Sugar Ratio Research Articles

Exogenously applied gibberellic acid and benzylamine modulate growth and chemical constituents of dwarf schefflera: a stepwise regression analysis

Ornamental foliage plants that have a dense appearance are highly valued. One way to achieve this is by using plant growth regulators as a tool for plant growth management. In a greenhouse with a mist irrigation system, a study was conducted on dwarf schefflera, an ornamental foliage plant, which was exposed to foliar application of gibberellic acid and benzyladenine hormones. The hormones were sprayed on dwarf schefflera leaves at 0, 100, and 200 mg/l concentrations, at 15-day intervals in three stages. The experiment was conducted as a factorial based on a completely randomized design, with four replicates. The combination of gibberellic acid and benzyladenine at 200 mg/l concentration had a significant effect on leaf number, leaf area, and plant height. The treatment also resulted in the highest content of photosynthetic pigments. Furthermore, the highest soluble carbohydrate to reducing sugars ratio was observed in treatments of 100 and 200 mg/l benzyladenine, and 200 mg/l gibberellic acid + benzyladenine. Stepwise regression analysis showed that root volume was the first variable to enter the model, explaining 44% of variations. The next variable was root fresh weight, and the two-variable model explained 63% of variations in leaf number. The greatest positive effect on leaf number was related to root fresh weight (0.43), which had a positive correlation with leaf number (0.47). The results showed that 200 mg/l concentration of gibberellic acid and benzyladenine significantly improved morphological growth, chlorophyll and carotenoid synthesis, and reducing sugar and soluble carbohydrate contents in dwarf schefflera.

Improving Water Productivity Using Subsurface Drip Irrigation in the Southwest Monsoon Area in Yunnan Province of China

Due to the influence of the Asian southwest monsoon, seasonal drought is serious and water resources are scarce in the Yunnan province of Southwest China. More effective water-saving irrigation methods should be developed to solve the problem of water scarcity in the dry season. In this study, a subsurface drip irrigation method was used to improve the water productivity of tomato cultivation. Deficit irrigation was conducted. We controlled the lower limit of soil moisture at three different levels (55~65%, 65~75%, and 75~85% of the field capacity). The results indicated that the subsurface drip irrigation treatment significantly increased tomato height in the later stage of tomato growth. Due to the buried pipes, the root/shoot ratio was 8~18% higher for subsurface drip irrigation than for surface drip irrigation methods. Though the yields using subsurface drip irrigation methods were slightly lower than those obtained using surface drip irrigation methods, the tomato quality and water productivity improved significantly. The subsurface drip irrigation methods improved the water productivity by 8.5~21.8% at different soil moisture levels and improved the chlorophyll content by 9.1~17.3%. The VC, soluble sugar, soluble solids, and the ratio of sugar to acid increased by 6.5~15.2%, 7.3~21.6%, 4.1~6.6%, and 3.2~20.8%. This study also indicated that by optimizing the irrigation methods and patterns, water productivity and fruit quality could be improved by more than 50%. This research will be helpful for guiding irrigation during the drought season in the southwest monsoon area in Asia.

Floral resource partitioning of coexisting bumble bees: Distinguishing species-, colony-, and individual-level effects.

Resource partitioning is considered a key factor in alleviating competitive interactions, enabling coexistence among consumer species. However, most studies have focused on resource partitioning between species, ignoring the potentially critical role of intraspecific variation in resource use. We investigated floral resource partitioning across species, colonies, and individuals in a species-rich bumblebee community in the diversification center of bumblebees. We used a total of 10,598 bumblebees belonging to 13 species across 5 years in the Hengduan Mountains of southwest China. First, we evaluated the influence of a comprehensive set of floral traits, including both those related to attractiveness (flower color and shape) and rewards (pollen, sugar ratio, nectar volume, sugar concentration, and amino acid content) on resource partitioning at the species level in bumblebee-plant networks. Then, we explored intraspecific resource partitioning on the colony and individual levels. Our results suggest that bumblebee species differ substantially in their use of the available floral resources, and that this mainly depends on flower attractiveness (floral color and shape). Interestingly, we also detected floral resource partitioning at the colony level within all commonest bumblebee species evaluated. In general, floral resource partitioning between bumblebee individuals decreased with species- and individual-level variation in body size (intertegular span). These results suggest that bumblebee species may coexist via the flexibility in their preferences for specific floral traits, which filters up to support the co-occurrence of high numbers of species and individuals in this global hotspot of species richness.

