Edible Tubers Research Articles

Compendium on Food Crop Plants as a Platform for Pharmaceutical Protein Production.

Tremendous advances in crop biotechnology related to the availability of molecular tools and methods developed for transformation and regeneration of specific plant species have been observed. As a consequence, the interest in plant molecular farming aimed at producing the desired therapeutic proteins has significantly increased. Since the middle of the 1980s, recombinant pharmaceuticals have transformed the treatment of many serious diseases and nowadays are used in all branches of medicine. The available systems of the synthesis include wild-type or modified mammalian cells, plants or plant cell cultures, insects, yeast, fungi, or bacteria. Undeniable benefits such as well-characterised breeding conditions, safety, and relatively low costs of production make plants an attractive yet competitive platform for biopharmaceutical production. Some of the vegetable plants that have edible tubers, fruits, leaves, or seeds may be desirable as inexpensive bioreactors because these organs can provide edible vaccines and thus omit the purification step of the final product. Some crucial facts in the development of plant-made pharmaceuticals are presented here in brief. Although crop systems do not require more strictly dedicated optimization of methodologies at any stages of the of biopharmaceutical production process, here we recall the complete framework of such a project, along with theoretical background. Thus, a brief review of the advantages and disadvantages of different systems, the principles for the selection of cis elements for the expression cassettes, and available methods of plant transformation, through to the protein recovery and purification stage, are all presented here. We also outline the achievements in the production of biopharmaceuticals in economically important crop plants and provide examples of their clinical trials and commercialization.

A death due to wild tuber ingestion with literature review

The spectacular or famous glory lily is the national flower of Zimbabwe, Africa, and the state flower of Tamil Nadu, India. It is a herbaceous climber having tuberous roots and leaf-tip tendrils. The plant is elementary to cultivate in a warm conservatory, and it grows into a climber from an underground tuber. All plant parts are toxic, especially tubers, containing the poisonous alkaloid colchicine. Plant parts or extracts are used in rural areas by native practitioners for common ailments. In India and Africa, recently, there has been a resurgence in attention in extracting antimicrobial and medicinally valuable compounds to the level of growing the plant as the crop. The prevalence of this plant poisoning is relatively scarce. All the plant parts, mainly its tuber, are considered to be highly toxic parts. We report the case of a young female, a 36-year-old, who consumed the boiled tubers of Gloriosa superba mixed with edible tuber along with her husband as their routine food in the afternoon after agricultural work. This manuscript also outlines the clinicopathological aspects of Glory Lily poisoning. This case report highlights the accidental or unintentional usage of Gloriosa or its extracts resulting in potentially fatal poisoning.

Seed Germination of the Herbaceous Vine Tropaeolum pentaphyllum Lam. (Tropaeolaceae): A Neglected Geophyte with High Agricultural Potential

The objective of this study was to evaluate the seed germination of Tropaeolum pentaphyllum Lam., an endangered geophyte native of southern Brazil with agriculture potential due its edible tubers. Two experiments were carried out in 2017: germination of T. pentaphyllum under natural conditions and under controlled conditions. In the experiments under natural and controlled conditions, the germination of 1,100 and 100 seeds was evaluated, respectively. In the experiment under controlled conditions, two treatments (natural light and dark) were evaluated and each treatment contained 50 seeds. In the natural conditions experiment, in 2018 (first year), of the 1,100 seeds, 5.6% germinated and 76.5% persisted in the soil; and in 2019 (second year), 5.3% of the seeds germinated and no seeds remained in the soil. In natural conditions experiment, 10.9% of seeds germinated over two years. In controlled conditions experiment, in 2018 the germination in dark was higher (48%) compared to natural light (18%); and in 2019, despite the absence of statistical differences, the dark showed a higher value of germination (12%) in relation to natural light (6%). Over two years, dark treatment showed higher germination (60%) compared to natural light (24%) and no seeds remained in the substrate. The production of tubers in plants obtained by seed germination was 98.4% and 100%, in natural and controlled conditions, respectively. The highest germination rates occurred under dark conditions indicating that the species is preferential negative photoblastic. In addition, this species forms a seed bank in the soil, in which the seeds remained for a maximum of two years. The seed germination can contribute to the genetic diversity of crops and the production of seed-tubers, decreasing the collection of tubers in situ, contributing to the conservation and agricultural use of T. pentaphyllum.

