Genetically Modified Potato as a Source of Novel Carbohydrates

Significant progress has been made in understanding of carbohydrate (starch) biosynthesis through molecular biology and genetic engineering techniques. Genetic modification of plants has a great potential to produce novel carbohydrates with unique properties that cannot be generated by conventional breeding approaches. Starch is the predominant carbohydrate in potatoes and serves as an energy reserve for the plant. Genetic engineering of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber can revolutionise the synthesis of unique starches with altered physical and chemical properties that are engineered to meet the specific industrial requirements. In addition to expression of foreign genes involved in carbohydrate biosynthesis, genes regulating the carbohydrate metabolism, transport and resource partitioning have also been achieved. Here we summarise the recent progress made towards modifications of the biosynthetic pathways by which potato can produce novel carbohydrates. Further, we discuss the prospects of engineering potatoes for production of structural and non-structural carbohydrates

Irradiation Studies of LED Light Spectra on the Growth and Development of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

The study aimed to explore the impacts of distinctive qualities of the LED light (such as to low power consumption, lesser production costs, longer operational lifetime and cool light emission with specific monochromatic wavelength) on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) growth and development including plant height, number of leaves, root length, fresh and dry weight etc. The accumulation of phyto-pigments, soluble proteins and sugars, free radical scavenging activity and overall tuber yield were also evaluated. Enhanced plant height with increased diameter and branching was observed with the plant growing under the B100 and R30B70 LED light combination. Similarly, total number of leaves, leaf surface area, health index, phyto-pigments and tuber yield of potato was also significantly increased as compared to the plant growing under the W100 as control. Soluble proteins and sugar content and free radical scavenging enzyme activity were also significantly enhanced in the R30B70 LED light combination. Tubers yield per plants were also enhanced under the RB combination of the LED light. The current study indicated that the combination of R and B LED lights proved better for plant growth and development in a controlled environment and the R30B70 is the best combinational spectra for increased growth and tuber yield of potato plants. Therefore, the precise management of the irradiance and wavelength may hold promise in maximizing the economic efficiency of potato production, and quality of this important vegetables grown in controlled environments

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Biological Characterization and Instrumental Analytical Comparison of Two Biorefining Pretreatments for Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) Biomass Hydrolysis

Water hyacinth is a rapidly growing troublesome aquatic weed plant, which causes eutrophication in water bodies and irreversible damage to the ecological system. In this work, we have investigated the water hyacinth biomass (WHB) hydrolysis efficacy of dilute alkaline (DA) pretreatment followed by biological pretreatment with white-rot fungus Alternaria alternata strain AKJK-2. The effectiveness of the dilute alkaline (DA) and biological pretreatment process on WHB was confirmed by using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer (FTIR), and was further visualized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM). XRD spectra showed the increase in the crystallinity of pretreated samples, attributed to the elimination of amorphous components as lignin and hemicellulose. FTIR peak analysis of pre-treated WHB showed substantial changes in the absorption of cellulose functional groups and the elimination of lignin signals. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed firm, compact, highly ordered, and rigid fibril structures without degradation in the untreated WHB sample, while the pretreated samples exhibited loose, dispersed, and distorted structures. XRD indices (Segal, Landis, and Faneite), and FTIR indices [Hydrogen bond intensity (HBI); Total crystallinity index (TCI); and Lateral order crystallinity (LOI)] results were similar to the aforementioned results, and also showed an increase in the crystallinity both in alkaline and biological pretreatments. Alkaline pretreated WHB, with these indices, also showed the highest crystallinity and a crystalline allomorphs mixture of cellulose I (native) and cellulose II. These results were further validated by the CLSM, wherein fluorescent signals were lost after the pretreatment of WHB over control. Overall, these findings showed the significant potential of integrated assessment tools with chemical and biological pretreatment for large-scale utilization and bioconversion of this potential aquatic weed for bioenergy production