Plant Juice Research Articles

Bio-Organic Inputs, Height of Tier and Stocking Density: Their Effects on the Production Performance and Egg Quality of HISEX Layer Chicken

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of using natural bio-organic supplements, varying cage heights, and different stocking densities on the egg-laying performance and egg quality of layer chickens at the Poultry Project for Layer Chicken of JRMSU- Tampilisan Campus in Zamboanga del Norte. The study involved 162 eight-month-old layer chickens divided into six groups and replicated thrice. These chickens were housed in cages of different heights and stocking densities to evaluate their impact on egg production and quality. The results demonstrated that providing chickens with fermented plant juice in their water, derived from madre de agua (Trichanthera gigantea), significantly influenced egg weight and resulted in higher returns above feed and supplement costs. Furthermore, maintaining the cages at a height of 3 feet proved optimal for egg weight. The number of birds in a cage also played a significant role, with four birds per cage affecting egg production and feed and water intake. Interestingly, cages housing three birds exhibited the best feed conversion ratio. Regarding egg quality, the natural supplements did not yield significant differences, but cage height influenced the weight of the eggshells, favoring the 3-foot height. Moreover, the number of birds in a cage impacted the thickness of the yolk. Overall, the study underscored the crucial role of natural supplements, cage height, and stocking density in achieving optimal egg production and quality from layer chickens.

Plant Juice Catalysed Synthesis of Substituted Pyrrole through Paal Knorr Reaction

The current research work proposed the novel methodology for the synthesis of N-substituted pyrrole catalysed by juice of Kalanchoe Pinnata plant leaves. The reaction was carried out between hexan 2,5 dione and aniline. This protocol is environmentally benign cost effective and fruitful which has produced the desired product in short reaction time and easy work up. The synthesised compounds has been confirmed by 1HNMR , IR and C13 spectroscopy. The natural abundance, cost effective, non toxic and good to excellent yields are some specific features of this catalyst.

Co3O4 Nanostructured Sensor for Electrochemical Detection of H2O2 as a Stress Biomarker in Barley: Fe3O4 Nanoparticles-Mediated Enhancement of Salt Stress Tolerance.

This research investigates the enhancement of barley's resistance to salt stress by integrating nanoparticles and employing a nanostructured Co3O4 sensor for the electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a crucial indicator of oxidative stress. The novel sensor, featuring petal-shaped Co3O4 nanostructures, exhibits remarkable precision and sensitivity to H2O2 in buffer solution, showcasing notable efficacy in complex analytes like plant juice. The research establishes that the introduction of Fe3O4 nanoparticles significantly improves barley's ability to withstand salt stress, leading to a reduction in detected H2O2 concentrations, alongside positive impacts on morphological parameters and photosynthesis rates. The developed sensor promises to provide real-time monitoring of barley stress responses, providing valuable information on increasing tolerance to crop stressors.

Newcastle Disease Outbreak in Backyard Poultry: Herbal Remediation Using Phyllanthus Polygonoides and Carica Papaya Leaves

Newcastle disease (ND) is a devastating disease of backyard poultry and causes great economic losses to rural poor. The study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of herbal extracts of Phyllanthus polygonoides and Carica papaya leaves for control of Newcastle outbreak in backyard poultry. A total of 60 representative desi fowl (chicken 50, turkey 7 and duck 3) from 40 flocks were presented to VCC hospital, VC&RI, Orathanadu for treatment. The samples like oropharyngeal fluid/ clocal swab was collected from 40 birds (flocks) and performed haemagglutination test. Out of 40 birds screened, 18 birds (Chicken-13, turkey- 4 and Duck- 1) were positive for haemagglutination test and showed the presence of Newcastle disease virus and confirmed by PCR. The infected birds were treated with aqueous extract of Carica papaya and Phyllanthus polygonoides leaves @ 0.5ml/ kg b.wt orally for 3 days. Most of the birds recovered in single dose, the moderately infected birds recovered after 3 days of treatment. The herbal extract was also used prophylactically other than the infected birds in their respective flocks to prevent the infection. None of the adult birds in their flocks become infected and protected from infection. The plant juice of Phyllanthus polygonoides and Carica papaya leaves were highly effective for control of ND in backyard poultry, it could be used prophylactically every 30 days to prevent Newcastle disease outbreak in backyard poultry to minimize economic losses to the farmers.