Comparative Study of Gelatinization Kinetics of Some Edible Tubers

The kinetics of water gelatinization reaction in some edible tubers (Manihot esculenta, Colocasia esculenta, Dioscorea alata, Ipomoea batatas, Solanum tuberosum, Dioscorea dumetorum and Dioscorea rotundata) was investigated using a thermostated water bath at various temperatures.

Tracing Key Molecular Regulators of Lipid Biosynthesis in Tuber Development of Cyperus esculentus Using Transcriptomics and Lipidomics Profiling.

Cyperus esculentus is widely representing one of the important oil crops around the world, which provides valuable resources of edible tubers called tiger nut. The chemical composition and high ability to produce fats emphasize the role of tiger nut in promoting oil crop productivity. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of the production and accumulation of lipids in tiger nut development still remains unclear. Here, we conducted comprehensive transcriptomics and lipidomics analyses at different developmental stages of tuber in Cyperus esculentus. Lipidomic analyses confirmed that the accumulation of lipids including glycolipids, phospholipids, and glycerides were significantly enriched during tuber development from early to mature stage. The proportion of phosphatidylcholines (PC) declined during all stages and phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) was significantly declined in early and middle stages. These findings implied that PC is actively involved in triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis during the tubers development, whereas PE may participate in TAG metabolism during early and middle stages. Comparative transcriptomics analyses indicated several genomic and metabolic pathways associated with lipid metabolism during tuber development in tiger nut. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that TAG synthesis in different developmental stages was attributed to 37 candidate transcripts including CePAH1. The up-regulation of diacylglycerol (DAG) and oil content in yeast, resulted from the inducible expression of exogenous CePAH1 confirmed the central role of this candidate gene in lipid metabolism. Our results demonstrated the foundation of an integrative metabolic model for understanding the molecular mechanism of tuber development in tiger nut, in which lipid biosynthesis plays a central role.

Metabolite Profiling of Dioscorea (Yam) Leaves to Identify Bioactive Compounds Reveals Their Potential as Renewable Resources.

Yams (Dioscorea spp.) are cultivated and consumed as edible tubers, while their leaves are discarded as waste or burned with negative environmental impact. Herein, the metabolites of two yam species (Danma, DAN; Dunggeunma, DUN), harvested in June, July, and August, were profiled using GC-TOF-MS and UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS/MS and the antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated to stimulate the utilization of yam leaves as a by-product. We observed that the relative levels of amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and saponins decreased linearly with prolonged harvest time, while fatty acid, phenanthrene, and flavonoid levels gradually increased. Furthermore, the leaf extracts obtained in August exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. To determine the antioxidant-contributing metabolites, OPLS-DA was performed for the leaf metabolites of DAN and DUN leaves harvested in August. Hydroxytyrosol-glucoside, apigenin-rhamnoside, and rutin were more abundant in DUN, while luteolin, phenanthrene derivatives, epicatechin, and kaempferide were relatively higher in DAN and their respective metabolites were positively correlated with the antioxidant activity. Moreover, secondary metabolites were more abundant in the leaves than in the roots, and consequently, the antioxidant activity of the former was also higher. Overall, the potential value of yam leaves as a renewable source of bioactive compounds is proposed.

A chemical window into the impact of RNAi silencing of the StNAC103 gene in potato tuber periderms: Soluble metabolites, suberized cell walls, and antibacterial defense

The growth and survival of terrestrial plants require control of their interactions with the environment, e.g., to defend against desiccation and microbial invasion. For major food crops, the protection conferred by the outer skins (periderm in potato) is essential to cultivation, storage, and marketing of the edible tubers and fruits. Potatoes are particularly vulnerable to bacterial infections due to their high content of water and susceptibility to mechanical wounding. Recently, both specific and conserved gene silencing (StNAC103-RNAi and StNAC103-RNAi-c, respectively) were found to increase the load of wax and aliphatic suberin depolymerization products in tuber periderm, implicating this NAC gene as a repressor of the wax and suberin biosynthetic pathways. However, an important gap in our understanding of StNAC103 silencing concerns the metabolites produced in periderm cells as antimicrobial defense agents and potential building blocks of the deposited suberin biopolymer. In the current work, we have expanded prior studies on StNAC103 silenced lines by conducting comprehensive parallel analyses to profile changes in chemical constituents and antibacterial activity. Compositional analysis of the intact suberized cell walls using solid-state 13C NMR (ssNMR) showed that NAC silencing produced an increase in the long-chain aliphatic groups deposited within the periderm cell walls. LC-MS of polar extracts revealed up-regulation of glycoalkaloids in both StNAC103-RNAi and StNAC103-RNAi-c native periderms but down-regulation of a phenolic amine in StNAC103-RNAi-c and a phenolic acid in StNAC103-RNAi native periderms. The nonpolar soluble metabolites identified using GC-MS included notably abundant long-chain alkane metabolites in both silenced samples. By coordinating the differentially accumulated soluble metabolites and the suberin depolymerization products with the ssNMR-based profiles for the periderm polymers, it was possible to obtain a holistic view of the chemical changes that result from StNAC103 gene silencing. Correspondingly, the chemical composition trends served as a backdrop to interpret trends in the chemical barrier defense function of native tuber periderms, which was found to be more robust for the nonpolar extracts.

