Type-2 diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent metabolic diseases in the world, and is characterized by hyperglycemia (i.e., high levels of glucose in the blood). Alpha-glucosidases are enzymes in the digestive tract that hydrolyze carbohydrates into glucose. One strategy that has been developed to treat type-2 diabetes is inhibition of the activity of alpha-glucosidases using synthetic drugs. However, these inhibitors are usually associated with gastrointestinal side effects. Therefore, the development of inhibitors from natural products offers an alternative option for the control of hyperglycemia. In recent years, various studies have been conducted to identify alpha-glucosidases inhibitors from natural sources such as plants, and many candidates have transpired to be secondary metabolites including alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, and terpenoids. In this review, we focus on the alpha-glucosidases inhibitors found in common vegetable crops and the major classes of phytochemicals responsible for the inhibitory activity, and also as potential/natural drug candidates for the treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, possible breeding strategies for production of improved vegetable crops with higher content of the inhibitors are also described.

A complex consisting of an atypical HLH protein, OsBUL1, a protein containing KxDL-motif, LO9-177, and basic HLH protein, OsBC1, positively affects leaf bending

Background: Floral transition initiates reproductive development of plants and occurs in response to environmental and endogenous signals. InArabidopsis thaliana, this process is accelerated by several environmental cues, including exposure to long days. The photoperiod-dependent promotion of flowering involves the transcriptional induction ofFLOWERING LOCUS T(FT) in the phloem of the leaf.FTencodes a mobile protein that is transported from the leaves to the shoot apical meristem, where it forms part of a regulatory complex that induces flowering. Whether FT also has biological functions in leaves of wild-type plants remains unclear.Results: In order to address this issue, we first studied the leaf transcriptomic changes associated with FT overexpression in the companion cells of the phloem. We found that FT induces the transcription ofSWEET10, which encodes a bidirectional sucrose transporter, specifically in the leaf veins. Moreover,SWEET10is transcriptionally activated by long photoperiods, and this activation depends on FT and one of its earliest target genesSUPPRESSOR OF CONSTANS OVEREXPRESSION 1(SOC1). The ectopic expression ofSWEET10causes early flowering and leads to higher levels of transcription of flowering-time related genes in the shoot apex.Conclusions: Collectively, our results suggest that the FT-signaling pathway activates the transcription of a sucrose uptake/efflux carrier during floral transition, indicating that it alters the metabolism of flowering plants as well as reprogramming the transcription of floral regulators in the shoot meristem.

Orchids are one of the most significant plants that have ecologically adapted to every habitat on earth. Orchids show a high level of variation in their floral morphologies, which makes them popular as ornamental plants in the global market. Floral scent and color are key traits for many floricultural crops. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play vital roles in pollinator attraction, defense, and interaction with the environment. Recent progress in omics technology has led to the isolation of genes encoding candidate enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis and regulatory circuits of plant VOCs. Uncovering the biosynthetic pathways and regulatory mechanisms underlying the production of floral scents is necessary not only for a better understanding of the function of relevant genes but also for the generation of new cultivars with desirable traits through molecular breeding approaches. However, little is known about the pathways responsible for floral scents in orchids because of their long life cycle as well as the complex and large genome; only partial terpenoid pathways have been reported in orchids. Here, we review the biosynthesis and regulation of floral volatile compounds in orchids. In particular, we focused on the genes responsible for volatile compounds in various tissues and developmental stages in Cymbidium orchids. We also described the emission of orchid floral volatiles and their function in pollination ecology. Taken together, this review will provide a broad scope for the study of orchid floral scents.

Orchids comprise one of the largest, most highly evolved angiosperm families, and form an extremely peculiar group of plants. Various orchids are available through traditional breeding and micro-propagation since they are valuable as potted plants and/or cut flowers in horticultural markets. The flowering of orchids is generally influenced by environmental signals such as temperature and endogenous developmental programs controlled by genetic factors as is usual in many flowering plant species. The process of floral transition is connected to the flower developmental programs that include floral meristem maintenance and floral organ specification. Thanks to advances in molecular and genetic technologies, the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying orchid floral transition and flower developmental processes have been widened, especially in several commercially important orchids such as Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium and Oncidium. In this review, we consolidate recent progress in research on the floral transition and flower development of orchids emphasizing representative genes and genetic networks, and also introduce a few successful cases of manipulation of orchid flowering/flower development through the application of molecular breeding or biotechnology tools.

Modern agriculture has become heavily dependent on chemical fertilizers, which have caused environmental pollution and the loss of soil fertility and sustainability. Microalgae and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have been identified as alternatives to chemical fertilizers for improving soil fertility. This is because of their biofertilizing properties, through the production of bioactive compounds (e.g., phytohormones, amino acids, and carotenoids) and their ability to inhibit plant pathogens. Although treatment based on a single species of microalgae or bacteria is commonly used in agriculture, there is growing experimental evidence suggesting that a symbiotic relationship between microalgae and bacteria synergistically affects each other’s physiological and metabolomic processes. Moreover, the co-culture/combination treatment of microalgae and bacteria is considered a promising approach in biotechnology for wastewater treatment and efficient biomass production, based on the advantage of the resulting synergistic effects. However, much remains unexplored regarding the microalgal–bacterial interactions for agricultural applications. In this review, we summarize the effects of microalgae and PGPB as biofertilizing agents on vegetable cultivation. Furthermore, we present the potential of the microalgae–PGPB co-culture/combination system for the environmentally compatible production of vegetables with improved quality.