Pemberian Ekstrak Fermentasi Tanaman (FPJ) Terhadap Pertumbuhan Dan Hasil Tanaman Sawi Pakcoy Menggunakan Metode Korean Natural Farming (KNF)

This research aims to determine the effectiveness of administering fermented plant juice (FPJ) based on the basic ingredients and solubility levels on the growth of pakcoy mustard greens. This research was carried out from 9 April 2021 to 20 June 2021 in Penulih Suroyudan, Sukoharjo, Wonosobo Regency, Central Java. This research used a completely randomized design (CRD) with one factorial and one control unit with 3 replications. Factor 1 is the basic ingredients for making FPJ, namely bamboo shoots and water spinach and the second factor is the solubility level, namely 1:500ml, 1:800ml, 1:1000ml water. Components of observing plant growth include plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, root length, and plant fresh weight. Research data was analyzed for variance using the One-way F 5% ANOVA test and DMRT at 5% level using the IBM SPSS application. The results showed that there was a significant influence on the growth of plant height and number of leaves at plant age 28 and 36 days after planting and root length growth at plant age 36 days after planting. The treatment of FPJ bamboo shoots with a solubility of 1:800 and 1:1000 ml of water gave the best effect on the growth of pak choy mustard plants.

Natural Occurrence of Fungi and Aflatoxins Associated Sugarcane Plant and Sugarcane Juice and Their Control

Sugarcane is one of the most important crops in the world. It is also considered the most popular fresh juice in Egypt. The sugar content of the sugarcane stem represents the main source of fungal growth. This study aimed to investigate the natural co-occurrence of fungi in sugarcane plants and juice, test of aflatoxins production by aflatoxigenic fungi, and improve the quality of sugarcane juice. The obtained results indicated a notable decrease in all physical parameters of the naturally infected sugarcane plants. Isolation of fungi from sugarcane plant and juice from three localities revealed that the highest mean fungal count was recorded in sugarcane rootlets (173.55 cfu/cm), followed by sugarcane stem (94.88 cfu/cm), while sugarcane juice had the least mean fungal count (24.33 cfu/mL). The frequency of the isolated fungi associated with sugarcane plant yielded 781 fungal isolates for rootlets, 427 fungal isolates for stems, and 219 fungal isolates for juice. Four isolates of Aspergillus parasiticus were aflatoxins producers. Higher aflatoxin quantity (1434.92 ng/mL) was produced by A. parasiticus (isolate No. 21) from sugarcane stem, while A. parasiticus (isolate No. 5) from sugarcane juice was less aflatoxins producer (276.95 ng/mL). On the other hand, lemon juice showed a significant reduction effect on the fungal count of peeled and non-peeled sugarcane juice. In which the highest reduction percent of the fungal count was recorded with 20% conc. of lemon on peeled sugarcane juice (36.04%).The obtained results concluded that lemon juice was found to decrease the fungal contaminants and improve the quality of sugarcane juice.

The ethnobotanical study of native plants of district Layyah

The current ethnobotanical survey described the medicinal plant use in Layyah city. Layyah has a diverse flora of medicinally significant plants that can be used in various medicines. Traditional plant-based medicine is the best option due to its low cost, effectiveness, and lack of side effects. For this survey, 87 people were chosen, including locals and Hakeems. Techniques such as questionnaires and interviews were used. In addition, information was gathered through fieldwork and group discussions. The use value, the relative frequency of citation, and the information consensus factor were used for data analysis. Fabaceae was declared the dominant family, with 33 species calculated from this survey. All plant parts, medicinal uses, and medicine dosages were observed. The leaves were the most commonly used plant part, and paste and juice were the most common preparation methods. Trees were more common in all plants than herbs and shrubs. Keywords: Ethnobotany, Medicinal Plants, Data collection, botanical characterization.

