Onion Research Articles

In vitro, Evaluate Effectiveness of Allium cepa Ethanol Extract in Inhibiting the Growth of Toxocara canis Eggs

Background: Toxocariasis is one of the most significant infectious disease that is caused by T.canis which primarily infect dogs. Dogs become infected by consuming contaminated food that contains either eggs or larvae (L2) encysted in the paratenic hosts. These eggs can resist harsh conditions. Methods: Investigating the effects of onions (Allium cepa) ethanol extracts at varying concentrations (5, 10, 20, 30 and 50 mg/ml) for periods of time (24 and 48 hours) against the unembryonated T. canis eggs growth in vitro was aimed of this study. The positive control group was Drontal® Plus, while the negative control was water. Result: Upon microscopic, the results indicated that eggs of T. canis treated with A. cepa extract in vitro are sensitive to the extract at different doses and that their activities are time- and concentration-dependent. The highest was observed at dosages of 30 and 50 mg/ml for 24 and 48 hrs. respectively, where the efficacy was 100%. At doses of 20 mg/ml, the extract shows 98.8 and 100% ovicidal efficiency for 24 and 48 hrs. respectively. When compared to the Drontal® Plus group and water group, which were 100 and 11.8%, respectively, the treated T. canis eggs with doses of 5 and 10 mg/ml of A. cepa extract demonstrated ovicidal activity at 24 and 48 hrs., by 88.4, 93.9, 94.3 and 98.6%, respectively.

Compositional and Machine Learning Tools to Model Plant Nutrition: Overview and Perspectives

The ceteris paribus assumption that all features are equal except the one(s) being examined limits the reliability of nutrient diagnosis and fertilizer recommendations. The objective is to review machine learning (ML) and compositional data analysis (CoDa) tools to make nutrient management feature specific. The average accuracy of the ML methods was 84% across the crops. The additive and orthogonal log ratios of CoDa reduce a D-parts soil composition to D-1 variables, alleviating redundancy in the predictive ML models. Using a Brazilian onion (Allium cepa) database, the combined CoDa and ML methods returned crop response patterns, allowing feature-specific fertilizer recommendations to be made. The centered log ratio (clr) diagnoses plant nutrients as a compositional nutrient diagnosis (CND). Using a Quebec database of vegetable crops, the mean variance of clr variables (VAR¯) allowed comparing total variance among species and growth stages. While clr is the summation of equally weighted dual log ratios, dual nutrient log ratios may show unequal importance regarding crop performance. The RReliefF scores or gain ratios can provide weighting coefficients for each dual log ratio. The widely contrasting coefficients of weighted log ratios (wlr) improved the accuracy of the ML models for a Quebec muck onion database. The ML models, VAR¯ and wlr, are advanced tools to improve the accuracy of nutrient diagnosis.

Effect of Induced Polyploidy on Morphology, Antioxidant Activity, and Dissolved Sugars in Allium cepa L.

The role of onion as the second most-consumed and cultivated vegetable around the world and its renowned qualities that lead it to be called the “queen of the kitchen” have positioned it as a vital source of nutritional and economic contributions around the world. Polyploidy serves as a groundbreaking innovation in plant breeding, improving the yield and vigor of plants. This study was conducted to determine the effects of applying different concentrations of colchicine to onion seedlings on their morphology, antioxidant activity, and dissolved sugars. The mutagen was applied to the onion seeds at three different concentrations (0.05, 0.1, and 0.2% w/v) for an exposure period of 24 h. A chromosomal analysis confirmed the induction of polyploidy, which led to the successful duplication of the chromosome number from diploid (2n = 16) to tetraploid (4n = 32). The control recorded a survival rate of 91.57%, while 83.33%, 3.33%, and 0.00% survival rates were recorded for seedlings treated with 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% (w/v) concentrations of colchicine, respectively. Furthermore, the tetraploids showed significant differences in morphology, producing the tallest seedlings (reaching up to 73.6 cm tall) and the greatest average bulb diameter (of 5.64 cm) after 14 weeks. The tetraploids also showed significant differences in antioxidant activity and the amount of dissolved sugars, recording the highest DPPH scavenging percentage of 72.58% and refractive index of 1.369. Successful induction of polyploidy was achieved with the application of 0.05% (w/v) colchicine, which produced tetraploids that are morphologically and biochemically superior to other treated and control plants at a significance level of p < 0.05.

