Crops For Human Consumption Research Articles

Yield gains larger in GM maize for human consumption than livestock feed in South Africa.

The majority of genetically modified (GM) crops are produced for livestock consumption, whereas minimal attention has been given to GM crops for direct human consumption. In South Africa, GM white maize has been grown for direct human consumption alongside GM yellow maize and conventional hybrid (CH) maize for livestock feed since 1999. Here we investigate yield differences between GM white, GM yellow and CH maize across 106 locations, 28 years, 491 cultivars, and 49,335 dryland and 9,617 irrigated observations in South Africa. GM maize increased mean yields over CH by 0.42 metric tons (Mt) ha-1 and reduced yield risk. We show that GM white maize increased yields by 0.60 Mt ha-1 and GM yellow maize by 0.27 Mt ha-1 compared with CH maize. GM yield gains were similar for dry and irrigated production. Our study highlights the potential impacts of growing GM grain crops for human consumption in African countries.

Problems and Prospects of Subsistence Agriculture among Peasant Farmers in Rural Area

Agriculture has been the major source of livelihood in Nigeria, primarily because the environment is favorable for Agricultural practice. On the basis of climate, topography and vegetation the country is divided into five agricultural zones, namely Dry sub humid, Sub-humid, very humid and swamp/flood. Subsistence agriculture formed the major system of farming in the olden days which provide food crops for human consumption, while surplus are transported to the local markets for sale. Subsistence agriculture also forms the basis upon which all other system of farming are built. Hence, this paper examines the problems and prospects of subsistence agriculture in Ibarapa East local Government Area of Oyo State. Ten farming centres were used as samples in the area. Questionnaires were used to collect relevant data. Percentage and T-test distribution techniques were used to analyze the data. The findings show that there is low agricultural production in the study area as a result of problems such as shortage of fund, land tenure system, inadequate transportation system among others.

Consumers' Acceptance of Agricultural Fertilizers Derived from Diverted and Recycled Human Urine.

Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential ingredients in fertilizers used to produce food. Novel methods are emerging for more efficiently sourcing these nutrients, one of which is to recover them from recycled human urine; once recovered, N and P can be redirected to fertilizer production. While the technology for creating human urine-derived fertilizer (HUDF) exists, implementing it at scale will depend on public acceptance. Thus, this study examined U.S. consumers' acceptance of HUDF across a range of applications and, in comparison, to other fertilizer types. Data were collected from a representative national sample, and analyses of variance with post-hoc comparisons were conducted to compare across fertilizer applications and types. A hierarchical regression was conducted to assess if demographics, psychological variables, and value orientations predict HUDF acceptance. Results suggest that HUDF and biosolid-based fertilizers are equally preferred and more strongly preferred than synthetic fertilizers. HUDF is not preferred as strongly as organic fertilizers. HUDF was deemed most acceptable when used on nonedible plants and least acceptable when used on crops for human consumption. Regression analysis revealed that judgments about risks and benefits were the strongest predictors of acceptance of UDF use. These results are promising for sanitation practitioners and regulators among others.

Occurrence of Trace Metals in Food Crops Grown on the Mbale Dumpsite, Uganda, and Human Health Risks.

Food crops can be used as biomonitors to assess potential public health food safety hazards from contaminated agricultural environments. Globally, more than 800 million people grow fruits, vegetables, and grains on urban garden soils with unknown health risks. This worldwide practice has exposed consumers to pathogenic and carcinogenic risks from locally grown and imported contaminated foodstuffs such as Amaranthus cruentus and Zea mays, traditional and widely consumed crops across the globe. This study used Z. mays and A. cruentus crops to investigate the occurrence and spatial variations of aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) concentrations across the Mbale dumpsite, Uganda. Mean concentrations for Fe, Al, Zn, Mn, and Cu were high in both crops, whereas Pb, Cr, Co, Cd, As, Hg, Se, and Ni occurred in trace amounts. Using the 2 crops as biomonitors, significant variations for Al, Zn, Fe, Cr, and Co concentrations in individual crops were identified across the dump center, hill slope, and riverbank. The variations in Al, Zn, Fe, Cr, and Co concentrations were specific for crop types, crop parts, and location. The highest overall accumulation of metals was at the dump center and in crop leaves. Except Pb concentrations in Z. mays seeds, Cr, Pb, Zn, and Al concentrations in other crop parts were above World Health Organization/Food and Agricultural Organization consumer food safety limits. Therefore, Z. mays and A. cruentus consumption could pose health risks to consumers. Further health assessments and potential regulations are recommended to reduce potential health risks from metals in crops for human consumption. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:362-377. © 2019 SETAC.

