Chickpea Samples Research Articles

INFLUENCE OF MICROBIAL FERTILIZERS ON MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND VALUABLE ECONOMIC CHARACTER OF CHICKPEA (CICER ARIETINUM L.)

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of Rhizobium 3 , Rhizobium 9 and PlantaStim microbial fertilizers on the morphological, physiological and valuable economic characters of chickpea (Сicer arietinum L.). All samples treated with microbial fertilizers showed positive results compared to the control variation. Efficiency of Rhizobium 3, among the microbial fertilizers, was higher. In the chickpea samples, treatment with Rhizobium 3 increased the total chlorophyll content by 14.91%, carotenoid content by 20%, plant biomass by 31.39%, grain number by 19.37%, productivity by 27.25%, total protein content by 25.29%, and amount of nodule by 2.07 times, compared to the control variation.

Uncovering Fusarium Species Associated with Fusarium Wilt in Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) and the Identification of Significant Marker–Trait Associations for Resistance in the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas’ Chickpea Collection Using SSR Markers

Enhancing plants’ resistance against FW is crucial for ensuring a sustainable global chickpea production. The present study focuses on the identification of fungal pathogens and the assessment of ninety-six chickpea samples for Fusarium wilt from the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)’s collection. Eight fungal isolates were recovered from the symptomatic chickpeas. Polyphasic identification was conducted by comparing the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), the elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α), and beta-tubulin (tub2). Among them, Neocosmospora solani, N. nelsonii, N. falciformis, N. brevis, Fusarium brachygibbosum, and F. gossypinum were identified. An analysis of the genetic diversity of chickpeas, using 69 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, revealed a total of 191 alleles across all markers, with, on average, each SSR marker detecting approximately 2.8 alleles. A STRUCTURE analysis delineated lines into two distinct sub-groups (K = 2). Association mapping, using the generalized linear model (GLM) and mixed linear model (MLM) approaches, identified six and five marker–trait associations (MTAs) for FW resistance, respectively. Notably, these TA42, TA125 (A) and TA125 (B), TA37, and TAASH MTAs, commonly found in both models, emerge as potential candidates for the targeted enhancement of FW resistance in chickpeas. To our knowledge, this study represents an inaugural report on the association mapping of genomic loci governing FW resistance in chickpeas from the ICARDA’s accessions.

Multifunctional silver nanoparticles decorated N, S co-doped graphene as a sensitive colorimetric probe for L-cysteine detection and as an antibacterial agent

The fabrication of structured nanocomposites possessing dual applications have always attracted great research attention, especially in the fields of biomolecule detection and as antibacterial agents. In the current study, silver nanoparticles grafted on N, S co-doped graphene (Ag-NSG) were synthesized using a simple and facile chemical reduction method. The synthesized nanocomposite was employed as a colorimetric probe for the detection of L-cysteine (L-cys) in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and as an antibacterial agent against Gram-positive positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria. Ag-NSG exhibited a highly cordant recovery of 98.4 % for the different chickpea samples, signifying an outstanding selectivity of the proposed probe towards the target analyte. The antibacterial investigation was carried out employing the agar well diffusion method, by measuring the zone of inhibition (ZOI), under different dosages of the synthesized nanocomposite. The zone of inhibitions increased with increasing concentrations and the highest zone obtained was 30.6 ± 1.2 mm for S. aureus and 25.3 ± 0.3 mm for E. coli.

First Report of Bean Leafroll Virus in Pea and Chickpea, in Canada.

