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The high susceptibility to deterioration and diseases during the supply chain and/or during the storage of fresh products is a problem in the industry, and edible films are proposed as efficient methods to preserve its quality. The objective was to obtain and characterize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and determine their effect on optical, barrier and mechanical properties of alginate-based films. The alginate was extracted from Sargassum fluitans. AgNPs were obtained by green synthesis using Gliricidia sepium. The UV–Vis and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were used to characterize the AgNPs. The antifungal activity of AgNPs was investigated using several fungal strains. Films were formulated by using 2 and 3% alginate, as well as 0, 1, and 2 mg of AgNPs per mL of formulation, with glycerol as a plasticizer. A randomized experimental design was used to test the effect to alginate and the AgNPs concentrations. The results were analyzed by an ANOVA test (p

The use of phytonanoparticles in agriculture could decrease the use of fertilizers and therefore decrease soil contamination, due to their size being better assimilated in plants. It is important to mention that the nanofertilizer is slow-releasing and improves plant physiological properties and various nutritional parameters. The influence of soil and foliar applications of phytonanoparticles of ZnO with the Moringa oleifera extract under three concentrations (25, 50, and 100 ppm) was evaluated on the cherry tomato crop (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Synthesis of the phytonanoparticles was analyzed with ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and infrared transmission spectroscopy with Fourier transform (FT-IR), as well as the analysis with the dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique. The morphometric parameters were evaluated before and after the application of the nanoparticles. The minerals’ content of fruits was done 95 days after planting. Results showed that soil application was better at a concentration of 25 ppm of phytonanoparticles since it allowed the greatest number of flowers and fruits on the plant; however, it was demonstrated that when performing a foliar application, the fruit showed the highest concentrations for the elements Mg, Ca, and Na at concentrations of 511, 4589, and 223 mg kg−1, respectively.

A modified method for the direct extraction of DNA from alkaline-saline soils with minimum DNA fragmentation and a possible reduction in chimera formation during polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed. The commercial extraction kit Power Soil DNA (Mo Bio™ Laboratories, Inc.) was used as a reference technique. The method reported here was based on cell lysis employing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and cell disruption with mechanical force with FastPrep-24™ equip followed by one cycle of freezing at -40 °C for 60 min and thawing at 65 °C for 20 min. The extraction method was tested for allophonic soils with large concentrations of organic matter, fulvic and humic acids, electrolytic conductivity (EC) ranging between 2.6 dS m-1 and 39.9 dS m-1, and pH between 8.8 and 10.9. The yield of DNA extracted depended on soil type, i.e., DNA extracted from soil varied between 2.35 (Texcoco-2) to 3.66 (Texcoco-1) μg DNA g-1 soil. The proposed method in this study produced enough DNA with yield and quality for PCR amplification of 16S rDNA when bovine serum albumin (BSA) was added to the reaction buffer. The DNA obtained had sufficient quality and yield for later use for 16S sequencing or possible use in other sequencing technologies, e.g. whole metagenome shotgun sequencing.

Different types of nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly used in multiple sectors such as industry, medicine and agriculture. This application has increased the possibility of NPs accumulating and c...

Hydrocarbon contamination cause serious environmental damage and human health problems, therefore, to resolve this problem has been proposed diversely remediation techniques friendly with the environment i.e. bioaugmentation, biostimulation, natural attenuation and phytoremediation. Among options, the phytoremediation causes minimum alterations to soil, low cost, it has proved good eff iciency and gained public acceptation. In the present study, the capacity of Mimosa pigra to restore a contaminated soil with both anthracene and phenanthrene was evaluated, along with the soil physicochemical changes due to both plant and contaminant presence in the soil. A silt-loam contaminated soil with 100 mg kg-1 (dry weight) anthracene and 200 mg kg-1 (dry weight) phenanthrene was used in all three treatments: Contaminated soil with M. pigra (C1), contaminated soil without M. pigra (C2), and not contaminated soil with M. pigra (C0) as control. After 70 days of experimentation both biomass and height of M. pigra was not affected due to soil contaminants. There was no difference among treatments for some physicochemical characteristics e.g. soil pH, electrolytic conductivity, soil-texture, and total nitrogen content throughout the experiment. M. pigra increased the soil water holding capacity after 50 and 70 days of the experiment, however, total organic carbon content was lower after 70 days compared to the control treatment. The higher contaminant removal rate was before 7 days of experimentation for all treatments. Anthracene and phenanthrene content were lower in treatments with the presence of M. pigra: 92% of phenanthrene and 80% of anthracene were removed in C1 while nearly 77% of phenanthrene and 60% of anthracene were removed in C2. This suggest a greater removal of contaminants using M. pigra. Total removal of contaminants was not achieved. However, M. pigra was able to accumulate both compounds, showing the M. pigra capability for bioremediation use in contaminated soils.

