Alternative Plant Material Research Articles

Dietary Taurine Improves The Growth Performance, Health Status and Liver Histopathology of Meagre (Argyrosomus Regius) Fed A Reduced Fish Meal Diet

Abstract Research has focused on alternative plant materials or additives that can be used instead of fish meal due to limited stocks and increased feed prices, although it is important for carnivorous fish species. Taurine is a functional amino acid supplemented to low fish meal diets to improve the growth performance of fish. In this study, eight experimental diets with 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% ratios of taurine supplemented (T0, T0.5, T1 and T2) high (HFM) and low fish meal (LFM) diets were prepared (defined as HFMT0, HFMT0.5, HFMT1, HFMT2, LFMT0, LFMT0.5, LFMT1 and LFMT2). The experiment was carried out in twenty-four 400 L rectangular fiberglass tanks conducted in a marine water system, and fish (initial mean weight of 23.5 g) were stocked in each tank. The nutrition trial was carried out for 90 days with three replicates. Meagre fed with the HFMT1 diet had a higher final mean weight (FMW) and specific growth rate (SGR) than fish fed with HFMT0 and all LFM diets. Including taurine in all LFM diets also enhanced growth performance. The FMW and SGR of fish fed the LFMT0.5 diet were similar when compared to HFMT0 (P>0.05) and increased compared to that of other LFM diets with taurine (P<0.05). Meagre fed the LFM0.5 diet had a lower feed conversion rate (FCR) than those provided for all HFM diets, although there was no significant difference between treatments. Dietary taurine has decreased the hepatosomatic index (HSI), viscerosomatic index (VSI) and total ammonia-nitrogen excretion (TAN), irrespective of taurine and fish meal levels. Including dietary taurine at both fish meal levels enhances the number of red blood cells (RBC) and whole-body amino acids of meagre. The most remarkable conclusion of this study is the inclusion of taurine in low fish meal diets improved growth performance and profitability in meagre, and the level of 0.5% has been recommended.

Ecoenzyme Potential as Biostimulant against Germination of Shallots of Seed Origin (TSS) (Allium ascalonicum L.)

Ecoenzymes are the result of fermentation of organic matter waste such as vegetable waste or abundant fruits such as citrus fruit peels, pineapple peels and banana peels. Some of the functions of ecoenzymes are as a solution for floor cleaning, disinfectants, vegetable and fruit cleaners, pest control, plant pathogen control, and plant fertilizers. True shallot Seed (TSS) is an alternative onion plant material in the form of seeds. The use of onion botanical seeds is one of the potential technology alternatives developed to obtain quality onion seeds. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of ecoenzyme application as a seed germination booster through seed soaking method using 3 (three) types of ecoenzyme liquid with a solution concentration of 5.0 ml / L water. The results showed that the application of ecoenzymes was able to increase the germination of TSS seeds compared to controls. Ecoenzymes from orange peels produce the highest percentage of germination compared to ecoenzymes from banana peels and pineapple peels.

The Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potential of Persian Indigenous Herbs as an Alternatives for Nitrate and Nitrite in the Preservation of Meat and Meat Products: An Overview

The consumption of animal products, including meat and meat products, has increased globally with increased household income. Spoilage by microbes, autolytic enzymes, and lipid oxidation can cause the deterioration of meat and meat products, which has a considerable economic and environmental impact. Meat curing, which includes the addition of salt, nitrite, and sometimes nitrate to fresh meat cuts, enables a preservative effect by removing moisture and reducing the water activity of the meat. Nitrates and nitrites have been traditionally used as curing agents in the production of cured meat products. Sodium and potassium nitrates and sodium and potassium nitrites are used in meat curing because they stabilize red meat color, inhibit some spoilage and food poisoning anaerobic microorganisms, delay the development of oxidative rancidity, and contribute to flavor development. The beneficial effects of adding nitrates and nitrites to meat products are the improvement of quality characteristics and microbiological safety. However, several studies have indicated that nitrates and nitrites intake should be limited owing to their potential carcinogenic effect on humans. Therefore, the consumer demand for natural or nitrate- and nitrite-free meat products remains high. There is a need to find alternative natural plant material that provides alternative antioxidant and antimicrobial activities since they are noncarcinogenic and reliable; they can substitute or reduce nitrates and nitrites with minimal or no quality compromise of sensory attributes and shelf-life. Hence in this overview, we focused on Persian indigenous herbs, their essential oil and extracts' chemical composition, and their relation to their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity to find out how the essential oils and extracts of the herbs can be applied to meat and meat as a natural substitute.