Camelids: new players in the international animal production context.

The Camelidae family comprises the Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius), and four species of South American camelids: llama (Lama glama), alpaca (Lama pacos) guanaco (Lama guanicoe), and vicuña (Vicugna vicugna). The main characteristic of these species is their ability to cope with either hard climatic conditions like those found in arid regions (Bactrian and dromedary camels) or high-altitude landscapes like those found in South America (South American camelids). Because of such interesting physiological and adaptive traits, the interest for these animals as livestock species has increased considerably over the last years. In general, the main animal products obtained from these animals are meat, milk, and hair fiber, although they are also used for races and work among other activities. In the near future, climate change will likely decrease agricultural areas for animal production worldwide, particularly in the tropics and subtropics where competition with crops for human consumption is a major problem already. In such conditions, extensive animal production could be limited in some extent to semi-arid rangelands, subjected to periodical draughts and erratic patterns of rainfall, severely affecting conventional livestock production, namely cattle and sheep. In the tropics and subtropics, camelids may become an important protein source for humans. This article aims to review some of the recent literature about the meat, milk, and hair fiber production in the six existing camelid species highlighting their benefits and drawbacks, overall contributing to the development of camelid production in the framework of food security.

Flexible and Transparent Substrates Based on Gold Nanoparticles and TiO2 for in Situ Bioanalysis by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

Flexible and transparent substrates are emerging as low cost and easy-to-operate support for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). In particular, in situ SERS detection approach for surface characterization in transmission modality can be efficiently employed for non-invasive analysis of non-planar surfaces. Here we propose a new methodology to fabricate a homogenous, transparent, and flexible SERS membrane by the assistance of a thin TiO2 porous layer deposited on the PDMS surface, which supports the uniform loading of gold nanoparticles over large area. The substrate was first characterized for homogeneity, sensitivity and repeatability using a model molecule for SERS, i.e., 7-mercapto-4-methylcoumarin. Satisfactory intra-substrate uniformity and inter-substrates repeatability was achieved, showing an RSD of 10%, and an analytical sensitivity down to 10 nM was determined with an EF of 3.4 × 105 ± 0.4 × 105. Furthermore, SERS detection of pyrimethanil (PMT), a commonly employed pesticide in crops for human consumption, was performed in situ, exploiting the optical transparency of the device, using both model surfaces and non-flat bio-samples. PMT contamination at the phytochemical concentration levels corresponding to commonly used infield doses was successfully detected on the surface of the yellow Ficus benjiamina leaves, supporting the use of this substrate for food safety in-field application.

Possible Roles of Rhizospheric and Endophytic Microbes to Provide a Safe and Affordable Means of Crop Biofortification

Biofortification has been used to improve micronutrient contents in crops for human consumption. In under-developed regions, it is important to fortify crops so that people can obtain essential micronutrients despite the limited variety in their diets. In wealthy societies, fortified crops are regarded as a “greener” choice for health supplements. Biofortification is also used in crops to boost the contents of other non-essential secondary metabolites which are considered beneficial to human health. Breeding of elite germplasms and metabolic engineering are common approaches to fortifying crops. However, the time required for breeding and the acceptance of genetically modified crops by the public have presented significant hurdles. As an alternative approach, microbe-mediated biofortification has not received the attention it deserves, despite having great potential. It has been reported that the inoculation of soil or crops with rhizospheric or endophytic microbes, respectively, can enhance the micronutrient contents in various plant tissues including roots, leaves and fruits. In this review, we highlight the applications of microbes as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for biofortification by improving the mineral, vitamin, and beneficial secondary metabolite contents in crops through naturally occurring processes. In addition, the complex plant–microbe interactions involved in biofortification are also addressed.

The honey bee gut microbiota: strategies for study and characterization

Gut microbiota research is an emerging field that improves our understanding of the ecological and functional dynamics of gut environments. The honey bee gut microbiota is a highly rewarding community to study, as honey bees are critical pollinators of many crops for human consumption and produce valuable commodities such as honey and wax. Most significantly, unique characteristics of the Apis mellifera gut habitat make it a valuable model system. This review discusses methods and pipelines used in the study of the gut microbiota of Ap.mellifera and closely related species for four main purposes: identifying microbiota taxonomy, characterizing microbiota genomes (microbiome), characterizing microbiota-microbiota interactions and identifying functions of the microbial community in the gut. The purpose of this contribution is to increase understanding of honey bee gut microbiota, to facilitate bee microbiota and microbiome research in general and to aid design of future experiments in this growing field.

