Chili Pepper Research Articles

Genetic variability and trait relationship in green chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) under high altitude conditions

Genetic variability and trait relationship in green chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) under high altitude conditions

Comparative assessment of nano nitrogen and nano zinc nutrition on growth, yield and profitability of chilli (Capsicum annuum. L)

In contemporary agriculture, sustainability challenges like climate change, declining productivity, and nutrient deficiencies threaten food production. Judicious use of methodologies, dosages, and timing is crucial for sustainable practices. Nano-fertilizers gain importance due to their nutrient-release properties and increased use efficiencies. Chili is a commercial crop that requires high nutrients, the present field trial was carried out at AHRS, Bavikere, Shivmogga (India) during 2020 and 2021, to investigate its growth and yield responses to foliar applications of nano nitrogen (nN) and zinc (nZn) alongside conventional urea and ZnSO4. The experiment comprised combinations of recommended doses of nitrogen (RDN) (75, 100 & 125%) along with two foliar sources, nano (nN & nZn @ 0.4%) and conventional (urea @ 2% & ZnSO4@ 0.2%) against control. Foliar application of nN and nZn @0.4%+125% RDN (T3) improved growth and yield attributes & green chili yield (33.07 t ha−1), compared to RDF (T1, 23.8 t ha−1) and conventional sources (T6, 30.9 t ha−1). The utilization of nano-fertilizers in T3 resulted in a substantial enhancement of 39.0% in yield. Increments of 57.2% and 49.3% in net returns compared to conventional N and zinc sources respectively were also noted. Further, the land productivity reached $13.5 per day in T3, indicating economic viability. Application of 75% RDN with nN and nZn saved 25-50% of RDN compared to conventional sources. The results propose cutting nitrogen fertilizer by up to 50%, showcasing the eco-friendly aspect of nano-fertilizers. They boost productivity and profitability while supporting sustainable farming by reducing nitrogen usage.

Comparison of feature extraction and auto-preprocessing for chili pepper (Capsicum Frutescens) quality classification using machine learning

The low-cost camera for machine vision, such as a webcam, still has a problem with resolution noise. Therefore, it is important to learn strategies to reduce noise from low-cost camera images so that they can be widely used for grading machines in the future. This paper aims to compare three feature extraction methods with auto-preprocessing to classify chili pepper <em>(Capsicum Frutescens)</em> quality using a machine learning algorithm. Three extraction methods were used, including the color feature, oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF (ORB), and the combination color feature and ORB. A total of 525 image data for quality chili pepper were collected using the webcam. The auto-preprocessing strategy to classify chili peppers can improve the performance of machine-learning algorithms for all data generated by the feature extractor. The performance of the chili paper quality classification model with auto-preprocessing of the variable color feature can improve the performance of machine learning algorithms by up to 64.21%. The performance improvement of the classification model using the ORB feature variable and the auto-preprocessing of up to 4.41%. The performance improvement of the classification model using machine learning algorithms is 11.27% when using the combination color feature and ORB feature and autopreprocessing.

Evaluation of binding mechanism of dietary phytochemical, capsaicin, with human transferrin: targeting neurodegenerative diseases therapeutics.

Human transferrin (htf) plays a crucial role in regulating the balance of iron within brain cells; any disruption directly contributes to the development of Neurodegenerative Diseases (NDs) and other related pathologies, especially Alzheimer's Disease (AD). In recent times, a transition towards natural compounds is evident to treat diseases and this shift is mainly attributed to their broad therapeutic potential along with minimal side effects. Capsaicin, a natural compound abundantly found in red and chili peppers, possess neuroprotective potential. The current work targets to decipher the interaction mechanism of capsaicin with htf using experimental and computational approaches. Molecular docking analysis revealed that capsaicin occupies the iron binding pocket of htf, with good binding affinity. Further, the binding mechanism was investigated atomistically using Molecular dynamic (MD) simulation approach. The results revealed no significant alterations in the structure of htf implying the stability of the complex. In silico observations were validated by fluorescence binding assay. Capsaicin binds to htf with a binding constant (K) of 3.99 × 106M-1, implying the stability of the htf-capsaicin complex. This study lays a platform for potential applications of capsaicin in treatment of NDs in terms of iron homeostasis.