Modification of pectin with high-pressure processing treatment of fresh orange peel before pectin extraction: Part I. The effects on pectin extraction and structural properties

The possibility of utilizing endogenous plant pectin methyl-esterase (PME) to modify pectin in source material prior to pectin extraction is proposed and explored in this study. This is based on the reports about activation of endogenous PME in plant-based foods by high-pressure processing (HPP) treatment. Fresh orange (Hamlin) peel from a local commercial juice plant was pretreated with HPP at different combinations of pressures and durations, followed by pectin extraction with a commercial method. The effects of HPP pretreatments on pectin yield and structural properties of the extracted pectins were determined. HPP pretreatment increased the yield of subsequent pectin extraction by 41.10 %. Crude extracts from HPP-treated peels showed higher PME activities than the untreated peel. Pectins extracted from HPP pretreated peel (Hp) had a lower degree of methyl-esterification (DM), accompanied by an increase in degree of blockiness (DB) of non-esterified galacturonic acid (GalA) than the control (pectin extracted from un-treated peel). GalA content and linearity of pectin (LP) were higher, while neutral sugar content and degree of branching (DBr) were lower in Hp. The reduction in weight average molecular weight of Hp was minor, and it was positively correlated with a reduction in neutral sugars, indicating an effect of pectin debranching without degradation of the pectin main chain. The effects of HPP on the pectin main chain, degree, and distribution of methyl-esterification in this study were similar to the reported effects of orange PME on extracted pectin. The identified pectin structural features were validated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis and a newly developed lateral flow assay. The study indicates that HPP modification of pectin structure in fresh orange peel before pectin extraction may be an efficient and economical way to generate pectin with desirable structural features and to increase pectin yield.

Effect of some Plants Juices and Lactoferrin on the Pathogenic Bacteria

This study was planned to investigate the effects of some medicinal plant juices and Lactoferrin on pathogenic microorganisms that contaminated milk. An experiment was carried out in microbiology laboratory of Animal Production Department/College of Agriculture/University of Baghdad. Lemon, ginger and garlic juices and Lactoferrin were used at a concentration of 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 100 percent of each, added to petri dishes contain Escherichia coli, Proteus, Salmonella, Staphylo coccus aureus. It turns out that garlic and ginger juice have a stronger growth inhibition than lemon juice and Lactoferrin on E. coli their impact on the Proteus also showed a positive effect on the size of the zone of inhibition other than ginger, which had no effect on the growth of those organisms. Furthermore, their impact on the Salmonella, garlic juice had the same positive effect, followed by Lactoferrin. While ginger and lemon juice had effect only in high concentration. The effect of lemon juice on Staphylo aureus was greater than that of ginger and Lactoferrin, which had a positive effect only in high concentrations and increased the size of zone of inhibition by increasing concentration. It can be concluded that garlic juice has the strongest inhibition effect on all tested microorganism compared with the other juices and Lactoferrin, especially in high concentrations as the size of halo inhibition increased with the increasing juice concentration.

Stability of Vitamin C Content in Plant and Vegetable Juices under Different Storing Conditions

The effect of environmental variables on vitamin C degradation in the analysed plant and vegetable juice samples was investigated. The study focused on samples from chives, dandelion, and nettle, as well as tomato, carrot, cucumber, red and white peppers, and cabbage. The aims of the study were to summarise the impact of storage time, temperature, and packaging materials on antioxidants (using vitamin C as an example) in processing plant and vegetable juices. The vitamin C concentration was tested iodometrically at 0 to 21 days intervals. Storage was carried out at different temperatures (4 °C, 23 °C, −18 °C) and in two selected packaging materials (glass and plastic). The analyses showed that low temperatures (t = 4 °C) and storage in glass containers are best for preserving vitamin C content. Storage time influenced the decrease in vitamin C values, with higher losses accompanying longer storage times. Plastic containers had a shorter shelf life for vitamin C compared to glass containers. In general, high temperatures during processing and storage have a negative effect on the preservation of vitamin C. Therefore, storing juices in the refrigerator and glass containers intended for food applications to minimise vitamin C degradation is important.

Energy storage in the forest ecosystem

AbstractInhabitants in the forest ecosystem store energy for their own use and then give it to their predators. There is animal territorialism in the forest ecosystem. Large animals need a larger territory to harvest their needs. Some species mark the boundaries of their territory with their urine to prevent other species from intruding. Natural plant saps are usually the first step of the food chain. Ants, larvae, and flies that consume the natural plant juices are usually the second step of the food chain. Anteaters, larvae‐eating birds, and frogs constitute the third step. Pumas and jaguars, wolves, tigers, and lions eat the anteaters, frogs, and birds. The average exergy efficiency of going from the nth step to n + 1 step is 0.078‐fold of the previous step. Energy storage efficiency of any species depends on the path they follow. The longer the path is, the smaller will be the energy stored by each of the species efficiency down the food chain.