Bean leafroll virus (BLRV; Bean leafroll virus), a single-stranded RNA virus in the genus Luteovirus, is phloem-limited and primarily transmitted by aphids in a non-propagative, persistent manner (Rashed et al., 2018; Kidanemariam and Abraham, 2023). BLRV infects various legumes and has been reported from major pulse-growing regions worldwide (Agindotan et al., 2019) but not in the Canadian Prairies. Its impact on crop yield varies with plant and virus genotypes and the timing of infection. Some pea fields have experienced disease rates of up to 80% (Clement et al., 2020; Hampton, 1983). Throughout the 2022 growing season (June and July), pulse fields from across Saskatchewan were randomly selected and surveyed, and symptomatic plants demonstrating leaf yellowing and chlorosis were collected and stored at -80°C before processing. Observed symptoms included necrotic spots, chlorosis, leaf mottling, leaf rolling in peas, severe bright yellowing, and leaf marginal necrosis in chickpeas. BLRV detection was performed on 35 leaves of the collected samples using both Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). ELISA testing followed the manufacturer's protocol using a commercial kit (Nano Diagnostics, San Jose, CA, USA). Total RNAs were extracted from the frozen samples using TRIzol (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA). For the detection of the diverse BLRV isolates, sequences of various isolates were aligned and primers were specifically designed in-house, targeting the virus's highly conserved regions on the GP3 and 3' UTR (see Supplementary material). Additional primers were also designed targeting coat protein (CP) coding regions which were previously used for BLRV detection (Agindotan et al. 2019; Larsen & Webster 1999). PCR testing of 35 symptomatic samples including 12 pea plants and 23 chickpea plants, identified the presence of BLRV in two symptomatic samples, one each from a field pea (Pisum sativum L. var. CDC Inca) and a desi-type chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. var. CDC Leader). The infected pea and chickpea samples were found in Saskatoon, SK (Coordinates: 52°9'27''N,106°34'14"W), and the Leader area, southwest of Saskatchewan, SK (Coordinates: 50°52'14"N,109°23'11"W), respectively. PCR amplicons were purified and sent for Sanger sequencing. The reads were assembled to generate 1666 and 323 nucleotides from pea and chickpea, respectively, with a minimum of 2X coverage. Partial nucleotide sequences of the BLRV isolates obtained from pea (PsSK1) and chickpea (CaSK1) (GenBank accession numbers: PP240429, PP266588) showed (1521/1574 bp) 96.63% and (316/323 bp) 97.83% similarity with a BLRV reference isolate sequence (NC_003369) and to an isolate from Argentina (KR261610) which was reported on Medicago sativa L. with (1555/1574 bp) 98.79% and (319/323 bp) 98.76% similarity, correspondingly. Both infected samples were confirmed to be BLRV-infected through the ELISA and exhibited a high interaction ratio (PsSK1: 0.319 and CsSK1: 0.245) compared to a positive control (0.292) after 30 minutes as measured at 450 nm. This is the first report of BLRV in the pulse-growing region of the Canadian Prairies. In Saskatchewan, there is no history of BLRV despite the large amount of area growing susceptible crops. Therefore, the survey project that this study was part of was not intended to evaluate the severity of BLRV but rather to determine if there is any virus present that might have been overlooked. The samples were therefore taken randomly, with a focus on the number of fields and geographic coverage rather than focusing on multiple plants per field. Moreover, fields were not chosen based on symptoms but rather at random. Although, plants within fields were chosen because they displayed symptoms. Typically, a disease note includes estimates of severity and potential risk; however, that is not possible for this study. Rather, the fact that it was detected indicates a greater risk than previously perceived, since it was assumed that BLRV was not present. These findings highlight the need for further research on the virus's current status, its impact on crop production, and the resistance of pulse varieties grown in Saskatchewan.

Chemical and Protein Characterization of Two Varieties of Chickpea (Cicer Arietinum): Costa 2004 and El Patrón.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition of two chickpea varieties, 'Costa 2004' and 'El Patrón', and to characterize their proteins to determine their technological potential for the food industry. For this purpose, chickpea samples of both varieties from the 2019 harvest region of Guanajuato, Mexico, were obtained and chemically characterized to determine the protein fractions using electrophoretic and amino acid profiling. The chickpea variety 'Costa 2004' contained 3% less protein and 7% less dietary fiber content than the variety 'El Patrón'; whereas, the carbohydrate content of 'Costa 2004' was 4% greater. Additionally, the chickpeas demonstrated an antioxidant capacity ranging from 319 to 387 µMET/g and total phenol levels exceeding 500 mg/g. Among the protein fractions, globulins represented the highest proportion in both varieties of chickpea, at approximately 8.73 g/100 g ('Costa 2004') and 10.42 g/100 g ('El Patrón'), followed by albumin, at approximately 1.24 g/100 g and 1.47 g/100 g, respectively. The chickpea proteins ranged in molecular weight between 100 and 25 kDa, with particularly strong signals in the albumin and globulin bands. Regarding the amino acid profile, histidine was predominant in both varieties. In conclusion, both varieties of chickpea have high nutritional value and broad potential for technological use in the food industry.

