BACKGROUND: Since the outbreak of COVID-19, microplastics (MPs) and triclosan in pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are markedly rising. MPs and triclosan are co-present in the environment, but their interactions and subsequent implications on the fate of triclosan in plants are not well understood.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate effects of charged polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on the fate of triclosan in cabbage plants under a hydroponic system.
METHODS: 14C-labeling method and liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) analysis were applied to clarify the bioaccumulation, distribution, and metabolism of triclosan in hydroponics-cabbage system. The distribution of differentially charged PS-MPs in cabbage was investigated by confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.
RESULTS: The results showed that MPs had a significant impact on bioaccumulation and metabolism of triclosan in hydroponics-cabbage system. PS-COO-, PS, and PS-NH3+ MPs decreased the bioaccumulation of triclosan in cabbage by 69.1 %, 81.5 %, and 87.7 %, respectively, in comparison with the non-MP treatment (control). PS-MPs also reduced the translocation of triclosan from the roots to the shoots in cabbage, with a reduction rate of 15.6 %, 28.3 %, and 65.8 % for PS-COO-, PS, and PS-NH3+, respectively. In addition, PS-NH3+ profoundly inhibited the triclosan metabolism pathways such as sulfonation, nitration, and nitrosation in the hydroponics-cabbage system. The above findings might be linked to strong adsorption between PS-NH3+ and triclosan, and PS-NH3+ may also potentially inhibit the growth of cabbage. Specially, the amount of triclosan adsorbed on PS-NH3+ was significantly greater than that on PS and PS-COO-. The cabbage biomass was reduced by 76.9 % in PS-NH3+ groups, in comparison with the control.
CONCLUSIONS: The uptake and transformation of triclosan in hydroponics-cabbage system were significantly inhibited by charged PS-MPs, especially PS-NH3+. This provides new insights into the fate of triclosan and other PPCPs coexisted with microplastics for potential risk assessments.

BACKGROUND: Pesticide efficacy directly affects crop yield and quality, making targeted spraying a more environmentally friendly and effective method of pesticide application. Common targeted cabbage spraying methods often involve object detection networks. However, complex natural and lighting conditions pose challenges in the accurate detection and positioning of cabbage.
RESULTS: In this study, a cabbage detection algorithm based on the YOLOv8n neural network (YOLOv8-cabbage) combined with a positioning system constructed using a Realsense depth camera is proposed. Initially, four of the currently available high-performance object detection models were compared, and YOLOv8n was selected as the transfer learning model for field cabbage detection. Data augmentation and expansion methods were applied to extensively train the model, a large kernel convolution method was proposed to improve the bottleneck section, the Swin transformer module was combined with the convolutional neural network (CNN) to expand the perceptual field of feature extraction and improve edge detection effectiveness, and a nonlocal attention mechanism was added to enhance feature extraction. Ablation experiments were conducted on the same dataset under the same experimental conditions, and the improved model increased the mean average precision (mAP) from 88.8% to 93.9%. Subsequently, depth maps and colour maps were aligned pixelwise to obtain the three-dimensional coordinates of the cabbages via coordinate system conversion. The positioning error of the three-dimensional coordinate cabbage identification and positioning system was (11.2 mm, 10.225 mm, 25.3 mm), which meets the usage requirements.
CONCLUSIONS: We have achieved accurate cabbage positioning. The object detection system proposed here can detect cabbage in real time in complex field environments, providing technical support for targeted spraying applications and positioning.

In order to explore the effect of Rosa roxburghii pomace biochar on the yield and quality of Chinese cabbage and soil properties and realize the resource utilization of R. roxburghii pomace, a pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of R. roxburghii pomace biochar on the yield and quality of Chinese cabbage and soil properties by setting five biochar application rates of 0 % (CK), 1 % (T1), 3 % (T2), 5 % (T3), and 7 % (T4). The results showed that:① The application of R. roxburghii pomace biochar could significantly improve the yield and quality of Chinese cabbage, and the effect was the best at a 5 % biochar application rate. The yield, soluble solids, soluble sugar, vitamin C, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total potassium content of Chinese cabbage increased by 71.51 %, 40.14 %, 33.65 %, 38.08 %, 9.03 %, 28.85 %, and 35.38 %, respectively, compared with those in CK. ② The application of biochar from R. roxburghii pomace could significantly improve soil properties and increase soil nutrient content and availability. The effect was better at a 5 % biochar application rate. The soil pH, organic matter, total nitrogen, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium content increased by 41.06 %, 134.84 %, 157.48 %, 140.79 %, 341.75 %, and 627.13 %, respectively, compared with those in CK. The contents of available Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn and exchangeable Ca and Mg increased by 37.68 %, 61.69 %, 400.00 %, 4 648.84 %, 617.17 %, and 351.42 %, respectively, compared with those in CK. ③ The application of biochar from R. roxburghii pomace could significantly enhance soil enzyme activity. Compared with those in the CK treatment, soil urease, acid phosphatase, catalase, and sucrase increased by 51.43 %-362.86 %, 90.63 %-134.14 %, 21.40 %-85.12 %, and 82.92 %-218.43 %, respectively. ④ Redundancy analysis showed that soil AK; exchangeable Ca, SOM, and AP; and available Zn were the main factors affecting the yield and quality of Chinese cabbage, and there was a significant positive correlation between them. In summary, the application of R. roxburghii pomace biochar can significantly increase the yield and quality of Chinese cabbage and improve soil properties. The preparation of R. roxburghii pomace into biochar can provide a theoretical reference for the rational utilization of R. roxburghii pomace resources.