UHPLC-qTOF-MS-Based Nontargeted Metabolomics to Characterize the Effects of Capsaicin on Plasma and Skin Metabolic Profiles of C57BL/6 Mice-An In vivo Experimental Study.

Capsaicin is the main compound found in chili pepper and has complex pharmacologic effects. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism of the effect of capsaicin on physiological processes by analyzing changes in metabolites and metabolic pathways. Female C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups(n = 10/group) and fed with capsaicin-soybean oil solution(group T) or soybean oil(group C) for 6 weeks. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-qTOF-MS) based metabolomics was undertaken to assess plasma and skin metabolic profile changes and identify differential metabolites through multivariate analysis. According to the OPLS-DA score plots, the plasma and skin metabolic profiles in the group T and group C were significantly separated. In plasma, 38 significant differential metabolites were identified. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the most significant plasma metabolic pathways included pyruvate metabolism and ABC transporters. In skin, seven significant differential metabolites were found. Four metabolic pathways with p values < 0.05 were detected, including sphingolipid metabolism, sphingolipid signaling pathway, apoptosis, and necroptosis. These findings will provide metabolomic insights to assess the physiological functions of capsaicin and contribute to a better understanding of the potential effects of a capsaicin-rich diet on health.

Biological Importance, Pharmacological Activities, and Nutraceutical Potential of Capsanthin: A Review of Capsicum Plant Capsaicinoids.

Carotenoids are natural hydrocarbons that play an important role in photomorphogenesis, photosynthesis, photoprotection, development, and defense mechanism of plants. Carotenoids have good anti-oxidants and provitamin A contents with their additional colorant nature, which are indispensable to plants and human diets. Capsicum species are well known for their culinary uses worldwide; they are not only cultivated as vegetables but used in numerous medicinal preparations as well due to their medicinal aspects. This article aims to collect data on the beneficial aspects of capsaicinoids with a major emphasis on capsanthin. In order to instigate the biological potential and therapeutic benefit of capsanthin in medicine, in the present work, scientific research data on capsanthin were collected from different literature sources and analyzed. The biological potential of Capsicum annuum in medicine was also investigated through literature data analysis of different scientific research work. Scientific data on capsanthin were collected from Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus using the term capsanthin and capsicum in the present work. Detailed pharmacological activities of capsanthin were presented and discussed in the present work through scientific data analysis of research work. Analytical techniques for the separation, isolation, and identification of capsanthin were taken into consideration in this work. Scientific data analysis revealed the biological importance and therapeutic benefit of capsanthin and capsicum in medicine. Capsicum annuum is a member of the Solanaceae family, which is one of the most cultivated spices worldwide. Capsaicinoids are one of the main classes of phytochemicals found in chili peppers, i.e., Capsicum annuum, and are mainly responsible for the pungent and spicy flavor of chili peppers. Capsanthin is a crystalline red color pigment found as the main component of Capsicum annuum fruits during ripening. Capsanthin is also found in Lilium, Aesculus, Berberis, and Asparagus officinalis. Chemically, capsanthin contains a cyclopentane ring, 11 conjugated double bonds, and a conjugated keto group. Capsanthin is a powerful antioxidant, exhibits anti-tumor activities, attenuates obesity-induced inflammation, and raises plasma HDL cholesterol levels. Scientific studies have proven the pharmacological benefits of capsanthin in medicine as it is helpful in pain relief, cardioprotection, weight loss, and body temperature regulation. Moreover, it also has anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities. In the literature database, numerous extraction and isolation techniques have been documented for capsanthin. In addition, the analytical techniques and other bioanalytical tools for the isolation and identification of capsanthin were also discussed in the present article. Medicinal importance and pharmacological activities of capsanthin were reviewed and discussed in this paper. This review aimed to highlight the literature on capsanthin in drug discoveries with their analytical development.

