Nutritional Elements Research Articles

Outdoor activities foster local plant knowledge in Karelia, NE Europe

Wild edible plants, particularly berries, are relevant nutritional elements in the Nordic countries. In contrast to decreasing global trends, approximately 60% of the Finnish population is actively involved in (berry) foraging. We conducted 67 interviews with Finns and Karelians living in Finnish Karelia to: (a) detect the use of wild edible plants, (b) compare those results with the published data about neighbouring Russian Karelians, and (c) document the sources of local plant knowledge. The results revealed three main findings. First, we observed a similarity in wild food plant knowledge among Karelians and Finns from Karelia. Second, we detected divergences in wild food plant knowledge among Karelians living on both sides of the Finnish–Russian border. Third, the sources of local plant knowledge include vertical transmission, acquisition through literary sources, acquisition from “green” nature shops promoting healthy lifestyles, childhood foraging activities performed during the famine period following WWII, and outdoor recreational activities. We argue that the last two types of activities in particular may have influenced knowledge and connectedness with the surrounding environment and its resources at a stage of life that is crucial for shaping adult environmental behaviours. Future research should address the role of outdoor activities in maintaining (and possibly enhancing) local ecological knowledge in the Nordic countries.

The effect of various washing methods on pesticide residues, toxic and essential elements removal in rice.

This study examined the effects of various treatments on removing pesticide residues and toxic elements in rice. In parallel, nutritional elements, magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and phosphorous (P), were measured to investigate the effect of these washing treatments on the nutritional value of rice. A naturally contaminated rice sample containing five widespread used pesticides (azoxystrobin, buprofezin, carbendazim, and propiconazole) and toxic elements, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and essential elements, was washed using several washing agents, including boiling water, 5% sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), 5% acetic acid (vinegar), 5% citric acid, and 5% sodium chloride (salt). The washing method was chosen based on its availability and widespread usage; soaking for 10min was assumed to be reasonable. Our results showed that using 5% acetic acid significantly reduced azoxystrobin by 63%, buprofezin by 70%, carbendazim by 75%, and propiconazole by 61%. However, As and Cd were significantly reduced in sodium chloride by 57% and 32%, respectively. Furthermore, a significant reduction in essential nutrient elements was found in Mg (42%), K (37%), and P (23%) when rice was treated with 5% citric acid. Overall, washing agents reduced analytes in the following manners pesticides, toxic elements, and essential elements when using acetic acid, sodium chloride, and citric acid separately.

The perceived value of oat milk and the food-choice motives of young, urban people

PurposeBoth governments and the food industry are interested in plant-based products. New products are advertised as climate-friendly, with plant-based materials increasingly replacing animal-based content. In Finland, oat milk dominates the plant-based milk market. The authors studied what features young and urban users of plant-based and cow's milk value in oat milk for coffee and how the preferences of the users relate to ethical food-choice motives.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 308 students filled in an e-questionnaire. The survey used best-worst scaling (BWS), a discrete choice approach, to measure the perceived values related to oat milk characteristics. The ethical motives were measured by a version of the Lindeman and Väänänen scale. Also the respondents' diets were asked. Preference clusters were identified and viewed with the ethical food-choice motives and diets.FindingsThe respondent group that exclusively used cow's milk attached more value to taste, added nutritional elements, discounts and recommendations by friends. The rest of the respondents attached more value to origin and sustainability-related features of oat milk. In the six-cluster solution, one extreme cluster was valuing taste and the other was valuing sustainability-related issues. All the ethical food-choice motives: ecological welfare, political values and religion were (roughly) the higher the cluster valued sustainability-related items. The respondents eating meat were more likely to belong to the clusters valuing taste than non-meat eaters that belong more likely to clusters valuing sustainability-related features.Originality/valueVery few earlier studies have explored the heterogeneity of valuations of plant-based products and the products' relationship with ethical food-choice motives.

