Metabolic profiles and morphological characteristics of leaf tips among different sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas Lam.)varieties

Sweet potato leaf tips have high nutritional value,and exploring the differences in the metabolic profiles of leaf tips among different sweet potato varieties can provide information to improve their qualities.In this study,a UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/MS-based untargeted metabolomics method was used to evaluate the metabolites in leaf tips of 32 sweet potato varieties.Three varieties with distinct overall metabolic profiles(A01,A02,and A03),two varieties with distinct profiles of phenolic acids(A20 and A18),and three varieties with distinct profiles of flavonoids(A05,A12,and A16)were identified.In addition,a total of 163 and 29 differentially expressed metabolites correlated with the color and leaf shape of sweet potato leaf tips,respectively,were identified through morphological characterization.Group comparison analysis of the phenotypic traits and a metabolite-phenotypic trait correlation analysis indicated that the color differences of sweet potato leaf tips were markedly associated with flavonoids.Also,the level of polyphenols was correlated with the leaf shape of sweet potato leaf tips,with lobed leaf types having higher levels of polyphenols than the entire leaf types.The findings on the metabolic profiles and differentially expressed metabolites associated with the morphology of sweet potato leaf tips can provide useful information for breeding sweet potato varieties with higher nutritional value.

Effect of Size and Initial Water Content on the Effective Diffusion Coefficient during Convective Drying of Sweet Potato Cut into Cubic and Cylindrical Shapes

In this article, we investigated the influence of size and initial water content on the effective diffusion coefficient of sweet potatoes samples cut into cubic and cylindrical shapes. The sizes of the cubic samples are 0.5, 1, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.5 and 3 cm edge with a respective initial water content of 2.7, 3.76, 3.48, 2.68, 3.28, 2.17 and 2.29 kg/kgms. For cylindrical samples, the radius is set at 0.5 cm and sample heights are 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 and 4 cm with respective water contents of 2.2, 3.19, 2.85, 2.1, 2.17, 2.39 and 2.03 kg/kgms. The effective diffusion coefficients of cubic samples are of the order of 10−10 and 10−9 m2∙s−1 grew with sample edge. As for the cylindrical samples, the effective diffusion coefficients were of the order of 10−9 m2∙s−1 and there was no linear correlation between cylinder height and their effective diffusion coefficient. As for the examination of the initial water content on the effective diffusion coefficient, it turned out that the initial water content had no influence on the effective diffusion coefficient of the sweet potato samples.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of purple-fleshed sweet potato provides insights into the molecular mechanism of anthocyanin biosynthesis

Sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas, is a globally important food crop. The purple-fleshed sweet potato, rich in anthocyanins, has great potential for both nutritional and pharmaceutical uses. In this study, we characterized the root transcriptomes of the purple-fleshed sweet potato cv.Jingshu 6 and its mutant JS6-5 with high anthocyanin content by high-throughput RNA sequencing. A total of22873364 and 27955097 high quality reads were obtained from Jingshu 6 and JS6-5, respectively, and assembled into35592 unigenes. In all, we obtained 1566 differentially expressed genes(DEGs). Among them, 994 were upregulated and 572 were downregulated in JS6-5 compared to the expression in Jingshu 6. A total of 1436 DEGs were annotated, in which 847 DEGs had gene ontology(GO) terms and 329 DEGs were assigned to 84 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathways. Most importantly, 23 differentially expressed genes and 24 transcription factors were identified as candidate genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis. In addition, 2349 SSRs were detected. This study not only provides the candidate genes but also provides insights into the molecular mechanism of anthocyanin biosynthesis in sweet potato.

Coronatine Induces an Accumulation of Anthocyanin and Starch in Purple-fleshed Sweetpotato(Ipomoea batatas Lam.)

