Sugars of pearl millet [Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke] grains

The sugars in the grains of nine pearl millet cultivars were fractionated through a Biogel column. Five different sugars‘(stachyose, raffinose, sucrose, glucose, and fructose) were identified. Sucrose was predominant in all the cultivars. Raffinose content was high as compared to other cereals, and maltose was absen

A Multi-electrode Electrochemical and Scanning Differential Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry Study of Methanol Oxidation on Electrodeposited PtxRuy

Methanol electro-oxidation was studied on a series of electrodeposited PtxRuy catalysts constructed as multielement band electrodes. A combination of electrochemical and scanning differential electrochemical mass spectrometry measurements were performed to evaluate the composition-dependence of methanol oxidation, methanol decomposition, CO2 current efficiency, and the product distribution at 25 and 50 °C. At 25 °C, cyclic voltammetry revealed that the presence of Ru led to enhanced methanol oxidation rates over that of pure Pt. Methanol decomposition showed a similar composition-dependence. Mass spectrometry measurements revealed the evolution of HCOOH and CO2 during methanol oxidation and allowed indirect determination of H2CO produced. Notably, these products were not observed during methanol decomposition. The most active electrode compositions and the highest instantaneous current efficiencies for the formation of CO2 were found to depend on several factors. At 25 °C, the maximum activity was 10% Ru, while at 50 °C the most active composition increased to 25% Ru. Pure Pt had the highest instantaneous current efficiency for CO2 at both temperatures. The product distribution reflected high CO2 evolution for Pt, with an increasing fraction of the product emerging as H2CO at higher Ru content. Increasing the temperature improved the CO2 current efficiency for all electrode compositions. These results confirm that methanol oxidation occurs though a parallel reaction pathway on PtxRuy electrodes. In addition, the balance between the different reaction pathways depends on several factors, including Ru composition and temperature

Flavan-4-ol Concentration in Leaf Tissues of Grain Mold Susceptible and Resistant Sorghum Plants at Different Stages of Leaf Development

Fully opened youngest leaves from sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] germ plasm accessions, exhibiting both resistance and susceptibility to the grain mold complex, were collected at 56, 63, and 70 days after emergence (DAE) of plants. They were extracted in methanol followed by acidified methanol and analyzed for flavan-4-ols. Methanol and acidified methanol extracts of leaves of mold-resistant accessions contained at least 3-fold higher concentrations of flavan-4-ols than susceptible accessions at 56, 63, and 70 DAE. The concentration of flavan-4-ols was monitored in the flag leaves of mold-resistant accessions that had no testa at 77, 84, 91, and 98 DAE, and it decreased sharply at or after 77 DAE. The estimation of concentration of flavan-4-ols in sorghum leaves, therefore offers scope for screening sorghum accessions for their grain mold resistanc

Rapid Methods for Estimating Protein and Lysine in Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench).

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) samples were analyzed for protein by the Technicon auto analyzer (TAA) method, and the results were compared with the micro-Kjeldahl method. The TAA method was highly and significantly correlated (r = 0.997**) with the micro-Kjeldahl method, and the results were found to be highly reliable for routine screening of samples. Lysine was estimated by the rapid dye-binding capacity (DBC) procedure and was determined using an amino-acid analyzer. The results of the DBC procedure, when expressed as a ratio with respect to the protein content, were highly and positively correlated (r = 0.933**) with the amino-acid analyzer values. The rapid procedures of TAA and DBC were observed to give reliable estimates of protein and lysine content, respectively, and are recommended when large numbers of sorghum samples are to be analyzed

Flavan-4-ols concentration in mold-susceptible and mold-resistant sorghum at different stages of grain development

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] accessions exhibiting contrasting reactions to the grain mold complex were grown in two consecutive rainy seasons at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, India. Methanol and acidified methanol extracts of grains harvested at different grain development stages were analyzed for flavan-4-ols. The concentrations of flavan-4-ols in mold-resistant grains were at least 2-fold higher than in mold-susceptible grains in both extracts at or after 30 days of flowering. Concentration of flavan-4-ols in mature, grain sorghums could, therefore, be an indicator of their potential resistance or susceptibility to grain mold, and this method could be an important tool in screening sorghum cultivars for such characteristic

Ergosterol concentration in mold-susceptible and mold-resistant sorghum at different stages of grain development and its relationship to flavan-4-ols

Sorghum germplasm accessions (10) and breeding lines (3) exhibiting contrasting reactions to the grain mould complex (including Fusarium moniliforme [Gibberella fujikuroi], Curvularia lunata [Cochliobolus lunatus] and Phoma sorghina) were grown at Patancheru, India. Grains were harvested at different days after flowering (DAF) and analysed for ergosterol. Methanol and acidified methanol extracts of grains were analysed for flavan-4-ols. Ergosterol concn increased with increasing DAF in the mould-susceptible accessions and was 10-fold higher in grains collected at 50 DAF than in the corresponding mould-resistant accessions. It is suggested that ergosterol concn could be used to assess the magnitude of mould damage in sorghum grains. The correlation coeff. between ergosterol and flavan-4-ols concn was significant (P <0.01) and negative in coloured mould-susceptible and mould-resistant accessions that did not have testa, but no significant correlation was observed in white mould-resistant and mould-susceptible sorghum. It is concluded that there must be another genetic trait or mechanism besides flavan-4-ols that is associated with mould resistanc

Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Arachis based on seed protein profiles

Seed protein profiles of 19 accessions representing seven sections of the genus Arachis were studied using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The general profile showed appreciable homology between these taxa, supporting their classification based on morphology and cross-compatibility relationships. The accessions of section Arachis expressed a high variation confirming inferences from earlier studies. Variation between accessions of a species is limited. Accessions of the section Ambinervosae and Caulorhizae formed one cluster and accessions of sect. Erectoides and Procumbensae formed another. Whereas the representative accessions of sect. Triseminalae and Extranervosae formed two independent clusters. Using the percentage of dissimilarity in electrophoretic bands as a statistical genetic distance between accessions, sect. Arachis (containing the cultivated groundnut, A. hypogaea) is phylogenetically closest to sect. Erectoides followed by Procumbensae, Ambinervosae, Caulorhizae, Triseminalae and Extranervosae, respectively

Polyphenols in Groundnut Genotypes Resistant and Susceptible to Seed Colonization by Aspergillus flavus

Thirteen groundnut genotypes, eight resistant and five susceptible to in vitro seed colonization by Aspergillus flavus were grown in replicated trials at three locations in Andhra Pradesh, India. Seed coats of these genotypes were analyzed for polyphenols using different methods. No significant correlation was observed between seed colonization and polyphenols content, which corroborates earlier observations on many genotypes using a single method for polyphenols estimation