Cytology and Yields Analysis of Onions (Allium cepa l.) under Compost Application in Coastal Saline Soil

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a valuable crop in Bangladesh for its diversified usage and availability of enriched germplasms including local and exotic ones. However, the cultivation of onions in the coastal regions of Bangladesh has become a major challenge because of salinity and soil fertility. Therefore, a pot experiment of coastal saline soil amendment with compost was carried out with mostly cultivated varieties i.e. Taherpuri and King. The treatments T1 (2.5 t/ha) and T2 (5.0 t/ha) significantly improved the plant height for the Taherpuri variety and revealed an escalation to the no. of the leaflet, root length and bulb diameter for the King variety. Compost application on saline soil didn’t increase the mitotic index (MI%) for all the treatments for both of the experimented varieties but increased the mitotic inhibition index (MII%) for the treatments T3 (7.5 t/ha) and T4 (10.0 t/ha) treatment for the Taherpuri and King varieties respectively. The correlation coefficient between the treatment and different yields of onion was found better for the Taherpuri than the King variety. J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 50(1-2): 89-99, June-December 2024

Transfer of Salmonella enterica and Enterococcus faecium from food-contact surfaces to stone fruits

Contaminated food-contact surfaces are a potential route for spreading microorganisms to stone fruit during postharvest handling. The objective of this study was to investigate the factors that affect the transfer of bacteria from food contact surfaces to stone fruits. Coupons (1 × 1 cm) of polyurethane (PU) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were inoculated with rifampin-resistant variants of Salmonella (five-strain cocktail) or Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 at ~5 or ~ 7 log CFU/cm2. Inoculated coupons (n = 8–11) were attached to a texture analyzer, and uniform contact conditions (5 N, 5 s) were used to explore the impact of bacterial species, inoculation level, donor surface, the presence of dried peach juice or wax, recipient produce commodity, and the dryness of inoculum. Whole fruits were transferred to 20 mL of 0.1 % peptone, rubbed for 2 min, and then the diluent was plated onto trypticase soy agar supplemented with rifampin at 50 μg/mL. Whole fruits were enriched when populations were anticipated to fall below the limit of detection (1.6 log CFU/fruit). At an inoculum of ~5 log CFU/coupon, Salmonella and E. faecium were recovered from the fruit by enrichment but not by plating. At ~7 log CFU/coupon, transfer rates, i.e., ratio of populations on recipient fruit to donor surface, were not significantly (P ≥ 0.05) influenced by either bacterial species (Salmonella [0.26 % ± 0.77 %] versus E. faecium [0.068 % ± 0.071 %]) or donor surface (PU [0.085 % ± 0.098 %] versus PVC [0.16 % ± 0.16 %]). The rates of transfer of E. faecium from contaminated PU to peaches (0.050 % ± 0.031 %), nectarines (0.066 % ± 0.076 %), and onion skins (0.048 % ± 0.059 %) were not significantly different. The mean transfer rates of E. faecium increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the presence of dried wax (18 % ± 16 %) or peach juice (1.3 % ± 2.6 %) on the PU surface compared with the control (0.080 % ± 0.086 %). The transfer rates of E. faecium from contaminated surfaces were also significantly influenced by the drying time post-inoculation; the drier the inoculum, the lower the transfer rates. The presence of residues or moisture on food contact surfaces facilitated the transfer of microorganisms during dry handling of fresh stone fruits. The results underscore the importance of implementing adequate cleaning, sanitation and, where appropriate, drying of equipment surfaces to effectively remove organic residues and mitigate the risks of cross-contamination.