[Objective]The objective of this research was to examine the effects of COR on anthocyanin and starch content in storage roots of two PFS genotypes,and to explore the relationships between anthocyanin synthesis and starch accumulation.[Method]A field experiment was carried out to determine the changes in yield components,yield,contents of anthocyanin and starch,activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase(PAL)and adenosine 5-diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase(AGPase)in two genotypes of PFS(Ipomoea batatas L.,var.‘Ayamurasaki’and‘Jishu18’).[Result]The application of COR significantly increased starch and anthocyanin content in storage roots of Jishu18 across developmental stages by inducing the activities of PAL and AGPase,and finally enhanced yield by promoting fresh weight of storage roots.Ayamurasaki was insensitive to treatment with COR although its PAL activity temporally increased.The starch and anthocyanin content of Aya,and the anthocyanin content of Jishu18 increased progressively across developmental stages with or without COR application,but the starch content of Jishu18increased initially,then decreased before increasing again without application of COR.Treatment with COR reduced downward trend of starch accumulation in Jishu18.Thus,the effect of COR on accumulation of anthocyanin and starch in storage roots of PFS differs according to genotypes.[Conclusion]The application of0.05μmol/L COR may increase starch and anthocyanin content in PFS genotypes with lower starch and anthocyanin content in storage roots.

The transcription factor IbNAC29 positively regulates the carotenoid accumulation in sweet potato

Carotenoid is a tetraterpene pigment beneficial for human health.Although the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway has been extensively studied in plants,relatively little is known about their regulation in sweet potato.Previously,we conducted the transcriptome database of differentially expressed genes between the sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas)cultivar‘Weiduoli’and its high-carotenoid mutant‘HVB-3’.In this study,we selected one of these candidate genes,IbNAC29,for subsequent analyses.IbNAC29 belongs to the plant-specific NAC(NAM,ATAF1/2,and CUC2)transcription factor family.Relative IbNAC29 mRNA level in the HVB-3 storage roots was∼1.71-fold higher than Weiduoli.Additional experiments showed that the contents ofα-carotene,lutein,β-carotene,zeaxanthin,and capsanthin are obviously increased in the storage roots of transgenic sweet potato plants overexpressing IbNAC29.Moreover,the levels of carotenoid biosynthesis genes in transgenic plants were also up-regulated.Nevertheless,yeast one-hybrid assays indicated that IbNAC29 could not directly bind to the promoters of these carotenoid biosynthesis genes.Furthermore,the level of IbSGR1 was down-regulated,whose homologous genes in tomato can negatively regulate carotene accumulation.Yeast three-hybrid analysis revealed that the IbNAC29-IbMYB1R1-IbAITR5 could form a regulatory module.Yeast one-hybrid,electrophoretic mobility shift assay,quantitative PCR analysis of chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that IbAITR5 directly binds to and inhibits the promoter activity of IbSGR1,up-regulating carotenoid biosynthesis gene IbPSY.Taken together,IbNAC29 is a potential candidate gene for the genetic improvement of nutritive value in sweet potato.

Diurnal emission of herbivore-induced(Z)-3-hexenyl acetate and allo-ocimene activates sweet potato defense responses to sweet potato weevils

The sweet potato weevil(Cylas formicarius(Fab.)(Coleoptera: Brentidae)) is a pest that feeds on sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas(L.) Lam.(Solanales: Convolvulaceae)), causing substantial economic losses annually. However, no safe and effective methods have been found to protect sweet potato from this pest. Herbivore-induced plant volatiles(HIPVs)promote various defensive bioactivities, but their formation and the defense mechanisms in sweet potato have not been investigated. To identify the defensive HIPVs in sweet potato, the release dynamics of volatiles was monitored.The biosynthetic pathways and regulatory factors of the candidate HIPVs were revealed via stable isotope tracing and analyses at the transcriptional and metabolic levels. Finally, the anti-insect activities and the defense mechanisms of the gaseous candidates were evaluated. The production of(Z)-3-hexenyl acetate(z3HAC) and allo-ocimene was induced by sweet potato weevil feeding, with a distinct circadian rhythm. Ipomoea batatas ocimene synthase(IbOS) is first reported here as a key gene in allo-ocimene synthesis. Insect-induced wounding promoted the production of the substrate,(Z)-3-hexenol, and upregulated the expression of IbOS, which resulted in higher contents of z3HAC and allo-ocimene,respectively. Gaseous z3HAC and allo-ocimene primed nearby plants to defend themselves against sweet potato weevils. These results provide important data regarding the formation, regulation, and signal transduction mechanisms of defensive volatiles in sweet potato, with potential implications for improving sweet potato weevil management strategies.