Combined effects of dry-wet irrigation, redox changes and microbial diversity on soil nutrient bioavailability in the rice field

Sustainable development goals (SDGs) by United Nations are some of the high-priority areas of research and this article established the sustainable agronomic practices converging soil chemistry, crop productivity and soil microbial involvement in nutrient modulation. Alternate wetting-drying (AWD) cultivation with implications on soil microbiome, nutritional dynamics and rice yield during pre-monsoon (boro) and monsoon (aman) season are not well studied. In the present 4-year field study, the impact of AWD irrigation in pre-monsoon and flooded irrigation in monsoon on soil microbiota and the nutrient pool has been studied. Nutrient-less pond water has been used to avoid any external nutrient input from irrigation water to ensure the sole elemental flux within the soil itself. The release of soil nutrients into the soil-aqueous system, influencing microbial populations and modulating the redox status was explored. Results indicated an increase in total concentration as well as bioavailability of selected nutritional elements (N, P, K, Fe, Ca, Mg, Cu and Zn) by 16–54% in the pre-monsoon cultivation relative to monsoon cultivation. Three plant growth phases (developing, milking and harvest) were considered to check the nutrient modulations in soil and plant tissues along with the plant growth and elemental uptake continuum. Crop plant measurements were improved and grain yields were found to be 5.2–6.46% increased under AWD and microbial activity. Krona charts, relative abundance, rarefaction curve and multivariate analysis of metagenomics data showed that the pre-monsoon soil was more enriched and maintained a balance between soil pH and microbial biomass than the monsoon soil. Microbial community diversity associated with plant growth phases was also found to be different depending on the seasonal alterations. Bacillus sp., Acidothiobacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Rhizobium sp., Burkholderia sp. were predominant in pre-monsoon soil releasing pulses of N, P, K, Ca and Mg whereas Verrucomicrobia was found to be dominant in monsoon soil where Fe was released. This study is a first of its kind that showed the combined effect of season and some specific groups of soil microbes on macro-micro nutritional availability in soil and enhanced plant quality.

Agroecological assessment of the technology of processing ordinary chernozem deposits in the south of Central Siberia

Relevance. In the arid steppe zone, strong wind, weak water erosion and other adverse phenomena are manifested. Similar processes are observed in Siberia. At present, the re-development of deposits is beginning and soil degradation is again manifested in the steppe regions of the Republic of Khakassia. For the effective use of land resources, it is necessary to develop a soil protection technology for soil treatment of deposits in the steppe foothill zone of the south of Central Siberia.Methods. The study of the effectiveness of soil treatment technologies of the erosive agroecological group of fallow lands was carried out in the Baysky foothill steppe soil-geographical agrolandscape region of the Republic of Khakassia, located in the south of Central Siberia. Research for three years was carried out in the link of crop rotation: a four-year–old grain–grass deposit — buckwheat — buckwheat by the method of field experience of Boris Dospekhov. Mеthods of water-physical, agrochemical, economic and energy research were used in the performance of the work.Results. It was revealed that on four-year fallow lands there is soil compaction, low content of elements of mineral nutrition. The influence of the complex application of continuous herbicides (Tornado 500) and soil tillage technology on erosion resistance has been established. During summer tillage of the deposit and timely application of herbicide, there is an increase in wind resistance and productivity of the crop rotation link. In the foothill steppe region, with such a soil protection technology with the treatment of ordinary chernozem, the erodibility is 27.5–30.9 g / 5 min of exposure.

Accumulation and distribution of nutrients, radionuclides and metals by roots, stems and leaves of plants

In the process of growth and development, plants not only absorb essential nutritional elements, but also absorb radioactive and non-essential elements from the environment, and their distribution varies in different parts of the plant. In this study, neutron activation analysis and gamma spectrometry were performed on stems, roots, and leaves of vegetables. The results indicate that the accumulation of radionuclides and multi-elements depends on the plant type and plant parts. Activity concentrations of 226Ra and 232Th in plants were accumulated in the following order: Roots > Stems > Leaves. The highest concentrations of 40K and 210Pb were observed in the stems and leaves of plants, respectively. Essential nutrient requirements of plants are in the following order: K > Ca > Mg > Fe > Zn > Mn. Among the non-essential metals, the concentration of Na in the vegetable sample was much greater than those of the other elements. The K/Na ratio in the plant depends on the type of plant and the translocation within the plant.