Peptidomic profile and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of cooked and gastrointestinal digested legumes

Legumes are a good source of bioactive compounds, including peptides with antidiabetic potential. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of simulated gastrointestinal digested (GID) soybean, chickpea, green pea, and navy bean was determined after using three different household cooking methods (conventional, pressure, and microwave cooking). Samples were analysed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and the fractions responsible for the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity were isolated. Lastly, peptides were identified by mass spectrometry in tandem (MS/MS) and in silico analyses were done to hypothesise potentially bioactive sequences. The results indicated that all legume extracts exert α-glucosidase inhibitory activity after thermal treatment and GID. Peptide profiles obtained by RP-HPLC showed the highest generation of peptides after the intestinal digestion phase, with small changes between thermal treatments. Best α-glucosidase inhibitory activity was observed in fraction 2 of all gastrointestinal digested samples, with values between 40 % and 62 % inhibition. In soybean, green pea, and navy bean, conventional-cooked samples showed the highest activity, while the pressure-cooked treatment resulted in significantly higher activity in chickpea samples. Finally, 48 peptides were identified by MS/MS and 13 were found as potentially bioactive using in silico tools, expanding previous knowledge on antidiabetic peptides derived from legumes.

Effect of different roasting conditions on the physicochemical properties, acrylamide concentration, and mineral bioaccessibility of nuts

The effect of different roasting conditions (temperature and time) on the physico-chemical properties, aflatoxin and acrylamide contents, and mineral bioaccessibility (BA) of different nuts (almond, hazelnut, cashew, roasted chickpea (leblebi)) was investigated. Moisture content and water activity of all nuts decreased with roasting. A crispier texture was obtained in all nuts due to the decreased hardness and brittleness after roasting. A significant decrease in L* values of all nuts was accompanied by visible darkening. Although roasting affected a* and b* values of nut samples, the differences depended on nut type. No aflatoxin was detected in control nuts. Acrylamide concentration was increased as the nuts darkened. Highest acrylamide contents (ppb) were found in the darkest samples of cashew (148.59), chickpea (148.63), almond (120.25), and hazelnut (67.33). Considering mineral contents, highest concentrations (ppm) of Ca (2518.97), P (8340.68), and K (13902.70) were found in almonds, Ag (1.51), Mn (88.68), and Se (5.60) in hazelnuts, Cu (6.99), Fe (107.53), Mg (1813.26), and Na (1139.09) in cashews, and Zn (177.57) in chickpeas. Although the mineral content of chickpea was generally lower than other nuts, it showed the highest BA for Ca (38.8 %), Zn (38.2 %), P, (37.3 %) Se (41.8 %), and K (39.8 %), while the highest BA of Fe (21.4 %), Mg (46.8 %) and Mn (48.5 %) was observed in almonds and cashews, respectively. The roasting process generally decreased the BA values of minerals. As a conclusion, since the roasting conditions and food matrix have a direct effect on the absorbed amount of minerals, a product-based evaluation is crucial.

Non-Destructive Assessment of Microstructural Changes in Kabuli Chickpeas during Storage

The potential of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and synchrotron phase-contrast micro computed tomography (SR-µCT) was evaluated to determine changes in chickpea quality during storage. Chickpea samples were stored for 16 wk at different combinations of moisture contents (MC of 9%, 11%, 13%, and 15% wet basis) and temperatures (10 °C, 20 °C, and 30 °C). Hyperspectral imaging was utilized to investigate the overall quality deterioration, and SR-µCT was used to study the microstructural changes during storage. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) were used as multivariate data analysis approaches for HSI data. Principal component analysis successfully grouped the samples based on relative humidity (RH) and storage temperatures, and the PLS-DA classification also resulted in reliable accuracy (between 80 and 99%) for RH-based and temperature-based classification. The SR-µCT results revealed that microstructural changes in kernels (9% and 15% MC) were dominant at higher temperatures (above 20 °C) as compared to lower temperatures (10 °C) during storage due to accelerated spoilage at higher temperatures (above 20 °C). Chickpeas which had internal irregularities like cracked endosperm and air spaces before storage were spoiled at lower moisture from 8 wk of storage.

