Microgreens are an excellent source of health-maintaining compounds, and the accumulation of these compounds in plant tissues may be stimulated by exogenous stimuli. While light quality effects on green basil microgreens are known, the present paper aims at improving the quality of acyanic (green) and cyanic (red) basil microgreens with different ratios of LED blue and red illumination. Growth, assimilatory and anthocyanin pigments, chlorophyll fluorescence, total phenolic, flavonoids, selected phenolic acid contents and antioxidant activity were assessed in microgreens grown for 17 days. Growth of microgreens was enhanced with predominantly blue illumination, larger cotyledon area and higher fresh mass. The same treatment elevated chlorophyll a and anthocyanin pigments contents. Colored light treatments decreased chlorophyll fluorescence ΦPSII values significantly in the green cultivar. Stimulation of phenolic synthesis and free radical scavenging activity were improved by predominantly red light in the green cultivar (up to 1.87 fold) and by predominantly blue light in the red cultivar (up to 1.73 fold). Rosmarinic and gallic acid synthesis was higher (up to 15- and 4-fold, respectively, compared to white treatment) in predominantly blue illumination. Red and blue LED ratios can be tailored to induce superior growth and phenolic contents in both red and green basil microgreens, as a convenient tool for producing higher quality foods.

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Soil microorganisms, especially rhizobacteria, play a key role in soil phosphorus (P) dynamics and the subsequent availability of phosphate to plants. Utilization of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria as biofertilizers instead of synthetic chemicals is known to improve plant growth through the supply of plant nutrients, and may help to sustain environmental health and soil productivity. The main purpose of this study was to identify new phosphate-solubilizing bacteria isolated from runner bean rhizosphere. Ten out of 25 isolated bacterial strains solubilized Ca3(PO4)2 in qualitative and quantitative P-solubilization. The strain that exhibited the highest potential to solubilize Ca3(PO4)2, was selected for further determination of the mechanisms involved in the process. The medium pH was measured, organic acids released in the culture medium were identified by HPLC analysis, and the acid and alkaline phosphatase activities were determined. Our results showed that strain R7 solubilized phosphorous through the production of various organic acids such as lactic, isocitric, tartaric and pyruvic acids, and that it can be used as a potential biofertilizer.

The study was performed in order to evaluate Roundup-induced genotoxic effects in Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Madalin root meristems and to analyze herbicide impact on length growth of barley seedlings. Caryopses were treated for 3 hours and 6 hours with 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0% Roundup solutions (v/v), containing 0.36 mg ml-1, 1.8 mg ml-1, 3.6 mg ml-1 and 7.2 mg ml-1 glyphosate active ingredient. Mitotic index decreased in both exposure times with concentration increase. In 3-h treatment, its average values decreased from 4.73 ± 0.31% to 1.51 ± 0.43%, whereas in 6-h treatment this parameter declined from 3.86 ± 0.92% to 0.62 ± 0.15%. The highest ana-telophase aberration rates were noted in 3-h treatments (8.91%, 9.19%, 9.47%, 11.25%, comparatively to control - 5.99%). Roundup enhanced the number of metaphase disturbances proving its noxious effect on normal functioning of mitotic spindle. Seedling growth was negatively influenced at all tested concentrations in both exposure times. The length decreased as concentration increased, so that the average length is 7.5-9 times smaller than in control at the maximum concentration, in both exposures.