ASHS 2024 Conference

Climate change makes water stress a more prominent obstacle to maintaining the same yield and quality of harvestable crop biomass for consumers, posing a unique challenge to farmers who must compete for clean water resources with other stakeholders. Thus, farmers must adapt their irrigation strategies to remain profitable and relevant. Basil is a tender perennial crop from the family Lamiaceae that is grown as a culinary herb and as a source of essential oils. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a model crop for understanding water stress in economically important crops due to its intolerance to drought stress and its unique phytochemical properties. Sweet basil produces different concentrations of different secondary metabolites in response to abiotic stress, such as eugenol and methyl chavicol. This study seeks to understand what chemical and physical changes occur to sweet basil under water stress within a greenhouse environment. Three different treatments of water stress controlled via drip irrigation and a separate control group were used to analyze the yield and secondary metabolite production within sweet basil. Wet weight, dry weight, height, and phytochemical concentrations were calculated for the different drought treatments. There was a significant relationship between the final height, dry and wet yield, and chemical concentration of the different water stress treatments. One of the most interesting findings of the study was that the high note of sweet basil, a phenylpropanoid known as eugenol, was found in similarly high concentrations throughout the different treatment groups. There were significant differences in concentration across terpenoids such as eucalyptol, germacrene D, and linalool. This study showed that there were significant effects on the yield and concentration of phytochemicals produced by sweet basil from drought stress.

Economic opportunities have arisen to increase the production of specialty crops catering to ethnically diverse consumers. Opportunities to capture anticipated niche market growth for ethnic crops continue to grow. Amaranthus viridis L. (amaranth), a highly nutritious leafy vegetable, eaten cooked or raw, with a nutritional value similar to spinach, is widely cultivated, highly nutritious, and has medicinal properties. Studies were conducted to 1) evaluate two thermo-processing (steam and water blanching) and three drying methods (freeze, hot air, and infrared drying) for the development of amaranth value-added products and 2) analyze the effective thermo-processing and drying methods to maximize the phytonutrient contents and minerals in the vegetable. Two thermo-treatments, steam blanch (SB) and hot water (HB), and the control (C), three drying treatments, freeze-dried (FD), hot air dried (HAD), and infrared dried (ID) were used. The treatments were T1:FD(C), T2:HAD(C), T3:ID(C), T4:FD(SB), T5:HAD(SB), T6:ID(SB), T7: FD(HW), T8: HAD(HW), T9: ID(HW). Amaranth was harvested once per week and processed three times throughout the growing season (1st harvest (28 days after transplanting (DAT)), 2nd harvest (56 DAT) in the middle of the growing season, and the 3rd harvest (84 DAT) at the end of the growing season). Phytonutrients, ascorbic acid and β-carotene, rehydration capacity, and sensory evaluation were analyzed. Significant differences in phytonutrients (total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC)) were observed among treatments and harvest times, with the FD(C) treatment being significantly higher in TPC and TFC during the 1st and 2nd harvest when compared to the other treatments. Ascorbic acid was significantly higher in FD(C) and HAD(C) (419.33 mg/100g, dm and 203.3 mg/100g, dm, respectively). ID(C), ID(SB), ID(HW) and HAD(SB) were significantly lower in ascorbic acid when compared to the other treatments. Significant differences were also observed in β-carotene among treatments. For rehydration capacity, rehydration at 9 minutes showed the highest water absorbance for all treatments, with FD(C) and HAD(C) being significantly higher, while HAD(HW) and ID(HW) were significantly lower in water absorbance for the rehydration times of 3, 6 and 9 minutes. For the sensory evaluation, 59%, 73%, and 54% of respondents indicated that the rehydrated samples were just right for flavor, color, and texture, respectively; and 45% of respondents indicated that the overall quality of the rehydrated sample was good. This study provides valuable insights for the development of value-added products catering to ethnically diverse consumers.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is mainly cultivated in the Republic of Korea and China, and has been traditionally used as a medicinal plant in East Asia for the treatment of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, liver and kidney dysfunction, mental disorders, and skin inflammation. Ginseng roots are cultivated after maturing at 3 to 6 years of age. The harvested ginseng roots are consumed and sold in various forms of products, such as fresh ginseng, red ginseng, and white ginseng. Ginseng is a shade-tolerant crop and requires shading facilities. It grows well with a light intensity of 10%, but its growth is hindered at light intensity above 20% due to high temperature. Therefore, it is cultivated with a light intensity set to 10% from April to October and harvested in October. However, if early harvesting is done in August to increase farm income, growth is low due to insufficient light. Therefore, a cultivation experiment was conducted with the light intensity set to 10% and 20% for the August harvest, and the yield and ginsenoside contents were compared with the October harvest. The yield of the 20% light intensity treatment group was 665 kg/10a, whereas the yield of the 10% light intensity treatment group was 572 kg/10a. The yield of the 20% treatment group was 16.3% higher than that of the 10% treatment group. According to the analysis on nine ginsenoside components including Rg1, the total ginsenoside contents in the 20% light intensity treatment group was 27.51 mg/g, which was 75.3% higher than that of the 10% light intensity treatment group at 15.69 mg/g. Specifically, Rg1, Re, Rb1, and Rc were 3.40, 7.29, 7.93, and 3.84 mg/g, respectively, more than twice as high as those in the 10% light intensity treatment group. Conclusively, a light intensity of 20% was determined to be optimal for maximizing ginsenoside cultivation for August harvesting.