Nutritional composition analysis for beta-carotene-enhanced transgenic soybeans (Glycine max L.)

Nutritional composition is important for assessing the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops for human consumption. Three beta-carotene-enhanced soybean lines were developed by introducing the β-conglycinin promoter::Phytoene synthase-2A-Carotene desaturase/t35S gene cassette into the genome of the commercial Kwangan (Glycine max L.) soybean variety. Transgenic soybeans were successfully detected on beta-carotene productions ranged from 170.47 to 213.58 µg/g. Comparative assessments of nutrition were conducted with 3 transgenic soybeans, their non-GM counterpart, and several commercial soybean varieties. Results indicated that most levels of proximate, fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins showed non-significant differences between transgenic soybeans and their counterpart, and fit within the reference ranges established for other commercial soybeans and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Guidelines. However, significant differences on levels of crude fat, carbohydrate, δ-tocopherol, and oleic acid of transgenic soybeans comparing to those of non-transgenic counterpart Kwangan cannot eliminate the influences of transgene insertion. Alternations on compositions should be definite by further studies, such as transcriptome and metabolome profiling.

Optimization of Biomass and Compost Management to Sustain Soil Organic Matter in Energy Cane Cropping Systems in a Tropical Polluted Soil: a Modelling Study

In French West Indies, the high dependency of the electricity mix on imported fossil fuels has led local authorities to propose the conversion of some land to the production of energy cane. This conversion mainly concerns land polluted by the pesticide chlordecone, where most crops for human consumption have been banned. This molecule has a strong affinity for soil organic matter (SOM). The aims of this study were to assess the impact of crop residue management and compost application on the stocks of SOM and chlordecone in soils cultivated with energy cane and to determine the minimum SOM input required to maintain SOM stocks. A field experiment was conducted to determine the yield and biomass partitioning of energy cane, and laboratory incubations were performed to estimate humification from crop residues. Changes in SOM and chlordecone stocks over a 30-year period were investigated using models already calibrated for the land under study. Non-harvestable biomass left on the field (tops, litterfall and roots) covered >60 % of SOM mineralization. A full offset of mineralization required the return of 10 % of harvestable biomass or the application of compost at a rate of 40 Mg ha−1 every 5 years. With the total removal of harvestable biomass and without compost applications, SOM and chlordecone losses increased by 23 and 13 %, respectively, which was associated with high SOM mineralization and chlordecone leaching under tropical climate. The estimated break-even price for cane biomass indicated that compost application would be more profitable for farmers than the return of a part of the harvestable biomass.

Data for global lysine-acetylation analysis in rice (Oryza sativa).

Rice is one of the most important crops for human consumption and is a staple food for over half of the world׳s population (Yu et al., 2002) [1]. A systematic identification of the lysine acetylome was performed by our research (Xiong et al., 2016) [2]. Rice plant samples were collected from 5 weeks old seedlings (Oryza sativa, Nipponbare). After the trypsin digestion and immunoaffinity precipitation, LC–MS/MS approach was used to identify acetylated peptides. After the collected MS/MS data procession and GO annotation, the InterProScan was used to annotate protein domain. Subcellular localization of the identified acetylated proteins was predicted by WoLF PSORT. The KEGG pathway database was used to annotate identified acetylated protein interactions, reactions, and relations. The data, supplied in this article, are related to “A comprehensive catalog of the lysine-acetylation targets in rice (O. sativa) based on proteomic analyses” by Xiong et al. (2016) [2].

Compositional assessment of carotenoid-biofortified rice using substantial equivalence

One important aspect in assessing the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops for human consumption is characterizing their nutrient composition. A β-carotene-biofortified rice was generated by inserting phytoene synthase (Psy) and carotene desaturase (Crtl) genes isolated from Capsicum and Pantoea into the genome of a conventional variety of rice (Nakdongbyeo). Nutrients (proximates, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins), anti-nutritive components (trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid), and ferulic acid in GM rice were compared with those in the parent line Nakdongbyeo. Statistical comparisons to test for equivalence showed that all of the analyzed components in the GM plants were equivalent to those in its non-transgenic counterpart, and most nutritional components fell within the range of values reported for other commercial lines, indicating the safety of the GM plant. Key words: Genetically modified crop, β-Carotene, Transgenic rice, Nutrient, Substantial equivalence.