Histological alterations in chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) roots associated with sudden wilt syndrome

AbstractSudden wilt syndrome of chilli, an emerging and destructive disorder, is characterized by an abrupt appearance that has increased in Indo‐Gangetic alluvial plains over the past decade. The primary cause associated with the problem is water stagnation that creates hypoxic conditions in the root zone, and the plant mortality is further aggravated by soil‐borne fungi Fusarium oxysporum. The effects of sudden wilt on chilli roots were studied morphologically and histologically, using root scanning, optical microscopy and electron microscopy. Significant changes with respect to root length, projected area, number of root tips and root segments, average root diameter as well as estimated volume of roots were observed via root scanning of healthy and diseased root samples. Through optical microscopy of sections of the microtome‐cut root junctions displayed normal epidermis in healthy plants, while swollen cells indicated stress in the diseased plants. Cells of laterals and root tips in healthy plants were intact and stained strongly, but because of damaged tissues, cells in diseased plants were macerated and stained weakly. Root tips of healthy plants contained mitotic zones, whereas diseased root tips lacked mitotic zones. Electron microscopy studies revealed that sudden wilt had an adverse impact on xylem diameter, stele diameter, epidermal thickness and cortex thickness as evidenced by significantly lesser values of these parameters. The present study is the first systematic attempt to examine the morphological, histological and ultrastructural changes in chilli in response to sudden wilt syndrome.

Natural convective solar dryer powered by stepped fin plate integrated trough array solar air heater for agricultural produce preservations

In this work, heat energy analysis and economic feasibility of natural convection mixed mode solar dryer under three different methods viz., normal flat plate collector solar dryer (NFPSD), step fin plate integrated trough array collector solar dryer (SFPTSD) and SFPTSD with latent heat storage (LHS) are experimentally investigated. The drying time in SFPTSD – LHS (setup 3) to reach its safe moisture content for paddy, wheat, green chilli are 5.5 h, 6 h and 7 h respectively and it is significantly lowered to a maximum of 47 % as compared with NFPSD (setup 1). Also, the average maximum heat efficiency of 62.19 % for collector and 38.32 % for drying cabinet is obtained in setup 3. The specific heat energy consumption is lowered by 20.65 % and specific moisture extraction rate increases to 21.73 % for this proposed setup in comparison with setup 1. The improvement potential is reduced to a substantial margin of 136.5 W and yields an exergetic efficiency increase of 12.38 % than setup 1. An average annual saving increase of 193.08$ with its present value 94.33$ is achieved for setup 3 as compared with setup 1. We recommend this setup can dry edible produce at low cost and affordable to economically weak farming communities.

Optimal agricultural water allocation for enhanced productivity of hot pepper ( Capsicum annum L) and economic gain: an experimental study from Southern Ethiopia

Optimal agricultural water allocation for enhanced productivity of hot pepper ( <i>Capsicum annum</i> L) and economic gain: an experimental study from Southern Ethiopia

Antifungal evaluation of turmeric rhizome extract against Colletotrichum capsici, the causal agent of anthracnose on red-chili peppers (Capsicum annum L.)

