Comparative Metabolic Profiling of Drought-Tolerant and Drought-Sensitive Maize Inbred Lines under Drought Stress

This study investigates the metabolic responses of plant species under mild drought stress, by comparing drought tolerant UASBM 13 and drought sensitive UASBM10 maize inbred lines. Study emphasized the synthesis and upregulation of crucial metabolites associated with antioxidant activities and cell wall lignification. Metabolites such as syringentin, naringenin chalcone, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, Sinapoyl Malate, and resveratrol were explored for their potential roles in mitigating drought-induced oxidative stress and fortifying cellular structures. Under mild stress, naringenin chalcone exhibited consistent upregulation, indicating its involvement in antioxidant activity and cell wall lignification. The study observed significant upregulation of sinapic acid, Sinapoyl Malate, and resveratrol in tolerant lines, suggesting their role in drought tolerance. Additionally, metabolites related to cell wall lignification were induced in response to drought stress, contributing to the overall drought tolerance in plants. The findings highlight the intricate metabolic mechanisms involved in plant adaptation to drought stress and the potential applications of these metabolites in enhancing drought resilience

Effect of Soaking and Germination on Antinutritional Factors of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)

Quinoa is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. However, it also contains certain compounds that impact nutrient availability. To address this, processing methods like soaking and germination have emerged as effective traditional treatments. They not only enhance the nutritional and bioactive potential but also diminish the anti-nutritional components in these grains, elevating their overall quality. This study examines the effect of soaking and germination treatments on anti-nutritional characteristics of quinoa. The result shows that an increase in germination percentages increases with longer germination times. Notably, seeds soaked in lukewarm water containing 2% salt for 24 hours showed the highest germination percentage (82.89%), while the number of non-germinated (16.27%) and abnormally germinated (0.32%) seeds decreased and greatest radical length (10.25 mm) when compared to seeds soaked in normal water. However, as the germination period extended, quinoa exhibited increased levels of vitamin C, notably more pronounced in lukewarm water with a 2% salt concentration. Additionally, germinated quinoa presents reduced levels of phytic acid (68.22 mg/100 g), tannin (0.36 mg/100 g), saponin (75.13 mg/100 g), and oxalates (42.55 mg/100 g) in comparison to raw quinoa. Hence, soaking and germination emerge as effective methods for reducing antinutritional components and enhancing the nutritional and bioactive potential of quinoa

DataSheet_1_Evaluation of phytoconstituents in marigold effluent for their antifungal activity against plant pathogens.pdf

The current study placed an intense emphasis on the excess discharge of agro-based industrial effluent and the use of plant extract antimicrobials to inhibit the growth of pathogens in crop plants. An effluent (treated and untreated) from the marigold flower processing industry has been identified for the presence of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, and a total of 18 in treated effluent and 23 in untreated effluent were found using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. A total of 13 classes were identified, which include carboxylic acid, phenols, esters, alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, cyanide, heterocyclic, flavonoids, aldehydes, polycyclic aromatic, cycloalkanes, and cycloalkenes. A principal component analysis with varimax rotation was applied to discern the abundance of identified compounds under each class. An in vitro antifungal bioassay was conducted using effluents at three different concentrations against plant pathogens (Alternaria alter nata, Sclerotium rolfsii, Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium aphanidermata, Fusarium oxysporum, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides). The study proved that treated and untreated effluents clearly inhibited the growth of fungal pathogens by 10 to 32% and 37 to 92%, respectively. The findings suggest that marigold flower effluent can be a promising resource for developing new plant protection methods that are effective against pathogenic fungi.</p

Spray-dried extracts from Syzygium cumini seeds: physicochemical and biological evaluation

Aqueous extract from seeds of Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels, Myrtaceae, obtained by dynamic maceration was spray-dried and characterized by its physico-chemical and antihyperglycaemic action. The extract showed to possess high amount of polyphenols, significant in vitro free radical scavenger activity using the DPPH method and an antihyperglycaemic effect in alloxan-induced experimental diabetes. S. cumini spray-dried extracts were obtained using silicon dioxide and cassava starch as adjuvants. The powders showed acceptable flowability, compactability, and low hygroscopicity at 43% relative humidity. Besides, the spray-dried extracts showed in vivo antihyperglycaemic and in vitro scavenger activity comparable to the lyophilized extract. Thus, experimental data indicates that the extract from S. cumini has a relevant activity and that spray-drying could be adequately used to perform the technological processing of S. cumini fluid extracts