Exogenous Application of L-Arginine Improves Protein Content and Increases Yield of Pereskia aculeata Mill. Grown in Soilless Media Container

Abstract

The Brazilian flora is one of the richest in biodiversity and has many species with high pharmaceutical and nutraceutical potential. Among these species is ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata Mill.), which stands out for the high protein content found in its leaves. The exogenous application of amino acids in crop production has shown promising results, such as the increase in productivity and plant quality, besides their capacity in alleviating environmental stress in plants. Exogenous application of L-arginine (0, 0.25, 1.0 and 2.0 g L−1 of water) was performed by drenching on coconut fiber growing media of ora-pro-nobis plants. Plant growth parameters analyzed were chlorophylls and carotenoids contents, crude protein content, and determination of enzymes and oxidative stress substances. The higher concentration of L-arginine (2 g L−1 of water) increased net photosynthetic rate, leaf area, plant fresh and dry mass, carotenoids content and crude protein content in leaves. Thus, the exogenous application of L-arginine in ora-pro-nobis plants can improve both the productivity and nutritional value of its leaves.

Exogenous L-arginine and light-emitting diode light supplementation to enhance growth, quality and antioxidant activity in green perilla microgreens

“…Therefore, the exogenous L-arginine application enhanced the high level of nitrogen and crude protein accumulation in the green perilla microgreens. Furthermore, exogenous L-arginine application increased the photosynthetic rate and increased biomass and the leaf area (Freitas et al, 2022). Increasing the leaf area facilitated efficient photo-assimilation, resulting in plant biomass accumulation.…”

“…Additionally, it can protect tomatoes from transient heat stress, probably due to decreasing the hydrogen peroxide level to avoid oxidative imbalance with an increased concentration of arginine application (Conceição et al, 2021). In ora-pro-nobis plants, applying L-arginine enhanced their net photosynthetic rate, leaf area and fresh and dry masses and increased secondary metabolites, such as carotenoids and crude protein, in the leaves (Freitas et al, 2022).…”

Effects of Date Palm Waste Compost Application on Root Proteome Changes of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

“…Indeed, Ser and Gly can be degraded into pyruvate, which is the primary respiratory substrate for energy production to support plant growth and development. However, Arg can be recycled into ammonia, an appropriate nitrogen source required for growth improvement [ 55 ]. Moreover, Arg can be degraded into ornithine to generate putrescine, a polyamine that may play a crucial role in many physiological processes in plants, such as cell division, root formation, root growth and initiation of lateral root formation [ 56 , 57 ], thereby improving plant growth and development.…”

New Insight into Aspartate Metabolic Pathways in Populus: Linking the Root Responsive Isoenzymes with Amino Acid Biosynthesis during Incompatible Interactions of Fusarium solani

“…Asp catabolism leads to Arg biosynthesis, essential for plant defense, supplying precursors for many signaling molecules (e.g., NO and polyamines) against abiotic and biotic stress. The potential benefits of Arg were provided frequently in the biomass and adaptation to multiple stress exposure [ 116 , 117 , 118 , 119 ]. However, Arg levels in plant tissues appear to be modulated by complicated mechanisms because most of the experimental manipulations of Arg metabolism did not significantly alter Arg production [ 17 ].…”