According to the WHO, the global cancer incidence rate is increasing by more than 5% annually due to the rapid increase in the elderly population and continuous environmental degradation. The increasing rate of cancer incidence underscores the importance of developing health supplements and pharmaceutical ingredients derived from plants. Indeed, several anticancer drugs such as Taxol, vincristine, and vinblastine have been developed from plant-derived ingredients, serving as crucial resources in modern pharmaceutical development. This study evaluated the anticancer activity of extracts from seven different seeds against various cancer cell lines. Seeds from perennial trees such as Alnus japonica, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Cornus kousa, Phellodendron amurense, Pinus densiflora, Prunus sargentii, and Quercus glauca were used in the experiments. Extracts, prepared via ultrasonic extraction with 70% ethanol and concentrated to 100 µg·mL-1, were tested on lung (A549), prostate (LNCaP-LN3), melanoma (B16F10), colon (Caco-2, HCT15), and breast (MDA-MB-231) cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. In the lung cancer (A549) cell line, C. kousa, C. obtusa, and Q. glauca significantly inhibited cancer cell proliferation compared to the negative control (DMSO), with viability rates of 68.2%, 6.8%, and 44.7%, respectively. Prostate cancer (LNCaP-LN3) cells showed anticancer activity with extracts from six species, excluding P. sargentii, in the following order of cell viability: C. obtusa (8.2%) > C. kousa (15.8%) > A. japonica (35.1%) > Q. glauca (73.9%) > P. amurense (78.6%) > P. densiflora (86.3%). Cell viability was assessed for colon cancer cell lines Caco-2 and HCT15, where extracts from C. kousa (71.7% for Caco-2 and 69.9% for HCT15), C. obtusa (8.0% for Caco-2 and 7.1% for HCT15), and Q. glauca (89.9% for Caco-2) demonstrated significant inhibition of cell proliferation. For melanoma (B16F10) and breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cell lines, extracts from C. kousa (63.8% and 66.3%, respectively) and C. obtusa (6.7% and 7.3%, respectively) showed strong anticancer activity, significantly reducing cell viability. This study suggests that the extracts from seven species of seeds can have a potent anticancer effect on specific cancer cell lines and confirms their potential as an important step in the development of anticancer ingredients derived from perennial tree seeds.

Annonacin is a natural compound found in the fruit of a number of members of the Annonaceae family, including soursop and Asimina triloba. This compound has promise in targeting vital metabolic pathways, inhibiting mitochondrial complex I, and exploiting the altered energy dynamics of cancer cells that lead to apoptosis. Non-small cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 80% of all lung cancer cases and remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite advancements in cancer treatment, the five-year survival rate of NSCLC is low, justifying the urgent need for innovative and effective therapeutic approaches. The aberrant energy metabolism, which is a hallmark of cancer, including NSCLC, known as the Warburg effect, makes it a potential target for therapeutic interventions. In addition, 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) is a glucose analog widely studied for its ability to target the glycolytic pathway of energy metabolism of cancer. The potential combination of Annonacin and 2DG acting synergistically to inhibit the growth of A549 NSCLC cells could lead to new treatment options. The objective of this study was to examine glycolytic and mitochondrial complex I inhibitors individually and in combination to target energy metabolism to inhibit A549 NSCLC cell growth as novel antitumor agents. The study was carried out in an in vitro model system using the A549 NSCLC cell line, where the NL20 Bronchial Epithelium cell line was used as a parallel control. Cells were treated with 0 µM, 2 µM, 4 µM, and 6 µM concentrations of Annonacin and 0 mM, 2.5 mM, 5 mM, and 10 mM concentrations of 2DG, both individually and in combination in triplicate experimental design with control. The MTT assay was employed to determine immediate cell viability and assess the applied treatment's cytotoxic effects. The oxidative stress in treated and control cells was determined through superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase assays. Furthermore, the long-term proliferative capacity of the cells post-treatment was examined using a colony-forming assay. The implications of the combined application of 2DG and Annonacin on A549 NSCLC cell viability and potential as a treatment of NSCLC will be discussed. These findings need further investigation to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and explore the in vivo and clinical applicability details for the combined administration of Annonacin and 2DG's use in NSCLC treatment.

