World Vegetable Center

About: World Vegetable Center is a nonprofit organization based out in Tainan City, Taiwan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Agriculture. The organization has 294 authors who have published 364 publications receiving 8785 citations. The organization is also known as: AVRDC, Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center.

Distribution of 127 edible plant species for antioxidant activities by two assays

Abstract: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated the protective effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on human health. A total of 150 edible plants representing 127 species were evaluated for Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and superoxide scavenging (SOS) activity. Distributions of vegetables for TEAC and SOS were not continuous but highly skewed. TEAC values on a dry weight basis ranged from 0 to 2105 µmol TE g−1 and SOS values ranged from 0 to 6206 µmol ascorbate equivalent (AE) g−1. The majority of vegetables clustered within 200 µmol TE g−1 and 400 µmol AE g−1. Vegetable species were grouped into six classes after natural logarithm transformation of TEAC and SOS values. Most highly consumed vegetables fell in the very low to medium classes. Species in the very high class for both TEAC and SOS included leaves of Cedrela sinensis (Chinese cedar), Oroxylum indicum (Damocles tree), Cassia siamea (cassod tree) and Cassia tora (sickle senna). Edible plants high in antioxidant activity (AOA) were mostly perennial and underutilised crops, while commonly consumed vegetables were generally low in AOA. There is great potential to increase dietary antioxidants and improve human health through consumption of diverse vegetable species, especially those high in AOA. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry

Impact and cost-effectiveness of women's training in home gardening and nutrition in Bangladesh

Abstract: This study quantifies the impact and cost-effectiveness of training poor rural women in Bangladesh in home gardening and nutrition. We use baseline and follow-up data for 646 intervention and control households and apply a difference-in-difference estimator. We find that the intervention significantly (p < 0.01) increased vegetable production (+16.5 g/person/day), vegetable consumption and the micronutrient supply from the garden. Using the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) approach, we show that the intervention can be considered cost-effective in abating iron, vitamin A and zinc deficiencies. Home garden interventions can therefore make an effective contribution to addressing micronutrient undernutrition.

Flooding tolerance of tomato genotypes during vegetative and reproductive stages

Abstract: A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of flooding on two tomato cultivars and two wild related species. Forty days old tomato plants were subjected to a continuous flooding stress of different durations: 0, 2, 4 and 8 days. Plant pots were placed inside larger plastic pots; they were irrigated with excessive quantity of tap water at 25oC so that the level of water above the surface of soil was 15 cm throughout the flooding period. At the bottom of each plastic pot a drilled hole allowed complete drainage of the pot after flooding. Parameters studied include plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll content, wilting, leaf senescence, adventitious root formation, number of flowers and fruits from cluster 2 to 6, average weight per fruit, fruit length and width, total fruit weight from cluster 2 to 6, total yield per plant. LA1579 genotype was more subjected to the deleterious effect of flooding on almost all the parameters studied. Therefore LA1579 genotype is flooding sensitive. Genotypes CLN2498E, and CA4 showed high tolerance to flooding while LA1421 genotype was tolerant to some extent. This experiment provides information that could help in the identification of physiological and agronomical parameters associated with flood-tolerance in vegetables.

Heterologous expression of taro cystatin protects transgenic tomato against Meloidogyne incognita infection by means of interfering sex determination and suppressing gall formation

Abstract: Plant-parasitic nematodes are a major pest of many plant species and cause global economic loss. A phytocystatin gene, Colocasia esculenta cysteine proteinase inhibitor (CeCPI), isolated from a local taro Kaosiang No. 1, and driven by a CaMV35S promoter was delivered into CLN2468D, a heat-tolerant cultivar of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). When infected with Meloidogyne incognita, one of root-knot nematode (RKN) species, transgenic T1 lines overexpressing CeCPI suppressed gall formation as evidenced by a pronounced reduction in gall numbers. In comparison with wild-type plants, a much lower proportion of female nematodes without growth retardation was observed in transgenic plants. A decrease of RKN egg mass in transgenic plants indicated seriously impaired fecundity. Overexpression of CeCPI in transgenic tomato has inhibitory functions not only in the early RKN infection stage but also in the production of offspring, which may result from intervention in sex determination.

Alternate hosts of African cassava mosaic virus and East African cassava mosaic Cameroon virus in Nigeria

Abstract: Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) caused by African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) and East African cassava mosaic Cameroon virus (EACMCV) is the major constraint to cassava production in Nigeria. Sequences of the DNA-A component of ACMV and EACMCV isolates from leguminous plant species (Senna occidentalis, Leucana leucocephala and Glycine max), castor oil plant (Ricinus communis), a weed host (Combretum confertum) and a wild species of cassava (Manihot glaziovii) were determined. All ACMV isolates from these hosts showed 96–98% nucleotide sequence identity with cassava isolates from West Africa. EACMCV was found only in four hosts (S. occidentalis, L. leucocephala, C. confertum, M. glaziovii), and sequences of these isolates showed 96–99% identity with cassava isolates from West Africa. These results provide definitive evidence for the natural occurrence of ACMV and EACMCV in plant species besides cassava.