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This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the polyphenolic profiles of six red prickly pear varieties across eight ripening stages, employing liquid chromatography and machine learning. We identified 29 phenolic compounds, including flavonols, phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, and dihydrochalcones. The ‘Grifa’ variety showed a robust biosynthesis pathway, indicating higher antioxidant potential. Notably, significant variety-specific variations were observed, particularly in hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids, suggesting genetic influences on phenolic biosynthesis. The Random Forest algorithm was effectively used for classifying fruit varieties and ripening stages, with key metabolites like chlorogenic acid playing a crucial role in differentiation. The study highlights the dynamic nature of phenolic metabolism in red prickly pear fruit and underscores the potential of machine learning in agricultural research. Our findings contribute significantly to understanding the phenolic composition of these fruits, offering valuable insights for agricultural practices and nutritional evaluations, as well as highlighting their potential as sources of antioxidants.

Plant biodiversity provides a natural source of several compounds with biological activity, such as antioxidant and antifungal properties; such effects are related with the concentrations of phenols and fiavonoids and different organs of the plants. In this research, aqueous (W) and 70% ethanol (Et70) extracts from flowers (F), leaves (L), stems (S) and roots (R) of Barkleyanthus salicifolius (Kunth) H. Rob. & Brettell were used to test antioxidant and antifungal activities and also the total concentration of phenols and fiavonoids were analyzed; and types of phenolic acids and fiavonoids were determined for each plant organ extract by HPLC. The Et70 enhance the extraction process of phenols and fiavonoids, also showed higher antifungal and antioxidant activities. The obtained extract of the Et70 x F interaction showed the higher concentration of total phenols (57.90 mg GAE), fiavonoids (91.03 mg QE) and antioxidant activity (285.07 Mm Trolox) per gram of dry extract. In addition, this extract shows an antifungal inhibition interval of 66.17% (Fusarium oxysporum) to 92.89% (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides). The phenol ferulic acid (35.57 mg [g.sup.-1]) and the fiavonoid naringenina (206.60 mg [g.sup.-1]) were the compounds with the highest values founded in Et70-R, both of them compounds had been tested against fungal pathogens. Data indicate that antifungal and antioxidant activities are in function of phenolic acids and fiavonoids concentration, as well as solvent used to extraction. Therefore, B. salicifolius species growing on wild form have the ability of accumulate several compounds with biological activity.

Moringa oleifera Lam is a plant that has recently gained importance as a food because of its nutritional value and bioactive compound content and because practically all the organs are usable. The use of nanoparticles has appeared as an alternative to increase bioactive compounds in plants. The goal of this work was to determine if the application of copper nanoparticles would increase the content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in M. oleifera. Copper (Cu) nanoparticles were applied to the leaves at four different times throughout crop growth. The biocompounds were analyzed after the second, third, and fourth applications. The results show that application of Cu nanoparticles has a beneficial effect on the accumulation of bioactive compounds in M. oleifera leaves. In addition, the antioxidant capacity and carotenoid and chlorophyll contents in the leaves of M. oleifera increased after Cu nanoparticles application. The same effect was not observed in the fruit of M. oleifera. Here, the bioactive compound contents diminished. Therefore, the use of Cu nanoparticles can be an important alternative to improve the quality of this plant, particularly that of the leaves.

Tomatoes are important for human diet due to their content of bioactive compounds. However, is little known about behavior of these compounds during fruit shelf life. The goal of this research was to evaluate the effects on bioactive compounds of tomato fruits stored during different times and conditions, obtained from tomato plants developed under conditions of saline stress and with the application of copper nanoparticles. Four treatments were evaluated: foliar spray of copper nanoparticles (250 mg L−1) with or without saline stress, only saline stress, and the absolute control. The results show that application of copper nanoparticles has a positive effect on the accumulation of bioactive compounds such as total phenols, β-carotene, and vitamin C. The saline stress during the development of tomato plants causes a decrease of the bioactive compounds as well as antioxidant capacity in tomato fruits. However, this negative effect can be reduced with the application of copper nanoparticles. The application of copper nanoparticles may be a technique to increase and maintain the content of bioactive compounds in tomato fruits and can be an effective alternative to diminish the negative effects on bioactive compounds caused by saline stress.