Molecular characterization of sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas[L.]Lam)germplasms for desirable traits by using simple sequence repeats markers

Every breeding program that aims to create new and improved cultivars with desired traits mostly relies on information related to genetic diversity.Therefore,molecular characterization of germplasms is important to obtain target cultivars with desirable traits.Sweet potato[Ipomoea batatas(L.)Lam]is widely considered the world’s most important crop,with great diversity in morphological and phenotypic traits.The genetic diversity of 20 sweet potato germplasms originating from Bangladesh,CIP,Philippines,Taiwan,and Malaysia were compared,which was accomplished by genetic diversity analysis by exploring 20 microsatellite DNA markers for germplasm characterization and utilization.This information was effective in differentiating or clustering the sweet potato genotypes.A total of 64 alleles were generated using the 20 primers throughout the 20 germplasm samples,with locus IBS97 having the highest number of alleles(5),whereas locus IbU33 had the fewest alleles(2).The alleles varied in size from 105(IbU31)to 213 base pairs(IBS34).The Polymorphism Information Content(PIC)values for the loci IbL46 and IBS97 varied from 0.445 to 0.730.IBS97 has the highest number of effective alleles(3.704),compared to an average of 2.520.The average Shannon’s diversity index(H)was 1.003,ranging from 0.673 in IbU3 to 1.432 in IBS97.The value of gene flow(Nm)varied between 0.000 and 0.005,with an average of 0.003,whereas genetic differentiation(FST-values)ranged between 0.901 and 1.000.The sweet potato germplasm included in this study had a broad genetic base.SP1 vs.SP9 and SP12 vs.SP18 germplasm pairings had the greatest genetic distance(GD=0.965),while SP1 vs.SP2 germplasm couples had the least genetic diversity(GD=0.093).Twenty genotypes were classified into two groups in the UPGMA dendrogram,with 16 genotypes classified as group“A”and the remaining four genotypes,SP10,SP18,SP19,and SP20,classified as group“B.”According to cluster analysis,the anticipated heterozygosity(gene diversity)of Nei(1973)was 0.591 on average.In summary,SSR markers successfully evaluated the genetic relationships among the sweet potato accessions used and generated a high level of polymorphism.The results of the present study will be useful for the management of germplasm,improvement of the current breeding strategies,and the release of new cultivars as varieties.

Allelopathic Effects of Water Extracts of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) on Seed Germination of Ageratum conyzoides

Sustainable weed management strategies are essential to reduce chemical and labor inputs. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of water extracts from sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lamarck] on seed germination of Ageratum conyzoides L. under controlled conditions. The aqueous was produced from plant parts i.e., roots, stems, and leaves of sweet potato at concentrations of 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, and 0.100 g·mL-1. The results showed that the plant parts of sweet potato all contained allelopathic substances, which showed high-concentration inhibition and low-concentration promotion of seed germination of A. conyzoides. When the aqueous extract concentrations were 0.050, 0.075, and 0.100 g·mL-1, the germination of A. conyzoides seeds was inhibited, while the germination was promoted at a concentration of 0.025 g·mL-1. This shows that when the planting density of sweet potato is large, it can form an obvious prevention and control effect on A. conyzoides, and thus improve herbicide resistance management.

