Search results for " tomato."

Production of the Sweet Protein Monellin in Transgetic Plants

1992

Monellin is a protein that elicits a flavor approximately 100,000 times sweeter than sugar on a molar basis. The protein exists naturally as a heterodimer, with its sweet flavor lost upon denaturation. A single–chain monellin gene, encoding both polypeptide chains linked by a hinge sequence, was placed under the control of constitutive and fruit–ripening specific promoters and transferred to lettuce and tomato. Expression of these genes in transgenic tomato and lettuce resulted in the accumulation of monellin protein in fruit and leaf, respectively, to significant levels. Production of monellin in transgenic fruits and vegetables represents an alternative strategy to enhance their flavor an…

Cooperation in Rural Areas as a Local System Development Opportunity

2017

The development of rural areas requires the adoption of technology innovation and market approach strategies without departing from the specific features of local production systems, such as agricultural practices and the wealth of knowledge of operators. It is even better the exploitation of these resources to characterize the competitive positioning of territorial systems. In this framework, the cooperative Rinascita, which works in an internal rural area of Sicily region (Southern Italy), represents an attempt to maintain agricultural activities, traditions and rural culture as well as to promote and contribute to the development of the area by giving value to and promoting, a typical lo…

Neutralizing antibodies against rotavirus produced in transgenically labelled purple tomatoes

2011

Edible fruits are inexpensive biofactories for human health-promoting molecules that can be ingested as crude extracts or partially purified formulations. We show here the production of a model human antibody for passive protection against the enteric pathogen rotavirus in transgenically labelled tomato fruits. Transgenic tomato plants expressing a recombinant human immunoglobulin A (hIgA_2A1) selected against the VP8* peptide of rotavirus SA11 strain were obtained. The amount of hIgA_2A1 protein reached 3.6 ± 0.8% of the total soluble protein in the fruit of the transformed plants. Minimally processed fruit-derived products suitable for oral intake showed anti-VP8* binding activity and str…

Tomato peel drying and carotenoids stability of the extracts

2014

Summary Tomato peels were firstly dried by different methods (hot air, freeze-drying, and fluidized bed drying) to evaluate the recovery of lycopene, β-carotene and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Comparison of the results showed that hot air drying at 50 °C was a suitable method and alternative to freeze-drying to preserve carotenoids compounds and antioxidant activity in tomato peels. Then, ethanol/ethyl acetate (1:1) extracts from tomato peel, previously dried at 50 °C by hot air, were submitted to heat (100 °C) and light treatment (1000 lumen) to evaluate their stability as natural food dyes. Heating of the extracts caused a progressive reduction of total carotenoids, up to about 30% …

Effect of cropping system and irrigation on the bio-agronomic and quality response of industrial tomato (Licopersicon esculentum Mill.)

2010

In vitroplant regeneration and gene transfer in the wild tomatoLycopersicon cheesmanii

2001

SummaryThis paper reports on protocols for in vitro plant regeneration, gene transfer and on shoot salt tolerance from two accessions of L. cheesmanii (Riley). Shoot organogenesis was achieved on media with zeatin or BA/IAA combinations. The two accessions tested, LA1401 and LA530, showed differences in both their aptitude to regenerate and their salt tolerance in vitro. The accession LA530 had a higher organogenic potential than LA1401 (97% vs. 80% of organogenic explants). In contrast, none of the LA530 isolated shoots rooted when cultured in full strength MS-modified medium supplemented with 200.mM NaCl while 93% of shoots from LA1401 formed roots. Finally, Agrobacterium-mediated transfo…

Antimicrobial activity of the extracts of Terfezia claveryi and Tirmania pinoyi against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria causal agent of dise…

2017

Tomato diseases caused by virus, bacteria and fungi have been reported worldwide and caused considerable economic losses. Among all diseases, attention is paid to those caused by bacteria. In this study, the extracts of two “desert truffles” Terfezia claveryi and Tirmania pinoyi were tested against six bacterial species, causal agent of economically important tomato diseases: Pseudomonas corrugata, P. mediterranea, P. syringae pv. tomato Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, Xanthomonas vesicatoria and Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganansis. The extracts from both fungal species, evaluated by agar well diffusion method, showed an antimicrobial activity against all the teste…

Antioxidant activity and sensory attributes of tomatoes dehydrated by combination of microwave and convective heating

2013

Tomato halves were dried in a combined microwave-hot air system. Drying experiments were carried out by applying the microwave energy (0.5 W/g) at the beginning of the dehydration process (for 2 and 3.5 hours); simultaneously combining microwave (0.25 W/g) with convective hot-air drying (70°C); and by applying only convective hot air at 70°C. The combined microwave-hot air heating reduced significantly the drying time (up to 50 %), if compared with the only convective system. Simultaneous convective and microwave heating allowed besting preserving antioxidant activity of dried tomatoes, by minimizing lycopene and phenols losses, while ensuring satisfied texture characteristics and less perc…

Economic Sustainability of Italian Greenhouse Cherry Tomato

2014

Greenhouse tomato cultivation plays an important role in Sicily, being the primary production area in Italy, due to its favorable pedo-climatic conditions that permit extra-seasonal productions. In Sicily, more than half of greenhouse tomato production is derived from the Province of Ragusa on the southeastern coast, where especially cherry tomato typologies are cultivated. Over the last decade, the Ragusa Province has registered a decrease both in terms of greenhouse tomato area and harvested production due to several structural problems that would require restructuring of the tomato supply chain. Thus, since recognition of real costs and profitability of tomato growing is a vital issue, b…