TaqMan Probes for Plant Species Identification and Quantification in Food and Feed Traceability.

In the last few years, the traceability and labeling of processed food and feeds have gained increasing importance due to the impact that mislabeling and product fraud may have on human/animal health or on the quality of final products, such as milk, cheese, and meat, as a consequence of animal dietary. The presence of contaminants or possible frauds due to the use of alternative plant materials in food and feeds can greatly impact the economy; therefore, they are becoming important targets for product certification by competent institutional services. This is especially relevant when complex matrixes are considered, in which the visual identification of the different components is quite difficult or even impossible. Despite the existence of mandatory traceability requirements for the analysis of feed/food composition addressed by European Community regulations, the labels do not always provide a sufficient guarantee about the ingredients and additive composition of those products. In this sense, the development of new methodologies that aim to assess the traceability of feed and food complex matrixes is crucial. In this chapter, a general protocol is presented for the establishment of quantitative real-time PCR-based techniques based on TaqMan assays applied to feed/food traceability, with a special focus on applications in the areas of food and feed security (e.g., for the detection of plant species involved in allergenic reactions), fraud detection (e.g., genetically modified organisms), and certification (e.g., protected denomination of origin).

Assessment of Bush Buck (Gongronema latifolia) as a Dietary Supplement on Haematological and Serum Biochemical Indices of Broiler Chickens

The high cost of conventional feed ingredients for livestock and competition between man and his animals, necessitate the need for alternative and under-utilized plant materials in poultry nutrition. However, in doing so, it is important to ensure that such plant materials are not deleterious to the animals. This research therefore examines the effect of bush buck (Gongronema latifolia) leaf extracts as dietary supplements on haematological and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens. Fresh leaves (6kg) of bush buck (Gongronema latifolia) were after rinsing with de-ionized water air-dried for ten (10) days under room temperature and were ground in a hammer mill to pass through 0.5mm sieve. It was thereafter dissolved in de-ionized warm water (40oC) at 1kg per 5 litres of water and was left to settle for 1 hour before decanting the supernatant. One hundred and ninety-two (192) broiler chicks, after brooding for two weeks were divided into six (6) dietary treatment groups of thirty two (32) birds each. Birds on dietary treatment 1, had no vitamin/mineral supplement in water, while dietary treatment 2 birds had supplemental commercial vitamin/mineral premix (vitalyte extra). Dietary treatments 3, 4, 5 and 6 had Gongronema latifolia leaf warm water extract in the following ratios; 25, 50, 75, and 100ml/litre of water respectively. The vitalyte extra was administered (5g/l) once a week while the birds had access to feed and water/GLLE ad libitum. On the last day of the experiment, blood samples were collected from the birds for haematological analysis. All the assayed parameters such as packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), heterophil (H), lymphocyte (L), monocyte (M), eosinophil (E), basophil (B), haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments. The analyzed serum biochemical indices such as total protein, albumin, globulin, creatinine, uric acid, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, sodium and potassium were generally better in the 25ml/l GLLE. Glucose was significantly reduced in the vitalyte treatment while total cholesterol, high and low density lipoprotein were least in the 50ml/l GLLE treatment. In conclusion, the results above revealed that the Gongronema latifolia leaf warm (40oC) water extract of 50ml/l was safer and supported better health and wellbeing of the broiler chickens. This shows that Gongronema latifolia leaf warm (40oC) water extract could be used to wholly replace the conventional vitamins and minerals (vitalyte extra) in broiler diets without any adverse effect on growth and health performance of the birds.

Antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of dichloromethane fraction of extracts from adventitious roots of Eurycoma longifolia against Staphylococcus aureus

Adventitious root (AR) cultures of Eurycoma longifolia are the alternative plant materials. However, the biological effects of the ARs are rarely investigated, leading to a delay in their practical application. In this study, antibacterial activities of sub-fractions of E. longifolia ARs extracted by different organic solvents were examined. Furthermore, antibacterial mechanism and antibiofilm effect of the dichloromethane fraction (DCM) against Staphylococcus aureus were explored. Results showed that petroleum ether, DCM, ethyl acetate, and n-butyl alcohol fractions inhibited growth of the tested bacterial species, and the highest inhibitory effect was observed in DCM against S. aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.25 mg/mL. DCM promoted the leakage of cell contents of S. aureus, indicating cell permeability increased. After DCM treatment, S. aureus respiration was inhibited, and the activity of a key enzyme in hexose monophophate pathway (HMP) decreased, suggesting an involvement of DCM in regulating the HMP. DCM possessed the ability of scavenging S. aureus biofilm; nearly 50% biofilm was scavenged at 0.5 mg/mL DCM, at which the extracellular polysaccharides and proteins of the biofilm structure were reduced. The findings of this study indicate that DCM can be expected to be used in the production of food or pharmaceutical products.

Historical and Current Perspective of Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) Cultivation in South Korea

We review edible mushrooms in South Korea, primarily focused on oyster mushroom (OM) (Pleurotus ostreatus), which shows the highest production among the mushrooms grown for industrial purposes, and it takes up almost 32% of the total production. We aimed to describe their historical uses, common cultivars, and specific characteristics that make them one of the most viable food sources or functional materials. About 15,000 mushroom varieties are known, and 2,000 varieties are possible as human food. Generally, OM has long been studied the most widely as an edible mushroom compared to the other mushrooms in South Korea. Recently, there has been a growing interest in food mushrooms as the production of O.M. is characterized by low greenhouse gas emissions compared to animal breeding in South Korea. Also, OM is often highlighted as nutritious side dishes to serve with rice. Thus, facilitating O.M. production and consumption could contribute to human health and environmental conservation in the near future. Over the years 2015–2020, Pleurotus sajor (PS) export increased by 189.9% (US$ 130,000) compared to 2010-2015. The O.M. cultivation tends to increase rapidly in developing countries for human food and compost or insect foods after cultivation, for example, internal use of culture media or sawdust dump of willow growing environmental conditions.
 In South Korea, mushroom research has started in the 1960s by the horticultural research center of Rural Development of Administration. In the early 1970s, OM cultivation methods using paddy straw were first developed globally. In 1974, NONGGI-2-1-ho cultivar was developed. In 1976, various practices for water management, disinfection, and fermentation were developed, resulting in substantial yield increases. From 1986, labor-saving paddy straw binders, cutting machines, disinfection boilers, wager suppliers were produced and started being supplied to the farmers. In the 1980s, cotton waste was used as a substrate for cultivation of OM, where water content was identified as the dominant controlling factor for yields. Cotton waste is the best substrate material for summer OM. After using cotton waste, it is commonly replaced with paddy straw. Recently, growers use poplar sawdust, oak sawdust, and rice bran mixed at a ratio of 40:40:20 (v/v/v) instead of cotton waste. When adjusting the nutrients of a medium, the nitrogen content is the crucial factor in determining the yield of OM. There is an additional attempt to add functionality by using alternative plant materials, such as Hovenia dulcis known for liver protection and anti-cancer effects, as well as Acer tegmeutosum and Rhus verniciflura. Further research is in progress to search for and new medium materials effective for OM cultivation.

PALYNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON SOME SELECTED BEE FORAGE PLANTS OF FAMILY FABACEAE USING LIGHT AND SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY FROM HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA

The study aimed to investigate and describe the pollen morphology of six nectariferous and polleniferous members of family fabaceae by using light and scanning electron microscope. Pollen grains of Albizia lebbeck, Bauhinia variegata, Caesalpinia decalpetala, Cassia fistula, Dalbergia sissoo and Robinia pseudoacacia were examined for the morphological characterization. The pollen grains were analysed in terms of aggregation, shape, shape class, size, aperture, polarity, symmetry, surface pattern and exine complexity. All the pollen had solitary grains, except Albizzia lebbeck having compound grains. The shape of pollen grains varies from circular-ovoid in Albizia lebbeck, triangular in Bauhinia variegata, oval in Caesalpinia decapetala, oval / round in Cassia fistula and triangular/round in Dalbergia sissoo and triangular/elongated oval Robinia pseudoacacia. The pollens were either prolate-spheroidal or oblate spheroidal. The size of pollen grains studied ranged from small, medium to large sized among different members of family fabaceae. Most of pollens observed were tricolporate, except pollens of Dalbergia sissoo which were tricolpate and triporate. Exine ornamentation include psilate/faveolate in Albizzia lebbeck, psilate in Dalbergia sissoo and Robinia pseudoacacia, straite –reticulate in Bauhinia variegata, reticulate-rugulate in Cassia fistula and Caesalpinia decapetala. All the pollens observed were isopolar and radially symmetrical. The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge of the aspects related to the variability and to characterize the pollen morphology of some members of family fabaceae and to evaluate the utility of pollen features in order to develop an additional alternative plant material identification tool. Moreover, such studies can be of utmost important to students, researchers, and beekeeping industry, horticulture and forest departments.

Application of potassium nitrate to increase flower and seeds formation on different shallots varieties

The use of True Shallot Seeds (TSS) as an alternative planting material to produce quality shallots (Allium cepa L.), is constrained by the low formed of flowers and seeds. This study investigates the effect of potassium nitrate (KNO3) concentration on the flower and seeds formation of three shallots cultivars, and was conducted from September 2019 to January 2020 in District of West Sinjai, Sinjai Regency, South Sulawesi, at 1250 m above sea level. The experiments was set up as split plots design and provided with 3 replications. The main plot was shallots varieties (Sanren, Superpilip, and Tajuk) and the subplot was PN dosage (0, 7, 9, and 11 g per plant). Experimental results revealed that interaction of PN and shallots varieties gave a significant effect onthe average number of flower buds, number of filled flower capsules, and seeds weight. Application of 11 g PN on Superpilip varieties was able to produce the highest average number of flower buds (63), number of filled flower capsules (66.62), and seed weight (4.4 grams). This finding concludes that application of 11 g potassium nitrate per plantinduce flowering and increase seeds production of shallots, however the results will vary depend on the varieties.

Screening of Bioactive Metabolites and Biological Activities of Calli, Shoots, and Seedlings of Mertensia maritima (L.) Gray.

Mertensia maritima (L.) Gray is threatened with extinction owing to climate change, poor seed germination, and ocean warming. In vitro explant-culture is used for ex situ preservation and plantlet massive production. In vitro cell and organ cultures serve as an alternative plant material source to investigate the biological activities and phytochemical profiles of rare plants. We aimed to develop an efficient callus and shoot production protocol and investigate bioactive metabolites, antioxidants, and enzyme inhibitory potential of M. maritima calli, shoots, and in vivo seedlings. The effects of combinations of different plant growth regulators, 6-BA (N6-benzyladenine), 6-KN (Kinetin), TDZ (Thidiazuron), and NAA (1-Naphthylacetic acid), in MS (Murashige and Skoog) nutrient medium were studied. The highest callus proliferation was obtained after 5-week cultivation over a 16-h photoperiod on growth medium MS enriched with 4 µM each of 6-BA and NAA. The medium with 2 µM 6-BA and 4 µM 6-KN had the best shoot induction rate (91.1%) with a mean of 13.4 shoots. The combination of two cytokinins (6-BA and 6-KN) was found to be effective in M. maritima shoot regeneration. The rooting frequency was 100% in ½ MS with Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA 2 µM). The number of detected compounds and chemical composition in the M. maritima shoots and seedlings extracts were similar. The total amount of phenolics in the shoots was 216.4% and 369.5% higher than in seedlings and calli, respectively. The total amount of flavonoids in the shoots was 241.1% and 429.3% higher than in seedlings and calli, respectively. The best antioxidant activity was obtained in the shoots, followed by seedlings and calli. However, the order was seedlings > calli > shoots regarding metal chelating ability. The strongest acetylcholinesterase inhibition properties were obtained in the calli, followed by seedlings and shoots. However, the tested samples can be ranked as seedlings > shoots > calli in butylcholinestrase inhibition assay. This study is the first report on the enzyme inhibitory effects of M. maritima extracts, providing valuable contributions to the scientific community.

