissues during tomato fruit ripening is not well known. In this study, to elucidate the tissue-specific role of pectin during fruit development and ripening, we examined gene expression, the enzymatic activities involved in pectin synthesis and depolymerisation in fruit using biochemical and immunohistochemical analyses, and uronic acids and calcium (Ca)-bound pectin were determined by secondary ion-microprobe mass spectrometry. These results show that changes in pectin properties during fruit development and ripening have tissue-specific patterns. In particular, differential control of pectin methyl-esterification occurs in each tissue. Variations in the cell walls of the pericarp are quite different from that of locular tissues. The Ca-binding pectin and hairy pectin in skin cell layers are important for intercellular and tissue-tissue adhesion. Maintenance of the globular form and softening of tomato fruit may be regulated by the arrangement of pectin structures in each tissue.

Tissue Specific Localization of Pectin–Ca2+ Cross-Linkages and Pectin Methyl-Esterification during Fruit Ripening in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

PubMed Central

Hyodo, Hiromi; Terao, Azusa; Furukawa, Jun; Sakamoto, Naoya; Yurimoto, Hisayoshi; Satoh, Shinobu; Iwai, Hiroaki

2013-01-01

Fruit ripening is one of the developmental processes accompanying seed development. The tomato is a well-known model for studying fruit ripening and development, and the disassembly of primary cell walls and the middle lamella, such as through pectin de-methylesterified by pectin methylesterase (PE) and depolymerization by polygalacturonase (PG), is generally accepted to be one of the major changes that occur during ripening. Although many reports of the changes in pectin during tomato fruit ripening are focused on the relation to softening of the pericarp or the Blossom-end rot by calcium (Ca2+) deficiency disorder, the changes in pectin structure and localization in each tissues during tomato fruit ripening is not well known. In this study, to elucidate the tissue-specific role of pectin during fruit development and ripening, we examined gene expression, the enzymatic activities involved in pectin synthesis and depolymerisation in fruit using biochemical and immunohistochemical analyses, and uronic acids and calcium (Ca)-bound pectin were determined by secondary ion-microprobe mass spectrometry. These results show that changes in pectin properties during fruit development and ripening have tissue-specific patterns. In particular, differential control of pectin methyl-esterification occurs in each tissue. Variations in the cell walls of the pericarp are quite different from that of locular tissues. The Ca-binding pectin and hairy pectin in skin cell layers are important for intercellular and tissue–tissue adhesion. Maintenance of the globular form and softening of tomato fruit may be regulated by the arrangement of pectin structures in each tissue. PMID:24236073

Overexpression of plum auxin receptor PslTIR1 in tomato alters plant growth, fruit development and fruit shelf-life characteristics.

PubMed

El-Sharkawy, I; Sherif, S; El Kayal, W; Jones, B; Li, Z; Sullivan, A J; Jayasankar, Subramanian

2016-02-29

TIR1-like proteins are F-box auxin receptors. Auxin binding to the F-box receptor proteins promotes the formation of SCF(TIR1) ubiquitin ligase complex that targets the auxin repressors, Aux/IAAs, for degradation via the ubiquitin/26S proteasome pathway. The release of auxin response factors (ARFs) from their Aux/IAA partners allows ARFs to mediate auxin-responsive changes in downstream gene transcription. In an attempt to understand the potential role of auxin during fruit development, a plum auxin receptor, PslTIR1, has previously been characterized at the cellular, biochemical and molecular levels, but the biological significance of this protein is still lacking. In the present study, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) was used as a model to investigate the phenotypic and molecular changes associated with the overexpression of PslTIR1. The findings of the present study highlighted the critical role of PslTIR1 as positive regulator of auxin-signalling in coordinating the development of leaves and fruits. This was manifested by the entire leaf morphology of transgenic tomato plants compared to the wild-type compound leaf patterning. Moreover, transgenic plants produced parthenocarpic fruits, a characteristic property of auxin hypersensitivity. The autocatalytic ethylene production associated with the ripening of climacteric fruits was not significantly altered in transgenic tomato fruits. Nevertheless, the fruit shelf-life characteristics were affected by transgene presence, mainly through enhancing fruit softening rate. The short shelf-life of transgenic tomatoes was associated with dramatic upregulation of several genes encoding proteins involved in cell-wall degradation, which determine fruit softening and subsequent fruit shelf-life. The present study sheds light into the involvement of PslTIR1 in regulating leaf morphology, fruit development and fruit softening-associated ripening, but not autocatalytic ethylene production. The results demonstrate that auxin accelerates fruit softening independently of ethylene action and this is probably mediated through the upregulation of many cell-wall metabolism genes.

Use of homologous and heterologous gene expression profiling tools to characterize transcription dynamics during apple fruit maturation and ripening

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Fruit development, maturation and ripening consists of a complex series of biochemical and physiological changes that in climacteric fruits, including apple and tomato, are coordinated by the gaseous hormone ethylene. These changes lead to final fruit quality and understanding of the functional machinery underlying these processes is of both biological and practical importance. To date many reports have been made on the analysis of gene expression in apple. In this study we focused our investigation on the role of ethylene during apple maturation, specifically comparing transcriptomics of normal ripening with changes resulting from application of the hormone receptor competitor 1-Methylcyclopropene. Results To gain insight into the molecular process regulating ripening in apple, and to compare to tomato (model species for ripening studies), we utilized both homologous and heterologous (tomato) microarray to profile transcriptome dynamics of genes involved in fruit development and ripening, emphasizing those which are ethylene regulated. The use of both types of microarrays facilitated transcriptome comparison between apple and tomato (for the later using data previously published and available at the TED: tomato expression database) and highlighted genes conserved during ripening of both species, which in turn represent a foundation for further comparative genomic studies. The cross-species analysis had the secondary aim of examining the efficiency of heterologous (specifically tomato) microarray hybridization for candidate gene identification as related to the ripening process. The resulting transcriptomics data revealed coordinated gene expression during fruit ripening of a subset of ripening-related and ethylene responsive genes, further facilitating the analysis of ethylene response during fruit maturation and ripening. Conclusion Our combined strategy based on microarray hybridization enabled transcriptome characterization during normal climacteric apple ripening, as well as definition of ethylene-dependent transcriptome changes. Comparison with tomato fruit maturation and ethylene responsive transcriptome activity facilitated identification of putative conserved orthologous ripening-related genes, which serve as an initial set of candidates for assessing conservation of gene activity across genomes of fruit bearing plant species. PMID:20973957

Multiple forms of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase from tomato fruit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, B. Y.; Janes, H. W.

1997-01-01

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGP) was purified from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit to apparent homogeneity. By sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the enzyme migrated as two close bands with molecular weights of 50,000 and 51,000. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the purified enzyme, however, revealed at least five major protein spots that could be distinguished by their slight differences in net charge and molecular weight. Whereas all of the spots were recognized by the antiserum raised against tomato fruit AGP holoenzyme, only three of them reacted strongly with antiserum raised against the potato tuber AGP large subunit, and the other two spots (with lower molecular weights) reacted specifically with antisera raised against spinach leaf AGP holoenzyme and the potato tuber AGP small subunit. The results suggest the existence of at least three isoforms of the AGP large subunit and two isoforms of the small subunit in tomato fruit in vivo. The native molecular mass of the enzyme determined by gel filtration was 220 +/- 10 kD, indicating a tetrameric structure for AGP from tomato fruit. The purified enzyme is very sensitive to 3-phosphoglycerate/inorganic phosphate regulation.

Salicylic-Acid-Induced Chilling- and Oxidative-Stress Tolerance in Relation to Gibberellin Homeostasis, C-Repeat/Dehydration-Responsive Element Binding Factor Pathway, and Antioxidant Enzyme Systems in Cold-Stored Tomato Fruit.

PubMed

Ding, Yang; Zhao, Jinhong; Nie, Ying; Fan, Bei; Wu, Shujuan; Zhang, Yu; Sheng, Jiping; Shen, Lin; Zhao, Ruirui; Tang, Xuanming

2016-11-02

Effects of salicylic acid (SA) on gibberellin (GA) homeostasis, C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding factor (CBF) pathway, and antioxidant enzyme systems linked to chilling- and oxidative-stress tolerance in tomato fruit were investigated. Mature green tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Moneymaker) were treated with 0, 0.5, and 1 mM SA solution for 15 min before storage at 4 °C for 28 days. In comparison to 0 or 0.5 mM SA, 1 mM SA significantly decreased the chilling injury (CI) index in tomato fruit. In the SA-treated fruit, the upregulation of GA biosynthetic gene (GA3ox1) expression was followed by gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) surge and DELLA protein degradation. CBF1 participated in the SA-modulated tolerance and stimulated the expression of GA catabolic gene (GA2ox1). Furthermore, 1 mM SA enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes and, thus, reduced reactive oxygen species accumulation. Our findings suggest that SA might protect tomato fruit from CI and oxidative damage through regulating GA metabolism, CBF1 gene expression, and antioxidant enzyme activities.

Differential expression of calcium-regulated SlSRs in response to abiotic and biotic stresses in tomato fruit

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Calcium has been shown to increase stress tolerance, enhance fruit firmness and reduce decay. Previously we reported that seven tomato SlSRs encode calcium/calmodulin-regulated proteins, and that their expressions are developmentally regulated during fruit development and ripening, and are also resp...

Portable Raman spectroscopy for an in-situ monitoring the ripening of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trebolazabala, Josu; Maguregui, Maite; Morillas, Héctor; de Diego, Alberto; Madariaga, Juan Manuel

2017-06-01

Ripening is one of the most important transformations that fruits and vegetables suffer, from an unripe to a ripe stage. In this study, it was followed up and analyzed the variations in the composition of tomato fruits at different ripening stages (green or unripe, orange or middle ripe, red or ripe and brown or overripe). The results obtained from the Raman measurements carried out showed a change in the composition of tomato fruits in the transit from green to brown. The analysis confirmed an increase of carotenoids from an unripe to a ripe stage of these fruits, being lycopene the characteristic carotenoid of the optimum ripe stage. The presence of chlorophyll and cuticular waxes decrease from the unripe to the ripe stage. Moreover, the relative intensity of phytofluene, a transition compound in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, is higher in the orange or middle ripening stage. The results obtained in-situ, without cutting and handling the tomato fruits, by means of a portable Raman spectrometer offered the same information that can be achieved using a more expensive and sophisticated confocal Raman microscope.

Overexpression of a novel MADS-box gene SlFYFL delays senescence, fruit ripening and abscission in tomato

PubMed Central

Xie, Qiaoli; Hu, Zongli; Zhu, Zhiguo; Dong, Tingting; Zhao, Zhiping; Cui, Baolu; Chen, Guoping

2014-01-01

MADS-domain proteins are important transcription factors involved in many biological processes of plants. In our study, a tomato MADS-box gene, SlFYFL, was isolated. SlFYFL is expressed in all tissues of tomato and significantly higher in mature leave, fruit of different stages, AZ (abscission zone) and sepal. Delayed leaf senescence and fruit ripening, increased storability and longer sepals were observed in 35S:FYFL tomato. The accumulation of carotenoid was reduced, and ethylene content, ethylene biosynthetic and responsive genes were down-regulated in 35S:FYFL fruits. Abscission zone (AZ) did not form normally and abscission zone development related genes were declined in AZs of 35S:FYFL plants. Yeast two-hybrid assay revealed that SlFYFL protein could interact with SlMADS-RIN, SlMADS1 and SlJOINTLESS, respectively. These results suggest that overexpression of SlFYFL regulate fruit ripening and development of AZ via interactions with the ripening and abscission zone-related MADS box proteins. PMID:24621662

Tomato necrotic streak virus, a novel subgroup 2 ilarvirus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A novel plant virus has been identified infecting fresh market tomato plants in south and southeast Florida. The virus causes necrosis of tomato leaves, petioles and stems, and necrotic rings or spots on tomato fruits. Symptomatic tomato plant tissue was used to mechanically inoculate tomato plant...

Salinity induces carbohydrate accumulation and sugar-regulated starch biosynthetic genes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. ‘Micro-Tom’) fruits in an ABA- and osmotic stress-independent manner

PubMed Central

Yin, Yong-Gen; Kobayashi, Yoshie; Sanuki, Atsuko; Kondo, Satoru; Fukuda, Naoya; Ezura, Hiroshi; Sugaya, Sumiko; Matsukura, Chiaki

2010-01-01

Salinity stress enhances sugar accumulation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, the transport of carbohydrates into tomato fruits and the regulation of starch synthesis during fruit development in tomato plants cv. ‘Micro-Tom’ exposed to high levels of salinity stress were examined. Growth with 160 mM NaCl doubled starch accumulation in tomato fruits compared to control plants during the early stages of development, and soluble sugars increased as the fruit matured. Tracer analysis with 13C confirmed that elevated carbohydrate accumulation in fruits exposed to salinity stress was confined to the early development stages and did not occur after ripening. Salinity stress also up-regulated sucrose transporter expression in source leaves and increased activity of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) in fruits during the early development stages. The results indicate that salinity stress enhanced carbohydrate accumulation as starch during the early development stages and it is responsible for the increase in soluble sugars in ripe fruit. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses of salinity-stressed plants showed that the AGPase-encoding genes, AgpL1 and AgpS1 were up-regulated in developing fruits, and AgpL1 was obviously up-regulated by sugar at the transcriptional level but not by abscisic acid and osmotic stress. These results indicate AgpL1 and AgpS1 are involved in the promotion of starch biosynthesis under the salinity stress in ABA- and osmotic stress-independent manners. These two genes are differentially regulated at the transcriptional level, and AgpL1 is suggested to play a regulatory role in this event. PMID:19995825

Construction of an amperometric ascorbate biosensor using epoxy resin membrane bound Lagenaria siceraria fruit ascorbate oxidase.

PubMed

Pundir, C S; Chauhan, Nidhi; Jyoti

2011-06-01

Ascorbate oxidase purified from Lagenaria siceraria fruit was immobilized onto epoxy resin "Araldite" membrane with 79.4% retention of initial activity of free enzyme. The biosensor showed optimum response within 15s at pH 5.8 and 35°C, which was directly proportional to ascorbate concentration ranging from 1-100μM. There was a good correlation (R(2) = 0.99) between serum ascorbic acid values by standard enzymic colorimetric method and the present method. The enzyme electrode was used for 200 times without considerable loss of activity during the span of 90 days when stored at 4°C.

Effect on Quality Characteristics of Tomatoes Grown Under Well-Watered and Drought Stress Conditions.

PubMed

Klunklin, Warinporn; Savage, Geoffrey

2017-07-25

Tomatoes are one of the most nutritionally and economically important crops in New Zealand and around the world. Tomatoes require large amounts of water to grow well and are adversely affected by drought stress. However, few studies have evaluated the physicochemical characteristics of commercial tomatoes grown under water stress conditions. Four tomato cultivars (Incas, Marmande, Scoresby Dwarf, and Window Box Red) were grown in a greenhouse under well-watered and drought stress conditions and the tomatoes were harvested when ripe. The physicochemical properties and antioxidant contents of the fruits were compared. There were significant differences between cultivars in quality characteristics-such as dry matter, total soluble solids, and pH parameters-but there were no differences in the quality characteristics between the two treatments of the fruits ( p > 0.05); however, there were significant differences ( p < 0.05) in the antioxidant compositions (lycopene, total phenolics, and flavonoids) and antioxidant activities (DPPH and ABTS) of the fruits of both cultivars and treatments. Overall, these results indicated that tomatoes increased their bioactive compounds without changing any quality characteristics when exposed to water stress conditions.

Effect on Quality Characteristics of Tomatoes Grown Under Well-Watered and Drought Stress Conditions

PubMed Central

Klunklin, Warinporn; Savage, Geoffrey

2017-01-01

Tomatoes are one of the most nutritionally and economically important crops in New Zealand and around the world. Tomatoes require large amounts of water to grow well and are adversely affected by drought stress. However, few studies have evaluated the physicochemical characteristics of commercial tomatoes grown under water stress conditions. Four tomato cultivars (Incas, Marmande, Scoresby Dwarf, and Window Box Red) were grown in a greenhouse under well-watered and drought stress conditions and the tomatoes were harvested when ripe. The physicochemical properties and antioxidant contents of the fruits were compared. There were significant differences between cultivars in quality characteristics—such as dry matter, total soluble solids, and pH parameters—but there were no differences in the quality characteristics between the two treatments of the fruits (p > 0.05); however, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the antioxidant compositions (lycopene, total phenolics, and flavonoids) and antioxidant activities (DPPH and ABTS) of the fruits of both cultivars and treatments. Overall, these results indicated that tomatoes increased their bioactive compounds without changing any quality characteristics when exposed to water stress conditions. PMID:28757563

Identification and Functional Characterization of a Tonoplast Dicarboxylate Transporter in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

PubMed Central

Liu, Ruiling; Li, Boqiang; Qin, Guozheng; Zhang, Zhanquan; Tian, Shiping

2017-01-01

Acidity plays an important role in flavor and overall organoleptic quality of fruit and is mainly due to the presence of organic acids. Understanding the molecular basis of organic acid metabolism is thus of primary importance for fruit quality improvement. Here, we cloned a putative tonoplast dicarboxylate transporter gene (SlTDT) from tomato, and submitted it to the NCBI database (GenBank accession number: KC733165). SlTDT protein contained 13 putative transmembrane domains in silico analysis. Confocal microscopic study using green fluorescent fusion proteins revealed that SlTDT was localized on tonoplast. The expression patterns of SlTDT in tomato were analyzed by RT-qPCR. The results indicated that SlTDT expressed in leaves, roots, flowers and fruits at different ripening stages, suggesting SlTDT may be associated with the development of different tissues. To further explore the function of SlTDT, we constructed both overexpression and RNAi vectors and obtained transgenic tomato plants by agrobacterium-mediated method. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis showed that overexpression of SlTDT significantly increased malate content, and reduced citrate content in tomato fruit. By contrast, repression of SlTDT in tomato reduced malate content of and increased citrate content. These results indicated that SlTDT played an important role in remobilization of malate and citrate in fruit vacuoles. PMID:28261242

Identification and Functional Characterization of a Tonoplast Dicarboxylate Transporter in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

PubMed

Liu, Ruiling; Li, Boqiang; Qin, Guozheng; Zhang, Zhanquan; Tian, Shiping

2017-01-01

Acidity plays an important role in flavor and overall organoleptic quality of fruit and is mainly due to the presence of organic acids. Understanding the molecular basis of organic acid metabolism is thus of primary importance for fruit quality improvement. Here, we cloned a putative tonoplast dicarboxylate transporter gene ( SlTDT ) from tomato, and submitted it to the NCBI database (GenBank accession number: KC733165). SlTDT protein contained 13 putative transmembrane domains in silico analysis. Confocal microscopic study using green fluorescent fusion proteins revealed that SlTDT was localized on tonoplast. The expression patterns of SlTDT in tomato were analyzed by RT-qPCR. The results indicated that SlTDT expressed in leaves, roots, flowers and fruits at different ripening stages, suggesting SlTDT may be associated with the development of different tissues. To further explore the function of SlTDT , we constructed both overexpression and RNAi vectors and obtained transgenic tomato plants by agrobacterium-mediated method. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis showed that overexpression of SlTDT significantly increased malate content, and reduced citrate content in tomato fruit. By contrast, repression of SlTDT in tomato reduced malate content of and increased citrate content. These results indicated that SlTDT played an important role in remobilization of malate and citrate in fruit vacuoles.

Purification and characterization of recombinant supersweet protein thaumatin II from tomato fruit.

PubMed

Firsov, Aleksey; Shaloiko, Lyubov; Kozlov, Oleg; Vinokurov, Leonid; Vainstein, Alexander; Dolgov, Sergey

2016-07-01

Thaumatin, a supersweet protein from the African plant katemfe (Thaumatococcus daniellii Benth.), is a promising zero-calorie sweetener for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Due to limited natural sources of thaumatin, its production using transgenic plants is an advantageous alternative. We report a simple protocol for purification of recombinant thaumatin II from transgenic tomato. Thaumatin was extracted from ripe tomato fruit in a low-salt buffer and purified on an SP-Sephacryl column. Recombinant thaumatin yield averaged 50 mg/kg fresh fruit. MALDI-MS analysis showed correct processing of thaumatin in tomato plants. The recombinant thaumatin was indistinguishable from the native protein in a taste test. The purified tomato-derived thaumatin had an intrinsic sweetness with a threshold value in taste tests of around 50 nM. These results demonstrate the potential of an expression system based on transgenic tomato plants for production of recombinant thaumatin for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of different electrical conductivity values in a simplified recirculating soilless system on inner and outer fruit quality characteristics of tomato.

PubMed

Krauss, Sandra; Schnitzler, Wilfried H; Grassmann, Johanna; Woitke, Markus

2006-01-25

Irrigation with saline water affects tomato fruit quality. While total fruit yield decreases with salinity, inner quality characterized by taste and health-promoting compounds can be improved. For a detailed description of this relationship, the influence of three different salt levels [electrical conductivity (EC) 3, 6.5, and 10] in hydroponically grown tomatoes was investigated. Rising salinity levels in the nutrient solution significantly increased vitamin C, lycopene, and beta-carotene in fresh fruits up to 35%. The phenol concentration was tendentiously enhanced, and the antioxidative capacity of phenols and carotenoids increased on a fresh weight basis. Additionally, the higher EC values caused an increase of total soluble solids and organic acids, parameters determining the taste of tomatoes. Total fruit yield, single fruit weight, and firmness significantly decreased with rising EC levels. Regression analyses revealed significant correlations between the EC level and the dependent variables single fruit weight, total soluble solids, titrable acids, lycopene, and antioxidative capacities of carotenoids and phenols, whereas vitamin C and phenols correlated best with truss number, and beta-carotene correlated best with temperature. Only pressure firmness showed no correlation with any of the measured parameters. As all desirable characteristics in the freshly produced tomato increased when exposed to salinity, salinity itself constitutes an alternative method of quality improvement. Moreover, it can compensate for the loss of yield by the higher inner quality due to changing demands by the market and the consumer. This investigation is to our knowledge the first comprehensive overview regarding parameters of outer quality (yield and firmness), taste (total soluble solids and acids), nutritional value (vitamin C, carotenoids, and phenolics), as well as antioxidative capacity in tomatoes grown under saline conditions.

Bioefficacy evaluation and dissipation pattern of nanoformulation versus commercial formulation of pyridalyl in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

PubMed

Saini, Priya; Gopal, Madhuban; Kumar, Rajesh; Gogoi, Robin; Srivastava, Chitra

2015-08-01

A study was undertaken to evaluate the decline of the residues of pyridalyl in tomatoes grown in two different cultivation systems: open field (conventional cultivation) and net house (pot experiment). Field experiment was conducted with commercial (10 EC) and nanoformulation of pyridalyl on tomato crop. Tomato plants were subjected to pesticide spray, when fruits were close to ripeness. Fruit samples were taken periodically and cleaned up using QuEChERS methodology, and the residue of pyridalyl was analyzed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). It dissipated in tomato fruit following the first-order kinetics. In field, average initial deposit of pyridalyl in tomato was observed to be 0.222 and 0.371 μg g(-1) at recommended and double the recommended application rate, respectively, using nanoformulation while it was 0.223 and 0.393 μg g(-1) on using commercial formulation, respectively. The half-life (t1/2) value of nanopyridalyl in tomato fruit was 2.8 and 3.2 days while for commercial formulation, it was 2.5 and 2.6 days for recommended and double the recommended dose, respectively. In India, maximum residue limit (MRL) on tomato has not been fixed for pyridalyl but its residues were always below European MRLs (5 μg g(-1)) on tomato at both application rates. The results of terminal residue showed that pyridalyl residues were below the available MRL. Low residues in tomatoes suggested that this pesticide is safe to use under the recommended dosage. No statistical differences were observed between the cultivation systems in relation to the residue levels of pyridalyl.

Bayesian QTL mapping using genome-wide SSR markers and segregating population derived from a cross of two commercial F1 hybrids of tomato.

PubMed

Ohyama, Akio; Shirasawa, Kenta; Matsunaga, Hiroshi; Negoro, Satomi; Miyatake, Koji; Yamaguchi, Hirotaka; Nunome, Tsukasa; Iwata, Hiroyoshi; Fukuoka, Hiroyuki; Hayashi, Takeshi

2017-08-01

Using newly developed euchromatin-derived genomic SSR markers and a flexible Bayesian mapping method, 13 significant agricultural QTLs were identified in a segregating population derived from a four-way cross of tomato. So far, many QTL mapping studies in tomato have been performed for progeny obtained from crosses between two genetically distant parents, e.g., domesticated tomatoes and wild relatives. However, QTL information of quantitative traits related to yield (e.g., flower or fruit number, and total or average weight of fruits) in such intercross populations would be of limited use for breeding commercial tomato cultivars because individuals in the populations have specific genetic backgrounds underlying extremely different phenotypes between the parents such as large fruit in domesticated tomatoes and small fruit in wild relatives, which may not be reflective of the genetic variation in tomato breeding populations. In this study, we constructed F 2 population derived from a cross between two commercial F 1 cultivars in tomato to extract QTL information practical for tomato breeding. This cross corresponded to a four-way cross, because the four parental lines of the two F 1 cultivars were considered to be the founders. We developed 2510 new expressed sequence tag (EST)-based (euchromatin-derived) genomic SSR markers and selected 262 markers from these new SSR markers and publicly available SSR markers to construct a linkage map. QTL analysis for ten agricultural traits of tomato was performed based on the phenotypes and marker genotypes of F 2 plants using a flexible Bayesian method. As results, 13 QTL regions were detected for six traits by the Bayesian method developed in this study.

Factors that affect proliferation of Salmonella in tomatoes post-harvest: the roles of seasonal effects, irrigation regime, crop and pathogen genotype.

PubMed

Marvasi, Massimiliano; Hochmuth, George J; Giurcanu, Mihai C; George, Andrée S; Noel, Jason T; Bartz, Jerry; Teplitski, Max

2013-01-01

Fresh fruits and vegetables become increasingly recognized as vehicles of human salmonellosis. Physiological, ecological, and environmental factors are all thought to contribute to the ability of Salmonella to colonize fruits and vegetables pre- and post-harvest. The goal of this study was to test how irrigation levels, fruit water congestion, crop and pathogen genotypes affect the ability of Salmonella to multiply in tomatoes post-harvest. Fruits from three tomato varieties, grown over three production seasons in two Florida locations, were infected with seven strains of Salmonella and their ability to multiply post-harvest in field-grown tomatoes was tested. The field experiments were set up as a two-factor factorial split plot experiment, with the whole-plot treatments arranged in a randomized complete-block design. The irrigation treatment (at three levels) was the whole-plot factor, and the split-plot factor was tomato variety, with three levels. The significance of the main, two-way, and three-way interaction effects was tested using the (type III) F-tests for fixed effects. Mean separation for each significant fixed effect in the model was performed using Tukey's multiple comparison testing procedure. The irrigation regime per se did not affect susceptibility of the crop to post-harvest proliferation of Salmonella. However, Salmonella grew significantly better in water-congested tissues of green tomatoes. Tomato maturity and genotype, Salmonella genotype, and inter-seasonal differences were the strongest factors affecting proliferation. Red ripe tomatoes were significantly and consistently more conducive to proliferation of Salmonella. Tomatoes harvested in the driest, sunniest season were the most conducive to post-harvest proliferation of the pathogen. Statistically significant interactions between production conditions affected post-harvest susceptibility of the crop to the pathogen. UV irradiation of tomatoes post-harvest promoted Salmonella growth.

Enhancement of growth and yield of tomato by Rhodopseudomonas sp. under greenhouse conditions.

PubMed

Lee, Kang-Hyeong; Koh, Rae-Hyun; Song, Hong-Gyu

2008-12-01

A greenhouse test was carried out to examine the effects on tomato growth of application of purple non-sulfur bacterium Rhodopseudomonas sp. which had enhanced germination and growth of tomato seed under axenic conditions. The shoot length of tomato plant inoculated by Rhodopseudomonas sp. KL9 increased by 34.6% compared to that of control in 8 weeks of cultivation. During the same period, this strain increased 120.6 and 78.6% of dry weight of shoot and root of tomato plants, respectively. The formation ratio of tomato fruit from flower was also raised by inoculation of KL9. In addition, Rhodopseudomonas sp. KL9 treatment enhanced the fresh weight and lycopene content in the harvested tomato fruits by 98.3 and 48.3%, respectively compared to those of the uninoculated control. When the effect on the indigenous bacterial community and fate of the inoculated Rhodopseudomonas sp. KL9 were monitored by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis, its application did not affect the native bacterial community in tomato rhizosphere soil, but should be repeated to maintain its population size. This bacterial capability may be applied as an environment-friendly biofertilizer to cultivation of high quality tomato and other crops including lycopene-containing vegetables and fruits.

Antisense inhibition of tomato fruit sucrose synthase decreases fruit setting and the sucrose unloading capacity of young fruit.

PubMed Central

D'Aoust, M A; Yelle, S; Nguyen-Quoc, B

1999-01-01

The role of sucrose synthase (SuSy) in tomato fruit was studied in transgenic tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants expressing an antisense fragment of fruit-specific SuSy RNA (TOMSSF) under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. Constitutive expression of the antisense RNA markedly inhibited SuSy activity in flowers and fruit pericarp tissues. However, inhibition was only slight in the endosperm and was undetectable in the embryo, shoot, petiole, and leaf tissues. The activity of sucrose phosphate synthase decreased in parallel with that of SuSy, but acid invertase activity did not increase in response to the reduced SuSy activity. The only effect on the carbohydrate content of young fruit was a slight reduction in starch accumulation. The in vitro sucrose import capacity of fruits was not reduced by SuSy inhibition at 23 days after anthesis, and the rate of starch synthesized from the imported sucrose was not lessened even when SuSy activity was decreased by 98%. However, the sucrose unloading capacity of 7-day-old fruit was substantially decreased in lines with low SuSy activity. In addition, the SuSy antisense fruit from the first week of flowering had a slower growth rate. A reduced fruit set, leading to markedly less fruit per plant at maturity, was observed for the plants with the least SuSy activity. These results suggest that SuSy participates in the control of sucrose import capacity of young tomato fruit, which is a determinant for fruit set and development. PMID:10590167

Quality of tomato slices disinfected with ozonated water.

PubMed

Aguayo, Encarna; Escalona, Víctor; Silveira, Ana Cecilia; Artés, Francisco

2014-04-01

Fresh-cut industry needs novel disinfectant to replace the use of chlorine. Ozone is one of the most powerful oxidizing agents and is applied in gaseous or aqueous form for sanitation purposes. However, the strong oxidative effect could affect the nutritional and sensorial quality, in particular, when time of washing is extended. For that reason, the overall impact of ozonated water (0.4 mg/L) dipping applied during 1, 3 and 5 min compared to control washed in water during 5 min was studied in tomato slices stored during 14 days at 5 . According to the results, ozonated water treatment of 3 min achieved the best firmness retention, microbial quality (mesophilic, psychrotrophic and yeas load) and reduced the consumption of fructose and glucose. The use of ozonated water did not affect the total acidity, pH, total solid soluble, organic acid as ascorbic, fumaric or succinic acid and the sensorial parameters, which were only affected by storage time. However, the poor appearance, aroma and overall quality obtained in all treatments prevented shelf life of 14 days and the quality at acceptable levels was established in 10 days at 5 . It is recommended to wash tomato slices with 0.4 mg/L ozonated water for 3 min only. Extending treatment duration did not improve the microbiological quality, possibly due to the extra time permitting the ozone to react with other components of the fruit tissue, undermining the antimicrobial benefits.

Over-expression of the Arabidopsis proton-pyrophosphatase AVP1 enhances transplant survival, root mass, and fruit development under limiting phosphorus conditions

PubMed Central

Yang, Haibing; Zhang, Xiao; Gaxiola, Roberto A.; Xu, Guohua; Peer, Wendy Ann; Murphy, Angus S.

2014-01-01

Phosphorus (P), an element required for plant growth, fruit set, fruit development, and fruit ripening, can be deficient or unavailable in agricultural soils. Previously, it was shown that over-expression of a proton-pyrophosphatase gene AVP1/AVP1D (AVP1DOX) in Arabidopsis, rice, and tomato resulted in the enhancement of root branching and overall mass with the result of increased mineral P acquisition. However, although AVP1 over-expression also increased shoot biomass in Arabidopsis, this effect was not observed in tomato under phosphate-sufficient conditions. AVP1DOX tomato plants exhibited increased rootward auxin transport and root acidification compared with control plants. AVP1DOX tomato plants were analysed in detail under limiting P conditions in greenhouse and field trials. AVP1DOX plants produced 25% (P=0.001) more marketable ripened fruit per plant under P-deficient conditions compared with the controls. Further, under low phosphate conditions, AVP1DOX plants displayed increased phosphate transport from leaf (source) to fruit (sink) compared to controls. AVP1DOX plants also showed an 11% increase in transplant survival (P<0.01) in both greenhouse and field trials compared with the control plants. These results suggest that selection of tomato cultivars for increased proton pyrophosphatase gene expression could be useful when selecting for cultivars to be grown on marginal soils. PMID:24723407

Nutritional composition of minor indigenous fruits: cheapest nutritional source for the rural people of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Tariqul Islam Shajib, Mohammad; Kawser, Mahbuba; Nuruddin Miah, Mohammad; Begum, Parveen; Bhattacharjee, Lalita; Hossain, A; Fomsgaard, Inge S; Islam, Sheikh Nazrul

2013-10-01

In line of the development of a food composition database for Bangladesh, 10 minor indigenous fruits were analysed for their nutrient composition comprising ascorbic acid, carotenoids and mineral values. Nutrient data obtained have been compared with published data reported in different literatures, book and United States Department of Agriculture-National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Ascorbic acid was highest in Wood apple and lowest in Roselle. Monkey jack contained the highest amount of carotenoids, zinc and copper. Content of calcium, magnesium and phosphorous were found highest in Antidesma velutinum. Potassium was the highest in Wood apple followed by in Moneky jack. It was noted that most of the minor fruits have much higher amount of ascorbic acid than the national fruit - Jack fruit ripe, the king fruit - Mango ripe of Bangladesh and exotic fruits - Apple and Grapes. The nutrient values of these minor fruits would make awareness among the people for their mass consumption for healthy life and to grow more minor fruit trees from extinction in order to maintain biodiversity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative Proteomics of Oxalate Downregulated Tomatoes Points toward Cross Talk of Signal Components and Metabolic Consequences during Post-harvest Storage

PubMed Central

Narula, Kanika; Ghosh, Sudip; Aggarwal, Pooja R.; Sinha, Arunima; Chakraborty, Niranjan; Chakraborty, Subhra

2016-01-01

Fruits of angiosperms evolved intricate regulatory machinery for sensorial attributes and storage quality after harvesting. Organic acid composition of storage organs forms the molecular and biochemical basis of organoleptic and nutritional qualities with metabolic specialization. Of these, oxalic acid (OA), determines the post-harvest quality in fruits. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit has distinctive feature to undergo a shift from heterotrophic metabolism to carbon assimilation partitioning during storage. We have earlier shown that decarboxylative degradation of OA by FvOXDC leads to acid homeostasis besides increased fungal tolerance in E8.2-OXDC tomato. Here, we elucidate the metabolic consequences of oxalate down-regulation and molecular mechanisms that determine organoleptic features, signaling and hormonal regulation in E8.2-OXDC fruit during post-harvest storage. A comparative proteomics approach has been applied between wild-type and E8.2-OXDC tomato in temporal manner. The MS/MS analyses led to the identification of 32 and 39 differentially abundant proteins associated with primary and secondary metabolism, assimilation, biogenesis, and development in wild-type and E8.2-OXDC tomatoes, respectively. Next, we interrogated the proteome data using correlation network analysis that identified significant functional hubs pointing toward storage related coinciding processes through a common mechanism of function and modulation. Furthermore, physiochemical analyses exhibited reduced oxalic acid content with concomitant increase in citric acid, lycopene and marginal decrease in malic acid in E8.2-OXDC fruit. Nevertheless, E8.2-OXDC fruit maintained an optimal pH and a steady state acid pool. These might contribute to reorganization of pectin constituent, reduced membrane leakage and improved fruit firmness in E8.2-OXDC fruit with that of wild-type tomato during storage. Collectively, our study provides insights into kinetically controlled protein network, identified regulatory module for pathway formulation and provide basis toward understanding the context of storage quality maintenance as a consequence of oxalate downregulation in the sink organ. PMID:27555852

In situ nondestructive imaging of functional pigments in Micro-Tom tomato fruits by multi spectral imaging based on Wiener estimation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishidate, Izumi; Ooe, Shintaro; Todoroki, Shinsuke; Asamizu, Erika

2013-05-01

To evaluate the functional pigments in the tomato fruits nondestructively, we propose a method based on the multispectral diffuse reflectance images estimated by the Wiener estimation for a digital RGB image. Each pixel of the multispectral image is converted to the absorbance spectrum and then analyzed by the multiple regression analysis to visualize the contents of chlorophyll a, lycopene and β-carotene. The result confirms the feasibility of the method for in situ imaging of chlorophyll a, β-carotene and lycopene in the tomato fruits.

AtMYB12 expression in tomato leads to large scale differential modulation in transcriptome and flavonoid content in leaf and fruit tissues

PubMed Central

Pandey, Ashutosh; Misra, Prashant; Choudhary, Dharmendra; Yadav, Reena; Goel, Ridhi; Bhambhani, Sweta; Sanyal, Indraneel; Trivedi, Ritu; Kumar Trivedi, Prabodh

2015-01-01

Plants synthesize secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, which play important role during various stresses for their survival. These metabolites are also considered as health-protective components in functional foods. Flavonols, one of the important groups of flavonoids, apart from performing several roles in plants have been recognized as potent phytoceuticals for human health. Tomato fruits are deficient in this group of flavonoids and have been an important target for enhancing the accumulation of flavonols through genetic manipulations. In the present study, AtMYB12 transcription factor of the Arabidopsis has been expressed under constitutive promoter in tomato. Transgenic tomato lines exhibited enhanced accumulation of flavonols and chlorogenic acid (CGA) in leaf and fruit accompanied with elevated expression of phenylpropanoid pathway genes involved in flavonol biosynthesis. In addition, global gene expression analysis in leaf and fruit suggested that AtMYB12 modulates number of molecular processes including aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, phytohormone signaling and stress responses. Besides this, a differential modulation of the genes in fruits and leaves is reported in this study. Taken together, results demonstrate that modulation of primary carbon metabolism and other pathways by AtMYB12 in tomato may lead to sufficient substrate supply for enhanced content of phenolics in general and flavonols in particular. PMID:26206248

LEFPS1, a Tomato Farnesyl Pyrophosphate Gene Highly Expressed during Early Fruit Development1

PubMed Central

Gaffe, Joel; Bru, Jean-Philippe; Causse, Mathilde; Vidal, Alain; Stamitti-Bert, Linda; Carde, Jean-Pierre; Gallusci, Philippe

2000-01-01

Farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPS) catalyzes the synthesis of farnesyl pyrophosphate, a key intermediate in sterol and sesquiterpene biosynthesis. Using a polymerase chain reaction-based approach, we have characterized LeFPS1, a tomato (Lycoperscion esculentum cv Wva 106) fruit cDNA, which encodes a functional FPS. We demonstrate that tomato FPSs are encoded by a small multigenic family with genes located on chromosomes 10 and 12. Consistent with farnesyl pyrophosphate requirement in sterol biosynthesis, FPS genes are ubiquitously expressed in tomato plants. Using an LeFPS1 specific probe, we show that the corresponding gene can account for most of FPS mRNA in most plant organs, but not during young seedling development, indicating a differential regulation of FPS genes in tomato. FPS gene expression is also under strict developmental control: FPS mRNA was mainly abundant in young organs and decreased as organs matured with the exception of fruits that presented a biphasic accumulation pattern. In this latter case in situ hybridization studies have shown that FPS mRNA is similarly abundant in all tissues of young fruit. Taken together our results suggest that several FPS isoforms are involved in tomato farnesyl pyrophosphate metabolism and that FPS genes are mostly expressed in relation to cell division and enlargement. PMID:10938353

Physiological and morphological changes during early and later stages of fruit growth in Capsicum annuum.

PubMed

Tiwari, Aparna; Vivian-Smith, Adam; Ljung, Karin; Offringa, Remko; Heuvelink, Ep

2013-03-01

Fruit-set involves a series of physiological and morphological changes that are well described for tomato and Arabidopsis, but largely unknown for sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum). The aim of this paper is to investigate whether mechanisms of fruit-set observed in Arabidopsis and tomato are also applicable to C. annuum. To do this, we accurately timed the physiological and morphological changes in a post-pollinated and un-pollinated ovary. A vascular connection between ovule and replum was observed in fertilized ovaries that undergo fruit development, and this connection was absent in unfertilized ovaries that abort. This indicates that vascular connection between ovule and replum is an early indicator for successful fruit development after pollination and fertilization. Evaluation of histological changes in the carpel of a fertilized and unfertilized ovary indicated that increase in cell number and cell diameter both contribute to early fruit growth. Cell division contributes more during early fruit growth while cell expansion contributes more at later stages of fruit growth in C. annuum. The simultaneous occurrence of a peak in auxin concentration and a strong increase in cell diameter in the carpel of seeded fruits suggest that indole-3-acetic acid stimulates a major increase in cell diameter at later stages of fruit growth. The series of physiological and morphological events observed during fruit-set in C. annuum are similar to what has been reported for tomato and Arabidopsis. This indicates that tomato and Arabidopsis are suitable model plants to understand details of fruit-set mechanisms in C. annuum. Copyright © Physiologia Plantarum 2012.

A novel tomato mutant, Solanum lycopersicum elongated fruit1 (Slelf1), exhibits an elongated fruit shape caused by increased cell layers in the proximal region of the ovary.

PubMed

Chusreeaeom, Katarut; Ariizumi, Tohru; Asamizu, Erika; Okabe, Yoshihiro; Shirasawa, Kenta; Ezura, Hiroshi

2014-06-01

Genes controlling fruit morphology offer important insights into patterns and mechanisms determining organ shape and size. In cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), a variety of fruit shapes are displayed, including round-, bell pepper-, pear-, and elongate-shaped forms. In this study, we characterized a tomato mutant possessing elongated fruit morphology by histologically analyzing its fruit structure and genetically analyzing and mapping the genetic locus. The mutant line, Solanum lycopersicum elongated fruit 1 (Slelf1), was selected in a previous study from an ethylmethane sulfonate-mutagenized population generated in the background of Micro-Tom, a dwarf and rapid-growth variety. Histological analysis of the Slelf1 mutant revealed dramatically increased elongation of ovary and fruit. Until 6 days before flowering, ovaries were round and they began to elongate afterward. We also determined pericarp thickness and the number of cell layers in three designated fruit regions. We found that mesocarp thickness, as well as the number of cell layers, was increased in the proximal region of immature green fruits, making this the key sector of fruit elongation. Using 262 F2 individuals derived from a cross between Slelf1 and the cultivar Ailsa Craig, we constructed a genetic map, simple sequence repeat (SSR), cleaved amplified polymorphism sequence (CAPS), and derived CAPS (dCAPS) markers and mapped to the 12 tomato chromosomes. Genetic mapping placed the candidate gene locus within a 0.2 Mbp interval on the long arm of chromosome 8 and was likely different from previously known loci affecting fruit shape.

Textural, nutritional and functional attributes in tomato genotypes for breeding better quality varieties.

PubMed

Saha, Supradip; Hedau, Nirmal K; Mahajan, Vinay; Singh, Gyanendra; Gupta, Hari S; Gahalain, Anita

2010-01-30

Screening of natural biodiversity for their better quality attributes is of prime importance for quality breeding programmes. A set of 53 tomato genotypes was measured for their textural [skin firmness, pericarp thickness, total soluble solids (TSS)], nutritional [phosphorus (P), potassium (K), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and titrable acidity (TA)] and functional (beta-carotene, lycopene and ascorbic acid) quality attributes. Three sets of data (textural, nutritional and functional attributes) were obtained and analysed for their mutual relationships. Wide variations were observed in most of the measurements, e.g. skin firmness (coefficient of variability (CV) 269-612 g), pericarp thickness (CV 1.4-4.9 mm), potassium (CV 229-371 mg 100 g(-1)), iron (CV 611-1772 mg 100 g(-1)), ascorbic acid (CV 12-86 mg 100 g(-1)), suggesting that there are considerable levels of genetic diversity. Significant correlations (P < 0.05, 0.01) were also detected among different attributes of tomato genotypes, such as phosphorus and zinc with a correlation coefficient of 0.74, ascorbic acid and copper of 0.57, pericarp thickness and lycopene of - 0.52. However, there were no correlations between textural and nutritional attributes. Five factors were computed by principal component analysis that explained 66% of the variation in the attributes, among which all micronutrients other than iron, TSS, firmness and beta-carotene were most important. Functional attributes except beta-carotene played a less important role in explaining total variation. This knowledge could aid in the efficient conservation of important parts of the agricultural biodiversity of India. These results are also potentially useful for tomato breeders working on the development of new varieties. (c) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry.

Color back projection for fruit maturity evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Dong; Lee, Dah-Jye; Desai, Alok

2013-12-01

In general, fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes and dates are harvested before they fully ripen. After harvesting, they continue to ripen and their color changes. Color is a good indicator of fruit maturity. For example, tomatoes change color from dark green to light green and then pink, light red, and dark red. Assessing tomato maturity helps maximize its shelf life. Color is used to determine the length of time the tomatoes can be transported. Medjool dates change color from green to yellow, and the orange, light red and dark red. Assessing date maturity helps determine the length of drying process to help ripen the dates. Color evaluation is an important step in the processing and inventory control of fruits and vegetables that directly affects profitability. This paper presents an efficient color back projection and image processing technique that is designed specifically for real-time maturity evaluation of fruits. This color processing method requires very simple training procedure to obtain the frequencies of colors that appear in each maturity stage. This color statistics is used to back project colors to predefined color indexes. Fruit maturity is then evaluated by analyzing the reprojected color indexes. This method has been implemented and used for commercial production.

Sugars, ascorbic acid, total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity in passion fruit (Passiflora) cultivars.

PubMed

Devi Ramaiya, Shiamala; Bujang, Japar Sidik; Zakaria, Muta Harah; King, Wong Sing; Shaffiq Sahrir, Muhd Arif

2013-03-30

The levels of sugars, ascorbic acid, total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidant activity (TAA) were determined in fruit juices from seven passion fruit (Passiflora spp.) cultivars: P. edulis cultivars Purple, Frederick, Yellow, Pink, P. edulis f. flavicarpa, P. maliformis and P. quadrangularis (we also tested this cultivar's mesocarp). Purple and Yellow P. edulis had significantly higher total sugar, 142.85 ± 0.17 g kg⁻¹ and 139.69 ± 0.12 g kg⁻¹, respectively, than other cultivars. Glucose and fructose content were higher in juice from vine-ripened fruits of Purple, Frederick and Yellow P. edulis, P. quadrangularis and P. maliformis. Sucrose content was significantly higher in juice of non-vine-ripened fruits of P. edulis (Pink) and P. edulis f. flavicarpa. Ascorbic acid, TPC and TAA were significantly higher in vine-ripened Purple and Yellow P. edulis; ranges were 0.22-0.33 g kg⁻¹, 342.80-382.00 mg gallic acid equivalent L⁻¹ and 409.13-586.70 µmol Trolox L⁻¹, respectively. Based on principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis, the main variables - °Brix, total sugar, glucose, fructose, ascorbic acid, TPC and TAA - formed the characteristics for the group comprising Purple and Yellow P. edulis. Glucose, fructose, sucrose, ascorbic acid, TAA and TPC were quantified in passion fruit juices. Variation of the above variables in juices of Passiflora depends on the cultivar and ripeness. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comprehensive Profiling of Ethylene Response Factor Expression Identifies Ripening-Associated ERF Genes and Their Link to Key Regulators of Fruit Ripening in Tomato1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Gomes, Bruna Lima; Mila, Isabelle; Frasse, Pierre; Zouine, Mohamed; Bouzayen, Mondher

2016-01-01

Our knowledge of the factors mediating ethylene-dependent ripening of climacteric fruit remains limited. The transcription of ethylene-regulated genes is mediated by ethylene response factors (ERFs), but mutants providing information on the specific role of the ERFs in fruit ripening are still lacking, likely due to functional redundancy among this large multigene family of transcription factors. We present here a comprehensive expression profiling of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) ERFs in wild-type and tomato ripening-impaired tomato mutants (Never-ripe [Nr], ripening-inhibitor [rin], and non-ripening [nor]), indicating that out of the 77 ERFs present in the tomato genome, 27 show enhanced expression at the onset of ripening while 28 display a ripening-associated decrease in expression, suggesting that different ERFs may have contrasting roles in fruit ripening. Among the 19 ERFs exhibiting the most consistent up-regulation during ripening, the expression of 11 ERFs is strongly down-regulated in rin, nor, and Nr tomato ripening mutants, while only three are consistently up-regulated. Members of subclass E, SlERF.E1, SlERF.E2, and SlERF.E4, show dramatic down-regulation in the ripening mutants, suggesting that their expression might be instrumental in fruit ripening. This study illustrates the high complexity of the regulatory network connecting RIN and ERFs and identifies subclass E members as the most active ERFs in ethylene- and RIN/NOR-dependent ripening. PMID:26739234

Antioxidant and enzymatic responses to oxidative stress induced by pre-harvest water supply reduction and ripening on mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. 'Cogshall') in relation to carotenoid content.