Nitrogen deposition caused higher increases in plant-derived organic carbon than microbial-derived organic carbon in forest soils

Plant- and microbial-derived organic carbon, two components of the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool in terrestrial ecosystems, are regulated by increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition. However, the spatial patterns and driving factors of the responses of plant- and microbial-derived SOC to N deposition in forests are not clear, which hinders our understanding of SOC sequestration. In this study, we explored the spatial patterns of plant- and microbial-derived SOC, and their responses to N addition and elucidated their underlying mechanisms in forest soils receiving N addition at four sites with various soil and climate conditions. Plant- and microbial-derived SOC were quantified using lignin phenols and amino sugars, respectively. N addition increased the total microbial residues by 20.5% on average ranging from 9.4% to 34.0% in temperate forests but not in tropical forests, and the increase was mainly derived from fungal residues. Lignin phenols increased more in temperate forests (average of 63.8%) than in tropical forests (average of 15.7%) following N addition. The ratio of total amino sugars to lignin phenols was higher in temperate forests than in tropical forests and decreased with N addition in temperate forests. N addition mainly regulated soil microbial residues by affecting pH, SOC, exchangeable Ca2+, gram-negative bacteria biomass, and the C:N ratio, while it mainly had indirect effects on lignin phenols by altering SOC, soil C:N ratio, and gram-negative bacteria biomass. Overall, our findings suggested that N deposition caused a greater increase in plant-derived SOC than in microbial-derived SOC and that plant-derived SOC would have a more important role in sequestering SOC under increasing N deposition in forest ecosystems, particularly in temperate forests.

Effect of exogenous organic acids on chemical compositions and sensory attributes of fortified sweet wines from dehydrated grapes

In this study, acidity was regulated with the addition of exogenous tartaric acid and citric acid before bottling. The effect of exogenous organic acids on chemical compositions and sensory attributes of fortified sweet wines from dehydrated grapes were investigated. The results indicated that exogenous organic acids promoted the conversion of monomeric anthocyanins to copigmented anthocyanins in wines. Specifically, the combination of malvidin-3-O-glucoside and flavanols (catechin and epicatechin) was facilitated to form copigmented anthocyanins. Sensory analysis suggested that exogenous organic acids improved the balance of sugar and acidity and benefited the harmony in wines on the taste. Wines with a residual sugar and titratable acidity ratio of about 11:1 exhibited the more harmonious taste. In addition, it was also observed changes in the aroma profile related to volatile compounds, namely, more intense fruity aroma in wines with the addition of organic acids.

Polyaspartic acid increases potassium content and reduces the ratio of total sugar to nicotine in tobacco leaves

Tobacco is an important cash crop in China, but the low potassium (K) content and high ratio of total sugar to nicotine in tobacco leaves have seriously affected the quality of tobacco leaves. As a fertilizer synergist, polyaspartic acid (PASP) can improve the K content in tobacco leaves, but it is unknown how it affects the K content in different parts of tobacco leaves, and how PASP affects the ratio of total sugar to nicotine in tobacco leaves has not been reported. Therefore, “Zhongyan 100” was selected for pot experiments with 5 different PASP addition levels: CK (0.0 %), P1 (0.1 %), P2 (0.2 %), P3 (0.4 %) and P4 (0.6 %), to reveal the effects of PASP on tobacco growth, K content, sugar content, nicotine content and the ratio of total sugar to nicotine in different tobacco parts, and determine the optimal PASP dosage for regulating the K content and the ratio of total sugar to nicotine in tobacco. The results showed that P1 (0.1 %) and P2 (0.2 %) only had slighter effects on tobacco growth and quality, while P3 (0.4 %) and P4 (0.6 %)treatments significantly promoted dry matter accumulation, increased K and nicotine content in leaves, decreased reducing sugar and total soluble sugar content in leaves, thereby reducing the ratio of total sugar to nicotine in tobacco leaves, especially in upper leaves. Considering the economic cost savings, 0.4% PASP was determined as the best application level to improve the growth and quality of tobacco. Thus, proper application of PASP is beneficial to improve tobacco leaf quality and reduce chemical K fertilizer application, thereby decreasing agricultural environmental risks of chemical fertilizer and alleviating the rapid depletion of potash in the world.

Utilization of the tiwai plant (Eleutherine americana merr) as a functional instant drink containing antioxidant

Utilization of the tiwai plant as a functional instant drink containing antioxidants, one of the product diversifications to increase farmers’ income. This study aims to determine the effect of the ratio of tiwai extract and palm sugar on physical properties, organoleptic, antioxidant activity, and glucose response. This study used a non-factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 6 levels of treatment and 3 replications. The data obtained were analysed using variance, if it had an effect, a further test of Honest Significant Difference (HSD) was carried out, while the glucose response data was carried out by the T-test. The results showed that the comparative treatment of tiwai extract and palm sugar had no significant effect on hedonic taste, water content, ash content, Brix degree, precipitate, and glucose response. The water content obtained ranged from 3.67%-5.17%. The antioxidant activity values obtained ranged from 60.77 ppm to 153.81 ppm (strong to weak categories). Instant tiwai drink does not increase blood glucose levels, does not interfere with systolic and diastolic responses, and does not trigger an increase in heart rate.

One-pot production of tagatose using l-arabinose isomerase from Thermotoga maritima and β-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae

The one-pot production of tagatose from lactose using recombinant l-arabinose isomerase (L-AI) from Thermotoga maritima and commercial β-galactosidase (β-gal) from Aspergillus oryzae was evaluated. The β-gal and L-AI ratio (R β-gal/L-AI), initial lactose concentration and temperature were chosen as study variables. Maximum values of tagatose yield (YTag), specific tagatose productivity (πTag) and sugars ratio (RTag/Gal) obtained were 23 %, 0.202 ± 0.03 mmol Tag/(g prot⋅h) and 1, respectively. The composition of the product on a dry basis was as follows (g/g): 0.23 tagatose, 0.232 galactose, 0.454 glucose, 0.043 fructose, 0.029 lactose and 0.012 GOS. The one-pot production was superior compared with a sequential operation, where values of 16.5 %, 0.11 mmol Tag/(g prot⋅h) and 0.59 were obtained for YTag, πTag and RTag/Gal, respectively.

Formulation High Energy and Rich Iron of Granola Snackbar as a Nutritional Supplementary Feeding to Prevent Malnutrition in Pregnant Women

Background: Providing supplementary feeding from local food is one strategy to address the nutritional problems of pregnant women in Indonesia. Improper eating habits of pregnant women are one of the causes of nutritional disorders, one of which is anemia and chronic lack of energy. The aim of this research was to develop and evaluate high-energy and rich-iron granola snackbars as a nutritional supplementary feeding to prevent malnutrition in pregnant women. Granola snackbars (formulas P1, P2, P3, and P4) were prepared using the same ratios of seaweed, moringa leaves, beetroot oats, nuts (peanuts, walnuts, and almonds), cornstarch, peanut butter, fish oil, salt, sugar, and water, in addition to chicken liver formulation and snakehead fish (P1: 0 gr, 75 gr), (P2: 10 gr, 65 gr), (P3: 20 gr, 55 gr), and (P4: 30 gr, 45 gr). Methods: The method employed a fully randomized design in a pure experimental setting. Proximate testing involved determining the snackbars' color, texture, taste, and aroma, as well as their energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and Fe contents. Organoleptic testing covered these aspects as well. Results: Formula P2 had the highest energy (521.01 kcal), and Formula P4 had the highest Fe value at 4.34%. The organoleptic test showed that the most preferred formulation was the formulation with a proportion of Formula P2. Conclusion: This study recommends using Formula P2 as a source of energy to prevent malnutrition in pregnant women and Formula P4, which has a high iron content, to improve the hemoglobin level in pregnant women.

OPTIMIZATION OF FACTORS INFLUENCING ON THE QUALITY OF LUCUMA (Pouteria lucuma) JAM

This research aims to survey the factors in the process of quality of lucuma jam (Pouteria lucuma). The main contents included (i) Investigating the effects of added water (v/w) (60%, 80%, 100%, 120%, 140%); (ii) Optimizethe ratio of sugar (50%, 60%, 70%), acid citric (0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%) and pectin (0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%). The results showed that by adding 100% water, the jam product achieved the highest sensory score and attractive color for L*, b* of 30.12 , and 30.96, respectively. The ratio of sugar (70%), citric acid (0.2%) and pectin (1.0%) in the supplementary mixture resulted in a total polyphenol of 21.53 mgGAE/L and 62.67oBx of the final product and gained the highest scores from the sensory panel, which evaluated the jam by perceptive color, flavor, taste , and texture.

COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE QUALITY AND BIOLOGICAL VALUE OF APPLE FRUIT OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES GROWN IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ADYGEA

Background. Apple fruits are a valuable food product with a unique chemical composition that determines the taste and biological value. The chemical composition of fruits depends on the variety of apples, ripening terms, conditions and place of growth, which makes research relevant in the conditions of a certain region, including the Republic of Adygea, where horticulture not only has deep historical roots, but has been actively reviving and developing in recent decades. with the use of new technologies and the introduction of new varieties.
 Target. Carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the quality and biological value of apple fruits of different varieties grown in the conditions of the Republic of Adygea on the basis of a study of organoleptic, physicochemical and biochemical indicators.
 Materials and methods. The objects of the study were samples of apple fruits of the agricultural enterprise LLC “Yumiks” of 5 varieties: Braeburn, Granny Smith, Idared, Florina, Simirenko, grown in the conditions of the Republic of Adygea. In the samples under study, the determination of organoleptic, physicochemical and biochemical parameters was carried out: soluble solids (SS), titratable acids per malic acid, vitamin C, total sugars, iron, polyphenol oxidase activity, antioxidant activity (AOA). Statistical data processing was carried out in MS Excel 2016.
 Results. For the first time, on the basis of a complex of organoleptic, physicochemical and biochemical methods, studies of apple varieties grown in the Republic of Adygea were carried out: Florina, Idared, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Simirenko. It has been established that the highest index of sensory quality has apple varieties Braeburn and Simirenko, the Braeburn variety is distinguished by a high content of solids and sugars, more harmonious taste, i.e. the optimal ratio of sugar to acid is found in the Braeburn and Florina varieties. The highest content of vitamin C and bioavailable iron is characteristic of Braeburn and Simirenko apple varieties. Polyphenol oxidase activity in Simirenko, Idared and Florina varieties was higher than in samples of other varieties, while a higher AOA value was found in Granny Smith.
 Conclusion. The data obtained by us on the basis of a comprehensive study of apple varieties new to the Republic of Adygea, but already in a certain consumer demand, will allow us to give an objective assessment of their contribution to the biological value of the diets of various population groups, and also, subject to further monitoring studies, can be used gardeners of the Republic of Adygea when expanding the area under varieties with the highest taste and stable indicators of biological value.

LED White Light Treatment Delays Postharvest Senescence of ‘Zaosu’ Pear Fruit with Inhibited Chlorophyll Degradation

To investigate the effects of LED white light treatment (LWT) on the storage quality of postharvest ‘Zaosu’ pears, as well as its role in maintaining fruit greenness and delaying senescence, pear fruits were treated with intermittent irradiation using LED white light for 12 h per day, with a light source distance of 30 ± 1 cm and a photon flux density of 151 μmoL/(m2·s) at 25 °C. The results showed that LWT preserved the postharvest quality of ‘Zaosu’ pear fruit by reducing weight loss and ascorbic acid degradation and promoting the ratio of sugar and organic acid. Meanwhile, LWT also substantially inhibited the respiration intensity and ethylene production during the storage process. Accordingly, the expressions of genes related to ethylene biosynthesis and signaling were reduced in LWT fruit. Notably, LWT retarded the decrease in chlorophyll content of fruit by increasing the activities of enzymes associated with chlorophyll synthase. Additionally, LWT also suppressed the chlorophyll degradation-related enzymes and their gene expressions in pear peel. These findings suggest that a moderate light irradiation can delay the de-green progress and benefit post-harvest storage of ‘Zaosu’ pear.

Cell wall modifications during storage: Changes in the texture behavior of the canned yellow peach

Textural changes in canned yellow peach (CYP) soaked in a concentrated sucrose syrup that led to softening during storage were always accompanied by the depolymerization of the cell wall, as the result of the cell wall-modifying enzymes. In this study, we evaluated the changes in texture, pectin fractions (namely, WEP, CEP and AEP) and pectinase activities (namely, PME and PG) during storage. Results showed that the undoubted decrease in Gal contents of all pectin fractions (∼44.16%, ∼36.98% and ∼ 66.59% declines in WEP, CPE and AEP, respectively) were observed as well as the reduced texture properties. Specially, the hardness, chewiness and resilience of CYP dramatically decreased at the first 40 days-storage. Upon the storage, PG activities were significantly facilitated, while PME activities were markedly inhibited. Together with the results of molar mass and monosaccharide composition, sucrose syrup could promote the conversion and depolymerization in HG region of AEP fraction. Moreover, sugar ratio analysis and 13C NMR spectroscopy also illustrated the changes in pectin structures, contributing to the texture softening of CYP, which was confirmed by the gradual depolymerization and solubilization in HG regions of all the pectin fractions.

Sensory Determination of Peach and Nectarine Germplasms with Instrumental Analysis.

The flavour and mouthfeel of peaches are crucial qualities of peach germplasm resources that significantly influence consumer preferences. In this study, we utilized 212 peach germplasm resources from the Nanjing Peach Resource Repository, National Fruit Germplasm facility, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences as materials for sensory analysis, electronic nose analysis, and composition analysis via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In the sensory analysis, we divided 212 peach germplasms into three clusters based on hierarchical cluster analysis (d = 5). No.27, No.151, and No.46 emerged as the most representative of these clusters. The electronic nose was used to conduct an evaluation of the aroma profiles of the 212 peach germplasms, revealing that the primary distinguishing factors of peach aroma can be attributed to three sensors: W1S (methane), W1W (terpenes and organosulfur compounds), and W5S (hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds). The primary differences in the aromatic substances were characterized by sensors W2W (aromatic compounds, sulphur, and chlorine compounds) and W1C (aromatic benzene). The HPLC analysis indicated that the persistence of peach sensory characteristics was positively correlated with acids and sourness and negatively correlated with sweetness and the ratio of sugar to acids. The overall impression of the 212 peach germplasms revealed a negative correlation with acids, while a positive correlation was observed between the overall impression and the ratio of sugar to acids. Therefore, this study substantially contributes to the preliminary screening of the analysed specific characteristics of peach germplasms such as No.27, No.46, No.151, and No.211. These selections may provide valuable information for the potential creation of superior germplasm resources.

Changes in titrable acidity, pH, and reducing sugars of ganoderma kombucha with honey after the fermentation process

Kombucha, a fermented tea beverage prepared with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) and sucrose as a carbon source, has gained popularity for its potential health benefits. This study aimed to explore the effects of fermentation on the titrable acidity, pH, and reducing sugar content of Ganoderma kombucha with honey. In this study, we used Ganoderma lucidum as a substrate since it is a widely used natural medicinal and promotes health benefits. The sucrose commonly used in kombucha production was replaced with honey to enhance the functional qualities of the final product. Honey derived from Apis cerana and Heterotrigona itama is used in this study, with a ratio of Sugar and honey as follows: 100% honey, 50%:50% honey and sugar, and 100% sugar. The highest titrable acidity was found in kombucha with A. cerana honey (50%:50% honey and sugar) after fermentation i.e. 12.98±0.09%. Both of A .cerana (Sugar and honey 50:50 %) and H.itama (100 %) have the lowest pH after fermentation, i.e. 3.01±0.02 and 3.01±0.01 respectively. The reducing sugar was decreased after the fermentation process. The findings revealed an increase in titrable acidity during the fermentation process, accompanied by decreased pH and reducing sugar values.

Optimization of apple fruit flavor by MdVHP1-2 via modulation of soluble sugar and organic acid accumulation

For fleshy fruits, the content and ratio of organic acids and soluble sugars are key factors for their flavor. Therefore, a better understanding of soluble sugar and organic acid accumulation in vacuoles is essential to the improvement of fruit quality. Vacuolar-type inorganic pyrophosphatase (V-PPase) has been found in various plants with crucial functions based on the hydrolysis of PPi. However, the effects of V-PPase on the soluble sugar and organic acid accumulation in apple fruit remain unclear. In this study, MdVHP1-2, a V-PPase protein in the vacuolar membrane, was identified. The results showed a positive correlation between the expression of MdVHP1-2 and the sugar/acid ratio during ripening of apple fruits. A series of transgenic analyses showed that overexpression of MdVHP1-2 significantly elevated the contents of soluble sugars and organic acids as well as the sugar/acid ratio in apple fruits and calli. Additionally, transient interference induced by MdVHP1-2 expression inhibited the accumulation of soluble sugars and organic acids in apple fruits. In summary, this study provides insight into the mechanisms by which MdVHP1-2 modulates fruit flavor through mediation of soluble sugar and organic acid accumulation, thereby facilitating improvement of the overall quality of apple and other fruits.

Composition of free sugars and organic acids in Japanese strawberry cultivars and their influence on the perception of sweetness and sourness.

This study aimed to determine the extent of variations in the ratio of major free sugars to total sugars and major organic acids to total organic acids in strawberry juice with cultivar and harvest season and investigate whether these differences affect the perceived intensity of sweetness and sourness. Eight Japanese strawberry cultivars were simultaneously grown and harvested in different seasons for sugar and organic acid content analyses. In addition, simulated strawberry juices, containing equal total amounts of sugars and organic acids but in different ratios, were prepared based on their analytical values. The perceived intensities of sweetness and sourness of the juices were subjected to sensory evaluation. The results showed a wide range of sucrose compositions, ranging from almost zero to the highest ratio of 36.7% to total sugar. Glucose and fructose were present in approximately equal amounts, with a slight inclination toward more fructose. For organic acids, the highest ratio of citric acid was 87.6%, the lowest was approximately 60.1%, and the remainder comprised malic acid. The results of the sensory evaluation using simulated strawberry juice indicated that sweetness and sourness were significantly more pronounced as the ratio of sucrose to total sugar and the ratio of malic acid to total organic acid increased, respectively. These results suggest that it is essential to consider not only total soluble solids and titratable acidity but also the composition of the sugars and organic acids comprising them when evaluating strawberry taste. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Total soluble solids and titratable acidity have been used to evaluate strawberry taste; however, how the composition and ratios of the sugars and organic acids that comprise them affect the taste is unclear. This study revealed that, for sugars, an increase in the proportion of sucrose resulted in a stronger perception of sweetness, and for organic acids, an increase in the proportion of malic acid resulted in a stronger perception of sourness. These findings are expected to be useful in future studies evaluating strawberry taste and palatability.

Responses of non-structural carbohydrates and biomass in plant to heavy metal treatment

The contamination of heavy metals profoundly impacts plant metabolic processes and various physiological indicators, such as non-structural carbohydrates (NSC). However, a comprehensive understanding of how NSC in plants respond to heavy metal treatment and how different experimental setting and plant types affect the response of plant NSC is still lacking. Here, we compiled data of 2084 observations of NSC from 85 published studies and conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the responses of soluble sugars, starch, the ratio of soluble sugar to starch, and total non-structural carbohydrates (TNSC) to heavy metal treatment. Our results showed that, under heavy metal treatment, foliar soluble sugars, foliar TNSC, and the ratio of soluble sugars to starch in both foliage and root increased significantly by 21.6 %, 11.6 %, 55.9 %, and 65.1 %, respectively; and foliar starch, root starch, and root TNSC decreased significantly by 10 %, 23.3 %, and 11 %, respectively; while root soluble sugars remained unchanged. The treatment of heavy metals significantly diminished the biomass of foliage, above-ground, and root by 12.3 %, 29.5 %, and 34.3 %, respectively. The responses of foliar NSC to heavy metal treatment were strongly dependent on leaf habit, the duration and concentration of heavy metal treatment, and soil pH value. The magnitude of the response of NSC to heavy metals increased with the duration and concentration of heavy metal treatment. Furthermore, the types of heavy metals modulated the magnitude of the response of foliar NSC to heavy metal treatment. Overall, our findings provide valuable insights into the responses of plant NSC to heavy metal stress and contribute to a comprehensive understanding of this crucial aspect of plant physiology.

Membrane Cascade Fractionation of Tomato Leaf Extracts-Towards Bio-Based Crop Protection.

Promising initial results from the use of membrane-fractionated extracts of tomato leaf as crop protection agents have recently been reported. This paper provides additional evidence from larger scale experiments that identify an efficient pipeline for the separation of tomato leaf extracts to generate a fraction with significant defence elicitor activity. A UF tubular membrane 150 kDa, with an internal diameter of 5 mm, proved appropriate for initial extract clarification, whereas afterwards a UF 10 kDa and three NF membranes (200-800 Da) in sequence were evaluated for the subsequent fractionation of this tomato extract. The compositions of sugars, proteins and total biophenols were changed in these fractions with respect to the initial extract. The initial extract ratio of sugars: proteins: biophenols was 1:0.047:0.052, whereas for the retentate of the 800 Da NF membrane, which has the higher crop protection activity, this ratio was 1:0.06:0.1. In this regard, it appears that the main crop protection effect in this fraction was due to the sugars isolated. It was found that with the appropriate membrane cascade selection (UF 150 kDa, UF 10 kDa and NF 800 Da) it was possible to produce (easily and without the need of additional chemicals) a fraction that has significant activity as an elicitor of disease resistance in tomato, whereas the remaining fractions could be used for other purposes in a biorefinery. This is very promising for the wider application of the proposed approach for the relatively easy formulation of bio-based aqueous streams with bio-pesticide activities.

Shrubs have a greater influence on the nonstructural carbohydrates of desert mosses along precipitation decreased

Biological soil crusts and the mosaic distribution of vascular plants have become an important landscape feature on the desert surface owing to limited water. The desert shrub, as one of the best-known vascular plants, exerts a notable influence on multiple facets, encompassing the growth and development of biological soil crusts as well as the coverage, biomass, physiology, and biochemical properties of mosses. Therefore, to comprehend how plants react and adapt to drought conditions, it is necessary to investigate the concentration and allocation patterns of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs). Nevertheless, the phenomenon still remains unclear whether the influence of shrubs on biological soil crusts follows any pattern concerning the alteration in precipitation gradients on a broader spatial scale. In this investigation, Syntrichia caninervis was gathered from two distinct microenvironments within the Gurbantunggut Desert spanning the gradient of natural precipitation. The aim was to examine the reaction of NSCs within S. caninervis to the presence of shrubs under varying precipitation circumstances. The amount of total NSCs and their components in S. caninervis were determined by the shrub effect, mean annual precipitation (MAP), and mean annual temperature (MAT). The presence of shrubs led to a remarkable rise in the content of fructose, starch, and total NSCs in S. caninervis, but a decline in the ratio of soluble sugar to starch. Nonetheless, variations were observed in the overall NSCs content, the individual constituents of NSCs, and the proportion of soluble sugars to starch within S. caninervis across diverse microenvironments and sampling locations. The content of total NSC and its components, as well as the ratio of soluble sugar to starch, substantially increased with a decrease in MAP (negative correlation) in S. caninervis. Conversely, they significantly decreased as MAT decreased (positive correlation). With the amplifying MAP, the disparities in these parameters (total NSC content, its components, and the ratio of soluble sugar to starch) between two distinct microhabitats diminished gradually, whereas these disparities progressively intensified with rising mean annual temperature (MAT). The outcomes derived from the structural equation model (SEM) underscored the direct and indirect influence of climate and the presence of shrubs influenced the content of NSCs directly or indirectly by enhancing soil nutrients. As a conclusion, the impact of shrub presence, followed by mean annual precipitation (MAP), had the most notable effect on NSCs in S. caninervis. Consequently, despite the observed spatial pattern in NSCs content, shrubs emerged as the most critical factor, in speaking of their effect continuous raising with the declining MAP. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of NSCs distribution and stress resistance in desert moss in different microhabitats.