Alternative Nutrient Sources Research Articles

Potential of Raw and Processed Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) as Alternative Nutrient Sources in Ruminant Feed Production in Malaysia

Potential of Raw and Processed Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) as Alternative Nutrient Sources in Ruminant Feed Production in Malaysia

Independent or Combinational Application of Sheep Manure and Litter from Indigenous Field Vegetation of Quercus sp. Influences Nutrient Uptake, Photosynthesis, Intrinsic Water Use Efficiency, and Foliar Sugar Concentrations in Olive Plants (Olea europaea L., cv. “Koroneiki”)

The recent energy crisis has increased the cost of fertilization for olive growers. This is why alternative nutrient sources, such as manures and other organic materials, could be used to sustain olive production within the framework of sustainable agriculture, by decreasing chemical fertilization inputs. A greenhouse pot experiment was established with a marl soil substrate that was modified with three amendments (sheep manure, or SM; litter from evergreen broadleaf species, or EBLS, such as Quercus sp.; their combination, i.e., SM + EBLS) and a control soil (no application of amendments) to investigate their influence on the nutrition, physiology, and leaf sugar concentrations of olive plants. Plant growth was not significantly affected by the amendments, while the lowest leaf N, K, and Zn concentrations were determined in the control soil. Significantly higher photosynthetic rate was determined in the SM + EBLS, compared to SM. Significantly higher intercellular CO2 was found in the EBLS and SM + EBLS, while significantly higher intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi) was found in the SM + EBLS and the control. Significantly higher translocated sugar content was recorded in the SM + EBLS compared to the control. Overall, it was concluded that the optimum treatment was SM + EBLS, i.e., the combinational application of SM and EBLS. However, multi-year research under field conditions is necessary to draw more stable conclusions about the beneficial role of organic amendments on the nutrition and physiology of olive trees.

Saccharina Latissima, Candy-Factory Waste, and Digestate from Full-Scale Biogas Plant as Alternative Carbohydrate and Nutrient Sources for Lactic Acid Production

Saccharina Latissima, Candy-Factory Waste, and Digestate from Full-Scale Biogas Plant as Alternative Carbohydrate and Nutrient Sources for Lactic Acid Production

Molecular Characterization, Optimization and Production of PHA by Indigenous Bacteria Using Alternative Nutrient Sources as Substrate

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are renewable, biodegradable biopolymer intracellularly accumulated by wide array of microorganisms as carbon reserve. This study investigates the influence of various cultural conditions on PHA production by a recently isolated local species under submerged fermentation. Six PHA producing strains were identified by 16S rDNA gene sequencing and strain Priestia flexa OWO1 showed satisfactory PHA productivity. The effects of production parameters were investigated and extraction of PHA was carried out using sodium hypochlorite method and maximum amount was detected after 72h. Maximum PHA production was obtained at incubation period of 48h, pH of 7.0 and temperature of 30oC. Amongst the hydrolysate of agro waste used, brewers spent grain (BSG) gave maximum yield of 3.01g/L while beans bran powder gave the highest PHA yields of 3.9 g/L amongst the organic nitrogen sources tested. Analysis of the crude PHA by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) showed the presence of methyl, methylene as well as carbonyl functional groups. PHA production was higher after optimizing the production conditions as compared to basal medium therefore the utilization of these cheap renewable resources as alternative substrates for production of PHA make the process cost effective and sustainable.

Environmental effects of harvesting some Mexican wild edible insects: An overview

Most traditional edible insects are collected from the forest and agricultural fields, where they are considered pests. However, their importance goes beyond this. They also have an ecological role and potential to be an emerging alternative source of high-quality nutrients that can help satisfy the growing food demand for the human population. Agricultural insect pests are a healthy food source during the harvesting season in many tropical countries. In Mexico, wild insects such as chicatana (queen of flying leaf-cutter ant, Atta mexicana Smith, 1,858; Hymenoptera: Formicidae), chapulín (grasshopper, Pyrgomorphidae), chinicuil (agave red worm, Comadia redtenbacheri Hammerschmidt, 1,848: Lepidoptera, Cossidae), and meocuil (agave white worm, Aegiale hesperiaris Walker 1,856, Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) are seasonally collected from the agricultural land and forest for food and medicine. Thus, their consumption might be regarded as support for biological plague control. However, in most countries (Mexico included), there is a lack of legislation about edible insects from harvesting to sacrifice and even their main safety aspects. So then, this research aims to provide an updated assessment of the potential use of agricultural pest insects as a sustainable alternative for food, considering current international legislative and ethical concerns about harvesting and consuming wild edible insects, focusing on some of the wild edible pest insects in Mexico.