This study was conducted to evaluate the antifungal activity of the ethanolic extract of turmeric rhizome against Colletotrichum capsici Syd. and its efficacy in reducing anthracnose disease development on red chili peppers. The in vitro experiment aimed to determine the effect of the extract on inhibiting C. capsici growth in potato sucrose agar (PSA) medium incorporating the turmeric rhizome extract. The variables examined were mycelial growth, fungal sporulation, and spore germination. The in vivo experiment aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the extract in reducing disease development on red chili peppers. The treatments were conducted using a completely randomized design with five concentration treatments and three replicates. The variables examined were radial mycelial growth zone diameter, fungal sporulation, spore germination, and disease intensity. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance, and the least significant difference was used for comparing means between treatments. The results of these experiments showed that ethanolic turmeric rhizome extract exhibited antifungal activity against C. capsici both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Turmeric rhizome extracts with concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% significantly inhibited mycelial growth, and even at a 4% concentration, C. capsici fungal colonies did not grow. Evaluation of the effect of the extract on fungal sporulation showed that inhibition occurred at a concentration of 3%, while inhibition of spore germination occurred at concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3%. Application of turmeric extract at concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% effectively reduced the intensity of anthracnose on red chili.

Effect of Taro Starch (Colocasia esculenta L Schoott) Edible Coating on the Quality of Red Chili (Capsicum annuum L)

Edible coating is a barrier, thin layer of consumable material to maintain moisture and slow down the respiration process of a product. In order to preserve the quality of red chili, this study aims to find the ideal taro starch concentration to use as an edible covering. Six treatments of taro starch concentration—0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5%—were used in experimental research utilizing a completely randomized design (CRD). Hedonic organoleptic testing produced the data. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is then performed based on the level of panelist preference, and an LSD test is applied if there is a significant difference. The findings indicated that a 5% concentration of taro starch works best as an edible covering material to preserve the quality of red chili

Evaluation of the application of suspensions of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with quaternized chitosan and phosphates on yellow maize and chili pepper plants

We have applied aqueous suspensions of magnetite-maghemite nanoparticles functionalized with quaternized chitosan and phosphate groups on yellow maize (Zea Mays) and chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants, at greenhouse conditions, to evaluate if any beneficial or adverse effects are produced by these nanocomposites in the development of these kind of plants at morphological and physiological level. Phytotoxicity assays with yellow maize seeds showed excellent germination percentages in all treatments evaluated, as well as increasing indicators of biomass and root length of germinated seeds for suspensions of nanoparticles with iron contents up to 50 ppm. Suspensions of nanoparticles with iron contents higher than 50 ppm led to decreasing indicators of biomass and root length of germinated seeds compared to lower iron contents. Iron contents of 100 ppm showed indicators lower than those of the control, suggesting phytotoxic effect of these nanocomposites for iron contents above 100 ppm. Measurements of morphological and physiological parameters of plants of both crops in greenhouse conditions, treated with suspensions of nanoparticles with iron-phosphorus contents of 25 − 3, 35 − 4 and 45 − 5 ppm, commercial fertilizer as positive control and tap water as a negative control did not evidence any phytotoxic or beneficial effect. The results suggest that, although these nanocomposites did not have a noticeable effect as vehicles of micro and macro nutrients as iron and phosphorus in the evaluated plants, they did not produce phytotoxic effects on them at the morphological and physiological level for iron contents less than 50 ppm, as they showed adequate growth and development.

Effects of Aerated Drip Irrigation on the Soil Nitrogen Distribution, Crop Growth, and Yield of Chili Peppers.

In order to study the soil nitrogen (N) distribution pattern in the root zone of chili peppers under aerated drip irrigation (ADI) conditions and analyze the relationship between soil N distribution and crop growth, two irrigation methods (conventional drip irrigation and ADI) and three N levels (0, 140, and 210 kg hm-2) were set up in this experiment. Soil samples were collected by the soil auger method at the end of different reproductive periods, and the uniformity coefficient of soil N in the spatial distribution was calculated by the method of Christiansen's coefficient. The growth status and soil-related indices of pepper were determined at each sampling period, and the relationships between soil N distribution and chili pepper growth were obtained based on principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the spatial content of soil nitrate-N (NO3--N) fluctuated little during the whole reproductive period of chili peppers under ADI conditions, and the coefficient of uniformity of soil NO3--N content distribution increased by 5.29~37.63% compared with that of conventional drip irrigation. The aerated treatment increased the root length and surface area of chili peppers. In addition, the ADI treatments increased the plant height, stem diameter, root vigor, and leaf chlorophyll content to some extent compared with the nonaerated treatment. The results of PCA showed that the yield of chili peppers was positively correlated with the uniformity coefficient of soil NO3--N, root vigor, and root length. ADI can significantly improve the distribution uniformity of soil NO3--N and enhance the absorption and utilization of N by the root system, which in turn is conducive to the growth of the crop, the formation of yields, and the improvement of fruit quality.