Evaluation of the Performance of Microalgae and Constructed Wetlands for the Reduction of Toxicity Organic Load and Pharmaceuticals from Wastewaters

The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of a novel integrated system composed of microalgae and constructed wetlands (CW). The microalgae production tank was designed as a raceway type, and microalgae of the genus Chlorella were inoculated, while the CW was established as the first stage of the French model and vegetated with the macrophytes Chrysopogon zizanioides, Typha domingensis, and Dracaena trifaciata. The hydraulic retention time in each unit was 7 days, totaling 14 days of treatment. Good reductions in dissolved organic carbon (67.2%) and Total N (68.6%) were achieved after the treatment. The treatment also completely eliminated acute ecotoxicity against Daphnia magna and genotoxicity in the Allium cepa test assay. Liquid chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of 9 pharmaceuticals in the raw wastewaters, whereas only residual dipyrone was detected after the CW unit. Thus, the novel system investigated in our study, which combines microalgae and CW using 3 different species of macrophytes, proved to be a promising alternative for treating urban wastewaters, as it effectively reduced organic load, nutrient content, toxicity, and removed emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals. Future recommendations include investigating the primary removal mechanisms of the pharmaceuticals and enhancing the separation process of the microalgae.

Plasmids encode and can mobilize onion pathogenicity in Pantoea agglomerans.

Pantoea agglomerans is one of four Pantoea species reported in the USA to cause bacterial rot of onion bulbs. However, not all P. agglomerans strains are pathogenic to onion. We characterized onion-associated strains of P. agglomerans to elucidate the genetic and genomic signatures of onion-pathogenic P. agglomerans. We collected >300 P. agglomerans strains associated with symptomatic onion plants and bulbs from public culture collections, research laboratories, and a multi-year survey in 11 states in the USA. Combining the 87 genome assemblies with 100 high-quality, public P. agglomerans genome assemblies we identified two well-supported P. agglomerans phylogroups. Strains causing severe symptoms on onion were only identified in Phylogroup II and encoded the HiVir pantaphos biosynthetic cluster, supporting the role of HiVir as a pathogenicity factor. The P. agglomerans HiVir cluster was encoded in two distinct plasmid contexts: 1) as an accessory gene cluster on a conserved P. agglomerans plasmid (pAggl), or 2) on a mosaic cluster of plasmids common among onion strains (pOnion). Analysis of closed genomes revealed that the pOnion plasmids harbored alt genes conferring tolerance to Allium thiosulfinate defensive chemistry and many harbored cop genes conferring resistance to copper. We demonstrated that the pOnion plasmid pCB1C can act as a natively mobilizable pathogenicity plasmid that transforms P. agglomerans Phylogroup I strains, including environmental strains, into virulent pathogens of onion. This work indicates a central role for plasmids and plasmid ecology in mediating P. agglomerans interactions with onion plants, with potential implications for onion bacterial disease management.

Effect of Different Cascara Tea Formulas on the Addition of Dayak Onion and Stevia

Formulation in making tea is necessary to produce quality products with a distinctive taste and optimal health benefits. Cascara is a dried tea product produced from coffee skin waste. It has been reported to have potential as a natural antioxidant because it contains secondary metabolite compounds such as polyphenols. Dayak onion bulbs are reported to contain flavonoids that are useful for preventing and alleviating complaints due to degenerative diseases such as hypertension and controlling blood sugar levels. Stevia is a plant known as sugar leaves or non-calorie natural sweeteners whose dried leaves have 30 times the sweetness of sucrose. The purpose of this study was to combine coffee fruit skin (cascara), Dayak onion, and stevia in herbal tea formulations to explore health potential and see the effect of differences in cascara, dayak onion, and stevia tea formulations on pH values, moisture content, and ash content according to the Indonesian National Standard (SNI). This study used a Factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The results of this study indicate that the moisture content of herbal tea bags ranges from 9.05%-11.48%, with certain formulations (C, D, E, and F) meeting SNI standards. The ash content of herbal tea bags ranges from 3.58%-7.35%, reflecting the mineral content, with higher stevia concentrations correlating with increased ash content. The pH value of the brewed herbal tea ranges from 4.34-5.12, indicating that higher concentrations of Dayak onion produce higher pH values while increasing stevia concentrations lower pH. Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):SDG 3: Good Health and Well-beingSDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and InfrastructureSDG 12: Responsible Consumption and ProductionSDG 15: Life on Land

Identification of Allium cepa compounds as Promising Inhibitors against Lung Cancer: An in-Silico Study

