Higher Fungi Research Articles

DNA sequencing reveals high arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi diversity in the rhizosphere soil of Prunus africana trees in fragmented Afromontane forests

PurposeArbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a key role in medicinal plant species, besides their ecological role in shaping plant communities. Knowledge about the diversity and structure of AMF communities associated with the endangered Prunus africana is valuable in the conservation and domestication of the species for its medicinal products.MethodsWe investigated the diversity and structure of AMF species communities in the rhizosphere soils of P. africana trees occurring in four fragmented Afromontane forests found in Cameroon (Mount Cameroon and Mount Manengouba) and Kenya (Chuka and Malava) using Illumina Miseq sequencing of 18S rRNA gene amplicons.ResultsA total of 64 virtual taxa (VT) belonging to eight genera were detected, namely Glomus (43 VT), Claroideoglomus (6 VT), Paraglomus (5 VT), Acaulospora (4 VT), Diversispora (3 VT), and Archaeospora, Pacispora, and Scutellospora with 1 VT each. Scutellospora heterogama VTX00286 was the most abundant and common species in all four sites (49.62%). Glomeraceae and Gigasporaceae were the most abundant families found across the sites, while Acaulosporaceae, Pacisporaceae, and Archaeosporaceae were rare, represented by < 1% of all the detected taxa.ConclusionOur data shows a high diversity of AMF species associated with P. africana and variable community structure partially shaped by local edaphic factors.

Eco-friendly detoxification of hazardous Congo red dye using novel fungal strain Trametes flavida WTFP2: Deduced enzymatic biomineralization process through combinatorial in-silico and in-vitro studies

Growing textile industry is a major global concern, owing to the presence of recalcitrant hazardous pollutants, like synthetic dyes in discharged effluents. To explore new bioresources for mycoremediation, a high laccase-producing novel white-rot fungus (WRF), Trametes flavida WTFP2, was employed. T. flavida is an underexplored member of Polyporales. Using bioinformatic tools, 8 different cis-acting RNA elements were identified in the 5.8 S ITS gene sequence, where CRISPR (CRISPR-DR15), sRNA (RUF1), and snoRNA (ceN111) are uniquely present. Molecular docking was adopted to predict the catalytic interaction of chosen toxic diazo colorant, Congo red (CR), with four dye-degrading enzymes (laccase, lignin peroxidase, azoreductase, and aryl alcohol oxidase). With 376.41 × 103 U/L laccase production, novel WRF exhibited dye-decolorization potential. WTFP2 effectively removed 99.48 ± 0.04% CR (100 mg/L) and demonstrated remarkable recyclability and persistence in consecutive remediation trials. Mycelial dye adsorption was not only substantial driver of colorant elimination; decolorization using active T. flavida was regulated by enzymatic catalysis, as outlined by in-vitro growth, induction of extracellular enzymes, and FESEM. Fifteen metabolites were identified using HRLCMS-QTOF, and novel CR degradation pathway was proposed. Furthermore, microbial and phyto-toxicity tests of metabolites suggested complete detoxification of toxic dye, making the process clean, green, and economically sustainable.

Susceptibility of surface-modified superhydrophobic wood and acetylated wood to mold and blue stain fungi

The susceptibility of surface-modified wood, surface-modified acetylated wood and acetylated wood to mold and blue stain fungi was investigated. The surface modifications were based on fluorinated and non-fluorinated silicone nanofilaments for increased hydrophobicity. Results showed an increased mold resistance of the surface-modified superhydrophobic wood with mold appearing later or with less intensity on the modified surfaces than on the untreated wood in accelerated mold chamber tests due to the increased water resistance of the samples. All acetylated wood samples exhibited good mold resistance as the available water in acetylated wood was reduced. The surface modifications on acetylated wood had a slightly negative effect on mold resistance due to side effects from the modification. The surface-modified wood showed high blue stain fungi coverage, whereas almost no blue stain fungi were observed on the acetylated wood and surface-modified acetylated wood. The surface-modified superhydrophobic wood showed high mold coverage after conditioning in a high-humidity environment or after exposure to UV irradiation. Meanwhile, the acetylated wood and surface-modified superhydrophobic acetylated wood showed a small amount of mold coverage in these conditions.

Soil fertility determines whether ectomycorrhizal fungi accelerate or decelerate decomposition in a temperate forest.

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi can both accelerate and decelerate decomposition of organic matter in forest soils, but a mechanistic understanding of this differential influence is limited. Here, we tested how ECM fungi affect decomposition along a natural fertility gradient in a temperate forest of European beech. Trees were girdled to reduce belowground carbon supply to the soil. Girdling shifted soil fungal community composition and decreased hyphal biomass production and soil CO2 efflux, indicating a reduced ECM fungal activity. Girdling also affected decomposition processes, but the effects depended on fertility. Our results indicate that ECM fungi decelerate decomposition under conditions of low fertility while under conditions of high fertility ECM fungi and their host roots have an accelerating effect. We conclude that both acceleration and deceleration of decomposition of organic matter by ECM fungi can occur within a forest, with soil fertility determining the direction and magnitude of these effects. We suggest a positive feedback between fertility, stand productivity and soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics that is mediated to a large extent by ECM fungi.

Screening for antibacterial producing fungi species isolated from plant rhizosphere in Keffi, Nasarawa, State, Nigeria

Antibiotics were considered to be organic compounds produced by microorganisms which were toxic to other microorganism. This study is aimed at isolation and screening for antimicrobial producing fungi isolated from soil in Keffi. Standard microbiological method was used in isolation and screening for antimicrobial of activity of the crude extracts. Fungi were identified using lactophenol cotton blue stain, and view under x10 and x100 objective microscope lens. highest fungi were isolated from groundnut rhizosphere (58.3 %) and the least was from beans rhizosphere (25.0 %). The screening for antimicrobial producing fungi, isolate fgm8 shows activity against the test organism with 11.02+0.12mm inhibited zone against E. coli (5.33+10mm) against S. aureus and (9.03+0.03 mm) against C. albica. The antimicrobial activity of the fungi grow in complex medium with nitrogen sources showed different ranges of activity against the test organism were Rhizopus sp. only showed inhibition zone of 12.11+1.34 mm against C. albicans. These fungi species should be used to develop starter culture that will be used in local food production, as they show high antimicrobial activity against some pathogenic bacteria that cause infection and food spoilage.

Generating colorful carrot germplasm through metabolic engineering of betalains pigments.

Betalains are tyrosine-derived plant pigments exclusively found in the Caryophyllales order and some higher fungi and generally classified into two groups: red-violet betacyanins and yellow-orange betaxanthins. Betalains attract great scientific and economic interest because of their relatively simple biosynthesis pathway, attractive colors and health-promoting properties. Co-expressing two core genes BvCYP76AD1 and BvDODA1 with or without a glycosyltransferase gene MjcDOPA5GT allowed the engineering of carrot (an important taproot vegetable) to produce a palette of unique colors. The highest total betalains content, 943.2μg·g-1 DW, was obtained in carrot taproot transformed with p35S:RUBY which produces all of the necessary enzymes for betalains synthesis. Root-specific production of betalains slightly relieved tyrosine consumption revealing the possible bottleneck in betalains production. Furthermore, a unique volcano-like phenotype in carrot taproot cross-section was created by vascular cambium-specific production of betalains. The betalains-fortified carrot in this study is thus anticipated to be used as functional vegetable and colorful carrot germplasm in breeding to promote health.

Roles of the Fungal-Specific Lysine Biosynthetic Pathway in the Nematode-Trapping Fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora Identified through Metabolomics Analyses.

In higher fungi, lysine is biosynthesized via the α-aminoadipate (AAA) pathway, which differs from plants, bacteria, and lower fungi. The differences offer a unique opportunity to develop a molecular regulatory strategy for the biological control of plant parasitic nematodes, based on nematode-trapping fungi. In this study, in the nematode-trapping fungus model Arthrobotrys oligospora, we characterized the core gene in the AAA pathway, encoding α-aminoadipate reductase (Aoaar), via sequence analyses and through comparing the growth, and biochemical and global metabolic profiles of the wild-type and Aoaar knockout strains. Aoaar not only has α-aminoadipic acid reductase activity, which serves fungal L-lysine biosynthesis, but it also is a core gene of the non-ribosomal peptides biosynthetic gene cluster. Compared with WT, the growth rate, conidial production, number of predation rings formed, and nematode feeding rate of the ΔAoaar strain were decreased by 40-60%, 36%, 32%, and 52%, respectively. Amino acid metabolism, the biosynthesis of peptides and analogues, phenylpropanoid and polyketide biosynthesis, and lipid metabolism and carbon metabolism were metabolically reprogrammed in the ΔAoaar strains. The disruption of Aoaar perturbed the biosynthesis of intermediates in the lysine metabolism pathway, then reprogrammed amino acid and amino acid-related secondary metabolism, and finally, it impeded the growth and nematocidal ability of A. oligospora. This study provides an important reference for uncovering the role of amino acid-related primary and secondary metabolism in nematode capture by nematode-trapping fungi, and confirms the feasibility of Aoarr as a molecular target to regulate nematode-trapping fungi to biocontrol nematodes.

Determination of Selenium Speciation in High Se-Enriched Edible Fungus Ganoderma lucidum Via Sequential Extraction

Edible fungi are often used as an important selenium (Se) source to improve human daily Se intakes as food or Se supplements because of their strong ability to accumulate Se, in which Ganoderma lucidum was widely accepted in China. However, the existing Se speciation analysis methods such as protease K-based or trypsin-protease XIV-based, have low extraction rate and enzymatic hydrolysis rate (&lt;30%) on the Se-enriched edible fungi, resulting that it is impossible to effectively evaluate Se transformation and safety of Se-enriched edible fungi. In order to improve the extraction rate and enzymatic hydrolysis rates, 12 extraction methods (combination of buffer solutions and enzymes) including 4 two-step extraction methods and 8 three-step extraction methods were applied to extract Se from high Se-enriched Ganoderma lucidum (Total Se content 245.7 μg/g in dry matter (DW)) in the present study. The results displayed that one three-step sequential extraction method as aqueous solution extraction-pepsin extraction-trypsin extraction performed the best, by which the total Se extraction rate could reach 65%, the total Se enzyme hydrolysis rate was 40%, and the Se speciation was revealed as Selenite (63.6%), SeCys2 (20.1%), SeMeCys (14.8%) and SeMet (1.5%) in this high Se-enriched Ganoderma lucidum. This study offers a reliable and efficient method to evaluate the Se transformation and the Se safety in high Se-enriched edible fungi.

CHARACTERISATION OF COLLAGENOLITYC ACTIVITY OF Coprinus spp.

In this research the screening of several higher fungi - basidiomycetes cultures for the presence of collagenolytic activity was carried out. The highest collagenase activity was detected in submerged culture of higher fungus Coprinus lagopides. The enzyme preparation of collagenase was isolated from culture liquid of this producer. The optimum temperature and pH of the collagenolytic activity of the enzyme preparation were determined. The selection of nitrogen and carbon sources and ratios of carbon and nitrogen sources in the composition of nutrient mediums was carried out in order to increase the collagenase activity of fungus submerged culture. In addition to the collagenase activity of producers culture the amount of accumulated biomass, pH and protein concentration in the culture liquid of basidiomycete were also determined.

D-Arabitol Ameliorates Obesity and Metabolic Disorders via the Gut Microbiota-SCFAs-WAT Browning Axis.

d-Arabitol, which is typically found in mushrooms, lichens, and higher fungi, might play an effective role in alleviating visceral fat accumulation and insulin resistance particularly for its low calorie and glycemic index. However, the regulatory mechanisms of d-arabitol for alleviating obesity and associated metabolic disorders remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate and analyze the underlying relationship between d-arabitol-mediated gut microbiota and obesity. The results showed that d-arabitol dramatically ameliorated body weight gain, fat accumulation, and insulin resistance in HFD-fed rats. Likewise, d-arabitol remarkably increased the relative abundance of the genera Blautia, Anaerostipes, and Phascolarctobacterium and decreased the genera Romboutsia and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1. Furthermore, these alterations in gut microflora increased SCFAs, which in turn indirectly promoted AMPK-PGC-1α-related white adipose tissue (WAT) browning. Therefore, d-arabitol would have the potential to alleviate obesity through the gut microbiota-SCFAs-WAT browning axis. It could be considered as a sugar substitute for the obese population and diabetic patients.

Secondary Metabolites in Fungi

Fungi are a biological family that includes multicellular and unicellular eukaryotic organisms in general. They are quite numerous and diverse. It is the second largest group of organisms on Earth after insects. Higher fungi (terrestrial fungi) currently constitute a large and efficiently untapped resource of new pharmacological crops with nutritional values are potentially powerful. Antioxidants prevent cellular damage caused by free radicals in living beings. It has been found that 36% of endophytic mushroom extracts with a high phenolic content show strong antioxidant effects. In one study, they reported that the antioxidant activities of the strains Aspergillus sp., A. niger, A. peyronelii and Chaetomium sp. ranged from 50% to 80% and that this antioxidant activity was due to their high phenolic content. In addition to the antioxidant properties of fungi, it has been shown as a result of research that they show antibacterial activity. Macrofungal β-glucans (β-1,6 glycosidic bonds and mainly β-1,3), which are known to have immunomodulatory and antitumor effects in cancer prevention, can be used in treatment strategies. At the same time, it has been shown in studies that these metabolites obtained from fungi cause fewer side effects when used in treatments, unlike chemical drugs. As a result of phytochemical research, the presence of flavonoids, anthraquinones, steroids, terpenoids, coumarins, phenols and tannins in fungal extracts in general was detected, while alkaloids and saponins were not found. It has been determined that the studies on mushrooms have gained versatile uses since they reveal secondary metabolite components with different biological activities in the structure of these group members.

A New Strain of Lecanicillium uredinophilum Isolated from Tibetan Plateau and Its Insecticidal Activity.

A new strain QHLA of Lecanicillium uredinophilum was isolated from a Chinese caterpillar fungus complex and its optimum growth temperature and fermentation conditions were studied. Its insecticidal activity was tested against larvae of seven different insect pests, including Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata, Spodoptera exigua, Plutella xylostella, Spodoptera frugiperda, Sitobion avenae, Hyalopterus perikonus, and Aphis citricola. The optimum growth temperature was 21–24 °C. The highest spore production of the strain QHLA was 4.08 × 106 spore/mL on solid medium with a nitrogen source of NH4Cl. However, the highest mycelial growth rate of the strain QHLA was on solid medium with a nitrogen source from yeast extract (4.63 ± 0.03 mm/d). When the liquid medium contained peptone, yeast extract, and glucose, the water content of the mycelia was the lowest, while the spore production was the highest until day 12. When the liquid medium contained glucose, tussah pupa powder, KH2PO4, and MgSO4, the mycelia production was highest until day 8. The bioassay for insecticidal activity indicated that the LC50 values of QHLA were 6.32 × 103 spore/mL and 6.35 × 103 spore/mL against Sitobion avenae and Aphis citricola, respectively, while the LC90 values of the strain QHLA against Aphis citricola and Sitobion avenae were 2.11 × 107 spore/mL and 2.36 × 108 spore/mL, respectively. Our results demonstrated that the strain QHLA was a high virulence pathogenic fungus against insect pests, with the potential to be developed as a microbial pesticide.

Identification and Functional Characterization of Adenosine Deaminase in Mucor circinelloides: A Novel Potential Regulator of Nitrogen Utilization and Lipid Biosynthesis.

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is an enzyme distributed in a wide variety of organisms that cleaves adenosine into inosine. Since inosine plays an important role in nitrogen metabolism, ADA may have a critical function in the regulation of fatty acid synthesis. However, the role of ADA in oleaginous fungi has not been reported so far. Therefore, in this study, we identified one ada gene encoding ADA (with ID scaffold0027.9) in the high lipid-producing fungus, Mucor circinelloides WJ11, and investigated its role in cell growth, lipid production, and nitrogen metabolism by overexpressing and knockout of this gene. The results showed that knockout of the ada altered the efficiency of nitrogen consumption, which led to a 20% increment in the lipid content (25% of cell dry weight) of the engineered strain, while overexpression of the ada showed no significant differences compared with the control strain at the final growth stage; however, interestingly, it increased lipid accumulation at the early growth stage. Additionally, transcriptional analysis was conducted by RT-qPCR and our findings indicated that the deletion of ada activated the committed steps of lipid biosynthesis involved in acetyl-CoA carboxylase (acc1 gene), cytosolic malic acid enzyme (cme1 gene), and fatty acid synthases (fas1 gene), while it suppressed the expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (ampk α1 and ampk β genes), which plays a role in lipolysis, whereas the ada-overexpressed strain displayed reverse trends. Conclusively, this work unraveled a novel role of ADA in governing lipid biosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism in the oleaginous fungus, M. circinelloides.

Microbiological Quality, Aflatoxin Level, Phytochemical Compounds, Antioxidant Potential And Proximate Mineral Composition Of Date Palm Fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.)