Moringa oleifera: A Boon to Agriculture

Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.), also known as the horseradish tree, drumstick, or sajna, is a multipurpose tree that is found around the world in tropical and subtropical climate zones. Having various medicinal and nutrition properties, it is also known as miracle tree. This review study was done for easy access and dissemination of scientifically proven and culturally practiced uses of moringa tree to the agricultural group of Nepal. Different information and data used in this paper were taken from the multiple journals found in online platform. The leaves of the moringa tree are particularly beneficial since they are rich in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin C, while the bark aids in the absorption of heavy metals. The moringa plant’s leaf extracts have a number of beneficial effects, including anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal characteristics. Making fermented plant juice from leaves and seeds can be used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Application of moringa leaf extract throughout the booting, milking and heading stages significantly reduces wheat aphid populations. To control pests in stored grain, extracts from different moringa tree parts are employed. Moringa oleifera seed methanolic extract can be used to control Callosobruchus maculatus and Sitophilus oryzae on their respective grains. Application of the growth hormone present in moringa leaf extract is said to boost crop output by 45%. Due to its good green manure and fencing capacity, moringa plays crucial function in agroforestry system. Therefore, moringa is a multipurpose tree because of its benefits to agriculture, environment and human health.

Vegetal and zoomorphic imagery as a means of artistic embodiment of the natural/artificial opposition in Guy de Maupassant's novel "Our Heart"

The article is devoted to the analysis of the vegetative and bestiary poetics of Guy de Maupassant's late psychological novel "Our Heart" (1890), which lacks the proper attention of literary scholars both in France and abroad (scientific reflection is focused on short stories and novels of the heyday of Maupassant's realism). Therefore, its poetic study and introduction into the modern literary context is an actual scientific task. The purpose of the article is to define the semantics and symbolism of plant and bestiary imagery in the artistic structure of G. de Maupassant's novel "Our Heart" and to establish its functions in the realization of natural/artificial opposition, that is conceptual for the novel. The research was carried out in the framework of the structural-semiotic method of analysis of the artistic text. The analysis of the novel from the point of view of the artistic functions of floral and zoomorphic imagery proved the special place of these tools in deepening the psychological picture and expressive-emotional expressiveness of the images of the protagonists: André Mariolle and Madame de Burne. The range of these tropes is from vegetal and zoomorphic comparisons and metaphors to elaborate zoo- and dendroanthropomorphic images (Michelle de Burne is first a ‘bird of paradise’, a ‘wild bird’, then a ‘hawk of prey’ and, allusively, an ‘ostrich’, and also an old tired ‘horse’, a ‘nag’; Mariolle – is a ‘trapped wounded animal’, a ‘thrush in a cage’, a ‘small fish caught in a net’). The plant analogue of the heroine is a man-made flower garden, which gradually withers and decays, as her love for Mariolle fades away. Michelle's image is accompanied by numerous floral details that acquire a metaphorical meaning (these are cultural flowers of selected varieties – roses, orchids, carnations, geraniums, lilies of the valley, chrysanthemums, lilies etc.). In contrast to the “artificial” Michelle, the image of the “natural” Elizabeth is associated with wild forest plants – violets, gorse etc. The protagonist is correlated with ramified dendrosymbolism (chestnut, beech, oak, linden etc.) and the image of the forest as a secret liminal space. The symbolism of the wild forest is opposed in the novel by the symbolism of an orderly garden (as one of the options for embodying the natural/artificial opposition). Vegetal and zoomorphic images not only accompany the characteristics of the characters, but are also closely intertwined, passing one into the other (the anthropomorphic image of fused trees turns into the image of a battle between a predatory beast and its victim, plant juices become living blood). Subjective signs of the main character's “artificiality” are the images of stone flowers and stone animals decorating the central spatial locus of the novel – Abbey Mont Saint Michel. So, florisms, dendrisms and animalistic images in the novel perform a characteristic function, convey the dynamics of the feelings of the protagonists, acquiring a metaphorical meaning, and fill the landscape with symbolic details.