Andisol Soil Quality Study on Red Chili (Capsicum annum L.) Planting Land, Pondok Balik Village, Ketol District, Central Aceh Regency

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menilai kriteria kualitas tanah pada lahan cabai merah yang dibudidayakan oleh petani. Penelitian ini bersifat deskriptif eksploratif, dengan pendekatan survey lapangan dan didukung analisis tanah di laboratorium. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan metode Purposive secara Random Sampling, dengan mengkombinasikan pengambilan sampel komposit. Sampel tanah diambil di 9 titik pada kedalaman 0-20 cm yang tersebar pada tiga satuan lahan yang berbeda berdasarkan jenis tanah, penggunaan lahan, dan kemiringan lahan. Analisis sampel yang dilakukan yaitu tekstur tanah, BD, TRP, KTK, C-organik, total mikroba, pH, Ntotal, P-tersedia, dan KB. Kemudian dilanjutkan dengan mendeskripsikan hasil penelitian dengan melakukan penilaian kualitas tanah menggunakan metode Lal (1994) dan 10 Minimum Data Set (MDS) pada tiap indikator. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tanah di Desa Pondok Balik memiliki kualitas tanah dengan kriteria Sedang pada setiap topografi. Kualitas tanah pada topografi datar (0-8%) dan agak curam (15-24%) memiliki niai 29 dengan kriteria kualitas tanah sedang, sedangkan pada topografi landai (8-15%) memiliki nilai 30 dengan kualitas tanah sedang. Perbedaan nilai kualitas tanah lebih ditekankan pada pengaruh lama manajemen lahan yang dilakukan.

Performance analysis of indirect solar dryer with natural heat energy retention substances for drying red chilli

The world is grappling with substantial food waste after cultivation, mostly due to increased moisture contents. Therefore, the objective of this study concentrates on developing an innovative indirect methodsolar dryer designed to eliminate moisture content by incorporating glass pieces and paraffin wax as Natural Heat Energy Retention Substances (NHERS) in the solar collector. Three distinct dryer setupshave been designed to assess the effectiveness of the suggested innovation namely a collector without NHERS, a collector with glass pieces as NHERS and a collector with combined glass pieces and paraffin wax as NHERS for drying red chilli. Along with these three different dryer setups, open solar drying was done. From the experimental observations, the drying kinetics, energy, exergy and colour analyses were conducted. Red chilli's wetnesscontent dropped from 83.8% (wet basis) in the beginning to 7.3% at the end in 28, 44, 54 and 72 h under the dryer with combined glass pieces and paraffin wax as NHERS, dryer with glass pieces as NHERS, dryer without NHERS and traditional sun drying respectively. The maximum thermal efficiency of the solar collector is determined to be 57.9% and the highest dryer efficiency is 67.2% in the same setup. The maximum exergy efficiency in the dryer with combined glass pieces and paraffin wax as NHERS is 53.7%. Moreover, ten drying models were employed to forecast the MR and the optimal model to describe red chillies drying properties wasthe logarithmic model with the lowest χ2 (0.0008843) and maximum R2 (0.9682) value. The colour of dried red chilli was best in the dryer with combined glass pieces and paraffin wax as NHERS. From these investigations, the developed indirect solar dryer with combined glass pieces and paraffin wax NHERS indicates sustainable drying time and improved product quality.