Uncovering the genetic diversity of yams (Dioscorea spp.) in China by combining phenotypic trait and molecular marker analyses.

Yam is an important edible tuber and root plant worldwide; China as one of the native places of yams has many diverse local resources. The goal of this study was to clarify the genetic diversity of the commonly cultivated yam landraces and the genetic relationship between the main yam species in China. In this study, 26 phenotypic traits of 112 yam accessions from 21 provinces in China were evaluated, and 24 simple sequence repeat (SSR) and 29 sequence‐related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers were used for the genetic diversity analysis. Phenotypic traits revealed that Dioscorea opposita had the highest genetic diversity, followed by D. alata, D. persimilis, D. fordii, and D. esculenta. Among the 26 phenotypic traits, the Shannon diversity indexes of leaf shape, petiole color, and stem color were high, and the range in the variation of tuber‐related traits in the underground part was higher than that in the aboveground part. All accessions were divided into six groups by phenotypic trait clustering, which was also supported by principal component analysis (PCA). Molecular marker analysis showed that SSR and SRAP markers had good amplification effects and could effectively and accurately evaluate the genetic variation of yam. The unweighted pair‐group method with arithmetic means analysis based on SSR‐SRAP marker data showed that the 112 accessions were also divided into six groups, similar to the phenotypic trait results. The results of PCA and population structure analysis based on SSR‐SRAP data also produced similar results. In addition, the analysis of the origin and genetic relationship of yam indicated that the species D. opposita may have originated from China. These results demonstrate the genetic diversity and distinctness among the widely cultivated species of Chinese yam and provide a theoretical reference for the classification, breeding, germplasm innovation, utilization, and variety protection of Chinese yam resources.

Vitamin C content in edible potato tubers in the conditions of using biostimulators

ABSTRACT In plant production that produces high-value products, biostimulants are gaining more and more importance. Research hypothesis; biostimulants can contribute to the change of vitamin C content in edible potato tubers. This hypothesis was verified in a three-year field experiment. The effect of four variants of the use of biostimulators: BrownBio Gold (auxin and cytokinin), GreenOk (humic substances), Kelpak SL (Ecklonia maxima), Titanit (titanium) in tubers of three potato cultivars on the content of vitamin C. The applied biostimulants had a significant impact on the content of vitamin C. The highest increase of this component was found in tubers harvested from the plots sprayed with BrownBio Gold. Vitamin C content under the influence of biostimulants was on average 205.0 mg·kg−1 of fresh weight. Hydrothermal conditions prevailing in the years of the research were the factor that significantly modified the content of the analysed component.

REVIEW ON THE EFFECT OF PLANTING DENSITY AND SEED TUBER SIZE ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF POTATO (SOLANUM TUBEROSUM L.)

Potato is a perennial crop which belongs to Solanum tuberosum L family. The word may refer either to the plant itself or the edible tuber. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L. ) in terms of quantity produced and consumed world wide, potato is the most important vegetable crop .It is one of the most widely grown among root and tuber crops in Ethiopia and stands second next to enset in area coverage. In Ethiopia potato is grown in four major areas such as the central, eastern, northern and southern parts of the country and these areas together cover approximately 83% of the potato farmers. Both planting density and seed tuber size affect potatoes growth, yield and quality in different ways. Proper management should take to maximaze yield and quality of potato crop. The density of potatoes crop traditionally expressed as the number of plant per unit area.The plant density affects both the total yield and the tuber size. The exact number of plants per hectare is determined by variety, seed size, seed age, soil type and the end use of the crop. Larger seeds produce more stems, and well-sprouted tubers produce more stems than seed that is too young or too old. One of the main concerns about potato production is lack of information on specific management practices. Among the management practices, intra row spacing and time of earthling up are critical to improve tuber yield and quality. Generally, the objective of this paper is to evaluate the effect of seed tuber size and planting density on the yield and yield components of potatoes.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF FLOUR AND STARCH OF PURPLE WATER YAM (Dioscorea alata) TUBER AND THE DIFFERENCE ON SENSORY ACCEPTANCE OF THE COOKIES PRODUCED

