Nelumbo Nucifera Research Articles

Study on the Deformation Mode and Energy Absorption Characteristics of Protective Honeycomb Sandwich Structures Based on the Combined Design of Lotus Root Nodes and Leaf Stem Veins

Sandwich structures are often used as protective structures on ships. To further improve the energy-absorbing characteristics of traditional honeycomb sandwich structures, an energy-absorbing mechanism is proposed based on the gradient folding deformation of lotus root nodes and a leafy stem vein homogenizing load mechanism. A honeycomb sandwich structure is then designed that combines lotus root nodes and leafy stem veins. Four types of peak-nest structures, traditional cellular structure (TCS), lotus root honeycomb structure (LRHS), leaf vein honeycomb structure (LVHS), and lotus root vein combined honeycomb structure (LRVHS), were prepared using 3D printing technology. The deformation modes and energy absorption characteristics of the four honeycomb structures under quasistatic action were investigated using a combination of experimental and simulation methods. It was found that the coupling design improved the energy absorption in the structural platform region of the LRHS by 51.4% compared to that of the TCS due to its mechanical mechanism of helical twisting and deformation. The leaf vein design was found to enhance the peak stress of the structure, resulting in a 4.84% increase in the peak stress of the LVHS compared to that of the TCS. The effects of the number, thickness, and position of the leaf vein plates on the honeycomb structure were further explored. The greatest structural SEA effect of 1.28 J/g was observed when the number of leaf vein plates was four. The highest SEA of 1.36 J/g was achieved with a leaf vein plate thickness of 0.6 mm, representing a 7.3% improvement compared to that of the 0.2 mm thickness. These findings may provide valuable insights into the design of lightweight honeycomb sandwich structures with high specific energy absorption.

Construction of thermally conductive and insulating fibers of BN nanosheet/aramid nanofiber composites with high-temperature resistance via sol-gel wet spinning

With the intensification of global warming and the occurrence of extremely hot weather, there is an urgent need for textiles that can effectively regulate temperature. Using amino-functionalized boron nitride nanosheets (K-BNNSs) and aramid nanofibers (ANFs) as materials, the well-oriented thermally conductive insulating textile fibers with “lotus root” structure were directly prepared by sol–gel wet spinning process. The axial thermal conductivity of a single fiber can be as high as 22.4 W/(m·K), and has an excellent tensile fracture strength (176.6 MPa). Thermal infrared imaging revealed that the fibers woven into textiles had a more significant heat dissipation capacity than commercial cotton fabrics. The fiber obtained by this low-cost preparation method provides a cooling textile with excellent heat-dissipation ability and has wide application prospects in emerging textiles.

RGO/ANFs composite fibers with dual functions of thermal conductivity and electromagnetic shielding of lotus root structure based on sol-gel wet spinning

Textiles that exhibit electromagnetic shielding and high thermal conductivities are valuable materials. Graphene is considered the best candidate material because of its excellent thermal and electrical conductivities. However, there is a challenge that the strong interaction between the layers is easy to aggregate and affect the mechanical properties. At present, the graft modification of graphene can effectively improve its dispersion in solvents. Herein, we fabricate highly oriented composite fibers with “lotus root” structures via sol-gel wet spinning using graphene and aramid nanofiber (ANF) raw materials. The reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/ANFs composite fibers(50RGO/ANF-Ca2+-0.5) exhibit an excellent tensile fracture strength (304.05 MPa). The axial thermal conductivity of a single fiber is 30.42 W/(m·K) due to its highly oriented structure along the axis and dense three-dimensional network structure inside. Thermal infrared imaging shows that the 50RGO/ANF-Ca2+-0.5 textile has a higher surface temperature of 1.1 °C than commercial cotton fabric on human skin, and has a more significant heat dissipation capacity. The 50RGO/ANF-Ca2+-0.5 textiles exhibit electromagnetic shielding efficiencies of up to 49.8 dB. The composite fiber obtained via this low-cost preparation method endows textile with dual functions of thermal conductivity and electromagnetic shielding and has wide application prospects in emerging textiles.

Flavor Chemical Research on Different Bee Pollen Varieties Using Fast E-Nose and E-Tongue Technology.

