Biofortification and Valorization of Celery byproducts Using Selenium and PGPB under Reduced Nitrogen Regimes.

Due to climate change and exacerbated population growth, the search for new sustainable strategies that allow for greater food productivity and that provide greater nutritional quality has become imperative. One strategy for addressing this problem is the combined use of fertilization with a reduced dose of nitrogen and biostimulants. Celery processing produces a large amount of waste with its concomitant pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to address the valorization of its byproducts. Our results revealed reductions in the biomass, Na, P, Mn, B, sugars, and proteins in the byproducts and increased lipid peroxidation, Fe (all celery parts), and K (byproducts) when the N supplied was reduced. Plants inoculated with Azotobacter salinestris obtained a greater biomass, a higher accumulation of K (byproducts), a build-up of sugars and proteins, reduced concentrations of P, Cu, Mn, B, Fe (petioles), and Zn (byproducts), and reduced lipid peroxidation. The application of Se at 8 µM reinforced the beneficial effect obtained after inoculation with Azotobacter salinestris. In accordance with our results, edible celery parts are recommended as an essential ingredient in the daily diet. Furthermore, the valorization of celery byproducts with health-promoting purposes should be considered.

Interactive Effects of CO2 Concentration and Water Regime on Stable Isotope Signatures, Nitrogen Assimilation and Growth in Sweet Pepper.

Sweet pepper is among the most widely cultivated horticultural crops in the Mediterranean basin, being frequently grown hydroponically under cover in combination with CO2 fertilization and water conditions ranging from optimal to suboptimal. The aim of this study is to develop a simple model, based on the analysis of plant stable isotopes in their natural abundance, gas exchange traits and N concentration, to assess sweet pepper growth. Plants were grown in a growth chamber for near 6 weeks. Two [CO2] (400 and 800 µmol mol-1), three water regimes (control and mild and moderate water stress) and four genotypes were assayed. For each combination of genotype, [CO2] and water regime five plants were evaluated. Water stress applied caused significant decreases in water potential, net assimilation, stomatal conductance, intercellular to atmospheric [CO2], and significant increases in water use efficiency, leaf chlorophyll content and carbon isotope composition, while the relative water content, the osmotic potential and the content of anthocyanins did change not under stress compared to control conditions support this statement. Nevertheless, water regime affects plant growth via nitrogen assimilation, which is associated with the transpiration stream, particularly at high [CO2], while the lower N concentration caused by rising [CO2] is not associated with stomatal closure. The stable isotope composition of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen (δ13C, δ18O, and δ15N) in plant matter are affected not only by water regime but also by rising [CO2]. Thus, δ18O increased probably as response to decreases in transpiration, while the increase in δ15N may reflect not only a lower stomatal conductance but a higher nitrogen demand in leaves or shifts in nitrogen metabolism associated with decreases in photorespiration. The way that δ13C explains differences in plant growth across water regimes within a given [CO2], seems to be mediated through its direct relationship with N accumulation in leaves. The changes in the profile and amount of amino acids caused by water stress and high [CO2] support this conclusion. However, the results do not support the use of δ18O as an indicator of the effect of water regime on plant growth.

Photosynthetic acclimation to elevated CO2 concentration in a sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) crop under Mediterranean greenhouse conditions: influence of the nitrogen source and salinity.

In many plant species, long-term exposure to elevated CO2 concentration results in a reduction in photosynthetic capacity, known as acclimation. This process is mainly explained by a feedback inhibition mechanism. The supply of a fraction of the nitrogen (N) in the nutrient solution as NH4+ can play an important role in the maintenance of photosynthetic activity and could mitigate the acclimation process. The aims of the present work were to study the photosynthetic response of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) to CO2 enrichment in Mediterranean greenhouse conditions, throughout the crop growth cycle and to evaluate the supply of NH4+ in the nutrient solution as a strategy to enhance the long-term response to CO2 at different levels of salinity. The experiment was conducted in two identical greenhouses: one with CO2 enrichment according to the ventilation, maintaining a high concentration when the vents were closed and a near-atmospheric level when the vents were open and one without. Sweet pepper plants were grown in both greenhouses, being irrigated with two levels of water salinity and two N sources: (i) NO3- and (ii) NO3- plus NH4+. A reduction in the response of photosynthesis to high CO2 concentration was found in the enriched plants after 135 days of CO2 supply, with respect to the reference plants. The leaf photosynthesis rate measured at high CO2 concentration showed a closer relationship with the leaf N concentration than the non-structural carbohydrate concentration. The relative yield gain of the CO2-enriched plants progressively decreased after reaching a maximum value; this was probably associated with the photosynthetic acclimation process. This decrease was delayed by the use of NH4+ in the nutrient solution at low salinity. Knowledge of the crop phase when acclimation to high CO2 concentration occurs can be the basis for deciding when to impose an early cessation of CO2 application, as a strategy to improve the economic efficiency of CO2 supply in Mediterranean conditions.