Prey composition and correlation between morphometry and prey biomass weight of the endemic Nepenthes bicalcarata in Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract. Setiawan H, Hakim L, Fernandes AAR, Retnaningdyah C. 2022. Prey composition and correlation between morphometry and prey biomass weight of the endemic Nepenthes bicalcarata in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 5453-5460. Nepenthes bicalcarata Hook.f. is an endemic plant of the north-western part of Borneo, which is threatened by the conversion of its habitat. The understanding of the ecology of N. bicalcarata in regard to its prey is limited. This research aims to analyze the prey composition of N. bicalcarata and to investigate the correlation between pitcher morphometry and prey biomass weight. This research was done from November 2021 to March 2022 in a peat swamp primary forest in Sintang District, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. We used a quantitative descriptive approach and exploration method to gather data from N. bicalcarata in-situ habitat. The morphometry data of N. bicalcarata pitchers were collected in the field while the biomass trapped in N. bicalcarata pitcher liquid was sampled with a plastic bag and preserved with 70% of alcohol. Seven upper pitchers and 39 lower pitchers were recorded in this research. The composition of N. bicalcarata preys was dominated by Formicidae family including C. schmitzi, Polyrhachis sp. and Crematogaster sp.. Besides that, there were also mosquito larvae, ladybugs larvae, Ceratopogonidae larvae and some unidentified flying arthropods as the prey of N. bicalcarata. We found the plant’s parts in the lower pitchers of N. bicalcarata in the peat swamp forest, suggesting a possible mechanism of this plant to extract plant’s parts as alternative nutrient sources, yet this needs further research and intensive field observation. The correlation between pitcher volume and prey biomass weight was significant with P-value =0.00 (<0.01) and regression is formulated as Y (prey weight) = -0.1727 + 0.0039X (pitcher volume). This means that any increase in N. bicalcarata’s pitcher volume will increase the weight of the biomass linearly.

Prey composition and correlation between morphometry and prey biomass weight of the endemic Nepenthes bicalcarata in Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract. Setiawan H, Hakim L, Fernandes AAR, Retnaningdyah C. 2022. Prey composition and correlation between morphometry and prey biomass weight of the endemic Nepenthes bicalcarata in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 5453-5460. Nepenthes bicalcarata Hook.f. is an endemic plant of the north-western part of Borneo, which is threatened by the conversion of its habitat. The understanding of the ecology of N. bicalcarata in regard to its prey is limited. This research aims to analyze the prey composition of N. bicalcarata and to investigate the correlation between pitcher morphometry and prey biomass weight. This research was done from November 2021 to March 2022 in a peat swamp primary forest in Sintang District, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. We used a quantitative descriptive approach and exploration method to gather data from N. bicalcarata in-situ habitat. The morphometry data of N. bicalcarata pitchers were collected in the field while the biomass trapped in N. bicalcarata pitcher liquid was sampled with a plastic bag and preserved with 70% of alcohol. Seven upper pitchers and 39 lower pitchers were recorded in this research. The composition of N. bicalcarata preys was dominated by Formicidae family including C. schmitzi, Polyrhachis sp. and Crematogaster sp.. Besides that, there were also mosquito larvae, ladybugs larvae, Ceratopogonidae larvae and some unidentified flying arthropods as the prey of N. bicalcarata. We found the plant’s parts in the lower pitchers of N. bicalcarata in the peat swamp forest, suggesting a possible mechanism of this plant to extract plant’s parts as alternative nutrient sources, yet this needs further research and intensive field observation. The correlation between pitcher volume and prey biomass weight was significant with P-value =0.00 (<0.01) and regression is formulated as Y (prey weight) = -0.1727 + 0.0039X (pitcher volume). This means that any increase in N. bicalcarata’s pitcher volume will increase the weight of the biomass linearly.

Interference of Glucose Bioavailability of Tumor by Engineered Biohybrids for Potentiating Targeting and Uptake of Antitumor Nanodrugs.