Exploration of Ascochyta rabiei diversity through various molecular tools and control of its pathogenic strain via green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles

Fungus is the most important disease-causing biotic factor on earth. The study of their genetic diversity is very important for their management and control. For studying Ascochyta rabiei on chickpea blight chickpea samples caused by Ascochyta rabiei were collected and disease-causing organisms were isolated from infected plant parts and their ITS region was sequenced. BLAST analysis revealed that A. rabiei is the causal pathogen of this blight disease. Phylogenetic analysis suggested great diversity among these isolates of A. rabiei. The results confirm that A. rabiei strains collected from Bannu and Lakki Marwat have genetic similarities but are different from other isolated strains of the same species. Similarly, studied strains from Kamber, Shadat Kot, and Larkana. Khairpur and Bhakkar were also similar. However, strains from Khushab and Mianwali showed genetic differences from each other. The current research also reports the plant-mediated synthesis of ZnO NPs via the plant extract of Thevetia peruviana. The ZnO NPs were characterized through UV, XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, EDX, and the size of the nanoparticle of 28 nm was calculated. The prepared nanoparticle was used for the antifungal activity against the most severe strain of A. rabiei. The Biosynthesis of ZnO NPs by plant assets is an eco-friendly, consistent process and appropriate for extensive production.

Effects of intrinsic and extrinsic product characteristics related to protein source, health and environmental sustainability, on product choice and sensory evaluation of meatballs and plant-based alternatives

Health is cited as a major driver for substituting meat with plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs). In contrast, many consumers are reportedly unaware of the difference in environmental impact between meat and PBMAs. This study determined relative effects of internal (protein source) and external (health/origin/sustainability) product attributes on product choice and (expected) liking of meat and PBMAs.Participants (n = 144) ranked ten sets of three product concepts from best to worst in a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Random combinations of four product attributes were presented on hypothetical product packages: i) protein source (beef/chickpea/soy protein); ii) health-star rating (1.5/4.5 stars); iii) ingredient origin (local/imported); iv) sustainability rating (green tick absent/present), and product worth, related to each of the 24 possible attribute combinations, was determined. Secondly, commercially-available beef, soy, and chickpea products were sensorially evaluated for expected/actual liking, both blindly and alongside combinations of internal/external product attributes used in the DCE.The DCE indicated all product attributes affected product worth. However, two consumer segments were established: i) a ‘Protein Cluster’ (47%) comprising consumers who chose ‘beef’ products regardless of the remaining attributes present, and ii) a ‘Health/Sustainability Cluster’ (53%) of consumers whose choices were driven by positive health/sustainability claims. Protein source drove both expected and actual liking of the samples (p < 0.001). Health/origin/sustainability also contributed to expected liking (p < 0.05), but only health consistently affected actual liking ratings (p < 0.05).In conclusion, half of consumers chose products based on health/origin/sustainability claims, whereas the other half selected products based on protein source. Origin/sustainability claims affected product choice, but minimally affected product experience of plant-based samples.

Spatial distribution and association of biophysical factors with chickpea chlorotic stunt and pea seed‐borne mosaic viruses affecting legume crops in Ethiopia