Bee pollen, derived from various plant sources, is renowned for its nutritional and bioactive properties, aroma, and taste. This study examined the bee pollen with the highest yield in China obtained from four plant species, namely Brassica campestris (Bc), Nelumbo nucifera (Nn), Camellia japonica (Cj), and Fagopyrum esculentum (Fe), using fast e-nose and e-tongue technology to analyze their flavor chemistry. Results showed substantial differences in scent profiles among the varieties, with distinct odor compounds identified for each, including n-butanol, decanal, and ethanol, in Bc, Nn, and Cj, respectively. The primary odorants in Fe consist of E-2-hexen-1-ol and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol. Additionally, e-tongue analysis revealed seven distinct tastes in bee pollen samples: AHS, PKS, CTS, NMS, CPS, ANS, and SCS, with variations in intensity across each taste. The study also found correlations between taste components and specific odor compounds, providing insights for enhancing product quality control in bee pollen processing.

Neferine Pretreatment Attenuates Isoproterenol-Induced Cardiac Injury Through Modulation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis in Rats.

Heart attacks, also known as myocardial infarctions (MIs), are one of the main reasons people die from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) worldwide. Neferine, an alkaloid derived from Nelumbo nucifera seeds, has garnered interest due to its purported medicinal effects. In the current research, we induced MI in rats using the β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol to investigate whether neferine can improve cardiac dysfunction. The rats were separated into four groups: control, isoproterenol (ISO), and two treatment groups received neferine at doses of 10 or 20mg/kg once daily for 28days. On days 27 and 28, the groups undergoing treatment were administered with an ISO injection. Results showed that pretreatment with neferine strongly protected against changes in lipid profiles and cardiac functional markers in ISO-administered rats. Neferine attenuated histopathologic changes, collagen deposition, and myocardial fibrosis in rats administered ISO. Neferine pretreatment significantly inhibited the oxidative stress, inflammatory, and apoptotic markers in the heart of ISO-injected rats. This was achieved through Nrf2/Keap1/ARE signaling stimulation, TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK-mediated signaling inhibition, and activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Using CB-Dock-2, researchers determined that neferine has a high binding affinity with protein receptors that are pivotal in several biological processes. In conclusion, the study provides strong evidence that pretreatment with neferine protects rats from ISO-induced heart damage.

Multi-frequency thermosonication washing treatments of fresh-cut lotus root: Effect on the accumulation of phenolics and storage quality characterization evaluation

The effects of thermosonication (TS) washing at varying multi-frequencies in comparison to ultrasonication (US) and water washing (as a control) on the fresh-cut lotus root phenolics accumulation and the storage quality characteristics were explored. The relationships between free phenols (FPs), bound phenols (BPs), total phenolic content (TPC), and total antioxidant capacity were also revealed. Thermosonication increased the free phenols and total phenolic content, with the thermosonication of 20 + 40 + 60 kHz showing the most significant effect, and TS predominantly improved the total antioxidant capacity. Thermosonication promoted phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity and inhibited polyphenol peroxidase (POD) activity. The color analysis showed the thermosonicated samples exhibited the lowest value of ΔE and the browning degree. Thermosonication substantially increased weight loss and firmness, while reducing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and Vitamin C (VC) compared to control. Overall, TS washing can increase the phenolic content of fresh-cut lotus root while preserving its antioxidant capacity and qualitative characteristics.

Southern blight of water lily: The first host record of Agroathelia rolfsii on Nelumbo nucifera discovered in Florida, USA.