Diversity and Abundance of Plants In Dry Climate in Mexican Park, Bogor Botanical Gardens

Dry climate plants are plants that can adapt in a dry environment. The Mexican Park located in the Bogor Botanical Garden has a very varied species of dry climate plants. The study aims to find out the diversity and abundance of dry-climate plants in the Mexican Park, as well as the factors that influence the dry climatic plants that can grow in the Bogor Botanical Garden. The research was carried out by direct exploration method by creating three spaces of 5m x 5m, 10mx 5m and 10m x 10m. Data analysis techniques in this study use quantitative analysis. The results of the research showed that the diversity and abundance of dry climate plants in the Mexican Park of the Bogor Botanical Garden found 15 species with a total of as many as 120 individuals. The Important Value Index (INP) of dry climate plants at all observation spots obtained a value of 2.8667%, with the highest INP being the Rhoeo discolor, so the diversity and abundance of dry-climatic plants in the Mexican Park of the Bogor Botanical Gardens can be categorized as moderate. Dry climate plants can grow in the Bogor Botanical Garden because this Mexican Park makes it very similar to its original habitat, so the nutrition and climate elements are what influence the growth factor of the plant dry climate in the Mexican Garden of Bogor.

Biofortification of baby leafy vegetables using nutrient solution containing selenium.

Biofortification of vegetables is an important innovation technique in the horticultural sector. Vegetables can be a vector of different minor elements that have beneficial effects on human health. Selenium (Se) is an important element for human nutrition and plays a significant role in defence mechanisms. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of Se in the nutrient solutions on the crop biofortification ability, yield, and quality parameters of four baby leafy vegetables destined to the minimally processed industry. Experiments were performed on lamb's lettuce, lettuce, wild rocket, and spinach. These crops were cultivated in the floating systems with nutrient solution enriched with 0, 2.6, 3.9, and 5.2 μmol L-1 Se provided as sodium selenate. At harvest, Se concentrations, yield, nitrate concentration, sugars, and some mineral elements were measured. Data collected and analyses showed that yield, nitrate, sucrose, and reducing sugars were not affected by Se treatments, even if varied among species. Se concentrations linearly increased in leaves of different species by increasing the Se concentration in the nutrient solution. Rocket was the species with the highest accumulation ability and reached a concentration of 11 μg g-1 fresh weight Se in plants grown with 5.2 μmol L-1 Se. A floating system with Se-enriched nutrient solution is an optimal controlled growing biofortification system for leafy vegetables. The accumulation ability decreased in different species in the order wild rocket, spinach, lettuce, and lamb's lettuce, highlighting a crop-dependent behaviour and their attitude to biofortification. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Phytochemical Analysis of the Aerial Parts of Campanula pelviformis Lam. (Campanulaceae): Documenting the Dietary Value of a Local Endemic Plant of Crete (Greece) Traditionally Used as Wild Edible Green

Native wild edible greens usually include plants with widespread geographical ranges and represent a long tradition associated with well-documented health effects, especially in the frame of the Mediterranean diet. Although consuming local endemic and range-restricted plants as wild edible greens is rare, in some areas of Crete this is a long ethnobotanical tradition. The present study is focused on the phytochemical and nutritional element analyses of the edible parts of the wild-growing green Campanula pelviformis. To date, nine secondary metabolites have been isolated: lobetyolin (1), calaliukiuenoside (2), demethylsyrrigin (3), wahlenoside A (4), chlorogenic acid methyl (5) and butyl ester (6), nicotiflorin (7), rutin (8) and corchoionoside A (9). This first-time research on the phytochemical composition of this local endemic plant of Crete is a basic step in attempts to document its nutritional value, also allowing an exploration of its beneficial properties. The nutritional value of the Mediterranean diet owes much to the inclusion of native edible wild plants, which are abundant in mineral elements and bioactive compounds known to promote human health. Among these plants, the local Cretan endemic species C. pelviformis stands out as a rare and valuable source of wild edibles with traditional dietary significance in eastern Crete. This plant’s rich content of mineral elements and bioactive compounds makes it an intriguing subject for further research into the potential health benefits of wild plant consumption.

Study of environmental safety and economic efficiency of digestate as biofertilizer

The conducted research is dedicated to: the importance of rational use of natural resources due to effective waste management; formation of the concept of a resource-saving agro-industrial complex due to the development and implementation of bio-organic technologies for growing agricultural crops for the production of biofuels from agro-biomass and animal husbandry waste; ensuring the energy independence of the industry and forming the country’s food security. The improved mechanism for the introduction of ecological innovations will contribute to: increasing the economic efficiency of the agricultural sector as a key factor of positive changes in order to find new, more effective and perfect implementations of ecological innovations in the development of food security of the state; reducing the impact of anthropogenic human activity on the surrounding natural environment and improving the socio-economic indicators of rural development. It was determined that the digestate contains a significant amount of mineral elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium). In terms of speed of action (absorption of elements by plants), it resembles mineral fertilizers, since the elements N, P and K are easily available to plants. It was established that calculations of the cost of organic fertilizers based on cow dung, as well as digestate, which is obtained from a bioreactor during biogas production, showed that the monetary expression of organic-mineralized environmentally friendly fertilizer, which is obtained after fermentation processes from a biogas reactor, based on digestate, is worth to form by adding up the value of the nutritional chemical elements from which it is composed. Authors of the article Honcharuk I.V., Pantsyreva H.V. and Vovk V. are executors of applied research on the topic “Development of bio-organic technologies for growing agricultural crops for the production of biofuels and ensuring energy independence of the agricultural sector” (state registration number 0123U100311).

Physico-Biochemical Property Evaluation of Certain Promising Varieties of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), often known as gramme or Bengal gramme, is a self-pollinated leguminous crop with diploid annual (2n = 16 chromosomes) that belongs to the family Leguminosae and subfamily Papilionaceae. During the Rabi season, it is the most significant crop in India. Chickpeas are a high-energy, high protein, and low carbohydrate food. Gram is a grain that is utilised for both human consumption and animal feed. It comes in flour, whole grain, roasted, and cocked varieties. The most common forms consumed by people are salted Dahl or sweet concoctions, as well as green foliage and grain as vegetables. In the Rabi season, 60% of pulses are grown, and 40% in the Kharif season. Chickpeas are high in calories, protein, minerals, vitamins, and fibre that may be useful to one's health. For biochemical characteristics on selected potential genotypes/varieties of chickpea [Cicer arietinum (L)], seeds of chickpea genotypes/varieties were obtained from legume Breeder, Department of Genetics and Plant breeding, CSAUAT, Kanpur. The experiment was planned in the Department's Research Laboratory in order to achieve the goals of their research. Dhal percent, husk percentages, broken dal, percentage loss in processing, protein, test weight, grain yield quintal/ha, were 71.40-82.92g, 7.50-17.74 percent, 2.00-5.60 percent, 20.85-23.95 percent, 21.45-27.70g, 21-30q/ha, respectively. In genotypes K3256, Avrodhi, KGD1296, KGD2021, K3256, K3256 of the varietal trail, lower husk percentage, broken percentage, and processing loss were identified, as well as greater nutritional elements such as protein content also identified.

Regulatory network mediated by CmMKK5–CmMPK13 cascade response to phosphorus starvation in chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) is an important autumnal ornamental and economically important flower with numerous cultivars and history of medicinal use. Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutritional element for chrysanthemum growth and development. This study analyzed the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade pathway CmMKK5–CmMPK13 in response to low-phosphate (LP) stress in chrysanthemum. CmMPKK5 and CmMPK13 induced up-regulation in the roots, whereas CmMPK13 decreased in the leaves following 2 days of LP treatment. Subcellular localization analysis of transient expression systems in tobacco leaves revealed that CmMPKK5 and CmMPK13 proteins were localized to the entire cell structure. Mutants T200A, Y202A, and T200A-Y202A of the CmMPK13 (Cmmpk13s) post-translational modification (PTM) phosphorylation sites were obtained by site-directed mutagenesis. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that the altering the phosphorylation sites did not affect their distribution in cells. Phosphorylation analysis revealed CmMPK13 and T200A could be phosphorylated by CmMKK5 or undergo autophosphorylation. However, Y202A and T200A-Y202A could not be phosphorylated by CmMKK5 or be autophosphorylated. In Arabidopsis, CmMKK5 overexpression in transgenic lines (Oe) could complement the growth of mutant mkk5 and cause early flowering under LP stress. CmMPK13-Oe and T200A caused early flowering of mutant mpk13 under both LP and HP conditions, whereas Y202A and T200A-Y202A did not. In chrysanthemum, the phosphate (Pi, H2PO4-) concentration, root structure, height, and leaf weight of CmMPK13-Oe were significantly higher than those of wild-type (WT) under LP treatment. Phosphoproteome analysis showed that CmMPK13 could promote responsiveness to P deficiency by altering transcription and translation in the chrysanthemum. This work promotes our understanding of the molecular mechanism of MAPK and provides genetic resources for improving the efficiency of P utilization in chrysanthemum.

Exploiting Polyhydroxyalkanoates for Biomedical Applications.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biodegradable plastic. Numerous bacteria produce PHAs under environmental stress conditions, such as excess carbon-rich organic matter and limitations of other nutritional elements such as potassium, magnesium, oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen. In addition to having physicochemical properties similar to fossil-fuel-based plastics, PHAs have unique features that make them ideal for medical devices, such as easy sterilization without damaging the material itself and easy dissolution following use. PHAs can replace traditional plastic materials used in the biomedical sector. PHAs can be used in a variety of biomedical applications, including medical devices, implants, drug delivery devices, wound dressings, artificial ligaments and tendons, and bone grafts. Unlike plastics, PHAs are not manufactured from petroleum products or fossil fuels and are, therefore, environment-friendly. In this review, a recent overview of applications of PHAs with special emphasis on biomedical sectors, including drug delivery, wound healing, tissue engineering, and biocontrols, are discussed.

An Evaluation of Antibacterial Effects of Human Amniotic Fluid on Pathogenic and Probiotic Bacteria In Vitro.

Amniotic fluid in the uterus is beneficial for the fetus growth and protection due to its nutritional elements as well as its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Today, body membranes are increasingly being used in multiple fields. The purpose of the current study was evaluation of the antibacterial effects of amniotic fluid and comparison of its effects on pathogenic and probiotic bacteria. This experimental study was conducted on amniotic fluid obtained from 43 healthy mothers who gave birth by selective cesarean section. Then, antibacterial effects of amniotic fluids were investigated on 8 standard bacterial strains, including Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella flexneri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus cereus, and Lactobacillus plantarum by agar well-diffusion method. Data analysis was performed by SPSS software, vs. 22 (IBM, US). Amniotic fluid revealed an inhibitory effect on the growth of bacterial strains. Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes strains showed growth inhibition in 39% and 17% of samples, respectively. In other bacterial strains, there was growth inhibition in less than 5% of the samples. Also, the zone of growth inhibition for Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes was significantly higher than the other strains. Amniotic fluid samples had an antibacterial effect on all pathogen strains in general, but not on the Lactobacillus plantarum probiotic strain. Our findings suggest that the antibacterial effect of amniotic fluid on pathogenic bacteria is significantly higher than the Lactobacillus plantarum as a probiotic one. Overall, the findings support the use of natural substances as alternative therapeutic agents to combat antibiotic resistance.

Influence of Zinc and Probiotics on Productive Performance, Immune Response and Mineral Content in Muscle of Broiler Chickens

Zinc (Zn) is most commonly added to broiler chickens' feeds. It is an essential nutritional trace element for all forms of life. Probiotics are used to replenish the gastrointestinal flora and assist in maintaining a healthy digestive tract. Two hundred straight-run one-day-old broiler chicks Ross 308 were divided randomly into four equal groups of 50 chicks, each divided into two replicates containing 25 chicks. The control group (T1) was fed a basal diet without any additives, the second group (T2) fed on a basal diet containing 1.5 g/kg Zn, the third group (T3) fed on a basal diet containing 1g/kg probiotic, the fourth group(T4) fed on a basal diet have a combination of Zn 1.5g/kg + probiotic 1g/kg. The result revealed a significant increase (p≤ 0.05) in the mean body weight values, body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio in the combination group compared to the other groups. Likewise, this group showed significantly increased antibody titers against Newcastle and infections bursal disease vaccines and minerals contained in the pectoral muscle of broilers. In summary, our work recommends that a combination of Zn 1.5g/kg + probiotic 1g/kg could improve productive performance, immunity and chemical composition of minerals.

Влияние повторного освоения залежей на свойства почв в Красноярской лесостепи

The studies were conducted from 2020 to 2021 on paired objects of pure deposits that are in the weedy stage of succession, as well as arrays of developed deposits in the initial stage of their use in arable land. In the conditions of the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe, an assessment of the indicators of potential and effective fertility of various types of soils of these paired objects was obtained. as well as the results of taking into account the productivity of phytomass and crop yields. The state of the soil-absorbing complex practically does not change during the development and initial use of various types of soil deposits. When deposits are involved in arable land, the nitrate form of nitrogen in the soil somewhat prevails over the ammonium form due to the potentially high fertility of highly humus soils of the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe. The availability of mobile phosphates in soils is low, and the exchange of potassium is increased or high, especially in soils of heavy granulometric composition. . The spatial variation of physical and chemical properties is very low in the soils of all objects, and the nutrition elements are high, especially in developed soils. Keywords: DEPOSIT, DEVELOPMENT, SOIL, AGROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, SOIL-ABSORBING COMPLEX, NUTRITION ELEMENTS, VARIATION

Appropriate Macronutrients or Mineral Elements Are Beneficial to Improve Depression and Reduce the Risk of Depression.

Depression is a common mental disorder that seriously affects the quality of life and leads to an increasing global suicide rate. Macro, micro, and trace elements are the main components that maintain normal physiological functions of the brain. Depression is manifested in abnormal brain functions, which are considered to be tightly related to the imbalance of elements. Elements associated with depression include glucose, fatty acids, amino acids, and mineral elements such as lithium, zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and selenium. To explore the relationship between these elements and depression, the main literature in the last decade was mainly searched and summarized on PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and other electronic databases with the keywords "depression, sugar, fat, protein, lithium, zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and selenium". These elements aggravate or alleviate depression by regulating a series of physiological processes, including the transmission of neural signals, inflammation, oxidative stress, neurogenesis, and synaptic plasticity, which thus affect the expression or activity of physiological components such as neurotransmitters, neurotrophic factors, receptors, cytokines, and ion-binding proteins in the body. For example, excessive fat intake can lead to depression, with possible mechanisms including inflammation, increased oxidative stress, reduced synaptic plasticity, and decreased expression of 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Postsynaptic density protein 95(PSD-95), etc. Supplementing mineral elements, such as selenium, zinc, magnesium, or lithium as a psychotropic medication is mostly used as an auxiliary method to improve depression with other antidepressants. In general, appropriate nutritional elements are essential to treat depression and prevent the risk of depression.

The Effect of the Microalgae Chlorella vulgaris on the Gut Microbiota of Juvenile Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Is Feeding-Time Dependent.