Investigation of yield and quality parameters of some sugar beet varieties in Muş ecological conditions

In plant production, determining the suitable varieties suitable for the location and choosing the varieties with the best performance are among the top priorities. Biplot analysis has become widespread in recent years as an important statistical technique for plant breeders and those working in agricultural research. This study was carried out according to Randomized Complete Block Design with 18 upcountry and 2 abroad registered varieties in Muş location in 2022 year. Yield and quality components were investigated. According to the results of variance analysis, it was determined that there were statistically significant differences at the level of 1% among the varieties in terms of all the traits examined. According to the average data obtained in the study; bifurcation varied between (%) 5.4-17.8, leaf yield 13.54-24.28 t ha-1, root yield 73.42-93.57 t ha-1, biological yield 90.29-118.26 t ha-1, sugar content (%) 16.2-19.0, plant juice purity 82.39- 88.10%, dry matter (%) 16.4-20.1, α-amino N (mg 100g-1) 0.0405-0.0498 and ash (%) varied between 2.49-3.35. According to the results of the research, in terms of root yield, G10 no and G14 no varieties came to the fore in terms of the most stable and examined traits. G12 no variety came to the fore in terms of sugar yield and G19 no variety in terms of sugar content. When the average data of all examined traits are evaluated together, G10, G11 and G14 no varieties are considered as the most stable varieties. However, varieties with high root yield, sugar content and sugar yield are the primary preferences of growers in sugar beet production. When all the data of the varieties used in the research are evaluated together; G2, G4, G8, G10, G11, G12, G14, G15 and G19 no varieties can be recommended for Muş ecological conditions. However, it was concluded that the study should be carried out in the following years for more decisive recommendations.

Construction of a high-density genetic linkage map and QTL mapping for bioenergy-related traits in sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

Sorghum is an important but arguably undervalued cereal crop, grown in large areas in Asia and Africa due to its natural resilience to drought and heat. There is growing demand for sweet sorghum as a source of bioethanol as well as food and feed. The improvement of bioenergy-related traits directly affects bioethanol production from sweet sorghum; therefore, understanding the genetic basis of these traits would enable new cultivars to be developed for bioenergy production. In order to reveal the genetic architecture behind bioenergy-related traits, we generated an F2 population from a cross between sweet sorghum cv. 'Erdurmus' and grain sorghum cv. 'Ogretmenoglu'. This was used to construct a genetic map from SNPs discovered by double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq). F3 lines derived from each F2 individual were phenotyped for bioenergy-related traits in two different locations and their genotypes were analyzed with the SNPs to identify QTL regions. On chromosomes 1, 7, and 9, three major plant height (PH) QTLs (qPH1.1, qPH7.1, and qPH9.1) were identified, with phenotypic variation explained (PVE) ranging from 10.8 to 34.8%. One major QTL (qPJ6.1) on chromosome 6 was associated with the plant juice trait (PJ) and explained 35.2% of its phenotypic variation. For fresh biomass weight (FBW), four major QTLs (qFBW1.1, qFBW6.1, qFBW7.1, and qFBW9.1) were determined on chromosomes 1, 6, 7, and 9, which explained 12.3, 14.5, 10.6, and 11.9% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. Moreover, two minor QTLs (qBX3.1 and qBX7.1) of Brix (BX) were mapped on chromosomes 3 and 7, explaining 8.6 and 9.7% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. The QTLs in two clusters (qPH7.1/qBX7.1 and qPH7.1/qFBW7.1) overlapped for PH, FBW and BX. The QTL, qFBW6.1, has not been previously reported. In addition, eight SNPs were converted into cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) markers, which can be easily detected by agarose gel electrophoresis. These QTLs and molecular markers can be used for pyramiding and marker-assisted selection studies in sorghum, to develop advanced lines that include desirable bioenergy-related traits.