Effects of Sweet Potato Rotation and Intercropping on the Microbial Community of Rhizosphere Soil

To reveal the response mechanism of soil microbial community in different planting systems of sweet potato,the effects of rotation and intercropping on microbial community structure and carbon source utilization capacities of sweet potato rhizosphere soil were studied by using phospholipid fatty acid(PLFA)and ecological board(BIOLOG ECO)through field positioning experiments.In this study,three treatments were sweet potato continuous cropping,sweet potato-wheat rotation,and sweet potato-corn intercropping.The main results showed that compared with the sweet potato continuous cropping treatment,sweet potato rotation and intercropping changed the PLFA biomass of soil microorganisms;the contents of bacteria increased by 21.82%and 38.77%,respectively(P<0.05);the contents of actinomycetes increased by 6.98%and 12.77%,and the biomass of Gram-positive bacteria increased by 28.60%and 63.44%,respectively;and the biomass of Gram-negative bacteria increased by 18.21%and 22.29%,and the fungal contents decreased by 16.60%and 13.03%,respectively.With the extension of culture time,the average well color development(AWCD value)of sweet potato-corn intercropping was significantly higher than other two treatments.The utilization capacities of carboxylic acid compounds,polymers,carbohydrates,amino acids,and amines in the sweet potato-corn intercropping treatment were significantly increased by 17.28%,14.67%,54.17%,36.62%,and 20.00%,respectively,compared with the sweet potato continuous cropping treatment.The results of the multivariate analysis(RDA)showed that the changes of soil microbial community structure and functional diversity were controlled by many factors,and the soil available potassium and total nitrogen were the main driving factors.However,sweet potato-wheat rotation and sweet potato-corn intercropping could optimize the soil microbial community structure and enhance the microbial functional diversity,and the effect of sweet potato-corn intercropping treatment was better.

Field Efficacy Trials of 1%Bifenthrin·thiamethoxam GR against Sweet Potato Weevil

[Objectives]The paper was to verify the field efficacy of 1%bifenthrin·thiamethoxam GR replacing organophosphorus GR against sweet potato weevil and its impact on the yield and quality of sweet potato.[Methods]A total of 4 field trials were conducted in Guangdong Province,including 1%bifenthrin·thiamethoxam GR applied at the doses of 3,4 and 5 kg/667 m^(2),and 3%phoxim GR applied at the dose of 4 kg/667 m^(2).[Results]1%Bifenthrin·thiamethoxam GR applied at the dose of 5 kg/667 m^(2)had excellent control effects on sweet potato weevil,with an average control effect of 77.60%,which was significantly higher than that of 3%phoxim GR applied at the dose of 4 kg/667 m^(2)(48.52%).And the average yield increase rate of sweet potato treated with 1%bifenthrin·thiamethoxam GR reached 24.79%,significantly higher than 12.37%in the control group.[Conclusions]1%Bifenthrin·thiamethoxam GR should be evenly distributed on the ridge surface near sweet potato within 5-7 d after planting,and the recommended dosage is 5 kg/667 m^(2),which will have good control effect on sweet potato weevil and increase the yield of sweet potato.

Protective Effect of Ethanol Extract from Sweet Potato Leaves on CCL_(4)-Induced Liver Injury in Mice

[Objectives]To investigate the protective effect of ethanol extract from sweet potato leaves on liver injury induced by CCl_(4)in mice.[Methods]25 ICR mice were randomly divided into blank group,model group,high-dose extract group(200 mg/kg),low-dose extract group(100 mg/kg)and positive control group(2 mg/kg colchicine),with 5 mice in each group.All groups except the blank group were given intraperitoneal injection of 20%CCl 4 olive oil solution(2 mL/kg),and the blank group was given the same dose of olive oil solution three times a week.After 4 weeks,each administration group was given the corresponding dose of drugs(10 mL/kg),and the blank group and model group were given the corresponding amount of normal saline for 2 weeks.After the last intragastric administration,fasting was required,but water was allowed,blood was taken from eyeballs,and upper serum was taken by static centrifugation.Serum AST,ALT,CRP,IL-6 and SOD levels were detected by the kit.[Results]Compared with the blank group,the serum AST and ALT levels in the model group were significantly increased;compared with the model group,the ethanol extract of sweet potato leaves could decrease the levels of ALT,AST,CRP,IL-6 and increase the level of SOD in serum.[Conclusions]The ethanol extract of sweet potato leaves had protective effect on the mice with liver injury induced by CCl_(4),and its mechanism may be to protect the liver by lowering enzymes,inhibiting inflammation and antioxidant stress.