Background: Lung cancer is one of the primary causes of cancer-related deaths, and treatment options for advanced-stage disease remain restricted. Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been linked to the development of certain cancers. Double-mutated EGFR is an important oncogenic protein in many lung cancer instances. Allium cepa, a common condiment herb, is known for its medical and pharmacological benefits.Methods: The bioactive compound of A. cepa was obtained from the LOTUS database in ‘sdf’ format, and then converted into ‘pdbqt’ format. The prepared compounds library was screened against the double-mutated EGFR using the insilico tool PyRx 0.8 to determine the binding conformations with the lowest binding energies.Result: Eighteen compounds were found to strongly bind with the EGFR protein and have lower binding energy than the cocrystal ligand, with the top five hits being LTS0258243, LTS0042303, LTS0058192, LTS0104946, and LTS0145270. The Asn842, Asp855, Lys745, Met790, Gln791, Leu792, Met793, Ala743, Leu844, Leu718, Val726, Thr854, and Phe723 residues of EGFR were important in binding to these hit compounds. In addition, these compounds have good drug-like properties.Conclusion: The compounds LTS0258243, LTS0042303, LTS0058192, LTS0104946, and LTS0145270 can be used as EGFR inhibitors to manage lung cancer. However, additional experimental studies are required to validate these compounds as EGFR inhibitors.Keywords: Lung cancer, EGFR, Allium cepa, bioactive compounds, virtual screening

Alliumcepa exposed to Nativo® fungicide with and without swine liver enzyme biotransformation: A comparative genotoxicity study.

The biotransformation of compounds is a critical point in understanding their toxic effects in both toxicology and ecotoxicology. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether there is a difference in the phytogenotoxic potential of the commercial fungicide Nativo® between non-biotransformed samples and samples biotransformed by swine liver enzymes. The fungicide Nativo is a mixture of Tebuconazole (TEB; 200gL-1) and Trifloxystrobin (TRI; 100gL-1). The test organism used in this study was Allium cepa, and the mitotic index (MI), chromosomic aberrations, and micronucleus frequency in A. cepa cells were compared between samples of non-biotransformed Nativo and biotransformed Nativo. The results showed that the Nativo biotransformated products were less genotoxic than the non-biotransformed Nativo, with the no-observed effect concentration (NOEC) values for micronuclei formation being four times lower after swine enzymes biotransformation, while MI was not altered. The no observed effect concentration values for micronuclei formation by the fungicide mixture were 7.8 and 3.9mgL-1 for TEB and TRI, respectively, for the biotransformed samples, and 1.9 and 1.0mgL-1 for the non-biotransformed samples, demonstrating that swine liver enzyme activity decreased genotoxicity. The results obtained in this study demonstrate the importance of considering biotransformation in phytogenotoxicity studies, as this process can significantly alter phytogenotoxic effects.

Biomonitoring of the Paraopeba river: Cytotoxic, genotoxic and metal concentration analysis three years after the Brumadinho dam rupture - Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The rupture of Vale S.A. mining tailings dam in Brumadinho, Brazil, in January 2019 had significant environmental impacts on the Paraopeba River basin. Additionally, severe floods in early 2022 contributed to the transport of particles in the river. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of Paraopeba River water. Thus, the Allium cepa test system was applied, along with physicochemical analyses, flow cytometry, and metal concentration, comparing the results between the rainy and dry seasons three years after the dam rupture. The tests were conducted on water samples collected during three periods: January 2022, July 2022, and January 2023, at five points along the river and its tributaries. Allium cepa seeds were exposed to the collected water samples, as well as negative (water) and positive (trifluralin) controls. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the mitotic index and flow cytometry, and genotoxicity by the chromosomal alterations index. The analysis of metals and physicochemical parameters revealed that most values complied with current regulations. However, there were exceptions, with ammonia levels exceeding the permitted limits at all points in the three collections. High levels of aluminum, iron and nitrite were found at most points, before and after the dam collapse, mainly during the rainy season. This indicates the impact of rainfall on water quality, which increases the transport of contaminating particles, probably resulting from human activities and the high concentration of nitrogen compounds released into the Paraopeba River. The results of the bioassay suggest a relatively low cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of the samples evaluated. However, this study highlights the continuous contamination of the river by unidentified anthropogenic factors, requiring continuous monitoring and analysis to track the evolution of water quality and its environmental effects.