Purple water yam tubers (PWYTs) or Dioscorea alata are edible tubers containing bioactive compounds that are beneficial to human health. Its high carbohydrate content can be used to make flour or starch to increase its shelf life and food diversification. However, this food is unpopular among several communities in Indonesia, particularly for the juveniles due to limited processing knowledge. Therefore, this study aims to characterize the physicochemical properties of purple water yam flour (PWYTF) and starch (PWYTS) in order to assess consumers' acceptability toward gluten-free cookies. The PWYTF was prepared by drying peeled tubers, which was subsequently grounded. Meanwhile, the PWYTS was prepared by homogenizing the peeled tubers with water, the sediment from supernatant was dried. The chemical properties, such as moisture, ash, fiber, protein, and lipid, were determined using the Indonesian national standard procedures for flour. The physical properties, namely pH, bulk density (BD), water/oil absorption capacity (W/OAC), water/oil binding capacity (W/OBC), swelling power (SP) and solubility (Sol) were evaluated. The PWYTF and the PWYTS were used to make gluten-free cookies, with their physical properties and consumer's acceptability evaluated using semi-trained panelists. Yields of both the PWYTF and the PWYTS were 36.10% and 26.63%, respectively. The chemical compositions of the PWYTF and the PWYTS were significantly different (p0.05) for carbohydrate (80.34 and 80.78 %), crude protein (0.78 and 0.81%), and crude fiber (2.0 and 1.9%) except for the ash content (2.6 and 0.5%), lipid (0.3 and 0.1%), and moisture (13.77 and 15.70%). Furthermore, their physical properties were also significantly different (p0.05) for pH (6.62 and 5.84), BD (0.46 and 0.68 g/mL), WAC (2.07 and 0.46 g/g), WBC (1.07 and 0.49 g/g), SP, and Sol except OAC (1.63 and 1.49 g/g) and OBC (0.63 and 0.49 g/g). The cookies made from the PWYTS were appreciated with the highest hardness and rated from panelists. Therefore, the PWYTS can be used in place of a commercial wheat flour to make cookies..

Bioengineering potato plants to produce benzylglucosinolate for improved broad-spectrum pest and disease resistance

In traditional, small-scale agriculture in the Andes, potatoes are frequently co-cultivated with the Andean edible tuber Tropaeolum tuberosum, commonly known as mashua, which is believed to exert a pest and disease protective role due to its content of the phenylalanine-derived benzylglucosinolate (BGLS). We bioengineered the production of BGLS in potato by consecutive generation of stable transgenic events with two polycistronic constructs encoding for expression of six BGLS biosynthetic genes from Arabidopsis thaliana. First, we integrated a polycistronic construct coding for the last three genes of the pathway (SUR1, UGT74B1 and SOT16) into potato driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. After identifying the single-insertion transgenic event with the highest transgene expression, we stacked a second polycistronic construct coding for the first three genes in the pathway (CYP79A2, CYP83B1 and GGP1) driven by the leaf-specific promoter of the rubisco small subunit from chrysanthemum. We obtained transgenic events producing as high as 5.18 pmol BGLS/mg fresh weight compared to the non-transgenic potato plant producing undetectable levels of BGLS. Preliminary bioassays suggest a possible activity against Phytophthora infestans, causing the late blight disease and Premnotrypes suturicallus, referred to as the Andean potato weevil. However, we observed altered leaf morphology, abnormally thick and curlier leaves, reduced growth and tuber production in five out of ten selected transgenic events, which indicates that the expression of BGLS biosynthetic genes has an undesirable impact on the potato. Optimization of the expression of the BGLS biosynthetic pathway in potato is required to avoid alterations of plant development.Graphical abstract

Nutritional and Potential Trace Elements Assessment in Few Edible Tuber Crops from Two Blocks of Kandhamal district of Odisha

Nutritional and Potential Trace Elements Assessment in Few Edible Tuber Crops from Two Blocks of Kandhamal district of Odisha