Dahurian angelica (Angelica dahurica (Fisch. ex Hoffm.) Benth.

Humic acid that improves plant growth and yield indices such as fresh and dry weights, plant height. Field experiment was conducted at the Al-Mussaib Technical Institute/Iraq during the 2022-2023 season to study the effect of adding NPK complex fertilizer to the soil and spraying with organic fertilizer (Humic acid) on the growth and yield of black mustard plants, according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. In this study, the effect of foliar application of Humic acid and/or fertilizers of NPK on the growth characteristics of black mustard (Brassica nigar) in field conditions were compared. According to the results, the foliar application of Humic acid The results were analyzed according to analysis of variance, and the means were compared using the least significant difference (LSD) test under the probability level of 0.05.A two-factor experiment (3×3) was carried out. The first factor was the addition of a balanced NPK complex fertilizer (20:20:20). At levels of (0, 30, or 60) kg/dunum in two batches, the first two weeks after germination, and the second when flowering begins. The fertilizer was placed about 10 cm under the plant in the furrows and covered with dirt, then watered after fertilization. The second factor was spraying with three concentrations of organic fertilizer (Humic acid) (0, 2, or 4) ml.l-1. It was observed from the results that adding NPK complex fertilizer and organic fertilizer (Humic acid) has a significant effect on the characteristics of vegetative growth, as is evident from the fact that the levels of NPK complex fertilizer and spraying with organic fertilizer (Humic acid) have a significant effect on the productive characteristics of the plant. It is conclude from this experiment that the most effective treatment that can be used to feed the black mustard plant under the conditions of this experiment, and which achieved the best results in improving the vegetative and productive characteristics of the plant, is the 60 kg overlap treatment. 1 dunam-1 NPK with spraying three times with 2 ml.l-1 of organic fertilizer (Humic acid), which improved the characteristics of vegetative growth and gave the highest rate of mustard number. Plant-1 and number of seeds. Mustard-1 and seed weight. Plant-1 and the amount of seed yield per dunum. application of 45 ppm humic acid with 60/kg – per dunum (per 2500 square meters) would be the best option to maintain better growth, yield and quality in black mustard.

Our research demonstrated micropropagated ginger helped solve seed ginger sourcing issue for this “niche” market crop. Traditionally, farmers would save ginger rhizomes from the previous year’s harvest, store over winter, and then use as seeds for the upcoming growing season. This research was to determine if micropropagated ginger generations would affect ginger growth and yield. We studied nine ginger cultivars (BB, BG, BK, CW, HY, MD, PY, KY, and KM) from various tissue culture (TC) generations (TCF1, TCF2, TCF3, and TCF4). TCF1 seedlings were initially planted (March 2023), and then transplanted with TCF2, TCF3 and TCF4 from previous years’ study, into individual grow bags (May 2023) with one seedling per 10-inch grow bag (2:1 metro mix:compost). Plants were placed on a bench inside a greenhouse with a completely randomized design (CRD) with 20 cultivar/TC Generation combinations, 5 replications per cultivar/generation. We collected growth data (stem number, diameter, length, and SPAD), yield data (number of rhizome pieces per seedling, weight of individual rhizome piece/finger, weights of biological root, edible root and total rhizome weight), and PAR of individual plants. Data was then analyzed using SAS OnDemand for Academics with PROC GLM at the 0.05 level of significance. There was a significant effect as the number of TC generations increased, with stem length (TCF1 – 91.8, TCF2 – 91.0, TCF3 – 103.5, and TCF4 – 101.5 cm) and stem diameter (TCF1 – 6.2, TCF2 – 6.4, TCF3 – 8.1, and TCF4 – 8.1 mm) increasing, while number of stems (TCF1 – 19.0, TCF2 – 18.3, TCF3 – 10.4, and TCF4 – 9.9) decreased on average. TC generations had significant effect on rhizome yield. Individual pieces of ginger rhizome decreased in number (TCF1 – 37.9, TCF2 – 31.1, TCF3 – 28.9, and TCF4 – 28.0) but increased in size (weight) (TCF1 – 12.3, TCF2 – 16.8, TCF3 – 25.4, and TCF4 – 23.1 g) as number of TC generations increased. Similarly, biological root weight significantly decreased (TCF1 – 175.9, TCF2 – 195.3, TCF3 – 42.0, and TCF4 – 52.9 g). Edible root weight significantly increased (TCF1 – 443.9, TCF2 – 460.6, TCF3 – 700.6, and TCF4 – 641.0 g). There was a slight upward trend of rhizome yield as TC generations increased (TCF1 – 619.9, TCF2 – 671.3, TCF3 – 761.2, and TCF4 – 709.5 g).