ARI Biennial Review for 2018-2019

Adaptability and performance of two wild asparagus species ( A. stipularis and A. acutifolius ) under intensive cultivation: Comparisons between in situ and ex situ populations The adaptability and performance of two wild asparagus species ( A. stipularis and A. acutifolius ) under intensive cultivation is examined. Both species are seasonally collected in situ and marketed in the Cyprus market as wild products. There has been no attempt to characterise the populations of wild species of the genus Asparagus, nor any extensive collection, ex situ conservation and study of seed germination physiology. Furthermore, there is no information on crop physiology, crop management, postharvest physiology, composition and physicochemical quality characteristics of these species. In order to generate this information, the Vegetable Section of the ARI has collected genetic material (seeds) of the two wild species from compact indigenous populations originated at five typical edaphoclimatic-botanical territories of Cyprus. Sample populations consisted of genetic material from 40 individual plants per territory. Subsequently seeds were treated under standard procedures as stated in ENSCONET (2009) protocol. Following seed collection, a germination protocol was established (percentage of success >90%) and seedlings were developed for the experimental setup at the Zygi Station. Presently, experimental plots have been established for Α. Officinalis (five hybrids), A. stipularis (five populations) and A. acutifolius (two populations). (M.C. Kyriacou, A. Kyratzis, G.A. Soteriou) . POSTHARVEST TECHNOLOGY Genotype-specific modulatory effects of select spectral bandwidths on the nutritive and phytochemical composition of microgreens Advanced analytical data on microgreens' response to different light spectra constitutes a valuable resource for designing future crop-specific spectral management systems. The current study defined variation in productivity, nutritive and functional quality (mineral–carotenoid–polyphenolic profiles and antioxidant capacity) of novel microgreens (amaranth, cress, mizuna, purslane) in response to select spectral bandwidths (red, blue, blue-red) and appraised clustering patterns configured by the genotype-light-spectrum nexus. Growth parameters dependent on primary metabolism were most favoured by blue-red light's efficiency in activating the photosynthetic apparatus. Nitrate accumulation was higher under monochromatic light owing to the dependency of nitrite reductase on the light-driven activity of PSI, most efficiently promoted by blue- red light. Although mineral composition was mostly genotype-dependent, monochromatic red and blue lights tended to increase K and Na and decrease Ca and Mg concentrations. Lutein, β-carotene and lipophilic antioxidant capacity were generally increased by blue-red light putatively due to the coupling of heightened photosynthetic activity to increased demand for protection against oxidative stress; the disparate response however of purslane highlights the importance of genotype specificity in these responses and calls for additional investigation. Analysis of polyphenols by Orbitrap LC-MS/MS revealed substantial genotypic differences. Most 28 VEGETABLE CROPS