BACKGROUND:  Dental caries has become a substantial global health burden, and many techniques have been used in dentistry to protect the tooth from decay. Brassica oleracea is a green cruciferous vegetable with a good source of vitamins C, K and E, which are also effective antibiotics and antioxidants. These characteristics will shield the oral cavity from pathogenic onslaught and can be considered during the formulation of antimicrobial mouthwash, toothpaste, or dental sealants.
METHODS:  B. oleracea extract was prepared by heating and condensing the red and green cabbage. Both extracts were assessed for antimicrobial activity (antibacterial and antifungal activities) and cytotoxicity. After incubation, the zone of inhibition was calculated for antibacterial activity and the number of live nauplii for cytotoxicity.  Results: The extract from red cabbage was found to have more effective antibacterial properties than that from green cabbage. The red B. oleracea extract formed the highest zone of inhibition against Candida albicans (20 mm), followed by Enterococcus faecalis (15 mm) and Streptococcus mutans (9 mm). In contrast, the green cabbage extract formed the highest inhibition against E. faecalis (12 mm). The cytotoxicity increases with increased concentration, with the highest toxicity at 20 µL for both extracts.  Conclusion: The properties of B. oleracea can be utilized in dental products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, and dental sealants due to their antibacterial effects. By incorporating B. oleracea extracts into these products, oral health professionals may soon have additional tools to promote oral hygiene and prevent oral infections, offering a natural and effective alternative to traditional oral care ingredients.

A simple, low-cost, and highly sensitive method using a modified QuECHERS procedure based on a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) was established to simultaneously quantify lufenuron and chlorfenapyr and the corresponding metabolite tralopyril in cabbage for the first time. On the basis of this method, terminal residue and dietary risk of lufenuron and chlorfenapyr in cabbage were investigated. The recoveries of lufenuron, chlorfenapyr, and tralopyril ranged from 88 to 110%, with relative standard deviation of less than 12.4%. The field trial results showed that at the pre-harvest interval (PHI) of 21 days, the terminal residues of lufenuron, chlorfenapyr, and tralopyril in the supervised trials were not higher than 0.02 mg/kg, and the highest detected residue levels of lufenuron, chlorfenapyr, and tralopyril were 0.047, 0.055, and <0.02 mg·kg-1 at 14-day pre-harvest respectively, which were lower than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for cabbage established in China. For the dietary risk assessment, the national estimated daily intakes (NEDIs) as proportion of acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) were 80.4% and 29.9% for chlorfenapyr and lufenuron respectively indicating an acceptable dietary risk to Chinese population.

Aliphatic glucosinolates are an abundant group of plant secondary metabolites in Brassica vegetables, with some of their degradation products demonstrating significant anti-cancer effects. The transcription factors MYB28 and MYB29 play key roles in the transcriptional regulation of aliphatic glucosinolates biosynthesis, but little is known about whether BoMYB28 and BoMYB29 are also modulated by upstream regulators or how, nor their gene regulatory networks. In this study, we first explored the hierarchical transcriptional regulatory networks of MYB28 and MYB29 in a model plant, then systemically screened the regulators of the three BoMYB28 homologs in cabbage using a yeast one-hybrid. Furthermore, we selected a novel RNA binding protein, BoRHON1, to functionally validate its roles in modulating aliphatic glucosinolates biosynthesis. Importantly, BoRHON1 induced the accumulation of all detectable aliphatic and indolic glucosinolates, and the net photosynthetic rates of BoRHON1 overexpression lines were significantly increased. Interestingly, the growth and biomass of these overexpression lines of BoRHON1 remained the same as those of the control plants. BoRHON1 was shown to be a novel, potent, positive regulator of glucosinolates biosynthesis, as well as a novel regulator of normal plant growth and development, while significantly increasing plants\' defense costs.