Discrete Element Method–Multibody Dynamics Coupling Simulation and Experiment of Rotary Tillage and Ridging Process for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Rotary tillage, ridging, and mulching are commonly used cultivation methods for crops such as chili peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries in the arid regions of Northwest China. An integrated machine for rotary tillage, ridging, and mulching was designed by considering the growth characteristics of pepper root systems and the agronomic requirements of ridge beds. The structural parameters and their value ranges for key components such as the rotary tillage device and the ridging device were determined. By introducing the Bonding contact parameter, the soil cohesion between soil particles during the process of rotary tillage and ridging can be simulated. A coupled simulation model using the Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Multibody Dynamics (MBD) is established. The experimental factors selected were rotary tillage depth, ridging roller speed, and machine forward speed. The evaluation indexes were the traction resistance of the stemming roller and the soil compactness of the ridges. A response surface Box–Behnken Design test was carried out to obtain the best working parameters of the rotary tillage and ridging process for chili pepper cultivation as follows: the rotary tillage depth was 176 mm, the ridging roller speed was 283.71 r/min, and the machine forward speed was 0.55 m/s. Field experiments with optimal parameters showed that the ridge top width was 549.2 mm, the ridge bottom width was 750.5 mm, the ridge height was 222.9 mm, the ridge spacing was 1173.1 mm, the surface smoothness of the ridge was 12.3 mm, the width of soil covering the film edge was 76.3 mm, the stability coefficients of the ridge size parameters were all above 91.73%, and the soil compactness after operation was 60.82 KPa. All indicators meet the requirements for the rotary tillage and ridging cultivation of chili peppers in arid regions, providing reference for the design of rotary tillage and ridging mulching implements and the development of sustainable agriculture.

Characterization and transformation of a novel ABI3/VP1-1 gene from hot pepper to enhance waterlogging tolerance

The ABI3/VP1 proteins are critical in regulating plant growth and resisting stress. This study successfully cloned ABI3/VP1 from waterlogging tolerant pepper (Capsicum annuum) 'ZHC2'. This gene contains a 1017-bp open reading frame, encoding 338 amino acids, and is most closely related to the protein C. annuum XP 016577237.2. CaABI3/VP1–1 was located in the nucleus. This gene was successfully independently transformed into hot peppers ‘ZHC1’ and ‘DFZJ’, as well as Nicotiana benthamiana. CaABI3/VP1 overexpression in hot peppers ‘ZHC1’ and ‘DFZJ’, as well as N. benthamiana promoted the growth of lateral roots, adventitious roots, and stems, as well as the lodging-resistant ability. In addition, the degree of leaf wilting was lower than that of wild-type plants. In general, the water, soluble protein, and proline contents, stomatal density, and catalase activity increased, but H2O2 and malondialdehyde levels decreased. The transcriptomic analysis of the ‘DFZJ’ overexpression line revealed that the “ribosome”, “MAPK signaling pathway-plant”, “plant hormone signal transduction”, “plant-pathogen interaction”, “arginine and proline metabolism”, and “peroxisome” pathways were enriched. LOC107844566, LOC107843480, LOC107879909, LOC107851756, LOC107843452, and LOC107851705 are downstream genes that may be regulated by CaABI3/VP1–1. The physiological and biochemical data were consistent with the transcriptome results. Therefore, CaABI3/VP1–1 should be involved in the waterlogging tolerance of peppers, which would assist in their waterlogging-tolerant breeding.

Wild mushrooms as potential reservoirs of plant pathogenic bacteria: a case study on Burkholderia gladioli.