DIFFERENTIAL GENE EXPRESSION ANALYSIS IN Vicia monantha UNDER DROUGHT STRESS CONDITIONS

In Egypt and many countries of WANA (West Africa, North Africa), broad bean or faba bean (Vicia faba), is considered the most important food legume; consumed green or dried, fresh or canned, as well as for animal feed (Bond et al., 1985). Furthermore, feeding value of faba bean is high, and is considered in some areas to be superior to field peas or other legumes. It is one of the most important winter crops for human consumption in the Middle East (Duke, 1981). Different wild Vicia species from the Northwest coastal region of Egypt have been identified (Atlas of Legume Plant of the North West of Egypt, 1993). Vicia monantha is a member of the family Fabaceae, belonging to the genus Vicia. It is a wild plant species that is native to the Northern African region, mainly Algeria and Egypt. It is characterized by its obvious withstanding to severe environmental conditions. Such wild plants are considered as an excellent source of stress-related genes awaiting their isolation and identification. Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, chemical toxicity and oxidative stress are serious threats to agriculture and result in the deterioration of the environment. Abiotic stress is the primary cause of crop loss worldwide, reducing average yields for most major crop plants by more than 50% (Boyer, 1982). Drought and salinity lead to inability of plants to acquire their water needs, resulting in loss of turgor and/or osmotic stress. At the molecular level, osmotic stress will trigger cascades of signals involving Ca++ and reactive oxygen molecules as primarily signals to activate pathways critical for plant survival under the stress conditions (Knight et al., 1997; Knight and Knight, 2001). At the cellular level, responses include metabolic adjustment to produce compatible solutes (Cherry, 1989), activation of transporters at the plasma and vacuolar membranes for ion sequestration or exclusion (Blumwald and Poole, 1985; Shi et al., 2000) and activation of enzymes involved in detoxification of free radicals (Mittova et al., 2002; Bor et al., 2003; Mittova et al., 2004; Badawi et al., 2004). At the whole plant-level, responses include closure of plant stomatal apparatus coupled with an inhibition of vegetative growth and increase in root growth (Maggio et al., 2003). Cloning and characterization of environmental stress-induced genes offer a chance for understanding the physiological responses of the plant cell to the environmental stresses. Moreover, it produces a source of genes for producing transgenic plants tolerant to abiotic stress. Differential display-polymerase chain reaction (DD-PCR) (Liang and Pardee, 1992) is a simple, powerful and sensitive method for the isolation of differentially expressed genes. It has been useful in characterizing and cloning of expressed sequence tags (EST) preferentially expressed in different tissues and/or under different conditions (Cushman and Bohnert, 2000; Martin-Laurent et al., 1997; Roux and Perrot-Rechenmann, 1997; Visioli et al., 1997; Deleu et al., 1999; Wei et al., 2000; Zhang et al., 2005; Yong et al., 2007; Yu et al., 2006; Perumal Venkatachalam et al., 2009). In this study, Vicia monantha was collected from Marsa Matrouh in the North coast of Egypt. In a previous study, the plant was subjected to salinity stress and a total of fifty three new EST was identified (Abd El-maksoud et al., 2009). In the current study, Vicia monantha was subjected to drought stress to isolate and characterize some of the key expressed sequence tags (ESTs) in response to drought stress using the differential - dis- play technique.

The nutrient composition of the herbicide-tolerant green pepper is equivalent to that of the conventional green pepper

One important aspect of assessing the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops for human consumption is the characterization of their nutrient composition. This study was conducted to compare the nutritional components between the GM herbicide-tolerant green peppers and the conventional green peppers. The proximate components (energy, moisture, protein, fat, fiber, ash, and carbohydrates) and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc) were analyzed in their pericarps and seeds with placentas according to the methods established by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Our study demonstrates that there is no significant difference between the GM herbicide-tolerant and the conventional green peppers in their nutrient contents as measured in this study.

Genome Sequencing and Identification of Gene Function in Rice

Rice is known to be one of the most important crops for human consumption. As the model cereal crop, large-scale sequencing of rice genome must play quite important roles both in theoretical research and practical application in rice breeding, which announces the opening of another new way to resolve the world food crisis. At present, the emphasis of rice genome research has been transferred from structure genomics to functional analysis. The discovery of new genes and annotation of gene function was believed to be an important issue in functional genomics research. In this article, the sequencing and functional research of the rice genome were reviewed. These results may provide some useful clues for rice genetic engineering and breeding practices.