ALTERNATIVE BIOLOGICAL MODELS FOR EVALUATION OF THE TOXIC, GENOTOXIC AND MUTAGENIC POTENTIAL OF Ectatomma brunneum Smith VENOM.

The venom of Ectatomma brunneum is considered promising for drugs development. Therefore, it is important to evaluate its toxic potential and genetic instability using biological assays. To this end, toxicity assays were performed with Artemia salina, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity with Allium cepa and mutagenicity with Ames. The results indicated toxicity to A. salina, and no cytotoxic, genotoxic or mutagenic potential at concentrations equal to or lower than 500 μg/mL for the other tests.

Comprehensive Ethnopharmacological Analysis of Medicinal Plants in the UAE: Lawsonia inermis, Nigella sativa, Ziziphus spina-christi, Allium cepa, Allium sativum, Cymbopogon schoenanthus, Matricaria aurea, Phoenix dactylifera, Portulaca oleracea, Reichardia tingitana, Salvadora persica, Solanum lycopersicum, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Withania somnifera, and Ziziphus lotus

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to diverse indigenous medicinal plants traditionally used for centuries. This study systematically evaluates the pharmacological and nutritional potential of key medicinal plants, including Lawsonia inermis, Nigella sativa, Ziziphus spina-christi, Allium cepa, Allium sativum, Cymbopogon schoenanthus, Matricaria aurea, Phoenix dactylifera, Portulaca oleracea, Reichardia tingitana, Salvadora persica, Solanum lycopersicum, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Withania somnifera, and Ziziphus lotus. Comprehensive literature searches were conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify studies relevant to their nutritional and pharmacological uses. The findings highlight the therapeutic roles of these plants in managing global health challenges such as gastrointestinal diseases, and antimicrobial resistance through bioactive compounds like flavonoids, polyphenols, and antioxidants. Additionally, their contributions to nutrition, including essential vitamins and minerals, are emphasized for disease prevention and health promotion. While this research focuses on the UAE, the implications are globally relevant, as many of these plants are also found in traditional medicine across Asia, Africa, and Europe. Integrating these findings into global nutritional and healthcare systems offers potential solutions for pressing public health concerns, reduces reliance on synthetic pharmaceuticals, and promotes sustainable healthcare practices. This work is a valuable reference for researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, bridging traditional knowledge and modern scientific applications globally.

Analysis of water quality, bioindicators, contaminants and their cytogenetic impacts in a Cerrado reservoir

The fragmentation of Brazilian rivers due to the construction of hydroelectric dams has altered aquatic ecosystems, resulting in the accumulation of residues in sediments. This study evaluated the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of water and sediments from the Cana Brava reservoir, located in the Tocantins-Araguaia basin in the Cerrado biome, using the Allium cepa test. Sampling points were situated in the Cana Brava reservoir near two tributaries, the Bonito River and the Varjão Stream, areas susceptible to contaminant input due to proximity to urban areas. Physicochemical parameters, metals through atomic absorption spectrometry, toxicity, and analyses of bioindicators such as microalgae and macrophytes were assessed. Near the Varjão Stream, algal richness was higher, with the presence of Chara rusbyana, which indicates good water quality. Near the Bonito River, pollution-indicating microalgae such as Euglena sp., Nitzschia sp., and Oscillatoria sp. were identified, along with a prevalence of Salvinia auriculata, favored by nutrient availability. Cytogenetic tests revealed that sediments, especially from the site near the Varjão Stream, caused chromosomal abnormalities and cytogenotoxic effects, with an increase observed after 72 hours. Principal components analysis showed that phosphorus and potassium in the sediment from the site near the Bonito River correlated with cellular alterations at 48 hours, while sediments near the Varjão Stream resulted in a higher frequency of cytogenetic alterations at 72 hours. These results highlight local impacts on water quality and biological diversity, recommending continuous monitoring to mitigate the adverse effects of pollution in the Cana Brava reservoir.