AbstractFood legumes are key commodities produced in sole and mixed cropping system in Ethiopia. Their productivity has been affected recently by virus infections. Field surveys were conducted from 2018/19 to 2021/22 cropping seasons in the highlands of Ethiopia to identify major viruses and determine how biophysical factors affect disease incidence. A total of 2797 samples of chickpea (755), lentil (1683), fenugreek (111) and grass pea (248) were collected from 194 farmers' fields in Amhara (North Shewa, South Wollo and East Gojjam zones) and Oromia (East Shewa, West Shewa and North Shewa zones) regions. Laboratory testing using Tissue blot immunoassay showed that chickpea chlorotic stunt virus (CpCSV, genus Polerovirus, family Solemoviridae) and pea seed‐borne mosaic virus (PSbMV, genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae) were the major viruses affecting legume crops in Ethiopia. The highest relative virus incidence of CpCSV (90.6%) and PSbMV (11.5%) was recorded in samples of chickpea and lentil crops, respectively. Except for crop conditions, all the independent variables significantly affected PSbMV incidence, whereas all independent variables showed a highly significant association (p &lt; .0001) with CpCSV Incidence. A CpCSV incidence of ≥30% had a high probability of association with chickpea and fenugreek crops, the presence of aphid vectors and the 2018/19 cropping season. Similarly, PSbMV with an incidence ≥7% was highly associated with the 2018/19 cropping season. Both viruses can be managed by the combined application of cultural practices, insecticide's application, healthy seeds and resistance breeding.

Bacillus valezensis: A New Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacterium for Plant Growth Promotion and Inhibition of Rhizoctonia bataticola for the Management of Dry Root Rot of Chickpea

Background: Chickpea production is threatened by dry root rot disease in recent years. The disease is caused by soil borne fungus Rhizoctonia bataticola (Taub) Butler with its pycnidial stage Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. Bacillus spp. is a rod shaped and gram negative rhizobacterium which is predominant in the soil. Hence, considering the economic importance of disease, the present investigation was carried out to repress the pathogen by using indigenous Bacillus spp. strains related to antagonistic potential and plant growth promoting traits Methods: Thirty indigenous bacterial PGPR strains were isolated from healthy rhizospheric soil samples of chickpea and their antagonistic potential was studied. Later, the potential ones were examined for plant growth promoting traits. The promising strains were identified at molecular level 16S rDNA. Results: All thirty PGPR strains of rhizospharic Bacillus were potentiality antagonistic against R. bataticola and nine strains showed more than 50 per cent inhibition of the pathogen. Out of nine strains, four strains recorded more growth promoting traits and they were identified at molecular level as Bacillus cereus, Bacillus velezensis, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus subtilis sub sp. Subtilis. Bacillus valezensis is a new report on rhizosphaeric PGPR against R. bataticola in chickpea.

Phosphonic acid in plant-based food and feed products – Where does it come from?

Salts of phosphonic acid (sodium or potassium phosphonate) or its ester fosetyl are highly effective systemic fungicides, which not only exhibit fungistatic activities, but also stimulate the natural defence systems of the plants against pathogens. Since EU legislation has approved potassium and sodium phosphonate as fungicides in 2013 and 2014, they are no longer permitted in organic agriculture. As a result, even minor contents of phosphonate in organic food samples are interpreted as an indication of a not permitted fungicide treatment. A maximum level of 0.01 mg/kg applies for food for infant nutrition. Here we present evidence from the scientific literature that phosphonate is also a natural compound, which occurs in significant amounts in the environment and is produced and consumed by microorganisms within the biogeochemical phosphorus cycle. Further potential sources for this chemical in the environment apart from agricultural fungicide applications are organophosphonates, as phosphonate occurs as a byproduct during their industrial production or during their microbial degradation in effluents from industry and households. An evaluation of Eurofins results from the analysis of phosphonate from 2017 to 2022 with methods achieving a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg reveals that the compound was detected in 40.63% of all samples from organic and 43.42% from conventional agriculture, and in over 90% of organic samples of chickpeas, lentils, buckwheat, peanuts and wine. Furthermore, 97.3% of organic mushroom samples contain the compound and animal manure or compost used for cultivation is a potential source of the chemical. Consequently, other causes for phosphonate in food products than fungicide applications must be taken into account as well. Analysis of the ratio of the stable oxygen isotopes 18O and 16O was successfully applied to detect applications of mineral sulphur fertilizer in organic agriculture. Similarly, it might be also a promising tool to differentiate between phosphonate produced industrially and from natural sources.

