SEMINAR

Kang-Mo Ku, Postdoctoral Associate

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

(Postdoctoral Candidate for Dr. Hye-Ji Kim)

Vegetable Crops Quality and Safety

Improvements (From some case studies)
Friday, January 16, 2015, 1:30 pm in HORT 222
Food crop quality and safety is getting important as well as crops production because of
consumers needs. Brassica oleracea vegetables are recognized as functional foods that contain
various phytochemicals such as glucosinolates (GS) and flavonoids that have health-promoting
bioactivity. Recent data suggest that methyl jasmonic acid (MeJA) can increase concentrations of
GS and polyphenolics in Brassica plants. In order to evaluate if MeJA treatment can enhance
induction of quinone reductase activity, an anticancer biomarker of broccoli floret extracts,
MeJA treatments were applied to five broccoli cultivars and two kale cultivars in each of two
years under field conditions. The enhancement effect on bioactive compounds and anticancer
activity will be discussed. MeJA treatment can also increase ethylene production, which may be
harmful for the maintenance of postharvest quality of broccoli. To increase health-promoting
properties of broccoli while maintaining post-harvest storage quality, 1-methylcyclopropene (1MCP, a competitive inhibitor of plant ethylene receptor proteins) was applied to control and
MeJA treated broccoli. The combination of 1-MCP with MeJA treatment maximized
phytochemical content and QR activity while maintaining acceptable visual quality. In order to
understand the mechanisms of response in broccoli to MeJA and 1-MCP treatments gene
expression of GS biosynthetic, hydrolytic, and chlorophyll catabolic genes were measured by
quantitative RT-PCR.
Foodborne diseases are a persistent problem in the United States. Fresh produce,
especially those used as raw foods like salad vegetables, can be contaminated causing food
poisoning. In order to find out the mechanism of human pathogen virus attachment, we
conducted viral attachment assays with Ohio State University strain (OSU) porcine rotaviruses
on 24 genotypes of leafy vegetables and tomato fruits. We also characterized the physiochemical
properties of each produces outermost surface layer, known as the epicuticle. We found
significant negative correlations between viral attachment and the concentrations of alkane, fatty
acid, ketone and total waxes on the epicuticular surface. Three-dimensional crystalline wax
structures on the epicuticular surface were found to significantly contribute to inhibition of viral
adhesion to the produce surfaces. Possible human pathogen inhibition mechanism by epicuticular
layer will be discussed.

Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture