High Starch Content Research Articles

Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy-Driven Chemometric Modeling for Predicting Key Quality Traits in Lablab Bean (Lablab purpureus L.) Germplasm

Lablab bean (Lablab purpureus L.) is a multipurpose crop, commonly used for food, feed, and fodder, and its potential as a plant-based meat alternative. Its nutritional diversity, including high protein, starch, and phenolic content, makes it a suitable candidate for nutritional profiling, which is essential for developing nutritionally enhanced varieties. Traditional methods for analyzing its nutritional parameters are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive. This study employs Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) as a rapid, non-destructive alternative to evaluate 112 Lablab bean genotypes. We developed prediction models for starch, amylose, protein, fat, and phenols using a Modified Partial Least Squares (MPLS) approach, with spectral pre-processing using Standard Normal Variate (SNV) to remove scatter effects and Detrending (DT) to reduce baseline shifts and noise. The models were optimized for derivatives, gap selection, and smoothing, and evaluated using independent test data and key performance metrics including coefficient of determination (R²), bias, and Residual Prediction Deviation (RPD). The best-performing models were: starch (R² = 0.959, RPD = 4.57), amylose (R² = 0.737, RPD = 1.76), protein (R² = 0.911, RPD = 3.09), fat (R² = 0.894, RPD = 2.92), and phenols (R² = 0.816, RPD = 2.36). Statistical tests, including paired t-tests, correlation, and reliability analysis, confirmed the robustness of these models. This study presents a first report offering rapid, multi-trait assessment method for evaluating Lablab bean germplasm, demonstrating high predictive accuracy for pre-breeding practices. It has broad applications in developing nutritionally enhanced varieties, supporting plant-based protein alternatives, and optimizing food production processes to meet the growing demand for healthier, sustainable foods.

Influence of Terroir on the Grain Composition, and Volatile Profile of Irish Grain (Wheat) New Make Spirit

Terroir refers to the combination of environmental factors, such as climate, soil, and agricultural practices, that shape the characteristics of a crop, contributing to the unique qualities of the final product. The concept has been traditionally linked to wine, but some recent findings suggest that it also holds importance for distilled spirits. The expanding Irish distilling sector is shifting towards local raw materials such as wheat and rye, driven by regulatory changes, economic benefits, and consumer demand for sustainable local products. This research examines the effects of wheat variety, geographical location, and harvest year on grain composition and volatile composition of the new make spirit. For this study, twenty lab-scale wheat whiskey samples were produced from five different wheat varieties grown at two different locations in Ireland over two consecutive years. The wheat samples were analysed for grain composition and the volatile profiling of new make spirit samples by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of fifty-one volatile compounds were detected, with ethanol, ethyl acetate, phenyl ethyl alcohol, and 3-methyl-1-butanol being predominant. Principal component analysis revealed that both the harvest year and geographical location moderately influenced the volatile compound distribution of the new make spirit, which is explained by a 43.25% variance. ANOVA analysis revealed that grain composition was significantly influenced by harvest year, location, and wheat variety. The 2020 samples showed higher protein and β-glucan content, whereas samples from the location Tipperary had higher starch content. This study indicates that terroir—specifically seasons (year) and geography (location)—affects the characteristics of wheat-based Irish whiskey, highlighting opportunities for distillers to differentiate their products by leveraging local environmental factors.

An Anthocyanin-Based Visual Reporter System for Genetic Transformation and Genome Editing in Cassava.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a staple crop in tropical and subtropical regions, valued for its high starch content in roots. Effective genetic transformation and genome editing of cassava require efficient screening methods for transgenic and edited plants. In this study, a visual selection marker system using an R2R3-MYB transcription factor anthocyanin 1 gene (HbAN1, LOC110667474) from a rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg.) has been developed to facilitate the identification of transgenic cassava plants. Transgenic cassava lines expressing HbAN1 accumulated anthocyanins in their leaves, allowing for easy visual identification without the need for destructive assays or specialized equipment. Importantly, the accumulation of anthocyanins did not affect the regeneration or transformation efficiency of cassava. Additionally, the AR-CRISPR/Cas9-gRNA system with the HbAN1 gene as a marker produced MeCDD4 gene-edited cassava mutants with purple leaves, demonstrating successful editing. This anthocyanin-based visual reporter (AR) system will provide an effective tool for genetic transformation and genome editing in cassava.

Partially Substituting Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density with Far-red Photons Differentially Alters Biomass Accumulation and Photochemical Efficiency of Greenhouse Lettuce

Adding far-red (FR) photons to a constant photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) alters photosynthesis, leaf morphology, and biomass accumulation of horticultural plants. However, the influences of partially substituting PPFD with FR photons under the same extended PPFD (ePPFD) on the growth of greenhouse lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is still unknown. In this study, loose-leaf lettuce (‘Dasusheng’) grown in a greenhouse in the fall was implemented using six supplementary light treatments including white plus red (WR) LEDs with substitutive FR photon flux density at 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 µmol·m−2·s−1 under the same ePPFD (WR139, WR129+FR10, WR109+FR30, WR89+FR50, WR69+FR70, and WR49+FR90, respectively). Lettuce grown with natural light only was designated as NL. The results indicated that supplementary light led to lower plant height, thicker leaves, higher biomass accumulation, higher vitamin C content, higher starch content, and higher total soluble sugar content in lettuce compared with those of lettuce grown under NL. Lettuce grown under WR139 resulted in a 40.0% decrease in plant height, 66.8% increase in leaf thickness, and 34.1% increase in shoot fresh weight compared with those of lettuce grown under NL. No significant differences were observed in leaf width, specific leaf area, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, soil plant analysis development value, apparent quantum yield, soluble protein content, and light use efficiency of lettuce among the WR139, WR129+FR10, and WR109+FR30 treatments. Furthermore, decreased trends were observed in the biomass accumulation and maximum net photosynthetic rate of lettuce with the increased substituted FR photon flux density. However, an opposite trend was found in the maximum photochemical quantum yield. In conclusion, partially substituting PPFD with FR photons at 10 to 30 μmol·m−2·s−1 had similar effects on the biomass accumulation and nutritional quality of greenhouse lettuce. The FR photons should be applied with the consideration of photon flux density because the results also demonstrated negative effects of excess substituted FR photons for PPFD.

High moisture extrusion induced interaction of Tartary buckwheat protein and starch mitigating the in vitro starch digestion

This study investigated the effects of adding 4–20 % Tartary buckwheat protein (TBP, with a purity of 93.35 %) on the structural, thermal, and digestive properties of Tartary buckwheat starch (TBS) by high moisture (60 %) extrusion. The added TBP embedded and enwrapped the starch matrix, which formed protein–starch complexes. After adding 4 %–20 % TBP, the shear degradation of AP decreased. Conversely, the shear degradation of AM chains increased. The addition of TBP promoted the retrogradation of starch in extrudates, enhancing their short- and long-range ordered structures. Compared with extruded TBS, extrudates contained TBP showed a reduction of gelatinization enthalpy, a high content of resistant starch, and a lower starch digestibility. These findings provided an insight into the protein–starch interactions under high moisture extrusion, which would promote the advancement of starch-based foods with high TBP content.

Assessing management factors limiting yield and starch content of cassava in the western Brazilian Cerrado

AbstractCassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) was declared the “crop of the 21st century” by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations due to its high starch content and low input requirements. The management factors that govern yields and starch content in cassava in Brazil are still unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the main factors that limit the yield and starch content of cassava fields in Brazilian Cerrado. The data were collected as part of a survey covering 300 cassava fields in two growing seasons (2020–2021 and 2021–2022). Throughout the development cycle, management practices, yield, and percentage starch content in the roots were described. The database was divided into high and low yield tertiles. Mean comparison tests, regression tree analyses, and boundary functions were applied. The importance of genetics, environment, and associated crop constraints on cassava production (yields and starch content) was assessed. The yield gap in cassava was 44.6 Mg ha−1. The most important factors leading to yield and starch losses were variety, planting date, and potassium fertilization. By adapting optimal practices, it is possible to produce an additional 1.5 million tons of cassava on the current cultivation area in the western Brazilian Cerrado, which corresponds to 8.3% of total production in Brazil and could increase the production of cassava starch by more than 400,000 Mg.

Editing of the soluble starch synthase gene MeSSIII-1 enhanced the amylose and resistant starch contents in cassava

Foods with high amylose and resistant starch (RS) contents have great potential to enhance human health. In this study, cassava soluble starch synthase MeSSIII-1 gene mutants were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 system. The results showed that the storage roots of messiii-1 mutants had higher contents of amylose, RS, and total starch than those in CK. The rates of small and large-sized starch granules were increased. Additionally, amylopectin starch in messiii-1 mutants had a higher proportion of medium- and long- chains, and a lower proportion of short-chains than those in CK. The onset, peak, and conclusion temperatures of starch gelatinization in messiii-1 mutants were significantly lower than those in CK, and the peak viscosity, trough viscosity and final viscosity all increased. MeSSIII-1 mutation could increase the contents of sucrose, glucose, and fructose in cassava storage roots. We hypothesize that these soluble sugars serve a dual role: they provide the necessary carbon source for starch synthesis and act as sugar signals to trigger the transcriptional reprogramming of genes involved in starch biosynthesis. This process results in a collective enhancement of amylose, RS, and total starch contents, accompanied by changes in starch granule morphology, fine structure, and physicochemical properties.

Variability of amylose content and its correlation with the paste properties of cassava starch.

The amylose content can significantly impact the diverse industrial applications of cassava starch. This study aimed to assess the variability of cassava germplasm concerning amylose content and other attributes pertinent to root quality, alongside its correlation with paste properties. Starch extracted from 281 genotypes, obtained in germplasm evaluation trials, was evaluated for amylose content, with additional analysis of parameters such as pasting temperature, time to peak viscosity (TPV), viscosity breakdown (BrD), retrogradation tendency, and maximum, minimum, and final viscosities. The genotypes exhibited considerable variation in dry matter content (ranging from 27.06% to 41.02%), starch content (from 14.61% to 25.67%), cyanogenic compounds (1.77 to 7.81), and amylose content (0.05% to 33.23%). High phenotypic variability in paste properties was observed, alongside a low residual effect for most traits, resulting in high broad-sense heritabilities (>0.95). Strong correlations of significant magnitude (>0.80) were found between parameters such as peak viscosity × viscosity breakdown, minimum viscosity × final viscosity, and final viscosity × retrogradation tendency. Moderate correlations were also identified, such as between dry matter content × starch content (0.56). While positive, correlations between amylose content and paste properties were of low magnitude (ranging from 0.13 to 0.35), except for TPV and BrD. Principal component discriminant analysis clustered the germplasm into six distinct groups based on root quality and paste properties, with most improved genotypes falling into two clusters characterized by high starch and dry matter contents. This study underscores the necessity of simultaneous evaluation of amylose content and paste properties in the breeding pipeline. Additionally, clustering cassava genotypes proves beneficial in identifying those that fulfill specific requirements in industrial and breeding applications.

Assessment of grain starch content and responses to CMS-S and CMS-C in high-starch maize hybrids

Background. Increasing the production of native and modified starch from maize requires raw materials with high starch content in grain. Materials and methods. An experimental panel of 780 simple high-starch maize hybrids produced with CMS-S and CMS-C lines underwent two-year testing. Starch content in the grain of the lines and their hybrids was assessed with IR spectrometry. Native starch content in the grain of hybrids with highest yields was measured at the All-Russian Research Institute of Starch and Starch-Containing Raw Materials Processing using the method proposed by L. P. Nosovskaya with coauthors. Responses to CMS were scored according to G. S. Galeev’s scale. Results. Grain starch content was found to vary from 58% to 72% DMB throughout the tested panel. IR spectrometry helped to identify 22 hybrids with high (72.03–72.67%) starch content, and 5 hybrids promising for deep grain processing, combining high protein (10.3–13.53%) and oil (3.77–5.03%) levels with high starch content (69.02–70.4%) in their grain. Native starch extraction using L. P. Nosovskaya’s method showed that grain starch content in the best 68 hybrids ranged from 70.03 to 71.95% DMB. The collection was ranked according to the main heterotic groups: 57 lines of Iowa Dent, 26 lines of Stiff Stalk Synthetic, and 28 lines of Lancaster. For CMS-S and CMS-C types, 33 and 6 maintainers, and 9 and 8 restorers were selected, respectively. The hybrids were distributed across the following FAO maturity groups for maize: FAO 200–299 (14 hybrids), FAO 300–399 (7), FAO 400–449 (21), and FAO 450–500 (29). Conclusion. Assessing agronomic and breeding prospects of the best 68 hybrids between high-starch maize lines and sterile testers proved their potential for producing native starch to at least 70–72% DMB. Five hybrids were identified as promising for yielding native starch (69.02–70.4% DMB), as well as protein (10.3–13.5% DMB) and oil (3.77–5.03% DMB) by-products during deep grain processing.

Exploring the potential of triticale lines for bioethanol production

Aim: Triticale is a well adaptable crop, tolerant of disease and abiotic stresses, and able to grow with good yields even in poor soil, thus representing a good choice to develop a new industrial agri-chain in Italy in a sustainability contest, to cope with its soil problems due to incoming desertification. Methods: Two triticale elite lines were grown in marginal lands in controlled field experiments. The lines were harvested at two different development stages, namely green mass and seeds, and suitable standard protocols were applied to test their potential to produce bioethanol in line with the emerging bioenergy processes. Results: The protocols applied were able to obtain bioethanol with a good yield from both feedstocks. In particular, very efficient fermentation kinetics was observed using seed feedstock, with a sharp curve between 15 h and 24 h, reaching 84% of the total alcohol obtained (final time 72 h). Conclusions: Therefore, the results of this research point to new sustainable potential for industrial applications of triticale crops in Italy. Furthermore, the high activity of the endogenous amylolytic enzymes, mainly α-amylase, and the high starch content suggest the potential use of triticale in other industrial applications, like the brewing industry.

Loss-of-function of SSIIa and SSIIIa confers high resistant starch content in rice endosperm

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) endosperm accumulates huge amounts of starch. Rice starch is highly digestible, potentially enhancing the occurrence of blood sugar- and intestine-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Resistant starch (RS) is hardly digestible in small intestine but can be converted into beneficial short-chain fatty acids in large intestine, potentially reducing the incidence of these diseases. However, it is still difficult to produce a high RS rice variety. Here, we report that simultaneous deficiency of soluble starch synthases IIa and IIIa confers high RS content in rice endosperm. The ssIIa ssIIIa exhibited higher RS content than did the ssIIIa ssIIIb, a mutant reported currently to have remarkably higher RS content than parental ssIIIa, under our experimental conditions. Loss-of-function of SSIIa and SSIIIa significantly elevated the activity of granule-bound starch synthase I and thus content of amylose. Furthermore, total lipid content increased in mutant seeds, implying that intermediate metabolites spilled out from starch biosynthesis into lipid biosynthesis. The increased amylose content and improved lipid synthesis coordinately contributed to high RS content in mutant seeds. These results further reveal the molecular mechanism of RS occurrence in rice endosperm and provide a critical genetic resource for breeding higher RS rice cultivars.

Avocado Seed Starch-Based Films Reinforced with Starch Nanocrystals

Biopolymers derived from biomass can provide the advantages of both biodegradability and functional qualities from a circular economy point of view, where waste is transformed into raw material. In particular, avocado seeds can be considered an interesting residue for biobased packaging applications due to their high starch content. In this work, avocado seed starch (ASS)-based films containing different glycerol concentrations were prepared by solvent casting. Films were also reinforced with starch nanocrystals (SNCs) obtained through the acid hydrolysis of ASS. The characterization of the extracted starch and starch nanocrystals by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis has been reported. Adding 1% of SNCs increased elastic modulus by 112% and decreased water vapor permeability by 30% with respect to neat matrix. Interestingly, the bioactive compounds from the avocado seed provided the films with high antioxidant capacity. Moreover, considering the long time required for traditional plastic packaging to degrade, all of the ASS-based films disintegrated within 48 h under lab-scale composting conditions. The results of this work support the valorization of food waste byproducts and the development of reinforced biodegradable materials for potential use as active food packaging.

Effect of Water Content in Semidry Grinding on the Quality of Glutinous Rice Flour.

The grinding process is one of the key factors affecting the quality of glutinous rice flour (GRF). As an emerging grinding method, semidry grinding aims to solve the problems of the high yield of wastewater in traditional wet grinding and the high content of damaged starch in dry grinding, in which the water content has a great influence on the quality of GRF. However, semidry grinding has not yet been formally put into production due to limitations such as the long time required to adjust the water content of rice grains. Therefore, this work was carried out to shorten the soaking time of glutinous rice (GR) by hot air pretreatment, and to conduct a systematic and in-depth study of the effect of water content on the quality of GRF, including water distribution, water hydration properties, thermal properties, rheological properties, and microstructure. The results showed that the GRF with higher water content had lower water solubility and higher enthalpy of pasting, which were due to the low content of damaged starch and the high degree of crystallization. The particle size of the GRF became smaller as the interaction between water and starch was enhanced and the GR was softened. In addition, the viscosity and elasticity of the GRF were also improved with an increase in water content. This work provides theoretical guidance for the improvement of semidry grinding to a certain extent.

Effect of Sowing Dates and Flower Pruning on Chemical Properties and Shelf Life of Yam Bean (Pachyrrhizus erosus L.) Tubers

Underutilized crops provide essential micro-nutrient and thus able to complement staple foods. The inhibitory effect of floral and fruit development may affect the tuber development. It is logical to assume that large amounts of nitrogen and other essential components are assimilated by the reproductive parts of plant, hence it is important to remove these reproductive parts as well as time of sowing also affect the shelf life and chemical properties of yam bean tubers which form the basis of an experiment on effect of sowing dates and flower pruning on chemical properties and shelf life of Yam bean tubers. An experiment was conducted at Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli during the year 2023-24. Twelve treatments and 3 replications in Factorial Randomized Block Design Planting dates (D) i.e., D₁-1st week of June, D₂-3rd week of June, D3 -1st week of July, D4 -3rd week of July and Interval of reproductive pruning (P) i.e., P1 – Weekly, P2 – Fortnightly, P3 – No pruning. Chemical analysis of the tubers was done to analyse the starch, fiber, dry matter, TSS and shelf life of the tubers from various treatments. Investigation revealed that among the various chemical parameters and shelf life the effect of interaction on starch, fiber, dry matter and shelf life was significant whereas it was non-significant on TSS. The highest starch content was recorded in D3P1 (6.81%). The fiber content was analysed highest in D4P3 (0.69 %). The highest dry matter content was analysed in D1P3 (24.59 %). The highest TSS was recorded in D1P1 (6.40 °B) and highest shelf life was recorded in D1P1 (36.56 days). Considering its nutritional quality and sustainability in the region it can be an alternative crop with food security, nutritional security as well as economic sustainability [1].

A green extraction technology of lignocellulose from cassava residue by mechanical activation-assisted ternary deep eutectic solvent

Lignocellulose (LC) is a natural polymer material that holds immense potential for various applications. However, extracting LC from biomass wastes with high-starch content has been challenging due to low selectivity and yield. In this study, LC was prepared from cassava residue (CR) via a combination of mechanical activation pretreatment and a citric acid (CA)-enhanced ternary deep eutectic solvent (TDES) consisting of choline chloride (ChCl), lactic acid (LA), and CA. The mechanical activation reduces the size of CR, greatly promoting the removal ability for starch, lignin and hemicellulose using TDES, and thus improving yield and selectivity of LC through this method. The CA esterified LC to prevent its excessive hydrolysis and increased a significantly higher LC content (82.52 wt%) compared to mechanical activation only and DES without CA, increasing by 6.97 times and 1.26 times, respectively. The extraction temperature significantly affected the structure, composition, thermal stability of LC and the properties of recovered TDES. The LC extracted at 90 °C (LC-90) had the highest cellulose content (82.52 wt%), crystallinity index (44.82 %), and higher degradation temperature (339.7 °C). The properties of the recovered TDES and extraction mechanism were analyzed. This study provides a strategy for the high-value utilization of biomass waste.

Screening of Rice Genotypes for Submergence Stress Tolerance

The experiment was conducted at Department of Rice, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to study the effect of submergence on growth of various genotypes of paddy. The genotypes viz., AC1303, AC42088, AC38575, SABITA, NAVEEN, SWARNA Sub1, BLACK GORA, BAJKANI, SWARNA, PARUAT, PAU9, BRAHMANNAKHI, MAHULATA, BVD109, IET-18720, IET-18727 and IC-516009 lines were used for submergence screening. The seeds should be pre-heated at 50°C for 2-3 days for breaking the seed dormancy before sowing. The seeds were directly sown inside the tanks using wet-bed direct sowing method. Each genotype was sown in 2 rows (min.) with 3 replications with a row to row spacing of 20 cm and plant to plant spacing of 15 cm. Germinated seedlings were allowed to grown normally till 20–25 days without submergence stress. The observations like plant height (before and after submergence), Number of plants survived (before and after submergence), survival percentage and total starch content were recorded. The genotypes IET-18727, PAU9 and AC38575 had better survival percentage (80.0 to 86.7%) with higher starch content (6.3 to 6.9 mg g-1) under submerged stress conditions. The genotypes of BVD109 and SWARNA registered lesser survival percentage (26.7% and 26.3%) with starch content of 2.1 mg g-1 among the rice genotypes.

STUDY ON THE PRODUCTION OF STRONG ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE FROM JACKFRUIT FLESH AND SEEDS (Artocarpus Heterophyllus)

Raw materials for strong alcoholic beverage fermentation are usually grains with high starch content such as regular rice, sticky rice, brown rice, corn, rice sprouts, and cassava. Nowadays, society is increasingly developing, human life is becoming enhanced. Therefore,people’s demand for alcohol requires newness and strict quality. Vietnam is the land of many tropical fruits- a rich source of raw materials for researching and producing fruit-based strong alcoholic beverages. In this study, jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) flesh and boiled jackfruit seeds were used as raw materials to investigate the effects of factors including pretreatment of jackfruit seeds with enzymes, yeast/material ratio, initial dry matter concentration, pH, and fermentation time on alcoholic fermentation efficiency. This study forms the foundation for developing the technological process for producing jackfruit-based strong alcoholic beverages to introduce a new strong alcoholic beverage category for commercialization. Research results indicated that boiled jackfruit seeds treated with amylase enzyme exhibited soluble solids concentrations almost double that of samples without enzyme treatment. Accordingly, the added sugar content to the ingredient is reduced and fermentation time is shortened. Appropriate conditions forfermentation of jackfruit-based strong alcoholic beverage were yeast/raw material ratio of 1% (w/w), initial dry matter concentration of 24oBx, at pH 4.0, and fermentation time duration of 11 days.

Evaluating microwave energy impact on 3G snacks: A study on dielectric properties and expansion

Third-generation (3G) snacks, a food type of widespread interest in the industry, have a longer shelf life than second-generation (2G) snacks. The primary regeneration process for these snacks involves frying and microwaving. However, only a few studies have detailed the effects of microwave irradiation on these products. This study aims to analyse the influence of the type of material, compression, and microwave power on the expansion capabilities of the pellets. Four raw materials (rice flour, rice semolina, corn semolina, and wheat starch) were combined with water to achieve uniform moisture content and extruded into pellets with different compression ratios (1:1, 2:1, and 3:1). The elaborated samples were processed at different microwave powers (heating rates of 2 and 10 °C/s) using an instrument capable of accurately delivering microwave energy to food samples while monitoring key process parameters, including dielectric properties. Samples with high starch content, low protein content, and low fibre content, in conjunction with higher compression ratios exhibited a more pronounced expansion.

Unraveling the Relationship between Soil Nutrients and Maize Leaf Disease Occurrences in Mopani District Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Maize is a staple crop important for food security that millions globally depend upon as an energy source, primarily due to its high starch and fat content. For growth and disease resistance, maize production requires a balanced intake of essential nutrients, including nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). This study investigated the relationship between soil nutrient levels and maize disease occurrences in the Mopani District Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Soil and maize leaves were collected using a systematic sampling approach. Grids of 10 × 10 m were created, covering a maize field. Forty soil samples were collected a day before the planting date and sent to the laboratory for analysis of N, P and K. During the tasseling stage of the maize plant, 40 maize leaf samples were collected and sent to the laboratory for disease identification. Maize leaves were classified as healthy, southern corn leaf blight (Bipolaris maydis), northern corn leaf blight (Exserohilum turcicum), maize streak disease (Maize streak virus), nitrogen-deficient or phosphorus-deficient. Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) with a corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AICc) showed a significant relationship between low soil nutrient levels of N, P and K and maize disease occurrence (p < 0.0001). The interaction of the N*P*K model had the lowest AIC value (AICc = 28.53), indicating the necessity of considering synergistic effects in maize disease management. All the model performances had a delta AICc = 0. These findings highlight the significance of comprehensive soil management strategies in enhancing the disease resistance, well-being and yields of maize crops.

Exploring the health benefits of high amylose wheat phenolic extract in human endothelial cell model: Inhibitory effects on endothelial activation

Newly developed high amylose durum wheat genotypes, characterized by a high content of resistant starch, is gaining interest as a healthy ingredient for functional food. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of Svevo high amylose phenolic extracts (HAPE) on endothelial activation, the first obligatory step of the atherosclerotic process, investigating the underlying mechanisms of action. To this aim, human microvascular endothelial cells were treated with HAPE (1–10 μg/mL) and then challenged with the pro-inflammatory and pro-atherogenic cytokine TNF-α. Endothelium-leukocyte adhesion, the expression of endothelial inflammatory mediators, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB were evaluated by multiple assays. The results showed that, HAPE, already at 5 μg/mL, suppressed the TNF-α stimulated expression of endothelial adhesion molecules as well as the adhesion of leukocytes to endothelial cells by more than 50% in comparison with TNF-α alone. These effects were associated with a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of intracellular ROS levels and NF-κB activation. In summary, our findings underscore the potential of Svevo high amylose as a functional food able to blunt endothelial activation, by inhibiting the concerted expression of endothelial markers involved in leukocyte recruitment and early atherogenesis.