Fruit bodies (sporocarps) of wild mushrooms growing in natural environments play a substantial role in the preservation of microbial communities, for example, clinical and food-poisoning bacteria. However, the role of wild mushrooms as natural reservoirs of plant pathogenic bacteria remains almost entirely unknown. Furthermore, bacterial transmission from a mushroom species to agricultural plants has rarely been recorded in the literature. In September 2021, a creamy-white Gram-negative bacterial strain was isolated from the sporocarp of Suillus luteus (slippery jack) growing in Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) lawn in Southern Iran. A similar strain was isolated from the same fungus in the same area in September 2022. Both strains were identified as Burkholderia gladioli based on phenotypic features as well as phylogeny of 16S rRNA and three housekeeping genes. The strains were not only pathogenic on white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) but also induced hypersensitive reaction (HR) on tobacco and common bean leaves and caused soft rot on a set of diverse plant species, that is, chili pepper, common bean pod, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, gladiolus, narcissus, onion, potato, spring onion, okra, kohlrabi, mango, and watermelon. Isolation of plant pathogenic B. gladioli strains from sporocarp of S. luteus in two consecutive years in the same area could be indicative of the role of this fungus in the preservation of the bacterium in the natural environment. B. gladioli associated with naturally growing S. luteus could potentially invade neighboring agricultural crops, for example, vegetables and ornamentals. The potential role of wild mushrooms as natural reservoirs of phytopathogenic bacteria is further discussed.IMPORTANCEThe bacterial genus Burkholderia contains biologically heterogeneous strains that can be isolated from diverse habitats, that is, soil, water, diseased plant material, and clinical specimens. In this study, two Gram-negative pectinolytic bacterial strains were isolated from the sporocarps of Suillus luteus in September 2021 and 2022. Molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that both strains belonged to the complex species Burkholderia gladioli, while the pathovar status of the strains remained undetermined. Biological investigations accomplished with pathogenicity and host range assays showed that B. gladioli strains isolated from S. luteus in two consecutive years were pathogenic on a set of diverse plant species ranging from ornamentals to both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous vegetables. Thus, B. gladioli could be considered an infectious pathogen capable of being transmitted from wild mushrooms to annual crops. Our results raise a hypothesis that wild mushrooms could be considered as potential reservoirs for phytopathogenic B. gladioli.

Analysis of quality control on cassava emping “Super Telur Bu Siti” in Bantul Karang Yogyakarta

Cassava emping is a snack made from mashed cassava mixed with eggs, red chilies, green onions, and celery leaves. This research aims to analyze the quality control of cassava emping products and efforts to improve the production process of "Super Telur Bu Siti" Cassava Emping. Data collection methods in this research are interviews, observation, and literature study. Several problems are caused by facts that need to conform to standards in similar food production processes. From the analysis using affinity diagrams, several factors cause quality problems, namely materials, machines, methods, humans, and the environment. The alternative tree diagram analysis results are efforts or actions to improve the quality of cassava chip products in "Super Telur Bu Siti" Cassava Emping. This research concludes that quality control is carried out based on aspects of raw materials, processes during processing, and final products. The Cassava Emping product "Super Telur Bu Siti" does not meet the quality standard criteria based on the National Standards and the Indonesian Food and Drug Supervisory Agency regarding Good Food Production Methods for Home Industries or CPPB-IRT 2012.

Chili pepper extracts, capsaicin, and dihydrocapsaicin as potential anticancer agents targeting topoisomerases.

DNA topoisomerases regulate conformational changes in DNA topology during normal cell growth, such as replication, transcription, recombination, and repair, and may be targeted for anticancer drugs. A DNA topology assay was used to investigate DNA-damaging/protective activities of extracts from Habanero Red (HR), Habanero Maya Red (HMR), Trinidad Moruga Scorpion (TMS), Jalapeno (J), Serrano pepper (SP), Habanero Red Savina (HRS), Bhut Jolokia (BJ), and Jamaica Rosso (JR) peppers, demonstrating their inhibitory effect on the relaxation of pBR by Topo I. DNA topoisomerase II (Topo II) is proven therapeutic target of anticancer drugs. Complete inhibition of Topo II was observed for samples TMS, HR, and HMR. Extracts J and SP had the lowest capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin content compared to other peppers. HR, HMR, TMS, J, S, HRS, BJ, JR extracts showed the anticancer effect, examined by MTS and xCell assay on the in vitro culture of human colon carcinoma cell line HCT116.