The chemotherapy efficacy of nanodrugs is restricted by poor tumor targeting and uptake. Here, an engineered biohybrid living material (designated as EcN@HPB) is constructed by integrating paclitaxel and BAY-876 bound human serum albumin nanodrugs (HPB) with Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN). Due to the inherent tumor tropism of EcN, EcN@HPB could actively target the tumor site and competitively deprive glucose through bacterial respiration. Thus, albumin would be used as an alternative nutrient source for tumor metabolism, which significantly promotes the internalization of HPB by tumor cells. Subsequently, BAY-876 internalized along with HPB nanodrugs would further depress glucose uptake of tumor cells via inhibiting glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). Together, the decline of glucose bioavailability of tumor cells would activate and promote the macropinocytosis in an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-dependent manner, resulting in more uptake of HPB by tumor cells and boosting the therapeutic outcome of paclitaxel.

Silkmoth pupae: potential and less exploited alternative source of nutrients and natural antioxidants

Increasing global populations and decreasing sources of nutrients to feed them, has necessitated the drive for alternative and more sustainable sources of nutrients. Such alternatives should contribute to meet the demand for food and minimise negative effects on the environment. Edible insects, which have been traditionally part of human diets, stand out as the most probable and sustainable alternative. Silkmoth pupae, by-products of the sericulture sector are among the traditional foods consumed in Asia. In this study we determined the nutritional composition, phytochemical contents, and antioxidant activities of freeze-dried pupae from 2 domesticated and 3 wild silkmoth species. Our results showed that both Bombyx mori L. and Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval pupae had the highest amounts of proteins, 78.9 and 76.0 mg bovine serum albumin equivalents /g, respectively. Significantly high amounts of lipids (26.7%) were observed in B. mori pupae. Domesticated silkworm species recorded significantly high amounts of protein compared to the wild species. In addition, all silkmoth pupae had substantial amounts of phytochemicals that varied significantly between the studied species. We further demonstrated that all pupae samples exhibited antioxidant activities for both 50% methanolic and 100% hexane extracts, at very low concentrations of 2.5 and 30 mg/ml, respectively, with Anaphe panda pupae samples recording the highest activities. The multivariate analysis confirmed significant differences in the chemical composition of silkmoth pupae between species and type of diet they consume. Therefore, our findings suggest that the studied silkmoth pupae are rich alternative source of nutrients and natural antioxidants.

Improving the Tolerance to Salinity Stress in Lettuce Plants (Lactuca sativa L.) Using Exogenous Application of Salicylic Acid, Yeast, and Zeolite.

Salinity is among the most limiting factors of crop production worldwide. This study aims to investigate the influence of the exogenous application of zeolite, yeast, and salicylic acid in alleviating the negative effect of salt stress under field conditions. Lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Batavia) were tested in a split-plot arrangement replicated three times. The salt stress was applied as a whole-plot factor in the concentrations (0 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM, and 150 mM NaCl). After 28 days of sowing, the plants were sprayed twice during the foliage growth with (control, salicylic acid 0.02%, yeast extract 3%, and zeolite 0.5%) as a split-plot factor. The length of roots and shoots, the number and area of leaves, and the biomass accumulation (dry and fresh weights) were measured 50 days after sowing. The concentrations of total soluble sugars, proline, Chlorophylls a and b in leaves have also been quantified. Salt stress significantly reduced the growth and the total chlorophyll of the lettuce plants (p < 0.05) and increased their proline and sugar contents’. Zeolite application improved the growth of lettuce at 0 and 50 mM NaCl, but at the highest salinity level only the number of leaves was improved by 15%. At a mild salinity stress, the application of salicylic acid has significantly (p < 0.05) increased the root length, height of plant, chlorophyll, and proline contents. Regarding the high stress levels (100 and 150 mM NaCl), yeast application showed the best tolerance to salinity stress by improving significantly most of the growth parameters (p < 0.05) but with lower proline, sugar, and chlorophyll contents. In general, foliar spray of yeast extract may offer a good alternative source of nutrients through leaves, leading to a better tolerance of the high salt stress exerted on roots.

Evaluation of proximate composition and biological activities of sompoi (Acacia concinna) leaves in Thailand.

Acacia concinna leaves are beneficial as medicinal for treating many symptoms and vegetable plants in Thai cuisine. The objective of the study was to analyze proximate compositions and micronutrients value, as well as, to evaluate biological activities including, antioxidant and anticancer activities of A. concinna leaves in Thailand. Proximate composition and micronutrients value were determined relative to the Association of Official Analytical Chemists standard methodology. Antioxidant capacity was examined following oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Anticancer activity was determined following resazurin microplate assay. Proximate composition of A. concinna leaves including crude protein and dietary fiber constituted 6.73 ± 0.03 g and 9.15 ± 0.03 g/100 g sample. Energy constituted 113.00 ± 3.61 kcal/100 g sample. Its leaves also had the highest micronutrients value on calcium, with constituted 321.38 ± 4.29 mg/100 g sample. A. concinna leaves hold antioxidant capacity with ORAC and FRAP values of 20407.55 ± 74.23 μmoles and 1016.38 ± 29.29 μmoles TE/100 g sample, respectively. Its ethanolic extract holds slightly anticancer effect against tested cancerous cell lines. A. concinna can be a healthy alternative source of nutrients with good antioxidant capacity and slightly anticancer properties.