Experimentation of a Forced Convection Solar Dryer for Drying Sweet Potatoes at the Higher Institute of Technology of Mamou-Guinea

This study was carried out at the Mamou Higher Institute of Technology during the period from March 10 to April 15, 2022, with the aim of designing and testing a solar dryer with forced convection by drying potatoes. The dryer was designed using local materials. Its main geometric parameters are: 1) height of the drying chamber (90 cm), 2) length of the drying chamber (50 cm), 3) width of the drying chamber (43 cm), 4) surface of the racks (0.1806 m2), 5) surface of the heat accumulator (0.2537 m2). The experiment focused on the vacuum test of the dryer for two days and that of the drying of the sweet potato for three days from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The average vacuum test temperature values of the three environments are respectively accumulator (43°C), dryer chamber (41°C) and ambient environment (34°C). Four kilograms (4 kg) of boiled sweet potato were dried. The average temperatures in the accumulator and in the drying chamber during the three days of drying are respectively 33°C and 39°C. The final mass of the dried product is 1.2 kg, with a quantity of water extracted of 2 liters or 63% of the initial mass of the product. The average drying rate is 0.074 kg/h. The drying kinetics showed a decreasing rate in the absence of the heating period and the constant rate period.

Experimentation of a Forced Convection Solar Dryer for Drying Sweet Potatoes at the Higher Institute of Technology of Mamou-Guinea

This study was carried out at the Mamou Higher Institute of Technology during the period from March 10 to April 15, 2022, with the aim of designing and testing a solar dryer with forced convection by drying potatoes. The dryer was designed using local materials. Its main geometric parameters are: 1) height of the drying chamber (90 cm), 2) length of the drying chamber (50 cm), 3) width of the drying chamber (43 cm), 4) surface of the racks (0.1806 m2), 5) surface of the heat accumulator (0.2537 m2). The experiment focused on the vacuum test of the dryer for two days and that of the drying of the sweet potato for three days from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The average vacuum test temperature values of the three environments are respectively accumulator (43°C), dryer chamber (41°C) and ambient environment (34°C). Four kilograms (4 kg) of boiled sweet potato were dried. The average temperatures in the accumulator and in the drying chamber during the three days of drying are respectively 33°C and 39°C. The final mass of the dried product is 1.2 kg, with a quantity of water extracted of 2 liters or 63% of the initial mass of the product. The average drying rate is 0.074 kg/h. The drying kinetics showed a decreasing rate in the absence of the heating period and the constant rate period.

Response Surface Optimization of Ultrasound-assisted Aqueous Two-phase Extraction of Sweet Potato Leaf Polysaccharides

[Objectives]The ultrasound-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction of sweet potato leaf polysaccharides was studied.[Methods]With the yield of sweet potato leaf polysaccharides as the index,the aqueous two-phase extraction system was determined,and the optimal extraction conditions were optimized by single-factor experiments and response surface methodology.[Results]The optimal parameters were ethanol concentration 25.68%,liquid-to-material ratio 55.83,and ultrasonic treatment time 38.33 min.Under these conditions,the yield of sweet potato leaf polysaccharides could reach 20.646 mg/g.[Conclusions]The ethanol/ammonium sulfate aqueous system is a rapid and efficient method for extracting sweet potato leaf polysaccharides,which is of great significance for the application of sweet potato leaf extract as a natural food additive.