PubMed

Rosalie, Rémy; Joas, Jacques; Deytieux-Belleau, Christelle; Vulcain, Emmanuelle; Payet, Bertrand; Dufossé, Laurent; Léchaudel, Mathieu

2015-07-20

The effects of a reduction in water supply during fruit development and postharvest fruit ripening on the oxidative status and the antioxidant defense system were studied in the mango fruit (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Cogshall. Changes in non-enzymatic (ascorbate) and enzymatic (SOD, CAT, APX, MDHAR, DHAR and GR) antioxidants, as well as oxidative parameters (H2O2 and MDA) and major carotenoids, were measured in unripe and ripe fruits from well-irrigated and non-irrigated trees. Under non-limiting water supply conditions, ripening induced oxidation as a result of the production of ROS and decreased ascorbate content. Antioxidant enzymatic systems were activated to protect fruit tissues and to regenerate the ascorbate pool. The carotenoid pool, mainly represented by β-carotene and esterified violaxanthine isomers, accumulated naturally during mango ripening. The suppression of irrigation decreased fruit size and induced accumulation of ABA and of its storage form, ABA-GE, in fruit pulp from the earliest harvest. It also increased oxidation, which was observable by the high levels of ascorbate measured at the early stages at harvest, and by the delay in the time it took to reach the pseudo constant carotene-to-xanthophyll ratio in ripe fruits. Nevertheless, differences between the irrigation treatments on the antioxidant system in ripe fruits were not significant, mainly because of the drastic changes in this system during ripening. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Ascorbate biosynthesis during early fruit development is the main reason for its accumulation in kiwi.

PubMed

Li, Mingjun; Ma, Fengwang; Liang, Dong; Li, Juan; Wang, Yanlei

2010-12-09

Ascorbic acid (AsA) is a unique antioxidant as well as an enzyme cofactor. Although it has multiple roles in plants, it is unclear how its accumulation is controlled at the expression level, especially in sink tissues. Kiwifruit (Actinidia) is well-known for its high ascorbate content. Our objective was to determine whether AsA accumulates in the fruits primarily through biosynthesis or because it is imported from the foliage. We systematically investigated AsA levels, biosynthetic capacity, and mRNA expression of genes involved in AsA biosynthesis in kiwi (A. deliciosa cv. Qinmei). Recycling and AsA localization were also monitored during fruit development and among different tissue types. Over time, the amount of AsA, with its capacity for higher biosynthesis and lower recycling, peaked at 30 days after anthesis (DAA), and then decreased markedly up to 60 DAA before declining more slowly. Expression of key genes showed similar patterns of change, except for L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase and L-galactose-1-phosphate phosphatase (GPP). However, GPP had good correlation with the rate of AsA accumulation. The expression of these genes could be detected in phloem of stem as well as petiole of leaf and fruit. Additionally, fruit petioles had greater ascorbate amounts, although that was the site of lowest expression by most genes. Fruit microtubule tissues also had higher AsA. However, exogenous applications of AsA to those petioles did not lead to its transport into fruits, and distribution of ascorbate was cell-specific in the fruits, with more accumulation occurring in larger cells. These results suggest that AsA biosynthesis in kiwi during early fruit development is the main reason for its accumulation in the fruits. We also postulate here that GPP is a good candidate for regulating AsA biosynthesis whereas GDP-L-galactose-1-phosphate phosphorylase is not.

The influence of organic amendment and nickel pollution on tomato fruit yield and quality.

PubMed

Palacios, G; Carbonell-Barrachina, A; Gómez, I; Mataix, J

1999-01-01

The effects of organic fertilization (sludge application) and/or different levels of Ni pollution on tomato fruit yield, quality, nutrition, and Ni accumulation were investigated. The mass loading of sewage sludge solids used in this study for the amendment of a calcareous soil with low organic matter content was 2% (w/w). A control with no sewage sludge amendment was also included (S). Nickel was added to the sludge amended soil at 0, 60, 120 and 240 mg kg-1 concentrations. Sewage sludge addition to the calcareous soil significantly increased fruit yield but did not adversely affect the quality and nutritional status of the tomato fruit. The results demonstrated that sewage sludge could be successfully used as a horticultural fertilizer. Only the highest addition rate of Ni (240 mg kg-1) to an organic amended calcareous soil had negative effects on fruit yield and quality, and caused a Ni accumulation in fruit that could be considered as a hazard for human health. Thus, no toxic problems will be encountered in tomato fruit due to Ni pollution provided the total Ni (soil Ni plus Ni incorporated with sludge amendment) concentration is kept below the maximum concentration of Ni allowed for agricultural alkaline soils in Spain (112 mg Ni kg-1).

Manipulation of light signal transduction as a means of modifying fruit nutritional quality in tomato

PubMed Central

Liu, Yongsheng; Roof, Sherry; Ye, Zhibiao; Barry, Cornelius; van Tuinen, Ageeth; Vrebalov, Julia; Bowler, Chris; Giovannoni, Jim

2004-01-01

Fruit constitutes a major component of human diets, providing fiber, vitamins, and phytonutrients. Carotenoids are a major class of compounds found in many fruits, providing nutritional benefits as precursors to essential vitamins and as antioxidants. Although recent gene isolation efforts and metabolic engineering have primarily targeted genes involved in carotenoid biosynthesis, factors that regulate flux through the carotenoid pathway remain largely unknown. Characterization of the tomato high-pigment mutations (hp1 and hp2) suggests the manipulation of light signal transduction machinery may be an effective approach toward practical manipulation of plant carotenoids. We demonstrate here that hp1 alleles represent mutations in a tomato UV-DAMAGED DNA-BINDING PROTEIN 1 (DDB1) homolog. We further demonstrate that two tomato light signal transduction genes, LeHY5 and LeCOP1LIKE, are positive and negative regulators of fruit pigmentation, respectively. Down-regulated LeHY5 plants exhibit defects in light responses, including inhibited seedling photomorphogenesis, loss of thylakoid organization, and reduced carotenoid accumulation. In contrast, repression of LeCOP1LIKE expression results in plants with exaggerated photomorphogenesis, dark green leaves, and elevated fruit carotenoid levels. These results suggest genes encoding components of light signal transduction machinery also influence fruit pigmentation and represent genetic tools for manipulation of fruit quality and nutritional value. PMID:15178762

Dissipation of deltamethrin, triazophos, and endosulfan in ready mix formulations in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) and Egg plant (Solanum melongena L.).

PubMed

Mukherjee, Irani; Kumar, Ashok; Kumar, Aman

2015-09-01

Persistence of delltamethrin, endosulfan, and triazophos in egg plant and tomato was studied following application of two ready mix formulations of insecticides viz. deltametrhin and endosulfan (Cobra 5000; 0.75% deltamethrin + 29.5% endosulfan) and deltamethrin and triazophos (Annaconda Plus; 1% deltamethrin + 35% triazophos) at recommended (1.0 L/ha and double dose 2.0 L/ha). The residues of deltamethrin persisted till 7 and 5 days in tomato and egg plant fruits, respectively, in the ready mix formulation of Cobra 5000 whereas endosulfan persisted till 15 and 10 days in tomato and egg plant fruits, respectively. Dissipation of the insecticides followed first-order kinetics with half-life values of deltamethrin and endosulfan ranged from 2.6 to 4.7 and 1.4 to 1.7 days, respectively, for both the vegetables. In case of combination mix of deltamethrin and triazophos (Annaconda Plus), deltamethrin persisted beyond 5 days in both tomato and egg plant fruits, while triazophos persisted till 10 days in both the vegetables. Residues of deltamethrin and triazophos dissipated with half-life of 2.6-4.2 and 1.7-4.1 days, respectively, on tomato and egg plant fruits. Based on the Codex MRL limits, a safe waiting period of 5 and 3 days is suggested for tomato and egg plant, respectively, for the ready mix formulation of deltamethrin and endosulfan (Cobra 5000), and 5-day waiting period is suggested for tomato and egg plant for the combination mix of deltamethrin and triazophos.

Transgenic salt-tolerant tomato plants accumulate salt in foliage but not in fruit.

PubMed

Zhang, H X; Blumwald, E

2001-08-01

Transgenic tomato plants overexpressing a vacuolar Na+/H+ antiport were able to grow, flower, and produce fruit in the presence of 200 mM sodium chloride. Although the leaves accumulated high sodium concentrations, the tomato fruit displayed very low sodium content. Contrary to the notion that multiple traits introduced by breeding into crop plants are needed to obtain salt-tolerant plants, the modification of a single trait significantly improved the salinity tolerance of this crop plant. These results demonstrate that with a combination of breeding and transgenic plants it could be possible to produce salt-tolerant crops with far fewer target traits than had been anticipated. The accumulation of sodium in the leaves and not in the fruit demonstrates the utility of such a modification in preserving the quality of the fruit.

Confocal laser scanning microscopy detection of chlorophylls and carotenoids in chloroplasts and chromoplasts of tomato fruit.

PubMed

D'Andrea, Lucio; Amenós, Montse; Rodríguez-Concepción, Manuel

2014-01-01

Plant cells are unique among eukaryotic cells because of the presence of plastids, including chloroplasts and chromoplasts. Chloroplasts are found in green tissues and harbor the photosynthetic machinery (including chlorophyll molecules), while chromoplasts are present in non-photosynthetic tissues and accumulate large amounts of carotenoids. During tomato fruit development, chloroplasts are converted into chromoplasts that accumulate high levels of lycopene, a linear carotenoid responsible for the characteristic red color of ripe fruit. Here, we describe a simple and fast method to detect both types of fully differentiated plastids (chloroplasts and chromoplasts), as well as intermediate stages, in fresh tomato fruits. The method is based on the differential autofluorescence of chlorophylls and carotenoids (lycopene) detected by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy.

A physiological and genetic approach to the improvement of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. ) fruit soluble solids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Damon, S.E.

Physiological processes and the genetic basis determining soluble solids content (SSC) of processing tomato fruit were addressed. Analysis of ({sup 3}H)-(fructosyl)-sucrose translocation in tomato indicates that phloem unloading in the fruit occurs, at least in part, to the apoplast. Apoplastic sucrose, glucose and fructose concentrations were estimated as 1 to 7, 12 to 49 and 8 to 63 millimolar, respectively in tomato fruit pericarp. Short-term uptake of ({sup 14}C)sucrose, -glucose and -fructose in tomato pericarp discs showes first order kinetics over the physiologically relevant concentration range. The uptake of ({sup 14}C)-(glycosyl)-1{prime}fluorosucrose was identical to the rate of ({sup 14}C) sucrosemore » uptake suggesting sucrose may be taken up directly without prior extracellular hydrolysis. Short-term uptake of all three sugars was insensitive to 10 micromolar carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and to 10 micromolar p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonic acid. However, long-term accumulation of glucose was sensitive to carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. Sugar uptake across the plasmamembrane does not appear to be energy dependent, suggesting that sugar accumulation in the tomato is driven by subsequent intracellular metabolism and/or active uptake at the tonoplast. Fourteen genomic DNA probes and ten restriction endonucleases were used to identify restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) useful in the linkage analysis of quantitative trait loci controlling the expression of SSC in a segregating F{sub 2} population from a cross between L. esculentum (UC204B) and L. cheesmanii f. minor, a wild species with high fruit soluble solids. RFLPs were detected between the DNAs of the two tomato species with all 14 probes.« less

Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene on tomato flavour components, shelf life and decay as influenced by harvest maturity and storage temperature.

PubMed

Baldwin, Elizabeth; Plotto, Anne; Narciso, Jan; Bai, Jinhe

2011-04-01

In Florida, tomatoes are harvested green (GR), which includes mature green (MG) and immature green (IG) fruits, and stored at low temperature (13 °C), resulting in poor flavour. Flavour improvement might be achieved if fruits were harvested with some colour (to eliminate IG fruits) and/or stored at higher temperature with the ripening inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). 'Florida 47' tomatoes were harvested at GR (MG + IG), breaker (BR), turning (TR) and pink (PK) stages, treated (+) or not (-) with 1-MCP and stored at 13 and/or 18 °C. 1-MCP treatment resulted in a gain of up to 6 days of shelf life depending on harvest maturity and storage temperature. Storage at 18 °C rather than 13 °C resulted in an increase in internal red colour, soluble solids (SS)/titratable acidity (TA) ratio and levels of many volatiles studied. The shelf life of BR (+) MCP fruits stored at 13 °C was similar to that of MG fruits. IG fruits exhibited lowest levels of SS, TA and ten volatiles compared with BR fruits. Harvesting tomatoes with colour (BR), thereby eliminating IG fruits, and treating with 1-MCP resulted in better quality with adequate shelf life. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Published 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abnormal development of floral meristem triggers defective morphogenesis of generative system in transgenic tomatoes.

PubMed

Chaban, Inna; Khaliluev, Marat; Baranova, Ekaterina; Kononenko, Neonila; Dolgov, Sergey; Smirnova, Elena

2018-04-21

Parthenocarpy and fruit malformations are common among independent transgenic tomato lines, expressing genes encoding different pathogenesis-related (PR) protein and antimicrobal peptides. Abnormal phenotype developed independently of the expression and type of target genes, but distinctive features during flower and fruit development were detected in each transgenic line. We analyzed the morphology, anatomy, and cytoembryology of abnormal flowers and fruits from these transgenic tomato lines and compared them with flowers and fruits of wild tomatoes, line YaLF used for transformation, and transgenic plants with normal phenotype. We confirmed that the main cause of abnormal flower and fruit development was the alterations of determinate growth of generative meristem. These alterations triggered different types of anomalous growth, affecting the number of growing ectopic shoots and formation of new flowers. Investigation of the ovule ontogenesis did not show anomalies in embryo sac development, but fertilization did not occur and embryo sac degenerated. Nevertheless, the ovule continued to differentiate due to proliferation of endothelium cells. The latter substituted embryo sac and formed pseudoembryonic tissue. This process imitated embryogenesis and stimulated ovary growth, leading to the development of parthenocarpic fruit. We demonstrated that failed fertilization occurred due to defective male gametophyte formation, which was manifested in blocked division of the nucleus in the microspore and arrest of vegetative and generative cell formation. Maturing pollen grains were overgrown microspores, not competent for fertilization but capable to induce proliferation of endothelium and development of parthenocarpic ovary. Thus, our study provided new data on the structural transformations of reproductive organs during development of parthenocarpic fruits in transgenic tomato.

Suppression of 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase, which encodes a key enzyme in abscisic acid biosynthesis, alters fruit texture in transgenic tomato.

PubMed

Sun, Liang; Sun, Yufei; Zhang, Mei; Wang, Ling; Ren, Jie; Cui, Mengmeng; Wang, Yanping; Ji, Kai; Li, Ping; Li, Qian; Chen, Pei; Dai, Shengjie; Duan, Chaorui; Wu, Yan; Leng, Ping

2012-01-01

Cell wall catabolism during fruit ripening is under complex control and is key for fruit quality and shelf life. To examine the role of abscisic acid (ABA) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit ripening, we suppressed SlNCED1, which encodes 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of ABA. To suppress SlNCED1 specifically in tomato fruits, and thus avoid the pleiotropic phenotypes associated with ABA deficiency, we used an RNA interference construct driven by the fruit-specific E8 promoter. ABA accumulation and SlNCED1 transcript levels in the transgenic fruit were down-regulated to between 20% and 50% of the levels measured in the control fruit. This significant reduction in NCED activity led to a down-regulation in the transcription of genes encoding major cell wall catabolic enzymes, specifically polygalacturonase (SlPG), pectin methyl esterase (SlPME), β-galactosidase precursor mRNA (SlTBG), xyloglucan endotransglycosylase (SlXET), endo-1,4-β-cellulose (SlCels), and expansin (SlExp). This resulted in an increased accumulation of pectin during ripening. In turn, this led to a significant extension of the shelf life to 15 to 29 d compared with a shelf life of only 7 d for the control fruit and an enhancement of fruit firmness at the mature stage by 30% to 45%. In conclusion, ABA affects cell wall catabolism during tomato fruit ripening via down-regulation of the expression of major catabolic genes (SlPG, SlPME, SlTBG, SlXET, SlCels, and SlExp).

A cytochrome P450 regulates a domestication trait in cultivated tomato

PubMed Central

Chakrabarti, Manohar; Zhang, Na; Sauvage, Christopher; Muños, Stéphane; Blanca, Jose; Cañizares, Joaquin; Diez, Maria Jose; Schneider, Rhiannon; Mazourek, Michael; McClead, Jammi; Causse, Mathilde; van der Knaap, Esther

2013-01-01

Domestication of crop plants had effects on human lifestyle and agriculture. However, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms accompanying the changes in fruit appearance as a consequence of selection by early farmers. We report the fine mapping and cloning of a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit mass gene encoding the ortholog of KLUH, SlKLUH, a P450 enzyme of the CYP78A subfamily. The increase in fruit mass is predominantly the result of enlarged pericarp and septum tissues caused by increased cell number in the large fruited lines. SlKLUH also modulates plant architecture by regulating number and length of the side shoots, and ripening time, and these effects are particularly strong in plants that transgenically down-regulate SlKLUH expression carrying fruits of a dramatically reduced mass. Association mapping followed by segregation analyses revealed that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter of the gene is highly associated with fruit mass. This single polymorphism may potentially underlie a regulatory mutation resulting in increased SlKLUH expression concomitant with increased fruit mass. Our findings suggest that the allele giving rise to large fruit arose in the early domesticates of tomato and becoming progressively more abundant upon further selections. We also detected association of fruit weight with CaKLUH in chile pepper (Capsicum annuum) suggesting that selection of the orthologous gene may have occurred independently in a separate domestication event. Altogether, our findings shed light on the molecular basis of fruit mass, a key domestication trait in tomato and other fruit and vegetable crops. PMID:24082112

7 CFR 966.6 - Handler.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order Regulating... common or contract carrier transporting tomatoes for another person) who, as owner, agent, or otherwise, handles fresh tomatoes or causes fresh tomatoes to be handled. [33 FR 8585, June 12, 1968] ...

From root to fruit: RNA-Seq analysis shows that arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis may affect tomato fruit metabolism.

PubMed

Zouari, Inès; Salvioli, Alessandra; Chialva, Matteo; Novero, Mara; Miozzi, Laura; Tenore, Gian Carlo; Bagnaresi, Paolo; Bonfante, Paola

2014-03-21

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) establishes a beneficial symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. The formation of the mycorrhizal association in the roots leads to plant-wide modulation of gene expression. To understand the systemic effect of the fungal symbiosis on the tomato fruit, we used RNA-Seq to perform global transcriptome profiling on Moneymaker tomato fruits at the turning ripening stage. Fruits were collected at 55 days after flowering, from plants colonized with Funneliformis mosseae and from control plants, which were fertilized to avoid responses related to nutrient deficiency. Transcriptome analysis identified 712 genes that are differentially expressed in fruits from mycorrhizal and control plants. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of these genes showed 81 overrepresented functional GO classes. Up-regulated GO classes include photosynthesis, stress response, transport, amino acid synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism functions, suggesting a general impact of fungal symbiosis on primary metabolisms and, particularly, on mineral nutrition. Down-regulated GO classes include cell wall, metabolism and ethylene response pathways. Quantitative RT-PCR validated the RNA-Seq results for 12 genes out of 14 when tested at three fruit ripening stages, mature green, breaker and turning. Quantification of fruit nutraceutical and mineral contents produced values consistent with the expression changes observed by RNA-Seq analysis. This RNA-Seq profiling produced a novel data set that explores the intersection of mycorrhization and fruit development. We found that the fruits of mycorrhizal plants show two transcriptomic "signatures": genes characteristic of a climacteric fleshy fruit, and genes characteristic of mycorrhizal status, like phosphate and sulphate transporters. Moreover, mycorrhizal plants under low nutrient conditions produce fruits with a nutrient content similar to those from non-mycorrhizal plants under high nutrient conditions, indicating that AM fungi can help replace exogenous fertilizer for fruit crops.

Manipulating Sensory and Phytochemical Profiles of Greenhouse Tomatoes Using Environmentally Relevant Doses of Ultraviolet Radiation.

PubMed

Dzakovich, Michael P; Ferruzzi, Mario G; Mitchell, Cary A

2016-09-14

Fruits harvested from off-season, greenhouse-grown tomato plants have a poor reputation compared to their in-season, garden-grown counterparts. Presently, there is a gap in knowledge with regard to the role of UV-B radiation (280-315 nm) in determining greenhouse tomato quality. Knowing that UV-B is a powerful elicitor of secondary metabolism and not transmitted through greenhouse glass and some greenhouse plastics, we tested the hypothesis that supplemental UV-B radiation in the greenhouse will impart quality attributes typically associated with garden-grown tomatoes. Environmentally relevant doses of supplemental UV-B radiation did not strongly affect antioxidant compounds of fruits, although the flavonol quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (rutin) significantly increased in response to UV-B. Physicochemical metrics of fruit quality attributes and consumer sensory panels were used to determine if any such differences altered consumer perception of tomato quality. Supplemental UV-A radiation (315-400 nm) pre-harvest treatments enhanced sensory perception of aroma, acidity, and overall approval, suggesting a compelling opportunity to environmentally enhance the flavor of greenhouse-grown tomatoes. The expression of the genes COP1 and HY5 were indicative of adaptation to UV radiation, which explains the lack of marked effects reported in these studies. To our knowledge, these studies represent the first reported use of environmentally relevant doses of UV radiation throughout the reproductive portion of the tomato plant life cycle to positively enhance the sensory and chemical properties of fruits.

Metabolic Fingerprinting to Assess the Impact of Salinity on Carotenoid Content in Developing Tomato Fruits

PubMed Central

Van Meulebroek, Lieven; Hanssens, Jochen; Steppe, Kathy; Vanhaecke, Lynn

2016-01-01

As the presence of health-promoting substances has become a significant aspect of tomato fruit appreciation, this study investigated nutrient solution salinity as a tool to enhance carotenoid accumulation in cherry tomato fruit (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Juanita). Hereby, a key objective was to uncover the underlying mechanisms of carotenoid metabolism, moving away from typical black box research strategies. To this end, a greenhouse experiment with five salinity treatments (ranging from 2.0 to 5.0 decisiemens (dS) m−1) was carried out and a metabolomic fingerprinting approach was applied to obtain valuable insights on the complicated interactions between salinity treatments, environmental conditions, and the plant’s genetic background. Hereby, several hundreds of metabolites were attributed a role in the plant’s salinity response (at the fruit level), whereby the overall impact turned out to be highly depending on the developmental stage. In addition, 46 of these metabolites embraced a dual significance as they were ascribed a prominent role in carotenoid metabolism as well. Based on the specific mediating actions of the retained metabolites, it could be determined that altered salinity had only marginal potential to enhance carotenoid accumulation in the concerned tomato fruit cultivar. This study invigorates the usefulness of metabolomics in modern agriculture, for instance in modeling tomato fruit quality. Moreover, the metabolome changes that were caused by the different salinity levels may enclose valuable information towards other salinity-related plant processes as well. PMID:27240343

Transcriptional Activity of the MADS Box ARLEQUIN/TOMATO AGAMOUS-LIKE1 Gene Is Required for Cuticle Development of Tomato Fruit1

PubMed Central

Giménez, Estela; Dominguez, Eva; Pineda, Benito; Heredia, Antonio; Moreno, Vicente; Angosto, Trinidad

2015-01-01

Fruit development and ripening entail key biological and agronomic events, which ensure the appropriate formation and dispersal of seeds and determine productivity and yield quality traits. The MADS box gene ARLEQUIN/TOMATO AGAMOUS-LIKE1 (hereafter referred to as TAGL1) was reported as a key regulator of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) reproductive development, mainly involved in flower development, early fruit development, and ripening. It is shown here that silencing of the TAGL1 gene (RNA interference lines) promotes significant changes affecting cuticle development, mainly a reduction of thickness and stiffness, as well as a significant decrease in the content of cuticle components (cutin, waxes, polysaccharides, and phenolic compounds). Accordingly, overexpression of TAGL1 significantly increased the amount of cuticle and most of its components while rendering a mechanically weak cuticle. Expression of the genes involved in cuticle biosynthesis agreed with the biochemical and biomechanical features of cuticles isolated from transgenic fruits; it also indicated that TAGL1 participates in the transcriptional control of cuticle development mediating the biosynthesis of cuticle components. Furthermore, cell morphology and the arrangement of epidermal cell layers, on whose activity cuticle formation depends, were altered when TAGL1 was either silenced or constitutively expressed, indicating that this transcription factor regulates cuticle development, probably through the biosynthetic activity of epidermal cells. Our results also support cuticle development as an integrated event in the fruit expansion and ripening processes that characterize fleshy-fruited species such as tomato. PMID:26019301

Stable genetic transformation of tomato plastids and expression of a foreign protein in fruit.

PubMed

Ruf, S; Hermann, M; Berger, I J; Carrer, H; Bock, R

2001-09-01

Transgenic chloroplasts offer unique advantages in plant biotechnology, including high-level foreign protein expression, absence of epigenetic effects, and gene containment due to the lack of transgene transmission through pollen. However, broad application of plastid genome engineering in biotechnology has been largely hampered by both the lack of chloroplast transformation systems for major crop plants and the usually low plastid gene expression levels in nongreen tissues such as fruits, tubers, and other storage organs. Here we describe the development of a plastid transformation system for tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum. This is the first report on the generation of fertile transplastomic plants in a food crop with an edible fruit. We show that chromoplasts in the tomato fruit express the transgene to approximately 50% of the expression levels in leaf chloroplasts. Given the generally very high foreign protein accumulation rates that can be achieved in transgenic chloroplasts (>40% of the total soluble protein), this system paves the way to efficient production of edible vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and antibodies in tomato.

Feasibility in multispectral imaging for predicting the content of bioactive compounds in intact tomato fruit.

PubMed

Liu, Changhong; Liu, Wei; Chen, Wei; Yang, Jianbo; Zheng, Lei

2015-04-15

Tomato is an important health-stimulating fruit because of the antioxidant properties of its main bioactive compounds, dominantly lycopene and phenolic compounds. Nowadays, product differentiation in the fruit market requires an accurate evaluation of these value-added compounds. An experiment was conducted to simultaneously and non-destructively measure lycopene and phenolic compounds content in intact tomatoes using multispectral imaging combined with chemometric methods. Partial least squares (PLS), least squares-support vector machines (LS-SVM) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) were applied to develop quantitative models. Compared with PLS and LS-SVM, BPNN model considerably improved the performance with coefficient of determination in prediction (RP(2))=0.938 and 0.965, residual predictive deviation (RPD)=4.590 and 9.335 for lycopene and total phenolics content prediction, respectively. It is concluded that multispectral imaging is an attractive alternative to the standard methods for determination of bioactive compounds content in intact tomatoes, providing a useful platform for infield fruit sorting/grading. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of antioxidant components of tomato using VIS-NIR reflectance data by handheld portable spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szuvandzsiev, Péter; Helyes, Lajos; Lugasi, Andrea; Szántó, Csongor; Baranowski, Piotr; Pék, Zoltán

2014-10-01

Processing tomato production represents an important part of the total production of processed vegetables in the world. The quality characteristics of processing tomato, important for the food industry, are soluble solids content and antioxidant content (such as lycopene and polyphenols) of the fruit. Analytical quantification of these components is destructive, time and labour consuming. That is why researchers try to develop a non-destructive and rapid method to assess those quality parameters. The present study reports the suitability of a portable handheld visible near infrared spectrometer to predict soluble solids, lycopene and polyphenol content of tomato fruit puree. Spectral ranges of 500-1000 nm were directly acquired on fruit puree of five different tomato varieties using a FieldSpec HandHeld 2™ Portable Spectroradiometer. Immediately after spectral measurement, each fruit sample was analysed to determine soluble solids, lycopene and polyphenol content. Partial least square regressions were carried out to create models of prediction between spectral data and the values obtained from the analytical results. The accuracy of the predictions was analysed according to the coefficient of determination value (R2), the root mean square error of calibration/ cross-validation.

7 CFR 966.130 - Application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Rules and... requested; and facts demonstrating that the tomatoes, for which exemption is requested, were adversely... tomatoes for which exemption is requested, the location where such tomatoes are to be prepared for market...

Products Released from Enzymically Active Cell Wall Stimulate Ethylene Production and Ripening in Preclimacteric Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Fruit 1

PubMed Central

Brecht, Jeffrey K.; Huber, Donald J.

1988-01-01

Enzymically active cell wall from ripe tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit pericarp release uronic acids through the action of wall-bound polygalacturonase. The potential involvement of products of wall hydrolysis in the induction of ethylene synthesis during tomato ripening was investigated by vacuum infiltrating preclimacteric (green) fruit with solutions containing pectin fragments enzymically released from cell wall from ripe fruit. Ripening initiation was accelerated in pectin-infiltrated fruit compared to control (buffer-infiltrated) fruit as measured by initiation of climacteric CO2 and ethylene production and appearance of red color. The response to infiltration was maximum at a concentration of 25 micrograms pectin per fruit; higher concentrations (up to 125 micrograms per fruit) had no additional effect. When products released from isolated cell wall from ripe pericarp were separated on Bio-Gel P-2 and specific size classes infiltrated into preclimacteric fruit, ripening-promotive activity was found only in the larger (degree of polymerization >8) fragments. Products released from pectin derived from preclimacteric pericarp upon treatment with polygalacturonase from ripe pericarp did not stimulate ripening when infiltrated into preclimacteric fruit. PMID:16666417

[Effects of bagging on the microenvironment, yield and quality of overwintering tomato].

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Xu, Kun; Bei, Feng; Gao, Fang-Sheng

2007-04-01

Taking overwintering tomato variety "L402" as test material, this paper studied the effects of bagging with different texture bags on its fruit enlarging and quality, and the microenvironment within the bags. The results showed that bagging could change the microenvironment of fruit development, promote fruit maturing in advance, and improve fruit mass and quality. The light intensity and humidity in parchment bag were at the intermediate of those in plastic and no-spinning cloth bags, and the temperature was the highest among all treatments, except that it was lower than that in plastic bag at forenoon. The fruit enlarging rate in parchment bag was also the highest, and the single fruit mass increased by 15.34%, compared with the control. However, the fruit soluble solid, soluble sugar, and vitamine C contents and the sugar/acid ratio in all bagging treatments were lower than those of the control, suggesting that bagging debased the nutritive quality and the tastiness of tomato fruit. Due to the fact that bagging prevented the direct contact of fruit with pesticides, the fruit chlorpyrifos and betacypermethrin contents in parchment and plastic bags were lower than the control, except that the chlorpyrifos content in no-spinning cloth bag was higher.

Effects of cultivar, fruit number and reflected photosynthetically active radiation on Fragaria x ananassa productivity and fruit ellagic acid and ascorbic acid concentrations.

PubMed

Atkinson, C J; Dodds, P A A; Ford, Y Y; Le Mière, J; Taylor, J M; Blake, P S; Paul, N

2006-03-01

A number of strawberry varieties were surveyed for their total ellagic acid concentration, and attempts were made to determine if ellagic acid and ascorbic acid concentrations of two strawberry cultivars could be increased by polythene reflective mulches. After adjusting crop yields and cultivation using polythene mulches with two different PAR reflective capacities, field- and polytunnel-grown strawberries were analysed for ellagic acid and ascorbic acid concentrations by HPLC. Comparative measurements of yield and fruit quality were determined along with plant developmental changes. Ellagic acid concentration varied widely with strawberry cultivar (60-341 microg g(-1) frozen weight), as did the ratio of conjugated ellagic acid : free ellagic acid. Also, there was significant year-to-year variation in total ellagic acid concentration with some cultivars. Mulches with different reflective capacities impacted on strawberry production; highly reflective mulches significantly increased growth and yield, the latter due to increases in fruit size and number. Highly reflective mulches significantly increased total concentrations of ellagic acid and ascorbic acid relative to control in fruit of different cultivars. The potential of agronomic practices to enhance the concentration and amounts of these important dietary bioactive compounds is discussed.

Factors That Affect Proliferation of Salmonella in Tomatoes Post-Harvest: The Roles of Seasonal Effects, Irrigation Regime, Crop and Pathogen Genotype

PubMed Central

Marvasi, Massimiliano; Hochmuth, George J.; Giurcanu, Mihai C.; George, Andrée S.; Noel, Jason T.; Bartz, Jerry; Teplitski, Max

2013-01-01

Main Objectives Fresh fruits and vegetables become increasingly recognized as vehicles of human salmonellosis. Physiological, ecological, and environmental factors are all thought to contribute to the ability of Salmonella to colonize fruits and vegetables pre- and post-harvest. The goal of this study was to test how irrigation levels, fruit water congestion, crop and pathogen genotypes affect the ability of Salmonella to multiply in tomatoes post-harvest. Experimental Design Fruits from three tomato varieties, grown over three production seasons in two Florida locations, were infected with seven strains of Salmonella and their ability to multiply post-harvest in field-grown tomatoes was tested. The field experiments were set up as a two-factor factorial split plot experiment, with the whole-plot treatments arranged in a randomized complete-block design. The irrigation treatment (at three levels) was the whole-plot factor, and the split-plot factor was tomato variety, with three levels. The significance of the main, two-way, and three-way interaction effects was tested using the (type III) F-tests for fixed effects. Mean separation for each significant fixed effect in the model was performed using Tukey’s multiple comparison testing procedure. Most Important Discoveries and Significance The irrigation regime per se did not affect susceptibility of the crop to post-harvest proliferation of Salmonella. However, Salmonella grew significantly better in water-congested tissues of green tomatoes. Tomato maturity and genotype, Salmonella genotype, and inter-seasonal differences were the strongest factors affecting proliferation. Red ripe tomatoes were significantly and consistently more conducive to proliferation of Salmonella. Tomatoes harvested in the driest, sunniest season were the most conducive to post-harvest proliferation of the pathogen. Statistically significant interactions between production conditions affected post-harvest susceptibility of the crop to the pathogen. UV irradiation of tomatoes post-harvest promoted Salmonella growth. PMID:24324640

Synergistic effects of plant defense elicitors and Trichoderma harzianum on enhanced induction of antioxidant defense system in tomato against Fusarium wilt disease.

PubMed

Zehra, Andleeb; Meena, Mukesh; Dubey, Manish Kumar; Aamir, Mohd; Upadhyay, R S

2017-11-02

Plant defense against their pathogens can be induced by a complex network of different inducers. The present study investigates the synergistic effect of Trichoderma harzianum, exogenous salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) over the response and regulation of the antioxidant defense mechanisms and lipid peroxidation in tomato plants against Fusarium wilt disease. In the present work, tomato plants were infected by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici 3 days after inoculated with T. harzianum and/or sprayed daily for 3 days with chemical inducers (SA and MeJA). Plants were analysed at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. Infection of tomato plants by pathogen led to strong reduction in the dry weight of roots and shoots with the enhanced concentration of H 2 O 2 and varying degree of lipid peroxidation. Concurrently, exogenous SA, when applied with pathogen greatly enhanced H 2 O 2 content as well as activities of antioxidant enzymes except catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APx). The pathogen challenged plants pretreated with T. harzianum and MeJA together exhibited less lipid peroxidation and as well as the elevated level of ascorbic acid and enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes. All applied treatments protected tomato seedlings against Fusarium wilt disease but the percentage of protection was found higher in plants pretreated with the combination of T. harzianum and chemical inducers.

Tomato fruit carotenoid biosynthesis is adjusted to actual ripening progression by a light-dependent mechanism.

PubMed

Llorente, Briardo; D'Andrea, Lucio; Ruiz-Sola, M Aguila; Botterweg, Esther; Pulido, Pablo; Andilla, Jordi; Loza-Alvarez, Pablo; Rodriguez-Concepcion, Manuel

2016-01-01

Carotenoids are isoprenoid compounds that are essential for plants to protect the photosynthetic apparatus against excess light. They also function as health-promoting natural pigments that provide colors to ripe fruit, promoting seed dispersal by animals. Work in Arabidopsis thaliana unveiled that transcription factors of the phytochrome-interacting factor (PIF) family regulate carotenoid gene expression in response to environmental signals (i.e. light and temperature), including those created when sunlight reflects from or passes though nearby vegetation or canopy (referred to as shade). Here we show that PIFs use a virtually identical mechanism to modulate carotenoid biosynthesis during fruit ripening in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). However, instead of integrating environmental information, PIF-mediated signaling pathways appear to fulfill a completely new function in the fruit. As tomatoes ripen, they turn from green to red due to chlorophyll breakdown and carotenoid accumulation. When sunlight passes through the flesh of green fruit, a self-shading effect within the tissue maintains high levels of PIFs that directly repress the master gene of the fruit carotenoid pathway, preventing undue production of carotenoids. This effect is attenuated as chlorophyll degrades, causing degradation of PIF proteins and boosting carotenoid biosynthesis as ripening progresses. Thus, shade signaling components may have been co-opted in tomato fruit to provide information on the actual stage of ripening (based on the pigment profile of the fruit at each moment) and thus finely coordinate fruit color change. We show how this mechanism may be manipulated to obtain carotenoid-enriched fruits. © 2015 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biostimulants from food processing by-products: agronomic, quality and metabolic impacts on organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.).

PubMed

Abou Chehade, Lara; Al Chami, Ziad; De Pascali, Sandra Angelica; Cavoski, Ivana; Fanizzi, Francesco Paolo

2018-03-01

Biostimulants have recently gained increased attention due to their multiple benefits for sustainable agriculture. In this study, three food processing by-products - fennel processing residues (FPR), lemon processing residues (LPR) and brewer's spent grain (BSG) - were investigated as potential sources of biostimulants. Their aqueous extracts as individual and associated applications were assessed for their effects on agronomic, quality and metabolic performance of organic tomato in comparison to extract of humic substances (HS) and untreated control (CTRL). Only FPR extracts stimulated shoot growth and tomato dry matter content, whereas all candidates improved tomato yield. FPR and BSG increased fruit mineral content and BSG-FPR-LPR in combination enhanced titratable acidity. FPR-treated fruits had also 20% more vitamin C than CTRL, and higher phenol content was obtained in those of BSG-LPR. Fruit metabolomic profile showed the tendency of all extracts, except BSG-LPR, to increase tomato citric acid and to decrease β-glucose and methanol concentrations. The analysis revealed accordingly the indispensable role of FPR in combined applications for inducing an HS-like response in fruits. The results were indicative of the biostimulant activity of these extracts and demonstrated them, particularly FPR, as promising candidates for enhancing plant productivity and fruit quality. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Gr and hp-1 tomato mutants unveil unprecedented interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and fruit ripening.

PubMed

Chialva, Matteo; Zouari, Inès; Salvioli, Alessandra; Novero, Mara; Vrebalov, Julia; Giovannoni, James J; Bonfante, Paola

2016-07-01

Systemic responses to an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus reveal opposite phenological patterns in two tomato ripening mutants depending whether ethylene or light reception is involved. The availability of tomato ripening mutants has revealed many aspects of the genetics behind fleshy fruit ripening, plant hormones and light signal reception. Since previous analyses revealed that arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis influences tomato berry ripening, we wanted to test the hypothesis that an interplay might occur between root symbiosis and fruit ripening. With this aim, we screened seven tomato mutants affected in the ripening process for their responsiveness to the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae. Following their phenological responses we selected two mutants for a deeper analysis: Green ripe (Gr), deficient in fruit ethylene perception and high-pigment-1 (hp-1), displaying enhanced light signal perception throughout the plant. We investigated the putative interactions between ripening processes, mycorrhizal establishment and systemic effects using biochemical and gene expression tools. Our experiments showed that both mutants, notwithstanding a normal mycorrhizal phenotype at root level, exhibit altered arbuscule functionality. Furthermore, in contrast to wild type, mycorrhization did not lead to a higher phosphate concentration in berries of both mutants. These results suggest that the mutations considered interfere with arbuscular mycorrhiza inducing systemic changes in plant phenology and fruits metabolism. We hypothesize a cross talk mechanism between AM and ripening processes that involves genes related to ethylene and light signaling.

7 CFR 966.60 - Inspection and certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order... handling of tomatoes is regulated pursuant to this subpart no handler shall handle tomatoes unless such tomatoes have been inspected and certified as meeting the requirements of this subpart by an authorized...

Selenium delays tomato fruit ripening by inhibiting ethylene biosynthesis and enhancing the antioxidant defense system.

PubMed

Zhu, Zhu; Chen, Yanli; Shi, Guoqing; Zhang, Xueji

2017-03-15

The antioxidant activity of selenium (Se) detoxifies reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants and animals. In the present study, we elucidated the mechanism underlying Se induced fruit development and ripening. Our study showed that foliar pretreatment with 1mgL -1 sodium selenate effectively delayed fruit ripening and maintained fruit quality. Gene expression studies revealed that the repression of ethylene biosynthetic genes 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase and ACC oxidase decreased ethylene production and respiration rate. Moreover, Se treatment probably boosted the antioxidant defense system to reduce ROS generation and membrane damage. The enhanced antioxidative effect was attributed to higher glutathione content and increased activity of enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. The upregulation of respiratory burst oxidase homologue genes in tomato fruit may also contribute to the enhanced antioxidative effect. Selenium treatment represents a promising strategy for delaying ripening and extending the shelf life of tomato fruit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional characterization of an invertase inhibitor gene involved in sucrose metabolism in tomato fruit.

PubMed

Zhang, Ning; Jiang, Jing; Yang, Yan-li; Wang, Zhi-he

2015-10-01

In this study, we produced tomato plants overexpressing an invertase inhibitor gene (Sly-INH) from tomato, using a simple and efficient transient transformation system. Compared with control plants, the expression of Sly-INH was highly upregulated in Sly-INH overexpressing plants, as indicated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Physiological analysis revealed that Sly-INH inhibited the activity of cell wall invertase (CWIN), which increased sugar accumulation in tomato fruit. Furthermore, Sly-INH mediated sucrose metabolism by regulating CWIN activity. Our results suggest that invertase activity is potentially regulated by the Sly-INH inhibitor at the post-translational level, and they demonstrate that the transient transformation system is an effective method for determining the functions of genes in tomato.

Steady-state kinetics of substrate binding and iron release in tomato ACC oxidase.

PubMed

Thrower, J S; Blalock, R; Klinman, J P

2001-08-14

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (ACC oxidase) catalyzes the last step in the biosynthetic pathway of the plant hormone, ethylene. This unusual reaction results in the oxidative ring cleavage of 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylate (ACC) into ethylene, cyanide, and CO2 and requires ferrous ion, ascorbate, and molecular oxygen for catalysis. A new purification procedure and assay method have been developed for tomato ACC oxidase that result in greatly increased enzymatic activity. This method allowed us to determine the rate of iron release from the enzyme and the effect of the activator, CO2, on this rate. Initial velocity studies support an ordered kinetic mechanism where ACC binds first followed by O2; ascorbate can bind after O2 or possibly before ACC. This kinetic mechanism differs from one recently proposed for the ACC oxidase from avocado.

First report of Colletotrichum nigrum causing anthracnose disease on tomato fruit in New Jersey

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Anthracnose fruit rot is one of the most serious diseases affecting the production of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in the United States and is typically incited by Colletotrichum coccodes, C. gloeosporioides or C. dematium (Farr and Rossman 2016). During the summer of 2013, symptoms characteris...

Uniform ripening (U) encodes a Golden 2-like transcription factor regulating tomato fruit chloroplast development

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Modern tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) varieties are bred for recessive uniform ripening (u) light green fruit phenotypes to facilitate maturity determinations without information about the underlying gene. We show that U encodes a Golden 2-like (GLK) transcription factor, SlGLK2, which determines the...

21 CFR 150.160 - Fruit preserves and jams.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Fruit preserves and jams. 150.160 Section 150.160... jams. (a) The preserves or jams for which definitions and standards of identity are prescribed by this..., Pineapple, Raspberry, red raspberry, Rhubarb, Strawberry, Tangerine, Tomato, Yellow tomato, Youngberry Group...

Higher accumulation of proteinase inhibitors in flowers than leaves and fruits as a possible basis for differential feeding preference of Helicoverpa armigera on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill, Cv. Dhanashree).

PubMed

Damle, Mrunal S; Giri, Ashok P; Sainani, Mohini N; Gupta, Vidya S

2005-11-01

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, Mill; cultivar- Dhanashree) proteinase inhibitors (PIs) were tested for their trypsin inhibitory (TI) and Helicoverpa armigera gut proteinases inhibitory (HGPI) activity in different organs of the tomato plants. Analysis of TI and HGPI distribution in various parts of the plant showed that flowers accumulated about 300 and 1000 times higher levels of TI while 700 and 400 times higher levels of HGPI as compared to those in leaves and fruits, respectively. Field observation that H. armigera larvae infest leaves and fruits but not the flowers could be at least partially attributed to the protective role-played by the higher levels of PIs in the flower tissue. Tomato PIs inhibited about 50-80% HGP activity of H. armigera larvae feeding on various host plants including tomato, of larvae exposed to non-host plant PIs and of various larval instars. Tomato PIs were found to be highly stable to insect proteinases wherein incubation of inhibitor with HGP even for 3h at optimum conditions did not affect inhibitory activity. Bioassay using H. armigera larvae fed on artificial diet containing tomato PIs revealed adverse effect on larval growth, pupae development, adult formation and fecundity.

Expression of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) genes and XET activity in ethylene treated apple and tomato fruits.

PubMed

Muñoz-Bertomeu, J; Miedes, E; Lorences, E P

2013-09-01

Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTHs: EC 2.4.1.207 and/or EC 3.2.1.151), a xyloglucan modifying enzyme, has been proposed to have a role during tomato and apple fruit ripening by loosening the cell wall. Since the ripening of climacteric fruits is controlled by endogenous ethylene biosynthesis, we wanted to study whether XET activity was ethylene-regulated, and if so, which specific genes encoding ripening-regulated XTH genes were indeed ethylene-regulated. XET specific activity in tomato and apple fruits was significantly increased by the ethylene treatment, as compared with the control fruits, suggesting an increase in the XTH gene expression induced by ethylene. The 25 SlXTH protein sequences of tomato and the 11 sequences MdXTH of apple were phylogenetically analyzed and grouped into three major clades. The SlXTHs genes with highest expression during ripening were SlXTH5 and SlXTH8 from Group III-B, and in apple MdXTH2, from Group II, and MdXTH10, and MdXTH11 from Group III-B. Ethylene was involved in the regulation of the expression of different SlXTH and MdXTH genes during ripening. In tomato fruit fifteen different SlXTH genes showed an increase in expression after ethylene treatment, and the SlXTHs that were ripening associated were also ethylene dependent, and belong to Group III-B (SlXTH5 and SlXTH8). In apple fruit, three MdXTH showed an increase in expression after the ethylene treatment and the only MdXTH that was ripening associated and ethylene dependent was MdXTH10 from Group III-B. The results indicate that XTH may play an important role in fruit ripening and a possible relationship between XTHs from Group III-B and fruit ripening, and ethylene regulation is suggested. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Positive and negative regulatory regions control the spatial distribution of polygalacturonase transcription in tomato fruit pericarp.

PubMed Central

Montgomery, J; Pollard, V; Deikman, J; Fischer, R L

1993-01-01

The tomato fruit consists of a thick, fleshy pericarp composed predominantly of highly vacuolated parenchymatous cells, which surrounds the seeds. During ripening, the activation of gene expression results in dramatic biochemical and physiological changes in the pericarp. The polygalacturonase (PG) gene, unlike many fruit ripening-induced genes, is not activated by the increase in ethylene hormone concentration associated with the onset of ripening. To investigate ethylene concentration-independent gene transcription in ripe tomato fruit, we analyzed the expression of chimeric PG promoter-beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene fusions in transgenic tomato plants. We determined that a 1.4-kb PG promoter directs ripening-regulated transcription in outer pericarp but not in inner pericarp cells, with a sharp boundary of PG promoter activity located midway through the pericarp. Promoter deletion analysis indicated that a minimum of three promoter regions influence the spatial regulation of PG transcription. A positive regulatory region from -231 to -134 promotes gene transcription in the outer pericarp of ripe fruit. A second positive regulatory region from -806 to -443 extends gene activity to the inner pericarp. However, a negative regulatory region from -1411 to -1150 inhibits gene transcription in the inner pericarp. DNase I footprint analysis showed that nuclear proteins in unripe and ripe fruit interact with DNA sequences within each of these three regulatory regions. Thus, temporal and spatial control of PG transcription is mediated by the interaction of negative and positive regulatory promoter elements, resulting in gene activity in the outer pericarp but not the inner pericarp of ripe tomato fruit. The expression pattern of PG suggests that, although they are morphologically similar, there is a fundamental difference between the parenchymatous cells within the inner and outer pericarp. PMID:8400876

Cell wall glycosidase activities and protein content variations during fruit development and ripening in three texture contrasted tomato cultivars

PubMed Central

Konozy, Emadeldin H.E.; Causse, Mathilde; Faurobert, Mireille

2012-01-01

Excessive softening is the main factor limiting fruit shelf life and storage. It is generally acceptable now that softening of fruit which occurs during the ripening is due to synergistic actions of several enzymes on cell wall polysaccharides. As a subject for this study, we have assayed some glycosidase activities using three tomato species (Lycopersicon esculentum) contrasted for their texture phenotypes; the cherry tomato line Cervil (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme), a common taste tomato line Levovil (S. lycopersicum Mill.) and VilB a modern line, large, firmer and with good storage capability. Four glycosidase activities namely α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase, β-mannosidase and β-glucosidase were extracted from tomato’s cell wall of the three species. Cell wall protein from fruits pericarp was extracted and compared among the three cultivars at the following stages; 14 days post anthesis (14DPA) fruit; 21 days post anthesis (21DPA), turning (breaker), red and over ripe. When glycolytic activities were also compared among these cultivars at the precited development stages, gross variations were noticed from stage to stage and also from species to species in accordance with the fruit firmness status. Interestingly, VilB cultivar, the firmer among the other two, though possessed the highest total protein content, exhibited the lowest enzymatic activities. Taken together, these results may therefore allow us to conclude that studies of glycolytic activities in a single tomato cultivar cannot be generalized to all species. On the other hand, relating fruit development to glycosidase activities should logically be coupled to these enzymes from cell wall compartment. PMID:23961187

Abscisic acid and sucrose regulate tomato and strawberry fruit ripening through the abscisic acid-stress-ripening transcription factor.

PubMed

Jia, Haifeng; Jiu, Songtao; Zhang, Cheng; Wang, Chen; Tariq, Pervaiz; Liu, Zhongjie; Wang, Baoju; Cui, Liwen; Fang, Jinggui

2016-10-01

Although great progress has been made towards understanding the role of abscisic acid (ABA) and sucrose in fruit ripening, the mechanisms underlying the ABA and sucrose signalling pathways remain elusive. In this study, transcription factor ABA-stress-ripening (ASR), which is involved in the transduction of ABA and sucrose signalling pathways, was isolated and analysed in the nonclimacteric fruit, strawberry and the climacteric fruit, tomato. We have identified four ASR isoforms in tomato and one in strawberry. All ASR sequences contained the ABA stress- and ripening-induced proteins and water-deficit stress-induced proteins (ABA/WDS) domain and all ASR transcripts showed increased expression during fruit development. The expression of the ASR gene was influenced not only by sucrose and ABA, but also by jasmonic acid (JA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and these four factors were correlated with each other during fruit development. ASR bound the hexose transporter (HT) promoter, which contained a sugar box that activated downstream gene expression. Overexpression of the ASR gene promoted fruit softening and ripening, whereas RNA interference delayed fruit ripening, as well as affected fruit physiological changes. Change in ASR gene expression influenced the expression of several ripening-related genes such as CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR, ANS, UFGT, PG, PL, EXP1/2, XET16, Cel1/2 and PME. Taken together, this study may provide new evidence on the important role of ASR in cross-signalling between ABA and sucrose to regulate tomato and strawberry fruit ripening. The findings of this study also provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism underlying fruit development. © 2016 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Suppression of 9-cis-Epoxycarotenoid Dioxygenase, Which Encodes a Key Enzyme in Abscisic Acid Biosynthesis, Alters Fruit Texture in Transgenic Tomato1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Sun, Liang; Sun, Yufei; Zhang, Mei; Wang, Ling; Ren, Jie; Cui, Mengmeng; Wang, Yanping; Ji, Kai; Li, Ping; Li, Qian; Chen, Pei; Dai, Shengjie; Duan, Chaorui; Wu, Yan; Leng, Ping

2012-01-01

Cell wall catabolism during fruit ripening is under complex control and is key for fruit quality and shelf life. To examine the role of abscisic acid (ABA) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit ripening, we suppressed SlNCED1, which encodes 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of ABA. To suppress SlNCED1 specifically in tomato fruits, and thus avoid the pleiotropic phenotypes associated with ABA deficiency, we used an RNA interference construct driven by the fruit-specific E8 promoter. ABA accumulation and SlNCED1 transcript levels in the transgenic fruit were down-regulated to between 20% and 50% of the levels measured in the control fruit. This significant reduction in NCED activity led to a down-regulation in the transcription of genes encoding major cell wall catabolic enzymes, specifically polygalacturonase (SlPG), pectin methyl esterase (SlPME), β-galactosidase precursor mRNA (SlTBG), xyloglucan endotransglycosylase (SlXET), endo-1,4-β-cellulose (SlCels), and expansin (SlExp). This resulted in an increased accumulation of pectin during ripening. In turn, this led to a significant extension of the shelf life to 15 to 29 d compared with a shelf life of only 7 d for the control fruit and an enhancement of fruit firmness at the mature stage by 30% to 45%. In conclusion, ABA affects cell wall catabolism during tomato fruit ripening via down-regulation of the expression of major catabolic genes (SlPG, SlPME, SlTBG, SlXET, SlCels, and SlExp). PMID:22108525

Identification of Genes in the Phenylalanine Metabolic Pathway by Ectopic Expression of a MYB Transcription Factor in Tomato Fruit[W

PubMed Central

Dal Cin, Valeriano; Tieman, Denise M.; Tohge, Takayuki; McQuinn, Ryan; de Vos, Ric C.H.; Osorio, Sonia; Schmelz, Eric A.; Taylor, Mark G.; Smits-Kroon, Miriam T.; Schuurink, Robert C.; Haring, Michel A.; Giovannoni, James; Fernie, Alisdair R.; Klee, Harry J.

2011-01-01

Altering expression of transcription factors can be an effective means to coordinately modulate entire metabolic pathways in plants. It can also provide useful information concerning the identities of genes that constitute metabolic networks. Here, we used ectopic expression of a MYB transcription factor, Petunia hybrida ODORANT1, to alter Phe and phenylpropanoid metabolism in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits. Despite the importance of Phe and phenylpropanoids to plant and human health, the pathway for Phe synthesis has not been unambiguously determined. Microarray analysis of ripening fruits from transgenic and control plants permitted identification of a suite of coregulated genes involved in synthesis and further metabolism of Phe. The pattern of coregulated gene expression facilitated discovery of the tomato gene encoding prephenate aminotransferase, which converts prephenate to arogenate. The expression and biochemical data establish an arogenate pathway for Phe synthesis in tomato fruits. Metabolic profiling and 13C flux analysis of ripe fruits further revealed large increases in the levels of a specific subset of phenylpropanoid compounds. However, while increased levels of these human nutrition-related phenylpropanoids may be desirable, there were no increases in levels of Phe-derived flavor volatiles. PMID:21750236

Magnitude of genotype x environment interactions affecting tomato fruit quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There is a growing interest by consumers to purchase fresh tomato with improved quality traits including lycopene, total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C and titratable acid (TA) content. Therefore, there are considerable efforts by tomato breeders to improve tomato for these traits. However, suitabl...

Potential Use of a Weak Ethylene Receptor Mutant, Sletr1-2, as Breeding Material To Extend Fruit Shelf Life of Tomato.

PubMed

Mubarok, Syariful; Okabe, Yoshihiro; Fukuda, Naoya; Ariizumi, Tohru; Ezura, Hiroshi

2015-09-16

Mutations in the ethylene receptor gene (SlETR1), Sletr1-1 and Sletr1-2, are effective in reducing ethylene sensitivity and improving fruit shelf life. In this study the effect of Sletr1-1 and Sletr1-2 mutations was investigated in F1 hybrid lines. These two mutants and control were crossed with four commercial pure-line tomatoes. The Sletr1-1 mutation showed undesirable pleiotropic effects in the F1 hybrid lines. The Sletr1-2 mutation was effective in improving fruit shelf life of F1 hybrid lines for 4-5 days longer. It was also effective in improving fruit firmness without change in fruit size, ethylene production, respiration rate, and total soluble solids or a great reduction in fruit color, lycopene, and β-carotene, although the titratable acidity was increased by Sletr1-2 mutation. These results indicate that the Sletr1-2 mutant allele has the potential to improve fruit shelf life via incorporation in tomato breeding programs.

An E8 promoter-HSP terminator cassette promotes the high-level accumulation of recombinant protein predominantly in transgenic tomato fruits: a case study of miraculin.

PubMed

Kurokawa, Natsuko; Hirai, Tadayoshi; Takayama, Mariko; Hiwasa-Tanase, Kyoko; Ezura, Hiroshi

2013-04-01

The E8 promoter-HSP terminator expression cassette is a powerful tool for increasing the accumulation of recombinant protein in a ripening tomato fruit. Strong, tissue-specific transgene expression is a desirable feature in transgenic plants to allow the production of variable recombinant proteins. The expression vector is a key tool to control the expression level and site of transgene and recombinant protein expression in transgenic plants. The combination of the E8 promoter, a fruit-ripening specific promoter, and a heat shock protein (HSP) terminator, derived from heat shock protein 18.2 of Arabidopsis thaliana, produces the strong and fruit-specific accumulation of recombinant miraculin in transgenic tomato. Miraculin gene expression was driven by an E8 promoter and HSP terminator cassette (E8-MIR-HSP) in transgenic tomato plants, and the miraculin concentration was the highest in the ripening fruits, representing 30-630 μg miraculin of the gram fresh weight. The highest level of miraculin concentration among the transgenic tomato plant lines containing the E8-MIR-HSP cassette was approximately four times higher than those observed in a previous study using a constitutive 35S promoter and NOS terminator cassette (Hiwasa-Tanase et al. in Plant Cell Rep 30:113-124, 2011). These results demonstrate that the combination of the E8 promoter and HSP terminator cassette is a useful tool to increase markedly the accumulation of recombinant proteins in a ripening fruit-specific manner.

Reduced levels of NADH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase decrease the glutamate content of ripe tomato fruit but have no effect on green fruit or leaves.

PubMed

Ferraro, Gisela; D'Angelo, Matilde; Sulpice, Ronan; Stitt, Mark; Valle, Estela M

2015-06-01

Glutamate (Glu) is a taste enhancer that contributes to the characteristic flavour of foods. In fruit of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), the Glu content increases dramatically during the ripening process, becoming the most abundant free amino acid when the fruit become red. There is also a concomitant increase in NADH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity during the ripening transition. This enzyme is located in the mitochondria and catalyses the reversible amination of 2-oxoglutarate to Glu. To investigate the potential effect of GDH on Glu metabolism, the abundance of GDH was altered by artificial microRNA technology. Efficient silencing of all the endogenous SlGDH genes was achieved, leading to a dramatic decrease in total GDH activity. This decrease in GDH activity did not lead to any clear morphological or metabolic phenotype in leaves or green fruit. However, red fruit on the transgenic plants showed markedly reduced levels of Glu and a large increase in aspartate, glucose and fructose content in comparison to wild-type fruit. These results suggest that GDH is involved in the synthesis of Glu in tomato fruit during the ripening processes. This contrasts with the biological role ascribed to GDH in many other tissues and species. Overall, these findings suggest that GDH has a major effect on the control of metabolic composition during tomato fruit ripening, but not at other stages of development. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Pick and Eat Crop Testing: Dwarf Tomato and Pepper as Candidate Space Crops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, R. M.; Massa, G. D.; Stutte, G. W.; Spencer, L. E.; Hummerick, M. E.; Sirmons, T.; Douglas, G. L.

2016-01-01

Dwarf tomato and pepper plants were grown in controlled environment chambers to assess their potential as space crops for supplementing the crew's diet. Six cultivars of each species were compared in initial tests and then down-selected to three cultivars of each. Initial selection criteria included fruit yield, growth height, and nutritional value. Following completion of a second production test with the three best performing cultivars, sample fruits of both tomato and peppers were then assessed for acceptance using tasting panels. Based on the criteria considered in these studies, Red Robin tomato and Pompeii pepper were recommended for consideration for use in space.

Ascorbic Acid Determination in Commercial Fruit Juice Samples by Cyclic Voltammetry

PubMed Central

Pisoschi, Aurelia Magdalena; Danet, Andrei Florin; Kalinowski, Slawomir

2008-01-01

A method was developed for assessing ascorbic acid concentration in commercial fruit juice by cyclic voltammetry. The anodic oxidation peak for ascorbic acid occurs at about 490 mV on a Pt disc working electrode (versus SCE). The influence of the potential sweep speed on the peak height was studied. The obtained calibration graph shows a linear dependence between peak height and ascorbic acid concentration in the domain (0.1–10 mmol·L−1). The equation of the calibration graph was y = 6.391x + 0.1903 (where y represents the value of intensity measured for the anodic peak height, expressed as μA and x the analyte concentration, as mmol·L−1, r2 = 0.9995, r.s.d. = 1.14%, n = 10, Cascorbic acid = 2 mmol·L−1). The developed method was applied to ascorbic acid assessment in fruit juice. The ascorbic acid content determined ranged from 0.83 to 1.67 mmol·L−1 for orange juice, from 0.58 to 1.93 mmol·L−1 for lemon juice, and from 0.46 to 1.84 mmol·L−1 for grapefruit juice. Different ascorbic acid concentrations (from standard solutions) were added to the analysed samples, the degree of recovery being comprised between 94.35% and 104%. Ascorbic acid determination results obtained by cyclic voltammetry were compared with those obtained by the volumetric method with dichlorophenol indophenol. The results obtained by the two methods were in good agreement. PMID:19343183

The pineapple AcMADS1 promoter confers high level expression in tomato and arabidopsis flowering and fruiting tissues, but AcMADS1 does not complement the tomato LeMADS-RIN (rin) mutant

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A previous EST study identified a MADS box transcription factor coding sequence, AcMADS1, that is strongly induced during non-climacteric pineapple fruit ripening. Phylogenetic analyses place the AcMADS1 protein in the same superclade as LeMADS-RIN, a master regulator of fruit ripening upstream of e...

Induction of AGAMOUS gene expression plays a key role in ripening of tomato sepals in vitro.

PubMed

Ishida, B K; Jenkins, S M; Say, B

1998-03-01

In vitro culture of VFNT Cherry tomato sepals (calyx) at 16-21 degrees C results in developmental changes that are similar to those that occur in fruit tissue [10]. Sepals become swollen, red, and succulent, produce ethylene, and have increased levels of polygalacturonase RNA. They also produce many flavor volatiles characteristic of ripe tomato fruit and undergo similar changes in sugar content [11]. We examined the expression of the tomato AGAMOUS gene, TAG1, in ripening, in vitro sepal cultures and other tissues from the plant and found that TAG1 RNA accumulates to higher levels than expected from data from other plants. Contrary to reports on the absence of AGAMOUS in sepals, TAG1 RNA levels in green sepals from greenhouse-grown plants is detectable, its concentration increasing with in vitro ripening to levels that were even higher than in red, ripe fruit. Sepals of fruit on transgenic tomato plants that expressed TAG1 ectopically were induced by low temperature to ripen in vivo, producing lycopene and undergoing cell wall softening as is characteristic of pericarpic tissue. We therefore propose that the induction of elevated TAG1 gene expression plays a key role in developmental changes that result in sepal ripening.

Tomato GDSL1 Is Required for Cutin Deposition in the Fruit Cuticle[C][W

PubMed Central

Girard, Anne-Laure; Mounet, Fabien; Lemaire-Chamley, Martine; Gaillard, Cédric; Elmorjani, Khalil; Vivancos, Julien; Runavot, Jean-Luc; Quemener, Bernard; Petit, Johann; Germain, Véronique; Rothan, Christophe; Marion, Didier; Bakan, Bénédicte

2012-01-01

The plant cuticle consists of cutin, a polyester of glycerol, hydroxyl, and epoxy fatty acids, covered and filled by waxes. While the biosynthesis of cutin building blocks is well documented, the mechanisms underlining their extracellular deposition remain unknown. Among the proteins extracted from dewaxed tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) peels, we identified GDSL1, a member of the GDSL esterase/acylhydrolase family of plant proteins. GDSL1 is strongly expressed in the epidermis of growing fruit. In GDSL1-silenced tomato lines, we observed a significant reduction in fruit cuticle thickness and a decrease in cutin monomer content proportional to the level of GDSL1 silencing. A significant decrease of wax load was observed only for cuticles of the severely silenced transgenic line. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis of isolated cutins revealed a reduction in cutin density in silenced lines. Indeed, FTIR-attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy imaging showed that drastic GDSL1 silencing leads to a reduction in ester bond cross-links and to the appearance of nanopores in tomato cutins. Furthermore, immunolabeling experiments attested that GDSL1 is essentially entrapped in the cuticle proper and cuticle layer. These results suggest that GDSL1 is specifically involved in the extracellular deposition of the cutin polyester in the tomato fruit cuticle. PMID:22805434

Tomato GDSL1 is required for cutin deposition in the fruit cuticle.

PubMed

Girard, Anne-Laure; Mounet, Fabien; Lemaire-Chamley, Martine; Gaillard, Cédric; Elmorjani, Khalil; Vivancos, Julien; Runavot, Jean-Luc; Quemener, Bernard; Petit, Johann; Germain, Véronique; Rothan, Christophe; Marion, Didier; Bakan, Bénédicte

2012-07-01

The plant cuticle consists of cutin, a polyester of glycerol, hydroxyl, and epoxy fatty acids, covered and filled by waxes. While the biosynthesis of cutin building blocks is well documented, the mechanisms underlining their extracellular deposition remain unknown. Among the proteins extracted from dewaxed tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) peels, we identified GDSL1, a member of the GDSL esterase/acylhydrolase family of plant proteins. GDSL1 is strongly expressed in the epidermis of growing fruit. In GDSL1-silenced tomato lines, we observed a significant reduction in fruit cuticle thickness and a decrease in cutin monomer content proportional to the level of GDSL1 silencing. A significant decrease of wax load was observed only for cuticles of the severely silenced transgenic line. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis of isolated cutins revealed a reduction in cutin density in silenced lines. Indeed, FTIR-attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy imaging showed that drastic GDSL1 silencing leads to a reduction in ester bond cross-links and to the appearance of nanopores in tomato cutins. Furthermore, immunolabeling experiments attested that GDSL1 is essentially entrapped in the cuticle proper and cuticle layer. These results suggest that GDSL1 is specifically involved in the extracellular deposition of the cutin polyester in the tomato fruit cuticle.

Characterization of antioxidant enzymes and peroxisomes of olive (Olea europaea L.) fruits.

PubMed

Lopez-Huertas, Eduardo; del Río, Luis A

2014-10-15

The presence of peroxisomes in olive (Olea europaea L.) fruits and different antioxidant enzymes occurring in this plant tissue is reported for the first time. Ultrastructural analysis showed that olive cells were characterized by the presence of large vacuoles and lipid drops. Plastids, mitochondria and peroxisomes were placed near the cell wall, showing some type of association with it. Olive fruit peroxisomes were purified by sucrose density-gradient centrifugation, and catalase, glutathione reductase and ascorbate peroxidase were found in peroxisomes. In olive fruit tissue the presence of a battery of antioxidant enzymes was demonstrated, including catalase, four superoxide dismutase isozymes (mainly an Fe-SOD plus 2 Cu,Zn-SOD and a Mn-SOD), all the enzymes of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle, reduced and oxidized glutathione, ascorbate, and four NADPH-recycling dehydrogenases. The knowledge of the full composition of antioxidants (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) in olive fruits is crucial to be able to understand the processes regulating the antioxidant composition of olive oil. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of incorporating citric acid in cassava starch edible coatings to preserve quality of Martha tomatoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambarsari, I.; Oktaningrum, G. N.; Endrasari, R.

2018-01-01

Tomato as an agricultural product is extremely perishable. Coatings of tomatoes with edible starch extend quality and storage life of the fruits. Incorporation of citric acid as antimicrobial agent in the edible starch coatings is expected to preserve the quality of tomatoes during storage. The aim of this study was to verify the effectiveness of citric acid incorporated in cassava starch coating to preserve quality of tomatoes. The edible coatings formula consisted of cassava starch solutions (1; 2; 3%), citric acid (0.5; 1.0%) and glycerol (10%). Tomatoes were dipped to the coating solution for 10 seconds, then air-dried and stored at room temperature during 18 days. All the treatments were carried out in triplicates. Experimental data were analyzed using One Way ANOVA. The results showed that coating treatments did not affect the weight loss, moisture content, color characteristic, carotene and vitamin C content on Martha tomatoes. The low concentration of starch coating on Martha tomatoes are indicated to be the reason why there was no significant difference between coated and coated tomatoes for some parameters. However, incorporating citric acid in cassava starch-based coatings could prevent tomato fruits from firmness reduction and spoilage during storage.

Effects of Al3+ and La3+ trivalent metal ions on tomato fruit proteomes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) ripening process from mature green (MG) to turning and then to red stages is accompanied by the occurrences of physiological and biochemical reactions, which ultimately result in the formation of the flavor, color and texture of ripe fruits. The two trivalent metal ...

Tomatoes in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

BioServe researcher Dr. Yi Li first flew plant experiments on board STS-63. Li discovered that exposure to microgravity increased a particular hormone concentration in plants. Since that time, Li has been able to manipulate this phenomenon and grow fruits, such as tomatoes, that overproduce the hormone, and these plants bear larger seedless fruit in the absence of pollination.

Gr and hp-1 tomato mutants unveil unprecedented interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and fruit ripening

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The roots of plants interact with soil mycorrhizal fungi to facilitate soil nutrient acquisition by the plant and carbon transfer to the fungus. Here we use tomato fruit ripening mutations to demonstrate that this root interaction communicates with and supports genetic mechanisms associated with th...

Function of antioxidant enzymes and metabolites during maturation of pea fruits.

PubMed

Matamoros, Manuel A; Loscos, Jorge; Dietz, Karl-Josef; Aparicio-Tejo, Pedro M; Becana, Manuel

2010-01-01

In plant cells, antioxidants keep reactive oxygen species at low concentrations, avoiding oxidative damage while allowing them to play crucial functions in signal transduction. However, little is known about the role of antioxidants during fruit maturation, especially in legumes. Snap pea (Pisum sativum) plants, which have edible fruits, were grown under nodulating and non-nodulating conditions. Fruits were classified in three maturity stages and antioxidants were determined in the seeds and seedless pods. Maturation or prolonged storage of fruits at 25 degrees C led to a decline in antioxidant activities and metabolites and in gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase protein. Notable exceptions were superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione peroxidase protein, which increased in one or both of these processes. During maturation, cytosolic peroxiredoxin decreased in seeds but increased in pods, and ascorbate oxidase activity was largely reduced in seeds. In stored fruits, ascorbate oxidase activity was nearly abolished in seeds but doubled in pods. It is concluded that symbiotic nitrogen fixation is as effective as nitrogen fertilization in maintaining the antioxidant capacity of pea fruits and that, contrary to climacteric fruits, a general decrease in antioxidants during maturation does not involve oxidative stress. Results underscore the importance of the antioxidant system in reproductive organs and point to ascorbate-glutathione metabolism and cytosolic peroxiredoxin as key players in pea fruit development.

H2O2 mediates ALA-induced glutathione and ascorbate accumulation in the perception and resistance to oxidative stress in Solanum lycopersicum at low temperatures.

PubMed

Liu, Tao; Hu, Xiaohui; Zhang, Jiao; Zhang, Junheng; Du, Qingjie; Li, Jianming

2018-02-15

Low temperature is a crucial factor influencing plant growth and development. The chlorophyll precursor, 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is widely used to improve plant cold tolerance. However, the interaction between H 2 O 2 and cellular redox signaling involved in ALA-induced resistance to low temperature stress in plants remains largely unknown. Here, the roles of ALA in perceiving and regulating low temperature-induced oxidative stress in tomato plants, together with the roles of H 2 O 2 and cellular redox states, were characterized. Low concentrations (10-25 mg·L - 1 ) of ALA enhanced low temperature-induced oxidative stress tolerance of tomato seedlings. The most effective concentration was 25 mg·L - 1 , which markedly increased the ratio of reduced glutathione and ascorbate (GSH and AsA), and enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione reductase. Furthermore, gene expression of respiratory burst oxidase homolog1 and H 2 O 2 content were upregulated with ALA treatment under normal conditions. Treatment with exogenous H 2 O 2 , GSH, and AsA also induced plant tolerance to oxidative stress at low temperatures, while inhibition of GSH and AsA syntheses significantly decreased H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress tolerance. Meanwhile, scavenging or inhibition of H 2 O 2 production weakened, but did not eliminate, GSH- or AsA- induced tomato plant tolerance to oxidative stress at low temperatures. Appropriate concentrations of ALA alleviated the low temperature-induced oxidative stress in tomato plants via an antioxidant system. The most effective concentration was 25 mg·L - 1 . The results showed that H 2 O 2 induced by exogenous ALA under normal conditions is crucial and may be the initial step for perception and signaling transmission, which then improves the ratio of GSH and AsA. GSH and AsA may then interact with H 2 O 2 signaling, resulting in enhanced antioxidant capacity in tomato plants at low temperatures.

Genomic analyses provide insights into the history of tomato breeding.

PubMed

Lin, Tao; Zhu, Guangtao; Zhang, Junhong; Xu, Xiangyang; Yu, Qinghui; Zheng, Zheng; Zhang, Zhonghua; Lun, Yaoyao; Li, Shuai; Wang, Xiaoxuan; Huang, Zejun; Li, Junming; Zhang, Chunzhi; Wang, Taotao; Zhang, Yuyang; Wang, Aoxue; Zhang, Yancong; Lin, Kui; Li, Chuanyou; Xiong, Guosheng; Xue, Yongbiao; Mazzucato, Andrea; Causse, Mathilde; Fei, Zhangjun; Giovannoni, James J; Chetelat, Roger T; Zamir, Dani; Städler, Thomas; Li, Jingfu; Ye, Zhibiao; Du, Yongchen; Huang, Sanwen

2014-11-01

The histories of crop domestication and breeding are recorded in genomes. Although tomato is a model species for plant biology and breeding, the nature of human selection that altered its genome remains largely unknown. Here we report a comprehensive analysis of tomato evolution based on the genome sequences of 360 accessions. We provide evidence that domestication and improvement focused on two independent sets of quantitative trait loci (QTLs), resulting in modern tomato fruit ∼100 times larger than its ancestor. Furthermore, we discovered a major genomic signature for modern processing tomatoes, identified the causative variants that confer pink fruit color and precisely visualized the linkage drag associated with wild introgressions. This study outlines the accomplishments as well as the costs of historical selection and provides molecular insights toward further improvement.

Harvest maturity and post-processing dip to improve quality of fresh-cut carambola fruit

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

'Arkin' carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) fruit harvested at color break or full yellow stage were washed with or without an alkaline solution (pH 13.5), cut to 1 cm thick slices, dipped in calcium ascorbate (Ca ASA), ascorbic acid (ASA) or water, and packaged in perforated clamshells for up to 14 d...

Effect of Post-Infiltration Soil Aeration at Different Growth Stages on Growth and Fruit Quality of Drip-Irrigated Potted Tomato Plants (Solanum lycopersicum)

PubMed Central

Li, Yuan; Jia, Zongxia; Niu, Wenquan; Wang, Jingwei; Zhang, Mingzhi

2015-01-01

Soil hydraulic principles suggest that post-infiltration hypoxic conditions would be induced in the plant root-zone for drip-irrigated tomato production in small pots filled with natural soil. No previous study specifically examined the response of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) at different growth stages to low soil aeration under these conditions. A 2 × 6 factorial experiment was conducted to quantify effects of no post-infiltration soil aeration versus aeration during 5 different periods (namely 27–33, 34–57, 58–85, 86–99, and 27–99 days after sowing), on growth and fruit quality of potted single tomato plants that were sub-surface trickle-irrigated every 2 days at 2 levels. Soil was aerated by injecting 2.5 liters of air into each pot through the drip tubing immediately after irrigation. Results showed that post-infiltration aeration, especially during the fruit setting (34–57 DAS) and enlargement (58–85 DAS) growth stages, can positively influence the yield, root dry weight and activity, and the nutritional (soluble solids and vitamin C content), taste (titratable acidity), and market quality (shape and firmness) of the tomato fruits. Interactions between irrigation level and post-infiltration aeration on some of these fruit quality parameters indicated a need for further study on the dynamic interplay of air and water in the root zone of the plants under the conditions of this experiment. PMID:26630675

Effect of Post-Infiltration Soil Aeration at Different Growth Stages on Growth and Fruit Quality of Drip-Irrigated Potted Tomato Plants (Solanum lycopersicum).

PubMed

Li, Yuan; Jia, Zongxia; Niu, Wenquan; Wang, Jingwei; Zhang, Mingzhi

2015-01-01

Soil hydraulic principles suggest that post-infiltration hypoxic conditions would be induced in the plant root-zone for drip-irrigated tomato production in small pots filled with natural soil. No previous study specifically examined the response of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) at different growth stages to low soil aeration under these conditions. A 2 × 6 factorial experiment was conducted to quantify effects of no post-infiltration soil aeration versus aeration during 5 different periods (namely 27-33, 34-57, 58-85, 86-99, and 27-99 days after sowing), on growth and fruit quality of potted single tomato plants that were sub-surface trickle-irrigated every 2 days at 2 levels. Soil was aerated by injecting 2.5 liters of air into each pot through the drip tubing immediately after irrigation. Results showed that post-infiltration aeration, especially during the fruit setting (34-57 DAS) and enlargement (58-85 DAS) growth stages, can positively influence the yield, root dry weight and activity, and the nutritional (soluble solids and vitamin C content), taste (titratable acidity), and market quality (shape and firmness) of the tomato fruits. Interactions between irrigation level and post-infiltration aeration on some of these fruit quality parameters indicated a need for further study on the dynamic interplay of air and water in the root zone of the plants under the conditions of this experiment.

Effect of Application Propolis as Biocoating on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Tomatoes Stored at Room Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

E Putra, R.; Khairannisa, S.; Kinasih, I.

2017-03-01

Tomatoes is considered as one of important horticulture commodities which highly consume by Indonesia consumer. However, this horticulture product is perishable with high rate which reduce quantity and quality of marketable products. One of the method could be used to prevent this problem by application of edible biocoating. In this study, various concentration of ethanolic propolis extract was applied to tomatoes in order to find the effect of propolis coating in tomato preservation and best concentration for application. Tomatoes were grouped into 5 group, namely control group (no coating application), ethanol group (tomato wash with ethanol), and application group (coated with 5%, 10%, and 15% propolis). Variables observed during study were weight change, fruit firmness, total soluble solute, vitamin C, and lycopene. All tomatoes were kept in room temperature for 14 days and observation conducted every 2 days. Result showed that application of 10% propolis as biocoating reduced rate of weight loss and maintained fruit firmness while other variables relatively unaffected by propolis coating.

Phenolic content and antioxidant and antimutagenic activities in tomato peel, seeds, and byproducts.

PubMed

Valdez-Morales, Maribel; Espinosa-Alonso, Laura Gabriela; Espinoza-Torres, Libia Citlali; Delgado-Vargas, Francisco; Medina-Godoy, Sergio

2014-06-11

The phenolic content and antioxidant and antimutagenic activities from the peel and seeds of different tomato types (grape, cherry, bola and saladette type), and simulated tomato industrial byproducts, were studied. Methanolic extracts were used to quantify total phenolic content, groups of phenolic compounds, antioxidant activities, and the profile of phenolic compounds (by HPLC-DAD). Antimutagenic activity was determined by Salmonella typhimurium assay. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of tomato and tomato byproducts were comparable or superior to those previously reported for whole fruit and tomato pomace. Phenolic compounds with important biological activities, such as caffeic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acids, quercetin-3-β-O-glycoside, and quercetin, were quantified. Differences in all phenolic determinations due to tomato type and part of the fruit analyzed were observed, peel from grape type showing the best results. Positive antimutagenic results were observed in all samples. All evaluated materials could be used as a source of potential nutraceutical compounds.

Tomato Fruits-A Platform for Metabolic Engineering of Terpenes.

PubMed

Gutensohn, M; Dudareva, N

2016-01-01

Terpenoids are a large and diverse class of plant metabolites including mono-, sesqui-, and diterpenes. They have numerous functions in basic physiological processes as well as the interaction of plants with their biotic and abiotic environment. Due to the tight regulation of biosynthetic pathways and the resulting limited natural availability of terpenes, there is a strong interest in increasing their production in plants by metabolic engineering for agricultural, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications. The tomato fruit system was developed as a platform for metabolic engineering of terpenes to overcome detrimental effects on overall plant growth and photosynthesis traits, which are affected when terpenoid engineering is performed in vegetative tissues. Here we describe how the use of fruit-specific promoters for transgene expression can avoid these unwanted effects. In addition, targeting the expression of the introduced terpene biosynthetic gene to fruit tissue can take advantage of the large precursor pool provided by the methylerythritol-phosphate (MEP) pathway, which is highly active during tomato fruit ripening to facilitate the accumulation of carotenoids. We also discuss how the production of high levels of target terpene compounds can be achieved in fruits by the expression of individual or a combination of (i) the MEP or mevalonic acid pathway enzymes, (ii) prenyltransferases, and/or (iii) terpene synthases. Finally, we provide a brief outline of how the emitted as well as internal pools of terpenes can be analyzed in transgenic tomato fruits. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Yields and Nutritional of Greenhouse Tomato in Response to Different Soil Aeration Volume at two depths of Subsurface drip irrigation

PubMed Central

Li, Yuan; Niu, Wenquan; Dyck, Miles; Wang, Jingwei; Zou, Xiaoyang

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effects of 4 aeration levels (varied by injection of air to the soil through subsurface irrigation lines) at two subsurface irrigation line depths (15 and 40 cm) on plant growth, yield and nutritional quality of greenhouse tomato. In all experiments, fruit number, width and length, yield, vitamin C, lycopene and sugar/acid ratio of tomato markedly increased in response to the aeration treatments. Vitamin C, lycopene, and sugar/acid ratio increased by 41%, 2%, and 43%, respectively, in the 1.5 times standard aeration volume compared with the no-aeration treatment. An interaction between aeration level and depth of irrigation line was also observed with yield, fruit number, fruit length, vitamin C and sugar/acid ratio of greenhouse tomato increasing at each aeration level when irrigation lines were placed at 40 cm depth. However, when the irrigation lines were 15 cm deep, the trend of total fruit yields, fruit width, fruit length and sugar/acid ratio first increased and then decreased with increasing aeration level. Total soluble solids and titrable acid decreased with increasing aeration level both at 15 and 40 cm irrigation line placement. When all of the quality factors, yields and economic benefit are considered together, the combination of 40 cm line depth and “standard” aeration level was the optimum combination. PMID:27995970

7 CFR 966.10 - Grade and size.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order... tomatoes and size means any one of the established sizes of tomatoes as defined and set forth in U.S. Standards for Fresh Tomatoes (§§ 51.1855 to 51.1877 of this title or U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh...

Cold plasma reduces Salmonella on sliced roma tomatoes: efficacy of air versus nitrogen

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A rapid, waterless, contact-free method of decontamination for tomatoes and tomato slices is of interest to processors and the food service industry. Cold plasma is a novel antimicrobial treatment for fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. Slices of Roma tomatoes were spot inoculated with three ...

Comparison of Coconut Coir, Rockwool, and Peat Cultivations for Tomato Production: Nutrient Balance, Plant Growth and Fruit Quality.

PubMed

Xiong, Jing; Tian, Yongqiang; Wang, Jingguo; Liu, Wei; Chen, Qing

2017-01-01

Rockwool (RC) and peat are two common substrates used worldwide in horticultural crop production. In recent years environmental and ecological concerns raised the demand for reducing the use of RC and peat. Although coconut coir (CC) has been increasingly used as an alternative to RC and peat, it is still needed to comprehensively evaluate the feasibility of CC before widely used. To meet this need, CC, RC, and peat-vermiculite (PVC) cultivations were used as tomato cultivation substrates to evaluate their effects on EC, pH and mineral ions in root-zone solution and drainage, nutrient uptake by crops, nutrient balance of cultivation system, plant growth and fruit quality. In general, CC significantly increased K and S uptake by crops, photosynthesis, individual fruit weight and total fruit yield compared to RC, and increased P and K uptake by crops and total fruit yield compared to PVC. Moreover, CC significantly increased organic acid of fruit in first truss compared to both RC and PVC. The uncredited nutrient was overally lower under CC than under RC and PVC (the lower, the better). For all substrates, the blossom-end rot (BER) of fruit increased gradually from 3rd to 13th trusses. The BER of fruit was not significantly influenced by CC compared to RC or PVC, but was sginificantly decreased by PVC compared to RC. Our results infer that CC was a potential substrate that could be widely used in tomato production. However, the inhibition of BER was still a challenge when CC was used as cultivation substrate for tomato.

Comparison of Coconut Coir, Rockwool, and Peat Cultivations for Tomato Production: Nutrient Balance, Plant Growth and Fruit Quality

PubMed Central

Xiong, Jing; Tian, Yongqiang; Wang, Jingguo; Liu, Wei; Chen, Qing

2017-01-01

Rockwool (RC) and peat are two common substrates used worldwide in horticultural crop production. In recent years environmental and ecological concerns raised the demand for reducing the use of RC and peat. Although coconut coir (CC) has been increasingly used as an alternative to RC and peat, it is still needed to comprehensively evaluate the feasibility of CC before widely used. To meet this need, CC, RC, and peat-vermiculite (PVC) cultivations were used as tomato cultivation substrates to evaluate their effects on EC, pH and mineral ions in root-zone solution and drainage, nutrient uptake by crops, nutrient balance of cultivation system, plant growth and fruit quality. In general, CC significantly increased K and S uptake by crops, photosynthesis, individual fruit weight and total fruit yield compared to RC, and increased P and K uptake by crops and total fruit yield compared to PVC. Moreover, CC significantly increased organic acid of fruit in first truss compared to both RC and PVC. The uncredited nutrient was overally lower under CC than under RC and PVC (the lower, the better). For all substrates, the blossom-end rot (BER) of fruit increased gradually from 3rd to 13th trusses. The BER of fruit was not significantly influenced by CC compared to RC or PVC, but was sginificantly decreased by PVC compared to RC. Our results infer that CC was a potential substrate that could be widely used in tomato production. However, the inhibition of BER was still a challenge when CC was used as cultivation substrate for tomato. PMID:28824665

ABA-deficiency results in reduced plant and fruit size in tomato.

PubMed

Nitsch, L; Kohlen, W; Oplaat, C; Charnikhova, T; Cristescu, S; Michieli, P; Wolters-Arts, M; Bouwmeester, H; Mariani, C; Vriezen, W H; Rieu, I

2012-06-15

Abscisic acid (ABA) deficient mutants, such as notabilis and flacca, have helped elucidating the role of ABA during plant development and stress responses in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). However, these mutants have only moderately decreased ABA levels. Here we report on plant and fruit development in the more strongly ABA-deficient notabilis/flacca (not/flc) double mutant. We observed that plant growth, leaf-surface area, drought-induced wilting and ABA-related gene expression in the different genotypes were strongly correlated with the ABA levels and thus most strongly affected in the not/flc double mutants. These mutants also had reduced fruit size that was caused by an overall smaller cell size. Lower ABA levels in fruits did not correlate with changes in auxin levels, but were accompanied by higher ethylene evolution rates. This suggests that in a wild-type background ABA stimulates cell enlargement during tomato fruit growth via a negative effect on ethylene synthesis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Solid-State (13)C NMR Delineates the Architectural Design of Biopolymers in Native and Genetically Altered Tomato Fruit Cuticles.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Subhasish; Matas, Antonio J; Isaacson, Tal; Kehlet, Cindie; Rose, Jocelyn K C; Stark, Ruth E

2016-01-11

Plant cuticles on outer fruit and leaf surfaces are natural macromolecular composites of waxes and polyesters that ensure mechanical integrity and mitigate environmental challenges. They also provide renewable raw materials for cosmetics, packaging, and coatings. To delineate the structural framework and flexibility underlying the versatile functions of cutin biopolymers associated with polysaccharide-rich cell-wall matrices, solid-state NMR spectra and spin relaxation times were measured in a tomato fruit model system, including different developmental stages and surface phenotypes. The hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance of the cutin ensures compatibility with the underlying polysaccharide cell walls; the hydroxy fatty acid structures of outer epidermal cutin also support deposition of hydrophobic waxes and aromatic moieties while promoting the formation of cell-wall cross-links that rigidify and strengthen the cuticle composite during fruit development. Fruit cutin-deficient tomato mutants with compromised microbial resistance exhibit less efficient local and collective biopolymer motions, stiffening their cuticular surfaces and increasing their susceptibility to fracture.

Influence of Sirocco in tomato production in Gran Canaria Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gascó, G.; Saa, A.; Tarquis, A. M.; Gascó, J. M.; Díaz, M. C.

2010-05-01

Sirocco is a wind that comes from the Southwest of Africa. This wind produces dusty dry conditions (relative moisture lower than 40%) and its duration may last several days. These conditions can accelerate the fruit maturation with adverse effect over the fruit quality which can reduce farm incomes. The objective of this work is to study the influence of Sirocco wind in tomato production in Gran Canaria. For this purpose, the possible effect of Sirocco in tomato production variation were studied in seven agricultural cooperatives using the data supplied by State Agrarian Insurance Body (ENESA) for a period of 14 years. Results showed that a cumulative normal distribution presented the better fitness with the tomato production data.

In vitro food production for isolated closed environments: formation of ripe tomato fruits from excised flower buds.

PubMed

Applewhite, P B; K-Sawhney, R; Galston, A W

1997-01-01

Excised preanthesis flower buds of young Pixie Hybrid tomato plants develop into red ripe fruits in aseptic culture on a modified Murashige-Skoog medium with 3% sucrose at pH 5.8. The addition of certain synthetic auxins (IAA, NAA, IBA), auxin precursors (ISA), or cytokinins (KIN, IPA, ZEA, BAP) to the medium improved the percentage of buds developing into fruits, the weight of the ripe fruits, or both. The best results were obtained by an auxin-cytokinin combination of 10 microM IBA with 1 microM BAP. Storage of the excised buds at low temperature (6 degrees C) for up to 4 weeks before transfer to 27 degrees C caused only minimal deterioration in size and number of the fruit crop. Extension of low-temperature storage to 8 weeks produced smaller fruits that took longer to develop. This system could produce fresh, ripe small tomatoes on a sustained basis for up to 2 months for an isolated environment such as a space vehicle or submarine.

Silencing of SlPL, which encodes a pectate lyase in tomato, confers enhanced fruit firmness, prolonged shelf-life and reduced susceptibility to grey mould.

PubMed

Yang, Lu; Huang, Wei; Xiong, Fangjie; Xian, Zhiqiang; Su, Deding; Ren, Maozhi; Li, Zhengguo

2017-12-01

Pectate lyase genes have been documented as excellent candidates for improvement of fruit firmness. However, implementation of pectate lyase in regulating fruit postharvest deterioration has not been fully explored. In this report, 22 individual pectate lyase genes in tomato were identified, and one pectate lyase gene SlPL (Solyc03g111690) showed dominant expression during fruit maturation. RNA interference of SlPL resulted in enhanced fruit firmness and changes in pericarp cells. More importantly, the SlPL-RNAi fruit demonstrated greater antirotting and pathogen-resisting ability. Compared to wild-type, SlPL-RNAi fruit had higher levels of cellulose and hemicellulose, whereas the level of water-soluble pectin was lower. Consistent with this, the activities of peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase were higher in SlPL-RNAi fruit, and the malondialdehyde concentration was lower. RNA-Seq results showed large amounts of differentially expressed genes involved in hormone signalling, cell wall modification, oxidative stress and pathogen resistance. Collectively, these data demonstrate that pectate lyase plays an important role in both fruit softening and pathogen resistance. This may advance knowledge of postharvest fruit preservation in tomato and other fleshy fruit. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A field-grown transgenic tomato line expressing higher levels of polyamines reveals legume cover crop mulch-specific perturbations in fruit phenotype at the levels of metabolite profiles, gene expression, and agronomic characteristics.

PubMed

Neelam, Anil; Cassol, Tatiana; Mehta, Roshni A; Abdul-Baki, Aref A; Sobolev, Anatoli P; Goyal, Ravinder K; Abbott, Judith; Segre, Anna L; Handa, Avtar K; Mattoo, Autar K

2008-01-01

Genetic modification of crop plants to introduce desirable traits such as nutritional enhancement, disease and pest resistance, and enhanced crop productivity is increasingly seen as a promising technology for sustainable agriculture and boosting food production in the world. Independently, cultural practices that utilize alternative agriculture strategies including organic cultivation subscribe to sustainable agriculture by limiting chemical usage and reduced tillage. How the two together affect fruit metabolism or plant growth in the field or whether they are compatible has not yet been tested. Fruit-specific yeast S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (ySAMdc) line 579HO, and a control line 556AZ were grown in leguminous hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) (HV) mulch and conventional black polyethylene (BP) mulch, and their fruit analysed. Significant genotypexmulch-dependent interactions on fruit phenotype were exemplified by differential profiles of 20 fruit metabolites such as amino acids, sugars, and organic acids. Expression patterns of the ySAMdc transgene, and tomato SAMdc, E8, PEPC, and ICDHc genes were compared between the two lines as a function of growth on either BP or HV mulch. HV mulch significantly stimulated the accumulation of asparagine, glutamate, glutamine, choline, and citrate concomitant with a decrease in glucose in the 556AZ fruits during ripening as compared to BP. It enables a metabolic system in tomato somewhat akin to the one in higher polyamine-accumulating transgenic fruit that have higher phytonutrient content. Finally, synergism was found between HV mulch and transgenic tomato in up-regulating N:C indicator genes PEPC and ICDHc in the fruit.

Pick and Eat Crop Testing: Dwarf Tomato and Pepper as Candidate Space Crops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, R. M.; Massa, G. D.; Stutte, G. W.; Spencer, L. E.; Hummerick, M. E.; Sirmons, T.; Douglas, G. L.

2016-01-01

Several dwarf tomato and pepper varieties were evaluated under International Space Station (ISS)-simulated growth conditions (22 degrees Centigrade, 50 percent relative humidity, 1500 parts per million CO2, and 300 micromoles per square meter per second of light for 16 hours per day) with the goal of selecting those with the best growth, nutrition, and organoleptic potential for use in a pick and eat salad crop system on ISS and future exploration flights. Testing included six cultivars of tomato (Red Robin, Scarlet Sweet 'N' Neat, Tiny Tim, Mohamed, Patio Princess, and Tumbler) and six cultivars of pepper (Red Skin, Fruit Basket, Cajun Belle, Chablis, Sweet Pickle, and Pompeii). Plants were grown to an age sufficient to produce fruit (up to 106 days for tomato and 109 days for pepper) using Turface (arcillite) potting media with 18-6-8 control-release fertilizer and supplemental nutrient solution beginning around 60-days-age. Tomato fruits were harvested when they showed full red color, beginning around 70-days age and then at weekly intervals thereafter, while peppers were grown until fruits showed color and were harvested twice (first test) and just once at the end of the second test, with the final harvests including colored and green fruit. Plant sizes, yields, and nutritional attributes were measured and used to down-select to three cultivars for each species. In particular, we were interested in cultivars that were short (dwarf) but still produced high yields. Nutritional data included elemental (Ca, Mg, Fe, and K) content, vitamin K, phenolics, lycopene (for tomato), anthocyanin, lutein, and zeaxanthin. The three down-selected cultivars for each species were grown again and the harvested fruit sent to NASA's Johnson Space Center for sensory evaluation, which included overall acceptability, appearance, color intensity, aroma, flavor and texture. The combined data were compared and given weighting factors to rank the cultivars as candidates for testing in space. Weightings gave maximum importance to plant size (smaller being good) and fruit yield (greater yields being good). For tomato, the ranking was 1) cultivar Mohamed and cultivar Red Robin (tied), and 3) cultivar Sweet N' Neat. For pepper, the ranking was 1) cultivar Pompeii, 2) cultivar Red Skin, and 3) cultivar Fruit Basket. These rankings are somewhat subjective but provide a starting point for conducting higher fidelity testing with these crops (e.g., testing with light emitting diode lighting similar to the Veggie plant unit on ISS), and ultimately conducting a flight experiment.

Combination of endophytic Bacillus and Beauveria for the management of Fusarium wilt and fruit borer in tomato.

PubMed

Prabhukarthikeyan, Rathinam; Saravanakumar, Duraisamy; Raguchander, Thiruvengadam

2014-11-01

Most of the approaches for biocontrol of pests and diseases have used a single biocontrol agent as antagonist to a single pest or pathogen. This accounts for the inconsistency in the performance of biocontrol agents. The development of a bioformulation possessing a mixture of bioagents could be a viable option for the management of major pests and diseases in crop plants. A bioformulation containing a mixture of Beauveria bassiana (B2) and Bacillus subtilis (EPC8) was tested against Fusarium wilt and fruit borer in tomato under glasshouse and field conditions. The bioformulation with B2 and EPC8 isolates effectively reduced the incidence of Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici) and fruit borer (Helicoverpa armigera) under glasshouse and field conditions compared with the individual application of B2 and EPC8 isolates and control treatments. In vitro studies showed a higher larval mortality of H. armigera when fed with B2 + EPC8-treated leaves. Further, plants treated with the B2 + EPC8 combination showed a greater accumulation of defence enzymes such as lipoxygenase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase against wilt pathogen and fruit borer pest than the other treatments. Moreover, a significant increase in growth parameters and yield was observed in tomato plants treated with B2 + EPC8 compared with the individual bioformulations and untreated control. The combined application of Beauveria and Bacillus isolates B2 and EPC8 effectively reduced wilt disease and fruit borer attack in tomato plants. Results show the possibility of synchronous management of tomato fruit borer pest and wilt disease in a sustainable manner. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Posttranslational elevation of cell wall invertase activity by silencing its inhibitor in tomato delays leaf senescence and increases seed weight and fruit hexose level.

PubMed

Jin, Ye; Ni, Di-An; Ruan, Yong-Ling

2009-07-01

Invertase plays multiple pivotal roles in plant development. Thus, its activity must be tightly regulated in vivo. Emerging evidence suggests that a group of small proteins that inhibit invertase activity in vitro appears to exist in a wide variety of plants. However, little is known regarding their roles in planta. Here, we examined the function of INVINH1, a putative invertase inhibitor, in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Expression of a INVINH1:green fluorescent protein fusion revealed its apoplasmic localization. Ectopic overexpression of INVINH1 in Arabidopsis thaliana specifically reduced cell wall invertase activity. By contrast, silencing its expression in tomato significantly increased the activity of cell wall invertase without altering activities of cytoplasmic and vacuolar invertases. Elevation of cell wall invertase activity in RNA interference transgenic tomato led to (1) a prolonged leaf life span involving in a blockage of abscisic acid-induced senescence and (2) an increase in seed weight and fruit hexose level, which is likely achieved through enhanced sucrose hydrolysis in the apoplasm of the fruit vasculature. This assertion is based on (1) coexpression of INVINH1 and a fruit-specific cell wall invertase Lin5 in phloem parenchyma cells of young fruit, including the placenta regions connecting developing seeds; (2) a physical interaction between INVINH1 and Lin5 in vivo; and (3) a symplasmic discontinuity at the interface between placenta and seeds. Together, the results demonstrate that INVINH1 encodes a protein that specifically inhibits the activity of cell wall invertase and regulates leaf senescence and seed and fruit development in tomato by limiting the invertase activity in planta.

Down-Regulation of TM29, a Tomato SEPALLATA Homolog, Causes Parthenocarpic Fruit Development and Floral Reversion1

PubMed Central

Ampomah-Dwamena, Charles; Morris, Bret A.; Sutherland, Paul; Veit, Bruce; Yao, Jia-Long

2002-01-01

We have characterized the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) MADS box gene TM29 that shared a high amino acid sequence homology to the Arabidopsis SEP1, 2, and 3 (SEPALLATA1, 2, and 3) genes. TM29 showed similar expression profiles to SEP1, with accumulation of mRNA in the primordia of all four whorls of floral organs. In addition, TM29 mRNA was detected in inflorescence and vegetative meristems. To understand TM29 function, we produced transgenic tomato plants in which TM29 expression was down-regulated by either cosuppression or antisense techniques. These transgenic plants produced aberrant flowers with morphogenetic alterations in the organs of the inner three whorls. Petals and stamens were green rather than yellow, suggesting a partial conversion to a sepalloid identity. Stamens and ovaries were infertile, with the later developing into parthenocarpic fruit. Ectopic shoots with partially developed leaves and secondary flowers emerged from the fruit. These shoots resembled the primary transgenic flowers and continued to produce parthenocarpic fruit and additional ectopic shoots. Based on the temporal and spatial expression pattern and transgenic phenotypes, we propose that TM29 functions in floral organ development, fruit development, and maintenance of floral meristem identity in tomato. PMID:12376628

Effect of methyl salicylate and methyl jasmonate pre-treatment on the volatile profile in tomato fruit subjected to chilling temperature

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato fruits exposed to chilling temperatures suffer aroma loss prior to visual chilling injury (CI) symptoms. Methyl salicylate (MeSA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments were reported to alleviate the development of visual CI, however, it is unknown if the treatments alleviate internal CI in t...