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nelumbonaceae, Eudicots), also known as water lily or sacred lotus, is a nonnative and invasive plant commonly found in artificial ponds and natural lakes throughout Florida (UF-IFAS 2023; Wunderlin et al. 2023). In August 2020, a single sample of water lily plants showing large leaf spots were collected at a residence in Dunnellon, Marion County, Florida (80% disease prevalence with 40% leaf coverage). Symptoms and signs of the disease were necrotized adaxial leaf spots only, bordered by whitish mycelia and hyphae with clamp connections, and whitish to light brown sclerotia formed in the center (<0.7 mm diameter). Symptomatic tissue was plated on acid potato dextrose agar (APDA) amended with chloramphenicol (100 mg/L) and ampicillin (30mg/L), and incubated at 20 °C for one week. Data supporting the molecular identification of this putative pathogen were gathered by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing of the complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and a fragment of the large subunit (LSU) of the rRNA gene (~1.5 kb) using primers ITS1F and LR5 (FDACS-DPI PPST 2020-105211, GenBank OR492009) (White et al. 1990). The identification of the host was confirmed by Sanger sequencing of three plant barcode fragments: ITS2 (ITS2-S2F/ITS4, OR492008), ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcL) (rbcLa-F/rbcLa-R, GenBank OR502388), and Maturase K (matK) (matK-KIM1R/matK-KIM3F, GenBank OR502389) (Fazekas et al. 2012). MegaBLAST queries of the ITS/LSU sequence obtained here recovered a 99.61% match to the fungal pathogen Agroathelia (=Athelia) rolfsii (Sacc.) Redhead & Mullineux. (Redhead and Mullineux 2023) (Amylocorticiaceae, Agaricomycotina) strain GP3 (GenBank JABRWF010000005) (Yan et al. 2021). MegaBLAST queries of three host plant DNA barcodes recovered matches of greater than 99.62% similarity to N. nucifera sequences. After diagnosis, symptomatic dried leaf samples were deposited at Plant Industry Herbarium Gainesville (PIHG 17807) and an axenic culture was deposited at the Agricultural Research Services Culture Collection (NRRL 66964). Koch's postulates were fulfilled by the inoculation of sclerotia (as in Terrones-Salgado et al. 2022) on adaxial leaf surface of four-week- old water lily transplants obtained from an artificial pond on campus (two plants with five leaves each). One additional transplant was not inoculated and served as a control; this plant remained asymptomatic during the experimentation period. Each transplant was kept in a 27-gallon plastic container (21W × 30L × 14H in) filled with tap water containing one tablespoon of 20-20-20 all-purpose-water-soluble plant fertilizer (VPG, TX, USA) in a plant biosafety level 2 greenhouse (23 °C, >50% relative humidity, and a 12-h/12-h photoperiod). All inoculated leaves showed necrotized areas after one week and new sclerotia were observed floating on the water surface after three weeks. Fungal pathogen was reisolated and reidentified subsequently. Agroathelia rolfsii is the causal agent of southern blight, also known as grey rot, and is reported from at least in 260 plant genera, including specialty crops such as citrus, cucumber, pepper, peanuts, pumpkin, and strawberry (Farr and Rossman 2018). Agroathelia rolfsii usually causes lower stem, crown, and root rots; consequently, leaf spots are a noteworthy presentation of symptoms for this fungus.

Ultrasensitive solid-state electrochemiluminescence sensor based on lotus root shaped carbon fiber, CdSe QDs and Fe3O4 synergically amplify Ru(bpy)32+ luminophore signal for detection of cyfluthrin.

An efficient and innovative electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor was developed for trace detection of cyfluthrin.The sensor utilized materials such as lotus root shaped carbon fiber (Co CNFs), cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs), and Fe3O4 to amplify Ru(bpy)32+ signals. Co CNFs, with its large specific surface area and porosity, served the purpose of not only enhancing the stability of the sensor by fixing CdSe QDs and Ru(bpy)32+ on the Co CNFs/GCE, but also facilitating electron transfer. CdSe QDs was involved in the luminescence reaction and collaborated with Ru(bpy)32+ to enhance the sensor's sensitivity, while Fe3O4 promoted electron transfer in the system due to its large surface area. The solid-state ECL sensor achieved satisfactory signal under the synergistic action of these components. The ECL signal of the sensor was quenched by cyfluthrin, and a favorable linear relationship was observed between the sensor and cyfluthrin in the concentration range 1 × 10-12 to 1 × 10-6 M. The detection limit of the sensor was 3.3 × 10-13 M (S/N = 3). The utilization of lotus root shaped carbon fiber, CdSe QDs, and Fe3O4 in the Ru(bpy)32+ system demonstrated a synergistic effect for cyfluthrin detection, presenting a new approach for the rapid determinationanalysis of pesticide residues in foods.

First Report of Neofusicoccum parvum Causing Seedpod Blight on Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) in China.