Standardization of process for development of instant chickpea using Desi and Kabuli variety

Chickpea is considered among the most important leguminous crops in the world but is not a regular meal pulse due to their long cooking time and lengthy preparatory procedure. This gives rise to the need of converting raw chickpea into convenient food. For the preparation of instant chickpea from Desi and Kabuli variety, Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) under Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed which consisted of four variables i.e. sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), ammonium carbonate (NH4)2CO3 and temperature for soaking treatments. This design was used to develop models for the soaking time, change in colour, split %, alkalinity and cooking time for prepared instant chickpea samples. High-temperature hydration (60 °C) required lesser time to achieve the maximum hydration, whereas low-temperature hydration (30 °C) enhanced the hydration time and reduced the cooking time of instant chickpea significantly (P≤ 0.01) but this condition was inverse for the splitting/butterfly defects. Increasing the concentration of sodium bicarbonate and ammonium bicarbonate from 0.5 to 1.5 % during soaking treatments increased the splitting and alkalinity and produced undesirable colours in treated samples of chickpea. RSM optimized values concerning concentrations of different salts i.e. NaCl, NaHCO3, and (NH4)2CO3 in soaking solution were 0.59, 0.85 % and 0.82 %, respectively at 49.81 °C temperature for Desi instant chickpea having 11 minutes of cooking time whereas corresponding values for Kabuli chickpea were 1.07 % NaCl, 0.79 % NaHCO3, and 0.70 % (NH4)2CO3 at 46.53 °C temperature with 13 min cooking time.&#x0D; Keywords: Central Composite Rotatable Design, Chickpea, Soaking, Cooking time, Instant

Interacting Abiotic Factors Affect Growth and Mycotoxin Production Profiles of Alternaria Section Alternaria Strains on Chickpea-Based Media.

Chickpea is susceptible to fungal infection and mycotoxin contamination. Argentina exports most of its chickpea production; thus, its quality is of concern. The Alternaria fungal genus was found to be prevalent in chickpea samples from Argentina. The species within this genus are able to produce mycotoxins, such as alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), and tenuazonic acid (TA). In this context, we evaluated the effect of water activity (0.99, 0.98, 0.96, 0.95, 0.94, 0.92, and 0.90 aW), temperature (4, 15, 25, and 30 °C), incubation time (7, 14, 21, and 28 days), and their interactions on mycelial growth and AOH, AME, and TA production on chickpea-based medium by two A. alternata strains and one A. arborescens strain isolated from chickpea in Argentina. Maximum growth rates were obtained at the highest aW (0.99) and 25 °C, with growth decreasing as the aW of the medium and the temperature were reduced. A. arborescens grew significantly faster than A. alternata. Mycotoxin production was affected by both variables (aW and temperature), and the pattern obtained was dependent on the strains/species evaluated. In general, both A. alternata strains produced maximum amounts of AOH and AME at 30 °C and 0.99-0.98 aW, while for TA production, both strains behaved completely differently (maximum levels at 25 °C and 0.96 aW for one strain and 30 °C and 0.98 aW for the other). A. arborescens produced maximum amounts of the three toxins at 25 °C and 0.98 aW. Temperature and aW conditions for mycotoxin production were slightly narrower than those for growth. Temperature and aW conditions assayed are those found during chickpea grain development in the field, and also could be present during storage. This study provides useful data on the conditions representing a risk for contamination of chickpea by Alternaria toxins.

Влияние микроволнового излучения на химический состав нута

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is rich in protein and has a balanced amino acid profile. However, its characteristic bean flavor limits its use as a functional food ingredient. Microwave treatment may help to solve this problem. The research objective was to select the optimal parameters of microwave treatment to obtain chickpea samples with no bean flavor and to study their chemical composition.&#x0D; The study featured chickpeas of the Volzhanin variety. The experimental samples were processed in a microwave oven with a magnetron frequency of 2450 MHz at different power and time values. The protein tests, the analysis of amino acid profile, and the sensory assessment involved standard research methods.&#x0D; The microwave processing loosened the consistency of chickpeas and eliminated the bean flavor after 5–6 min at 200 W or 3 min at 400 W. A longer treatment time resulted in a peanut flavor followed by bitterness. The microwave treatment reduced the mass fraction of protein and the amount of essential amino acids. This process could be slowed down by increasing the power of microwave radiation and reducing the processing time. However, the intensification had a negative effect on the content of arginine, methionine, and tyrosine in chickpea protein.&#x0D; The results obtained can make it possible to use chickpeas as a functional food ingredient.

Fungal Infection and Mycotoxins Contamination on Farm-Stored Chickpea in Major Producing Districts of Ethiopia

Crop susceptibility to moisture content, quality of storage facilities in the farm contributes to fungal infections and mycotoxin contamination. Chickpea grain loss in many parts of the world has been due to inadequate and poor storage facilities, post-harvest activities leading to mycotoxins and fungal infections. The current research investigated the prevalence of fungal infection and mycotoxin level in farm chickpea across five major growing districts in Ethiopia. In the current study, fungal infection and mycotoxin concentrations were investigated in two Desi and Kabuli type varieties of samples containing 150 chickpea kernels collected from five districts in Ethiopia. Additionally, moisture content, relative humidity, and temperature were also investigated during sampling. Moisture levels ranged from 13.3 - 22.3% with a mean value of 16.4% across the five districts. There was no significant difference between the two varieties studied. Survey of different storage techniques used by farmers showed that polypropylene bags were most common and accounted for 54.7%, followed by gotta 45.3%. The total fungal infection in chickpea kernels across the sampled districts range 23 - 79%. Infection with Aspergillus genera was predominant, accounting for approximately 44.3% of the total (25 - 62.5%), followed by Penicillium spp. at 34.3% (10.9 - 55.3%) and Fusarium spp. 21.4% (9.6 - 42.3%) as the lowest. A cross the studied districts, chickpea germination ranged from 68.8% to 75.5%. Total aflatoxins levels ranged from 2.5 to 31.1 ppb and a mean of 17.4 ppb. Ochratoxin A concentrations ranged from 4.3 to 35.0 ppb, with a mean value of 10.6 ppb. Fumonisins (18.7%), ranged from 0.2 to 2.9 ppm and Deoxynivalenol (6.7%) ranged from 0.2 to 2.9 ppm. Chickpea samples had a high level of total aflatoxins (ppb), followed by ochratoxin A. Even though, the current co-occurrence of mycotoxins found is at low levels, it may adversely affect the health of regular consumers and the quality of Chickpea. Further investigations should be performed in different regions to help in advising and making decisions to the relevant government institutions on the appropriate measures to be undertaken.

Vibrational Molecular Spectroscopy as a Tool to Study Molecular Structure Features of Cool-Season Chickpeas Impacted by Varieties and Thermal Processing in Relation to Nutrient Availability in Ruminants.

To our knowledge, there is no study on the relationship between molecular spectral features and nutrient availability in chickpeas. The purpose of this study was to reveal molecular structure spectral profiles among cool-season adapted CDC chickpea varieties and detect the molecular structure changes induced by thermal processing methods using vibrational Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Three varieties of chickpea samples (CDC Alma, Cory, Frontier) were finely ground using a 0.12 mm screen. Spectral analyses were conducted using a JASCO FTIR-4200 spectroscope with Spectra Manager II software in the mid-infrared region from ca. 4000-800 cm-1 with a 4 cm-1 resolution. Data were analyzed using the "Mixed" procedure of SAS 9.4. Multiple regression was performed with PROC REG analysis for variable selection. Results showed that amide I area was higher (p = 0.038) in CDC Frontier than CDC Cory (30.85 vs. 24.64 AU). Amide I peak height (p = 0.028) was also higher in CDC Frontier and CDC Alma (0.45 AU in both) than CDC Cory (0.36 AU). Cellulosic compound (CEC) to total CHO (TCHO) area ratio was higher in CDC Frontier (0.05 AU) than the other two varieties (0.14 AU in both). As to thermal treatment impact, the results showed that total amide area was higher (p = 0.013) with autoclave and microwave heating (47.38 and 45.19 AU, respectively) than dry heating (33.06 AU). The CEC area was also higher (p &lt; 0.001) for autoclave and microwave heating (3.74 and 3.61 AU, respectively) than dry heating (2.20 AU). Moreover, the ratio of amide I to II height was higher (p = 0.022) with microwave heating than dry heating (1.44 vs. 1.16 AU, respectively). Relationship analysis showed that the effective degraded crude protein (EDCP) and bypass dry matter (% BDM) were associated with STCHO peaks and CEC height (p &lt; 0.05, R2 = 0.68). Also, feed milk value (FMVDVE) was associated with STC1, STC_A, and CEC_A (p &lt; 0.05, R2 = 0.85). In conclusion, vibrational molecular spectroscopy mid-infrared FTIR was able to reveal different molecular spectral characteristics among the cool-season adapted CDC chickpea varieties and detect molecular structure changes induced by thermal processing (dry heating, autoclaving, and microwave heating).