Isolation of Chromoplasts and Suborganellar Compartments from Tomato and Bell Pepper Fruit.

PubMed

Barsan, Cristina; Kuntz, Marcel; Pech, Jean-Claude

2017-01-01

Tomato is a model for fruit development and ripening. The isolation of intact plastids from this organism is therefore important for metabolic and proteomic analyses. Pepper, a species from the same family, is also of interest since it allows isolation of intact chromoplasts in large amounts. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for the isolation of tomato plastids at three fruit developmental stages, namely, nascent chromoplasts from the mature green stage, chromoplasts from an intermediate stage, and fully differentiated red chromoplasts. The method relies on sucrose density gradient centrifugations. It yields high purity organelles suitable for proteome analyses. Enzymatic and microscopy assays are summarized to assess purity and intactness. A method is also described for subfractionation of pepper chromoplast lipoprotein structures.

Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improves the nutritional value of tomatoes.

PubMed

Hart, Miranda; Ehret, David L; Krumbein, Angelika; Leung, Connie; Murch, Susan; Turi, Christina; Franken, Philipp

2015-07-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can affect many different micronutrients and macronutrients in plants and also influence host volatile compound synthesis. Their effect on the edible portions of plants is less clear. Two separate studies were performed to investigate whether inoculation by AM fungi (Rhizophagus irregularis, Funneliformis mosseae, or both) can affect the food quality of tomato fruits, in particular common minerals, antioxidants, carotenoids, a suite of vitamins, and flavor compounds (sugars, titratable acids, volatile compounds). It was found that AM fungal inoculation increased the nutrient quality of tomato fruits for most nutrients except vitamins. Fruit mineral concentration increased with inoculation (particularly N, P, and Cu). Similarly, inoculated plants had fruit with higher antioxidant capacity and more carotenoids. Furthermore, five volatile compounds were significantly higher in AM plants compared with non-AM controls. Taken together, these results show that AM fungi represent a promising resource for improving both sustainable food production and human nutritional needs.

Effect of sample preparation and preenrichment media on the recovery of Salmonella from cantaloupes, mangoes, and tomatoes.

PubMed

Hammack, Thomas S; Johnson, Mildred L; Jacobson, Andrew P; Andrews, Wallace H

2006-01-01

Studies were conducted to determine the relative effectiveness of buffered peptone water (BPW), lactose (LAC) broth, and Universal Preenrichment (UP) broth for the recovery of Salmonella organisms from fruit rinses, whole fruit, and comminuted fruit. In the first phase, the relative effectiveness of the rinse and soak methods for the recovery of Salmonella from surface-contaminated mangoes and tomatoes was examined. Fruits were spot inoculated with single Salmonella serovars and held for 4 days at 2-6 degrees C before analysis was initiated. The contaminated fruit was rinsed in portions of BPW, LAC broth, or UP broth. Portions from each rinse were added to its respective broth (e.g., BPW to BPW). Individual whole fruit, in their remaining broth rinses (soak method), and the fruit rinse/broths (rinse method) were incubated for 24 h at 35 degrees C. The Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) Salmonella culture method was followed thereafter. The soak method produced significantly greater numbers (P < 0.05) of positive test portions than did the rinse method for the analysis of mangoes (93 versus 12) and tomatoes (85 versus 34). The 3 broths were comparable for the recovery of Salmonella for both the soak and the rinse methods for mangoes. For tomatoes, there were no significant differences among the broths for the soak method, but BPW and UP broth were significantly more productive (P < 0.05) than LAC broth by the rinse method. In the second phase, the relative effectiveness of LAC broth, BPW, and UP broth for the recovery of Salmonella from comminuted fruit was examined. Fruits were contaminated with single Salmonella serovars and aged for 4 days at 2-6 degrees C. Twenty 25 g test portions were preenriched in each of the following broths: BPW, LAC broth, and UP broth. The BAM Salmonella culture method was followed thereafter. For cantaloupes, significantly more (P < 0.05) Salmonella-positive test portions were recovered with UP broth (96 Salmonella-positive test portions) and BPW (87 Salmonella-positive test portions) than with LAC broth (57 Salmonella-positive test portions). For mangoes, BPW recovered an arithmetically larger number of Salmonella-positive test portions (27 Salmonella-positive test portions) than did either LAC broth (14 Salmonella-positive test portions) or UP broth (18 Salmonella-positive test portions). For tomatoes, there were no significant differences among the broths: BPW recovered 65 Salmonella-positive test portions, UP broth recovered 62 Salmonella-positive test portions, and LAC broth recovered 60 Salmonella-positive test portions. For the analysis of whole fruit, it is recommended that the soak method be used. For whole fruit analyzed with the soak method, UP broth should be used for tomatoes and BPW should be used for mangoes. It is further recommended that UP broth be used for the analysis of comminuted cantaloupes and that BPW be used for the analysis of comminuted mangoes and tomatoes.

Bread enriched in lycopene and other bioactive compounds by addition of dry tomato waste.

PubMed

Nour, Violeta; Ionica, Mira Elena; Trandafir, Ion

2015-12-01

The tomato processing industry generates high amounts of waste, mainly tomato skins and seeds, which create environmental problems. These residues are attractive sources of valuable bioactive components and pigments. A relatively simple recovery technology could consist of production of powders to be directly incorporated into foods. Tomato waste coming from a Romanian tomato processing unit were analyzed for the content of several bioactive compounds like ascorbic acid, β-carotene, lycopene, total phenolics, mineral and trace elements. In addition, its antioxidant capacity was assayed. Results revealed that tomato waste (skins and seeds) could be successfully utilized as functional ingredient for the formulation of antioxidant rich functional foods. Dry tomato processing waste were used to supplement wheat flour at 6 and 10 % levels (w/w flour basis) and the effects on the bread's physicochemical, baking and sensorial characteristics were studied. The following changes were observed: increase in moisture content, titratable acidity and bread crumb elasticity, reduction in specific volume and bread crumb porosity. The addition of dry tomato waste at 6 % resulted in bread with good sensory characteristics and overall acceptability but as the amount of dry tomato waste increased to 10 %, bread was less acceptable.

Tomato Expression Database (TED): a suite of data presentation and analysis tools

PubMed Central

Fei, Zhangjun; Tang, Xuemei; Alba, Rob; Giovannoni, James

2006-01-01

The Tomato Expression Database (TED) includes three integrated components. The Tomato Microarray Data Warehouse serves as a central repository for raw gene expression data derived from the public tomato cDNA microarray. In addition to expression data, TED stores experimental design and array information in compliance with the MIAME guidelines and provides web interfaces for researchers to retrieve data for their own analysis and use. The Tomato Microarray Expression Database contains normalized and processed microarray data for ten time points with nine pair-wise comparisons during fruit development and ripening in a normal tomato variety and nearly isogenic single gene mutants impacting fruit development and ripening. Finally, the Tomato Digital Expression Database contains raw and normalized digital expression (EST abundance) data derived from analysis of the complete public tomato EST collection containing >150 000 ESTs derived from 27 different non-normalized EST libraries. This last component also includes tools for the comparison of tomato and Arabidopsis digital expression data. A set of query interfaces and analysis, and visualization tools have been developed and incorporated into TED, which aid users in identifying and deciphering biologically important information from our datasets. TED can be accessed at . PMID:16381976

Tomato Expression Database (TED): a suite of data presentation and analysis tools.

PubMed

Fei, Zhangjun; Tang, Xuemei; Alba, Rob; Giovannoni, James

2006-01-01

The Tomato Expression Database (TED) includes three integrated components. The Tomato Microarray Data Warehouse serves as a central repository for raw gene expression data derived from the public tomato cDNA microarray. In addition to expression data, TED stores experimental design and array information in compliance with the MIAME guidelines and provides web interfaces for researchers to retrieve data for their own analysis and use. The Tomato Microarray Expression Database contains normalized and processed microarray data for ten time points with nine pair-wise comparisons during fruit development and ripening in a normal tomato variety and nearly isogenic single gene mutants impacting fruit development and ripening. Finally, the Tomato Digital Expression Database contains raw and normalized digital expression (EST abundance) data derived from analysis of the complete public tomato EST collection containing >150,000 ESTs derived from 27 different non-normalized EST libraries. This last component also includes tools for the comparison of tomato and Arabidopsis digital expression data. A set of query interfaces and analysis, and visualization tools have been developed and incorporated into TED, which aid users in identifying and deciphering biologically important information from our datasets. TED can be accessed at http://ted.bti.cornell.edu.

7 CFR 966.80 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order Regulating... tomatoes received by a handler; (2) the quantities disposed of by him, segregated as to the respective... identification of the carrier transporting such tomatoes; and (4) identification of the inspection certificates...

7 CFR 966.134 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Rules and Regulations Exemption Procedures § 966.134 Reports. Persons handling tomatoes under exemption certificates... and addresses of the receivers of such tomatoes, the quantity shipped (by grade, size, quality, and...

Harvest maturity, pre-cutting wash and post-processing dip to improve quality of fresh-cut carambola fruit

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

‘Arkin’ carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) fruit harvested at color break or full yellow stage were washed with or without an alkaline solution (pH 12), cut to 10 mm slices, dipped in calcium ascorbate (Ca ASA), ascorbic acid (ASA) or water, and packaged in perforated clamshells for up to 14 days sto...

[Designing of a candidate edible vaccine against hepatitis B and HIV on the basis of a transgenic tomato].

PubMed

Shchelkunov, S N; Saliaev, R K; Ryzhova, T S; Pozdniakov, S G; Nesterov, A E; Rekoslavskaia, N I; Sumtsova, V M; Pakova, N V; Mishutina, U O; Kopytina, T V; Hammond, R V

2004-01-01

The synthetic chimeric gene TBI-HBS encoding the synthesis of immunogenic ENV and GAC epitopes of HIV-1 (immunogenes of T- and B-lymphocytes) and of the surface protein (HBsAg) of the hepatitis B virus was introduced into tomato plants var. Ventura by agrobacterial vector pBIN35TBI-HBS; transgenic tomato plants with the integrated gene TBI-HBS were generated. The integration of the TBI-HBS target gene was confirmed by PCR. The synthesis of antigenic proteins of TBI and HBsAg in fruits of transgenic tomato plants was displayed by immunoassay. The fruits of transgenic tomato plants were fed to experimental mice with a 1-week interval. On days 14 and 28, there was discovered a sufficiently high content of antibodies to the antigenic proteins of HBV and HIV-1 in serum of experimental animals. Antibodies were found in feces of experimental mice; no antibodies were found in the control group of mice. Hence, it was established that the TBI (HIV-1) and HBsAg (HBV) antigens were synthesized in transgenic tomato fruits due to the integrated construction of pBINNp35TBI-HBS in an amount that was enough to induce the immunogenic response in mice to the oral delivery of edible vaccine.

Association Mapping of Main Tomato Fruit Sugars and Organic Acids

PubMed Central

Zhao, Jiantao; Xu, Yao; Ding, Qin; Huang, Xinli; Zhang, Yating; Zou, Zhirong; Li, Mingjun; Cui, Lu; Zhang, Jing

2016-01-01

Association mapping has been widely used to map the significant associated loci responsible for natural variation in complex traits and are valuable for crop improvement. Sugars and organic acids are the most important metabolites in tomato fruits. We used a collection of 174 tomato accessions composed of Solanum lycopersicum (123 accessions) and S. lycopersicum var cerasiforme (51 accessions) to detect significantly associated loci controlling the variation of main sugars and organic acids. The accessions were genotyped with 182 SSRs spreading over the tomato genome. Association mapping was conducted on the main sugars and organic acids detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) over 2 years using the mixed linear model (MLM). We detected a total of 58 significantly associated loci (P < 0.001) for the 17 sugars and organic acids, including fructose, glucose, sucrose, citric acid, malic acid. These results not only co-localized with several reported QTLs, including fru9.1/PV, suc9.1/PV, ca2.1/HS, ca3.1/PV, ca4.1/PV, and ca8.1/PV, but also provided a list of candidate significantly associated loci to be functionally validated. These significantly associated loci could be used for deciphering the genetic architecture of tomato fruit sugars and organic acids and for tomato quality breeding. PMID:27617019

Association Mapping of Main Tomato Fruit Sugars and Organic Acids.

PubMed

Zhao, Jiantao; Xu, Yao; Ding, Qin; Huang, Xinli; Zhang, Yating; Zou, Zhirong; Li, Mingjun; Cui, Lu; Zhang, Jing

2016-01-01

Association mapping has been widely used to map the significant associated loci responsible for natural variation in complex traits and are valuable for crop improvement. Sugars and organic acids are the most important metabolites in tomato fruits. We used a collection of 174 tomato accessions composed of Solanum lycopersicum (123 accessions) and S. lycopersicum var cerasiforme (51 accessions) to detect significantly associated loci controlling the variation of main sugars and organic acids. The accessions were genotyped with 182 SSRs spreading over the tomato genome. Association mapping was conducted on the main sugars and organic acids detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) over 2 years using the mixed linear model (MLM). We detected a total of 58 significantly associated loci (P < 0.001) for the 17 sugars and organic acids, including fructose, glucose, sucrose, citric acid, malic acid. These results not only co-localized with several reported QTLs, including fru9.1/PV, suc9.1/PV, ca2.1/HS, ca3.1/PV, ca4.1/PV, and ca8.1/PV, but also provided a list of candidate significantly associated loci to be functionally validated. These significantly associated loci could be used for deciphering the genetic architecture of tomato fruit sugars and organic acids and for tomato quality breeding.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of tomatoes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Preface Tomato is the second largest horticultural crop after potato, a worldwide industry valued at over $50 billion. In addition to being a cash crop for farmers, tomato fruit is a significant dietary source of micronutrients, vitamins and antioxidants in maintaining and enhancing human health. It...

7 CFR 966.132 - Issuance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Rules and... of all tomatoes authorized to be shipped thereunder, the quantity (by grade, size, quality and variety) of tomatoes which will be permitted in the exempted shipments and such other information as may...

7 CFR 966.7 - Handle.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order Regulating... to place fresh tomatoes, produced in the production area, in the current of commerce within the... include the transportation, sale or delivery of field-run tomatoes within the production area by the...

7 CFR 966.71 - Granting exemptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order...'s immediate production area and that the grade, size, or quality of the applicant's tomatoes have... expectation. Each certificate shall permit the producer to handle the amount of tomatoes specified thereon...

7 CFR 966.42 - Assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order... handler who first handles tomatoes shall pay assessments to the committee upon demand, which assessments... tomatoes which were regulated under this part and which were shipped by the first handler thereof during...

7 CFR 966.133 - Disposition of certificates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Rules and Regulations Exemption Procedures § 966.133 Disposition of certificates. (a) Each lot of tomatoes... tomatoes covered by an exemption certificate shall be accompanied by a Federal-State Inspection Certificate...

Salmonella can reach tomato fruits on plants exposed to aerosols formed by rain.

PubMed

Cevallos-Cevallos, Juan M; Gu, Ganyu; Danyluk, Michelle D; Dufault, Nicholas S; van Bruggen, Ariena H C

2012-08-17

Outbreaks of Salmonella enterica have been associated with tomatoes and traced back to production areas but the spread of Salmonella in agricultural fields is still poorly understood. Post-rain Salmonella transfer from a point source to the air and then to tomato plants was evaluated. GFP-labeled kanamycin-resistant S. enterica serovar Typhimurium (10(8)CFU/mL) with and without expression of the rdar morphotype (rough colonies; cells with fimbriae and cellulose) was used as the point source in the center of a rain simulator. Rain intensities of 60 and 110 mm/h were applied for 5, 10, 20, and 30 min. Petri dishes with lactose broth and tomato plants with fruit (50-80 cm high) were placed in the simulator after the rain had ceased. Salmonella recovery from air was maximum (300 CFU/plate) after a rain episode of 60 mm/h for 10 min at distances of at least 85.5 cm above the source and when the rdar morphotype strain was used. Small scale experiments showed that the smooth-colony strain without fimbriae precipitated from the air in significantly higher numbers than the rdar strain. Transfer of aerial Salmonella with the rdar morphotype to tomato fruits on plants followed a beta distribution (2.5950, 4.7393) within the generalized range from 0 to 30 min of rain. Results show for the first time that Salmonella may transfer from rain to the air and contaminate tomato fruits at levels that could possibly be infectious to humans. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abscisic acid triggers whole-plant and fruit-specific mechanisms to increase fruit calcium uptake and prevent blossom end rot development in tomato fruit.

PubMed

de Freitas, Sergio Tonetto; Shackel, Kenneth A; Mitcham, Elizabeth J

2011-05-01

Calcium (Ca) uptake into fruit and leaves is dependent on xylemic water movement, and hence presumably driven by transpiration and growth. High leaf transpiration is thought to restrict Ca movement to low-transpiring tomato fruit, which may increase fruit susceptibility to the Ca-deficiency disorder, blossom end rot (BER). The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of reduced leaf transpiration in abscisic acid (ABA)-treated plants on fruit and leaf Ca uptake and BER development. Tomato cultivars Ace 55 (Vf) and AB2 were grown in a greenhouse environment under Ca-deficit conditions and plants were treated weekly after pollination with water (control) or 500 mg l(-1) ABA. BER incidence was completely prevented in the ABA-treated plants and reached values of 30-45% in the water-treated controls. ABA-treated plants had higher stem water potential, lower leaf stomatal conductance, and lower whole-plant water loss than water-treated plants. ABA treatment increased total tissue and apoplastic water-soluble Ca concentrations in the fruit, and decreased Ca concentrations in leaves. In ABA-treated plants, fruit had a higher number of Safranin-O-stained xylem vessels at early stages of growth and development. ABA treatment reduced the phloem/xylem ratio of fruit sap uptake. The results indicate that ABA prevents BER development by increasing fruit Ca uptake, possibly by a combination of whole-plant and fruit-specific mechanisms.

Characterization of host-dependent mutations of apple fruit crinkle viroid replicating in newly identified experimental hosts suggests maintenance of stem-loop structures in the left-hand half of the molecule is important for replication.

PubMed

Suzuki, Takahiro; Fujibayashi, Misato; Hataya, Tatsuji; Taneda, Akito; He, Ying-Hong; Tsushima, Taro; Duraisamy, Ganesh Selvaraj; Siglová, Kristyna; Matoušek, Jaroslav; Sano, Teruo

2017-03-01

Apple fruit crinkle viroid (AFCVd) is a tentative member of the genus Apscaviroid, family Pospiviroidae. AFCVd has a narrow host range and is known to infect apple, hop and persimmon as natural hosts. In this study, tomato, cucumber and wild hop have been identified as new experimental herbaceous hosts. Foliar symptoms were very mild or virtually undetectable, but fruits of infected tomato were small, cracked and distorted. These symptoms resemble those observed on some AFCVd-sensitive apple cultivars. After transfer to tomato, cucumber and wild hop, sequence changes were detected in a natural AFCVd isolate from hop, and major variants in tomato, cucumber and wild hop differed in 10, 8 or 2 nucleotides, respectively, from the predominant one in the inoculum. The major variants in tomato and cucumber were almost identical, and the one in wild hop was very similar to the one in cultivated hop. Detailed analyses of the host-dependent sequence changes that appear in a naturally occurring AFCVd isolate from hop after transfer to tomato using small RNA deep sequence data and infectivity studies with dimeric RNA transcripts followed by progeny analysis indicate that the major AFCVd variant in tomato emerged by selection of a minor variant present in the inoculum (i.e. hop) followed by one to two host-dependent de novo mutations. Comparison of the secondary structures of major variants in hop, tomato and persimmon after transfer to tomato suggested that maintenance of stem-loop structures in the left-hand half of the molecule is critical for infection.

Characterization of an AGAMOUS gene expressed throughout development of the fleshy fruit-like structure produced by Ginkgo biloba around its seeds.

PubMed

Lovisetto, Alessandro; Baldan, Barbara; Pavanello, Anna; Casadoro, Giorgio

2015-07-16

The involvement of MADS-box genes of the AGAMOUS lineage in the formation of both flowers and fruits has been studied in detail in Angiosperms. AGAMOUS genes are expressed also in the reproductive structures of Gymnosperms, yet the demonstration of their role has been problematic because Gymnosperms are woody plants difficult to manipulate for physiological and genetic studies. Recently, it was shown that in the gymnosperm Ginkgo biloba an AGAMOUS gene was expressed throughout development and ripening of the fleshy fruit-like structures produced by this species around its seeds. Such fleshy structures are evolutionarily very important because they favor the dispersal of seeds through endozoochory. In this work a characterization of the Ginkgo gene was carried out by over-expressing it in tomato. In tomato plants ectopically expressing the Ginkgo AGAMOUS gene a macroscopic anomaly was observed only in the flower sepals. While the wild type sepals had a leaf-like appearance, the transgenic ones appeared connately adjoined at their proximal extremity and, concomitant with the development and ripening of the fruit, they became thicker and acquired a yellowish-orange color, thus indicating that they had undergone a homeotic transformation into carpel-like structures. Molecular analyses of several genes associated with either the control of ripening or the ripening syndrome in tomato fruits confirmed that the transgenic sepals behaved like ectopic fruits that could undergo some ripening, although the red color typical of the ripe tomato fruit was never achieved. The ectopic expression of the Ginkgo AGAMOUS gene in tomato caused the homeotic transformation of the transgenic sepals into carpel-like structures, and this showed that the gymnosperm gene has a genuine C function. In parallel with the ripening of fruits the related transgenic sepals became fleshy fruit-like structures that also underwent some ripening and such a result indicates that this C function gene might be involved, together with other gens, also in the development of the Ginkgo fruit-like structures. It seems thus strengthened the hypothesis that AGAMOUS MADS-box genes were recruited already in Gymnosperms for the development of the fleshy fruit habit which is evolutionarily so important for the dispersal of seeds.

Effects of Short-Term Biosolarization Using Mature Compost and Industrial Tomato Waste Amendments on the Generation and Persistence of Biocidal Soil Conditions and Subsequent Tomato Growth.

PubMed

Achmon, Yigal; Sade, Nir; Wilhelmi, María Del Mar Rubio; Fernández-Bayo, Jesus D; Harrold, Duff R; Stapleton, James J; VanderGheynst, Jean S; Blumwald, Eduardo; Simmons, Christopher W

2018-06-06

Conventional solarization and biosolarization with mature compost and tomato processing residue amendments were compared with respect to generation of pesticidal conditions and tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) plant growth in treated soils. Soil oxygen depletion was examined as a response that has previously not been measured across multiple depths during biosolarization. For biosolarized soil, volatile fatty acids were found to accumulate concurrent with oxygen depletion, and the magnitude of these changes varied by soil depth. Two consecutive years of experimentation showed varying dissipation of volatile fatty acids from biosolarized soils post-treatment. When residual volatile fatty acids were detected in the biosolarized soil, fruit yield did not significantly differ from plants grown in solarized soil. However, when there was no residual volatile fatty acids in the soil at the time of planting, plants grown in biosolarized soil showed a significantly greater vegetation amount, fruit quantity, and fruit ripening than those of plants grown in solarized soil.

Techno-functional properties of tomato puree fortified with anthocyanin pigments.

PubMed

Gerardi, C; Albano, C; Calabriso, N; Carluccio, M A; Durante, M; Mita, G; Renna, M; Serio, F; Blando, F

2018-02-01

This study investigates the effects of tomato puree fortification with several anthocyanin-rich food colorants on bioactive compound content (phenolics, isoprenoids), antioxidant capacity, in vitro biological activities and consumer acceptance. Tomato puree (tp) was added with different anthocyanin extracts from black carrot (Anthocarrot), grape fruit skins (Enocolor), elderberry fruits (Elderberry) or mahaleb cherry fruits (Mahaleb), thus obtaining a 'functional tomato puree' (ftp). The consumer acceptance (colour, flavor, taste, visual appearance) was at high level, except for Mahaleb-added ftp. Compared to the control (tp), the addition of colouring extracts increased significantly the total phenolic content, before pasteurization, in addition to the expected anthocyanin content. However, after pasteurization, mostly Anthocarrot-ftp preserved an increased phenolic (+53%) content, as well as a higher antioxidant capacity (50%), more than the other added-extracts. Consistently, against tp, Anthocarrot-ftp exhibited an increased anti-inflammatory capacity as showed by the reduced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 in human cultured endothelial cells, under inflammatory conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combined transcriptome, genetic diversity and metabolite profiling in tomato fruit reveals the ethylene response factor SlERF6 to play an important role in ripening and carotenoid accumulation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and its wild relatives harbor genetic diversity that yields heritable variation in fruit chemistry that could be exploited to identify genes regulating their synthesis and accumulation. Carotenoids, for example, are essential in plant and animal nutrition and are the vi...

Application of wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition to identify tomato fruit proteins regulated by the CUTIN DEFICIENT2 transcription factor

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We describe here the use of label-free wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition (WiSIM-DIA) to identify proteins that are involved in the formation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticles and that are regulated by the transcription factor CUTIN DEFICIENT2 (CD2). A spectral l...

Overexpression of the class D MADS-box gene Sl-AGL11 impacts fleshy tissue differentiation and structure in tomato fruits

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

MADS-box transcription factors are key elements of the genetic networks controlling flower and fruit development. Among these, the class D clade are involved in seed, ovule, and funiculus development. The tomato genome comprises two class D genes, Sl-AGL11 and Sl-MBP3, both displaying high expressio...

Constitutive Transcription and Stable RNA Accumulation in Plastids during the Conversion of Chloroplasts to Chromoplasts in Ripening Tomato Fruits 1

PubMed Central

Marano, María Rosa; Carrillo, Néstor

1992-01-01

The size distribution of plastid transcripts during chromoplast differentiation in ripening tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) fruits was determined using northern blot analysis. Hybridization of total cellular RNA from leaves and fruits with several tobacco chloroplast DNA probes showed distinct transcript patterns in chloroplasts and chromoplasts. We also compared transcriptional rates by probing immobilized DNA fragments of small size (representing about 85% of the plastid genome) with run-on transcripts from tomato plastids. The relative rates of transcription of the various DNA regions were very similar in chloro- and chromoplasts. Parallel determination of the steady-state levels of plastid RNA showed no strict correlation between synthesis rate and RNA accumulation. Differences in the relative abundance of transcripts between chloro- and chromoplasts were not very pronounced and were limited to a small number of genes. The results indicate that the conversion of chloroplasts to chromoplasts at the onset of tomato fruit ripening proceeds with no important variations in the relative transcription rates and with only moderate changes in the relative stability of plastid-encoded transcripts. Images Figure 1 Figure 4 PMID:16653091

Exposure to environmentally-relevant levels of ozone negatively influence pollen and fruit development.

PubMed

Gillespie, Colin; Stabler, Daniel; Tallentire, Eva; Goumenaki, Eleni; Barnes, Jeremy

2015-11-01

A combination of in vitro and in vivo studies on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Triton) revealed that environmentally-relevant levels of ozone (O3) pollution adversely affected pollen germination, germ tube growth and pollen-stigma interactions - pollen originating from plants raised in charcoal-Purafil(®) filtered air (CFA) exhibited reduced germ tube development on the stigma of plants exposed to environmentally-relevant levels of O3. The O3-induced decline in in vivo pollen viability was reflected in increased numbers of non-fertilized and fertilized non-viable ovules in immature fruit. Negative effects of O3 on fertilization occurred regardless of the timing of exposure, with reductions in ovule viability evident in O3 × CFA and CFA × O3 crossed plants. This suggests O3-induced reductions in fertilization were associated with reduced pollen viability and/or ovule development. Fruit born on trusses independently exposed to 100 nmol mol(-1) O3 (10 h d(-1)) from flowering exhibited a decline in seed number and this was reflected in a marked decline in the weight and size of individual fruit - a clear demonstration of the direct consequence of the effects of the pollutant on reproductive processes. Ozone exposure also resulted in shifts in the starch and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) content of fruit that were consistent with accelerated ripening. The findings of this study draw attention to the need for greater consideration of, and possibly the adoption of weightings for the direct impacts of O3, and potentially other gaseous pollutants, on reproductive biology during 'risk assessment' exercises. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transcriptomic analysis of genes involved in the biosynthesis, recycling and degradation of L-ascorbic acid in pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L.).

PubMed

Alós, Enriqueta; Rodrigo, María J; Zacarías, Lorenzo

2013-06-01

Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is widely recognized among the vegetables with high content of ascorbic acid (AsA). However, the metabolic pathways involved in the biosynthesis, recycling and degradation of AsA and their relative contribution to the concentration of AsA have not been established yet. In the present work, the expression levels of selected genes involved in the AsA biosynthesis, degradation and recycling pathways were analyzed during development and ripening of pepper fruit cv. Palermo and in mature fruit of four cultivars (Lipari, C-116, Surrentino and Italverde) with different AsA concentrations. An inverse correlation was found between the expression of the biosynthetic genes and AsA concentrations, which could indicate that a feedback mechanism regulates AsA homeostasis in pepper fruits. Interestingly, analysis of mRNA levels of ascorbate oxidase, involved in the degradation of AsA, suggests that this enzyme plays a critical role in the regulation of the AsA pool during fruit development and ripening. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using mini-rockwool blocks as growing media for limited-cluster tomato production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Logendra, L. S.; Gianfagna, T. J.; Janes, H. W.

2001-01-01

Rockwool is an excellent growing medium for the hydroponic production of tomato; however, the standard size rockwool blocks [4 x 4 x 2.5 inches (10 x 10 x 6.3 cm) or 3 x 3 x 2.5 inches (7.5 x 7.5 x 6.3 cm)] are expensive. The following experiments were conducted with less expensive minirock wool blocks (MRBs), on rayon polyester material (RPM) as a bench top liner, to reduce the production cost of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) grown in a limited-cluster, ebb and flood hydroponic cultivation system. Fruit yield for single-cluster plants growing in MRBs [2 x 2 x 1.6 inches (5 x 5 x 4 cm) and 1.6 x 1.6 x 1.6 inches (4 x 4 x 4 cm)] was not significantly different from plants grown in larger sized blocks (3 x 3 x 2.5 inches). When the bench top was lined with RPM, roots penetrated the RPM, and an extensive root mat developed between the RPM and the bench top. The fruit yield from plants on RPM was significantly increased compared to plants without RPM due to increases in fruit size and fruit number. RPM also significantly reduced the incidence of blossom-end rot. In a second experiment, single- and double-cluster plants were grown on RPM. Fruit yield for double-cluster plants was 40% greater than for single-cluster plants due to an increase in fruit number, although the fruit were smaller in size. As in the first experiment, fruit yield for all plants grown in MRBs was not significantly different from plants grown in the larger sized blocks. MRBs and a RPM bench liner are an effective combination in the production of limited-cluster hydroponic tomatoes.

Ectopic expression of ORANGE promotes carotenoid accumulation and fruit development in tomato.

PubMed

Yazdani, Mohammad; Sun, Zhaoxia; Yuan, Hui; Zeng, Shaohua; Thannhauser, Theodore W; Vrebalov, Julia; Ma, Qiyue; Xu, Yimin; Fei, Zhangjun; Van Eck, Joyce; Tian, Shiping; Tadmor, Yaakov; Giovannoni, James J; Li, Li

2018-05-05

Carotenoids are critically important to plants and humans. The ORANGE (OR) gene is a key regulator for carotenoid accumulation, but its physiological roles in crops remain elusive. In this study, we generated transgenic tomato ectopically overexpressing the Arabidopsis wild-type OR (AtOR WT ) and a 'golden SNP'-containing OR (AtOR H is ). We found that AtOR H is initiated chromoplast formation in very young fruit and stimulated carotenoid accumulation at all fruit developmental stages, uncoupled from other ripening activities. The elevated levels of carotenoids in the AtOR lines were distributed in the same subplastidial fractions as in wild-type tomato, indicating an adaptive response of plastids to sequester the increased carotenoids. Microscopic analysis revealed that the plastid sizes were increased in both AtOR WT and AtOR H is lines at early fruit developmental stages. Moreover, AtOR overexpression promoted early flowering, fruit set and seed production. Ethylene production and the expression of ripening-associated genes were also significantly increased in the AtOR transgenic fruit at ripening stages. RNA-Seq transcriptomic profiling highlighted the primary effects of OR overexpression on the genes in the processes related to RNA, protein and signalling in tomato fruit. Taken together, these results expand our understanding of OR in mediating carotenoid accumulation in plants and suggest additional roles of OR in affecting plastid size as well as flower and fruit development, thus making OR a target gene not only for nutritional biofortification of agricultural products but also for alteration of horticultural traits. © 2018 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fruit development and ripening.

PubMed

Seymour, Graham B; Østergaard, Lars; Chapman, Natalie H; Knapp, Sandra; Martin, Cathie

2013-01-01

Fruiting structures in the angiosperms range from completely dry to highly fleshy organs and provide many of our major crop products, including grains. In the model plant Arabidopsis, which has dry fruits, a high-level regulatory network of transcription factors controlling fruit development has been revealed. Studies on rare nonripening mutations in tomato, a model for fleshy fruits, have provided new insights into the networks responsible for the control of ripening. It is apparent that there are strong similarities between dry and fleshy fruits in the molecular circuits governing development and maturation. Translation of information from tomato to other fleshy-fruited species indicates that regulatory networks are conserved across a wide spectrum of angiosperm fruit morphologies. Fruits are an essential part of the human diet, and recent developments in the sequencing of angiosperm genomes have provided the foundation for a step change in crop improvement through the understanding and harnessing of genome-wide genetic and epigenetic variation.

Tomato chocolàte virus: a new plant virus infecting tomato and a proposed member of the genus Torradovirus.

PubMed

Verbeek, Martin; Dullemans, Annette; van den Heuvel, Hans; Maris, Paul; van der Vlugt, René

2010-05-01

A new virus was isolated from a tomato plant from Guatemala showing necrotic spots on the bases of the leaves and chocolate-brown patches on the fruits. Structural and molecular analysis showed the virus to be clearly related to but distinct from the recently described Tomato torrado virus (ToTV) and Tomato marchitez virus (ToMarV), both members of the genus Torradovirus. The name tomato chocolàte virus is proposed for this new torradovirus.

Levels of b-carotene, ascorbic acid and total phenols in the pulp of five commercial varieties of mango (Mangifera indica L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Five varieties of mangoes from four countries were evaluated with multiple harvests over a year to compare the ß-carotene, total phenol, and ascorbic acid levels of the fruit pulp. Only soft fruit (0.5 to 1 N compression) with a minimum of 10% soluble solids were used for these measurements to minim...

7 CFR 966.9 - Grading.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order Regulating... sorting or separation of tomatoes into grades, sizes, maturities, and packs for market purposes. ...

7 CFR 966.14 - Varieties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order... subdivisions of tomatoes according to those definitive characteristics now or hereafter recognized by the...

7 CFR 966.15 - Committee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 966.15 Committee. Committee means the Florida Tomato Committee, established...

7 CFR 966.140 - Truck shipments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Rules and... production area of any tomatoes which are required to be inspected and certified as complying with any applicable requirements under this part, such tomatoes shall be accompanied by, and made available for...

7 CFR 966.27 - Nomination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order... a person is engaged in producing tomatoes in more than one district, such person shall elect the... number of districts in which a person produces tomatoes, each such person is entitled to cast only one...

7 CFR 966.52 - Issuance of regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order... tomatoes whenever he finds from the recommendation and information submitted by the Committee, or from... all varieties of tomatoes, during any period; or (b) Limit the handling of particular grades, sizes...

7 CFR 966.84 - Termination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order... producers, who during a representative period, have been engaged in the production for market of tomatoes... percent of the volume of such tomatoes produced for market. (d) The provisions of this subpart shall, in...

7 CFR 966.40 - Expenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order... share of such expense shall be proportionate to the ratio between the total quantity of tomatoes handled by him as the first handler thereof during a fiscal period and the total quantity of tomatoes handled...

Prediction of processing tomato peeling outcomes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Peeling outcomes of processing tomatoes were predicted using multivariate analysis of Magnetic Resonance (MR) images. Tomatoes were obtained from a whole-peel production line. Each fruit was imaged using a 7 Tesla MR system, and a multivariate data set was created from 28 different images. After ...

Understanding and improving the shelf life of tomatoes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Shelf life of ripe tomato fruit is economically very important, from production to the marketing chain, since it determines the cash returns to the grower and the grocer/processor. Shelf life of horticultural edible produce, including tomato, is regulated through myriad physiological, biochemical an...

An iodine supplementation of tomato fruits coated with an edible film of the iodide-doped chitosan.

PubMed

Limchoowong, Nunticha; Sricharoen, Phitchan; Techawongstien, Suchila; Chanthai, Saksit

2016-06-01

In general, the risk of numerous thyroid cancers inevitably increases among people with iodine deficiencies. An iodide-doped chitosan (CT-I) solution was prepared for dipping tomatoes to coat the fresh surface with an edible film (1.5 μm), thereby providing iodine-rich fruits for daily intake. Characterisation of the thin film was conducted by FTIR and SEM. Stability of the CT-I film was studied via water immersion at various time intervals, and no residual iodide leached out due to intrinsic interactions between the cationic amino group of chitosan and iodide ions. Moreover, the iodide supplement exhibited no effect on the antioxidant activity of tomatoes. The iodine content in the film-coated tomato was determined by ICP-OES. The tomato coating with 1.5% (w/v) CT-I contained approximately 0.4 μg iodide per gram fresh weight. In addition, the freshness and storability of iodine-doped tomatoes were also maintained for shelf-life concerns. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cytosolic monoterpene biosynthesis is supported by plastid-generated geranyl diphosphate substrate in transgenic tomato fruits.

PubMed

Gutensohn, Michael; Orlova, Irina; Nguyen, Thuong T H; Davidovich-Rikanati, Rachel; Ferruzzi, Mario G; Sitrit, Yaron; Lewinsohn, Efraim; Pichersky, Eran; Dudareva, Natalia

2013-08-01

Geranyl diphosphate (GPP), the precursor of most monoterpenes, is synthesized in plastids from dimethylallyl diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate by GPP synthases (GPPSs). In heterodimeric GPPSs, a non-catalytic small subunit (GPPS-SSU) interacts with a catalytic large subunit, such as geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase, and determines its product specificity. Here, snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) GPPS-SSU was over-expressed in tomato fruits under the control of the fruit ripening-specific polygalacturonase promoter to divert the metabolic flux from carotenoid formation towards GPP and monoterpene biosynthesis. Transgenic tomato fruits produced monoterpenes, including geraniol, geranial, neral, citronellol and citronellal, while exhibiting reduced carotenoid content. Co-expression of the Ocimum basilicum geraniol synthase (GES) gene with snapdragon GPPS-SSU led to a more than threefold increase in monoterpene formation in tomato fruits relative to the parental GES line, indicating that the produced GPP can be used by plastidic monoterpene synthases. Co-expression of snapdragon GPPS-SSU with the O. basilicum α-zingiberene synthase (ZIS) gene encoding a cytosolic terpene synthase that has been shown to possess both sesqui- and monoterpene synthase activities resulted in increased levels of ZIS-derived monoterpene products compared to fruits expressing ZIS alone. These results suggest that re-direction of the metabolic flux towards GPP in plastids also increases the cytosolic pool of GPP available for monoterpene synthesis in this compartment via GPP export from plastids. © 2013 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of dietary fiber (inulin) addition on phenolics and in vitro bioaccessibility of tomato sauce.

PubMed

Tomas, Merve; Beekwilder, Jules; Hall, Robert D; Diez Simon, Carmen; Sagdic, Osman; Capanoglu, Esra

2018-04-01

The effect of the addition of inulin (5 and 10%) on the phenolic content and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of tomato sauces has been investigated. Results have shown that the addition of inulin to tomato sauce significantly decreased the total phenolic content (57-68%), total flavonoid content (48-60%), and total antioxidant capacity (49-61%). Similarly, all assays of the sauce containing both 5% and 10% inulin, showed a slight decrease during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of tomato sauces. Higher levels of inulin added to tomato sauce resulted in the greatest decrease in phenolic content, probably because of the interaction between inulin and phenolic compounds. To address the effects of inulin on the global metabolite profile of tomato sauce, an untargeted metabolomics approach was followed. Changes related to the presence of inulin suggest that inulin quenches a subset of unidentified compounds which are present in sauce but not in fruit, suggesting that inulin can contribute to the conservation of fruit properties in tomato sauce. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Baseline survey of the anatomical microbial ecology of an important food plant: Solanum lycopersicum (tomato)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Research to understand and control microbiological risks associated with the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has examined many environments in the farm to fork continuum. An important data gap however, that remains poorly studied is the baseline description of microflora that may be associated with plant anatomy either endemically or in response to environmental pressures. Specific anatomical niches of plants may contribute to persistence of human pathogens in agricultural environments in ways we have yet to describe. Tomatoes have been implicated in outbreaks of Salmonella at least 17 times during the years spanning 1990 to 2010. Our research seeks to provide a baseline description of the tomato microbiome and possibly identify whether or not there is something distinctive about tomatoes or their growing ecology that contributes to persistence of Salmonella in this important food crop. Results DNA was recovered from washes of epiphytic surfaces of tomato anatomical organs; leaves, stems, roots, flowers and fruits of Solanum lycopersicum (BHN602), grown at a site in close proximity to commercial farms previously implicated in tomato-Salmonella outbreaks. DNA was amplified for targeted 16S and 18S rRNA genes and sheared for shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Amplicons and metagenomes were used to describe “native” bacterial microflora for diverse anatomical parts of Virginia-grown tomatoes. Conclusions Distinct groupings of microbial communities were associated with different tomato plant organs and a gradient of compositional similarity could be correlated to the distance of a given plant part from the soil. Unique bacterial phylotypes (at 95% identity) were associated with fruits and flowers of tomato plants. These include Microvirga, Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Brachybacterium, Rhizobiales, Paracocccus, Chryseomonas and Microbacterium. The most frequently observed bacterial taxa across aerial plant regions were Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas. Dominant fungal taxa that could be identified to genus with 18S amplicons included Hypocrea, Aureobasidium and Cryptococcus. No definitive presence of Salmonella could be confirmed in any of the plant samples, although 16S sequences suggested that closely related genera were present on leaves, fruits and roots. PMID:23705801

Genetic variation in the Solanaceae fruit bearing species lulo and tree tomato revealed by Conserved Ortholog (COSII) markers

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

The Lulo or naranjilla (Solanum quitoense Lam.) and the tree tomato or tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav. Sendt.) are both Andean tropical fruit species with high nutritional value and the potential for becoming premium products in local and export markets. Herein, we present a report on the genetic characterization of 62 accessions of lulos (n = 32) and tree tomatoes (n = 30) through the use of PCR-based markers developed from single-copy conserved orthologous genes (COSII) in other Solanaceae (Asterid) species. We successfully PCR amplified a set of these markers for lulos (34 out of 46 initially tested) and tree tomatoes (26 out of 41) for molecular studies. Six polymorphic COSII markers were found in lulo with a total of 47 alleles and five polymorphic markers in tree tomato with a total of 39 alleles in the two populations. Further genetic analyses indicated a high population structure (with FST > 0.90), which may be a result of low migration between populations, adaptation to various niches and the number of markers evaluated. We propose COSII markers as sound tools for molecular studies, conservation and the breeding of these two fruit species. PMID:21637482

Chloroplast to chromoplast transition in tomato fruit: spectral confocal microscopy analyses of carotenoids and chlorophylls in isolated plastids and time-lapse recording on intact live tissue.

PubMed

Egea, Isabel; Bian, Wanping; Barsan, Cristina; Jauneau, Alain; Pech, Jean-Claude; Latché, Alain; Li, Zhengguo; Chervin, Christian

2011-08-01

There are several studies suggesting that tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) chromoplasts arise from chloroplasts, but there is still no report showing the fluorescence of both chlorophylls and carotenoids in an intermediate plastid, and no video showing this transition phase. Pigment fluorescence within individual plastids, isolated from tomato fruit using sucrose gradients, was observed at different ripening stages, and an in situ real-time recording of pigment fluorescence was performed on live tomato fruit slices. At the mature green and red stages, homogenous fractions of chloroplasts and chromoplasts were obtained, respectively. At the breaker stage, spectral confocal microscopy showed that intermediate plastids contained both chlorophylls and carotenoids. Furthermore, an in situ real-time recording (a) showed that the chloroplast to chromoplast transition was synchronous for all plastids of a single cell; and (b) confirmed that all chromoplasts derived from pre-existing chloroplasts. These results give details of the early steps of tomato chromoplast biogenesis from chloroplasts, with the formation of intermediate plastids containing both carotenoids and chlorophylls. They provide information at the sub-cellular level on the synchronism of plastid transition and pigment changes.

PCR cloning and characterization of multiple ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase cDNAs from tomato

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, B. Y.; Janes, H. W.; Gianfagna, T.

1998-01-01

Four ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGP) cDNAs were cloned from tomato fruit and leaves by the PCR techniques. Three of them (agp S1, agp S2, and agp S3) encode the large subunit of AGP, the fourth one (agp B) encodes the small subunit. The deduced amino acid sequences of the cDNAs show very high identities (96-98%) to the corresponding potato AGP isoforms, although there are major differences in tissue expression profiles. All four tomato AGP transcripts were detected in fruit and leaves; the predominant ones in fruit are agp B and agp S1, whereas in leaves they are agp B and agp S3. Genomic southern analysis suggests that the four AGP transcripts are encoded by distinct genes.

Antioxidant Systems from Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.): Involvement in the Response to Temperature Changes in Ripe Fruits

PubMed Central

Mateos, Rosa M.; Jiménez, Ana; Román, Paloma; Romojaro, Félix; Bacarizo, Sierra; Leterrier, Marina; Gómez, Manuel; Sevilla, Francisca; del Río, Luis A.; Corpas, Francisco J.; Palma, José M.

2013-01-01

Sweet pepper is susceptible to changes in the environmental conditions, especially temperatures below 15 °C. In this work, two sets of pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L.) which underwent distinct temperature profiles in planta were investigated. Accordingly, two harvesting times corresponding to each set were established: Harvest 1, whose fruits developed and ripened at 14.9 °C as average temperature; and Harvest 2, with average temperature of 12.4 °C. The oxidative metabolism was analyzed in all fruits. Although total ascorbate content did not vary between Harvests, a shift from the reduced to the oxidized form (dehydroascorbate), accompanied by a higher ascorbate peroxidase activity, was observed in Harvest 2 with respect to Harvest 1. Moreover, a decrease of the ascorbate-generating enzymatic system, the γ-galactono-lactone dehydrogenase, was found at Harvest 2. The activity values of the NADP-dependent dehydrogenases analyzed seem to indicate that a lower NADPH synthesis may occur in fruits which underwent lower temperature conditions. In spite of the important changes observed in the oxidative metabolism in fruits subjected to lower temperature, no oxidative stress appears to occur, as indicated by the lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation profiles. Thus, the antioxidative systems of pepper fruits seem to be involved in the response against temperature changes. PMID:23644886

Kitchen practices impact on volatile flavors in ripe tomatoes: effects of refrigeration and blanching

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Both blanching and refrigeration of ripe tomatoes are common practices in kitchen and food service prior to being sliced. However, little is reported on the impact of such treatments on volatile profiles in tomato fruit. In this study, ‘FL 47’ tomatoes at full red stage were dipped in 52 °C hot wate...

Fruit weight is controlled by Cell Size Regulator encoding a novel protein that is expressed in maturing tomato fruits

PubMed Central

Chakrabarti, Manohar; Liu, Xiaoxi; Wang, Yanping; Ramos, Alexis

2017-01-01

Increases in fruit weight of cultivated vegetables and fruits accompanied the domestication of these crops. Here we report on the positional cloning of a quantitative trait locus (QTL) controlling fruit weight in tomato. The derived allele of Cell Size Regulator (CSR-D) increases fruit weight predominantly through enlargement of the pericarp areas. The expanded pericarp tissues result from increased mesocarp cell size and not from increased number of cell layers. The effect of CSR on fruit weight and cell size is found across different genetic backgrounds implying a consistent impact of the locus on the trait. In fruits, CSR expression is undetectable early in development from floral meristems to the rapid cell proliferation stage after anthesis. Expression is low but detectable in growing fruit tissues and in or around vascular bundles coinciding with the cell enlargement stage of the fruit maturation process. CSR encodes an uncharacterized protein whose clade has expanded in the Solanaceae family. The mutant allele is predicted to encode a shorter protein due to a 1.4 kb deletion resulting in a 194 amino-acid truncation. Co-expression analyses and GO term enrichment analyses suggest association of CSR with cell differentiation in fruit tissues and vascular bundles. The derived allele arose in Solanum lycopersicum var cerasiforme and appears completely fixed in many cultivated tomato’s market classes. This finding suggests that the selection of this allele was critical to the full domestication of tomato from its intermediate ancestors. PMID:28817560

Polyamine metabolism in ripening tomato fruit. II. Polyamine metabolism and synthesis in relation to enhanced putrescine content and storage life of alc tomato fruit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rastogi, R.; Davies, P.J.

1991-01-01

The fruit of the Alcobaca landrace of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) have prolonged keeping qualities (determined by the allele alc) and contain three times as much putrescine as the standard Rutgers variety (Alc) at the ripe stage. Polyamine metabolism and biosynthesis were compared in fruit from Rutgers and Rutgers-alc-a near isogenic line possessing the allele alc, at four different stages of ripening. The levels of soluble polyamine conjugates as well as wall bound polyamines in the pericarp tissue and jelly were very low or nondetectable in both genotypes. The increase in putrescine content in alc pericarp is not related tomore » normal ripening as it occurred with time and whether or not the fruit ripened. Pericarp discs of both normal and alc fruit showed a decrease in the metabolism of (1,4-{sup 14}C)putrescine and (terminal labeled-{sup 3}H)spermidine with ripening, but there were no significant differences between the two genotypes. The activity of ornithine decarboxylase was similar in the fruit pericarp of the two lines. Arginine decarboxylase activity decreased during ripening in Rutgers but decreased and rose again in Rutgers-alc fruit, and as a result it was significantly higher in alc fruit than in the normal fruit at the ripe stage. The elevated putrescine levels in alc fruit appear, therefore, to be due to an increase in the activity of arginine decarboxylase.« less

Comparison of Ripening Processes in Intact Tomato Fruit and Excised Pericarp Discs 1

PubMed Central

Campbell, Alan D.; Huysamer, Marius; Stotz, Henrik U.; Greve, L. Carl; Labavitch, John M.

1990-01-01

Physiological processes characteristic of ripening in tissues of intact tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were examined in excised pericarp discs. Pericarp discs were prepared from mature-green tomato fruit and stored in 24-well culture plates, in which individual discs could be monitored for color change, ethylene biosynthesis, and respiration, and selected for cell wall analysis. Within the context of these preparation and handling procedures, most whole fruit ripening processes were maintained in pericarp discs. Pericarp discs and matched intact fruit passed through the same skin color stages at similar rates, as expressed in the L*a*b* color space, changing from green (a* < −5) to red (a* > 15) in about 6 days. Individual tissues of the pericarp discs changed color in the same sequence seen in intact fruit (exocarp, endocarp, then vascular parenchyma). Discs from different areas changed in the same spatial sequence seen in intact fruit (bottom, middle, top). Pericarp discs exhibited climacteric increases in ethylene biosynthesis and CO2 production comparable with those seen in intact fruit, but these were more tightly linked to rate of color change, reaching a peak around a* = 5. Tomato pericarp discs decreased in firmness as color changed. Cell wall carbohydrate composition changed with color as in intact fruit: the quantity of water-soluble pectin eluted from the starch-free alcohol insoluble substances steadily increased and more tightly bound, water-insoluble, pectin decreased in inverse relationship. The cell wall content of the neutral sugars arabinose, rhamnose, and galactose steadily decreased as color changed. The extractable activity of specific cell wall hydrolases changed as in intact fruit: polygalacturonase activity, not detectable in green discs (a* = −5), appeared as discs turned yellow-red (a* = 5), and increased another eight-fold as discs became full red (a* value +20). Carboxymethyl-cellulase activity, low in extracts from green discs, increased about six-fold as discs changed from yellow (a* = 0) to red. PMID:16667893

Cultivation of Tomato Tissues Capable of Forming Flowers and Fruits in Vitro

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galston, Arthur W.

1998-01-01

The final phase of this research project was designed to develop a practical method for producing a steady supply of fresh cherry tomato fruits over a period of several months, for possible use as a fresh vegetable supplement to a standard diet of astronauts on extended missions. This effort was successful. We were able to excise immature flowers from Pixie tomato plants grown in a controlled condition room, implant them on artificial media under aseptic conditions, and get them to develop into edible fruits in a little over a month. The medium (Murashige-Skoog) was purchased from Sigma, supplemented with sugar plus a synthetic analog of the plant hormone cytokinin, and adjusted to pH 5.8. A temperature of at least 25 C and visible light helped to produce ripe red fruits within 7 weeks. To ensure a steady supply of such tomatoes, we found it possible to store the explanted flower buds in MS medium at 5 C for at least 6 weeks without significant loss of ability to develop into fruits. This means that many containers could be prepared before launch and put into a refrigerator; a convenient number could then be removed periodically to guarantee a succession of harvests during the life of an extended mission. Details are found in the attached reprints. Subsequent applications for funds for flight or continued research were denied, and the project was terminated.

7 CFR 966.35 - Duties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order Regulating... tomatoes; (f) To prepare a marketing policy; (g) To recommend marketing regulations to the Secretary; (h...

Pollination of tomatoes by the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata and the honey bee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

PubMed

dos Santos, S A Bispo; Roselino, A C; Hrncir, M; Bego, L R

2009-06-30

The pollination effectiveness of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata and the honey bee Apis mellifera was tested in tomato plots. The experiment was conducted in four greenhouses as well as in an external open plot in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. The tomato plants were exposed to visits by M. quadrifasciata in one greenhouse and to A. mellifera in another; two greenhouses were maintained without bees (controls) and an open field plot was exposed to pollinators in an area where both honey bee and stingless bee colonies are abundant. We counted the number of tomatoes produced in each plot. Two hundred tomatoes from each plot were weighed, their vertical and transversal circumferences were measured, and the seeds were counted. We collected 253 Chrysomelidae, 17 Halictidae, one Paratrigona sp, and one honey bee from the flowers of the tomato plants in the open area. The largest number of fruits (1414 tomatoes), the heaviest and largest tomatoes, and the ones with the most seed were collected from the greenhouse with stingless bees. Fruits cultivated in the greenhouse with honey bees had the same weight and size as those produced in one of the control greenhouses. The stingless bee, M. quadrifasciata, was significantly more efficient than honey bees in pollinating greenhouse tomatoes.

Arachidonic acid alters tomato HMG expression and fruit growth and induces 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase-independent lycopene accumulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rodriguez-Concepcion, M.; Gruissem, W.

Regulation of isoprenoid end-product synthesis required for normal growth and development in plants is not well understood. To investigate the extent to which specific genes for the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) are involved in end-product regulation, the authors manipulated expression of the HMG1 and HMG2 genes in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruit using arachidonic acid (AA). In developing young fruit AA blocked fruit growth, inhibited HMG1, and activated HMG2 expression. These results are consistent with other reports indicating that HMG1 expression is closely correlated with growth processes requiring phytosterol production. In mature-green fruit AA strongly induced the expression ofmore » HMG2, PSY1 (the gene for phytoene synthase), and lycopene accumulation before the normal onset of carotenoid synthesis and ripening. The induction of lycopene synthesis was not blocked by inhibition of HMGR activity using mevinolin, suggesting that cytoplasmic HMGR is not required for carotenoid synthesis. Their results are consistent with the function of an alternative plastid isoprenoid pathway (the Rohmer pathway) that appears to direct the production of carotenoids during tomato fruit ripening.« less

Regulation of tomato fruit pericarp development by an interplay between CDKB and CDKA1 cell cycle genes

PubMed Central

Czerednik, Anna; Busscher, Marco; Bielen, Bram A.M.; Wolters-Arts, Mieke; de Maagd, Ruud A.; Angenent, Gerco C.

2012-01-01

Growth of tomato fruits is determined by cell division and cell expansion, which are tightly controlled by factors that drive the core cell cycle. The cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and their interacting partners, the cyclins, play a key role in the progression of the cell cycle. In this study the role of CDKA1, CDKB1, and CDKB2 in fruit development was characterized by fruit-specific overexpression and down-regulation. CDKA1 is expressed in the pericarp throughout development, but is strongly up-regulated in the outer pericarp cell layers at the end of the growth period, when CDKB gene expression has ceased. Overexpression of the CDKB genes at later stages of development and the down-regulation of CDKA1 result in a very similar fruit phenotype, showing a reduction in the number of cell layers in the pericarp and alterations in the desiccation of the fruits. Expression studies revealed that CDKA1 is down-regulated by the expression of CDKB1/2 in CDKB1 and CDKB2 overexpression mutants, suggesting opposite roles for these types of CDK proteins in tomato pericarp development. PMID:22282536

Quantifying the source-sink balance and carbohydrate content in three tomato cultivars.

PubMed

Li, Tao; Heuvelink, Ep; Marcelis, Leo F M

2015-01-01

Supplementary lighting is frequently applied in the winter season for crop production in greenhouses. The effect of supplementary lighting on plant growth depends on the balance between assimilate production in source leaves and the overall capacity of the plants to use assimilates. This study aims at quantifying the source-sink balance and carbohydrate content of three tomato cultivars differing in fruit size, and to investigate to what extent the source/sink ratio correlates with the potential fruit size. Cultivars Komeet (large size), Capricia (medium size), and Sunstream (small size, cherry tomato) were grown from 16 August to 21 November, at similar crop management as in commercial practice. Supplementary lighting (High Pressure Sodium lamps, photosynthetic active radiation at 1 m below lamps was 162 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1); maximum 10 h per day depending on solar irradiance level) was applied from 19 September onward. Source strength was estimated from total plant growth rate using periodic destructive plant harvests in combination with the crop growth model TOMSIM. Sink strength was estimated from potential fruit growth rate which was determined from non-destructively measuring the fruit growth rate at non-limiting assimilate supply, growing only one fruit on each truss. Carbohydrate content in leaves and stems were periodically determined. During the early growth stage, 'Komeet' and 'Capricia' showed sink limitation and 'Sunstream' was close to sink limitation. During this stage reproductive organs had hardly formed or were still small and natural irradiance was high (early September) compared to winter months. Subsequently, during the fully fruiting stage all three cultivars were strongly source-limited as indicated by the low source/sink ratio (average source/sink ratio from 50 days after planting onward was 0.17, 0.22, and 0.33 for 'Komeet,' 'Capricia,' and 'Sunstream,' respectively). This was further confirmed by the fact that pruning half of the fruits hardly influenced net leaf photosynthesis rates. Carbohydrate content in leaves and stems increased linearly with the source/sink ratio. We conclude that during the early growth stage under high irradiance, tomato plants are sink-limited and that the level of sink limitation differs between cultivars but it is not correlated with their potential fruit size. During the fully fruiting stage tomato plants are source-limited and the extent of source limitation of a cultivar is positively correlated with its potential fruit size.

Spatiotemporal transcriptome provides insights into early fruit development of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

PubMed

Zhang, Shuaibin; Xu, Meng; Qiu, Zhengkun; Wang, Ketao; Du, Yongchen; Gu, Lianfeng; Cui, Xia

2016-03-18

Early fruit development is crucial for crop production in tomato. After fertilization, the ovary undergoes cell division and cell expansion before maturation. Although the roles of regulatory signals such as hormone and carbohydrate during early fruit development have been studied, the spatial distribution and the sequential initiation of these regulatory signals still need to be explored. Using the tomato cultivar 'Moneymaker', we analyzed the transcriptome of the ovule and the ovary wall/pericarp dissected from four different stages of the early developing fruits by stereoscope. These datasets give us the whole picture about the spatial and temporal signal distribution in early development of ovule and pericarp. Our results indicate that the hormone signal was initiated in both ovule and pericarp after fertilization. After that, different signals were activated in ovule and pericarp due to their distinct developmental processes. Our study provides spatiotemporal regulatory landscape of gene expression with sequential information which was not studied by previous work and further strengthens the comprehension of the regulatory and metabolic events controlling early fruit development.

The dominant allele Aft induces a shift from flavonol to anthocyanin production in response to UV-B radiation in tomato fruit.

PubMed

Catola, Stefano; Castagna, Antonella; Santin, Marco; Calvenzani, Valentina; Petroni, Katia; Mazzucato, Andrea; Ranieri, Annamaria

2017-08-01

The introgression of the A ft allele into domesticated tomato induced a shift from flavonol to anthocyanin production in response to UV-B radiation, while the hp - 1 allele negatively influenced the response of flavonoid biosynthesis to UV-B. Introgression of the dominant allele Anthocyanin fruit (Aft) from Solanum chilense induces anthocyanin accumulation in the peel of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit. UV-B radiation can influence plant secondary metabolism regulating the expression of several genes, among which those involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. Here, we investigated whether post-harvest UV-B treatment could up-regulate flavonoid production in tomato fruits and whether the Aft allele could affect flavonoid biosynthesis under UV-B radiation. Mature green fruits of an anthocyanin-rich tomato mutant line (SA206) and of its wild-type reference, cv. Roma, were daily subjected to post-harvest UV-B treatment until full ripening. Up-regulation of CHS and CHI transcription by UV-B treatment induced flavonoid accumulation in the peel of cv. Roma. Conversely, UV-B decreased the total flavonoid content and CHS transcript levels in the SA206 peel. SA206 being a double mutant containing also hp-1 allele, we investigated also the behavior of hp-1 fruit. The decreased peel flavonoid accumulation and gene transcription in response to UV-B suggest that hp-1 allele is involved in the marked down-regulation of the flavonoid biosynthesis observed in SA206 fruit. Interestingly, in SA206, UV-B radiation promoted the synthesis of delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin by increasing F3'5'H and DFR transcription, but it decreased rutin production, suggesting a switch from flavonols to anthocyanins. Finally, although UV-B radiation does not reach the inner fruit tissues, it down-regulated flavonoid biosynthesis in the flesh of both genotypes. This study provides, for the first time, evidence that the presence of the functional Aft allele, under UV-B radiation, redirects flavonoid synthesis towards anthocyanin production and suggests that the hp-1 allele negatively influences the response of flavonoid biosynthesis to UV-B.

Differential gene expression in tomato fruit and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides during colonization of the RNAi-SlPH tomato line with reduced fruit acidity and higher pH.

PubMed

Barad, Shiri; Sela, Noa; Dubey, Amit K; Kumar, Dilip; Luria, Neta; Ment, Dana; Cohen, Shahar; Schaffer, Arthur A; Prusky, Dov

2017-08-04

The destructive phytopathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causes anthracnose disease in fruit. During host colonization, it secretes ammonia, which modulates environmental pH and regulates gene expression, contributing to pathogenicity. However, the effect of host pH environment on pathogen colonization has never been evaluated. Development of an isogenic tomato line with reduced expression of the gene for acidity, SlPH (Solyc10g074790.1.1), enabled this analysis. Total RNA from C. gloeosporioides colonizing wild-type (WT) and RNAi-SlPH tomato lines was sequenced and gene-expression patterns were compared. C. gloeosporioides inoculation of the RNAi-SlPH line with pH 5.96 compared to the WT line with pH 4.2 showed 30% higher colonization and reduced ammonia accumulation. Large-scale comparative transcriptome analysis of the colonized RNAi-SlPH and WT lines revealed their different mechanisms of colonization-pattern activation: whereas the WT tomato upregulated 13-LOX (lipoxygenase), jasmonic acid and glutamate biosynthesis pathways, it downregulated processes related to chlorogenic acid biosynthesis II, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and hydroxycinnamic acid tyramine amide biosynthesis; the RNAi-SlPH line upregulated UDP-D-galacturonate biosynthesis I and free phenylpropanoid acid biosynthesis, but mainly downregulated pathways related to sugar metabolism, such as the glyoxylate cycle and L-arabinose degradation II. Comparison of C. gloeosporioides gene expression during colonization of the WT and RNAi-SlPH lines showed that the fungus upregulates ammonia and nitrogen transport and the gamma-aminobutyric acid metabolic process during colonization of the WT, while on the RNAi-SlPH tomato, it mainly upregulates the nitrate metabolic process. Modulation of tomato acidity and pH had significant phenotypic effects on C. gloeosporioides development. The fungus showed increased colonization on the neutral RNAi-SlPH fruit, and limited colonization on the WT acidic fruit. The change in environmental pH resulted in different defense responses for the two tomato lines. Interestingly, the WT line showed upregulation of jasmonate pathways and glutamate accumulation, supporting the reduced symptom development and increased ammonia accumulation, as the fungus might utilize glutamate to accumulate ammonia and increase environmental pH for better expression of pathogenicity factors. This was not found in the RNAi-SlPH line which downregulated sugar metabolism and upregulated the phenylpropanoid pathway, leading to host susceptibility.

[Effects of interaction between vermicompost and probiotics on soil nronerty, yield and quality of tomato].

PubMed

Shen, Fei; Zhu, Tong-bin; Teng, Ming-jiao; Chen, Yue; Liu, Man-qiang; Hu, Feng; Li, Hui-xin

2016-02-01

In this study, we investigated the effects of two strains of probiotic bacteria (Bacillus megaterium BM and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BA) combined with chemical fertilizers and vermicompost on the soil property, the yield and quality of tomato. The results showed that under the same nutrient level, vermicompost significantly increased the yield, soluble sugar and protein contents of fruit, the soil pH and available phosphorus when compared with chemical fertilizers. Vermicompost combined with probiotics not only increased the tomato yield, soluble sugar, protein and vitamin C contents, sugar/acid ratio of fruit, and reduced the organic acid and nitrate nitrogen contents of fruit, also increased the soil pH and nitrate nitrogen content, and reduced soil electric conductivity when compared with vermicompost treatment. This improved efficiency was better than that by chemical fertilizers combined with probiotics. For BA and BM applied with chemical fertilizers or vermicompost, both stains had no significant effect on tomato quality. When co-applied with vermicompost, BA and BM showed significant difference in tomato yield. High soil available phosphorus content was determined when BM was combined with chemical fertilizers, while high soil available potassium content was obtained when BA was combined with vermicompost. Our results suggested that probiotics and vermicompost could be used as alternatives of chemical fertilizers in tomato production and soil fertility improvement.

Respiration climacteric in tomato fruits elucidated by constraint-based modelling.

PubMed

Colombié, Sophie; Beauvoit, Bertrand; Nazaret, Christine; Bénard, Camille; Vercambre, Gilles; Le Gall, Sophie; Biais, Benoit; Cabasson, Cécile; Maucourt, Mickaël; Bernillon, Stéphane; Moing, Annick; Dieuaide-Noubhani, Martine; Mazat, Jean-Pierre; Gibon, Yves

2017-03-01

Tomato is a model organism to study the development of fleshy fruit including ripening initiation. Unfortunately, few studies deal with the brief phase of accelerated ripening associated with the respiration climacteric because of practical problems involved in measuring fruit respiration. Because constraint-based modelling allows predicting accurate metabolic fluxes, we investigated the respiration and energy dissipation of fruit pericarp at the breaker stage using a detailed stoichiometric model of the respiratory pathway, including alternative oxidase and uncoupling proteins. Assuming steady-state, a metabolic dataset was transformed into constraints to solve the model on a daily basis throughout tomato fruit development. We detected a peak of CO 2 released and an excess of energy dissipated at 40 d post anthesis (DPA) just before the onset of ripening coinciding with the respiration climacteric. We demonstrated the unbalanced carbon allocation with the sharp slowdown of accumulation (for syntheses and storage) and the beginning of the degradation of starch and cell wall polysaccharides. Experiments with fruits harvested from plants cultivated under stress conditions confirmed the concept. We conclude that modelling with an accurate metabolic dataset is an efficient tool to bypass the difficulty of measuring fruit respiration and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of ripening. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

7 CFR 966.122 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Rules and Regulations Safeguards § 966.122 Reports. Each handler handling tomatoes under and pursuant to a Certificate...

7 CFR 966.22 - Establishment and membership.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order Regulating Handling Committee § 966.22 Establishment and membership. (a) The Florida Tomato Committee...

Expression of grape ACS1 in tomato decreases ethylene and alters the balance between auxin and ethylene during shoot and root formation.

PubMed

Ye, Xia; Fu, Mengmeng; Liu, Yu; An, Dongliang; Zheng, Xianbo; Tan, Bin; Li, Jidong; Cheng, Jun; Wang, Wei; Feng, Jiancan

2018-05-04

Ethylene plays an important role in the grape rachis, where its production can be 10 times higher than in the berry. VvACS1 is the only rachis-specific ACC synthase (ACS) gene, and its expression is coincident with ethylene production in the rachis of Vitis vinifera 'Thompson seedless'. VvACS1 was cloned and ectopically expressed in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Moneymaker'). Lateral buds were increased in two- or four-week-old 35s∷VvACS1 transgenic tomato plants after transplanting. Compared with wild-type (WT) plants, the transgenic tomato plants showed higher expression of the VvACS1 gene in the flowers, leaves, rachis, and fruits. There was no obvious difference of ACS activity in the fruit of tomato, and only increased ACS activity in the rachis of tomato. Ethylene production was decreased in flowers, leaves, and fruits (seven weeks after full bloom), while the relative expression of endogenous tomato ACS1 and ACS6 genes was not down-regulated by the ectopic expression of VvACS1. These results imply that post-transcriptional or post-translational regulation of ACS may occur, resulting in lower ethylene production in the transgenic tomato plants. Moreover, expression of VvACS1 in tomato resulted in decreased auxin and increased zeatin contents in the lateral buds, as well as reduced or delayed formation of adventitious roots in lateral bud cuttings. RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR analyses of rooted lateral bud cuttings indicated that the relative expression levels of the genes for zeatin O-glucosyltransferase-like, auxin repressed/dormancy-associated protein, and ERF transcription factors were higher in transgenic tomatoes than in WT, suggesting that ethylene may regulate auxin transport and distribution in shoots and that adventitious root formation employs coordination between auxin and ethylene. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Biochemical evaluation of tomato germplasm part II: evaluation of a core collection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fresh fruit quality is of utmost priority to consumers of tomato. Unappealing quality is one of the most commonly heard complaints associated with modern varieties of tomato available in supermarkets. The objective of this study was to determine the variability of flavor-contributing and other quali...

7 CFR 966.113 - Registered handler certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES... handler who handles tomatoes grown in the production area must be certified as a registered handler by the committee in order to ship such tomatoes outside of the regulated area. A handler who is certified as a...

7 CFR 966.124 - Approved receiver.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Rules and..., as an approved receiver, tomatoes for purposes as set forth in § 966.120(a), shall annually, prior... specified purpose is to occur; (4) Whether or not the receiver packs, repacks or sells fresh tomatoes; (5) A...

7 CFR 966.11 - Pack.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 966.11 Pack. Pack means any of the packs of tomatoes as defined and set forth in the United States Standards for Fresh Tomatoes issued by the United States Department of Agriculture (§§ 51...

Western flower thrips can transmit Tomato spotted wilt virus from infected tomato fruits

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) has long been known to spread via plant propagation materials including transplants. Global dissemination of TSWV has also been linked to transport of thrips-infested and virus-infected horticultural and floricultural products through trade and commerce. However, th...

Co-expression of vacuolar Na(+)/H(+) antiporter and H(+)-pyrophosphatase with an IRES-mediated dicistronic vector improves salinity tolerance and enhances potassium biofortification of tomato.

PubMed

Gouiaa, Sandra; Khoudi, Habib

2015-09-01

Potassium (K) deficiency is a worldwide problem. Thus, the K biofortification of crops is needed to enhance human nutrition. Tomato represents an ideal candidate for such biofortification programs thanks to its widespread distribution and its easy growth on a commercial scale. However, although tomato is moderately tolerant to abiotic stresses, the crop losses due to salinity can be severe. In this study, we generated transgenic tomato plants over-expressing a Na(+)-K(+)/H(+) exchanger gene (TNHXS1), singly or with H(+)-pyrophosphatase (H(+)-PPiase) gene using a bicistronic construct. Transgenic tomato lines co-expressing both genes (LNV) significantly showed higher salinity tolerance than the wild-type (WT) plans or those expressing the TNHXS1 gene alone (LN). Indeed, under salt stress conditions, double transgenic plants produced higher biomass and retained more chlorophyll and catalase (CAT) activity. In addition, they showed earlier flowering and produced more fruits. To address K deficiencies in humans, an increase of 50% in K content of vegetable products was proposed. In this study, ion content analysis revealed that, under salt stress, fruits from double transgenic plants accumulated 5 times more potassium and 9 times less sodium than WT counterparts. Interestingly, the ionomic analysis of tomato fruits also revealed that LNV had a distinct profile compared to WT and to LN plants. Indeed, LNV fruits accumulated less Fe(2+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+) and Zn(2+), but more Mn(2+). This study demonstrates the effectiveness of bicistronic constructs as an important tool for the enhancement of biofortification and salt stress tolerance in crops. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential pollinators of tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum (Solanaceae), in open crops and the effect of a solitary bee in fruit set and quality.

PubMed

Santos, A O R; Bartelli, B F; Nogueira-Ferreira, F H

2014-06-01

We identified native bees that are floral visitors and potential pollinators of tomato in Cerrado areas, described the foraging behavior of these species, and verified the influence of the visitation of a solitary bee on the quantity and quality of fruits. Three areas of tomato crops, located in Minas Gerais, Brazil, were sampled between March and November 2012. We collected 185 bees belonging to 13 species. Exomalopsis (Exomalopsis) analis Spinola, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was the most abundant. Ten species performed buzz pollination. Apis mellifera L. 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Paratrigona lineata (Lepeletier, 1836) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) could also act as pollinators. The fruit set and number of seeds obtained from the pollination treatment by E. analis were higher than those in the control group. Our results allowed the identification of potential tomato pollinators in Cerrado areas and also contributed information regarding the impact of a single species (E. analis) on fruit set and quality. Although most of the visiting bees show the ability for tomato pollination, there is an absence of adequate management techniques, and its usage is difficult with the aim of increasing the crop production, which is the case for E. analis. Species such as Melipona quinquefasciata, P. lineata, and A. mellifera, which are easy to handle, are not used for pollination services. Finally, it is suggested that a combination of different bee species that are able to pollinate the tomato is necessary to prevent the super-exploitation of only a single species for pollination services and to guarantee the occurrence of potential pollinators in the crop area.

Effect of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) on plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) under simulated seawater irrigation.

PubMed

Shen, Min; Jun Kang, Yi; Li Wang, Huan; Sheng Zhang, Xiang; Xin Zhao, Qing

2012-01-01

To determine the effects of three PGPRs on plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato under simulated seawater irrigation, a two consecutive seasons' field experiment was conducted in Yancheng Teachers University plot from April to June and August to October, 2011. The results showed that Erwinia persicinus RA2 containing ACC deaminase exhibited the best ability compared with Bacillus pumilus WP8 and Pseudomonas putida RBP1 which had no ACC deaminase activity to enhance marketable yields of fresh and dried fruits in tomato under simulated seawater irrigation especially under HS condition. B. pumilus WP8 had significant effects on improving tomato fruit quality under the conditions of irrigating with 1.0% NaCl solution (MS) and with 2.0% NaCl solution (HS). Na(+) contents were generally accumulated much more in tomato plant mid-shoot leaves than in fruits whatever the salt concentration. More sodium accumulation in leaves of E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 treatments under HS condition were found than in control. E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 can promote tomato growth, improve fruit quality more firmly than P. putida RBP1 during two consecutive seasons. Our study suggested that E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 are considered to be promising PGPR strains which are suited for application in salt marsh planting, ACC deaminase activity was not unique index on screening for PGPRs with the aim of salt stress tolerance, and plant growth promoting activities may be relevant to different growth indices and different stress conditions.

The last reaction producing brassinolide is catalyzed by cytochrome P-450s, CYP85A3 in tomato and CYP85A2 in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Nomura, Takahito; Kushiro, Tetsuo; Yokota, Takao; Kamiya, Yuji; Bishop, Gerard J; Yamaguchi, Shinjiro

2005-05-06

Brassinosteroids are steroidal hormones essential for the growth and development of plants. Brassinolide, the most biologically active brassinosteroid, has a seven-membered lactone ring that is formed by a Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of its immediate precursor castasterone. Despite its potential key role in controlling plant development, brassinolide synthase has not been identified. Previous work has shown that the formation of castasterone from 6-deoxocastasterone is catalyzed by members of the CYP85A family of cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases. A null mutation in the tomato Dwarf (CYP85A1) gene, extreme dwarf (d(x)), causes severe dwarfism due to brassinosteroid deficiency, but the d(x) mutant still produces fruits. Here, we show that d(x) fruits contain brassinolide at a higher level than wild-type fruits and that a new CYP85A gene, CYP85A3, is preferentially expressed in tomato fruits. Tomato CYP85A3 catalyzed the Baeyer-Villiger oxidation to produce brassinolide from castasterone in yeast, in addition to the conversion of 6-deoxocastasterone to castasterone. We also show that Arabidopsis CYP85A2, which was initially characterized as castasterone synthase, also has brassinolide synthase activity. Exogenous application of castasterone and brassinolide to the Arabidopsis cyp85a1/cyp85a2 double mutant suggests that castasterone can function as an active brassinosteroid but that its conversion into brassinolide is necessary for normal vegetative development in Arabidopsis. We postulate that castasterone is the major active brassinosteroid during vegetative growth in tomato, whereas brassinolide may play an organ-specific role in fruit development in this species.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of NP24-I, an isoform of a thaumatin-like protein from ripe tomato fruits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ghosh, Raka; Chakrabarti, Chandana, E-mail: chandana.chakrabarti@saha.ac.in

2005-08-01

A thaumatin-like antifungal protein, NP24-I, has been isolated from ripe tomato fruits. It was crystallized by the vapour-diffusion method and data were collected to 2.45 Å. The structure was solved by molecular replacement. NP24 is a 24 kDa (207-amino-acid) antifungal thaumatin-like protein (TLP) found in tomato fruits. An isoform of the protein, NP24-I, is reported to play a possible role in ripening of the fruit in addition to its antifungal properties. The protein has been isolated and purified and crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P4{sub 3}, with unit-cell parameters a =more » b = 61.01, c = 62.90 Å and one molecule per asymmetric unit. X-ray diffraction data were processed to a resolution of 2.45 Å and the structure was solved by molecular replacement.« less

7 CFR 966.121 - Issuance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Rules and... authorizing the applicant named therein to ship tomatoes for a specified purpose for a specified period of...

7 CFR 966.12 - Maturity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order... tomatoes as established by the committee with approval of the Secretary as determined at the time of the...

Tomato R2R3-MYB Proteins SlANT1 and SlAN2: Same Protein Activity, Different Roles

PubMed Central

Bassolino, Laura; Povero, Giovanni; Spelt, Cornelis; Buti, Sara; Giuliano, Giovanni; Quattrocchio, Francesca; Koes, Ronald; Perata, Pierdomenico; Gonzali, Silvia

2015-01-01

Anthocyanins are water-soluble polyphenolic compounds with a high nutraceutical value. Despite the fact that cultivated tomato varieties do not accumulate anthocyanins in the fruit, the biosynthetic pathway can be activated in the vegetative organs by several environmental stimuli. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating anthocyanin synthesis in tomato. Here, we carried out a molecular and functional characterization of two genes, SlAN2 and SlANT1, encoding two R2R3-MYB transcription factors. We show that both can induce ectopic anthocyanin synthesis in transgenic tomato lines, including the fruit. However, only SlAN2 acts as a positive regulator of anthocyanin synthesis in vegetative tissues under high light or low temperature conditions. PMID:26308527

Genotype by watering regime interaction in cultivated tomato: lessons from linkage mapping and gene expression.

PubMed

Albert, Elise; Gricourt, Justine; Bertin, Nadia; Bonnefoi, Julien; Pateyron, Stéphanie; Tamby, Jean-Philippe; Bitton, Frédérique; Causse, Mathilde

2016-02-01

In tomato, genotype by watering interaction resulted from genotype re-ranking more than scale changes. Interactive QTLs according to watering regime were detected. Differentially expressed genes were identified in some intervals. As a result of climate change, drought will increasingly limit crop production in the future. Studying genotype by watering regime interactions is necessary to improve plant adaptation to low water availability. In cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), extensively grown in dry areas, well-mastered water deficits can stimulate metabolite production, increasing plant defenses and concentration of compounds involved in fruit quality, at the same time. However, few tomato Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) and genes involved in response to drought are identified or only in wild species. In this study, we phenotyped a population of 119 recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between a cherry tomato and a large fruit tomato, grown in greenhouse under two watering regimes, in two locations. A large genetic variability was measured for 19 plant and fruit traits, under the two watering treatments. Highly significant genotype by watering regime interactions were detected and resulted from re-ranking more than scale changes. The population was genotyped for 679 SNP markers to develop a genetic map. In total, 56 QTLs were identified among which 11 were interactive between watering regimes. These later mainly exhibited antagonist effects according to watering treatment. Variation in gene expression in leaves of parental accessions revealed 2259 differentially expressed genes, among which candidate genes presenting sequence polymorphisms were identified under two main interactive QTLs. Our results provide knowledge about the genetic control of genotype by watering regime interactions in cultivated tomato and the possible use of deficit irrigation to improve tomato quality.

Guidelines to use tomato in experiments with a controlled environment

PubMed Central

Schwarz, Dietmar; Thompson, Andrew J.; Kläring, Hans-Peter

2014-01-01

Domesticated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the most important horticultural crop worldwide. Low polymorphism at the DNA level conflicts with the wealth of morphological variation. Fruits vary widely in size, shape, and color. In contrast, genetic variation between the 16 wild relatives is tremendous. Several large seed banks provide tomato germplasm for both domesticated and wild accessions of tomato. Recently, the genomes of the inbred cultivar “Heinz 1706” (≈900 Mb), and S. pimpinellifolium (739 Mb) were sequenced. Genomic markers and genome re-sequencing data are available for >150 cultivars and accessions. Transformation of tomato is relatively easy and T-DNA insertion line collections are available. Tomato is widely used as a model crop for fruit development but also for diverse physiological, cellular, biochemical, molecular, and genetic studies. It can be easily grown in greenhouses or growth chambers. Plants grow, flower, and develop fruits well at daily light lengths between 8 and 16 h. The required daily light integral of an experiment depends on growth stage and temperature investigated. Temperature must be 10–35°C, relative humidity 30–90%, and, CO2 concentration 200–1500 μmol mol−1. Temperature determines the speed of the phenological development while daily light integral and CO2 concentration affect photosynthesis and biomass production. Seed to seed cultivation takes 100 days at 20°C and can be shortened or delayed by temperature. Tomato may be cultivated in soil, substrates, or aeroponically without any substrate. Root volume, and water uptake requirements are primarily determined by transpiration demands of the plants. Many nutrient supply recipes and strategies are available to ensure sufficient supply as well as specific nutrient deficits/surplus. Using appropriate cultivation techniques makes tomato a convenient model plant for researchers, even for beginners. PMID:25477888

Hormonal and metabolic regulation of tomato fruit sink activity and yield under salinity

PubMed Central

Albacete, Alfonso; Cantero-Navarro, Elena; Balibrea, María E.; Großkinsky, Dominik K.; de la Cruz González, María; Martínez-Andújar, Cristina; Smigocki, Ann C.; Roitsch, Thomas; Pérez-Alfocea, Francisco

2014-01-01

Salinization of water and soil has a negative impact on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) productivity by reducing growth of sink organs and by inducing senescence in source leaves. It has been hypothesized that yield stability implies the maintenance or increase of sink activity in the reproductive structures, thus contributing to the transport of assimilates from the source leaves through changes in sucrolytic enzymes and their regulation by phytohormones. In this study, classical and functional physiological approaches have been integrated to study the influence of metabolic and hormonal factors on tomato fruit sink activity, growth, and yield: (i) exogenous hormones were applied to plants, and (ii) transgenic plants overexpressing the cell wall invertase (cwInv) gene CIN1 in the fruits and de novo cytokinin (CK) biosynthesis gene IPT in the roots were constructed. Although salinity reduces fruit growth, sink activity, and trans-zeatin (tZ) concentrations, it increases the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) during the actively growing period (25 days after anthesis). Indeed, exogenous application of the CK analogue kinetin to salinized actively growing fruits recovered sucrolytic activities (mainly cwInv and sucrose synthase), sink strength, and fruit weight, whereas the ethylene-releasing compound ethephon had a negative effect in equivalent non-stressed fruits. Fruit yield was increased by both the constitutive expression of CIN1 in the fruits (up to 4-fold) or IPT in the root (up to 30%), owing to an increase in the fruit number (lower flower abortion) and in fruit weight. This is possibly related to a recovery of sink activity in reproductive tissues due to both (i) increase in sucrolytic activities (cwInv, sucrose synthase, and vacuolar and cytoplasmic invertases) and tZ concentration, and (ii) a decrease in the ACC levels and the activity of the invertase inhibitor. This study provides new functional evidences about the role of metabolic and hormonal inter-regulation of local sink processes in controlling tomato fruit sink activity, growth, and yield under salinity. PMID:25170099

Metabolic engineering of monoterpene biosynthesis in tomato fruits via introduction of the non-canonical substrate neryl diphosphate.

PubMed

Gutensohn, Michael; Nguyen, Thuong T H; McMahon, Richard D; Kaplan, Ian; Pichersky, Eran; Dudareva, Natalia

2014-07-01

Recently it was shown that monoterpenes in tomato trichomes (Solanum lycopersicum) are synthesized by phellandrene synthase 1 (PHS1) from the non-canonical substrate neryl diphosphate (NPP), the cis-isomer of geranyl diphosphate (GPP). As PHS1 accepts both NPP and GPP substrates forming different monoterpenes, it was overexpressed in tomato fruits to test if NPP is also available in a tissue highly active in carotenoid production. However, transgenic fruits overexpressing PHS1 produced only small amounts of GPP-derived PHS1 monoterpene products, indicating the absence of endogenous NPP. Therefore, NPP formation was achieved by diverting the metabolic flux from carotenoids via expression of tomato neryl diphosphate synthase 1 (NDPS1). NDPS1 transgenic fruits produced NPP-derived monoterpenes, including nerol, neral and geranial, while displaying reduced lycopene content. NDPS1 co-expression with PHS1 resulted in a monoterpene blend, including β-phellandrene, similar to that produced from NPP by PHS1 in vitro and in trichomes. Unexpectedly, PHS1×NDPS1 fruits showed recovery of lycopene levels compared to NDPS1 fruits, suggesting that redirection of metabolic flux is only partially responsible for the reduction in carotenoids. In vitro assays demonstrated that NPP serves as an inhibitor of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase, thus its consumption by PHS1 leads to recovery of lycopene levels. Monoterpenes produced in PHS1×NDPS1 fruits contributed to direct plant defense negatively affecting feeding behavior of the herbivore Helicoverpa zea and displaying antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea. These results show that NPP-derived terpenoids can be produced in plant tissues; however, NPP has to be consumed to avoid negative impacts on plant metabolism. Copyright © 2014 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ripening Behavior of Wild Tomato Species 1

PubMed Central

Grumet, Rebecca; Fobes, Jon F.; Herner, Robert C.

1981-01-01

Nine wild tomato species were surveyed for variability in ripening characteristics. External signs of ripening, age of fruit at ripening, and ethylene production patterns were compared. Ethylene production was monitored using an ethylene-free air stream system and gas chromatography. Based on these ripening characteristics, the fruits fell into three general categories: those that change color when they ripen, green-fruited species that abscise prior to ripening, and green-fruited species that ripen on the vine. The fruits that change color, Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme, Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium and Lycopersicon cheesmanii, exhibited a peak of ethylene production similar to the cultivated tomato; there were differences, however, in the timing and magnitude of the ethylene production. Peak levels of ethylene production are correlated with age at maturity. For the two species that abscise prior to ripening, Lycopersicon chilense and Lycopersicon peruvianum, ability to produce ethylene varied with stage of maturity. The two species differed from each other in time of endogenous ethylene production relative to abscission, suggesting differences in the control mechanisms regulating their ripening. For two of the green-fruited species that ripen on the vine, Lycopersicon chmielewskii and Lycopersicon parviflorum, ethylene production was correlated to fruit softening. For Lycopersicon hirsutum and Solanum pennellii, however, ethylene production was not correlated with external ripening changes, making questionable the role of ethylene as the ripening hormone in these fruits. PMID:16662121

Exploring the impact of wounding and jasmonates on ascorbate metabolism

PubMed Central

Suza, Walter P.; Avila, Carlos A.; Carruthers, Kelly; Kulkarni, Shashank; Goggin, Fiona L.; Lorence, Argelia

2010-01-01

Vitamin C (ascorbate, AsA) is the most abundant water-soluble antioxidant in plants. Ascorbate provides the first line of defense against damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS), and helps protect plant cells from many factors that induce oxidative stress, including wounding, ozone, high salinity, and pathogen attack. Plant defenses against these stresses are also dependent upon jasmonates (JAs), a class of plant hormones that promote ROS accumulation. Here, we review evidence showing that wounding and JAs influence AsA accumulation in various plant species, and we report new data from Arabidopsis and tomato testing the influence of JAs on AsA levels in wounded and unwounded plants. In both species, certain mutations that impair JA metabolism and signaling influence foliar AsA levels, suggesting that endogenous JAs may regulate steady-state AsA. However, the impact of wounding on AsA accumulation was similar in JA mutants and wild type controls, indicating that this wound response does not require JAs. Our findings also indicate that the effects of wounding and JAs on AsA accumulation differ between species; these factors both enhanced AsA accumulation in Arabidopsis, but depressed AsA levels in tomato. These results underscore the importance of obtaining data from more than one model species, and demonstrate the complexity of AsA regulation. PMID:20346686

Improvement of tomato local varieties by grafting in organic farming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, Marta M.; Villena, Jaime; Moreno, Carmen; García, Arántzazu M.; Mancebo, Ignacio; Meco, Ramón

2015-04-01

Grafting is the union of two or more pieces of living plant tissue that grow as a single plant. The early use of grafted vegetables was associated with protected cultivation which involves successive cropping (Lee et al., 2010). For this reason, in the past, grafting was used with vegetable crops to limit the effects of soil-borne diseases. However, the reasons for grafting as well as the kinds of vegetable grafted have increased considerably over the years. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), one of the most important horticultural crops in the world, the effect of grafting has also been widely studied. These effects on commercial tomato varieties can be summarized in increasing plant vigor and crop yield or inducing tolerance to abiotic stresses, although the effects on tomato fruit quality or on the sensory properties are not so patent (David et al., 2008). However, a few studies about the effect of grafting on local tomato varieties, which are especially recommended for organic production in spite of their lower yields in many cases, have been developed. In this work we evaluated the effect of grafting on tomato local varieties under organic management using vigorous commercial rootstocks, and aspects related to vigor, yield and tomato fruit composition were analyzed. In general terms, grafting increased the plant vigor, the crop yield and the fruit antioxidant content, although no modification of morphological fruit attributes was observed. Keywords: grafting, Solanum lycopersicum L., local varieties, organic farming. References: Davis A.R., Perkins-Veazie P., Hassell R., Levi A., King S.R., Zhang X. 2008. Grafting effects on vegetable quality. HortScience 43(6): 1670-1671. Lee J.M., Kubota C., Tsao S.J., Bie Z., Hoyos-Echevarría P., Morra L., Oda M. 2010. Current status of vegetable grafting: Diffusion, grafting techniques, automation. Scientia Horticulturae 127: 93-105.

Drying effects on the antioxidant properties of tomatoes and ginger.

PubMed

Gümüşay, Özlem Aktürk; Borazan, Alev Akpınar; Ercal, Nuran; Demirkol, Omca

2015-04-15

In this study, the effects of four different drying processes, sun drying (SD), oven drying (OD), vacuum oven drying (VOD) and freeze drying (FD) for tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) in terms of thiolic and phenolic contents have been studied. Thiol content, total phenolic content (TPC), ascorbic acid (AA) content, and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) were determined in fresh and dried samples. Glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (Cys) were determined as the thiol contents of tomatoes and ginger. Significant losses were observed in the contents of TPC, AA, GSH and Cys and CUPRAC values in all samples that were dried using the thermal method. There was a statistically significant difference in the losses of the TPC, AA, and thiol contents between the use of thermal drying and freeze drying (except Cys in tomatoes) methods. Freeze dried tomato and ginger samples have been found to have better antioxidant properties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase from pepper fruits and its modulation in the ascorbate biosynthesis. Role of nitric oxide.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Ruiz, Marta; Mateos, Rosa M; Codesido, Verónica; Corpas, Francisco J; Palma, José M

2017-08-01

Pepper fruit is one of the highest vitamin C sources of plant origin for our diet. In plants, ascorbic acid is mainly synthesized through the L-galactose pathway, being the L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GalLDH) the last step. Using pepper fruits, the full GalLDH gene was cloned and the protein molecular characterization accomplished. GalLDH protein sequence (586 residues) showed a 37 amino acids signal peptide at the N-terminus, characteristic of mitochondria. The hydrophobic analysis of the mature protein displayed one transmembrane helix comprising 20 amino acids at the N-terminus. By using a polyclonal antibody raised against a GalLDH internal sequence and immunoblotting analysis, a 56kDa polypeptide cross-reacted with pepper fruit samples. Using leaves, flowers, stems and fruits, the expression of GalLDH by qRT-PCR and the enzyme activity were analyzed, and results indicate that GalLDH is a key player in the physiology of pepper plants, being possibly involved in the processes which undertake the transport of ascorbate among different organs. We also report that an NO (nitric oxide)-enriched atmosphere enhanced ascorbate content in pepper fruits about 40% parallel to increased GalLDH gene expression and enzyme activity. This is the first report on the stimulating effect of NO treatment on the vitamin C concentration in plants. Accordingly, the modulation by NO of GalLDH was addressed. In vitro enzymatic assays of GalLDH were performed in the presence of SIN-1 (peroxynitrite donor) and S-nitrosoglutahione (NO donor). Combined results of in vivo NO treatment and in vitro assays showed that NO provoked the regulation of GalLDH at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, but not post-translational modifications through nitration or S-nitrosylation events promoted by reactive nitrogen species (RNS) took place. These results suggest that this modulation point of the ascorbate biosynthesis could be potentially used for biotechnological purposes to increase the vitamin C levels in pepper fruits. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Hygienic quality of traditional processing and stability of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) puree in Togo.

PubMed

Ameyapoh, Yaovi; de Souza, Comlan; Traore, Alfred S

2008-09-01

Microbiological and physicochemical qualities of a tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) puree production line (ripe tomato, washing, cutting, pounding, bleaching, straining, bottling and pasteurization) and its preservation in Togo, West Africa, were studied using the HACCP method. Samples generated during the steps described previously were analyzed by determining sensory, chemical and microbiological characteristics. Samples were analyzed using MPN for coliform populations and plate count methodology for other bacteria. The microorganisms involved in spoilage of the opened products were moulds of genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Mucor and gram-positive Bacillus bacteria. The preserved tomato puree exhibited a pH value of 4.3, 90% water content, 0.98 water activity (aw) and an average ascorbic acid level of 27.3mg/100g. Results showed that the critical control point (CCP) of this tomato puree processing line is the pasteurization stage. The analysis of selected microbiological and physicochemical parameters during the preservation of bottled tomato puree indicated that this product was stable over 22 months at 29 degrees C. But the stability of the opened product stored at 29 degrees C did not exceed two months.

7 CFR 966.123 - Denial and appeal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Rules and... committee, that such handler has shipped tomatoes contrary to the provisions of this part. Such committee...

Diet, Stem Cells, and Breast Cancer Prevention

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

pepper [39], flavonoids such as hesperetin and naringenin in citrus fruits and tomatoes [40], isoflavones (e.g., GEN, daidzein) from legumes and red...Inhibition of human breast cancer cell proliferation and delay of mammary tumorigenesis by flavonoids and citrus juices. Nutr Cancer 1996;26:167–81. [41...38], capsaicin from chili pepper [39], flavonoids such as hesperetin and naringenin in citrus fruits and tomatoes [40], isoflavones (e.g., GEN

A trial of production of the plant-derived high-value protein in a plant factory: photosynthetic photon fluxes affect the accumulation of recombinant miraculin in transgenic tomato fruits.

PubMed

Kato, Kazuhisa; Maruyama, Shinichiro; Hirai, Tadayoshi; Hiwasa-Tanase, Kyoko; Mizoguchi, Tsuyoshi; Goto, Eiji; Ezura, Hiroshi

2011-08-01

One of the ultimate goals of plant science is to test a hypothesis obtained by basic science and to apply it to agriculture and industry. A plant factory is one of the ideal systems for this trial. Environmental factors affect both plant yield and the accumulation of recombinant proteins for industrial applications within transgenic plants. However, there have been few reports studying plant productivity for recombinant protein in closed cultivation systems called plant factories. To investigate the effects of photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) on tomato fruit yield and the accumulation of recombinant miraculin, a taste-modifying glycoprotein, in transgenic tomato fruits, plants were cultivated at various PPFs from 100 to 400 (µmol m(-2) s(-)1) in a plant factory. Miraculin production per unit of energy used was highest at PPF100, although miraculin production per unit area was highest at PPF300. The commercial productivity of recombinant miraculin in transgenic tomato fruits largely depended on light conditions in the plant factory. Our trial will be useful to consider the trade-offs between the profits from production of high-value materials in plants and the costs of electricity.

Tomato Fruit Cell Wall 1

PubMed Central

Koch, James L.; Nevins, Donald J.

1989-01-01

Cell wall isolation procedures were evaluated to determine their effect on the total pectin content and the degree of methylesterification of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) fruit cell walls. Water homogenates liberate substantial amounts of buffer soluble uronic acid, 5.2 milligrams uronic acid/100 milligrams wall. Solubilization appears to be a consequence of autohydrolysis mediated by polygalacturonase II, isoenzymes A and B, since the uronic acid release from the wall residue can be suppressed by homogenization in the presence of 50% ethanol followed by heating. The extent of methylesterification in heat-inactivated cell walls, 94 mole%, was significantly greater than with water homogenates, 56 mole%. The results suggest that autohydrolysis, mediated by cell wall-associated enzymes, accounts for the solubilization of tomato fruit pectin in vitro. Endogenous enzymes also account for a decrease in the methylesterification during the cell wall preparation. The heat-inactivated cell wall preparation was superior to the other methods studied since it reduces β-elimination during heating and inactivates constitutive enzymes that may modify pectin structure. This heat-inactivated cell wall preparation was used in subsequent enzymatic analysis of the pectin structure. Purified tomato fruit polygalacturonase and partially purified pectinmethylesterase were used to assess changes in constitutive substrates during tomato fruit ripening. Polygalacturonase treatment of heat-inactivated cell walls from mature green and breaker stages released 14% of the uronic acid. The extent of the release of polyuronides by polygalacturonase was fruit development stage dependent. At the turning stage, 21% of the pectin fraction was released, a value which increased to a maximum of 28% of the uronides at the red ripe stage. Pretreatment of the walls with purified tomato pectinesterase rendered walls from all ripening stages equally susceptible to polygalacturonase. Quantitatively, the release of uronides by polygalacturonase from all pectinesterase treated cell walls was equivalent to polygalacturonase treatment of walls at the ripe stage. Uronide polymers released by polygalacturonase contain galacturonic acid, rhamnose, galactose, arabinose, xylose, and glucose. As a function of development, an increase in the release of galacturonic acid and rhamnose was observed (40 and 6% of these polymers at the mature green stage to 54 and 15% at the red ripe stage, respectively). The amount of galactose and arabinose released by exogenous polygalacturonase decreased during development (41 and 11% from walls of mature green fruit to 11 and 6% at the red ripe stage, respectively). Minor amounts of glucose and xylose released from the wall by exogenous polygalacturonase (4-7%) remained constant throughout fruit development. PMID:16667142

Effect of Chitosan Coating on the Postharvest Quality and Antioxidant Enzyme System Response of Strawberry Fruit during Cold Storage

PubMed Central

Petriccione, Milena; Mastrobuoni, Francesco; Pasquariello, Maria Silvia; Zampella, Luigi; Nobis, Elvira; Capriolo, Giuseppe; Scortichini, Marco

2015-01-01

The effectiveness of chitosan fruit coating to delay the qualitative and nutraceutical traits of three strawberry cultivars, namely “Candonga”, “Jonica” and “Sabrina”, as well as the effects of chitosan on antioxidant enzymes were evaluated. The fruits were coated with 1% and 2% chitosan solution and stored at 2 °C for nine days. Samples were taken every three days. Physico-chemical (weight loss, soluble solid content and titratable acidity) and nutraceutical (total polyphenol, anthocyanin, flavonoid, ascorbic acid content and antioxidant capacity) properties along with the enzymatic activity (catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and lipoxygenase (LOX)) were evaluated. Chitosan treatment significantly reduced water loss and delayed the qualitative changes in color, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content in dose- and cultivar-dependent manners. Additionally, changes in the total polyphenol, anthocyanin and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant capacity of chitosan-coated strawberry fruits were delayed. Chitosan coating enhanced the activity of some antioxidant enzymes, preventing flesh browning and reducing membrane damage. A global view of the responses of the three strawberry cultivars to chitosan coating and storage temperature was obtained using principal component analysis. Chitosan-coated fruit exhibited a slower rate of deterioration, compared to uncoated fruit in all tested cultivars. PMID:28231220

Radiation preservation of foods of plant origin. Part VI. Mushrooms, tomatoes, minor fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, and nuts.

PubMed

Thomas, P

1988-01-01

In this concluding article in the series on the technological feasibility of ionizing radiation treatment for shelf life improvement of fruits and vegetables, the present status of research on several commodities that have not been dealt with earlier is discussed. The commodities include mushrooms, tomatoes, pineapples, lychees, longans, rambutans, mangostenes, guavas, sapotas, loquats, ber, soursops, passion fruits, persimmons, figs, melons, cucumbers, aubergines, globe artichokes, endives, lettuce, ginger, carrots, beet roots, turnips, olives, dates, chestnuts, almonds, pistachios, and other dried fruits and nuts. Changes induced by irradiation on metabolism, chemical constituents, and organoleptic qualities are considered while evaluating the shelf life. The commodities have been grouped into those showing potential benefits and those not showing any clear advantages from radiation treatment. Shelf life improvement of mushrooms and insect disinfestation in dried fruits, nuts, and certain fresh fruits appears to have immediate potential for commercial application.

Use of portable devices and confocal Raman spectrometers at different wavelength to obtain the spectral information of the main organic components in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits.

PubMed

Trebolazabala, Josu; Maguregui, Maite; Morillas, Héctor; de Diego, Alberto; Madariaga, Juan Manuel

2013-03-15

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit samples, in two ripening stages, ripe (red) and unripe (green), collected from a cultivar in the North of Spain (Barrika, Basque Country), were analyzed directly, without any sample pretreatment, with two different Raman instruments (portable spectrometer coupled to a micro-videocamera and a confocal Raman microscope), using two different laser excitation wavelengths (514 and 785 nm, only for the confocal microscope). The combined use of these laser excitation wavelengths allows obtaining, in a short period of time, the maximum spectral information about the main organic compounds present in this fruit. The major identified components of unripe tomatoes were cutin and cuticular waxes. On the other hand, the main components on ripe tomatoes were carotenes, polyphenoles and polysaccharides. Among the carotenes, it was possible to distinguish the presence of lycopene from β-carotene with the help of both excitation wavelengths, but specially using the 514 nm one, which revealed specific overtones and combination tones of this type of carotene. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sequence analysis of PROTEOLYSIS 6 from Solanum lycopersicum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roslan, Nur Farhana; Chew, Bee Lyn; Goh, Hoe-Han; Isa, Nurulhikma Md

2018-04-01

The N-end rule pathway is a protein degradation pathway that relates the protein half-life with the identity of its N-terminal residues. A destabilizing N-terminal residues is created by enzymatic reaction or chemical modifications. This destabilized substrate will be recognized by PROTEOLYSIS 6 (PRT6) protein, which encodes an E3 ligase enzyme and resulted in substrate degradation by proteasome. PRT6 has been studied in Arabidopsis thaliana and barley but not yet been studied in fleshy fruit plants. Hence, this study was carried out in tomato that is known as the model for fleshy fruit plants. BLASTX analysis identified that Solyc09g010830 which encodes for a PRT6 gene in tomato based on its sequence similarity with PRT6 in A. thaliana. In silico gene expression analysis shows that PRT6 gene was highly expressed in tomato fruits breaker +5. Co-expression analysis shows that PRT6 may not only involved in abiotic stresses but also in biotic stresses. The objective is to analyze the sequence and characterize PRT6 gene in tomato.

Bio-effectors from waste materials as growth promoters for tomato plants, an agronomic and metabolomic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abou Chehade, Lara; Chami, Ziad Al; De Pascali, Sandra; Cavoski, Ivana; Fanizzi, Francesco Paolo

2015-04-01

In organic farming, where nutrient management is constrained and sustainability is claimed, bio-effectors pave their way. Considering selected bio-effectors, this study integrates metabolomics to agronomy in depicting induced relevant phenomena. Extracts of three agro-industrial wastes (Lemon processing residues, Fennel processing residues and Brewer's spent grain) are being investigated as sources of bio-effectors for the third trial consequently. Corresponding individual and mixture aqueous extracts are assessed for their synergistic and/or single agronomic and qualitative performances on soil-grown tomato, compared to both a control and humic acid treatments. A metabolomic profiling of tomato fruits via the Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, as holistic indicator of fruit quality and extract-induced responses, complements crop productivity and organoleptic/nutritional qualitative analyses. Results are expected to show mainly an enhancement of the fruit qualitative traits, and to confirm partly the previous results of better crop productivity and metabolism enhancement. Waste-derived bio-effectors could be, accordingly, demonstrated as potential candidates of plant-enhancing substances. Keywords: bio-effectors, organic farming, agro-industrial wastes, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), tomato.

Use of portable devices and confocal Raman spectrometers at different wavelength to obtain the spectral information of the main organic components in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trebolazabala, Josu; Maguregui, Maite; Morillas, Héctor; de Diego, Alberto; Madariaga, Juan Manuel

2013-03-01

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit samples, in two ripening stages, ripe (red) and unripe (green), collected from a cultivar in the North of Spain (Barrika, Basque Country), were analyzed directly, without any sample pretreatment, with two different Raman instruments (portable spectrometer coupled to a micro-videocamera and a confocal Raman microscope), using two different laser excitation wavelengths (514 and 785 nm, only for the confocal microscope). The combined use of these laser excitation wavelengths allows obtaining, in a short period of time, the maximum spectral information about the main organic compounds present in this fruit. The major identified components of unripe tomatoes were cutin and cuticular waxes. On the other hand, the main components on ripe tomatoes were carotenes, polyphenoles and polysaccharides. Among the carotenes, it was possible to distinguish the presence of lycopene from β-carotene with the help of both excitation wavelengths, but specially using the 514 nm one, which revealed specific overtones and combination tones of this type of carotene.

Effects of heat, pH, antioxidant, agitation and light on betacyanin stability using red-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) juice and concentrate as models.

PubMed

Wong, Yen-Ming; Siow, Lee-Fong

2015-05-01

Red-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) is rich in antioxidants. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of heat pasteurization, pH adjustment, ascorbic acid addition as well as storage under agitation and light or dark condition on betacyanin content in red-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) juice and concentrate. The concentrate was produced by concentrating clarified red-fleshed dragon fruit juice in a rotary evaporator at 40 °C. UV-Visible spectrophotometer was used for analyzing betacyanin content. Addition of 0.25 % ascorbic acid, pH 4.0, and pasteurization at 65 °C for 30 min were selected as the best processing conditions to retain betacyanin content in red-fleshed dragon fruit juice. Storage at the agitation speed of 220 rpm showed that the concentrated samples had higher betacyanin stability compared to juice, while both juice and concentrate had almost similar betacyanin stability when tested for storage in the presence of light. In summary, ascorbic acid stabilized betacyanin in both juice and concentrate at agitated or non-agitated conditions. In contrast, light degraded betacyanin in both juice and concentrate models.

Chloroplast to chromoplast transition in tomato fruit: spectral confocal microscopy analyses of carotenoids and chlorophylls in isolated plastids and time-lapse recording on intact live tissue

PubMed Central

Egea, Isabel; Bian, Wanping; Barsan, Cristina; Jauneau, Alain; Pech, Jean-Claude; Latché, Alain; Li, Zhengguo; Chervin, Christian

2011-01-01

Background and Aims There are several studies suggesting that tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) chromoplasts arise from chloroplasts, but there is still no report showing the fluorescence of both chlorophylls and carotenoids in an intermediate plastid, and no video showing this transition phase. Methods Pigment fluorescence within individual plastids, isolated from tomato fruit using sucrose gradients, was observed at different ripening stages, and an in situ real-time recording of pigment fluorescence was performed on live tomato fruit slices. Key results At the mature green and red stages, homogenous fractions of chloroplasts and chromoplasts were obtained, respectively. At the breaker stage, spectral confocal microscopy showed that intermediate plastids contained both chlorophylls and carotenoids. Furthermore, an in situ real-time recording (a) showed that the chloroplast to chromoplast transition was synchronous for all plastids of a single cell; and (b) confirmed that all chromoplasts derived from pre-existing chloroplasts. Conclusions These results give details of the early steps of tomato chromoplast biogenesis from chloroplasts, with the formation of intermediate plastids containing both carotenoids and chlorophylls. They provide information at the sub-cellular level on the synchronism of plastid transition and pigment changes. PMID:21788376

The impact of kitchen and food service preparation practices on the volatile aroma profile in ripe tomatoes: Effects of refrigeration and blanching

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Both refrigeration and blanching of red stage tomatoes are common practices in Japan home kitchens and in food service operations. However, little is reported on the impact of such practices on aroma profiles in tomato fruits. In this study, ‘FL 47’ tomatoes at red stage were dipped in 50 °C hot wat...

Comparative Studies on the Fungi and Bio-Chemical Characteristics of Snake Gourd (Trichosanthes curcumerina Linn) and Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentus Mill) in Rivers State, Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuku, E. C.; Ogbonna, D. N.; Onuegbu, B. A.; Adeleke, M. T. V.

Comparative studies on the fungi and biochemical characteristics of Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentus Mill) and the Snake gourd (Trichosanthes curcumerina Linn) products were investigated in Rivers State using various analytical procedures. Results of the proximate analysis of fresh snake gourd and tomatoes show that the essential minerals such as protein, ash, fibre, lipid, phosphorus and niacin contents were higher in snake gourd but low in carbohydrate, calcium, iron, vitamins A and C when compared to the mineral fractions of tomatoes which has high values of calcium, iron, vitamins A and C. The mycoflora predominantly associated with the fruit rot of tomato were Fusarium oxysporium, Fusarium moniliforme, Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger, while other fungi isolates from Snake gourd include Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus tamari, Penicillium ita/icum and Neurospora crassa. Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger were common spoilage fungi to both the Tomato and Snake gourd. All the fungal isolates were found to be pathogenic. The duration for storage of the fruits at room temperature (28±1°C) showed that Tomato could store for 5 days while Snake gourd stored for as much as 7 days. Sensory evaluation shows that Snake gourd is preferred to Tomatoes because of its culinary and medicinal importance.

A Tomato necrotic dwarf virus isolate from Datura with poor transmissibility by the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato necrotic dwarf virus (ToNDV); genus Torradovirus, is a whitefly-transmitted virus that caused significant losses for tomato production in the Imperial Valley of California during the 1980s. The virus causes severe stunting, dwarfing of leaves, foliar and fruit necrosis, and greatly reduced f...

The tomato genome sequence provides insight into fleshy fruit evolution

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The genome of the inbred tomato cultivar ‘Heinz 1706’ was sequenced and assembled using a combination of Sanger and “next generation” technologies. The predicted genome size is ~900 Mb, consistent with prior estimates, of which 760 Mb were assembled in 91 scaffolds aligned to the 12 tomato chromosom...

Bombus huntii, Bombus impatiens and Bombus vosnesenskii (Hymenoptera: Apidae) pollinate greenhouse-grown tomatoes in western North America

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bumble bees (Bombus) are the primary pollinators of tomatoes grown in greenhouses and can significantly increase fruit weight compared to tomatoes that receive no supplemental pollination. Due to mounting concerns over the transportation of bumble bees outside of their native ranges, several specie...

Genotype and environmental interaction for fruit quality traits in vintage tomato varieties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the second most commonly consumed vegetable after in the world, after potato. There is a growing demand for quality tomato in the market place. Traits such as lycopene, total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C and titratable acid (TA) content contribute to the overal...

Effect of 1-methylcycloprene on tomato flavour components, shelf life and decay as influenced by harvest maturity and storage temperature

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

For years there have been reports of consumer dissatisfaction with fresh market tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicon; formerly known as Lycopersicon esculentum). In Florida, tomatoes are harvested green (GR), which includes mature green (MG) and immature green (IG) fruit, gassed with ethylene and stored a...

75 FR 62387 - Pesticide Product Registrations; Conditional Approval

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-08

... soil fumigant use on soil that will be used to grow fruiting vegetable (tomato, pepper, and eggplant... vegetable (tomato, pepper, and eggplant), cucurbit vegetable (cucumber, squash (all types), and melon (all...

Effects of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on the susceptibility of tomatoes to post-harvest proliferation of Salmonella enterica.

PubMed

Marvasi, Massimiliano; George, Andrée S; Giurcanu, Mihai; Hochmuth, George J; Noel, Jason T; Gause, Elizabeth; Teplitski, Max

2014-10-01

Fresh fruits and vegetables are increasingly recognized as vehicles of salmonellosis. Pre- and post-harvest environmental conditions, and physiological, and genetic factors are thought to contribute to the ability of human pathogens to persist in the production environment, attach to, colonize and proliferate in and on raw produce. How field production conditions affect the post-harvest food safety outcomes is not entirely understood. This study tested how varying nitrogen and potassium fertilization levels affected the "susceptibility" of tomatoes to Salmonella infections following the harvest of fruits. Two tomato varieties grown over three seasons under high, medium, and low levels of nitrogen and potassium fertilization in two locations were inoculated with seven strains of Salmonella. Even though the main effects of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on the susceptibility of tomatoes to infections with Salmonella enterica were not statistically significant overall, differences in nitrogen concentrations in plant tissues correlated with the susceptibility of partially ripe tomatoes (cv. Solar Fire) to Salmonella. Tomato maturity and the season in which tomatoes were produced had the strongest effect on the ability of Salmonella to multiply in tomatoes. Tomato phenolics, accumulation of which is known to correlate with rates of the N fertilization, did not inhibit growth of Salmonella in vitro. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Tomato MIXTA-Like Transcription Factor Coordinates Fruit Epidermis Conical Cell Development and Cuticular Lipid Biosynthesis and Assembly1

PubMed Central

Lotan, Orfa; Alkan, Noam; Tsimbalist, Tatiana; Rechav, Katya; Fernandez-Moreno, Josefina-Patricia; Widemann, Emilie; Grausem, Bernard; Pinot, Franck; Costa, Fabrizio; Aharoni, Asaph

2015-01-01

The epidermis of aerial plant organs is the primary source of building blocks forming the outer surface cuticular layer. To examine the relationship between epidermal cell development and cuticle assembly in the context of fruit surface, we investigated the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) MIXTA-like gene. MIXTA/MIXTA-like proteins, initially described in snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) petals, are known regulators of epidermal cell differentiation. Fruit of transgenically silenced SlMIXTA-like tomato plants displayed defects in patterning of conical epidermal cells. They also showed altered postharvest water loss and resistance to pathogens. Transcriptome and cuticular lipids profiling coupled with comprehensive microscopy revealed significant modifications to cuticle assembly and suggested SlMIXTA-like to regulate cutin biosynthesis. Candidate genes likely acting downstream of SlMIXTA-like included cytochrome P450s (CYPs) of the CYP77A and CYP86A subfamilies, LONG-CHAIN ACYL-COA SYNTHETASE2, GLYCEROL-3-PHOSPHATE SN-2-ACYLTRANSFERASE4, and the ATP-BINDING CASSETTE11 cuticular lipids transporter. As part of a larger regulatory network of epidermal cell patterning and L1-layer identity, we found that SlMIXTA-like acts downstream of SlSHINE3 and possibly cooperates with homeodomain Leu zipper IV transcription factors. Hence, SlMIXTA-like is a positive regulator of both cuticle and conical epidermal cell formation in tomato fruit, acting as a mediator of the tight association between fruit cutin polymer formation, cuticle assembly, and epidermal cell patterning. PMID:26443676

Susceptibility of Salmonella enterica Isolates from Tomato Farm Environments to Fatty Acids Naturally Found on Tomato Fruit.

PubMed

Dev Kumar, Govindaraj; Micallef, Shirley A

2017-05-01

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica can colonize tomato fruit as it interacts with fruit surface compounds. The exometabolome of tomato fruit contains a mixture of compounds, including fatty acids, which could affect Salmonella fitness. Fatty acids detected in fruit exudates were investigated for Salmonella inhibition. Pelargonic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, margaric, stearic, and oleic acids were suspended in water dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or emulsified in water and quillaja saponin to assess how bioavailability impacted Salmonella growth. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of fatty acids were determined using a resazurin assay. Quillaja saponin emulsion and DMSO solution of pelargonic acid were inhibitory to Salmonella at 31.25 mM. Lauric and myristic acid emulsions inhibited growth at 1 M concentrations in quillaja emulsions and 62.5 mM in DMSO. Lauric and myristic acids significantly affected growth of Salmonella Newport, Javiana, and Typhimurium (p ≤ 0.05). Growth curve analysis using the Baranyi model revealed reduced maxima populations for all treatments (p ≤ 0.001) and shorter lag phase durations for Salmonella Newport with lauric acid (p < 0.01) and Salmonella Javiana with lauric (p < 0.001) and myristic (p < 0.001) acids. Salmonella Newport and Javiana exhibited an accelerated growth rate with lauric acid (p < 0.001) as a result of early stationary phase transition (shorter log phase). In myristic acid-amended media, Salmonella Javiana also displayed a faster growth rate (p < 0.001). Pelargonic acid (31.25 mM) treatment of Salmonella cells resulted in a drop in culturable cells to below detection in an hour. Microscopic analysis with Cyto-dye and propidium iodide of bacterial cells treated with pelargonic acid indicated a mixture of live and dead cells, with cell lysis of some cells. A subset of cells exhibited elongation-possibly indicating filament formation, a known antibiotic stress response. The results suggest that fatty acids present in tomato fruit surface exudates may exert a restrictive effect on Salmonella growth on fruit.

Oil palm EgCBF3 conferred stress tolerance in transgenic tomato plants through modulation of the ethylene signaling pathway.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Mortaza; Abdullah, Siti Nor Akmar; Abdul Aziz, Maheran; Namasivayam, Parameswari

2016-09-01

CBF/DREB1 is a group of transcription factors that are mainly involved in abiotic stress tolerance in plants. They belong to the AP2/ERF superfamily of plant-specific transcription factors. A gene encoding a new member of this group was isolated from ripening oil palm fruit and designated as EgCBF3. The oil palm fruit demonstrates the characteristics of a climacteric fruit like tomato, in which ethylene has a major impact on the ripening process. A transgenic approach was used for functional characterization of the EgCBF3, using tomato as the model plant. The effects of ectopic expression of EgCBF3 were analyzed based on expression profiling of the ethylene biosynthesis-related genes, anti-freeze proteins (AFPs), abiotic stress tolerance and plant growth and development. The EgCBF3 tomatoes demonstrated altered phenotypes compared to the wild type tomatoes. Delayed leaf senescence and flowering, increased chlorophyll content and abnormal flowering were the consequences of overexpression of EgCBF3 in the transgenic tomatoes. The EgCBF3 tomatoes demonstrated enhanced abiotic stress tolerance under in vitro conditions. Further, transcript levels of ethylene biosynthesis-related genes, including three SlACSs and two SlACOs, were altered in the transgenic plants' leaves and roots compared to that in the wild type tomato plant. Among the eight AFPs studied in the wounded leaves of the EgCBF3 tomato plants, transcript levels of SlOSM-L, SlNP24, SlPR5L and SlTSRF1 decreased, while expression of the other four, SlCHI3, SlPR1, SlPR-P2 and SlLAP2, were up-regulated. These findings indicate the possible functions of EgCBF3 in plant growth and development as a regulator of ethylene biosynthesis-related and AFP genes, and as a stimulator of abiotic stress tolerance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Nutrient utilization, ruminal fermentation, microbial abundances, and milk yield and composition in dairy goats fed diets including tomato and cucumber waste fruits.

PubMed

Romero-Huelva, M; Ramos-Morales, E; Molina-Alcaide, E

2012-10-01

The effects of replacing 35% of cereals-based concentrate with feed blocks (FB) containing waste fruits of tomato, cucumber, or barley grain in diets for lactating goats on nutrient utilization, ruminal fermentation, microbial N flow to the duodenum, milk yield and quality, methane emissions, and abundances of total bacteria and methanogens were studied. Eight Murciano-Granadina goats (39.4 ± 5.39 kg of body weight, mean ± SD) in the middle of the third lactation were used and 4 diets were studied in a replicated 4×4 Latin square experimental design. Diets consisted of alfalfa hay (A) plus concentrate (C) in a 1:1 ratio (diet AC) or diets in which 35% of the concentrate was replaced with FB including wastes of tomato fruit, cucumber, or barley. In each period, 2 goats were randomly assigned to 1 of the dietary treatments. Intakes of FB including tomato, cucumber, and barley were 208 ± 65, 222 ± 52, and 209 ± 83 g of dry matter per animal and day, respectively. The replacement of 35% of concentrate with FB did not compromise nutrient apparent digestibility, total purine derivative urinary excretion, milk yield and composition, and total bacteria and methanogen abundances. Digestible energy and that in methane and urine were higher for AC than for FB-containing diets, whereas the metabolizable energy value was not affected by diet. The inclusion of tomato and cucumber fruits in FB decreased N in urine and CH(4) emissions compared with AC, which is environmentally relevant. However, tomato-based FB decreased microbial N flow in the rumen, whereas goats fed cucumber-based FB had the highest values for this measurement. Moreover, FB containing barley or tomato and cucumber led to lower rumen volatile fatty acid and NH(3)-N concentrations, respectively. Milk from goats fed diets including tomato and cucumber-based FB had higher linoleic, linolenic, and total polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations than that from goats fed AC. Overall, our study suggests that tomato and cucumber FB could replace 35% of the concentrate in the dairy goat diet, reducing animal feeding cost and methane production, leading to higher polyunsaturated fatty acid proportions in milk, and without compromising nutrient utilization or milk yield. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 966.54 - Shipments for special purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TOMATOES GROWN IN FLORIDA Order... facilitate handling of tomatoes for the following purposes: (a) For export; (b) For relief or for charity; (c...

Production of rotavirus-like particles in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) fruit by expression of capsid proteins VP2 and VP6 and immunological studies.

PubMed

Saldaña, Sergio; Esquivel Guadarrama, Fernando; Olivera Flores, Teresa De Jesús; Arias, Nancy; López, Susana; Arias, Carlos; Ruiz-Medrano, Roberto; Mason, Hugh; Mor, Tsafrir; Richter, Liz; Arntzen, Charles J; Gómez Lim, Miguel A

2006-01-01

A number of different antigens have been successfully expressed in transgenic plants, and some are currently being evaluated as orally delivered vaccines. Here we report the successful expression of rotavirus capsid proteins VP2 and VP6 in fruits of transgenic tomato plants. By western blot analysis, using specific antibodies, we determined that the VP2 and VP6 produced in plants have molecular weights similar to those found in native rotavirus. The plant-synthesized VP6 protein retained the capacity to form trimers. We were able to recover rotavirus virus-like particles from tomato fruit (i.e., tomatoes) by centrifugation on a sucrose cushion and to visualize them by electron microscopy. This result indicated that VP2/VP6 can self-assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs) in plant cells, even though only a small proportion of VP2/VP6 assembled into VLPs. To investigate immunogenicity, adult mice were immunized intraperitoneally (i.p.) three times with a protein extract from a transgenic tomatoes in adjuvant. We found that the transgenic tomato extract induced detectable levels of anti-rotavirus antibodies in serum; however, we did not determine the contribution of either the free rotavirus proteins or the VLPs to the induction of the antibody response. These results suggest the potential of plant-based rotavirus VLPs for the development of a vaccine against rotavirus infection.

Consumer preferences for fresh tomato at the European scale: a common segmentation on taste and firmness.

PubMed

Causse, Mathilde; Friguet, Chloé; Coiret, Clément; Lépicier, Mélanie; Navez, Brigitte; Lee, Monica; Holthuysen, Nancy; Sinesio, Fiorella; Moneta, Elisabetta; Grandillo, Silvana

2010-01-01

Although tomato flavor has not been a major goal for breeders, nowadays it becomes important as it is a subject of consumer complaint. A better knowledge of tomato consumer preferences, at the European level, should provide the basis for improvement of fruit quality and for market segmentation. In the framework of a large European project, 806 consumers from 3 countries, The Netherlands, France, and Italy, were presented with a set of 16 varieties representing the diversity of fresh tomato offer in order to evaluate their preferences. In parallel, sensory profiles were constructed by expert panels in each country. Preference maps were then constructed in each country revealing the structure of consumer preferences and allowing identification of the most important characteristics. Then a global analysis revealed that preferences were quite homogeneous across countries. This study identified the overall flavor and firmness as the most important traits for improving tomato fruit quality. It showed that consumer preferences from different European countries, with different cultures and food practices, are segmented following similar patterns when projected onto a common referential plan. Moreover, the results clearly showed that diversification of taste and texture is required to satisfy all consumers' expectations as some consumers preferred firm tomatoes, while others preferred melting ones and were more or less demanding in terms of sweetness and flavor intensity. Detailed comparisons also showed the importance of the fruit appearance in consumer preference. © 2010 Institute of Food Technologists®

Association mapping reveals the genetic architecture of tomato response to water deficit: focus on major fruit quality traits

PubMed Central

Albert, Elise; Segura, Vincent; Gricourt, Justine; Bonnefoi, Julien; Derivot, Laurent; Causse, Mathilde

2016-01-01

Water scarcity constitutes a crucial constraint for agriculture productivity. High-throughput approaches in model plant species identified hundreds of genes potentially involved in survival under drought, but few having beneficial effects on quality and yield. Nonetheless, controlled water deficit may improve fruit quality through higher concentration of flavor compounds. The underlying genetic determinants are still poorly known. In this study, we phenotyped 141 highly diverse small fruit tomato accessions for 27 traits under two contrasting watering conditions. A subset of 55 accessions exhibited increased metabolite contents and maintained yield under water deficit. Using 6100 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), association mapping revealed 31, 41, and 44 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) under drought, control, and both conditions, respectively. Twenty-five additional QTLs were interactive between conditions, emphasizing the interest in accounting for QTLs by watering regime interactions in fruit quality improvement. Combining our results with the loci previously identified in a biparental progeny resulted in 11 common QTLs and contributed to a first detailed characterization of the genetic determinants of response to water deficit in tomato. Major QTLs for fruit quality traits were dissected and candidate genes were proposed using expression and polymorphism data. The outcomes provide a basis for fruit quality improvement under deficit irrigation while limiting yield losses. PMID:27856709

From producer to consumer: greenhouse tomato quality as affected by variety, maturity stage at harvest, transport conditions, and supermarket storage.

PubMed

Verheul, Michèl J; Slimestad, Rune; Tjøstheim, Irene Holta

2015-05-27

Possible causes for differences in quality traits at the time of buying were studied in two widely different red tomato types. Three maturity stages were harvested from commercial greenhouses and transferred immediately to controlled environments simulating different storage, transport, and supermarket conditions. Results show significant differences in development of color, fruit firmness, contents of soluble solids (SSC), titratable acids (TTA), phenolics, and carotenoids from harvest to sale, as related to postharvest conditions. Fruit firmness, SSC, and TTA of vine-ripened red cherry tomatoes was 30, 55 and 11% higher than for those harvested at breakers and ripened to red. Temperature, light, UVC radiation, or ethylene during 4 days transport affected tomato quality traits, and differences persisted during 3 weeks of supermarket storage. Ethylene exposure gave a 3.7-fold increase in lycopene content in cherry tomatoes, whereas UVC hormesis revealed a 6-fold increase compared with the control. Results can be used to update recommendations concerning optimal handling.

Vermicompost as a soil supplement to improve growth, yield and fruit quality of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum).

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Miceli, Federico A; Santiago-Borraz, Jorge; Montes Molina, Joaquín Adolfo; Nafate, Camerino Carlos; Abud-Archila, Miguel; Oliva Llaven, María Angela; Rincón-Rosales, Reiner; Dendooven, Luc

2007-11-01

The effects of earthworm-processed sheep-manure (vermicompost) on the growth, productivity and chemical characteristics of tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum) (c.v. Rio Grande) were investigated in a greenhouse experiment. Five treatments were applied combining vermicompost and soil in proportions of 0:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5 (v/v). Growth and yield parameters were measured 85 days and 100 days after transplanting. Addition of vermicompost increased plant heights significantly, but had no significant effect on the numbers of leaves or yields 85 days after transplanting. Yields of tomatoes were significantly greater when the relationship vermicompost:soil was 1:1, 1:2 or 1:3, 100 days after transplanting. Addition of sheep-manure vermicompost decreased soil pH, titratable acidity and increased soluble and insoluble solids, in tomato fruits compared to those harvested from plants cultivated in unamended soil. Sheep-manure vermicompost as a soil supplement increased tomato yields and soluble, insoluble solids and carbohydrate concentrations.

Peptides interfering with protein-protein interactions in the ethylene signaling pathway delay tomato fruit ripening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bisson, Melanie M. A.; Kessenbrock, Mareike; Müller, Lena; Hofmann, Alexander; Schmitz, Florian; Cristescu, Simona M.; Groth, Georg

2016-08-01

The plant hormone ethylene is involved in the regulation of several processes with high importance for agricultural applications, e.g. ripening, aging and senescence. Previous work in our group has identified a small peptide (NOP-1) derived from the nuclear localization signal of the Arabidopsis ethylene regulator ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE-2 (EIN2) C-terminal part as efficient inhibitor of ethylene responses. Here, we show that NOP-1 is also able to efficiently disrupt EIN2-ETR1 complex formation in tomato, indicating that the NOP-1 inhibition mode is conserved across plant species. Surface application of NOP-1 on green tomato fruits delays ripening similar to known inhibitors of ethylene perception (MCP) and ethylene biosynthesis (AVG). Fruits treated with NOP-1 showed similar ethylene production as untreated controls underlining that NOP-1 blocks ethylene signaling by targeting an essential interaction in this pathway, while having no effect on ethylene biosynthesis.

Peptides interfering with protein-protein interactions in the ethylene signaling pathway delay tomato fruit ripening.

PubMed

Bisson, Melanie M A; Kessenbrock, Mareike; Müller, Lena; Hofmann, Alexander; Schmitz, Florian; Cristescu, Simona M; Groth, Georg

2016-08-01

The plant hormone ethylene is involved in the regulation of several processes with high importance for agricultural applications, e.g. ripening, aging and senescence. Previous work in our group has identified a small peptide (NOP-1) derived from the nuclear localization signal of the Arabidopsis ethylene regulator ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE-2 (EIN2) C-terminal part as efficient inhibitor of ethylene responses. Here, we show that NOP-1 is also able to efficiently disrupt EIN2-ETR1 complex formation in tomato, indicating that the NOP-1 inhibition mode is conserved across plant species. Surface application of NOP-1 on green tomato fruits delays ripening similar to known inhibitors of ethylene perception (MCP) and ethylene biosynthesis (AVG). Fruits treated with NOP-1 showed similar ethylene production as untreated controls underlining that NOP-1 blocks ethylene signaling by targeting an essential interaction in this pathway, while having no effect on ethylene biosynthesis.

Variation of ascorbic acid concentration in fruits of cultivated and wild apples.

PubMed

Fang, Ting; Zhen, Qiaoling; Liao, Liao; Owiti, Albert; Zhao, Li; Korban, Schuyler S; Han, Yuepeng

2017-06-15

Ascorbic acid (AsA) content in mature fruits of 457 apple accessions were measured, and a great variation in AsA concentration was detected. Wild fruits showed significantly higher level of AsA than cultivated fruits. Fruit AsA content was positively correlated with malic acid content, but negatively correlated with fruit weight and soluble solid content. Thus, the difference in AsA content between the wild and cultivated fruits could be attributed to an indirect consequence of human selection for larger fruit size, less acidity, and increased sweetness during apple domestication. Additionally, AsA concentration was extremely high in fruit at the juvenile stage, but dramatically decreased at the expanding and mature stages. The expression levels of three genes controlling AsA accumulation, MdGGP1, MdDHAR3-3, and MdNAT7-2, were significantly negatively correlated with AsA contents in fruits, suggesting a feedback regulation mechanism in AsA-related gene expression. Our results could be helpful for future apple breeding. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expression of Small Heat-Shock Proteins at Low Temperatures1

PubMed Central

Sabehat, Adnan; Lurie, Susan; Weiss, David

1998-01-01

We previously reported that short exposure of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) fruits to high temperature protects them from chilling injury. To study the involvement of heat-shock proteins (HSPs) in the acquisition of low-temperature tolerance, we cloned two heat-shock-induced genes that are also expressed at low temperatures. The cloned cDNAs belong to the small HSP group. Sequence analyses of the clones showed perfect homology to the tomato-ripening gene tom66 and to the tomato chloroplastic HSP21 gene tom111. The expression of both genes was induced by high temperature in fruits, flowers, leaves, and stems, but not by low or ambient temperatures or by other stresses such as drought and anaerobic conditions. When the heated fruits were transferred to low temperature, tom66 and tom111 mRNA levels first decreased but were then reinduced. Induction was not observed in nonheated fruits at low temperature. Immunodetection of tom111-encoded protein indicated that this protein is present at low temperatures in the heated fruits. The results of this study show that the expression of tom66 and tom111 is correlated with protection against some, but not all, symptoms of chilling injury. PMID:9625718

Interaction of tomato lycopene and ketosamine against rat prostate tumorigenesis.

PubMed

Mossine, Valeri V; Chopra, Pankaj; Mawhinney, Thomas P

2008-06-01

Prior investigations on the beneficial effect of dietary processed tomato products and lycopene on prostate cancer risk suggested that lycopene may require the presence of other constituents to exert its chemopreventive potential. We investigated whether ketosamines, a group of carbohydrate derivatives present in dehydrated tomato products, may interact with lycopene against prostate tumorigenesis. One ketosamine, FruHis, strongly synergized with lycopene against proliferation of the highly metastatic rat prostate adenocarcinoma MAT-LyLu cell line in vitro. The FruHis/lycopene combination significantly inhibited in vivo tumor formation by MAT-LyLu cells in syngeneic Copenhagen rats. Energy-balanced diets, supplemented with tomato paste, tomato powder, or tomato paste plus FruHis, were fed to Wistar-Unilever rats (n = 20 per group) treated with N-nitroso-N-methylurea and testosterone to induce prostate carcinogenesis. Survival from carcinogenesis was lowest in the control group (median survival time, 40 weeks) and highest in the group fed the tomato paste/FruHis diet (51 weeks; P = 0.004, versus control). The proportions of dying rats with macroscopic prostate tumors in the control, tomato paste, tomato powder, and tomato paste/FruHis groups were 63% (12 of 19), 39% (5 of 13), 43% (6 of 14), and 18% (2 of 11), respectively. FruHis completely blocked DNA oxidative degradation at >250 micromol/L in vitro, whereas neither ascorbate nor phenolic antioxidants from tomato were effective protectors in this assay. FruHis, therefore, may exert tumor-preventive effect through its antioxidant activity and interaction with lycopene.

The impact of enhanced atmospheric carbon dioxide on yield, proximate composition, elemental concentration, fatty acid and vitamin C contents of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum).

PubMed

Khan, Ikhtiar; Azam, Andaleeb; Mahmood, Abid

2013-01-01

The global average temperature has witnessed a steady increase during the second half of the twentieth century and the trend is continuing. Carbon dioxide, a major green house gas is piling up in the atmosphere and besides causing global warming, is expected to alter the physico-chemical composition of plants. The objective of this work was to evaluate the hypothesis that increased CO(2) in the air is causing undesirable changes in the nutritional composition of tomato fruits. Two varieties of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) were grown in ambient (400 μmol mol(-1)) and elevated (1,000 μmol mol(-1)) concentration of CO(2) under controlled conditions. The fruits were harvested at premature and fully matured stages and analyzed for yield, proximate composition, elemental concentration, fatty acid, and vitamin C contents. The amount of carbohydrates increased significantly under the enhanced CO(2) conditions. The amount of crude protein and vitamin C, two important nutritional parameters, decreased substantially. Fatty acid content showed a mild decrease with a slight increase in crude fiber. Understandably, the effect of enhanced atmospheric CO(2) was more pronounced at the fully matured stage. Mineral contents of the fruit samples changed in an irregular fashion. Tomato fruit has been traditionally a source of vitamin C, under the experimental conditions, a negative impact of enhanced CO(2) on this source of vitamin C was observed. The nutritional quality of both varieties of tomato has altered under the CO(2) enriched atmosphere.

Calcium partitioning and allocation and blossom-end rot development in tomato plants in response to whole-plant and fruit-specific abscisic acid treatments.

PubMed

Tonetto de Freitas, Sergio; McElrone, Andrew J; Shackel, Kenneth A; Mitcham, Elizabeth J

2014-01-01

The mechanisms regulating Ca(2+) partitioning and allocation in plants and fruit remain poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to determine Ca(2+) partitioning and allocation in tomato plants and fruit in response to whole-plant and fruit-specific abscisic acid (ABA) treatments, as well as to analyse the effect of changes in Ca(2+) partitioning and allocation on fruit susceptibility to the Ca(2+) deficiency disorder blossom-end rot (BER) under water stress conditions. Tomato plants of the cultivar Ace 55 (Vf) were grown in a greenhouse and exposed to low Ca(2+) conditions during fruit growth and development. Starting 1 day after pollination (DAP), the following treatments were initiated: (i) whole plants were sprayed weekly with deionized water (control) or (ii) with 500mg l(-1) ABA; or fruit on each plant were dipped weekly (iii) in deionized water (control) or (iv) in 500mg l(-1) ABA. At 15 DAP, BER was completely prevented by whole-plant or fruit-specific ABA treatments, whereas plants or fruit treated with water had 16-19% BER incidence. At 30 DAP, BER was prevented by the whole-plant ABA treatment, whereas fruit dipped in ABA had a 16% and water-treated plants or fruit had a 36-40% incidence of BER. The results showed that spraying the whole plant with ABA increases xylem sap flow and Ca(2+) movement into the fruit, resulting in higher fruit tissue and water-soluble apoplastic Ca(2+) concentrations that prevent BER development. Although fruit-specific ABA treatment had no effect on xylem sap flow rates or Ca(2+) movement into the fruit, it increased fruit tissue water-soluble apoplastic Ca(2+) concentrations and reduced fruit susceptibility to BER to a lesser extent.

Calcium partitioning and allocation and blossom-end rot development in tomato plants in response to whole-plant and fruit-specific abscisic acid treatments

PubMed Central

Tonetto de Freitas, Sergio

2014-01-01

The mechanisms regulating Ca2+ partitioning and allocation in plants and fruit remain poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to determine Ca2+ partitioning and allocation in tomato plants and fruit in response to whole-plant and fruit-specific abscisic acid (ABA) treatments, as well as to analyse the effect of changes in Ca2+ partitioning and allocation on fruit susceptibility to the Ca2+ deficiency disorder blossom-end rot (BER) under water stress conditions. Tomato plants of the cultivar Ace 55 (Vf) were grown in a greenhouse and exposed to low Ca2+ conditions during fruit growth and development. Starting 1 day after pollination (DAP), the following treatments were initiated: (i) whole plants were sprayed weekly with deionized water (control) or (ii) with 500mg l−1 ABA; or fruit on each plant were dipped weekly (iii) in deionized water (control) or (iv) in 500mg l−1 ABA. At 15 DAP, BER was completely prevented by whole-plant or fruit-specific ABA treatments, whereas plants or fruit treated with water had 16–19% BER incidence. At 30 DAP, BER was prevented by the whole-plant ABA treatment, whereas fruit dipped in ABA had a 16% and water-treated plants or fruit had a 36–40% incidence of BER. The results showed that spraying the whole plant with ABA increases xylem sap flow and Ca2+ movement into the fruit, resulting in higher fruit tissue and water-soluble apoplastic Ca2+ concentrations that prevent BER development. Although fruit-specific ABA treatment had no effect on xylem sap flow rates or Ca2+ movement into the fruit, it increased fruit tissue water-soluble apoplastic Ca2+ concentrations and reduced fruit susceptibility to BER to a lesser extent. PMID:24220654

Residual impact of methyl salicylate fumigation at the breaker stage on C6 volatile biopathway in red tomato fruit

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavor, which is comprised of aroma and taste, is an important tomato characteristic. Methyl salicylate (MeSA), acting as a critical mobile signal, plays an important role in tomato stress responses and ripening processes. However, less is studied on the impact of its application at early ripening s...

7 CFR 457.128 - Guaranteed production plan of fresh market tomato crop insurance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... policy provisions, the order of priority is as follows: (1) The Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement... field for the purpose of picking all or a portion of the crop. First fruit set—The date when 30 percent.... Harvest—Picking of marketable tomatoes. Mature green tomato—A tomato that: (a) Has a heightened gloss due...

Modulation of organic acids and sugar content in tomato fruits by an abscisic acid-regulated transcription factor.

PubMed

Bastías, Adriana; López-Climent, María; Valcárcel, Mercedes; Rosello, Salvador; Gómez-Cadenas, Aurelio; Casaretto, José A

2011-03-01

Growing evidence suggests that the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a role in fruit development. ABA signaling components of developmental programs and responses to stress conditions include the group of basic leucine zipper transcriptional activators known as ABA-response element binding factors (AREBs/ABFs). AREB transcription factors mediate ABA-regulated gene expression involved in desiccation tolerance and are expressed mainly in seeds and in vegetative tissues under stress; however, they are also expressed in some fruits such as tomato. In order to get an insight into the role of ABA signaling in fruit development, the expression of two AREB-like factors were investigated during different developmental stages. In addition, tomato transgenic lines that overexpress and downregulate one AREB-like transcription factor, SlAREB1, were used to determine its effect on the levels of some metabolites determining fruit quality. Higher levels of citric acid, malic acid, glutamic acid, glucose and fructose were observed in SlAREB1-overexpressing lines compared with those in antisense suppression lines in red mature fruit pericarp. The higher hexose concentration correlated with increased expression of genes encoding a vacuolar invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) and a sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13). No significant changes were found in ethylene content which agrees with the normal ripening phenotype observed in transgenic fruits. These results suggest that an AREB-mediated ABA signal affects the metabolism of these compounds during the fruit developmental program. Copyright © Physiologia Plantarum 2010.

Evaluation of the neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as pollinator of greenhouse tomatoes.

PubMed

Del Sarto, M C L; Peruquetti, R C; Campos, L A O

2005-04-01

The Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier was evaluated for pollinating tomatoes (variety Rodas; long-life hybrid) in greenhouses under plastic and with a hydroponic system and "organic concepts" in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Flowers not pollinated did not set any fruit. Pollination by bees plus manual pollination did not differ from either bee or manual pollination. Maximum fruit diameter, fruit height, and roundness (quotient between maximum fruit diameter and fruit height) were not significantly different between treatments, but fruit visited by M. quadrifasciata had 10.8% less seeds (dry mass) than manual pollination. This apparently low efficiency of M. quadrifasciata pollination was attributed to the overlap of only 30 min between highest bee foraging activity and highest flower stigma receptivity. Thus, it was concluded that M. quadrifasciata is a feasible pollinator of greenhouse tomatoes because of 1) the observed increase in fruit quality with lower mechanical injury than traditional manual pollination, 2) no significant decrease in fruit size, and 3) high price of such product in the market. Some considerations for sustainable use of M. quadrifasciata as greenhouse pollinator are presented. Although techniques for keeping captive colonies of M. quadrifasciata are currently available, the sole current method for acquiring new colonies is removing them from the forest, and if demand was created for large numbers of colonies for commercial use, techniques for captive rearing must be developed to prevent serious declines in wild populations.

Molecular cloning of a ripening-specific lipoxygenase and its expression during wild-type and mutant tomato fruit development.

PubMed Central

Kausch, K D; Handa, A K

1997-01-01

A 94-kD protein that accumulates predominately in tomato (Ly-copersicon esculentum) fruit during ripening was purified, and antibodies specific for the purified protein were used to isolate cDNA clones from a red-ripe fruit cDNA library. A sequence analysis of these cDNAs and cross-reactivity of the 94-kD-specific antibodies to the soybean lipoxygenase (LOX) L-1, L-2, and L-3 proteins and soybean LOX L-1-specific antibodies to the 94-kD protein identified it as a member of the LOX gene family. Maximum levels of the 94-kD LOX mRNA and protein are present in breaker to ripe and red-ripe stages, respectively. Expression of 94-kD LOX in different tissues from mature green and red-ripe tomato fruits was found to be greatest in the radial walls of ripe fruit, but immunocytolocalization using tissue printing suggests that the highest accumulation of its protein occurs in locular jelly. None of 94-kD LOX is expressed in nonripening mutant fruits of any age. Never-ripe mutant fruit accumulate the 94-kD LOX mRNA to levels similar to those obtained in wild-type fruit, but fail to accumulate the 94-kD LOX protein. Collectively, the results show that expression of 94-kD LOX is regulated by the ripening process, and ethylene may play a role in its protein accumulation. PMID:9112767

Metabolomic profiling in tomato reveals diel compositional changes in fruit affected by source–sink relationships

PubMed Central

Bénard, Camille; Bernillon, Stéphane; Biais, Benoît; Osorio, Sonia; Maucourt, Mickaël; Ballias, Patricia; Deborde, Catherine; Colombié, Sophie; Cabasson, Cécile; Jacob, Daniel; Vercambre, Gilles; Gautier, Hélène; Rolin, Dominique; Génard, Michel; Fernie, Alisdair R.; Gibon, Yves; Moing, Annick

2015-01-01

A detailed study of the diurnal compositional changes was performed in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Moneymaker) leaves and fruits. Plants were cultivated in a commercial greenhouse under two growth conditions: control and shaded. Expanding fruits and the closest mature leaves were harvested during two different day/night cycles (cloudy or sunny day). High-throughput robotized biochemical phenotyping of major compounds, as well as proton nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry metabolomic profiling, were used to measure the contents of about 70 metabolites in the leaves and 60 metabolites in the fruits, in parallel with ecophysiological measurements. Metabolite data were processed using multivariate, univariate, or clustering analyses and correlation networks. The shaded carbon-limited plants adjusted their leaf area, decreased their sink carbon demand and showed subtle compositional modifications. For source leaves, several metabolites varied along a diel cycle, including those directly linked to photosynthesis and photorespiration. These metabolites peaked at midday in both conditions and diel cycles as expected. However, transitory carbon storage was limited in tomato leaves. In fruits, fewer metabolites showed diel fluctuations, which were also of lower amplitude. Several organic acids were among the fluctuating metabolites. Diel patterns observed in leaves and especially in fruits differed between the cloudy and sunny days, and between the two conditions. Relationships between compositional changes in leaves and fruits are in agreement with the fact that several metabolic processes of the fruit appeared linked to its momentary supply of sucrose. PMID:25873655

Comparing the analytical performances of Micro-NIR and FT-NIR spectrometers in the evaluation of acerola fruit quality, using PLS and SVM regression algorithms.

PubMed

Malegori, Cristina; Nascimento Marques, Emanuel José; de Freitas, Sergio Tonetto; Pimentel, Maria Fernanda; Pasquini, Celio; Casiraghi, Ernestina

2017-04-01

The main goal of this study was to investigate the analytical performances of a state-of-the-art device, one of the smallest dispersion NIR spectrometers on the market (MicroNIR 1700), making a critical comparison with a benchtop FT-NIR spectrometer in the evaluation of the prediction accuracy. In particular, the aim of this study was to estimate in a non-destructive manner, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content in acerola fruit during ripening, in a view of direct applicability in field of this new miniaturised handheld device. Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) is a super-fruit characterised by a considerable amount of ascorbic acid, ranging from 1.0% to 4.5%. However, during ripening, acerola colour changes and the fruit may lose as much as half of its ascorbic acid content. Because the variability of chemical parameters followed a non-strictly linear profile, two different regression algorithms were compared: PLS and SVM. Regression models obtained with Micro-NIR spectra give better results using SVM algorithm, for both ascorbic acid and titratable acidity estimation. FT-NIR data give comparable results using both SVM and PLS algorithms, with lower errors for SVM regression. The prediction ability of the two instruments was statistically compared using the Passing-Bablok regression algorithm; the outcomes are critically discussed together with the regression models, showing the suitability of the portable Micro-NIR for in field monitoring of chemical parameters of interest in acerola fruits. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interactive Effects of Elevated CO2 and N Fertilization on Yield and Quality of Tomato Grown Under Reduced Irrigation Regimes

PubMed Central

Wei, Zhenhua; Du, Taisheng; Li, Xiangnan; Fang, Liang; Liu, Fulai

2018-01-01

The interactive effects of CO2 elevation, N fertilization, and reduced irrigation regimes on fruit yield (FY) and quality in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) were investigated in a split-root pot experiment. The plants were grown in two separate climate-controlled greenhouse cells at atmospheric [CO2] of 400 and 800 ppm, respectively. In each cell, the plants were fertilized at either 100 or 200 mg N kg-1 soil and were either irrigated to full water holding capacity [i.e., a volumetric soil water content of 18%; full irrigation (FI)], or using 70% water of FI to the whole pot [deficit irrigation (DI)] or alternately to only half of the pot [partial root-zone irrigation (PRI)]. The yield and fruit quality attributes mainly from sugars (sucrose, fructose, and glucose) and organic acids (OAs; citric acid and malic acid) to various ionic (NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, NO3-, SO42-, and PO43-) concentrations in fruit juice were determined. The results indicated that lower N supply reduced fruit number and yield, whereas it enhanced some of the quality attributes of fruit as indicated by greater firmness and higher concentrations of sugars and OAs. Elevated [CO2] (e[CO2]) attenuated the negative influence of reduced irrigation (DI and PRI) on FY. Principal component analysis revealed that the reduced irrigation regimes, especially PRI, in combination with e[CO2] could synergistically improve the comprehensive quality of tomato fruits at high N supply. These findings provide useful knowledge for sustaining tomato FY and quality in a future drier and CO2-enriched environment. PMID:29636756

Combined Effects of Irrigation Regime, Genotype, and Harvest Stage Determine Tomato Fruit Quality and Aptitude for Processing into Puree.

PubMed

Arbex de Castro Vilas Boas, Alexandre; Page, David; Giovinazzo, Robert; Bertin, Nadia; Fanciullino, Anne-Laure

2017-01-01

Industry tomatoes are produced under a range of climatic conditions and practices which significantly impact on main quality traits of harvested fruits. However, the quality of tomato intended for processing is currently addressed on delivery through color and Brix only, whereas other traits are overlooked. Very few works provided an integrated view of the management of tomato puree quality throughout the chain. To gain insights into pre- and post-harvest interactions, four genotypes, two water regimes, three maturity stages, and two processes were investigated. Field and glasshouse experiments were conducted near Avignon, France, from May to August 2016. Two irrigation regimes were applied: control plants were irrigated in order to match 100% of evapotranspiration (ETP); water deficit (WD) plants were irrigated as control plants until anthesis of the first flowers, then irrigation was reduced to 60 and 50% ETP in field, and glasshouse respectively. Fruits were collected at three stages during ripening. Their color, fresh weight, dry matter content, and metabolite contents were determined before processing. Pericarp cell size was evaluated in glasshouse only. Two laboratory-scaled processing methods were applied before structural and biochemical analyses of the purees. Results outlined interactive effects between crop and process management. WD hardly reduced yield, but increased dry matter content in the field, in contrast to the glasshouse. The puree viscosity strongly depended on the genotype and the maturity stage, but it was disconnected from fruit dry matter content or Brix. The process impact on puree viscosity strongly depended on water supply during fruit production. Moreover, the lycopene content of fresh fruit may influence puree viscosity. This work opens new perspectives for managing puree quality in the field showing that it was possible to reduce water supply without affecting yield and to improve puree quality.

Metabolic engineering of tomato fruit organic acid content guided by biochemical analysis of an introgression line.

PubMed

Morgan, Megan J; Osorio, Sonia; Gehl, Bernadette; Baxter, Charles J; Kruger, Nicholas J; Ratcliffe, R George; Fernie, Alisdair R; Sweetlove, Lee J

2013-01-01

Organic acid content is regarded as one of the most important quality traits of fresh tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). However, the complexity of carboxylic acid metabolism and storage means that it is difficult to predict the best way to engineer altered carboxylic acid levels. Here, we used a biochemical analysis of a tomato introgression line with increased levels of fruit citrate and malate at breaker stage to identify a metabolic engineering target that was subsequently tested in transgenic plants. Increased carboxylic acid levels in introgression line 2-5 were not accompanied by changes in the pattern of carbohydrate oxidation by pericarp discs or the catalytic capacity of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes measured in isolated mitochondria. However, there was a significant decrease in the maximum catalytic activity of aconitase in total tissue extracts, suggesting that a cytosolic isoform of aconitase was affected. To test the role of cytosolic aconitase in controlling fruit citrate levels, we analyzed fruit of transgenic lines expressing an antisense construct against SlAco3b, one of the two tomato genes encoding aconitase. A green fluorescent protein fusion of SlAco3b was dual targeted to cytosol and mitochondria, while the other aconitase, SlAco3a, was exclusively mitochondrial when transiently expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves. Both aconitase transcripts were decreased in fruit from transgenic lines, and aconitase activity was reduced by about 30% in the transgenic lines. Other measured enzymes of carboxylic acid metabolism were not significantly altered. Both citrate and malate levels were increased in ripe fruit of the transgenic plants, and as a consequence, total carboxylic acid content was increased by 50% at maturity.

Metabolic Engineering of Tomato Fruit Organic Acid Content Guided by Biochemical Analysis of an Introgression Line1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Morgan, Megan J.; Osorio, Sonia; Gehl, Bernadette; Baxter, Charles J.; Kruger, Nicholas J.; Ratcliffe, R. George; Fernie, Alisdair R.; Sweetlove, Lee J.

2013-01-01

Organic acid content is regarded as one of the most important quality traits of fresh tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). However, the complexity of carboxylic acid metabolism and storage means that it is difficult to predict the best way to engineer altered carboxylic acid levels. Here, we used a biochemical analysis of a tomato introgression line with increased levels of fruit citrate and malate at breaker stage to identify a metabolic engineering target that was subsequently tested in transgenic plants. Increased carboxylic acid levels in introgression line 2-5 were not accompanied by changes in the pattern of carbohydrate oxidation by pericarp discs or the catalytic capacity of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes measured in isolated mitochondria. However, there was a significant decrease in the maximum catalytic activity of aconitase in total tissue extracts, suggesting that a cytosolic isoform of aconitase was affected. To test the role of cytosolic aconitase in controlling fruit citrate levels, we analyzed fruit of transgenic lines expressing an antisense construct against SlAco3b, one of the two tomato genes encoding aconitase. A green fluorescent protein fusion of SlAco3b was dual targeted to cytosol and mitochondria, while the other aconitase, SlAco3a, was exclusively mitochondrial when transiently expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves. Both aconitase transcripts were decreased in fruit from transgenic lines, and aconitase activity was reduced by about 30% in the transgenic lines. Other measured enzymes of carboxylic acid metabolism were not significantly altered. Both citrate and malate levels were increased in ripe fruit of the transgenic plants, and as a consequence, total carboxylic acid content was increased by 50% at maturity. PMID:23166354

Functional characterization of enone oxidoreductases from strawberry and tomato fruit.

PubMed

Klein, Dorothée; Fink, Barbara; Arold, Beate; Eisenreich, Wolfgang; Schwab, Wilfried

2007-08-08

Fragaria x ananassa enone oxidoreductase (FaEO), earlier putatively assigned as quinone oxidoreductase, is a ripening-induced, negatively auxin-regulated enzyme that catalyzes the formation of 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (HDMF), the key flavor compound in strawberry fruit by the reduction of the alpha,beta-unsaturated bond of the highly reactive precursor 4-hydroxy-5-methyl-2-methylene-3(2H)-furanone (HMMF). Here we show that recombinant FaEO does not reduce the double bond of straight-chain 2-alkenals or 2-alkenones but rather hydrogenates previously unknown HMMF derivatives substituted at the methylene functional group. The furanones were prepared from 4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone with a number of aldehydes and a ketone. The kinetic data for the newly synthesized aroma-active substrates and products are similar to the values obtained for an enone oxidoreductase from Arabidopsis thaliana catalyzing the alpha,beta-hydrogenation of 2-alkenals. HMMF, the substrate of FaEO that is formed during strawberry fruit ripening, was also detected in tomato and pineapple fruit by HPLC-ESI-MSn and became 13C-labeled when d-[6-13C]-glucose was applied to the fruits, which suggested that a similar HDMF biosynthetic pathway occurs in the different plant species. With a database search (http://ted.bti.cornell.edu/ and http://genet.imb.uq.edu.au/Pineapple/), we identified a tomato and pineapple expressed sequence tag that shows significant homology to FaEO. Solanum lycopersicon EO (SlEO) was cloned from cDNA, and the protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Biochemical studies confirmed the involvement of SlEO in the biosynthesis of HDMF in tomato fruit.

Characterization of a New Pink-Fruited Tomato Mutant Results in the Identification of a Null Allele of the SlMYB12 Transcription Factor.

PubMed

Fernandez-Moreno, Josefina-Patricia; Tzfadia, Oren; Forment, Javier; Presa, Silvia; Rogachev, Ilana; Meir, Sagit; Orzaez, Diego; Aharoni, Aspah; Granell, Antonio

2016-07-01

The identification and characterization of new tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) mutants affected in fruit pigmentation and nutritional content can provide valuable insights into the underlying biology, as well as a source of new alleles for breeding programs. To date, all characterized pink-pigmented tomato fruit mutants appear to result from low SlMYB12 transcript levels in the fruit skin. Two new mutant lines displaying a pink fruit phenotype (pf1 and pf2) were characterized in this study. In the pf mutants, SlMYB12 transcripts accumulated to wild-type levels but exhibited the same truncation, which resulted in the absence of the essential MYB activation domain coding region. Allelism and complementation tests revealed that both pf mutants were allelic to the y locus and showed the same recessive null allele in homozygosis: Δy A set of molecular and metabolic effects, reminiscent of those observed in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) myb11 myb12 myb111 triple mutant, were found in the tomato Δy mutants. To our knowledge, these have not been described previously, and our data support the idea of their being null mutants, in contrast to previously described transcriptional hypomorphic pink fruit lines. We detected a reduction in the expression of several flavonol glycosides and some associated glycosyl transferases. Transcriptome analysis further revealed that the effects of the pf mutations extended beyond the flavonoid pathway into the interface between primary and secondary metabolism. Finally, screening for Myb-binding sites in the candidate gene promoter sequences revealed that 141 of the 152 co-down-regulated genes may be direct targets of SlMYB12 regulation. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

AM fungi and PGP pseudomonads increase flowering, fruit production, and vitamin content in strawberry grown at low nitrogen and phosphorus levels.

PubMed

Bona, Elisa; Lingua, Guido; Manassero, Paola; Cantamessa, Simone; Marsano, Francesco; Todeschini, Valeria; Copetta, Andrea; D'Agostino, Giovanni; Massa, Nadia; Avidano, Lorena; Gamalero, Elisa; Berta, Graziella

2015-04-01

There is increasing interest in the quality of crops because of the implications concerning health, economic revenue, and food quality. Here we tested if inoculation with a mixture of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and/or two strains of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), in conditions of reduced chemical inputs, affects the quality and yield of strawberry fruits. Fruit quality was measured by concentrations of soluble sugars, various organic acids, and two vitamins (ascorbic and folic acid). Co-inoculation with the AMF and each of the two PGPB resulted in increased flower and fruit production, larger fruit size, and higher concentrations of sugars and ascorbic and folic acid in comparison with fruits of uninoculated plants. These results provide further evidence that rhizospheric microorganisms affect fruit crop quality and show that they do so even under conditions of reduced chemical fertilization and can thus be exploited for sustainable agriculture.

L-Ascorbic acid metabolism during fruit development in an ascorbate-rich fruit crop chestnut rose (Rosa roxburghii Tratt).

PubMed

Huang, Ming; Xu, Qiang; Deng, Xiu-Xin

2014-09-01

Chestnut rose (Rosa roxburghii Tratt) is a fruit crop that contains unusually high levels of l-ascorbic acid (AsA; ∼1300 mg 100g(-1) FW). To explore the mechanisms underlying AsA metabolism, we investigated the distribution and abundance of AsA during fruit development. We also analyzed gene expression patterns, enzyme activities, and content of metabolites related to AsA biosynthesis and recycling. AsA first accumulated during late fruit development and continued to accumulate during ripening, with the highest accumulation rate near fruit maturity. The redox state of AsA in fruit was also enhanced during late fruit development, while leaf and other tissues had much lower levels of AsA and the redox state of AsA was lower. In mature fruit, AsA was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm of the mesocarp. Correlation analysis suggested that the gene expression patterns, enzyme activities, and related metabolite concentrations involved in the l-galactose pathway showed relatively high correlations with the accumulation rate of AsA. The gene expression pattern and activity of dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR, EC 1.8.5.1) correlated strongly with AsA concentration, possibly indicating the crucial role of DHAR in the accumulation of high levels of AsA in chestnut rose fruit. Over expression of DHAR in Arabidopsis significantly increased the reduced AsA content and redox state. This was more effective than over expression of the l-galactose pathway gene GDP-d-mannose-3,5-epimerase (EC 5.1.3.18). These findings will enhance understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating accumulation of AsA in chestnut rose. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Availability of Micro-Tom mutant library combined with TILLING in molecular breeding of tomato fruit shelf-life

PubMed Central

Okabe, Yoshihiro; Asamizu, Erika; Ariizumi, Tohru; Shirasawa, Kenta; Tabata, Satoshi; Ezura, Hiroshi

2012-01-01

Novel mutant alleles of an ethylene receptor Solanum lycopersicum ETHYLENE RESPONSE1 (SlETR1) gene, Sletr1-1 and Sletr1-2, were isolated from the Micro-Tom mutant library by TILLING in our previous study. They displayed different levels of impaired fruit ripening phenotype, suggesting that these alleles could be a valuable breeding material for improving shelf life of tomato fruit. To conduct practical use of the Sletr1 alleles in tomato breeding, genetic complementation analysis by transformation of genes carrying each allele is required. In this study, we generated and characterized transgenic lines over-expressing Sletr1-1 and Sletr1-2. All transgenic lines displayed ethylene insensitive phenotype and ripening inhibition, indicating that Sletr1-1 and Sletr1-2 associate with the ethylene insensitive phenotype. The level of ethylene sensitivity in the seedling was different between Sletr1-1 and Sletr1-2 transgenic lines, whereas no apparent difference was observed in fruit ripening phenotype. These results suggested that it is difficult to fine-tune the extent of ripening by transgenic approach even if the weaker allele (Sletr1-2) was used. Our present and previous studies indicate that the Micro-Tom mutant library combined with TILLING could be an efficient tool for exploring genetic variations of important agronomic traits in tomato breeding. PMID:23136532

Expression of the human hepatitis B virus large surface antigen gene in transgenic tomato plants.

PubMed

Lou, Xiao-Ming; Yao, Quan-Hong; Zhang, Zhen; Peng, Ri-He; Xiong, Ai-Sheng; Wang, Hua-Kun

2007-04-01

The original hepatitis B virus (HBV) large surface antigen gene was synthesized. In order to optimize the expression of this gene in tomato plants, the tobacco pathogenesis-related protein S signal peptide was fused to the 5' end of the modified gene and the sequence encoding amino acids S, E, K, D, E, and L was placed at the 3' end. The gene encoding the modified HBV large surface antigen under the control of a fruit-specific promoter was constructed and expressed in transgenic tomato plants. The expression of the antigen from transgenic plants was confirmed by PCR and reverse transcriptase PCR. Enzyme-linked immunoassays using a monoclonal antibody directed against human serum-derived HBsAg revealed that the maximal level of HBsAg was about 0.02% of the soluble protein in transgenic tomato fruit. The amount of HBsAg in mature fruits was found to be 65- to 171-fold larger than in small or medium fruits and leaf tissues. Examination of transgenic plant samples by transmission electron microscopy proved that HBsAg had been expressed and had accumulated. The HBsAg protein was capable of assembling into capsomers and virus-like particles. To our knowledge, this is the first time the HBV large surface antigen has been expressed in plants. This work suggests the possibility of producing a new alternative vaccine for human HBV.

Availability of Micro-Tom mutant library combined with TILLING in molecular breeding of tomato fruit shelf-life.

PubMed

Okabe, Yoshihiro; Asamizu, Erika; Ariizumi, Tohru; Shirasawa, Kenta; Tabata, Satoshi; Ezura, Hiroshi

2012-06-01

Novel mutant alleles of an ethylene receptor Solanum lycopersicum ETHYLENE RESPONSE1 (SlETR1) gene, Sletr1-1 and Sletr1-2, were isolated from the Micro-Tom mutant library by TILLING in our previous study. They displayed different levels of impaired fruit ripening phenotype, suggesting that these alleles could be a valuable breeding material for improving shelf life of tomato fruit. To conduct practical use of the Sletr1 alleles in tomato breeding, genetic complementation analysis by transformation of genes carrying each allele is required. In this study, we generated and characterized transgenic lines over-expressing Sletr1-1 and Sletr1-2. All transgenic lines displayed ethylene insensitive phenotype and ripening inhibition, indicating that Sletr1-1 and Sletr1-2 associate with the ethylene insensitive phenotype. The level of ethylene sensitivity in the seedling was different between Sletr1-1 and Sletr1-2 transgenic lines, whereas no apparent difference was observed in fruit ripening phenotype. These results suggested that it is difficult to fine-tune the extent of ripening by transgenic approach even if the weaker allele (Sletr1-2) was used. Our present and previous studies indicate that the Micro-Tom mutant library combined with TILLING could be an efficient tool for exploring genetic variations of important agronomic traits in tomato breeding.

Endoreduplication and fruit growth in tomato: evidence in favour of the karyoplasmic ratio theory.

PubMed

Chevalier, Christian; Bourdon, Matthieu; Pirrello, Julien; Cheniclet, Catherine; Gévaudant, Frédéric; Frangne, Nathalie

2014-06-01

The growth of a plant organ depends upon the developmental processes of cell division and cell expansion. The activity of cell divisions sets the number of cells that will make up the organ; the cell expansion activity then determines its final size. Among the various mechanisms that may influence the determination of cell size, endopolyploidy by means of endoreduplication appears to be of great importance in plants. Endoreduplication is widespread in plants and supports the process of differentiation of cells and organs. Its functional role in plant cells is not fully understood, although it is commonly associated with ploidy-dependent cell expansion. During the development of tomato fruit, cells from the (fleshy) pericarp tissue become highly polyploid, reaching a DNA content barely encountered in other plant species (between 2C and 512C). Recent investigations using tomato fruit development as a model provided new data in favour of the long-standing karyoplasmic ratio theory, stating that cells tend to adjust their cytoplasmic volume to the nuclear DNA content. By establishing a highly structured cellular system where multiple physiological functions are integrated, endoreduplication does act as a morphogenetic factor supporting cell growth during tomato fruit development. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Expression of accessory colonization factor subunit A (ACFA) of Vibrio cholerae and ACFA fused to cholera toxin B subunit in transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

PubMed

Sharma, Manoj Kumar; Jani, Dewal; Thungapathra, M; Gautam, J K; Meena, L S; Singh, Yogendra; Ghosh, Amit; Tyagi, Akhilesh Kumar; Sharma, Arun Kumar

2008-05-20

In earlier study from our group, cholera toxin B subunit had been expressed in tomato for developing a plant-based vaccine against cholera. In the present investigation, gene for accessory colonization factor (acf) subunit A, earlier reported to be essential for efficient colonization in the intestine, has been expressed in Escherichia coli as well as tomato plants. Gene encoding for a chimeric protein having a fusion of cholera toxin B subunit and accessory colonization factor A was also expressed in tomato to generate more potent combinatorial antigen. CaMV35S promoter with a duplicated enhancer sequence was used for expression of these genes in tomato. Integration of transgenes into tomato genome was confirmed by PCR and Southern hybridization. Expression of the genes was confirmed at transcript and protein levels. Accessory colonization factor A and cholera toxin B subunit fused to this protein accumulated up to 0.25% and 0.08% of total soluble protein, respectively, in the fruits of transgenic plants. Whereas protein purified from E. coli, in combination with cholera toxin B subunit can be used for development of conventional subunit vaccine, tomato fruits expressing these proteins can be used together with tomato plants expressing cholera toxin B subunit for development of oral vaccine against cholera.

7 CFR 319.56-28 - Tomatoes from certain countries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Province, or the municipalities of Albuñol and Carchuna in the Granada Province of Spain in greenhouses... Albuñol and Carchuna in the Granada Province in Spain.” (b) Tomatoes (fruit) (Solanum lycopersicum) from...

7 CFR 319.56-28 - Tomatoes from certain countries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Province, or the municipalities of Albuñol and Carchuna in the Granada Province of Spain in greenhouses... Albuñol and Carchuna in the Granada Province in Spain.” (b) Tomatoes (fruit) (Solanum lycopersicum) from...

7 CFR 319.56-28 - Tomatoes from certain countries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Province, or the municipalities of Albuñol and Carchuna in the Granada Province of Spain in greenhouses... Albuñol and Carchuna in the Granada Province in Spain.” (b) Tomatoes (fruit) (Solanum lycopersicum) from...

7 CFR 319.56-28 - Tomatoes from certain countries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Province, or the municipalities of Albuñol and Carchuna in the Granada Province of Spain in greenhouses... Albuñol and Carchuna in the Granada Province in Spain.” (b) Tomatoes (fruit) (Solanum lycopersicum) from...

7 CFR 51.1913 - Serious damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) Soft ripe tomatoes or tomatoes affected by the soft rot. (b) Fresh holes or cuts, or any holes or cuts... adjacent to the stem scar and more than 1/4 inch in diameter. (h) Fruit actually infested with worms. ...

7 CFR 51.1913 - Serious damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...) Soft ripe tomatoes or tomatoes affected by the soft rot. (b) Fresh holes or cuts, or any holes or cuts... adjacent to the stem scar and more than 1/4 inch in diameter. (h) Fruit actually infested with worms. ...

40 CFR 180.587 - Famoxadone; tolerance for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., liver 0.05 Spinach 50 Tomato 1.0 Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9 0.30 Vegetable, fruiting, group 8, except tomato 4.0 Vegetable, leafy, except Brassica, group 4, except spinach 25 1 There are no U.S...

Discrimination of tomatoes bred by spaceflight mutagenesis using visible/near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Yongni; Xie, Chuanqi; Jiang, Linjun; Shi, Jiahui; Zhu, Jiajin; He, Yong

2015-04-01

Visible/near infrared spectroscopy (Vis/NIR) based on sensitive wavelengths (SWs) and chemometrics was proposed to discriminate different tomatoes bred by spaceflight mutagenesis from their leafs or fruits (green or mature). The tomato breeds were mutant M1, M2 and their parent. Partial least squares (PLS) analysis and least squares-support vector machine (LS-SVM) were implemented for calibration models. PLS analysis was implemented for calibration models with different wavebands including the visible region (400-700 nm) and the near infrared region (700-1000 nm). The best PLS models were achieved in the visible region for the leaf and green fruit samples and in the near infrared region for the mature fruit samples. Furthermore, different latent variables (4-8 LVs for leafs, 5-9 LVs for green fruits, and 4-9 LVs for mature fruits) were used as inputs of LS-SVM to develop the LV-LS-SVM models with the grid search technique and radial basis function (RBF) kernel. The optimal LV-LS-SVM models were achieved with six LVs for the leaf samples, seven LVs for green fruits, and six LVs for mature fruits, respectively, and they outperformed the PLS models. Moreover, independent component analysis (ICA) was executed to select several SWs based on loading weights. The optimal LS-SVM model was achieved with SWs of 550-560 nm, 562-574 nm, 670-680 nm and 705-715 nm for the leaf samples; 548-556 nm, 559-564 nm, 678-685 nm and 962-974 nm for the green fruit samples; and 712-718 nm, 720-729 nm, 968-978 nm and 820-830 nm for the mature fruit samples. All of them had better performance than PLS and LV-LS-SVM, with the parameters of correlation coefficient (rp), root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) and bias of 0.9792, 0.2632 and 0.0901 based on leaf discrimination, 0.9837, 0.2783 and 0.1758 based on green fruit discrimination, 0.9804, 0.2215 and -0.0035 based on mature fruit discrimination, respectively. The overall results indicated that ICA was an effective way for the selection of SWs, and the Vis/NIR combined with LS-SVM models had the capability to predict the different breeds (mutant M1, mutant M2 and their parent) of tomatoes from leafs and fruits.

Robust Tomato Recognition for Robotic Harvesting Using Feature Images Fusion

PubMed Central

Zhao, Yuanshen; Gong, Liang; Huang, Yixiang; Liu, Chengliang

2016-01-01

Automatic recognition of mature fruits in a complex agricultural environment is still a challenge for an autonomous harvesting robot due to various disturbances existing in the background of the image. The bottleneck to robust fruit recognition is reducing influence from two main disturbances: illumination and overlapping. In order to recognize the tomato in the tree canopy using a low-cost camera, a robust tomato recognition algorithm based on multiple feature images and image fusion was studied in this paper. Firstly, two novel feature images, the  a*-component image and the I-component image, were extracted from the L*a*b* color space and luminance, in-phase, quadrature-phase (YIQ) color space, respectively. Secondly, wavelet transformation was adopted to fuse the two feature images at the pixel level, which combined the feature information of the two source images. Thirdly, in order to segment the target tomato from the background, an adaptive threshold algorithm was used to get the optimal threshold. The final segmentation result was processed by morphology operation to reduce a small amount of noise. In the detection tests, 93% target tomatoes were recognized out of 200 overall samples. It indicates that the proposed tomato recognition method is available for robotic tomato harvesting in the uncontrolled environment with low cost. PMID:26840313

Genetically engineered flavonol enriched tomato fruit modulates chondrogenesis to increase bone length in growing animals.

PubMed

Choudhary, Dharmendra; Pandey, Ashutosh; Adhikary, Sulekha; Ahmad, Naseer; Bhatia, Chitra; Bhambhani, Sweta; Trivedi, Prabodh Kumar; Trivedi, Ritu

2016-02-26

Externally visible body and longitudinal bone growth is a result of proliferation of chondrocytes. In growth disorder, there is delay in the age associated increase in height. The present study evaluates the effect of extract from transgenic tomato fruit expressing AtMYB12 transcription factor on bone health including longitudinal growth. Constitutive expression of AtMYB12 in tomato led to a significantly enhanced biosynthesis of flavonoids in general and the flavonol biosynthesis in particular. Pre-pubertal ovary intact BALB/c mice received daily oral administration of vehicle and ethanolic extract of wild type (WT-TOM) and transgenic AtMYB12-tomato (MYB12-TOM) fruits for six weeks. Animal fed with MYB12-TOM showed no inflammation in hepatic tissues and normal sinusoidal Kupffer cell morphology. MYB12-TOM extract significantly increased tibial and femoral growth and subsequently improved the bone length as compared to vehicle and WT-TOM. Histomorphometry exhibited significantly wider distal femoral and proximal tibial growth plate, increased number and size of hypertrophic chondrocytes in MYB12-TOM which corroborated with micro-CT and expression of BMP-2 and COL-10, marker genes for hypertrophic cells. We conclude that metabolic reprogramming of tomato by AtMYB12 has the potential to improve longitudinal bone growth thus helping in achievement of greater peak bone mass during adolescence.

A tonoplast Glu/Asp/GABA exchanger that affects tomato fruit amino acid composition.

PubMed

Snowden, Christopher J; Thomas, Benjamin; Baxter, Charles J; Smith, J Andrew C; Sweetlove, Lee J

2015-03-01

Vacuolar accumulation of acidic metabolites is an important aspect of tomato fruit flavour and nutritional quality. The amino acids Asp and Glu accumulate to high concentrations during ripening, while γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) shows an approximately stoichiometric decline. Given that GABA can be catabolised to form Glu and subsequently Asp, and the requirement for the fruit to maintain osmotic homeostasis during ripening, we hypothesised the existence of a tonoplast transporter that exports GABA from the vacuole in exchange for import of either Asp or Glu. We show here that the tomato vacuolar membrane possesses such a transport property: transport of Glu across isolated tonoplast vesicle membranes was trans-stimulated in counterexchange mode by GABA, Glu and Asp. We identified SlCAT9 as a candidate protein for this exchanger using quantitative proteomics of a tonoplast-enriched membrane fraction. Transient expression of a SlCAT9-YFP fusion in tobacco confirmed a tonoplast localisation. The function of the protein was examined by overexpression of SlCAT9 in transgenic tomato plants. Tonoplast vesicles isolated from transgenic plants showed higher rates of Glu and GABA transport than wild-type (WT) only when assayed in counterexchange mode with Glu, Asp, or GABA. Moreover, there were substantial increases in the content of all three cognate amino acids in ripe fruit from the transgenic plants. We conclude that SlCAT9 is a tonoplast Glu/Asp/GABA exchanger that strongly influences the accumulation of these amino acids during fruit development. © 2015 The Authors The Plant Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Integrative analysis of circRNAs acting as ceRNAs involved in ethylene pathway in tomato.

PubMed

Wang, Yunxiang; Wang, Qing; Gao, Lipu; Zhu, Benzhong; Luo, Yunbo; Deng, Zhiping; Zuo, Jinhua

2017-11-01

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a large class of non-coding endogenous RNAs that could act as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) to terminate the mRNA targets' suppression of miRNAs. To elucidate the intricate regulatory roles of circRNAs in the ethylene pathway in tomato fruit, deep sequencing and bioinformatics methods were performed. After strict screening, a total of 318 circRNAs were identified. Among these circRNAs, 282 were significantly differentially expressed among wild-type and sense-/antisense-LeERF1 transgenic tomato fruits. Besides, 1254 target genes were identified and a large amount of them were found to be involved in ethylene pathway. In addition, a sophisticated regulatory model consisting of circRNAs, target genes and ethylene was set up. Importantly, 61 circRNAs were found to be potential ceRNAs to combine with miRNAs and some of the miRNAs had been revealed to participate in the ethylene signaling pathway. This research further raised the possibility that the ethylene pathway in tomato fruit may be under the regulation of various circRNAs and provided a new perspective of the roles of circRNAs. © 2017 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Diversity for chemical composition in a collection of different varietal types of tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.), an Andean exotic fruit.

PubMed

Acosta-Quezada, Pablo G; Raigón, María D; Riofrío-Cuenca, Tania; García-Martínez, María D; Plazas, Mariola; Burneo, Juan I; Figueroa, Jorge G; Vilanova, Santiago; Prohens, Jaime

2015-02-15

We evaluated 23 tree tomato (Solanum betaceum) accessions from five cultivar groups and one wild relative (Solanum cajanumense) for 26 composition traits. For all traits we found highly significant differences (P<0.001) among the materials studied. The high diversity found within S. betaceum for composition traits was matched by a high diversity within each of the cultivar groups. We found that sucrose and citric acid were the most important soluble sugar and organic acid, respectively, in tree tomato. Fruit in the anthocyanin pigmented (purple) group had a carotenoid content similar to that in the yellow-orange cultivar groups. Total phenolic content was significantly correlated (r=0.8607) with antioxidant activity. Analyses of mineral content showed that tree tomato is a good source of K, Mg, and Cu. Multivariate principal components analysis (PCA) confirmed that an important diversity exists within each cultivar group. The results we have obtained indicate that the high diversity found within the tree tomato could be exploited for selection and breeding for developing the tree tomato as a commercial crop. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation preservation of foods of plant origin. Part VI. Mushrooms, tomatoes, minor fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, and nuts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas, P.

In this concluding article in the series on the technological feasibility of ionizing radiation treatment for shelf life improvement of fruits and vegetables, the present status of research on several commodities that have not been dealt with earlier is discussed. The commodities include mushrooms, tomatoes, pineapples, lychees, longans, rambutans, mangostenes, guavas, sapotas, loquats, ber, soursops, passion fruits, persimmons, figs, melons, cucumbers, aubergines, globe artichokes, endives, lettuce, ginger, carrots, beet roots, turnips, olives, dates, chestnuts, almonds, pistachios, and other dried fruits and nuts. Changes induced by irradiation on metabolism, chemical constituents, and organoleptic qualities are considered while evaluating the shelf life.more » The commodities have been grouped into those showing potential benefits and those not showing any clear advantages from radiation treatment. Shelf life improvement of mushrooms and insect disinfestation in dried fruits, nuts, and certain fresh fruits appears to have immediate potential for commercial application. 194 references.« less

Suppressing Type 2C Protein Phosphatases Alters Fruit Ripening and the Stress Response in Tomato.

PubMed

Zhang, Yushu; Li, Qian; Jiang, Li; Kai, Wenbin; Liang, Bin; Wang, Juan; Du, Yangwei; Zhai, Xiawan; Wang, Jieling; Zhang, Yingqi; Sun, Yufei; Zhang, Lusheng; Leng, Ping

2018-01-01

Although ABA signaling has been widely studied in Arabidopsis, the roles of core ABA signaling components in fruit remain poorly understood. Herein, we characterize SlPP2C1, a group A type 2C protein phosphatase that negatively regulates ABA signaling and fruit ripening in tomato. The SlPP2C1 protein was localized in the cytoplasm close to AtAHG3/AtPP2CA. The SlPP2C1 gene was expressed in all tomato tissues throughout development, particularly in flowers and fruits, and it was up-regulated by dehydration and ABA treatment. SlPP2C1 expression in fruits was increased at 30 d after full bloom and peaked at the B + 1 stage. Suppression of SlPP2C1 expression significantly accelerated fruit ripening which was associated with higher levels of ABA signaling genes that are reported to alter the expression of fruit ripening genes involved in ethylene release and cell wall catabolism. SlPP2C1-RNAi (RNA interference) led to increased endogenous ABA accumulation and advanced release of ethylene in transgenic fruits compared with wild-type (WT) fruits. SlPP2C1-RNAi also resulted in abnormal flowers and obstructed the normal abscission of pedicels. SlPP2C1-RNAi plants were hypersensitized to ABA, and displayed delayed seed germination and primary root growth, and increased resistance to drought stress compared with WT plants. These results demonstrated that SlPP2C1 is a functional component in the ABA signaling pathway which participates in fruit ripening, ABA responses and drought tolerance. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effectiveness of Neutral Electrolyzed Water on Incidence of Fungal Rot on Tomato Fruits ( Solanum lycopersicum L.).

PubMed

Vásquez-López, Alfonso; Villarreal-Barajas, Tania; Rodríguez-Ortiz, Gerardo

2016-10-01

We assessed the effect of neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) on the incidence of rot on tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruits inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum , Galactomyces geotrichum , and Alternaria sp. at sites with lesions. The inoculated fruits were treated with NEW at 10, 30, and 60 mg liter -1 active chlorine, with copper oxychloride fungicide, and with sterile distilled water (control) for 3, 5, and 10 min. In the experiment with F. oxysporum , 50 to 80% of the control fruits and 50 to 60% of the fruits treated with the fungicide exhibited symptoms of rot at the inoculated sites. The lowest incidence recorded was 30% for fruits treated with NEW at 60 mg liter -1 active chlorine with an immersion time of 5 min. In the experiment with G. geotrichum , incidence of rot on control fruits was 70 to 90%, and for treatment with fungicide rot incidence was 50 to 90%. NEW at 60 mg liter -1 active chlorine significantly reduced incidence of symptomatic fruit: only 30% of the inoculated fruits washed for 5 min had damage from rot. In the experiment with Alternaria sp., 60 to 90% of the fruits in the control group and 60 to 70% of the fruits in the fungicide group were symptomatic. The lowest incidence was recorded for the treatment in which the fruits were submerged in NEW with 60 mg liter -1 active chlorine for 3 min. In this group, 40 to 50% of the fruits exhibited symptoms of rot. These results were obtained 8 days after inoculation. NEW, with 60 mg liter -1 active chlorine, significantly reduced incidence of rot symptoms on fruits inoculated with one of the experimental fungi relative to the control (P ≤ 0.05). NEW at 60 mg liter -1 is effective in the control of fungal rot in tomatoes.

SlNCED1 and SlCYP707A2: key genes involved in ABA metabolism during tomato fruit ripening

PubMed Central

Ji, Kai; Kai, Wenbin; Zhao, Bo; Sun, Yufei; Yuan, Bing; Dai, Shengjie; Li, Qian; Chen, Pei; Wang, Ya; Pei, Yuelin; Wang, Hongqing; Guo, Yangdong; Leng, Ping

2014-01-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in fruit development and ripening. Here, three NCED genes encoding 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED, a key enzyme in the ABA biosynthetic pathway) and three CYP707A genes encoding ABA 8′-hydroxylase (a key enzyme in the oxidative catabolism of ABA) were identified in tomato fruit by tobacco rattle virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). Quantitative real-time PCR showed that VIGS-treated tomato fruits had significant reductions in target gene transcripts. In SlNCED1-RNAi-treated fruits, ripening slowed down, and the entire fruit turned to orange instead of red as in the control. In comparison, the downregulation of SlCYP707A2 expression in SlCYP707A2-silenced fruit could promote ripening; for example, colouring was quicker than in the control. Silencing SlNCED2/3 or SlCYP707A1/3 made no significant difference to fruit ripening comparing RNAi-treated fruits with control fruits. ABA accumulation and SlNCED1transcript levels in the SlNCED1-RNAi-treated fruit were downregulated to 21% and 19% of those in control fruit, respectively, but upregulated in SlCYP707A2-RNAi-treated fruit. Silencing SlNCED1 or SlCYP707A2 by VIGS significantly altered the transcripts of a set of both ABA-responsive and ripening-related genes, including ABA-signalling genes (PYL1, PP2C1, and SnRK2.2), lycopene-synthesis genes (SlBcyc, SlPSY1 and SlPDS), and cell wall-degrading genes (SlPG1, SlEXP, and SlXET) during ripening. These data indicate that SlNCED1 and SlCYP707A2 are key genes in the regulation of ABA synthesis and catabolism, and are involved in fruit ripening as positive and negative regulators, respectively. PMID:25039074

Nitric oxide induced by polyamines involves antioxidant systems against chilling stress in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seedling.

PubMed

Diao, Qian-Nan; Song, Yong-Jun; Shi, Dong-Mei; Qi, Hong-Yan

Polyamines (PAs) and nitric oxide (NO) are vital signals in modulating plant response to abiotic stress. However, to our knowledge, studies on the relationship between NO and PAs in response to cold stress in tomato are limited. Accordingly, in this study, we investigated the effects of putrescine (Put) and spermidine (Spd) on NO generation and the function of Spd-induced NO in the tolerance of tomato seedling under chilling stress. Spd increased NO release via the nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-like and nitrate reductase (NR) enzymatic pathways in the seedlings, whereas Put had no such effect. Moreover, H 2 O 2 might act as an upstream signal to stimulate NO production. Both exogenous NO donor (sodium nitroprusside (SNP)) and Spd enhanced chilling tolerance in tomato, thereby protecting the photosynthetic system from damage. Compared to chilling treatment alone, Spd enhanced the gene expressions of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and their enzyme activities in tomato leaves. However, a scavenger or inhibitor of NO abolished Spd-induced chilling tolerance and blocked the increased expression and activity due to Spd of these antioxidant enzymes in tomato leaves under chilling stress. The results showed that NO induced by Spd plays a crucial role in tomato's response to chilling stress.

Evolution of antioxidant capacity during storage of selected fruits and vegetables.

PubMed

Kevers, Claire; Falkowski, Michael; Tabart, Jessica; Defraigne, Jean-Olivier; Dommes, Jacques; Pincemail, Joël

2007-10-17

Interest in the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is, to a large extent, due to its content of bioactive nutrients and their importance as dietary antioxidants. Among all of the selected fruits and vegetables, strawberries and black grapes have relatively high antioxidant capacities associated with high contents of total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, and flavonols. More interesting, the results of this study indicated that in most fruits and vegetables storage did not affect negatively the antioxidant capacity. Better, in some cases, an increase of the antioxidant capacity was observed in the days following their purchase, accompanied by an increase in phenolic compounds. In general, fruits and vegetables visually spoil before any significant antioxidant capacity loss occurs except in banana and broccoli. When ascorbic acid or flavonoids (aglycons of flavonols and anthocyanins) were concerned, the conclusions were similar. Their content was generally stable during storage.

Two divergent endo-beta-1,4-glucanase genes exhibit overlapping expression in ripening fruit and abscising flowers.

PubMed Central

Lashbrook, C C; Gonzalez-Bosch, C; Bennett, A B

1994-01-01

Two structurally divergent endo-beta-1,4-glucanase (EGase) cDNAs were cloned from tomato. Although both cDNAs (Cel1 and Cel2) encode potentially glycosylated, basic proteins of 51 to 53 kD and possess multiple amino acid domains conserved in both plant and microbial EGases, Cel1 and Cel2 exhibit only 50% amino acid identity at the overall sequence level. Amino acid sequence comparisons to other plant EGases indicate that tomato Cel1 is most similar to bean abscission zone EGase (68%), whereas Cel2 exhibits greatest sequence identity to avocado fruit EGase (57%). Sequence comparisons suggest the presence of at least two structurally divergent EGase families in plants. Unlike ripening avocado fruit and bean abscission zones in which a single EGase mRNA predominates, EGase expression in tomato reflects the overlapping accumulation of both Cel1 and Cel2 transcripts in ripening fruit and in plant organs undergoing cell separation. Cel1 mRNA contributes significantly to total EGase mRNA accumulation within plant organs undergoing cell separation (abscission zones and mature anthers), whereas Cel2 mRNA is most abundant in ripening fruit. The overlapping expression of divergent EGase genes within a single species may suggest that multiple activities are required for the cooperative disassembly of cell wall components during fruit ripening, floral abscission, and anther dehiscence. PMID:7994180

A multisite gateway-based toolkit for targeted gene expression and hairpin RNA silencing in tomato fruits.

PubMed

Estornell, Leandro Hueso; Orzáez, Diego; López-Peña, Lucas; Pineda, Benito; Antón, María Teresa; Moreno, Vicente; Granell, Antonio

2009-04-01

A collection of fruit promoters, reporter genes and protein tags has been constructed in a triple-gateway format, a recombination-based cloning system that facilitates the tandem assembly of three DNA fragments into plant expression vectors. The new pENFRUIT collection includes, among others, the classical tomato-ripening promoters E8 and 2A11 and a set of six new tomato promoters. The new promoter activities were characterized in both transient assays and stable transgenic plants. The range of expression of the new promoters comprises strong (PNH, PLI), medium (PLE, PFF, PHD) and weak (PSN) promoters driving gene expression preferentially in the fruit, and covering a wide range of tissues and developmental stages. Together, a total of 78 possible combinations for the expression of a gene of interest in the fruit, plus a set of five reporters for new promoter analysis, was made available in the current collection. Moreover, the pENFRUIT promoter collection is adaptable to hairpin RNA strategies aimed at tissue/organ-specific gene silencing with only an additional cloning step. The pENFRUIT toolkit broadens the spectrum of promoter activities available for fruit biotechnology and fundamental research, and bypasses technical difficulties of current ligase-dependent cloning techniques in the construction of fruit expression cassettes. The pENFRUIT vector collection is available for the research community in a plasmid repository, facilitating its accessibility.

Association mapping reveals the genetic architecture of tomato response to water deficit: focus on major fruit quality traits.

PubMed

Albert, Elise; Segura, Vincent; Gricourt, Justine; Bonnefoi, Julien; Derivot, Laurent; Causse, Mathilde

2016-12-01

Water scarcity constitutes a crucial constraint for agriculture productivity. High-throughput approaches in model plant species identified hundreds of genes potentially involved in survival under drought, but few having beneficial effects on quality and yield. Nonetheless, controlled water deficit may improve fruit quality through higher concentration of flavor compounds. The underlying genetic determinants are still poorly known. In this study, we phenotyped 141 highly diverse small fruit tomato accessions for 27 traits under two contrasting watering conditions. A subset of 55 accessions exhibited increased metabolite contents and maintained yield under water deficit. Using 6100 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), association mapping revealed 31, 41, and 44 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) under drought, control, and both conditions, respectively. Twenty-five additional QTLs were interactive between conditions, emphasizing the interest in accounting for QTLs by watering regime interactions in fruit quality improvement. Combining our results with the loci previously identified in a biparental progeny resulted in 11 common QTLs and contributed to a first detailed characterization of the genetic determinants of response to water deficit in tomato. Major QTLs for fruit quality traits were dissected and candidate genes were proposed using expression and polymorphism data. The outcomes provide a basis for fruit quality improvement under deficit irrigation while limiting yield losses. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Assessment of the utility of the tomato fruit-specific E8 promoter for driving vaccine antigen expression.

PubMed

He, Zhu-Mei; Jiang, Xiao-Ling; Qi, Yu; Luo, Di-Qing

2008-06-01

To assess the utility of the tomato fruit-specific E8 gene's promoter for driving vaccine antigen expression in plant, the 2.2 kb and 1.1 kb E8 promoters were isolated and sequenced from Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Jinfeng #1. The 1.1 kb promoter was fused to vaccine antigen HBsAg M gene for the transfer to Nicotiana tabacum, and the CaMV 35S promoter was used for comparison. Cholera toxin B (ctb) gene under the control of the 1.1 kb promoter was transformed into both N. tabacum and L. esculentum. Southern blot hybridization confirmed the stable integration of the target genes into the tomato and tobacco genomes. ELISA assay showed that the expression product of HBsAg M gene under the control of the 1.1 kb E8 promoter could not be detected in transgenic tobacco tissues such as leaves, flowers, and seeds. In contrast, the expression of HBsAg M gene driven by CaMV 35S promoter could be detected in transgenic tobacco. ELISA assay for CTB proved that the 1.1 kb E8 promoter was able to direct the expression of exotic gene in ripe fruits of transgenic tomato, but expression was absent in leaf, flower, and unripe fruit of tomato, and CTB protein was not detected in transgenic tobacco tissues such as leaves, flowers, and seeds when the gene was under the control of the 1.1 kb E8 promoter. The results indicated that the E8 promoter acted not only in an organ-specific, but also in a species-specific fashion in plant transformation.

Vitamins

MedlinePlus

... C? citrus fruits, like oranges cantaloupe strawberries tomatoes broccoli cabbage kiwi fruit sweet red peppers Vitamin D ... green vegetables dairy products, like milk and yogurt broccoli soybean oil When your body gets this vitamin ...

Improving microbiological safety and maintaining sensory and nutritional quality of pre-cut tomato and carrot by gamma irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohácsi-Farkas, Cs.; Nyirő-Fekete, B.; Daood, H.; Dalmadi, I.; Kiskó, G.

2014-06-01

Pre-cut tomato and carrot were irradiated with doses of 1.0, 1.5 and 2 kGy. Unirradiated control and irradiated samples were compared organoleptically by a sensory panel. Microbiological analyses were performed directly after irradiation and during post-irradiation storage for 8 days at 5 °C. Ascorbic acid contents, composition of carotenoids and tocopherols were determined. Statistically significant differences of sensory scores between unirradiated and irradiated samples were observed only in the texture of sliced carrots. Total aerobic viable cell counts have been reduced by about two log cycles with 1.5 kGy dose. Total coliforms and moulds were below the detection limit of 15 CFU/g in the irradiated samples during the refrigerated storage. Yeasts were relatively resistant part of the microbiota of pre-cut tomatoes, but 2 kGy dose reduced them below the detection limit. In pre-cut tomatoes, alpha-tocopherol and some carotenoids seemed to be the most radio-sensitive losing approximately one-third of their original concentrations at the dose of 2 kGy. At this dose tocopherols and the level of ascorbic acid decreased also one-third of the initial level in sliced carrots. Additional experiments were conducted to study the effect of irradiation and storage on the population of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua artificially inoculated on cut tomato and carrot. Cell numbers of both test organisms decreased by at least two log-cycles as an effect of 1 kGy dose. Our studies confirmed earlier findings on a temporary antilisterial effect of freshly cut carrot tissue. No re-growth of Listeria was observed during the studied storage period. The results of these studies suggest that irradiation with 1 kGy gamma rays could improve sufficiently the microbiological safety of the investigated pre-cut produce to satisfy the requirement of low microbial raw diets with acceptable nutritional quality and without diminishing significantly the organoleptic parameters of the commodities.

Growth and proteomic analysis of tomato fruit under partial root-zone drying.

PubMed

Marjanović, Milena; Stikić, Radmila; Vucelić-Radović, Biljana; Savić, Sladjana; Jovanović, Zorica; Bertin, Nadia; Faurobert, Mireille

2012-06-01

The effects of partial root-zone drying (PRD) on tomato fruit growth and proteome in the pericarp of cultivar Ailsa Craig were investigated. The PRD treatment was 70% of water applied to fully irrigated (FI) plants. PRD reduced the fruit number and slightly increased the fruit diameter, whereas the total fruit fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW) per plant did not change. Although the growth rate was higher in FI than in PRD fruits, the longer period of cell expansion resulted in bigger PRD fruits. Proteins were extracted from pericarp tissue at two fruit growth stages (15 and 30 days post-anthesis [dpa]), and submitted to proteomic analysis including two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry for identification. Proteins related to carbon and amino acid metabolism indicated that slower metabolic flux in PRD fruits may be the cause of a slower growth rate compared to FI fruits. The increase in expression of the proteins related to cell wall, energy, and stress defense could allow PRD fruits to increase the duration of fruit growth compared to FI fruits. Upregulation of some of the antioxidative enzymes during the cell expansion phase of PRD fruits appears to be related to their role in protecting fruits against the mild stress induced by PRD.

Tomato Fruit Chromoplasts Behave as Respiratory Bioenergetic Organelles during Ripening1[W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Renato, Marta; Pateraki, Irini; Boronat, Albert; Azcón-Bieto, Joaquín

2014-01-01

During tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit ripening, chloroplasts differentiate into photosynthetically inactive chromoplasts. It was recently reported that tomato chromoplasts can synthesize ATP through a respiratory process called chromorespiration. Here we show that chromoplast oxygen consumption is stimulated by the electron donors NADH and NADPH and is sensitive to octyl gallate (Ogal), a plastidial terminal oxidase inhibitor. The ATP synthesis rate of isolated chromoplasts was dependent on the supply of NAD(P)H and was fully inhibited by Ogal. It was also inhibited by the proton uncoupler carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, suggesting the involvement of a chemiosmotic gradient. In addition, ATP synthesis was sensitive to 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone, a cytochrome b6f complex inhibitor. The possible participation of this complex in chromorespiration was supported by the detection of one of its components (cytochrome f) in chromoplasts using immunoblot and immunocytochemical techniques. The observed increased expression of cytochrome c6 during ripening suggests that it could act as electron acceptor of the cytochrome b6f complex in chromorespiration. The effects of Ogal on respiration and ATP levels were also studied in tissue samples. Oxygen uptake of mature green fruit and leaf tissues was not affected by Ogal, but was inhibited increasingly in fruit pericarp throughout ripening (up to 26% in red fruit). Similarly, Ogal caused a significant decrease in ATP content of red fruit pericarp. The number of energized mitochondria, as determined by confocal microscopy, strongly decreased in fruit tissue during ripening. Therefore, the contribution of chromoplasts to total fruit respiration appears to increase in late ripening stages. PMID:25125503

Enhancing the lycopene in vitro bioaccessibility of tomato juice synergistically applying thermal and non-thermal processing technologies.

PubMed

Jayathunge, K G L R; Stratakos, Alexandros Ch; Cregenzán-Albertia, Oliver; Grant, Irene R; Lyng, James; Koidis, Anastasios

2017-04-15

The influence of moderate intensity pulsed electric field pre-processing on increasing the lycopene bioaccessibility of tomato fruit, and the combined effect of blanching, ultrasonic and high intensity pulsed electric field processing on further enhancement of the lycopene bioaccessibility after juicing were investigated. Maximum total lycopene bioaccessibility (9.6%) of the tomato fruit was achieved by a 4μs pre-processed treatment after 24h holding period and further processing results revealed that all treatments were effective to increase the total lycopene. Most of juice processing treatments decreased the release of lycopene from the tomato matrix during digestion. Only the treatment of blanching followed by high intensity pulsed electric field showed a significant release of trans-(4.01±0.48) and cis-(5.04±0.26μg/g) lycopene, achieving 15.6% total lycopene bioaccessibility. Thus, processing of pre-blanched juice using high intensity pulsed electric field, derived from pre-processed tomato was the best overall process to achieve the highest nutritive value. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of harvest date on the nutritional quality and antioxidant capacity in 'Hass' avocado during storage.

PubMed

Wang, Meng; Zheng, Yusheng; Khuong, Toan; Lovatt, Carol J

2012-11-15

The effect of harvest date on nutritional compounds and antioxidant activity (AOC) in avocado (Persea americana Mill. cv Hass) fruit during storage was determined. The fruits were harvested at seven different dates and ripened at 25 °C following 21 or 35 days of cold storage. The results indicated that the phenolic and glutathione contents were increased and the ascorbic acid content was not significantly different in early harvested fruit (January to March), and the phenolic, ascorbic acid and glutathione contents were increased slightly and then decreased on late harvested fruit (April to June). Similar trends were observed in the changes of AOC. Furthermore, AOC in early harvested fruit after storage for 35 days was much higher than that in late harvested fruit after storage for 21 days. Therefore, avocado can be harvested earlier for economic benefits according to the market and can keep high nutritional value for human health benefits. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plant-made subunit vaccine against pneumonic and bubonic plague is orally immunogenic in mice.

PubMed

Alvarez, M Lucrecia; Pinyerd, Heidi L; Crisantes, Jason D; Rigano, M Manuela; Pinkhasov, Julia; Walmsley, Amanda M; Mason, Hugh S; Cardineau, Guy A

2006-03-24

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is an extremely virulent bacterium but there are no approved vaccines for protection against it. Our goal was to produce a vaccine that would address: ease of delivery, mucosal efficacy, safety, rapid scalability, and cost. We developed a novel production and delivery system for a plague vaccine of a Y. pestis F1-V antigen fusion protein expressed in tomato. Immunogenicity of the F1-V transgenic tomatoes was confirmed in mice that were primed subcutaneously with bacterially-produced F1-V and boosted orally with transgenic tomato fruit. Expression of the plague antigens in fruit allowed producing an oral vaccine candidate without protein purification and with minimal processing technology.

76 FR 52544 - Importation of Peppers From Panama

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-23

..., tomato fruit borer, lantana mealybug, passionvine mealybug, melon thrips, bacterial wilt, the rust fungus... 20737-1236; (301) 734-0627. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The regulations in ``Subpart--Fruits... regulations) prohibit or restrict the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain...

Effect of green manure in soil quality and nitrogen transfer to cherry tomato in the no tillage system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambrosano, Edmilson; Rossi, Fabricio; Dias, Fabio; Trivelin, Paulo; Tavares, Silvio; Muraoka, Takashi; Ambrosano, Glaucia; Salgado, Gabriela; Otsuk, Ivani

2016-04-01

The use of alternative fertilizers may reduce costs and promote sustainability to the family-based agro ecological production system. The objective of this study was to quantify the contribution of the green manure to the quality of the soil and the transference of the nitrogen to cherry tomatoes using the N-15 abundance method (FAPESP 11/05648-3). The experiment was carried out in Piracicaba, APTA/SAA, SP, Brazil. The IAC collection accesses 21 of cherry tomatoes were used. Each Plot consisted of six plants spaced 0.5 m and 0.9 m between rows, using a randomized-blocks design with eight treatments and five repetitions. The treatments consisted of green manure crops intercropped or not with cherry tomato, namely: jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), velvet bean (Mucuna deeringiana), mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek), white lupine (Lupinus albus L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp). Besides two witnesses, one with and another without corn straw. Five leaves with petiole of each plant part from the first ripe fruit and a bunch of fruits per plant are harvested. Samples of leaf and fruit were weighed and dried in a forced air oven and its dry weight measured. A subsample was ground in a Wiley mill and brought to the mass spectrometer (ANCA GSL) on the Stable Isotopes Laboratory of CENA/USP for δN-15 analysis. It measured the percentage of the transference of N from the green manure to the tomato; the tomato plants grown in monocropping were considered a control. It was found that 27 % of the N present in the fruit and 23% of the N present in the leaves came from the green manure. These results show that dur¬ing the development of the fruit of the tomato there is a greater translocation and consequently, a higher use of the N from the green manure in the fruits than in the leaves. This production system can reduce the use of nitrogen fertilizers. The presence of a green manure in non-intercropped treatments caused some soil alterations that could be detected in samples collected in the harvesting season. There was an increase in organic matter, Ca, Mg and Zn availability and consequently, in the base saturation and in the pH. The presence of green manure caused a significant increase in the sum of bases, due to increases in calcium and magnesium; consequently, treatments involving jack bean, sunn hemp and mung bean showed higher CEC values and low acidity potential. The presence of organic acids in the plant mass could be the reason for this change. The use of green manure also increases the carbon sequestration, contributing to the reduction of the greenhouse effect.

Reduction of methylviologen-mediated oxidative stress tolerance in antisense transgenic tobacco seedlings through restricted expression of StAPX.

PubMed

Sun, Wei-Hong; Wang, Yong; He, Hua-Gang; Li, Xue; Song, Wan; Du, Bin; Meng, Qing-Wei

2013-07-01

Ascorbate peroxidases are directly involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging by reducing hydrogen peroxide to water. The tomato thylakoid-bound ascorbate peroxidase gene (StAPX) was introduced into tobacco. RNA gel blot analysis confirmed that StAPX in tomato leaves was induced by methylviologen-mediated oxidative stress. The sense transgenic seedlings exhibited higher tAPX activity than that of the wild type (WT) plants under oxidative stress conditions, while the antisense seedlings exhibited lower tAPX activity. Lower APX activities of antisense transgenic seedlings caused higher malondialdehyde contents and relative electrical conductivity. The sense transgenic seedlings with higher tAPX activity maintained higher chlorophyll content and showed the importance of tAPX in maintaining the optimal chloroplast development under methylviologen stress conditions, whereas the antisense lines maintained lower chlorophyll content than WT seedlings. Results indicated that the over-expression of StAPX enhanced tolerance to methylviologen-mediated oxidative stress in sense transgenic tobacco early seedlings, whereas the suppression of StAPX in antisense transgenic seedlings showed high sensitivity to oxidative stress.

40 CFR 180.435 - Deltamethrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., stover 15 Cotton, refined oil 0.2 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.04 Egg 0.02 Fruit, pome, Group 11 0.2 Goat... Sorghum, grain, forage 0.5 Sorghum, grain, stover 1.0 Soybean, seed 0.1 Soybean, hulls 0.2 Starfruit* 0.2 Sunflower, seed 0.1 Tomato 0.2 Tomato, paste 1.0 Tomato, puree 1.0 Vegetable, cucurbit, Group 9 0.2...

40 CFR 180.435 - Deltamethrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., stover 15 Cotton, refined oil 0.2 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.04 Egg 0.02 Fruit, pome, Group 11 0.2 Goat... Sorghum, grain, forage 0.5 Sorghum, grain, stover 1.0 Soybean, seed 0.1 Soybean, hulls 0.2 Starfruit* 0.2 Sunflower, seed 0.1 Tomato 0.2 Tomato, paste 1.0 Tomato, puree 1.0 Vegetable, cucurbit, Group 9 0.2...

40 CFR 180.435 - Deltamethrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., stover 15 Cotton, refined oil 0.2 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.04 Egg 0.02 Fruit, pome, Group 11 0.2 Goat... Sorghum, grain, forage 0.5 Sorghum, grain, stover 1.0 Soybean, seed 0.1 Soybean, hulls 0.2 Starfruit* 0.2 Sunflower, seed 0.1 Tomato 0.2 Tomato, paste 1.0 Tomato, puree 1.0 Vegetable, cucurbit, Group 9 0.2...

40 CFR 180.435 - Deltamethrin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., stover 15 Cotton, refined oil 0.2 Cotton, undelinted seed 0.04 Egg 0.02 Fruit, pome, Group 11 0.2 Goat... Sorghum, grain, forage 0.5 Sorghum, grain, stover 1.0 Soybean, seed 0.1 Soybean, hulls 0.2 Starfruit* 0.2 Sunflower, seed 0.1 Tomato 0.2 Tomato, paste 1.0 Tomato, puree 1.0 Vegetable, cucurbit, Group 9 0.2...

Type of tomatoes and water rinse affect efficacy of acid washes against salmonella enterica inoculated on stem scar areas of tomatoes and on product quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of post-treatment rinsing with water on the inactivation efficacy of acid treatments against Salmonella inoculated onto stem scar areas of two types of tomatoes. In addition, impact on fruit quality was investigated during 21 days post-treatment storag...

Influence of the Fruit Juice Carriers on the Ability of Lactobacillus plantarum DSM20205 to Improve in Vitro Intestinal Barrier Integrity and Its Probiotic Properties.

PubMed

Valero-Cases, Estefanía; Roy, Nicole C; Frutos, María José; Anderson, Rachel C

2017-07-19

This study investigates the influence of tomato and feijoa juices as fermentable carriers of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP DSM20205) on the ability of the bacterium to improve intestinal barrier function using the trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) assay in an apical anaerobic model. The survival of LP DSM20205 in different fruit juices during in vitro digestion, its adhesion capacity, and potential cytotoxic effect on Caco-2 cells were also studied. The results showed that carrier fruit juices have a significant influence on LP DSM20205 growth, survival during in vitro digestion, adhesion capacity, and TEER. All fermented samples were not cytotoxic to Caco-2 cells. The fermented tomato juice showed the largest improvement to intestinal barrier integrity. The digested fermented juices did not increase TEER, although the LP DSM20205 in these samples adhered well. Therefore, LP DSM20205 has the potential to be used as a probiotic in the production of fermented tomato and feijoa juices.

Study protocol: a cluster randomised controlled trial of a school based fruit and vegetable intervention – Project Tomato

PubMed Central

Kitchen, Meaghan S; Ransley, Joan K; Greenwood, Darren C; Clarke, Graham P; Conner, Mark T; Jupp, Jennifer; Cade, Janet E

2009-01-01

Background The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (SFVS) is an important public health intervention. The aim of this scheme is to provide a free piece of fruit and/or vegetable every day for children in Reception to Year 2. When children are no longer eligible for the scheme (from Year 3) their overall fruit and vegetable consumption decreases back to baseline levels. This proposed study aims to design a flexible multi-component intervention for schools to support the maintenance of fruit and vegetable consumption for Year 3 children who are no longer eligible for the scheme. Method This study is a cluster randomised controlled trial of Year 2 classes from 54 primary schools across England. The schools will be randomly allocated into two groups to receive either an active intervention called Project Tomato, to support maintenance of fruit intake in Year 3 children, or a less active intervention (control group), consisting of a 5 A DAY booklet. Children's diets will be analysed using the Child And Diet Evaluation Tool (CADET), and height and weight measurements collected, at baseline (Year 2) and 18 month follow-up (Year 4). The primary outcome will be the ability of the intervention (Project Tomato) to maintain consumption of fruit and vegetable portions compared to the control group. Discussion A positive result will identify how fruit and vegetable consumption can be maintained in young children, and will be useful for policies supporting the SFVS. A negative result would be used to inform the research agenda and contribute to redefining future strategies for increasing children's fruit and vegetable consumption. Trial registration Medical Research Council Registry code G0501297 PMID:19531246

Study protocol: a cluster randomised controlled trial of a school based fruit and vegetable intervention - Project Tomato.

PubMed

Kitchen, Meaghan S; Ransley, Joan K; Greenwood, Darren C; Clarke, Graham P; Conner, Mark T; Jupp, Jennifer; Cade, Janet E

2009-06-16

The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (SFVS) is an important public health intervention. The aim of this scheme is to provide a free piece of fruit and/or vegetable every day for children in Reception to Year 2. When children are no longer eligible for the scheme (from Year 3) their overall fruit and vegetable consumption decreases back to baseline levels. This proposed study aims to design a flexible multi-component intervention for schools to support the maintenance of fruit and vegetable consumption for Year 3 children who are no longer eligible for the scheme. This study is a cluster randomised controlled trial of Year 2 classes from 54 primary schools across England. The schools will be randomly allocated into two groups to receive either an active intervention called Project Tomato, to support maintenance of fruit intake in Year 3 children, or a less active intervention (control group), consisting of a 5 A DAY booklet. Children's diets will be analysed using the Child And Diet Evaluation Tool (CADET), and height and weight measurements collected, at baseline (Year 2) and 18 month follow-up (Year 4). The primary outcome will be the ability of the intervention (Project Tomato) to maintain consumption of fruit and vegetable portions compared to the control group. A positive result will identify how fruit and vegetable consumption can be maintained in young children, and will be useful for policies supporting the SFVS. A negative result would be used to inform the research agenda and contribute to redefining future strategies for increasing children's fruit and vegetable consumption. Medical Research Council Registry code G0501297.

Influence of cultivar and ripening time on bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties in Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.).

PubMed

Bravo, Karent; Sepulveda-Ortega, Stella; Lara-Guzman, Oscar; Navas-Arboleda, Alejandro A; Osorio, Edison

2015-05-01

Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) is an exotic fruit highly valued for its organoleptic properties and bioactive compounds. Considering that the presence of phenolics and ascorbic acid could contribute to its functional capacity, it is important to investigate the quality parameters, bioactive contents and functional properties with respect to genotype and ripening time. In this study the genotype effect was evaluated in 15 cultivars for two different harvest times. Changes during maturation were recorded in two commercial cultivars within seven levels of maturity. Multivariate statistical analysis suggested that phenolic content and ORAC value were mainly affected by harvest time and that ascorbic acid content and DPPH level were mainly affected by genotype. In addition, acidity, phenolic content, ORAC value and inhibition of LDL oxidation decreased with maturity, but soluble solids content, ascorbic acid content, β-carotene content and DPPH-scavenging activity were higher in mature fruits. The phenolic content, ascorbic acid content and antioxidant properties of Cape gooseberry fruit were strongly affected by cultivar, harvest time and maturity state. Consequently, the harvest time must be scheduled carefully to gain the highest proportion of bioactive compounds according to the specific cultivar and the environment where it is grown. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Monitoring of oxidation steps of ascorbic acid redox reaction by kinetics-sensitive voltcoulometry in unsupported and supported aqueous solutions and real samples.

PubMed

Orlický, Jozef; Gmucová, Katarína; Thurzo, Ilja; Pavlásek, Juraj

2003-04-01

Aqueous solutions of ascorbic acid in unsupported and supported aqueous solutions and real samples were studied by the kinetics-sensitive double-step voltcoulommetric method with the aim to contribute to a better understanding of its behavior in biological systems. The data obtained from measurements made on analytes prepared in the laboratory, as well as those made on real samples (some commercial orange drinks, flash of the fresh fruits) point to the redox reaction of L-ascorbic acid (L-AH2) being very sensitive to both the presence of dissolved gaseous species (O2, CO2) and the ionic strenght in the analyte. Either the dissolved gaseous species, or the higher ionic strength caused by both the presence of supporting electrolyte and increased total concentration of ascorbic acid, respectively, give birth to the degradation of L-AH2. Naturally, the highest percentage of L-AH2 was spotted in fresh fruit.

In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Colored Carotenoids in Tomato Derivatives as Affected by Ripeness Stage and the Addition of Different Types of Oil.

PubMed

González-Casado, Sandra; Martín-Belloso, Olga; Elez-Martínez, Pedro; Soliva-Fortuny, Robert

2018-05-01

The simultaneous effect of tomato ripeness stage (mature green, pink, and red-ripe), mechanical processing (dicing and grinding), and oil addition (coconut, sunflower, and olive oils) on the amount and bioaccessible fraction of carotenoids were evaluated. Tomato products obtained from fruits at the most advanced ripeness stage exhibited the greatest values of both concentration and bioaccessible fraction of total carotenoids and lycopene. The type of processing also exerted an important influence on carotenoids content, as well as on its bioaccessibility. Thus, despite the concentration of carotenoids in tomato puree significantly decreased (36% to 59%), their bioaccessibility was greater (up to 2.54-fold increase) than in tomato cubes. Moreover, the addition of oil significantly improved the carotenoid bioaccessibility, especially when olive oil was added, reaching up to 21-fold increase with respect to samples without oil. The results obtained clearly indicate that carotenoids bioaccessibility of tomato derivatives was strongly influenced by the ripeness stage of the fruit, processing and the addition of oil. Bioaccessibility of carotenoids is known to be affected by different factors. This study provides useful information about the synergic effect of different factors affecting the amount and the bioaccessible fraction of carotenoids, especially lycopene, in two common tomato derivatives. The findings of this work may contribute to develop tomato derivatives with high content of bioaccessible carotenoids, leading to the enhancement of their health-promoting properties. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Cutin deficiency in the tomato fruit cuticle consistently affects resistance to microbial infection and biomechanical properties, but not transpirational water loss.

PubMed

Isaacson, Tal; Kosma, Dylan K; Matas, Antonio J; Buda, Gregory J; He, Yonghua; Yu, Bingwu; Pravitasari, Arika; Batteas, James D; Stark, Ruth E; Jenks, Matthew A; Rose, Jocelyn K C

2009-10-01

Plant cuticles are broadly composed of two major components: polymeric cutin and a mixture of waxes, which infiltrate the cutin matrix and also accumulate on the surface, forming an epicuticular layer. Although cuticles are thought to play a number of important physiological roles, with the most important being to restrict water loss from aerial plant organs, the relative contributions of cutin and waxes to cuticle function are still not well understood. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits provide an attractive experimental system to address this question as, unlike other model plants such as Arabidopsis, they have a relatively thick astomatous cuticle, providing a poreless uniform material that is easy to isolate and handle. We identified three tomato mutants, cutin deficient 1 (cd1), cd2 and cd3, the fruit cuticles of which have a dramatic (95-98%) reduction in cutin content and substantially altered, but distinctly different, architectures. This cutin deficiency resulted in an increase in cuticle surface stiffness, and in the proportions of both hydrophilic and multiply bonded polymeric constituents. Furthermore, our data suggested that there is no correlation between the amount of cutin and the permeability of the cuticle to water, but that cutin plays an important role in protecting tissues from microbial infection. The three cd mutations were mapped to different loci, and the cloning of CD2 revealed it to encode a homeodomain protein, which we propose acts as a key regulator of cutin biosynthesis in tomato fruit.

Fruits and vegetables (image)

MedlinePlus

A healthy diet includes adding vegetables and fruit every day. Vegetables like broccoli, green beans, leafy greens, zucchini, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. ...

Effect of green manure in soil quality and nitrogen transfer to cherry tomato in the no tillage system on corn straw

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambrosano, Edmilson; Rossi, Fabricio; Dias, Fabio; Trivelin, Paulo; Muraoka, Takashi; Tavares, Silvio; Ambrosano, Glaucia

2015-04-01

The objective of this study was to quantify the contribution of green manure in on soil quality and nitrogen transfer to cherry tomatoes using the N-15 abundance method. The experiment was carried out in Piracicaba, APTA/SAA, SP, Brazil. The IAC collection accesses 21 of cherry tomatoes were used. Each Plot consisted of six plants spaced 0.5 m and 0.9 m between rows, conducted in a randomized block with eight treatments and five repetitions. The treatments were as green manures intercropping or not on cherry tomato, namely: jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), dwarf mucuna (Mucuna deeringiana), mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek ), white lupine (Lupinus albus L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp). Besides two witnesses, one without corn straw and another with corn straw. Five leaves with petiole of each plant part during the first ripe fruit and a bunch of fruits per plant are harvested. Samples of leaf and fruit were weighed and dried in an oven of forced air and its dry weight measured. A subsample was ground in a knife mill type Willy and brought to the mass spectrometer (ANCA GSL) on the Stable Isotopes Laboratory of CENA/USP for the analysis of δN-15. It measured the percentage of transfer of N green manure for tomato, the tomato plants grown as monocropped were considered a control and came to the result that 27 % N found in the fruit came from the green manure and the aerial part this figure was 23%. These results show that dur¬ing the fruit set of tomato can occur greater translocation and consequent higher utilization of N from green manure than in the aerial part. This production system can reduce the use of nitrogen fertilizers. The presence of a green manure in treatments not intercropped caused some soil alterations that could be detected in samples collected in the harvesting season. There was an increase in organic matter, Ca, Mg and Zn availability, and consequently in base saturation and pH. The presence of green manure caused a significant sum of bases increase, due to increases in calcium and magnesium; consequently, treatments involving jack bean, sunn hemp and mung bean showed higher CEC values and low acidity potential. The presence of organic acids in the plant mass could be the reason for this change. The use of green manure also works on carbon sequestration, helping in the reduction of the greenhouse gas effect.

Extension of the shelf life of guava by individual packaging with cling and shrink films.

PubMed

Rana, Seema; Siddiqui, Saleem; Goyal, Ankit

2015-12-01

Guava is a climacteric fruit so physico-chemical changes continuously occur after harvest till fruit become unfit for consumption and suffers from post harvest losses. The main objective of this work was to assess the effectiveness of individual film in form of Shrink and Cling wrap on shelf life of guava. Fruits were individually packed in polythene bags (LDPE) of 200 gauge thickness by Shrink and Cling wrapping and stored at 7 ± 3 °C. Individual wrapping reduced the magnitude of changes during storage i.e., ripening process drastically as evident from lower total soluble solids, higher ascorbic acid, polyphenol content with lower polyphenol oxidase activity and physiological loss of weight (PLW) was less than 3.5 %. Film wrapping preserved freshness of wrapped fruits as they remained acceptable for whole storage time in contrast to control fruits which turned unacceptable by 15(th) day of storage. Control fruits showed significant compositional changes as well as in polyphenol content, ascorbic acid and reduced number of marketable fruits while Cling and Shrink wrapping enhanced the shelf life by 10 days.

A genome-scale metabolic network reconstruction of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and its application to photorespiratory metabolism.

PubMed

Yuan, Huili; Cheung, C Y Maurice; Poolman, Mark G; Hilbers, Peter A J; van Riel, Natal A W

2016-01-01

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) has been studied extensively due to its high economic value in the market, and high content in health-promoting antioxidant compounds. Tomato is also considered as an excellent model organism for studying the development and metabolism of fleshy fruits. However, the growth, yield and fruit quality of tomatoes can be affected by drought stress, a common abiotic stress for tomato. To investigate the potential metabolic response of tomato plants to drought, we reconstructed iHY3410, a genome-scale metabolic model of tomato leaf, and used this metabolic network to simulate tomato leaf metabolism. The resulting model includes 3410 genes and 2143 biochemical and transport reactions distributed across five intracellular organelles including cytosol, plastid, mitochondrion, peroxisome and vacuole. The model successfully described the known metabolic behaviour of tomato leaf under heterotrophic and phototrophic conditions. The in silico investigation of the metabolic characteristics for photorespiration and other relevant metabolic processes under drought stress suggested that: (i) the flux distributions through the mevalonate (MVA) pathway under drought were distinct from that under normal conditions; and (ii) the changes in fluxes through core metabolic pathways with varying flux ratio of RubisCO carboxylase to oxygenase may contribute to the adaptive stress response of plants. In addition, we improved on previous studies of reaction essentiality analysis for leaf metabolism by including potential alternative routes for compensating reaction knockouts. Altogether, the genome-scale model provides a sound framework for investigating tomato metabolism and gives valuable insights into the functional consequences of abiotic stresses. © 2015 The Authors.The Plant Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Novel phenotypes related to the breeding of purple-fruited tomatoes and effect of peel extracts on human cancer cell proliferation.

PubMed

Mazzucato, Andrea; Willems, Daniela; Bernini, Roberta; Picarella, Maurizio E; Santangelo, Enrico; Ruiu, Fabrizio; Tilesi, Francesca; Soressi, Gian Piero

2013-11-01

The production of anthocyanins in the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit is normally absent or poor, but a number of mutants or introgression lines are known to increase anthocyanin levels in vegetative and reproductive tissues. Through conventional breeding, a genetic combination was obtained with the remarkable phenotype of a deep purple fruit pigmentation, due to an accumulation of anthocyanins on the peel. Such a genotype was named Sun Black (SB) as a consequence of its sensitivity to light induction. When characterized for morpho-agronomic traits, SB plants showed increased fertility. Purple fruits displayed an arrangement of the epicarp cells different from normal tomatoes, a feature that could account for different mechanical properties and shelf-life potential. The SB genotype and, to a lesser extent, its single mutant parents showed the capacity to accumulate anthocyanins in the seedling root when grown under light. This phenotype, which was greatly improved by the addition of sucrose to the germination medium, proved to be useful as selection index and gave new insights for in vitro production of anthocyanin extracts. To assess the nutraceutical potential of purple tomatoes, we tested the activity of SB skin extracts on the proliferation of two human cancer cells lines. Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited by SB extract in a dose-dependent manner. When the bioactivity of SB extracts was compared with that of other anthocyanin-containing fruits or vegetables, a significant "Extract*Line" interaction was evidenced, suggesting a crucial role for the extract composition in terms of anthocyanidins and other eventual cell growth-inhibiting compounds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Identification of a Specific Isoform of Tomato Lipoxygenase (TomloxC) Involved in the Generation of Fatty Acid-Derived Flavor Compounds1

PubMed Central

Chen, Guoping; Hackett, Rachel; Walker, David; Taylor, Andy; Lin, Zhefeng; Grierson, Donald

2004-01-01

There are at least five lipoxygenases (TomloxA, TomloxB, TomloxC, TomloxD, and TomloxE) present in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit, but their role in generation of fruit flavor volatiles has been unclear. To assess the physiological role of TomloxC in the generation of volatile C6 aldehyde and alcohol flavor compounds, we produced transgenic tomato plants with greatly reduced TomloxC using sense and antisense constructs under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. The expression level of the TomloxC mRNA in some transgenic plants was selectively reduced by gene silencing or antisense inhibition to between 1% and 5% of the wild-type controls, but the expression levels of mRNAs for the four other isoforms were unaffected. The specific depletion of TomloxC in transgenic tomatoes led to a marked reduction in the levels of known flavor volatiles, including hexanal, hexenal, and hexenol, to as little as 1.5% of those of wild-type controls following maceration of ripening fruit. Addition of linoleic or linolenic acid to fruit homogenates significantly increased the levels of flavor volatiles, but the increase with the TomloxC-depleted transgenic fruit extracts was much lower than with the wild-type control. Confocal imaging of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaf cells expressing a TomloxC-GFP fusion confirmed a chloroplast localization of the protein. Together, these results suggest that TomloxC is a chloroplast-targeted lipoxygenase isoform that can use both linoleic and linolenic acids as substrates to generate volatile C6 flavor compounds. The roles of the other lipoxygenase isoforms are discussed. PMID:15347800

Enantioselective Degradation and Chiral Stability of Metalaxyl-M in Tomato Fruits.

PubMed

Jing, Xu; Yao, Guojun; Wang, Peng; Liu, Donghui; Qi, Yanli; Zhou, Zhiqiang

2016-05-01

Metalaxyl is an important chiral acetanilide fungicide, and the activity almost entirely originates from the R-enantiomer. Racemic metalaxyl has been gradually replaced by the enantiopure R-enantiomer (metalaxyl-M). In this study a chiral residue analysis method for metalaxyl and the metabolite metalaxyl acid was set up based on high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy (HPLC-MS/MS). The enantioselective degradation and chiral stability of metalaxyl-M in tomato fruits in two geographically distinct regions of China (Heilongjiang and Hunan Province) were evaluated and the enantioselectivity of metalaxyl acid was also investigated. Tomato plants grew under field conditions with a one-time spray application of metalaxyl-M wettable powder. It was found that R-metalaxyl was not chirally stable and the inactive S-metalaxyl was detected in tomato fruits. At day 40, S-metalaxyl derived from R-metalaxyl accounted for 32% and 26% of the total amount of metalaxyl, respectively. The metabolites R-metalaxyl acid and S-metalaxyl acid were both observed in tomato, and the ratio of S-metalaxyl acid to the sum of S- and R-metalaxyl acid was 36% and 28% at day 40, respectively. For both metalaxyl and metalaxyl acid, the half-life of the S-enantiomer was longer than the R-enantiomer. The results indicated that the enantiomeric conversion should be considered in the bioactivity evaluation and environmental pollution assessment. Chirality 28:382-386, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Use of modern tomato breeding germplasm for deciphering the genetic control of agronomical traits by Genome Wide Association study.

PubMed

Bauchet, Guillaume; Grenier, Stéphane; Samson, Nicolas; Bonnet, Julien; Grivet, Laurent; Causse, Mathilde

2017-05-01

A panel of 300 tomato accessions including breeding materials was built and characterized with >11,000 SNP. A population structure in six subgroups was identified. Strong heterogeneity in linkage disequilibrium and recombination landscape among groups and chromosomes was shown. GWAS identified several associations for fruit weight, earliness and plant growth. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have become a method of choice in quantitative trait dissection. First limited to highly polymorphic and outcrossing species, it is now applied in horticultural crops, notably in tomato. Until now GWAS in tomato has been performed on panels of heirloom and wild accessions. Using modern breeding materials would be of direct interest for breeding purpose. To implement GWAS on a large panel of 300 tomato accessions including 168 breeding lines, this study assessed the genetic diversity and linkage disequilibrium decay and revealed the population structure and performed GWA experiment. Genetic diversity and population structure analyses were based on molecular markers (>11,000 SNP) covering the whole genome. Six genetic subgroups were revealed and associated to traits of agronomical interest, such as fruit weight and disease resistance. Estimates of linkage disequilibrium highlighted the heterogeneity of its decay among genetic subgroups. Haplotype definition allowed a fine characterization of the groups and their recombination landscape revealing the patterns of admixture along the genome. Selection footprints showed results in congruence with introgressions. Taken together, all these elements refined our knowledge of the genetic material included in this panel and allowed the identification of several associations for fruit weight, plant growth and earliness, deciphering the genetic architecture of these complex traits and identifying several new loci useful for tomato breeding.

Gibberellic Acid, Synthetic Auxins, and Ethylene Differentially Modulate α-l-Arabinofuranosidase Activities in Antisense 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylic Acid Synthase Tomato Pericarp Discs1

PubMed Central

Sozzi, Gabriel O.; Greve, L. Carl; Prody, Gerry A.; Labavitch, John M.

2002-01-01

α-l-Arabinofuranosidases (α-Afs) are plant enzymes capable of releasing terminal arabinofuranosyl residues from cell wall matrix polymers, as well as from different glycoconjugates. Three different α-Af isoforms were distinguished by size exclusion chromatography of protein extracts from control tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) and an ethylene synthesis-suppressed (ESS) line expressing an antisense 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic synthase transgene. α-Af I and II are active throughout fruit ontogeny. α-Af I is the first Zn-dependent cell wall enzyme isolated from tomato pericarp tissues, thus suggesting the involvement of zinc in fruit cell wall metabolism. This isoform is inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline, but remains stable in the presence of NaCl and sucrose. α-Af II activity accounts for over 80% of the total α-Af activity in 10-d-old fruit, but activity drops during ripening. In contrast, α-Af III is ethylene dependent and specifically active during ripening. α-Af I released monosaccharide arabinose from KOH-soluble polysaccharides from tomato cell walls, whereas α-Af II and III acted on Na2CO3-soluble pectins. Different α-Af isoform responses to gibberellic acid, synthetic auxins, and ethylene were followed by using a novel ESS mature-green tomato pericarp disc system. α-Af I and II activity increased when gibberellic acid or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid was applied, whereas ethylene treatment enhanced only α-Af III activity. Results suggest that tomato α-Afs are encoded by a gene family under differential hormonal controls, and probably have different in vivo functions. The ESS pericarp explant system allows comprehensive studies involving effects of physiological levels of different growth regulators on gene expression and enzyme activity with negligible wound-induced ethylene production. PMID:12114586

Flexible tools for gene expression and silencing in tomato.

PubMed

Fernandez, Ana I; Viron, Nicolas; Alhagdow, Moftah; Karimi, Mansour; Jones, Matthew; Amsellem, Ziva; Sicard, Adrien; Czerednik, Anna; Angenent, Gerco; Grierson, Donald; May, Sean; Seymour, Graham; Eshed, Yuval; Lemaire-Chamley, Martine; Rothan, Christophe; Hilson, Pierre

2009-12-01

As a genetic platform, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) benefits from rich germplasm collections and ease of cultivation and transformation that enable the analysis of biological processes impossible to investigate in other model species. To facilitate the assembly of an open genetic toolbox designed to study Solanaceae, we initiated a joint collection of publicly available gene manipulation tools. We focused on the characterization of promoters expressed at defined time windows during fruit development, for the regulated expression or silencing of genes of interest. Five promoter sequences were captured as entry clones compatible with the versatile MultiSite Gateway format: PPC2, PG, TPRP, and IMA from tomato and CRC from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Corresponding transcriptional fusions were made with the GUS gene, a nuclear-localized GUS-GFP reporter, and the chimeric LhG4 transcription factor. The activity of the promoters during fruit development and in fruit tissues was confirmed in transgenic tomato lines. Novel Gateway destination vectors were generated for the transcription of artificial microRNA (amiRNA) precursors and hairpin RNAs under the control of these promoters, with schemes only involving Gateway BP and LR Clonase reactions. Efficient silencing of the endogenous phytoene desaturase gene was demonstrated in transgenic tomato lines producing a matching amiRNA under the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S or PPC2 promoter. Lastly, taking advantage of the pOP/LhG4 two-component system, we found that well-characterized flower-specific Arabidopsis promoters drive the expression of reporters in patterns generally compatible with heterologous expression. Tomato lines and plasmids will be distributed through a new Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre service unit dedicated to Solanaceae resources.

Over-expression of a grape stilbene synthase gene in tomato induces parthenocarpy and causes abnormal pollen development.

PubMed

Ingrosso, Ilaria; Bonsegna, Stefania; De Domenico, Stefania; Laddomada, Barbara; Blando, Federica; Santino, Angelo; Giovinazzo, Giovanna

2011-10-01

A novel strategy to induce parthenocarpy in tomato fruits by the induction of resveratrol biosynthesis in flower tissues was exploited. Two transgenic tomato lines were considered: a higher resveratrol-producing (35SS) line, constitutively expressing a grape stilbene synthase cDNA, and a lower resveratrol-producing (LoxS) line, expressing stilbene synthase under a fruit-specific promoter. The expression of the stilbene synthase gene affected flavonoid metabolism in a different manner in the transgenic lines, and in one of these, the 35SS line, resulted in complete male sterility. Resveratrol was synthesised either in 35SS or LoxS tomato flowers, at an even higher extent (about 8-10 times) in the former line. We further investigated whether stilbene synthase expression may have resulted in impaired naringenin accumulation during flower development. In the 35SS flowers, naringenin was significantly impaired by about 50%, probably due to metabolic competition. Conversely, the amount of glycosylated flavonols increased in transgenic flowers, thereby excluding the diminished production of flavonols as a reason for parthenocarpy in tomato. We further investigated whether resveratrol synthesis may have resulted changes to pollen structure. Microscopic observations revealed the presence of few and abnormal flake-like pollen grains in 35SS flowers with no germination capability. Finally, the analysis of coumaric and ferulic acids, the precursors of lignin and sporopollenin biosynthesis, revealed significant depletion of these compounds, therefore suggesting an impairment in structural compounds as a reason for pollen ablation. These overall outcomes, to the best of our knowledge, reveal for the first time the major role displayed by resveratrol synthesis on parthenocarpy in tomato fruits. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Competition for Assimilates and Fruit Position Affect Fruit Set in Indeterminate Greenhouse Tomato

PubMed Central

Bertin, N.

1995-01-01

Localization and characterization of fruit set in winter tomato crops was investigated to determine the main internal and external controlling factors and to establish a quantitative relationship between fruit set and competition for assimilates. Individual fruit growth and development was assessed on a beef tomato cultivar during the reproductive period (first nine inflorescences). A non-destructive photograph technique was used to measure fruit growth from very early stages of their development and then calliper measurements were made on big fruits. From these measurements we determined the precise developmental stage at which fruit growth stopped. Fruit potential growth, which is defined as the growth achieved in non-limiting conditions for assimilate supply, was also assessed by this method on plants thinned to one flower per inflorescence. The latter was used to calculate the ratio between actual and potential growth, which was found to be a good index of the competition for assimilates. Time lags of fruit set were observed mainly on distal organs. When more than three flowers were left on each inflorescence, distal organs developed at the same time as proximal organs of the following inflorescence. Consequently they were submitted to a double competition within one inflorescence and among inflorescences. It was shown that, what is commonly named ‘fruit set failure’, is not an irreversible death of the organ and that a small fruit could resume growth after a delay of several weeks as soon as the first fruits ripened and thus ceased to compete for assimilates. In that case proximal fruits resumed growth before distal ones. The delayed fruits contained only few seeds but a germination test confirmed that fertilization took place before fruit set failed. Competition for assimilates was calculated during plant development by the ratio between actual and potential fruit growth. Potential growth of proximal fruits was strongly dependent on the position of the inflorescence on the stem, whereas potential growth of distal fruits was lower than or equal to that of proximal fruits of the same inflorescence and it was independent on the inflorescence position. We took into account both inflorescence and fruit positions to establish a quantitative relationship between fruit set of individual inflorescences and the ratio between actual and potential fruit growth. PMID:21247913

Expression of Ornithine Decarboxylase Is Transiently Increased by Pollination, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid, and Gibberellic Acid in Tomato Ovaries1

PubMed Central

Alabadí, David; Carbonell, Juan

1998-01-01

A cDNA encoding for a functional ornithine decarboxylase has been isolated from a cDNA library of carpels of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). Ornithine decarboxylase in tomato is represented by a single-copy gene that we show to be up-regulated during early fruit growth induced by 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and gibberellic acid. PMID:9733552

Ascorbic Acid Alleviates Water Stress in Young Peach Trees and Improves Their Performance after Rewatering.

PubMed

Penella, Consuelo; Calatayud, Ángeles; Melgar, Juan C

2017-01-01

Exogenous application of biochemicals has been found to improve water stress tolerance in herbaceous crops but there are limited studies on deciduous fruit trees. The goal of this research was to study if ascorbic acid applications could improve physiological mechanisms associated with water stress tolerance in young fruit trees. Ascorbic acid was foliarly applied at a concentration of 250 ppm to water-stressed and well-watered peach trees (control) of two cultivars ('Scarletprince' and 'CaroTiger'). Trees received either one or two applications, and 1 week after the second application all trees were rewatered to field capacity. Upon rewatering, CO 2 assimilation and stomatal conductance of water-stressed 'Scarletprince' trees sprayed with ascorbic acid (one or two applications) were similar to those of well-irrigated trees, but water-stressed trees that had not received ascorbic acid did not recover photosynthetical functions. Also, water status in sprayed water-stressed 'Scarletprince' trees was improved to values similar to control trees. On the other hand, water-stressed 'CaroTiger' trees needed two applications of ascorbic acid to reach values of CO 2 assimilation similar to control trees but these applications did not improve their water status. In general terms, different response mechanisms to cope with water stress in presence of ascorbic acid were found in each cultivar, with 'Scarletprince' trees preferentially using proline as compatible solute and 'CaroTiger' trees relying on stomatal regulation. The application of ascorbic acid reduced cell membrane damage and increased catalase activity in water-stressed trees of both cultivars. These results suggest that foliar applications of ascorbic acid could be used as a management practice for improving water stress tolerance of young trees under suboptimal water regimes.

Ascorbic Acid Alleviates Water Stress in Young Peach Trees and Improves Their Performance after Rewatering

PubMed Central

Penella, Consuelo; Calatayud, Ángeles; Melgar, Juan C.

2017-01-01

Exogenous application of biochemicals has been found to improve water stress tolerance in herbaceous crops but there are limited studies on deciduous fruit trees. The goal of this research was to study if ascorbic acid applications could improve physiological mechanisms associated with water stress tolerance in young fruit trees. Ascorbic acid was foliarly applied at a concentration of 250 ppm to water-stressed and well-watered peach trees (control) of two cultivars (‘Scarletprince’ and ‘CaroTiger’). Trees received either one or two applications, and 1 week after the second application all trees were rewatered to field capacity. Upon rewatering, CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance of water-stressed ‘Scarletprince’ trees sprayed with ascorbic acid (one or two applications) were similar to those of well-irrigated trees, but water-stressed trees that had not received ascorbic acid did not recover photosynthetical functions. Also, water status in sprayed water-stressed ‘Scarletprince’ trees was improved to values similar to control trees. On the other hand, water-stressed ‘CaroTiger’ trees needed two applications of ascorbic acid to reach values of CO2 assimilation similar to control trees but these applications did not improve their water status. In general terms, different response mechanisms to cope with water stress in presence of ascorbic acid were found in each cultivar, with ‘Scarletprince’ trees preferentially using proline as compatible solute and ‘CaroTiger’ trees relying on stomatal regulation. The application of ascorbic acid reduced cell membrane damage and increased catalase activity in water-stressed trees of both cultivars. These results suggest that foliar applications of ascorbic acid could be used as a management practice for improving water stress tolerance of young trees under suboptimal water regimes. PMID:28979284

Bioaccessibility of tocopherols, carotenoids, and ascorbic acid from milk- and soy-based fruit beverages: influence of food matrix and processing.

PubMed

Cilla, Antonio; Alegría, Amparo; de Ancos, Begoña; Sánchez-Moreno, Concepción; Cano, M Pilar; Plaza, Lucía; Clemente, Gonzalo; Lagarda, María J; Barberá, Reyes

2012-07-25

A study was made of the effect of high-pressure processing (HPP) and thermal treatment (TT) on plant bioactive compounds (tocopherols, carotenoids, and ascorbic acid) in 12 fruit juice-milk beverages and of how the food matrix [whole milk (JW), skimmed milk (JS), and soy milk (JSy)] modulates their bioaccessibility (%). HPP (400 MPa/40 °C/5 min) produced a significant decrease in carotenoid and ascorbic acid bioaccessibility in all three beverages and maintained the bioaccessibility of tocopherols in JW and JS while decreasing it in JSy. TT (90 °C/30 s) produced a significant decrease in tocopherol and carotenoid bioaccessibility in all three beverages and increased the bioaccessibility of ascorbic acid. With regard to the food matrix, α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid bioaccessibility was greatest in JW beverages and lowest in JSy beverages, whereas no significant differences were found among the three beverages in terms of carotenoid bioaccessibility. HPP-treated samples showed higher tocopherol and carotenoid bioaccessibility than TT-treated samples, thus indicating that HPP combined with a milk matrix positively modulates the bioaccessibility of certain types of bioactive components of food, mainly those of a lipophilic nature.

Tomato carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases 1A and 1B: Relaxed double bond specificity leads to a plenitude of dialdehydes, mono-apocarotenoids and isoprenoid volatiles

PubMed Central

Ilg, Andrea; Bruno, Mark; Beyer, Peter; Al-Babili, Salim

2014-01-01

The biosynthetic processes leading to many of the isoprenoid volatiles released by tomato fruits are still unknown, though previous reports suggested a clear correlation with the carotenoids contained within the fruit. In this study, we investigated the activity of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (SlCCD1B), which is highly expressed in fruits, and of its homolog SlCCD1A. Using in vitro assays performed with purified recombinant enzymes and by analyzing products formed by the two enzymes in carotene-accumulating Escherichia coli strains, we demonstrate that SlCCD1A and, to a larger extent, SlCCD1B, have a very relaxed specificity for both substrate and cleavage site, mediating the oxidative cleavage of cis- and all-trans-carotenoids as well as of different apocarotenoids at many more double bonds than previously reported. This activity gives rise to a plenitude of volatiles, mono-apocarotenoids and dialdehyde products, including cis-pseudoionone, neral, geranial, and farnesylacetone. Our results provide a direct evidence for a carotenoid origin of these compounds and point to CCD1s as the enzymes catalyzing the formation of the vast majority of tomato isoprenoid volatiles, many of which are aroma constituents. PMID:25057464

Discrimination of tomatoes bred by spaceflight mutagenesis using visible/near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics.

PubMed

Shao, Yongni; Xie, Chuanqi; Jiang, Linjun; Shi, Jiahui; Zhu, Jiajin; He, Yong

2015-04-05

Visible/near infrared spectroscopy (Vis/NIR) based on sensitive wavelengths (SWs) and chemometrics was proposed to discriminate different tomatoes bred by spaceflight mutagenesis from their leafs or fruits (green or mature). The tomato breeds were mutant M1, M2 and their parent. Partial least squares (PLS) analysis and least squares-support vector machine (LS-SVM) were implemented for calibration models. PLS analysis was implemented for calibration models with different wavebands including the visible region (400-700 nm) and the near infrared region (700-1000 nm). The best PLS models were achieved in the visible region for the leaf and green fruit samples and in the near infrared region for the mature fruit samples. Furthermore, different latent variables (4-8 LVs for leafs, 5-9 LVs for green fruits, and 4-9 LVs for mature fruits) were used as inputs of LS-SVM to develop the LV-LS-SVM models with the grid search technique and radial basis function (RBF) kernel. The optimal LV-LS-SVM models were achieved with six LVs for the leaf samples, seven LVs for green fruits, and six LVs for mature fruits, respectively, and they outperformed the PLS models. Moreover, independent component analysis (ICA) was executed to select several SWs based on loading weights. The optimal LS-SVM model was achieved with SWs of 550-560 nm, 562-574 nm, 670-680 nm and 705-71 5 nm for the leaf samples; 548-556 nm, 559-564 nm, 678-685 nm and 962-974 nm for the green fruit samples; and 712-718 nm, 720-729 nm, 968-978 nm and 820-830 nm for the mature fruit samples. All of them had better performance than PLS and LV-LS-SVM, with the parameters of correlation coefficient (rp), root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) and bias of 0.9792, 0.2632 and 0.0901 based on leaf discrimination, 0.9837, 0.2783 and 0.1758 based on green fruit discrimination, 0.9804, 0.2215 and -0.0035 based on mature fruit discrimination, respectively. The overall results indicated that ICA was an effective way for the selection of SWs, and the Vis/NIR combined with LS-SVM models had the capability to predict the different breeds (mutant M1, mutant M2 and their parent) of tomatoes from leafs and fruits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasma concentrations of ascorbic acid and C-reactive protein, and risk of future coronary artery disease, in apparently healthy men and women: the EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study.

PubMed

Boekholdt, S Matthijs; Meuwese, Marijn C; Day, Nicholas E; Luben, Robert; Welch, Ailsa; Wareham, Nicholas J; Khaw, Kay-Tee

2006-09-01

High plasma concentrations of ascorbic acid, a marker of fruit and vegetable intake, are associated with low risk of coronary artery disease. Whether this relationship is explained by a reduction in systemic inflammation is unclear. We investigated the relationship between ascorbic acid plasma concentration and coronary artery disease risk, and in addition whether this relationship depended on classical risk factors and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration. We used a prospective nested case-control design. The study consisted of 979 cases and 1794 controls (1767 men and 1006 women). Increasing ascorbic acid quartiles were associated with lower age, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and CRP concentration, but with higher HDL-cholesterol concentration. No associations existed between ascorbic acid concentration and total cholesterol concentration or LDL-cholesterol concentration. When data from men and women were pooled, the risk estimates decreased with increasing ascorbic acid quartiles such that people in the highest ascorbic acid quartile had an odds ratio for future coronary artery disease of 0.67 (95 % CI 0.52, 0.87) compared with those in the lowest quartile (P for linearity=0.001). This relationship was independent of sex, age, diabetes, smoking, BMI, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and CRP level. These data suggest that the risk reduction associated with higher ascorbic acid plasma concentrations, a marker of fruit and vegetable intake, is independent of classical risk factors and also independent of CRP concentration.

Malate Plays a Crucial Role in Starch Metabolism, Ripening, and Soluble Solid Content of Tomato Fruit and Affects Postharvest Softening[W][OA

PubMed Central

Centeno, Danilo C.; Osorio, Sonia; Nunes-Nesi, Adriano; Bertolo, Ana L.F.; Carneiro, Raphael T.; Araújo, Wagner L.; Steinhauser, Marie-Caroline; Michalska, Justyna; Rohrmann, Johannes; Geigenberger, Peter; Oliver, Sandra N.; Stitt, Mark; Carrari, Fernando; Rose, Jocelyn K.C.; Fernie, Alisdair R.

2011-01-01

Despite the fact that the organic acid content of a fruit is regarded as one of its most commercially important quality traits when assessed by the consumer, relatively little is known concerning the physiological importance of organic acid metabolism for the fruit itself. Here, we evaluate the effect of modifying malate metabolism in a fruit-specific manner, by reduction of the activities of either mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase or fumarase, via targeted antisense approaches in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). While these genetic perturbations had relatively little effect on the total fruit yield, they had dramatic consequences for fruit metabolism, as well as unanticipated changes in postharvest shelf life and susceptibility to bacterial infection. Detailed characterization suggested that the rate of ripening was essentially unaltered but that lines containing higher malate were characterized by lower levels of transitory starch and a lower soluble sugars content at harvest, whereas those with lower malate contained higher levels of these carbohydrates. Analysis of the activation state of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase revealed that it correlated with the accumulation of transitory starch. Taken together with the altered activation state of the plastidial malate dehydrogenase and the modified pigment biosynthesis of the transgenic lines, these results suggest that the phenotypes are due to an altered cellular redox status. The combined data reveal the importance of malate metabolism in tomato fruit metabolism and development and confirm the importance of transitory starch in the determination of agronomic yield in this species. PMID:21239646