Compound Feed Technology in Sturgeon Fish Aquiculture

The modern fish processing industry of the Russian Federation sets the task of increasing the efficiency of the use and development of the resource potential of the fishery complex by means of aquaculture and mariculture development, including sturgeon fish breeding. In this case, complex processing through the rational use of by-products of fish and hydrobiont. In Russia, China, the EU and other countries, most fish processing enterprises do not rationally use by-products of fish cutting, which leads to violation of environmental safety (waste deposits are littered with waste from the fishing industry). The article discusses the prospects of using alternative plant materials in the diet of sturgeon fish, presents the recipes for full extruded compound feed for this group of organisms, the quality indicators of compound feed for sturgeon. A comprehensive assessment of the quality of compound feed products was obtained according to the physicochemical and structural indicators of compound feed. The optimal terms and conditions of storage of the obtained feed were found. Based on the performed tests, it was concluded that it is advisable to use raw materials of plant origin in the composition of compound feed, which contributes to the growth of the live weight of fish, leads to the replacement of the costly components of the compound feed with cheaper raw materials of plant origin, provided that the nutritional value is not reduced, and the period and conditions of storage meet the existing requirements.

Adventitious root cultures of Oplopanax elatus inhibit LPS-induced inflammation via suppressing MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Bioreactor-cultured adventitious roots (ARs) of the endangered medicinal plant Oplopanax elatus Nakai is a novel alternative plant material. To utilize ARs in the product production, the present study investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of O. elatus ARs. In the in vivo experiment, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury disease model was established and several inflammatory indexes were determined. For the LPS-stimulated mice, after pretreatment of AR crude extract (200mg/kg), cell infiltration in lungs was decreased, the production of proinflammatory mediators, including nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6, and 1β in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was evidently reduced, which indicated that O. elatus ARs had an anti-inflammatory effect. In the in vitro experiment, ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fractions (12.5, 25, and 50μg/mL) were used to treat LPS-induced peritoneal macrophages (PMs) of mice. The production of NO, prostaglandin E2, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in LPS-stimulated PMs was obviously inhibited (p < 0.05) after pretreatment with EtOAc fractions, and the expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase were also suppressed. To clarify the anti-inflammatory mechanism, effects of EtOAc fraction on changes of proteins related to the pathways of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) were investigated. The phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein kinases, c-jun n-terminal kinase, and p38 MAPK in LPS-induced PMs was inhibited after pretreatment of EtOAc fractions. In addition, EtOAc fractions enhanced inhibitor of nuclear factor-kappa B-α expression and decreased nuclear translocation of p65 NF-κB. Thus, EtOAc from O. elatus ARs is involved in regulating MAKP and NF-κB signaling pathways to inhibit LPS-induced inflammation.

Optimization of culture medium components and culture period for production of adventitious roots of Echinacea pallida (Nutt.) Nutt

To optimize the culture medium for adventitious root (AR) culture of Echinacea pallida, the nitrogen, phosphorus, and sucrose with their different concentrations were combined by using the uniform design method in AR suspension culture. The maximum AR dry weight (5.2 g L−1), phenolic (57.3 mg g−1), and flavonoid (40.8 mg g−1) contents were determined when AR culture medium of the three-quarter strength Murashige and Skoog medium contained 45 mM nitrogen and 1.56 mM phosphorus and was supplemented with 50 g L−1 sucrose and 1 mg L−1 indole-3-butyric acid. Productivities of phenolics and flavonoids of ARs reached 297.9 and 211.9 mg L−1, respectively. The optimized culture medium was used in the AR bioreactor culture. The kinetic study was conducted to select a suitable culture period. When ARs were cultured in a 5-L air-lift bioreactor for 30 days, the accumulation of AR biomass (76.1 g L−1 fresh weight and 7.5 g L−1 dry weight) and bioactive compounds (53.5 mg g−1 phenolics and 37.6 mg g−1 flavonoids) reached the maximum values, and the productivities of phenolics and flavonoids were 398.7 and 280.4 mg L−1, respectively. The bioreactor-cultured AR extracts at 0.8–1.4 mg L−1 inhibited tyrosinase activity, revealing that E. pallida ARs can potentially block melanin formation. Thus, E. pallida ARs has a feasible alternative plant material to be used in the industrial production of whitening cosmetic products.