Effects of Agro-Ecological Practices on the Productivity of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) and Soil Fertility in the Sudano-Sahelian Zone of Burkina Faso

This study consisted to evaluate the effects of ecological practices on the yield performance of the JEWEL of orange-fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam). The study was conducted in a Sudano-Sahelian cropping system (Lantargou, eastern region of Burkina Faso). Agro-ecological practices consisted of the inputs of 3.20 t/ha of compost + 2.45 t/ha of wood ash (CO + WA);4.90 t/ha of wood ash (WA);6.40 t/ha of compost (CO) were compared to control with no inputs (T0). Each treatment was repeated four times. The crop management consisted of plowing, harrowing, raising of ridges with 40 cm height, burying of treatments, transplanting of cuttings, two weeding’s, and using of biopesticide called PIOL for crop protection. Composite soil samples per treatment were also collected at tuber harvest and analyzed to determine the effects of treatments on residual soil fertility. Results showed that the plant heights and diameters under the CO were significantly (P < 0.001) improved by 16% and 12% compared to T0. The WA treatment significantly increased the number of large tubers by 43% (P ≤ 0.01) compared to T0. Total tuber numbers, large tuber numbers and tuber yields of sweet potato under CO + WA were significantly (P < 0.001) and respectively improved by 27%, 50% and 31% compared to T0. All treatments increased soil organic matter, N, P and K contents, and reduced soil acidity compared with those obtained under T0. Soil K content was improved by 39% under CO + WA, and soil N content by 34% under WA compared to T0. Soil C/N ratio under CO + WA was reduced by 20% compared others treatments. But, the CO + WA treatment outperformed by improving residual soil N content by 38%, and the WA treatment by increasing soil K content by 50% compared to T0. In addition, soil pHH2O increased by 1.2 units under WA treatment compared to T0. As conclusion, the application of 6.4 t/ha of compost performed well to improve the vegetative growth of orange-fleshed sweet potato while the inputs of 3.2 t/ha of compost + 2.45 t/ha of wood ash were efficacy to significantly increase the tuber yields and improve the residual fertility of soil.

Pollution-free Production Technology of Linshu Sweet Potato

This paper elaborated the quality characteristics,nutritional value and specific production area of Linshu sweet potato.Besides,it summarized the pollution-free production technology of Linshu sweet potato from the aspects of origin selection,variety selection,production management,harvest and storage,so as to guide the normalization and standardization of production technology,improve production and quality,and further enhance the brand awareness of Linshu sweet potato in both the national and international markets.

Sweet potato and potato residual flours as potential nutritional and healthy food material

In this study, the proximate composition, mineral content and amino acid composition of starch processing residues from 10 cultivars of sweet potato and 10 cultivars of potato were determined, and the nutritional and health-related values of these residues were investigated. The residual flours contained 20.63-31.48 g and 17.14-28.57 g rich dietary fiber per 100 g dry weight for sweet potato and potato, respectively, as well as mineral elements, including potassium, ferrum, zinc and copper. The highest limiting amino acid score （AAS） of the almost balanced amino acid composition were observed to be 71.07 and 57.96 for sweet potato and potato residues, respectively. A grey relational analysis showed that the nutritional values of Jishu 4 at 0.7519 and LT-5 at 0.7281 were the highest among the sweet potato and potato residues, respectively. The evaluation of the sweet potato/potato residues, the by-products of the starch industry, based on recommended daily intake （RDI） standards, indicated that the residues have potential nutritional and health-related food values.