PSIII-9 Hempseed Meal as an Effective Protein Supplement for Finishing Wethers

Abstract As our global agriculture landscape continues to change it has become more important than ever to find sustainable alternatives to feed livestock. Hempseed and its derivatives may provide alternative sources of nutrients for inclusion in livestock diets, however, due to the paucity of research on hemp and its byproducts, there is no authorization of the inclusion of these products in food animal diets. We hypothesized that the digestibility and use of hempseed meal would be similar to other livestock protein sources. Forty Western White-Faced wethers were used in a completely randomized block design with 5 treatments. These treatments included diets formulated to be near isonitrogenous with 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20% of diet DM as hemp seed meal, primarily as a substitute for dried distillers grains with solubles. Wethers were fed the diets individually for 90 d, which was followed by a 5 d balance trial with a total collection of urine and feces. There were no differences in DM intake (P = 0.44) or average daily gain (P= .16) between treatments. There were no differences in DM digestibility (P = 0.86) or N digestibility (P = 0.29) between treatments, although there was a slight increase in P digestibility as hemp meal inclusion increased until it represented 15% of the dietary DM (P = 0.02). There were no differences in the digestibility of Ca (P=0.44), Mg (P = 0.10), K (P = 0.85), or Na (P = 0.54). There were no differences in urinary N excretion (P=0.33) or urinary urea excretion (P=0.34) between treatments. Additionally, blood chemistry constituents were also not affected by treatment (P ≥ 0.10). Based on these data, it is concluded that hemp seed meal is a comparable protein supplement for sheep with no identified deleterious effects.

Feeding strategy and dietary preference shape the microbiome of epipelagic copepods in a warm nutrient‐impoverished ecosystem

AbstractCopepods provide a rich organic microenvironment allowing the settlement and proliferation of microorganisms, forming dynamic microbial hotspots in the oceans. Such symbiotic associations in the plankton were previously hypothesized to be especially developed in warm oligotrophic seas, as they may serve as alternative sources of nutrients in biologically poor waters. Aiming to better understand how copepod microbiomes are shaped in an oligotrophic sea, we characterized microbiota associated with three dominant coastal epipelagic copepod species in the ultra‐oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean Sea using amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Our results show that copepod‐associated microbial communities were host‐specific rather than determined by seasonal environmental changes. In the filter‐feeding copepod with a tendency to herbivory, Temora stylifera, microbial diversity was low and relatively stable throughout the year. In contrast, omnivorous copepods, the ambush‐feeding Oithona nana, and the mixed‐feeding Centropages ponticus harbored more diverse microbiomes dominated by transient taxa. We suggest that filter‐feeding strategy and narrow food spectrum can limit copepod–microbe interactions, while the ambush and mixed feeding strategies combined with omnivory confer higher microbial diversity. Filter feeders may reduce the recruitment of opportunistic microbes by maintaining high fidelity associations, as indicated by the large number of core taxa in T. stylifera. We underline the importance of the copepod–microbe associations in nutrient‐impoverished ecosystems, based on predicted enrichment of nitrogen metabolism in the core microbiome, mostly during summer when the shallow coastal waters are nitrogen‐depleted.

Effect of foliar application of chitosan and urea on growth, yield and quality of palak (Beta vulgaris var. bengalensis L.) cv. All Green

Utilization of organic substances as fertilizer nutrient sources is now popularising due to over increasing risk of chemical fertilizers used in agriculture. The present field experiment was conducted at Department of Horticulture, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, U.P. (India) to assess the effect of chitosan, an alternative biological origin nutrient source and commercial urea on production of palak. The experiment was comprised of eight treatments namely Control- No fertilizer applied (T0), Recommended Dose of Fertilizer (RDF) @ 90:30:30 N P K kg/ha (T1), Chitosan @ 50 ppm (T2), @ 75 ppm (T3), @ 100 ppm (T4), @ 125 ppm (T5), @ 150 ppm (T6) and Urea @ 1% (T7) and was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The results showed that foliar application of chitosan and urea significantly influenced the growth, yield and quality of palak. The foliar application of chitosan @ 100 ppm (T4) showed significantly maximum vegetative growth, leaf yield along with better quality of leaves in terms of dry matter content, TSS and Vitamin C content. Urea @ 1% (T7) also showed close result compared to chitosan application. Hence, it will be beneficial to apply chitosan as liquid form @ 100 ppm for spinach beet under subtropical agro-climate condition of Lucknow for better growth, leaf yield and leaf quality.

Effect of Brown Algae (Fucus vesiculosus L.) on Humus and Chemical Properties of Soils of Different Type and Postgermination Growth of Cucumber Seedlings

The possibility of using brown algae in agriculture as an alternative source of nutrients is currentlyunder study and discussion. Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of F. vesiculosus on the agrochemical properties of four soil types: Retisol loamy sand soil, Retisolloam, Retisol clay, and Histosol. The F. vesiculosus waste was added to soil samples at a rate of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10 wt%. The brown algaewaste application significantly decreased soil acidity in the substrates of all soil types, with the larger increasesfor Retisol loamy sand and Retisol clay than for Retisol loam and Histosol. The application of F. vesiculosus waste products increased the C content in all soil types except Histosol. The N and P content in soil substrates were not significantly affected by algaewaste application regardless of soil type. This study showed that the effect of F. vesiculosus waste application varies depending on the soil type, with the strongest impact on Retisol clay and the lowest on Histosol.

Marine microalgae as sustainable feedstock for multi-product biorefineries

Marine microalgae accumulate numerous compounds with commercial value including carotenoids, proteins, biopolymers, and lipids, making them attractive feedstocks to produce diverse bioproducts including pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, animal feed, and biofuel. With the emerging concepts of “Blue Economy” and “Blue Biotechnology”, marine microalgae can be employed to achieve sustainability in numerous industries. Nonetheless, microalgae-based production processes are still not considered economically feasible owing to the high costs associated with cultivation and biomass processing. To mitigate the costs associated with the production process, the concept of marine microalgae-based biorefining has emerged where a single feedstock is employed to produce several distinct bioproducts, each with commercial value. Marine microalgae-based biorefineries could be made economically feasible by incorporating both high-value and low-value bio-compounds in the production line, whereas utilization of wastewater and flue gases as alternative nutrient sources for the cultivation can make the process more sustainable. Nonetheless, several challenges are associated with marine microalgae-based biorefinery, which necessitate the attention of future researchers to make this concept a reality. Hence, the present review provides a comprehensive discussion on the biorefinery of marine microalgae in view of producing diverse metabolites using a single feedstock while providing valuable insight into the directions of future research.

Comparative Approach on the Effects of Soil Amendments and Controlled-Release Fertilizer Application on the Growth, Nutrient Uptake, Physiological Performance and Fruit Quality of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Plants

Under the economic pressure from the increase of fertilizers’ prices due to the recent energy crisis, more efforts are needed to search for alternative and cheaper sources of nutrients for crops. The purpose of our study was to compare the effects of manure and inorganic amendments’ application to those derived from the application of a controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) on the growth, nutrition, physiology and fruit quality of pepper plants. For that reason, zeolite (ZEO) and vermiculite (VER) were applied either independently, or in combination between them, or with manure (MAN), in a pot experiment. Insignificant differences for plant growth among the treatments were recorded, while higher foliar N, Mg and Mn concentrations were determined in CRF. In contrast, a significantly higher K uptake was recorded in the ZEO and VER + ZEO treatments; the highest leaf P levels (0.47 and 0.44% D.W.) were recorded in the MAN + VER and ZEO treatments, respectively. The optimum photosynthetic II (PSII) performance was observed in the VER and in the MAN + ZEO (based on the performance index—PI) treatments. The highest stomata opening was found in the CRF treatment, while the photosynthetic rate of pepper plants showed its maximum values both in the CRF and VER treatments. Finally, fruit quality (as indicated by total soluble solids, total phenols and antioxidant activity—FRAP) was significantly influenced by treatment. In conclusion, significant differences in the growth, nutrition and physiological performance of pepper plants between soil amendments’ application (inorganic, such as zeolite and vermiculite, and organic, such as manures) and CRF application were recorded; thus, these amendments should be more thoroughly studied in future projects to investigate if they could partially decrease high inorganic fertilization rates in Capsicum annuum L.

Performance of ash from Amazonian biomasses as an alternative source of essential plant nutrients: An integrated and eco-friendly strategy for industrial waste management in the lack of raw fertilizer materials

The increasing use of Amazonian biomass as a bioenergy source has contributed to the increased demand for fertilizers and the production of a large amount of ash. In addition to facing the challenges of an insufficient supply of agricultural inputs, the Amazon region has also faced problems in managing industrial wastes, which are not well characterized and for which few recycling options are available. Within this context, this study aimed to expand the knowledge regarding the use of Amazonian biomass ash , for which an integrative system between bioenergy and fertilizer production and waste management was proposed. This study evaluated ash applied as an alternative fertilizer, focusing on the availability and uptake of nutrients and heavy metals in acidic soils and the P dynamics using 31 P-NMR. Three soils with different SOM values were treated with one of three doses of mineral fertilizer, namely, ash (35 Mg ha −1 ), phosphate fertilizer (2 Mg ha −1 ), or a mixture of ash and phosphate (35 and 2 Mg ha −1 , respectively), and Avena sativa was grown to verify plant availability and the treatment effect on growth. The experiment was conducted for 60 d in a growth chamber . The ash application in pure form and mixed with phosphate slightly increased the pH (0.3–0.5 unit) and promoted significant increases in the availability of P (∼212%), Ca (∼165%), Mg (∼110%), and K (∼32%). In SOM-rich soils, the high microbial activity favored the transformation of inorganic P into organic P (2–21%), preventing fixation. The ash applications promoted positive effects on biomass production (∼62%) and increased the uptake of P (∼306%), Ca (∼181%), Mg (∼131%), and K (∼38%). Thus, Amazon biomass ash could be an alternative fertilizer source, representing a sustainable option for local socioeconomic development and the establishment of a circular economy system. • The ash from Amazonian biomass improves the pH of acidic soils. • The biomass ash application increases the availability of macro and micronutrients. • The biomass ash use increases the uptake of macro and micronutrients by plants. • The biomass ash application favors the transformation of inorganic P into organic P. • Ash recycling can be a sustainable and integrative way for soils and waste management.

The Effect of Rumen’s Cattle Waste as Alternative Nutrient Sources for Thalasiossira sp Aquaculture

The liquid from rumen’s cattle is expected to be used as nutrients in microalgae culture. This study aimed to examine the use of waste of rumen’s cattle as a source of nutrients with different doses in the culture of Thalasiossira sp. The research design used was a completely randomized design (CRD) with 5 treatments with 3 replications of (A) 1 ml conwey/l of seawater, (B) 1 ml of waste/l of sea water, (C) 10 ml of waste/l of seawater, (D) 1 ml of waste + 0.4 gr NaN03/l of seawater, and (E) 10 ml of waste + 0.4 gr NaN03/l of seawater. The calculated parameter were the population density of Thalasiossira sp., diatom diameter, protein content and water quality. The results showed that the waste of rumen’s cattle could be used as an alternative source of nutrients in the culture of Thalasiossira sp. and the peak of the population was reached on day 3. Measurement of protein content ranged from 9.9 to 11.8% and the diameter of the diatoms ranged from 5-10 m. The measurement of the water quality of the media was in the range of temperature 24-26 oC, pH value 7 and salinity 32-34 ppt.

Intercellular and extracellular amino acids of different bloom species in the Mediterranean Sea

The presented laboratory experiment was designed to characterize the quantity and compositional variation of algal extracellular amino acids (AAs) that may represent an alternative nutrient source in a natural environment. To resemble algal bloom scenarios, analyses were conducted in mono- and/or co-cultures of the bloom-forming species Skeletonema costatum, Scrippsiella trochoidea, Ulva fasciata, and Corallina officinalis during their active growth phase. The study revealed that S. costatum exhibited higher production of the dominant AAs than S. trochoidea. Alanine, lysine, and threonine acids are the dominant amino acids in S. costatum and S. trochoidea filtrates, which may play a role in mucus formation during mucosal phytoplankton blooms with negative ecological effects. On the other hand, aspartic, glutamine, alanine, and leucine acids are the dominant amino acids in macroalgae. In co-culture experiments, U. fasciata shows strong and rapid allelopathic activity against these two potentially harmful species. The AA production offers an advantage to species with the capacity to absorb them to form blooms. Thus, anthropogenic inorganic nutrient inputs may be less important for the development of algal blooms in coastal waters. A major difference that distinguishes this work from others is the use of specific multi-taxa cultures of phytoplankton and macroalgae. The study represents a new research effort in Alexandria waters.