Reproductive phenology of tea (&lt;i&gt;Camellia sinensis&lt;/i&gt; (L.) O. Kuntze) cultivars in Sri Lanka

Reproductive phenological attributes of the tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) plant have not been paid adequate attention until recently as the plant is being maintained continuously in the vegetative phase for commercial harvesting. However, with the introduction of improved seeds as an alternative planting material to adapt climate change scenarios and with recent advances of controlled hybridization, extensive studies on those aspects become a necessity. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the reproductive phenology of ten selected parental cultivars from a representative sample of three tea seed gardens; Salawa, Rembukkanda and Reucastle. Reproductive phenophases were visually rated on a non- parametric scale (0-5) monthly, for a period of 3 consecutive years. Ratings were subsequently converted into an index which represented both synchrony and intensity of phenophases. Study identified the periodicity, synchrony and intensity of reproductive phenophases in relation to the rainfall pattern of the area. Major flowering period was from September to December and major fruiting period was from April to August. The values of indices reflected significant variations of the phenological behavior among the different parental cultivars. The profuse fruit setters and profuse flower setters among the parental cultivars have been identified through the study. The information would be utilized as a base material in selecting suitable parental combinations for future gardens to ensure optimum productivity. Based on the overall results, phenological calendar and phenograms were constructed to facilitate the garden management and seed collection. The information generated could be utilized in controlled hybridization programmes to select candidate parents and to decide the timelines.

PERFORMANCE OF POTATOES GROWN FROM TRUE SEED UNDER DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IN WEST JAVA

True potato seed (TPS) has been considered as an alternative planting material of seed tuber in potato production, especially in developing countries where good quality of seed tuber at reasonable price is difficult to obtain. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of environment and genotype on potatoes grown from TPS in contrasting seasons and sites in West Java, Indonesia over a period of two years (September 1990-October 1992). Different method of establishing the potato crop from TPS were tested and compared with ev. Granola established from seed tubers. Data were interpreted in terms of relationships between total and tuber dry matter yield and intercepted radiation (IR). The growth and yield of potatoes grown from TPS were generally better at higher rather than lower altitudes, probably related to the lower temperatures which was reflected in an increase in IR and in the efficiency of conversion of IR into total and tuber dry matter. In the highland, seedling transplants and seedling tubers were both suitable for establishing crops from TPS in the wet season, but not in the dry season. All progenies, in general performed well at the highland especially the medium-late maturing progenies such as HPS 7/13. Atlantic x LT-7 initiated tubers and matured more rapidly than the other progenies and performed well at the lower altitudes. Atzimba x DTO-28 had a more gradual decline in ground cover and was more resistant to late blight than other early-medium maturing progenies. The medium-late maturing progeny. Atzimba x R-128.6 matured later and performed poorly at the lower altitudes.

Kinsenoside and polysaccharide production by rhizome culture of Anoectochilus roxburghii in continuous immersion bioreactor systems

Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall) Lindl. (Orchidaceae) is a precious raw material for medicine. However, the wild resource of A. roxburghii has been endangered, and artificial cultivation results in low yields. To provide rhizomes of A. roxburghii as alternative plant materials, the present study used continuous immersion bioreactor systems to investigate several factors affecting rhizome biomass and bioactive compound accumulation. The bioreactor with a net at the bottom of the sphere in the bioreactor was suitable for production of rhizomes. The rhizome biomass and kinsenoside and polysaccharide accumulation peaked at 30 days of the bioreactor culture. Thus, 30 days was the appropriate culture period. Maximum rhizome biomass and kinsenoside and polysaccharide accumulation were determined when a bioreactor was inoculated with 12.5 g L− 1 (fresh weight) of rhizomes, aerated at 500 mL min− 1, and maintained under 45 µmol m− 2 s− 1 light intensity. This process resulted in the production of 2980.5 mg L− 1 of kinsenoside and 5672.9 mg L−1 of polysaccharides.

Economically Viable Fungal Production by Using Alternative Plant Material for the Removal of Heavy Metal

Economically Viable Fungal Production by Using Alternative Plant Material for the Removal of Heavy Metal

Chemical, rheological and bread characteristics of wheat flour influenced by different forms of chia (Salvia hispanica L.)