Anticancer effects of sweet potato protein on human colorectal cancer cells

AIM: To investigate the effects of proteins purified from sweet potato storage roots on human colorectal cancer cell lines. METHODS: 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, Hoechst 33258 nuclear staining and Boyden transwell chamber methods were used to determine whether purified sweet potato protein (SPP) from fresh sweet potato roots affected proliferation, migration and invasion, respectively, of human colorectal cancer SW480 cells in vitro . The inhibitory effects of SPP on growth of human colorectal cancer HCT-8 cells intraperitoneally xenografted in nude mice and spontaneous lung metastasis of murine Lewis lung carcinoma 3LL cells subcutaneously transplanted in C57 BL/6 mice were also investigated in vivo . RESULTS: SPP inhibited the proliferation of SW480 cells in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC 50 value of 38.732 μmol/L (r2 = 0.980, P = 0.003) in the MTT assay. Hoechst 33258 nuclear staining further revealed inhibition of cell viability and induction of apoptosis by SPP. The transwell assay disclosed significant reduction in migrated cells/field by 8 μmol/L SPP (8.4 ± 2.6 vs 23.3 ± 5.4, P = 0.031) and invaded cells/field through the ECMatrix by 0.8 μmol/L SPP, compared with the control (25.2 ± 5.2 vs 34.8 ± 6.1, P = 0.038). Both intraperitoneal (ip) and intragastric (ig) administration of SPP led to significant suppression of growth of intraperitoneally inoculated HCT-8 cells in nude mice to 58.0% ± 5.9% (P = 0.037) and 43.5% ± 7.1% (P = 0.004) of the controls, respectively, after 9 d treatment. Bloody ascites additionally disappeared after ip injection of trypsin inhibitor. Notably, ig and ip administration of SPP induced a significant decrease in spontaneous pulmonary metastatic nodule formation in C57 BL/6 mice (21.0 ± 12.3 and 27.3 ± 12.7 nodules/lung vs 42.5 ± 4.5 nodules/lung in controls, respectively, P < 0.05) after 25 d treatment. Moreover, the average weight of primary tumor nodules in the hind leg of mice decreased from 8.2 ± 1.3 g/mice in the control to 6.1 ± 1.4 g/mice in the ip group (P = 0.035). CONCLUSION: SPP exerts significant antiproliferative and antimetastatic effects on human colorectal cancer cell lines, both in vitro and in vivo .

Changes in Volatile Compounds of Sweet Potato Tips During Fermentation

Volatile compounds in fresh and fermented sweet potato tips at O, 10, 20, 30, and 40 d during fermentation were investigated. A new parameter named ＂relative odor activity value （ROAV）＂ was applied in evaluating the contributions of volatile compounds to flavor, considering odor threshold. The results showed that volatile compounds could be clustered in the following chemical families： alkenes （most of them were sesquiterpene）, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and esters in decreasing order. During fermentation, the concentrations of alkenes and ketones were increased and then decreased continuously. Alcohols and esters were increased; while the concentrations of aldehydes decreased. Interestingly, fermenting processes （0-20 d） may contribute to the increase of alkenes and ketones. Major compounds that were identified in all samples include α- and B-caryophyllene, β- and γ-elemene, and β-cubebene （in decreasing order）. The changes of their concentrations during fermentation were the same as that of alkenes. Caryophyllene was abundant in all of the samples examined. It has anti-tumour, anti-inflammatory and anti-pests activities. It can mediate interactions among plant, herbivores and their natural enemies. β- and γ-elemene, which have been used as antitumor drugs, have not been reported previously as volatiles from sweet potato tips. β-cubebene with antioxidant activity can be used as natural preservatives in food and/or by the pharmaceutical industry.

Relationship Between Changes of Endogenous Hormone in Sweet Potato Under Water Stress and Variety Drought-resistance

The IAA, GA3, iPA, ZR and ABA contents in sweet potato leaves under drought conditions were determined by the method of ELISA, and the relationship between these endogenous hormones and drought resistance of different sweet potato varieties were studied. The results showed the IAA, GA3, iPA and ZR contents in sweet potato leaves decreased, but ABA contents increased obviously. The stronger the drought resistance of the variety was, the more IAA, GA3, iPA and ZR contents decreased and the less ABA contents increased. Their relative contents correlated significantly negatively(r were -0.9070, -0.9493, -0.9509, -0.8674 and -0.9117 respectively)to drought-resistability.