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is a widely cultivated plant in China, and the fruit lotus variety has a high economic value attributed to the exquisite flavor of its fresh seeds. During the summer of 2023, an unidentified blight was observed affecting lotus seedpods in Jiande City, Zhejiang province, with approximately 65% of seedpods impacted in a 130-hectare area. The initial symptoms included dark purple spots on the lotus seedpod surface, which gradually expanded over time. After 5 to 7 days, the entire seedpod turned black, withering, and rendering the lotus seeds inedible. To identify the causal agent, tissues from symptomatic seedpods were excised and disinfected in 75% ethanol for 60 s, and washed twice in sterile distilled water. The disinfected symptomatic tissues (5 × 5 mm) were plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA), incubated at 25 ℃, transferred hyphal tips to obtain pure isolates after 3 days. Fungal colonies exhibiting Botryosphaeriaceae morphology were isolated from 33% of the samples (n = 15). Pure cultures were grown on PDA for both morphological and molecular identification. The colonies displayed a white aerial mycelium, turning olivaceous grey after 7 days. Pycnidia were produced within 3 weeks on PDA with added sterilized healthy lotus seedpod pieces on the surface. Conidia were hyaline, unicellular, ellipsoidal, 12.65 to 20.72 × 3.92 to 9.38 μm in size (mean 16.67 × 6.24 μm, n = 100). To determine the fungal species, genomic DNA was extracted from one representative isolate (ZJUP1112-1), to amplify four gene loci through polymerase chain reactions (PCR): rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) with primers ITS1/ITS4, rDNA large subunit (LSU) with LR0R/LR5, the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1) with EF1-728F/EF1-986R, and β-tubulin gene (tub2) with Bt2a/Bt2b. The PCR products were Sanger sequenced in Zhejiang Shangya biotechnology co., LTD, and the resulting sequences were assembled and deposited in GenBank (ITS: OR740546; LSU: OR740547; tef1: OR776996; tub2: OR776997). BLAST searches indicated the highest nucleotide sequence identity with the reference strains of Neofusicoccum parvum CMW 9081 (ITS: 98.8%, AY236943; LSU: 100%, AY928045; tef1: 99.6%, AY236888; tub2: 99.3%, AY236917). Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses revealed that isolate ZJUP1112-1 formed a highly supported clade with N. parvum. Pathogenicity tests were performed on healthy lotus seedpods using mycelial plugs (5 mm diameter) from actively growing colonies of ZJUP1112-1 that were placed onto the front and side of the seedpods (6 each). Controls received PDA plugs. Treated seedpods were wrapped with parafilm and incubated at 25 ℃ and the experiment was repeated three times. After 5 days, dark purple lesions were observed on the inoculated seedpods, whereas controls remained symptomless. The same isolate was recovered from the margin of resulting lesions and confirmed by morphology, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. N. parvum is a polyphagous pathogen causing blights and fruit rot on multiple economically important fruit crops, such as cacao (Puig et al. 2019), walnut (Chen et al. 2019), pistachio (Lopez-Moral et al. 2020), chestnut (Seddaiu et al. 2021), blueberry (Spetik et al. 2023) and mango (Polizzi et al. 2022), among others. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of N. parvum causing seedpod blight on lotus seedpods in China, which contributes to a better understanding of the pathogens affecting this plant species in China.

Transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis revealed the regulatory network of apical buds development in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.)

As a perennial ornamental plant, lotus will begin to become dormant in the face of adverse environmental conditions. The dormancy and apical buds development of lotus are of great significance in regulating the flowering period, storage and reproduction of the lotus rhizome, but the related regulatory mechanisms have not been reported. In this study, we sampled the lotus apical buds at 0 d, 12 d and 24 d after planting, and determined that the lotus could complete the dormancy releaseprocess at 12 days after planting. The monitoring of physiological indexes, hormone levels and transcriptome sequencing of 9 samples in three periods were carried out. It was found that the contents of carbohydrates and hormones changed significantly during apical buds development. Transcriptome analysis also showed that a large number of differentially expressed genes were enriched in hormone synthesis and signal transduction pathways, starch and sucrose metabolism pathways, and lipid metabolism pathways, these genes may be involved in the development of lotus apical buds. Subsequently, we analyzed the differential transcription factors during apical buds development and screened a key differential gene NnHSP18.2. NnHSP18.2 is a heat shock protein (HSP) family gene specifically expressed on apical buds, encoding a protein of 160 amino acids with a conserved α-crystallin domain (ACD) domain. Overexpression of NnHSP18.2 can inhibit Arabidopsis seed germination. These results are of great significance for exploring the molecular mechanism of lotus apical buds development and actively promoting the development of the lotus industry.

Hypoglycemic activity in vivo and in vitro of the Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) seed skin (testa) phenolic-rich extracts

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) seed, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, exhibits good hypoglycemic activities. However, the bioactive components that are responsible for the biological effects and their underlying mechanisms remain obscure. This study aimed to identify the bioactive components of lotus seed skin phenolic-rich extract (LSSE) and investigate their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. In vivo study showed that LSSE could significantly decrease the fasting blood glucose levels and the area under the curves with dose-dependent manners in diabetes mellitus mice. And the α-glucosidase activity was decreased by 39.4% after intervention with LSSE. The results also demonstrated that LSSE possessed up to 77.53% rat intestinal maltase inhibitory activity and general sucrase and isomaltase inhibitory activity. A total of 38 phenolic compounds were first quantified in LSSE. Molecular docking analysis further revealed that the bioactive components in LSSE bind with α-glucosidase by hydrogen bonding Van der Waals and hydrophobic interactions. These results indicate the potential use of LSSE for natural hypoglycemic functional foods.

Structurally Diverse Bisbenzylisoquinoline Alkaloids with Antiadipogenic Activity through PPARγ Downregulation from the Embryo of Nelumbo nucifera Seeds.

Six undescribed and six known bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids were isolated from the embryo of Nelumbo nucifera seeds. Their structures were fully characterized by a combination of 1H, 13C NMR, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS analyses, as well as ECD computational calculations. The antiadipogenic activity of 11 alkaloids was observed in a dose-responsive manner, leading to the suppression of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. Luciferase assay and Western blot analysis showed that the active alkaloids downregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ, a key antiadipogenic receptor) expression in 3T3-L1 cells. Analysis of the structure-activity relationship unveiled that a 1R,1'S configuration in bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids led to a notable enhancement in antiadipogenic activity. The resistance level against lipid accumulation highlighted a consistent pattern with the suppressive effect on the PPARγ expression. These activity results indicate that alkaloids from the embryo of N. nucifera seeds have a potential of antiobesity effects through PPARγ downregulation.

Comparative Analysis of ARIMA and LSTM Models for Agricultural Product Price Forecasting

The fluctuations in vegetable prices can have an impact on the economy. Machine learning can identify price trend changes. This study investigates the performance of ARIMA and LSTM models in predicting price trends for agricultural products, focusing on greens and lotus roots. The objective was to ascertain the superior model in terms of accurately reflecting market oscillations—a critical aspect for stakeholders in the agricultural sector. The investigation contrasted the ARIMA model's adeptness at detecting linear tendencies against the LSTM's capacity to decode intricate nonlinear dynamics. Empirical assessment employing metrics such as RMSE, MAE, and SMAPE disclosed a consistent supremacy of the ARIMA model over the LSTM in both datasets. This was particularly evident within the lotus root forecasts, where the discrepancy in error metrics for LSTM was remarkably pronounced. The outcomes indicate that notwithstanding the sophisticated structure of LSTM, ARIMA models maintain their status as robust and precise tools for agricultural time series forecasting. This is especially pertinent in contexts demanding computational efficiency and model interpretability. This investigation evaluates the efficacy of ARIMA and LSTM models in forecasting time-series data for agricultural commodities.

An NnSnRK1-centered regulatory network of shade-induced early termination of flowering in lotus

The flowering process of lotus is highly sensitive to environmental conditions such as canopy shade and cloudy days, which often lead to abortion of the flower buds. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Based on transcriptome analysis and genetics screens, we found that silencing of SNF1-related protein kinase 1 (NnSnRK1) gene in lotus could promote flowering and reduce flower bud abortion under carbon starvation induced by 70% shade. Transcriptome analysis of NnSnRK1-overexpressed or -silenced lotus revealed that DEGs were mainly associated with ROS homeostasis, cell enlargement, and autophagy processes. Excessive autophagy levels and cell death were detected in the aborting flower buds. We further used NnSnRK1 as the bait to screen the yeast two-hybrid library constructed with RNA isolated from mixed lotus flower buds, and identified 14 putative interacting proteins of NnSnRK1. Two novel negative regulators of NnSnRK1, mediator of ABA regulated dormancy1 (NnMARD1) and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase-like 5 (Nn4CLL5), were identified. Overexpression of NnMARD1 and Nn4CLL5 could promote flowering of lotus under 70% shade, while silencing of them further inhibited flowering. Our results revealed a NnSnRK1-centring regulatory network that produced aborted flower buds during carbon starvation, which could improve reproductive success, and act like an energy-efficient measure of plants.

Determination of higenamine in common natural spices by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Higenamine (HG) is a β2 receptor agonist and was explicitly added to the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2017. This compound is prohibited in both in- and out-of-competition athletes and falls under the category of nonthreshold substances. Because of HG presence in numerous plants, as evidenced by a growing body of research data, an exception was made for HG in the TD2017MRPL document, in which adverse analytical findings (AAFs) were not reported if the urinary HG concentration was less than 10ng/mL. In this study, a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the HG content in five batches of samples from each of the 48 natural spices selected for this investigation was conducted using UPLC-MS/MS technology. Method validation was carried out in accordance with the ICH Analytical Procedures and Methods Validation for Drugs and Biologics Guidance, and the experimental results demonstrated that the method provided appropriate sensitivity, precision, stability, linearity, and accuracy. HG was detected for the first time in Houttuynia cordata, Zingiber officinale, Cinnamomum cassia, Stevia rebaudiana, Piper nigrum, Siraitia grosuenorii, Platycodon grandiflorus, and Myristica fragrans. Furthermore, the content of HG was found to vary significantly among the different plant parts of Nelumbo nucifera, such as rhizomes, leaves, seeds, and plumules. This paper provides systematic and comprehensive data to support the safe use of spices in athletes' diets, thereby reducing the risk of food-sourced doping violations.

Persistent effects of swine manure biochar and biogas slurry application on soil nitrogen content and quality of lotus root.

Using swine manure biochar and biogas slurry in agriculture proves to be an effective strategy for soil improvement and fertilization. In this study, a pot trial on the growth of lotus root was conducted to investigate the persistent effects of applying 350°C swine manure biochar (1% and 2%) and biogas slurry (50% and 100%) on soil nitrogen nutrient and lotus root quality. The results showed that compared to chemical fertilizer alone (A0B0), swine manure biochar significantly increased soil nitrogen content after one year of application. The contents of total nitrogen (TN), alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen (AHN), ammonium nitrogen (NH4 +-N), and nitrate nitrogen () increased by 17.96% to 20.73%, 14.05% to 64.71%, 17.76% to 48.68% and 2.22% to 8.47%, respectively, during the rooting period. When swine manure biochar was present, the application of biogas slurry further elevated soil nitrogen content. The co-application of swine manure biochar and biogas slurry significantly increased soil nitrogen content, and the 100% nitrogen replacement with biogas slurry combined with 2% swine manure biochar (A2B2) treatment exhibited the most significant enhancement effect during whole plant growth periods. Soil enzyme activities, including soil protease (NPT), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), b-glucosidase (β-GC) and dehydrogenase (DHA), showed a tendency to increase and then decrease with the prolongation of lotus root fertility period, reaching the maximum value during the rooting period. Compared to A0B0, the treatment with 2% swine manure biochar had the most significant effect on enzyme activities and increased the lotus root's protein, soluble sugar, and starch contents. Nitrate content decreased with the application of 2% swine manure biochar as the amount of biogas slurry increased. In conclusion, swine manure biochar effectively improved soil nitrogen content, enzyme activity, and lotus root quality. Even after one year of application, 2% swine manure biochar had the best enhancement effect.

Genome-Wide Identification and Co-Expression Networks of WOX Gene Family in Nelumbo nucifera.

WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) genes are a class of plant-specific transcription factors, regulating the development of multiple tissues. However, the genomic characterizations and expression patterns of WOX genes have not been analyzed in lotus. In this study, 15 NnWOX genes were identified based on the well-annotated reference genome of lotus. According to the phylogenetic analysis, the NnWOX genes were clustered into three clades, i.e., ancient clade, intermediate clade, and WUS clade. Except for the conserved homeobox motif, we further found specific motifs of NnWOX genes in different clades and divergence gene structures, suggesting their distinct functions. In addition, two NnWOX genes in the ancient clade have conserved expression patterns and other NnWOX genes exhibit different expression patterns in lotus tissues, suggesting a low level of functional redundancy in lotus WOX genes. Furthermore, we constructed the gene co-expression networks for each NnWOX gene. Based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), ten NnWOX genes and their co-expressed genes were assigned to the modules that were significantly related to the cotyledon and seed coat. We further performed RT-qPCR experiments, validating the expression levels of ten NnWOX genes in the co-expression networks. Our study reveals comprehensive genomic features of NnWOX genes in lotus, providing a solid basis for further function studies.

Physicochemical, in vitro antidiabetic and sensory characteristics of leavened functional bread made with Lasia spinosa and Nelumbo nucifera rhizome flours composited with wheat flour

Bread is considered one of the most popular bakery products consumed in several world regions including Sri Lanka. The potential of utilization of two rhizome flours (Lasia spinosa and Nelumbo nucifera) was evaluated in bread formulation with four different substitution levels (20, 40, 60, and 80%). After the incorporation of L. spinosa and N. nucifera flours, the alterations in compositional, functional, in vitro anti diabetic activity, in vitro starch digestibility and sensory attributes were observed. The results revealed that the total dietary fiber, resistant starch and ash contents were higher while protein, fat and starch contents were lower in the rhizome flour incorporated breads. The functional properties showed that the water absorption index and water solubility increased with increasing of rhizome or proportion. The results showed that 20% rhizome flour incorporated bread had the highest sensory score compared to other percentage ratios and contained a higher level of dietary fiber, resistant starch, antidiabetic activity, and low rate of starch digestibility compared to control bread. The mixture of Lasia spinosa and Nelumbo nucifera rhizome flours could be incorporated up to 20% substitution level with wheat flour to formulate functional bread with more nutritious and functional along with sensory acceptability.Graphical

Makna Lotus dalam Lagu LiSA - GURENGE

This research contains the meaning of lotus in the song LiSA - Gurenge which has an implied meaning regarding the philosophical value of lotus which is analogous to the stages of human life. The purpose of this study is to describe the representation of the lotus flower and its meaning in the Gurenge song for Japanese society. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method, see note, then the theoretical concept used in this research is the semiotic theory of Charles Sanders Peirce. The results of this study found that there is a representation of the living teaching of the Lotus Sutra which is believed by Tiantai and Nichiren Buddhists who are widespread in East Asia. Based on the results of the research, it can be concluded that the Gurenge song describes the human process in an effort to achieve the highest enlightenment to reach nirvana in accordance with Buddhist teachings

Whey protein isolate regulates the oral processing characteristics of lotus root starch

This study aimed to investigate the influence of different levels of added whey protein isolate (WPI) on the oral processing characteristics of lotus root starch (LRS). The IDDSI test results indicated that WPI-LRS composite gels could be classified as foods suitable for individuals with dysphagia. During in vitro oral digestion process, addition of WPI increased the viscosity of the composite system. When the amount of WPI reached 100% (w/w), the reducing sugar content decreased from 105.23 to 42.35 mg. Inverted fluorescence images revealed that WPI formed a continuous network structure in the starch matrix and served as a barrier against amylase digestion. Different levels of WPI addition had diverse effects on the oral friction characteristics and rheological properties of the composite system. As the protein addition amounts were lower than 45% (w/w), the composite gels had lower lubrication properties and elastic modulus. While as the addition levels were higher than 45% (w/w), the composite gels exhibited higher lubrication properties and elastic modulus. Texture analysis indicated that the hardness value of the composite gel increased from 0.65 N for the individual LRS gel to 4.75 N for the composite gel of LRS+100% WPI. Furthermore, it was found through low-field nuclear magnetic analysis that the addition of WPI restricted the free movement of water molecules and enhanced the water-holding capacity of the composite gels.