Source: UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI submitted to
CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN ELDERBERRY AS A SPECIALTY CROP FOR THE DIETARY SUPPLEMENT MARKET
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
NEW
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1011521
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
MO-HAPS0004
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Nov 1, 2016
Project End Date
Oct 31, 2021
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Thomas, AN, L..
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
(N/A)
COLUMBIA,MO 65211
Performing Department
Plant Sciences
Non Technical Summary
The overall goal of this program is to significantly advance the agricultural development of elderberry as a crop for the dietary supplement market. Three research areas will be further developed. The occurrence (if any) of cyanide in elderberry fruits will be determined, and if present, recommendations will be developed to mitigate such occurrence in dietary supplement products. Secondly, the production and limited harvest of elder flowers will be studied. We hypothesize that a limited harvest of elder flowers can be conducted which will create an entirely new product and market from elderberry plantings, while simultaneously increasing fruit quality. And thirdly, we will study a wide variety of elderberry genotypes from across the eastern and central United States. After several years of laboratory analysis, we are bringing 19 disparate genotypes into a "common garden" setting in Missouri to determine if significant differences in the types and quantities of polyphenols (anti-oxidants) produced are due to difference in genetics or environment factors, such as soil and climate.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
25%
Applied
75%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
7121129102033%
2051129102034%
2041129102033%
Goals / Objectives
The overall goal of this program is to significantly advance the agricultural development of elderberry as a crop for the dietary supplement market. Three research areas will be further developed.1. Determining and Mitigating the Potential Occurrence of Cyanide in ElderberriesWhile the production and marketing of elderberry continues to expand, uncertainty regarding the absolute safety of elderberry and elderberry dietary supplement products is overshadowing and hindering the full development of this specialty crop. Toxic cyanide is believed to occur in ripe and un-ripe elderberry fruits, with "conventional wisdom" suggesting that heat processing or fermentation removes or destroys such cyanide. However, an exhaustive review of scientific literature cannot substantiate either of these claims. The fact is that we simply do not know if cyanide occurs in elderberry fruits, what forms it may be in, exactly where it might occur (juice, skin, pulp, seed), and if it occurs, how it can be safely removed from elderberry food and dietary supplement products. The project will use highly sensitive, state-of-the art instrumentation within the University of Missouri Proteomics Center to definitively answer these questions. The results of this study will provide producers, processors, and consumers a scientific basis for confirming the safety of elderberries and elderberry products. We are confident that a thorough science-based understanding of cyanide dynamics within elderberry fruits will allow elderberry to achieve its full market potential in competition with other high-value specialty crops.2. Impact of Elder Flower Harvest on Fruit Yield and QualityElder flowers are the primary elderberry product in Europe - used to make teas, tinctures, beverages, and commonly consumed as an anti-viral (Zakay-Rones et al., 1995). In the U.S. the berry is more commonly consumed for its anti-oxidant activities; however, interest in the consumption of American elder flowers is increasing. Of course, harvesting the flowers precludes fruit production. Many cymes of elder flowers are produced on branches that bend toward or near the ground, and sometimes touch the ground. In most cases, fruit produced on such cymes will never be harvested and may, in fact, increase bird, mammal, and insect predation, as well as disease. With many horticultural crops, routine flower or fruit thinning is a common and laborious task that improves fruit quality and size, and may hasten ripening in retained fruits. We do not know the impact of flower or fruit thinning in elderberry in terms of fruit yields, berry size, or fruit quality. In elderberry, the task of flower thinning may not only improve fruit quality, but has the added benefit of harvesting a highly valuable and marketable product. Our hypothesis is that we can remove perhaps ¼ of the elder flower cymes near ground level with little reduction (if any) in fruit yield and a possible increase in fruit size and quality. We will concurrently quantify the flower production potential of six elderberry genotypes.3. Polyphenol Type and Quantity among Diverse Elderberry Germplasm Cultivated in a "Common Garden" SettingMudge et al. (2016) collected and assayed ripe fruit from more than 100 wild elderberry accessions throughout Eastern and Central U.S. They found interesting and significant differences in the amounts and types of phytochemicals (flavonols and chlorogenic acids) among genotypes at specific (region-wide) locations. For example, wild elderberries from the southeastern US generally had higher levels and different profiles of many of these compounds compared with more northern selections. But it is not known if these differences are due strictly to genetics, environment (soil, climate, latitude, other environmental factors), or both. By bringing a select number of these genotypes into a "common garden" setting in Missouri, we will develop a much better understanding of the occurrence and production of these desirable health-giving compounds in elderberry. If we find that production and quality of certain polyphenols are genetically-influenced, then we will have a much better basis for future breeding and cultivar development of elderberry for the dietary supplement market. If we determine that environmental factors have a greater influence on the quality, type, and quantity of desired polyphenols, then we can then work to develop those attributes horticulturally.
Project Methods
1. Determining and Mitigating the Potential Occurrence of Cyanide in ElderberriesWe already maintain numerous elderberry plantings at the University of Missouri's Southwest Center at Mt. Vernon. Frozen fruit will be used to begin developing laboratory protocols for the analysis of cyanide in the various parts of elderberry fruits. Laboratory techniques will be developed, refined, and established in anticipation of a more detailed and comprehensive study utilizing fresh elderberry fruit to be harvested in August 2016 and 2017. In addition to growing and harvesting the fruit, Thomas will also oversee the preparation of fruit for laboratory analysis, including the separation of elderberry fruits into juice, pulp, skin, seeds, and pedicels.Upon receipt of prepared elderberry fruit samples in 2016 and 2017, Greenlief and Johnson will undertake the laboratory portion of the project, using state-of-the-art instrumentation within the University of Missouri Proteomics Center. The Center maintains five mass spectrometers, three of which are connected to liquid chromatographs. These instruments have the capability to elucidate important information regarding cyanide content in elderberry that is not capable of being detected with other methodologies. The various prepared fruit samples will be subjected to extremely sensitive mass spectrometry-based analyses using these instruments to identify the forms of cyanide, if present. We will also study the potential usefulness of inexpensive (and much less sensitive) cyanide paper test strips to determine if they may be useful for producers and processors of elderberry products. It is important to understand the various forms of cyanide that may be present. The cyanide paper test strips rely on a given compound being converted to hydrogen cyanide gas for detection; however, not all cyanide-containing molecules may be converted in the paper test procedure, leading to an underestimation of cyanide content.If our initial assessment of cyanide occurrence in various parts of elderberry fruits concludes the presence of cyanide compounds, the next step (year 2 - 2017) will be to study various treatment protocols for removing or destroying such cyanide in a safe manner. Techniques such as heat treatment at various temperatures and durations, freezing, and drying will be evaluated.2. Impact of Elder Flower Harvest on Fruit Yield and QualityProject establishment is underway in 2016. Six genotypes (three "standard' cultivars and three promising, new genotypes) are being established at two sites (MU Southwest Research Center and MU Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center) in a very large, randomized, replicated field study. Beginning in 2017, and continuing for another two or three years, flower harvest treatments will be applied as follows: 0%, 25%, 50%, and 100% flowers harvested. All flower and fruits harvested will be carefully documented. Berry size and fruit quality will be determined in the laboratory. Horticultural characteristics such as disease and insect susceptibility, winter hardiness, phenology, and overall vigor will also be quantified in response to the various treatmetns.3. Polyphenol Type and Quantity among Diverse Elderberry Germplasm Cultivated in a "Common Garden" SettingAfter a very significant field collection and propagation effort, our team has established 19 disparate elderberry genotypes (described above) in a "common garden" setting at two locations in southwest Missouri (MU Southwest Research Center and a private farm near Pleasant Hope, MO) with excellent replication and randomization. After an establishment year, ripe fruit will be harvested and supplied to our collaborators at the British Columbia Institute of Technology for laboratory analysis during the following two production seasons. Meanwhile, horticultural and phenology data will be collected annually to determine the horticultural characteristics of each genotype for potential future breeding purposes.

Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes elderberry producers, processor, marketers, and consumers, as well as the scientific community. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?An M.S. student, Sam Sergent, and a PhD student, Michael Appenteng, were assigned direct responsibilities for parts of these projects. Both students have thrived, learned, and contributed much to our body of scientific knowledge. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?One scientific paper has been published. More are in the offing. Details on these projects were presented to growers at the Great Plains Growers Conference (St. Joseph, MO, January 2019) and The Comprehensive Elderberry Workshop (Jefferson City, MO, June 2019) What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will work to complete and publish scientific papers from these studies. We will also continue to showcase the project results to appropriate audiences of elderberry growers, processors, and consumers.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Project 1. The elderberry cyanide project has been completed, and results will greatly benefit the elderberry market chain. We have shown that cyanide is of little or no concern in elderberry. A major manuscript is in final preparation and should be published in 2020. Project 2. This project has also been largely completed. An M.S. student is compiling and analyzing two years' worth of field and laboratory data. The addition of a modest flower harvest in elderberry plantings appears to be exceptionally viable. In addition to the student's thesis, we anticipate two scientific papers being published from this project. Project 3. The field portion of this project has been completed. Laboratory analysis of field samples is underway. The plant resources (diverse elderberry germplasm collection) continue to be used for numerous ancillary projects.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: McGowan, Kelly G., Patrick L. Byers, Shibu Jose, Michael Gold, and Andrew L. Thomas. 2019. Flower Production and Effect of Flower Harvest on Berry Yields within Six American Elderberry Genotypes. Acta Horticulturae 1265:99-105.


Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences include the scientific community (colleagues), University Extension personnel for dissemination of new information, and elderberry producers, processors, andconsumers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In 2018, PI travelled to Hungary to visit and study European elderberry production, processing, and marketing. An M.S. student, Sam Sergent, has been engaged on one of the projects. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Several presentations have been made to producer / processor / consumer audiences. Two scientific papers presented at American Chemical Society regional meeting (Ames, Iowa), 2018. Presentation made to international audience at International Horticultural Congress, Istanbul, Turkey, 2018. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue the projects as described, write andpublish results as available, and continue to make presentations to appropriate audiences.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Project 1 is nearly completed with two scientific papers in preparation. Some follow-up work may continue in 2019. Project 2 is well underway. We have completed the second harvest season and will repeat harvest and massive data collection in 2019. Data analysis and laboratory analysis of fruit samples is underway. Project 3 is also well underway. The second season of field data has been completed. Fruit samples from 2017 harvest were sent to British Columbia Institute of Technology in 2018 for analysis. Fruit harvested in 2018 is being prepared for shipment in early 2019. Additional fruit samples from these harvests are being prepared for analysis at the University of Missouri Metabolomics Center.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2019 Citation: McGowan, Kelly G., Patrick L. Byers, Shibu Jose, Michael Gold, and Andrew L. Thomas. 2019 (in press). Flower Production and Effect of Flower Harvest on Berry Yields within Six American Elderberry Genotypes. Acta Horticulturae.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2019 Citation: Yang, Bo, Andrew L. Thomas, and C. Michael Greenlief. 2019 (in review). Comparative Proteomic Analysis Unveils Critical Pathways Underlying the Role of Nitrogen Fertilizer Treatment in American Elderberry. Proteomes.


Progress 11/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:The ultimate target audiences for this effort are elderberry producers, procers, marketers, and consumers. This involves established producers as well as those considering producing elderberries. Processors andmarketers are able to create superior products as more and better research-based information is obtained and shared. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?For Project 2, Kelly McGowan completed her M.S. degree (University of Missouri) on this project in 2017. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results were presented to elderberry stakeholders at two events: 1) Comprehensive Elderberry Workshop, June 1 - 3, 2017, Jefferson City, MO., approx110 attendees (internationsl in scope), and 2)Great Plains Growers Conference, January 11 - 13, 2018, St. Joseph, MO. Preliminary data andresults from Project 2 are being presented at the International Hortiultural Congress in Istanbul, Turkey, August 2018. A peer-reviewed journal procedings paper will be published in assocation with thatpresentation. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Work to finalize and interpret the results from the study, and prepare manuscript for publication. 2 & 3. Full-scale field trials will continue as planned, utilizing 2 disparate locations fro both studies.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. The initial project is nearly complete. We are conducting a few final lab analyses, andbeging to prepare a manuscript of resutls for publication. We hope to submit themanuscript for publication in 2018. 2. The first major harvest occurred in summer 2017. We now have lots of initial data to guide the duration of theproject. Several things learned during the 2017 effort will allow us to fine-tune experimental treatmentsand data collection in 2018 andbeyond. In 2018 and 2019, the project expands to a second significant site. 3. A major effort was expended during the growing season in 2017 on this project. Season-long field data were collected, and ripe fruit was harvested from all plots. Hundreds of fruit samples were prepared for lab analysis, and shipped to theBritish Columbia Institute of Technology in January 2018 for detailed laboratory analysis. The project is active and on-going through at least 2018.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Johnson, Mitch C., Matheus Dela Libera Tres, Andrew L. Thomas, George E. Rottinghaus, and C. Michael Greenlief. 2017. Discriminant Analyses of the Polyphenol Content of American Elderberry Juice from Multiple Environments Provide Genotype Fingerprint. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 65:4044-4050.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Warmund, Michele, Misha Kwasniewski, Janelle Elmore, Andrew Thomas, and Koushik Adhikari. 2016. Sensory Attributes of Juice from North American-Grown Elderberry Cultivars. HortScience 51(12):1561-1565.