Plant Extracellular Vesicles: Investigating Their Utilization as Beneficial Nutrients in Diet

Plant-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from seeds, leaves, and fruits have shown a significant therapeutic potential for their anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The ability to transport bioactive molecules and the low toxicity give EVs remarkable versatility in the field of nanomedicine for the development of drug delivery systems. Moreover, the physicochemical stability in gastric and intestinal fluids makes them the ideal candidate as nutritional carriers in oral formulations. It is well known that the consumption of antioxidant molecules from dietary plant sources, such as fruits and vegetables, can prevent pathologies caused by oxidative damage, including inflammatory and cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, aging, and cancer. EVs present in plant juices are receiving a lot of interest concerning their biological relevance in terms of their health benefits. EVs from food might be new components participating in body homeostasis, as they are in contact with the intestinal tract. This review aims to report and discuss the main biological properties and nutraceutical use of plant-derived EVs as promising therapeutic tools, with a focus on anti-oxidant effect and as a basis in developing new food-derived technology.

Morpho-Biochemical Assessment of Pomegranate Germplasm Under Subtropical Climatic Conditions of Faisalabad, Pakistan

A field study was conducted for assessment five different varieties of pomegranate (Tarnab gulabi, NARC-1, NARC-2, Kandhari and Sultan) under subtropical agro-climatic conditions. The investigation was conducted under RCBD (randomized complete block design) with five treatments and three replications. Various morphological (plant height, leaf area), fruit physical (fruit size, fruit weight, seed%, juice % and peel %) and biochemical (TSS, pH, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid contents, total sugars, reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars, total antioxidants and total phenols) parameters were studied. Findings noted were subjected to variance analysis at 5% probability. Wide morph-biochemical variation was observed for most of the examined traits. Results showed that NARC-I showed highest value for fruit weight (224.07g), juice % (34.33%), non-reducing sugars (4.53%), titratable acidity (1.67%) and total antioxidant contents (4.53 DPPH inhibition %age) in juice. Kandhari had maximum seed % (42.67%), peel % (39.23%) and vitamin C (12.13 mg/100ml) contents. Highest plant height (11.23 feet), leaf area (1031.4mm), juice pH (3.43), TSS (19.20 brix), reducing sugars (11.70%) and total phenols (11.70 µg GAE L-1) was observed in Sultan strain. Based on the outcomes of this investigation, it can be concluded that Sultan performed better in terms of vegetative and fruit physical and bio-chemical attributes under subtropical agro-climatic conditions of Faisalabad.

Valorization of shalgam juice plant waste for the production of carotenoids by Rhodotorula glutinis

Food waste is an emerging global problem that should not be underestimated. One of the most abundant wastes in Türkiye and neighbour countries is the waste of shalgam juice plants (WSJP). In this study, WSJP was used as a growth medium for Rhodotorula glutinis. The effects of initial medium pH (3.4-5.4), carbon (0-60 g/L glycerol) and nitrogen sources (0-1 g/L urea) were investigated on biomass, medium pH, reducing sugar concentration, total lipid and carotenoid contents, as well as carotenoid composition (torulene, torularhodin, β-carotene). When crude waste extract (no additional nutrient) was used as growth medium (initial medium pH 3.4, 6.14 g/L sugar), biomass was relatively low (1.47±0.055 g/L), due to acidic pH and insufficient nutrients. However, these stress conditions increased the production of total lipid and carotenoid contents by R. glutinis. The highest lipid and carotenoid contents were obtained as 0.14±0.0004 g/g dry cell weight (dcw) and 1221.57±0.59 µg/g dcw, respectively, under these circumstances. As additional stress factor fermentation medium -crude WSJP extract- was illuminated for 72 h. This increased lipid content by 1.7-fold, while showing low impact on carotenoid content. Interestingly, illumination changed the carotenoid composition by decreasing torulene and β-carotene percentages, but increasing torularhodin percentage. On the other hand, tuning the initial pH to an ambient value (5.4) and the addition of carbon and nitrogen sources stimulated cell growth (4.67±0.07 g/L). This study presents the first time use of WSJP extract as a growth medium, without any additional nutrition, moreover, the simultaneous production of high-value added carotenoids.

Parasitic entomophages against plant lice in vegetable agrobioticenose

The negative impact of pests on world agriculture is estimated at 1.4 trillion dollars, which is 5% of the global gross domestic product. In order to save the crops lost due to agricultural pests in the world, it is of urgent importance to develop effective and fundamentally based control measures against them. In this research, the main studied pests were Aphis craccovora Koch; Aphis gossypii Glow; Brevicoryne brassicae, Lysiphlebus fabarum Marsch, which is parasitic entomophages of Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae and sucking pests. It was found that the parasitic worm Aphis gossypii infects plant juices was on average 79.6 + 0.03. The parasite developed in this type of plant aphids lived for 7.1+0.02 days, the sex ratio was 1:5 (♂:♀). When the mummified and swollen plant aphids were examined due to infection with the parasite, it was found that the degree of damage to the host’s offspring was 67.2%.