Evaluation of metal concentrations in edible vegetables grown in compost amended soil

Agricultural uses of compost usually have a positive effect on the yield of vegetable crops for human consumption. However, compost that contains heavy metals can transfer these components to soils and plants. To evaluate the contamination levels of metals in soil, compost, and edible vegetables, the Mn, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, and Ni total contents were measured. Metal availability in soils, as well as other variables – the pH, CEC (cation exchange capacity), total nitrogen, organic carbon, particle size distribution and mineralogy of the clay fraction – were examined in the soil samples. The analysed compost samples were produced from urban solid waste, cattle manure, and edible vegetable and tree pruning residues. The values of pH, CEC, total nitrogen, organic matter, exchangeable hydrogen and carboxylic groups were measured in the compost samples. Of the six metals examined in the soils, in general, Mn and Zn attained the highest concentrations, followed by Cu. Relatively high Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb concentrations were found in the soils. Metal concentrations extracted with DTPA were below the critical levels in soils, i.e. the levels above which toxicity is likely. In general, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu and Ni concentrations in compost were lower than those reported by other workers, while Mn levels were within the range for this metal in compost. The results showed that there was an effect of the vegetable type (p < 0.01) for all the parameters examined. High Pb concentrations were found in lettuce and chive as compared with the tolerance limit for this metal in fresh vegetables in Brazil. Cadmium concentrations were also enhanced in the fresh vegetables compared with the typical concentrations of metals in plants. Zinc, Cu, Cd, and Ni concentrations were lower than the tolerance limits established for foods by the Brazilian legislation.

Toxicological effects in rabbits induced by endosulfan, lindane, and methylparathion representing agricultural byproducts contamination.

Southern Spain is a dry area where water is conservatively used in agriculture to produce crops for human consumption and profit. The major crops are vegetables (eg. tomatoes, peppers), fruits (eg. lemons, oranges, apricots) and ornamental plants (eg. carnation flowers). These cultivated crops result in large amounts of agricultural byproducts. These byproducts have economic importance for use as animal feeds in rabbits and ruminants, to compensate for lack of forages due to the water shortage (Moreno and Ocio, 1988). Pesticide contamination resulting from agricultural practices for pest control limit the safe use of these products. The main problems that result are clinical and subclinical effects leading to losses in animal performance or in residue contamination of animal products which may later be consumed by humans (Cer6n, 1993). The purpose of this work is to study the effects that can be produced by endosulfan, lindane and methylparathion, pesticides heavily used in this area, that frequently contaminate agricultural byproducts (Cer6n, 1993). The rabbit, which is used in Spain as a meat source, was employed as an experimental animal to study clinical, hematological, and biochemical effects and pesticide residues resulting in tissues following endosulfan exposure. These results provide experimental evidence of the potential problems associated with feeding agricultural byproducts previously sprayed with these pesticides.

The genes encoding wheat storage proteins: towards a molecular understanding of bread-making quality and its genetic manipulation.

Wheat, a hexaploid species, has always occupied a prominent position amongst crops for human consumption. Wheat provides the staple food of many nations, including, paradoxically, a number of non-wheat-producing nations of Africa. The uses to which wheat flour is put vary around the world, the most popular food-form being bread, leavened or unleavened. Other uses include the manufacturing of pasta and couscous from Durum (tetraploid) wheat, which is not suitable for bread-making. In most cases, it is the visco-elastic properties of the dough produced by mixing flour with water that determine the type of food product that can be made. These properties, in other words the balance between extensibility and elasticity, are in turn determined primarily by the protein composition of the dough and by its protein content. While the latter essentially depends on the growing conditions, protein composition is a heritable characteristic which may differ greatly depending on the variety of wheat. Consequently, considerable effort has been put into the genetic analysis of varietal differences in protein composition, in an attempt to establish correlations with bread- and pasta-making qualities. Results of these analyses have already been extensively reviewed and have shown that qualitative differences in bread- or pasta-making between wheat varieties are predominantly associated with the major storage proteins of the grain.KeywordsCircular Dichroism SpectrumGlutenin SubunitRepetitive DomainMajor Storage ProteinProlamin GeneThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.