Challenges and Future Scope in Onion and Other Root Crop De-Topping Machines and Its Performance: A Review

Onion is one of the important vegetable and spice commodity crop which has yearlong demand but seasonal in production. Onion de-topping (i.e., separation of matured leaves from bulbs) is the important post-harvest operation in onion production which conducted after curing process of onion bulbs. In India onion de-topping done mostly manually in farms using sickle, khurpi and knife. Manually onion de-topping of onion bulbs is time consuming and labour-intensive operation. Availability of labours are difficult in peak harvesting season of onion; therefore, farmers may incur financial and crop loss. Mechanical onion de-topping done using onion harvesters during digging operation of onion bulbs. There are many onion de-topping machines are available for onion bulbs with different mechanism. The different onion de-topping machine were studied in terms of their mechanism, construction, working principles, performance and efficiency. The comparison of performance of the machines with manual onion de-topping was studied over the cutting capacity, efficiency, damage percentage, saving of labour cost and time. This paper reviews such onion de-topping harvesters and de-topping machines. It highlights the mechanism used for de-topping in these machines with their performance in terms of de-topping capacity and de-topping efficiency. It also tries to highlight the necessity of requirement of de-topping machines and current status of adoption of such machines by farmers in India. It was observed that number of onion de-topping machines are available though it is difficult to adopt by the farmers specially medium and low land holding farmers because of cost concern. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the machine which should be low cost, efficient and labour saving for such farmers. Using such an onion de-topping machines will help to save their labour cost, operational time, drudgery of labour and increase efficiency of labour. Also adopting such technologies can encourage the farmers to increase the production of such crop.

Cyto-Genotoxic Assessment of Sulfoxaflor in Allium cepa Root Cells and DNA Docking Studies.

Sulfoxaflor (SFX) is an insecticide that is commonly used for the control of sap-feeding insects. Since SFX is extensively applied globally, it has been implicated in the substantial induction of environmental toxicity. Therefore, in this study, Allium cepa roots have been employed to elucidate the potential cytogenotoxic effects of SFX in non-target cells by examination of mitotic index (MI), chromosomal aberrations (CAs), and DNA damage. Physiological effects of SFX were evaluated by A. cepa root growth inhibition assay, while cytogenotoxic effects were assessed by A. cepa ana-telophase and comet assay. Moreover, DNA binding affinity and binding mode of SFX were examined using molecular docking simulations to shed light on the genotoxic mechanism of action. The half maximal effective concentration (EC50) on the growth of A. cepa cells calculated for SFX was found as 500 mg/L. Moreover, dose- and time-dependent decrease in MI, increase in CAs (disturbed ana-telophase, chromosomal laggards, stickiness, and anaphase chromosome bridge) and DNA damage were observed by the exposure of A. cepa root tips to SFX after 24-, 48-, 72-, and 96-h treatment periods. A 6-bp double-stranded DNA structure containing two intercalation sites (PDB ID: 1Z3F) was used for docking studies. According to DNA docking results, SFX exhibited an energetically more favorable binding affinity with DNA (ΔG = -5.05 kcal/mol) compared with the experimental mutagen methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) (ΔG = -2.94 kcal/mol), and preferentially snugly fits into the minor groove of DNA possessing an intercalation gap, thus, providing valuable mechanistic data into the formation of chromosome aberrations and DNA fragmentation induced by this pesticide in A. cepa.

Biorefinery-inspired, two-step valorization strategy to manage plant-based recalcitrant organic waste, involving solvent extraction, and fermentation with Bacillus clausii-a proof of concept study.