Black spot, caused by Alternaria brassicicola (Ab), poses a serious threat to crucifer production, and knowledge of how plants respond to Ab infection is essential for black spot management. In the current study, combined transcriptomic and metabolic analysis was employed to investigate the response to Ab infection in two cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) genotypes, Bo257 (resistant to Ab) and Bo190 (susceptible to Ab). A total of 1100 and 7490 differentially expressed genes were identified in Bo257 (R_mock vs. R_Ab) and Bo190 (S_mock vs. S_Ab), respectively. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that \"metabolic pathways\", \"biosynthesis of secondary metabolites\", and \"glucosinolate biosynthesis\" were the top three enriched KEGG pathways in Bo257, while \"metabolic pathways\", \"biosynthesis of secondary metabolites\", and \"carbon metabolism\" were the top three enriched KEGG pathways in Bo190. Further analysis showed that genes involved in extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, jasmonic acid signaling pathway, and indolic glucosinolate biosynthesis pathway were differentially expressed in response to Ab infection. Notably, when infected with Ab, genes involved in extracellular ROS production were largely unchanged in Bo257, whereas most of these genes were upregulated in Bo190. Metabolic profiling revealed 24 and 56 differentially accumulated metabolites in Bo257 and Bo190, respectively, with the majority being primary metabolites. Further analysis revealed that dramatic accumulation of succinate was observed in Bo257 and Bo190, which may provide energy for resistance responses against Ab infection via the tricarboxylic acid cycle pathway. Collectively, this study provides comprehensive insights into the Ab-cabbage interactions and helps uncover targets for breeding Ab-resistant varieties in cabbage.

Vegetable cultivation under sewage irrigation is a common practice mostly in developing countries due to a lack of freshwater. Long-term usage provokes heavy metals accumulation in soil and ultimately hinders the growth and physiology of crop plants and deteriorates the quality of food. A study was performed to investigate the role of brassinosteroid (BRs) and silicon (Si) on lettuce, spinach, and cabbage under lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) contaminated sewage water. The experiment comprises three treatments (control, BRs, and Si) applied under a completely randomized design (CRD) in a growth chamber. BRs and Si application resulted in the highest increase of growth, physiology, and antioxidant enzyme activities when applied under canal water followed by distilled water and sewage water. However, BRs and Si increased the above-determined attributes under the sewage water by reducing the Pb and Cd uptake as compared to the control. It\'s concluded that sewerage water adversely affected the growth and development of vegetables by increasing Pb and Cd, and foliar spray of Si and BRs could have great potential to mitigate the adverse effects of heavy metals and improve the growth. The long-term alleviating effect of BRs and Si will be evaluated in the field conditions at different ecological zones.

The efficacy of an in-package microbial inactivation method, combining H2O2 and atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma (ADCP) treatments (H2O2-ADCP), in reducing contamination of Brassica oleracea (cabbage) slices was investigated. Cabbage slices were placed in a polyethylene terephthalate container with a H2O2-soaked polypropylene pad attached to the inside of the lid, followed by subjecting the closed container to ADCP treatment. The H2O2-ADCP treatment inactivated Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes, resulting in reductions of 1.8 and 2.0 log CFU/g, respectively, which were greater than the sum of the inactivation effects observed with each individual treatment. The combined treatment decreased the count of Bacillus cereus spores and indigenous bacteria by 1.0 log spores/g and 1.3 log CFU/g, respectively. Moreover, the in-package method did not alter the moisture content or texture of cabbage slices. These results demonstrate the potential of H2O2-ADCP as a microbial decontamination method for packaged cabbage slices.

The potential hazards of chlorfenapyr warrant attention owing to its widespread application on vegetables. A comprehensive investigation of the fate of chlorfenapyr in the ecosystem is imperative. This paper presents a method for detecting chlorfenapyr and tralopyril in cabbages, which exhibits good linearity (determination coefficients > 0.99) and satisfactory recoveries (82.50 %-108.03 %). Chlorfenapyr residues in cabbages demonstrate a positive correlation with its application dose and time. Tralopyril can inhibit the dissipation of chlorfenapyr, as evidenced by the half-lives of 5.67-11.14 d (chlorfenapyr) and 6.91-14.77 d (total chlorfenapyr). The results of terminal residues (<2.0 mg/kg) and dietary risk assessment (<100 %) suggest preharvest intervals of 14 d (greenhouse) and 10 d (open-field). Additionally, the uptake of chlorfenapyr in cabbages is limited (translocation factor < 1), while the downward translocation predominantly occurs through phloem transport. The findings provide valuable insights for understanding the fate and potential risks of chlorfenapyr in cabbages.