Date palm fruits are edible fruits widely consumed for nutritional and health benefits. The microbiological quality, aflatoxin level, phytochemical compounds, antioxidant potential and proximate mineral composition of Refined Arabian Date Palm Fruit (RADPF), Nigeria Date Palm Fruit (NDPF) and Black Arabian Date Palm Fruit (BADPF) were investigated. Microbial counts, aflatoxin level, phytochemical components and proximate mineral composition were determined using standard methods while antioxidant potential was determined using DPPH free radical scavenging, Ferric Reducing Power and Total Phenolic Content assays. Total bacteria and fungi count ranged from 5.5 – 11.3 CFU/g and 0.5 – 13.0 CFU/g in which NDPF had the highest fungi and bacteria count. Aflatoxin level in RADPF, NDPF, and BADPF were 4.3ppb, 3.9ppb, and 2.00ppb respectively. Saponins, flavonoids, anthraquinones, terpenoids, and alkaloids were present in all the samples. All the date palm fruit samples have significant mineral contents. NDPF had highest DPPH scavenging activity (77.83%) while RADPF had highest FRAP (4.765µM/µg) and Total Phenolic Content (1.615 mgGAE/mL). The study revealed that the three date palm fruits sampled have some level of aflatoxin and also have substantial antioxidant activities. Keywords:Date palm fruit, aflatoxin, antioxidant, microbial count, phytochemical Aims Research Journal Reference Format: Sanusi, J. F. O., Sakariyau, A.O. &amp; Sirajudeen, A.O. (2022): Microbiological Quality, Aflatoxin Level, Phytochemical Compounds, Antioxidant Potential And Proximate Mineral Composition Of Date Palm Fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.). Advances in Multidisciplinary and Scientific Research. Vol. 8. No. 2, Pp 17–28. dx.doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/V8N2P5. www.isteams.net/aimsjournal

Levels of fungi aerosols in residential houses in Benin City, Southern Nigeria

Lack of monitoring residential homes for fungi contamination, has reportedly resulted in various health outcomes in vulnerable occupants. This study assessed the level of indoor and outdoor airborne fungi contamination and reveal the identity of air borne fungi species in the study area. Forty-five households were randomly selected across the five local council areas in Benin city for airborne sampling. Airborne fungi were assessed bimonthly using the passive sampling technique. Discrete colonies of fungi were enumerated and mean values of triplicate concentrations were expressed in Colony forming unit / m3 (CFU/m3) Airborne fungi isolates were characterized and identified using standard procedures. The mean indoor and outdoor meteorological parameters ranged between 31.2 to 32.3°C and 31.1 to 32.5°C (Temperature); 71.6 to 74.1% and 63.0 to 74.1% (Relative humidity) respectively. The fungi concentrations varied from 301.0 to 747.1 CFU/m3 and 337.67 to 554.6 CFU/m3 (indoor); 223.8 to 450.4 CFU/m3 and 378.64 to 532.7 CFU/m3 (outdoor) in wet and dry seasons. The prevalent fungi genera isolated from the indoor and outdoor air across the sampling sites were Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Aspergillus. The outdoor fungi concentrations showed a significant association (R = 0.360 and 0.260; R2 = 0.130 and 0.032; p&lt; 0.01) with indoor fungi concentrations in both seasons. The study revealed high airborne fungi counts and fungi species of public health interest in the houses. Regular cleaning and maintenance practices to reduce the increasing effect of fungi spores is highly recommended.

The Role of Medicinal Plants as Antimicrobial in Saudi Arabia

Multi-drug bacteria (MRSA) have become a series of health problems globally. Bacterial antibiotic resistance is developed their strategies in resistance mechanisms last decade; furthermore, this change in bacteria needed more attention and additional effort to discover effective materials used as antimicrobial. This review aims to screen the research done about medicinal plants used as antimicrobial in Saudi Arabia; in this review, we collected from three electronic database, Web of Science, PubMed and Google scholar databases, considering all the articles published in last years, and met criteria. The keywords were used“ medicinal plant,” “inhibition ” and “antibacterial activities ” “flora in KSA ” that used plants as an antimicrobial against high resistance bacteria and fungi in the last ten years. The study found that when, collected 157 articles from which 88 matching were excluded. Out of 69 publications, only 36, or 22.9%, met the criteria applied in this review. About 34 families of plants spacially Lamiaceae, Asteracea and Apocynaceae were most used and 103 species that were used against resistance gram-positive and negative bacteria and some pathogenic fungi. Most of the extracts were methanolic extras with a percentage of 49%, followed by ethanoic, essential oil, aqueous, acyl acetate, and hexane. The arid dry part was highly used when we observed, and leaves, flowers and stems, and roots were low. This highlighting used standards laboratory methods for the evaluation of plant extracts. Number of articles used plants as antimicrobial activities has increased siginficatly in last ten years.

An Integrative View of the Phyllosphere Mycobiome of Native Rubber Trees in the Brazilian Amazon.

The rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, is a neotropical Amazonian species. Despite its high economic value and fungi associated with native individuals, in its original area in Brazil, it has been scarcely investigated and only using culture-dependent methods. Herein, we integrated in silico approaches with novel field/experimental approaches and a case study of shotgun metagenomics and small RNA metatranscriptomics of an adult individual. Scientific literature, host fungus, and DNA databases are biased to fungal taxa, and are mainly related to rubber tree diseases and in non-native ecosystems. Metabarcoding retrieved specific phyllospheric core fungal communities of all individuals, adults, plantlets, and leaves of the same plant, unravelling hierarchical structured core mycobiomes. Basidiomycotan yeast-like fungi that display the potential to produce antifungal compounds and a complex of non-invasive ectophytic parasites (Sooty Blotch and Flyspeck fungi) co-occurred in all samples, encompassing the strictest core mycobiome. The case study of the same adult tree (previously studied using culture-dependent approach) analyzed by amplicon, shotgun metagenomics, and small RNA transcriptomics revealed a high relative abundance of insect parasite-pathogens, anaerobic fungi and a high expression of Trichoderma (a fungal genus long reported as dominant in healthy wild rubber trees), respectively. Altogether, our study unravels new and intriguing information/hypotheses of the foliar mycobiome of native H. brasiliensis, which may also occur in other native Amazonian trees.

Effect of different packaging materials on shelf life and postharvest quality of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum var. Srijana)

Tomatoes, being highly perishable, experience extreme post-harvest losses due to improper packaging materials. Experimentation was done to investigate the effect of different packaging materials on shelf life and quality traits of tomato var. Srijana at the horticulture laboratory of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Lamjung Campus under a completely randomized design. Seven treatments viz. no packaging (control), unperforated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bag, perforated (4 holes of 2 mm) LDPE bag, unperforated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bag, perforated HDPE bag, unperforated non-woven fabric bag, and perforated non-woven fabric bag with 3 replications were used. Tomatoes were evaluated for weight loss, color development, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, and shelf life. Among the treatments, the lowest percentage of weight loss (0.66%) was observed on tomatoes packed in an unperforated HDPE bag, however, it had a higher fungus attack. No packaging group showed rapid shriveling of fruits with the highest percentage of weight loss (14.70%). Although packaging in a non-woven fabric bag was better than control, it showed a higher percentage of weight loss than plastic packaging due to its high permeability to gases and water vapor. The TSS and pH values were found to be higher and TA to be lower in no packaging compared to other packagings. The longest shelf life of tomatoes was observed in perforated LDPE (24 days), followed by HDPE (23 days) whereas the lowest was observed in control (16 days). Overall, the perforated plastic packaging was found best among all treatments with no significant variation among perforated HDPE and perforated LDPE for maintaining qualities of tomatoes and longer shelf life.

Sequential decision fusion pipeline for the high-throughput species recognition of medicinal caterpillar fungus by using ATR-FTIR

Medicinal caterpillar fungus is one of the important animal-derived traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) highly valued for its tonic and medicinal properties. Due to the worldwide importance and public interest concerning to the quality and safety of TCMs, and the interest disputes arising from the identification of some extremely high-priced fungi varieties, there is an increasing demand for accurate species authentication of caterpillar fungus on the base of various techniques. This study used attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to identify 10 species of caterpillar fungus and its fungal products, as well as to differentiate rare and high prices Asian fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (OSH) from other fungal species. To this goal, 1206 ATR-FTIR spectra of all species of samples were collected, partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to construct multi-class and two-class model for differentiating 10 caterpillar fungal species and identifying OSH from other counterfeits. Subsequently, data driven soft independent modeling of class analogy (DD-SIMCA) was used to formulate species-specific models for recognize each target class. However, PLS-DA model cannot be used for species authentication since all unseen samples in the external test set were wrongly assigned to known categories. DD-SIMCA models have good performance to recognizing each target species, but the identification of multiple species requires complicated analytical steps. Therefore, this study proposed a sequential decision fusion pipeline, which combines the advantages of discriminant analysis and class-modelling for differentiating 10 caterpillar fungal species and authenticating OSH. Almost all the evaluations showed good results with sensitivity and specificity of each class greater than 98%, which demonstrated promising application of the pipeline for the high-throughput identification of caterpillar fungal species, as well as other animal-derived TCMs.

Higher fungi extracts as inhibitors of carbon steel corrosion in chloride rich environment

Higher fungi extracts as inhibitors of carbon steel corrosion in chloride rich environment