Approximately 40-50% of municipal solid waste is organic and causing biogenic malodor and infections, due to inefficient treatment methods. Biorefinery-based bioremediation and valorization is in vogue against these conventional strategies since it combines unit operations for better efficiency and productivity. Deriving inspiration, the proposed strategy puts together a unique and compatible combination of processes. This novel two-step valorization workflow involves the extraction of small molecules using organic solvents, and fermentation of resulting denatured residues (increased biodegradability or decreased recalcitrance) of reduced microbial load. The extraction step also doubles up as a sterilization event, with different solvents (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl methyl ketone and methanol) exhibiting varied efficiency, methanol and ethyl methyl ketone being the most effective. Different recalcitrant plant organic wastes resulting from four plants (Cocos nucifera, Allium cepa, Artocarpus hirsutus and Swietenia mahagoni) were used as feedstocks in the preliminary exploratory study using chosen pathogenic bacteria. Onion peel (Allium cepa) ethyl methyl ketone extract was chosen for further studies, as it inhibits Salmonella enterica, which is associated with infection and malodour (due to biogenic H2S) in wastewater. Further, fractionation of the extract yielded quercetin and its glycoside. The onion peel residue, after solvent extraction was fortified with peptone and essential minerals to promote the growth of Bacillus clausii. Fortified post-extraction residue supported the growth better than the pre-extraction residue. The residue resultant after solvent extraction was fermented with Bacillus clausii and with release of bioactive supernatants. The concentrated supernatant showed significant inhibition of Salmonella enterica and Shigella dysenteriae. Additionally, all the exudates showed considerable inhibition in H2S production, respectively.

A premature termination codon mutation in the onion AcCER2 gene is associated with both glossy leaves and thrip resistance

Abstract Plant epicuticular waxes (EW) play a critical role in defending against biotic and abiotic stresses. Notably, onions (Allium cepa L.) present a distinctive case where the mutant with defect in leaf and stalk EW showed resistance to thrips compared with the wild type with integral EW. We identified a premature stop codon mutation in the AcCER2 gene, an ortholog of CER2 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana which has been proved essential for the biosynthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), in the onions with glossy leaf and stalks in our experiments. The data hinted at the possibility that this mutation might impede the elongation process of VLCFAs from C28 to C32, thereby hindering the production of 16-hentriacontanone, a primary constituent of onion EW. Transcriptomic analysis revealed substantial alterations in expression of genes in the pathways related not only to lipid synthesis and transport but also to signal transduction and cell wall modification in glossy mutants. Meanwhile, metabolomic profiling indicates a remarkable increase in flavonoid accumulation and a significant reduction in soluble sugar content in glossy mutants. These findings suggested that the enhanced resistance of glossy mutants to thrips might be a consequence of multiple physiological changes, and our integrated multi-omics analysis highlighting the regulatory role of AcCER2 in these processes. Our study has yielded valuable insights into the biosynthesis of onion EW and has provided an initial hypothesis for the mechanisms underlying thrips resistance. These findings hold significant promise for the breeding programs of thrip-resistant onion.

Artificial neural network modeling of dye adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics with magnetic nanoparticle-activated carbon from Allium cepa peels

Artificial neural network modeling of dye adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics with magnetic nanoparticle-activated carbon from Allium cepa peels

Diagnosis and molecular characterization of three allexiviruses infecting garlic crop in Saudi Arabia.

Forty-four samples of garlic plants showing virus-like symptoms were collected, during the growing season (2021-2022) from different locations in Qassim province, Saudi Arabia. These samples were analyzed by ELISA against the important Allium allexiviruses including garlic virus A (GarV-A), garlic virus B (GarV-B), garlic virus C (GarV-C), and Shallot virus X (ShVX). The obtained results showed that 22/44 (50%) samples were found to be infected with one of the tested viruses. Mixed infections were detected in 13/22 samples (59.1%) with more than one virus. However, 13.6%, 0% and 27.2% were detected as single infection with GarV-A, GarV-B and GarV-C respectively. RT-PCR amplification with general allexiviruses primer (750 bp) and specific primers for GarV-A (1330 bp), GarV-B (1216 bp) and GarV-C (1557 bp) were used to detect the respective viruses. The phylogenetic tree and nucleotide sequence analysis of one of each GarV-A (OQ397541), GarV-B (OQ397542) and GarV-C (OQ397543) with general primer for allexiviruses while one isolate of each GarV-A (ON155441), GarV-B (OR343811) and two isolates of GarV-C (ON155445, and ON155446) with specific primers showed their similarity with their respective viruses from GenBank. In host range study, Chenopodium amaranticolor, Nicotiana benthamiana, N. tabacum and Allium cepa expressed necrotic lesions, mosaic and yellowing symptoms respectively against GarV-A, GarV-B and GarV-C. To our knowledge, this is the first report of GarV-A, GarV-B, and GarV-C in Saudi Arabia.