Medicinal uses of few edible tuber crops by“Dongria Kandha” tribes of Kandhamal district of Odisha, India

This paper describes the systematic study of root and tuber crops consumed by “Dongria Kandha” tribes of two blocks of “Kandhamal” district of Odisha. Periodic surveys were conducted in 25 villages of these two blocks regarding the methods of uses of different wild and cultivated edible tuber crops. Total seven types of edible tuber crops were consumed by this tribe. As no specific reports are available on the tuber crops consumed as food and medicine by this tribe, therefore documentation of tuber crops relating to the methods of uses, along with the morphological parameters were recorded. During survey 10 species of Dioscorea genus were found to be consumed as food as well as medicine to cure various ailments. Among them two species were found to be bitter in taste and unpalatable when consumed raw. Various methods were applied by the tribes to make the tubers palatable. The methods of consumption of ten species of Dioscorea along with the medicinal uses to treat various diseases were described in this article. Therefore these crops are valued for food security and also play a vital role towards diminishing rural poverty as well as have significant contribution towards curing of various diseases.

Status of Paliga auratalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) as black potato pest and its control strategy using natural enemies

Plectranthus rotundifolius (Lamiales: Lamiaceae) is an edible tuber that is widely distributed in Asia, covering India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Indonesia. P. rotundifolius, which is commonly called black potato in Indonesia, has the potential to be developed for national food diversification due to its high carbohydrates. However, one of the challenges in black potato cultivation is the existence of leaf-eating caterpillar. This study aimed to evaluate the status of Paliga auratalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) larva as an insect pest in black potato plant and to develop the control strategy by using parasitoid as the natural enemies. Observation and collection of P. auratalis and other potential insect pests were conducted in 12 black potato plantations located in five provinces of Java island. The life cycle of P. auratalis was observed in the laboratory of Zoology Division, Research Centre for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Science. Rearing of unhealthy P. auratalis larvae was also conducted to observe the parasitoid. We identified five moth larvae species that infested black potato plants: Argyrograma sp., Pycnarmon cribata, Pleuroptya punctimarginalis, Rehimena diemenalis, and Paliga auratalis. Our results showed that P. auratalis larva is the main insect pest in Java island with the serious attack status and black potato was recorded as a new host plant. Paliga auratalis spends its lifecycle from eggs to adulthood between 25 – 32 days with a total number of eggs of about 60-80 per female individual. We also identified two parasitic wasps as the parasitoid of P.auratalis: Cryptopimpla sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and Aspanteles sp. (Lepidoptera: Barconidae), which can potentially be developed as biological control agents for P. auratalis.

Determination of in vitro rumen digestibility and potential feed value of tiger nut varieties

Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.), or chufa, is a plant that is found in nature and is cultivated for its edible tubers. The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical composition, nutritive value, and in vitro digestibility of three tiger nut varieties using the in vitro gas production technique. These varieties were Sarışeker (yellow), Introduction 1, and Balyumru (brown). Rumen fluid was obtained from two cannulated Holstein animals. Time-dependent in vitro gas production was monitored at 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours of incubation. The varieties differed in dry matter (DM), crude ash (CA), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), and non-fibre carbohydrate (NFC) content (P <0.05). They also differed in the instantaneous volume of gas produced and in time-dependent gas production. Balyumru produced more gas at the onset of incubation than Introduction 1 and Sarışeker. However, over time, the gas produced by digestion of Introduction 1 exceeded the other two varieties. The amounts of gas produced at each time-point were intercorrelated. It is recommended that these results should lead to further evaluation in in vivo studies.
 Keywords: chemical composition, energy content, in vitro gas production

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential of Amorphophallus commutatus var. wayanadensis and its inhibitory effect on inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages

Background: An edible tuber named Amorphophallus commutatus var. wayanadensis (ACW) is used by the local ethnic communities of Wayanad, India, for hemorrhoids while the health benefits remain unexplored to the scientific community. Objectives: Hence, our study was performed to screen the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of ACW. Materials and Methods: Screening for the in vitro anti-inflammatory potential on isolated peritoneal macrophages was performed using nitrite assay, nitroblue tetrazolium assay, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production, and cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme activity. Carrageenan- and formalin-induced paw edema assays were performed to determine anti-inflammatory potential, while tail immersion assays and acetic acid-induced writhing assays were carried out to explore antinociceptive activity in animal models. Results: Bio-molecular mechanistic investigation to evaluate the in-vitro anti-inflammatory activity confirmed the suppressive effect of MEAC on TNF-α, nitric oxide and COX-2 on lipopolysaccharide stimulated peritoneal macrophages, which benchmarked ACW as a potent medicinal plant against inflammation. Further, the efficacy of methanolic extract of A. commutatus var. wayanadensis (MEAC) as an anti-inflammatory agent in murine anti-inflammatory models was demonstrated by formalin- and carrageenan-induced paw edema assays. Administration of MEAC significantly increased the tail flicking latency in mice and also showed prominent reduction in the number of writhes induced by acetic acid, which establishes the real time application of ACW as an analgesic agent. Conclusion: The vital information regarding in vitro and in vivo action of MEAC provided scientific evidence for its traditional usage for hemorrhoids. Thus, this herbal medicine of ethnic tribes can be translated toward modern medicine for health maintenance and disease prevention.

Sagittaria trifolia tuber: bioconstituents, processing, products, and health benefits.

Sagittaria trifolia is an aquatic plant that is distributed worldwide. The edible tuber part of S. trifolia is a very common and popular vegetable in China. The aim of the present review is to discuss the discovery of nutraceuticals from S. trifolia tuber by reviewing its major constituents, food processing, food products, and health-promoting benefits. Sagittaria trifolia tuber comprises a series of nutritional and bioactive constituents, including dietary fibers, amino acids, minerals, starches, non-starch polysaccharides, diterpenoids, colchicine, phenols, and organic acids. Food processing affects its flavor, biocomponents, and bioactivity. Numerous S. trifolia tuber-based food products and nutraceuticals have been developed, but new categories of products and the anticipated functions still need to be explored. The non-starch polysaccharides could be the central ingredients that contribute to the plant's antioxidant, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, lipid-regulating, and immunostimulatory properties. Of these, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects have been thoroughly investigated. Procedures for the extraction and purification of polysaccharides influence their health-promoting actions. Overall, S. trifolia tuber is an underutilized aquatic vegetable species that is an emerging subject for nutraceutical research. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Organic and conventional tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus): Differences in nutritional, antioxidant and microbiological properties

Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.), also known as chufa (European sedge), is a member of the Cyperaceae family, which is used in organic and conventional agriculture for its small edible tubers and grown in temperate and tropical zones of the world being consumed raw, roasted or pressed for its juice as beverage. The aim of this study is analyzing the proximate composition (AOAC methods), total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteu method), total antioxidant capacity (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC) and microbiological profile (International Standard Organization norms, ISO) of samples of Spanish organic and conventional, Nigerian conventional and unknown origin tiger nuts obtained from supermarkets and local markets in Spain. No significant differences in proximate composition and antioxidant properties were found between Spanish organic and conventional tiger-nuts, except in total phenolic level (p<0.005). No significant differences were found in all samples about ash, lipid, total sugar and carbohydrate values, but significant differences (p<0.005) were found for moisture, protein, fiber and antioxidant capacity between Spanish samples and Nigerian or unknown origin samples. No coagulase-positive staphylococci, nor Salmonella spp. were detected in any of the studied samples. Significant differences (p<0.005) were found for moulds and yeasts between analysed samples, but no significant differences were detected in other microorganisms.

Assessment of earthworm diversity and pesticide toxicity in Eudrilus Eugeniae

Pesticides have become an inseparable part of modern agricultural production and technology. Malathion pesticide more than 139,000 MT production capacity annually, with more than 219 technical grade and manufacturing units, and over 4000 formulation units in India. The earthworm survey was carried out in all the five sites at regular monthly intervals. In this present work, a total of six earthworms from five different species were collected from different vegetation such as garden, pond, paddy, edible tubers, and sugarcane field. The organophosphate pesticide malathion is selected as a target compound for toxicity study. The earthworm species Eudrilus eugeniae was used as a model organism. Contact toxicity was studied by filter paper method and to observe the mortality rate of different concentrations of pesticide for 24 and 48 h. The soil toxicity study was done by using artificial soil for 14 days. Surviving worms also had reduced body weight, and in some cases, morphological changes. Enzymatic activities of SOD, CAT, and protease were evaluated in the vermicast of pesticide-treated earthworm. This study refers to the earthworm population between pesticide-contaminated and unpolluted soil. This work will provide information to estimate the toxic level of Malathion against the earthworm.