Chia flour from white and brown seeds were tested in dry and hydrated form. In flour composites, ash and protein content was verifiably increased by both chia types (up to about 2%). Non-starch polysaccharides content also increased, as the sucrose SRC confirmed. Protein technological quality was affected by alternative plant materials, measured as Zeleny value diminishing. Water suspension viscosity and dough elasticity increased during amylograph and extensigraph tests. For composites including hydrated chia form, somewhat higher elasticity was determined; the change was positively reflected in baking test results (bread volume increased about 20% at least). Bread crumb morphology changed gradually, determined by deeper penetration rate. Higher elasticity of dough containing hydrated chia form limited small pores coalescence into larger ones, resulting into firmer crumb compared to bread with dry chia flour. That was verified by soft diminishing of mean pores area and reversely by increase in pores density within order of samples wheat bread – dry chia flour bread – hydrated chia flour bread. Pore sizes distribution was varied, too – by chia flour, counts of small and large pores (area smaller than 1.5 mm2 and larger than 4.2 mm2, respectively) were magnified approximately twice and lowered to ca half, respectively.

Effects of cotton cultivars differing in gossypol content on the quality of Aphis gossypii as prey for two species of Coccinellidae

Plants can have detrimental effects on biological control agents by affecting their prey or host quality. Thus, it is important to understand the tri-trophic interactions between plants, herbivores and natural enemies when implementing biological control programmes. Studies have shown that both morphological and chemical traits of host plants can affect the third trophic level. Cotton plants are known to produce alkaloids such as gossypol, a sesquiterpene aldehyde that can confer resistance against herbivorous arthropods. Nevertheless, little is known about the effect of gossypol on biological control agents. In this study, we investigated how three cotton cultivars (BRS Rubi, BRS Safira and BRS Verde) differing in gossypol content affect development and growth of predatory coccinellids, Eriopis connexa and Harmonia axyridis, feeding on the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii reared on those cultivars. The results show that the cultivar BRS Rubi (highest gossypol content) had a sub-lethal effect on the development and growth of both Coccinellidae species compared with the other cultivars. Overall, the cultivar BRS Rubi reduced slightly fecundity, net reproductive rate and intrinsic rate of natural increase for both Coccinellidae species. However, because aphid populations stay short periods of time in the field, and adult coccinellids may supplement its diet with alternative prey and plant material this sub-lethal indirect effect of gossypol may not have a detrimental effect on field biological control of cotton aphid by either E. connexa or H. axyridis, thus suggesting a compatibility between plant resistance and biological control agents.

Hydrothermal Assessment of Temporal Variability in Seedbed Microclimate

The microclimatic requirements for successful seedling establishment are much more restrictive than those required for adult plant survival. The purpose of the current study was to use hydrothermal germination models and a soil energy and water flux model to evaluate intra- and interannual variability in seedbed microclimate relative to potential germination response of six perennial grasses and cheatgrass. We used a 44-yr weather record to parameterize a seedbed microclimate model for estimation of hourly temperature and moisture at seeding depth for a sandy loam soil type at the Orchard Field Test Site in southwestern Ada County, Idaho. Hydrothermal germination response was measured in the laboratory for two seed lots of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), four seed lots of bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata [Pursh] Löve), three seed lots of bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides [Raf] Swezey), and one seed lot each of Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda J. Presl.), big squirreltail (Elymus multisetus [J.G. Smith] M.E. Jones), thickspike wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus [Scribn. And J.G. Smith] Gould) and Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis Elmer). Germination response models were developed to estimate potential germination rate for 13 subpopulations of each seed lot for every hour of the 44-yr simulation. Seedbed microclimate was assessed seasonally and for each day, month, and year, and germination rate-sum estimates integrated for a numerical index of relative site favorability for germination for each time period. The rate-sum favorability index showed a consistent pattern among seed lots for different years, and provides a relatively sensitive indicator of annual and seasonal variability in seedbed microclimate. This index could be used with field data to define minimum weather thresholds for successful establishment of alternative plant materials, in conjunction with weather forecast models for making restoration and fire-rehabilitation management decisions in the fall season, for evaluation of potential climate-change impacts on plant community trajectories, and in optimization schemes for selecting among alternative restoration/rehabilitation management scenarios.