Chlorella vulgaris is one of the most commonly used microalgae in aquaculture feeds. It contains high concentrations of various kinds of nutritional elements that are involved in the physiological regulation of aquaculture animals. However, few studies have been conducted to illustrate their influence on the gut microbiota in fish. In this work, the gut microbiota of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) (average weight is 6.64 g) was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene after feeding with 0.5% and 2% C. vulgaris additives in diets for 15 and 30 days (average water temperature was 26 °C). We found that the impact of C. vulgaris on the gut microbiota of Nile tilapia was feeding-time dependent. Only by feeding for 30 days (not 15 days) did the addition of 2% C. vulgaris to diets significantly elevate the alpha diversity (Chao1, Faith pd, Shannon, Simpson, and the number of observed species) of the gut microbiota. Similarly, C. vulgaris exerted a significant effect on the beta diversity (Bray-Curtis similarity) of the gut microbiota after feeding for 30 days (not 15 days). During the 15-day feeding trial, LEfSe analysis showed that Paracoccus, Thiobacillus, Dechloromonas, and Desulfococcus were enriched under 2% C. vulgaris treatment. During the 30-day feeding trial, Afipia, Ochrobactrum, Polymorphum, Albidovulum, Pseudacidovorax, and Thiolamprovum were more abundant in 2% C. vulgaris-treated fish. C. vulgaris promoted the interaction of gut microbiota in juvenile Nile tilapia by increasing the abundance of Reyranella. Moreover, during the feeding time of 15 days, the gut microbes interacted more closely than those during the feeding time of 30 days. This work will be valuable for understanding how C. vulgaris in diets impacts the gut microbiota in fish.

Rhizobium Grants the Reduction of Phosphate Fertilization during the Production of Coffee Seedlings

The use of bacterial inoculants is an attractive alternative that could reduce the consumption of chemical fertilizers in crops. In the production system of quality coffee seedlings, it is essential to achieve an adequate balance of nutrients that allows for healthy plants that are resistant to subsequent handling. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of Rhizobium sp. inoculation on the growth, nutrition and quality of coffee seedlings cultivated with different doses of phosphoric fertilization. Inoculation tests were carried out under nursery conditions using Coffea arabica L. cv. “Isla 5–15” and Coffea canephora Pierre ex Froehner cv. “Robusta” seeds inoculated with the Rhizobium sp. Rpr2 strain. Sixty days after sowing, the hypocotyldonal graft was performed, and the resulting plants were also treated with the bacterial inoculant. Plants were then planted in substrate with different doses of phosphorus (P): 25, 50, 75 and 100%. At seven months of cultivation, variables of growth (plant height, stem diameter, number of leaf pairs, main root length, root volume, dry mass of the aerial part, root and total), phosphoric nutrition (leaf and root P contents) and posture quality index were evaluated. The inoculation stimulated the aerial part (37%), root growth (34%), the quality index of the grafted postures (30%), and phosphorus absorption (42%) and allowed a decrease from 25 to 75% of the mineral fertilizer. For the first time in Cuba, the benefits of rhizobial inoculation on the nutrition and quality of coffee seedlings were demonstrated. The inoculation of grafted coffee seedlings with Rhizobium sp. Rpr2 through the inoculation method proposed in this study can be recommended as a new easy, cost-effective and efficient inoculation approach to obtain additional benefits for coffee growth, improving the absorption of nutritive elements and the quality characteristics of the coffee seedlings.

The Biochemistry and Effectiveness of Antioxidants in Food, Fruits, and Marine Algae.

It is more effective to maintain good health than to regain it after losing it. This work focuses on the biochemical defense mechanisms against free radicals and their role in building and maintaining antioxidant shields, aiming to show how to balance, as much as possible, the situations in which we are exposed to free radicals. To achieve this aim, foods, fruits, and marine algae with a high antioxidant content should constitute the basis of nutritional elements, since natural products are known to have significantly greater assimilation efficiency. This review also gives the perspective in which the use of antioxidants can extend the life of food products, by protecting them from damage caused by oxidation as well as their use as food additives.