Biology subjects

Boyce, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Boyce, N..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Shaping Kale Morphology and Physiology Using Different LED Light Recipes

Light serves as a fundamental factor in plant development, both as an energy source and as an environmental cue. With the advent of light-emitting diode (LED) technology, light can be precisely manipulated to influence key plant traits. Here, we assess effects of light intensity and spectral composition on the growth and physiology of Kale (Brassica oleracea). Kale is known for its phenotypic plasticity and nutritional composition, making it a crop well-suited for indoor cultivation either as microgreens or as large leafy plants. Here, we employ a combination of advanced phenotyping, computer vision, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based quantitative proteomics to characterize the molecular changes that underpin light-dictated differences in the growth and metabolism of two different commercially grown kale cultivars under different light intensities and spectral compositions. We identify time-of-day and cultivar-specific light intensity and spectral composition-induced changes related to growth, shade avoidance, photosynthesis and several aspects of nutritional composition, including amino acids, glucosinolates and carotenoids. Our results offer a key resource to the plant community and demonstrate the translational potential of light manipulation in tailoring kale growth and nutritional content for enhanced crop productivity and/or health benefits, while simultaneously offering a more cost-effective solution for contemporary agricultural challenges. Significance StatementThe effects of light intensity and spectral composition differentially affect the diel molecular responses of Kale (Brassica oleracea). Our results demonstrate the translational potential of light manipulation in tailoring plant growth and nutritional content for enhanced crop productivity.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Integrated Systems-Level Proteomics and Metabolomics Reveals the Diel Molecular Landscape of Diverse Kale Cultivars

Kale are a group of diverse Brassicaceae species that are nutritious leafy greens consumed for their abundance of vitamins and micronutrients. Typified by their curly, serrated and/or wavy leaves, kale varieties have been primarily defined based on their leaf morphology and geographic origin, despite having complex genetic backgrounds. Kale is a very promising crop for vertical farming due to its high nutritional content; however, being a non-model organism, foundational, systems-level analyses of kale are lacking. Previous studies in kale have shown that time-of-day harvesting can affect its nutritional composition. Therefore, to gain a systems-level diel understanding of kale across its wide-ranging and diverse genetic landscape, we selected nine publicly available and commercially grown kale cultivars for growth under near-sunlight LED light conditions ideal for vertical farming. We then analyzed changes in morphology, growth and nutrition using a combination of phenomics, proteomics and metabolomics. As the diel molecular activities of plants drive their daily growth and development, ultimately determining their productivity as a crop, we harvested kale leaf tissue at both end-of-day (ED) and end-of-night (EN) time-points for all molecular analyses. Our results reveal that diel proteome and metabolome signatures divide the selected kale cultivars into two distinct groups, defined by their amino acid and sugar content, along with significant proteome differences involving carbon and nitrogen metabolism, mRNA splicing, protein translation and light harvesting. Together, our multi-cultivar, multi-omic analysis provides robust quantitative insights into the molecular underpinnings of the diel growth and development landscape of kale, significantly advancing our fundamental understanding of this nutritious leafy green super-food for next-generation horticulture / vertical farming applications.

plant biology↗