Therapeutic potential of Carica papaya leaf extract for the treatment of dengue

To the Editor, The acute infectious illness dengue is spread by mosquitoes and has a high death and morbidity rate affecting people of all ages and is spread by mosquito bites, most frequently by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus species1. In Asia, dengue is currently the top cause of hospitalization and fatalities among individuals, and about 70% of dengue illness cases worldwide are found in Asia2. Historically in Pakistan alone, dengue has been identified as a significant public health issue with several outbreaks reported in 2010, 2017, 2019, and 2020. In 2022, between January 1 and September 27, Pakistan has once again seen a resurgence of dengue with a total of 25,932 confirmed cases and 62 fatalities3. The treatment of dengue involves supportive care with increased fluid intake and antipyretics. However, with the increasing burden of dengue on hospitals in Pakistan, people have transitioned to seek other remedies such as papaya leaves, goat milk, guava, and neem tree leaves4. There has been a dramatic rise in demand for papaya leaf juice across Pakistan because of the recent dengue outbreak. The community quickly adopted the use of papaya in the treatment of dengue because of its perceived positive impact on the platelet count in the opinion articles, news stories, and blogs that have begun to appear in print, social media, and national media4. Despite the lack of specialized medication, papaya leaf extract (PLE) is a natural remedy for dengue. Patients who drink plant juice frequently report fewer symptoms of dengue fever and improved general health. The primary active compound in PLE that contributes to the anti-thrombocytopenic action and increases the patient’s blood platelet count is carpaine5. Numerous studies that have been published have found a connection between platelet count and the prognosis of dengue6. Furthermore, papaya leaf extract can boost the immune system and lower inflammation7. According to a meta-analysis, a viable option for raising the platelet count in dengue patients was Carica papaya leaf extract8. However, patient mortality, safety parameters, and side effects were not taken into consideration in this study which leaves doubts about implementing it into actual clinical practice. Even though these studies show that PLE has anti-thrombocytopenic capabilities, it is still unclear how effective PLE is at treating dengue symptoms. Results from another investigation showed that rats’ liver and reproductive systems were negatively impacted by papaya aqueous extract9. In another research, adult male rats’ sperm counts, sperm viability, and testosterone levels all significantly decreased. In addition, female rats also showed infertility issues along with an increase in maternal mortality10. Although the aforementioned trials used animals, it is still necessary to conduct descriptive studies to identify and assess the chemical components of the leaves, their concentrations, and their toxic side effects to properly utilize papaya plant parts and to commercialize the appropriate products for nutraceutical uses. Although papaya leaf has effective anti-thrombocytopenic properties, people using it may experience nausea and vomiting. Furthermore, the usage of papaya or its leaves does not benefit dengue patients in any way and can instead lead to diarrhea11. Given that dengue patients already require enough fluids, this might be fatal. Patients who lose excessive fluid risk developing hypovolemic shock. Multiorgan failure, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, and gastrointestinal bleeding are also risks of protracted shock12. Considering the negative effects of PLE on patients suffering from dengue, it should be contraindicated to use papaya leaf to reduce death and morbidity. In conclusion, until descriptive research and clinical trials are carried out to ascertain its treatment effectiveness, the use of PLE for treating dengue symptoms in patients with dengue fever must be contraindicated. Insecticide-treated textiles, the use of mosquito repellent coils, the use of bed nets while in bed even during the day, and the development of the habit of wearing full-sleeve shirts and pants must all be encouraged. The general public must be informed and warned about the dangers and possible side effects of using papaya leaves during dengue fever. Ethical approval None. Sources funding None. Author contribution A.N. was involved in the study concept, the collection of the data, drafting, literature review, data validation, supervision, and editing of the manuscript. R.T. was responsible for the literature review and revising the manuscript for important intellectual content. Conflict of interest disclosure The authors declare that they have no financial conflict of interest with regard to the content of this report. Research registration unique identifying number (UIN) None. Guarantor None. Clinical trial registration None. Data availability statement None. Patient consent statement None.