In this study, we evaluated the effects of edaphic fertilization with N, P, and K (150-50-80, 100-60-60, and without edaphic fertilization (SFE)) and foliar fertilization with nanoparticles (NPs) of Se and Zn (Se: 50 ppm, Zn: 250 ppm, and no nanoparticles (NP0)) on the yield and antioxidant compounds of apple fruits. We conducted this study in a 20-year-old commercial orchard. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design of nine treatments. The treatments with fertilization doses of 150-50-80 and 100-60-60, supplemented with Se and Zn NPs, generally increased the yield, sugar content, and ascorbic acid of the apple fruits. The SFE + NPZn treatment produced the highest increase (+193% compared with the control) in fruit yield. The SFE + NPSe and SFE + NPZn treatments led to higher contents of phenols and flavonoids, with maximum values of 7.6 mg GAE and 15.82 mg QE per gram of dry weight. These compounds presented a direct correlation with the antioxidant activity in the fruits. The foliar application of Se and Zn nanoparticles supplemented the soil fertilization with N, P, and K to improve the yield and bioactive-compound synthesis of the apple fruits.

Opuntia spp. is easily adaptable to arid and semiarid climates, and represents a valuable alternative for the agricultural development in dry regions. The aim of this work was to know the evolution of bioactive compounds concentration such as phenolics, flavonoids and pigments (Isobetanins, betanins, indicaxanthins and total betalains) during the ripening process of twelve accessions of Opuntia spp. fruits. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging capacity were determined and correlated with pigments and bioactive compounds concentration. Bioactive compounds and pigments concentration increased along ripening. Higher concentration of total betalains were found in ripe 'Bonda' (O. guerrana Griffiths) and 'Rojo Toluca' (Opuntia robusta var. Larreyi) accessions, being of 78.96 ± 0.54 mg 100 g^sup -1^ DW and 69.87 ± 0.29 mg 100 g^sup -1^ DW respectively. Findings in this work can help to select Opuntia spp. accessions with high potential to be established as a valuable crop in the arid zones of Mexico.

Argemone mexicana L. is considered a weed; however, it contains secondary metabolites that can control phytopathogenic fungi in vitro, with the potential to adapt its effectiveness in the field. In the present study, leaf extracts of A. mexicana (hexane and methanol) were prepared, and their chemical profiles were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The in vitro antifungal activity of each extract was evaluated at different concentrations (500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 mg L−1) against phytopathogens such as Monilinia fructicola, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Fusarium oxysporum, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Based on their chemical profiles, 14 compounds were identified in the hexanic extract, and 11 compounds were identified in the methanolic extract. These compounds included those with antifungal activity, such as Benzene; 1.3-bis(1.1-dimethylethyl)-; pentanoic acid; 5-hydroxy-, 2,4-di-1-butylphenyl esters; 1,2,4-Triazol-4-amine; and N-(2-thienylmethyl). The hexanic extract demonstrated fungistatic activity on the four fungi tested, while the methanolic extract exhibited fungicidal activity against C. gloeosporioides and F. oxysporum. The results of the Probit analysis showed variations in the sensitivity of phytopathogenic fungi to the treatments evaluated. In M. fructicola, the hexane extract presented an EC50 of 317,146 mg L−1 and an EC90 of 400,796 mg L−1. For C. gloeosporioides, the EC50 was 2676 mg L−1 and the EC90 was 888,177 mg L−1, while in F. oxysporum an EC50 of 34,274 mg L−1 and an EC90 of 1528 mg L−1 were estimated. In the case of S. sclerotiorum, an EC50 of 560 mg L−1 and an EC90 of 7776 mg L−1 were obtained. Finally, for the commercial fungicide Captan®, an EC50 of 1.19 mg L−1 and an EC90 of 1.67 mg L−1. These results suggest that extracts from A. mexicana could provide a natural alternative for the control of phytopathogenic fungi.

In this study, we evaluated the effects of edaphic fertilization with N, P, and K (150-50-80, 100-60-60, and without edaphic fertilization (SFE)) and foliar fertilization with nanoparticles (NPs) of Se and Zn (Se: 50 ppm, Zn: 250 ppm, and no nanoparticles (NP0)) on the yield and antioxidant compounds of apple fruits. We conducted this study in a 20-year-old commercial orchard. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design of nine treatments. The treatments with fertilization doses of 150-50-80 and 100-60-60, supplemented with Se and Zn NPs, generally increased the yield, sugar content, and ascorbic acid of the apple fruits. The SFE + NPZn treatment produced the highest increase (+193% compared with the control) in fruit yield. The SFE + NPSe and SFE + NPZn treatments led to higher contents of phenols and flavonoids, with maximum values of 7.6 mg GAE and 15.82 mg QE per gram of dry weight. These compounds presented a direct correlation with the antioxidant activity in the fruits. The foliar application of Se and Zn nanoparticles supplemented the soil fertilization with N, P, and K to improve the yield and bioactive-compound synthesis of the apple fruits.