Development of safe storage guidelines for Kabuli chickpeas

Safe storage guidelines of agricultural commodities assist farmers and farm managers deploy proper post-harvest measures to maximize profits and minimize economic losses. They are an effective means to ensure that the quality of harvested commodities is not compromised due to varying environmental conditions during storage. The aim of the present study was to develop safe storage guidelines for Kabuli chickpeas by taking into consideration the influence of storage variables (temperature of storage, relative humidity, time of storage) on the crop's shelf life. Chickpea samples with moisture content (MC) of 9, 11, 13 and 15% wet basis (w.b.) were stored at 10, 20, and 30 °C under different relative humidity (RH) conditions ranging from ∼55 to 95%. To evaluate the deterioration of chickpeas over storage, its germination, protein content, visible mould, MC and free fatty acid value (FAV) were assessed weekly. A statistically significant effect of the storage variables was observed on germination rate, FAV and initial MC. For samples possessing a higher initial MC (15%) and stored at a higher temperature (30 °C), visible mould was observed after the 5th week of storage. Protein content did not depict any statistically significant changes during storage. The study depicted that lower MCs of 9, 11 and 13% must be maintained for the safe storage of chickpeas at 10 and 20 °C. In the regions where the storage temperatures might exceed 30 °C, the MC of chickpeas needs to be lowered to 11% within the first 4 weeks of storage. The quality and viability of the Kabuli chickpeas can be best maintained for long term storage if the MC are kept to 9, 11 or 13% and storage temperatures below 20 °C.

Variability and stability of the main valuable economic traits of the chickpeas collection specimens in conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Purpose. The research is aimed at an in-depth study of the genetic diversity of the existing collection samples from the basic collections according to morphological, biological and economic features in conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine and selection of reliable sources of these traits in order to create a new highly productive, adaptive breeding material. Methods. Field (conducting phenological observations and records), biometric and measuring and weighting (for recording productivity and yield), mathematical and statistical (objective evaluation of experimental data obtained). Results. During 2018-2021, on the experimental fields of scientific crop rotation of the Institute of Feed Research and Agriculture of Podillia of NAAS, evaluation of 223 chickpea samples obtained from the Breeding and Genetic Institute of the National Center for Seed Science and Varietal Research and 210 samples of the kabuli type and 13 samples of the desi type from the V.Ya. Yuryev Institute of Plant Breeding of NAAS was carried out. Using the coefficient of variation (V, %), the level of variability of the main morphological traits (“stem length”, “lower bean attachment height”, “number of branches of the 1st order per plant”), elements of seed productivity (“number of beans per plant”, “number of seeds per bean”, “weight of 1000 seeds” and “seed weight per plant”) and productivity was established in these samples. The ecological stability (stability and plasticity) of the main valuable morphological traits, elements of seed productivity and yield in chickpea collection samples selected for productivity features were studied. Conclusions. According to the data of four years of research (2018-2021), in conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, 16 collection samples of chickpeas (12 of the kabuli and 4 of the desi type) resistant to adverse abiotic and biotic factors with increased productivity were selected. These samples are valuable sources of the main morphological traits plasticity and stability, elements of the seed productivity structure for the purpose of breeding the increased the adaptability of chickpea varieties in conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine.