LED Lights Enhance Metabolites and Antioxidants in Chinese Cabbage and Kale

Light emitting diode (LED) lights play an important role in the plant physiology and alter the metabolites in a significant manner. Glucosinolates (GSLs), polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidant properties of Chinese cabbage and kale cultivated in varying LED lights were investigated. Analysis revealed 7 aliphatic, 3 indolyl and 1 aromatic GSLs in Chinese cabbage and kale. The total GSL content ranged from 1.5-19.08 and 1.85-24.87 µmol/g DW, and glucobrassicanapin was the predominant GSL (3) in Chinese cabbage, whereas; sinigrin (3.49 µmol/g DW) was in kale. Blue and red LED lights produced significantly higher amount of GSLs in Chinese cabbage and kale respectively. Results revealed higher amount of total polyphenol (3.845 µg/mL) and total flavanoids (3.939 μg/mL) in Chinese cabbage. Chinese cabbage and kale showed significant antioxidant activities when compare with positive control, and the antioxidant assays were slightly correlated with total GSLs, polyphenols and flavanoids contents. The influence of LED lights on glucobrassicin in Chinese cabbage and kale should be studied extensively, because GSL is the precursor of indole-3-carbinol, a potent anticancer isothiocyanate.

Morphometric changes in the cultured starry flounder, Platichthys stellatus, in open marine ranching areas.

Hatchery seeds released into open coasts for wildstock enhancement are often a biological pollutant and affect the recipient ecosystem integrity. We studied morphological changes in two hatchery populations of the starry flounder Platichthys stellatus; one released into the open coast from the hatchery (released population) and the other kept in the hatchery (captive population). The released population differed significantly from the captive population 3-36 months after release from the hatchery. Two-way ANOVA comparison revealed that 11 of 15 starry flounders differed significantly in morphological measurements, 10 of 15 differed in pigmentation, and 5 of 15 differed in morphometric ratios between the two populations. Pigmentation on the blind side (a representative sign of captive flounders) also differed between the two populations with an occurrence rate of 22.7% for the former and 39.5% for the latter groups. The released population was more similar to wild populations than to captive populations in terms of morphology; namely, longer and broader heads, a narrower body shape, longer fins, and a shorter and narrower peduncle.