Agronomic biofortification is a process used to increase the concentration of essential elements in plants through fertilization and thus improve their nutritional quality. Increasing the content of Zn+2 in Stevia rebaudiana plants would imply adding value to the crop. The use of ZnO phytonanoparticles, in addition to increasing the content of Zn+2, can also generate an inductor effect that promotes the synthesis of metabolites of commercial interest. This study reports the effect of fertilization with ZnO phytonanoparticles on morphometric parameters of S. rebaudiana plants and the content of Zn+2, stevioside, rebaudioside A, total phenols, flavonoids and the antiradical activity of leaf extracts. Biofortification was carried out in a hydroponic culture using peat moss/agrolite as a support under a completely random experimental design. The green ZnO nanoparticles were added via root at different concentrations. The physiological and morphometric parameters of the plant were not affected with respect to the control by the use of phytonanoparticles. The biofortification of S. rebaudiana with ZnO phytonanoparticles at a concentration of 75 mg/L enhanced zinc content up to 406.8% with respect to the control. The total phenols (60.5%) and flavonoids (87.8%) were also increased without having a negative effect on plant growth. The biosynthetic pathway of steviol glycosides was not affected.

Yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) Urb.) tuber has a low carbohydrate content and contains several aminoacids, but contains few active compounds, such as vitamins and antioxidants. Anthocyanins are antioxidants found in Rubus fructicosus L. The osmotic drying is a technique that can be used to impregnate antioxidants in a matrix, so the objective of this study was to impregnate yam bean tuber slices with anthocyanin. The effect of temperature (40, 50 and 60oC), sucrose content (40, 50 and 60oBrix) and vacuum pulse (0, 300 and 600 mbar) on water loss (WL), solid gain (SG), color changes (ΔΕ) and anthocyanin concentration (ΔA) during osmotic drying of yam bean slices was determined. Polynomial equations were used to determine changes in WL, SG, ΔΕ and ΔA of yam bean slices after 6 h of osmotic drying. An osmotic solution at 60oC with a SC of 40oBrix, applying a vacuum pulse of 12 mbar maximized anthocyanin impregnation (6.67 mg anthocyanin per g initial dry matter) in tuber slices. The Page equation predicted optimum WL, SG and ΔA of yam bean tuber slices during osmotic drying. No relation was found between temperature, sucrose content and vacuum pulse with K and n parameters in the Page equation.

This work was conducted with the objective to evaluate the effect of vermicompost application on chemical characteristics, energetic parameters and amino acids prof ile of hybrid race corn grain cultivated under open-f ield and rained conditions. The experiment was accomplished under a randomized complete design with three repetitions. Three treatments were evaluated: 1) Maize after inoculation with a commercial mycorrhizal arbuscular fungi mixture (Tec Myc 60®) plus vermicompost (V+M); vermicompost (V) and chemical fertilization (CF). Starch content in grain was 1.9% higher in V+M treatment in comparison with chemical, whereas crude protein, ether extract, crude f iber, acid detergent f iber, neutral detergent f iber, total phosphorous and phytic phosphorous were not different between treatments. Energetic parameters were not different between three treatments. 17 amino acids were evaluated of wich only tryptophan, leucine, valine, histidine and aspartic acid were higher in CF and V treatments in comparison with V+M treatment. In conclusion, it is possible to cultivate maize using vermicompost as fertilizer because chemical characteristics, energetic parameters and amino acids prof ile in maize grain were not affected compared with the maize cultivated with vermicompost added with biofertilizers (V+M) or with corn cultivated with chemical fertilizers (CF).

The carrot is considered a model system in plant cell culture. Spray drying represents a widely used technology to preserve microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeasts. In germplasm conservation, the most used methods are freeze drying and cryopreservation. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of spray drying on the viability and totipotency of somatic carrot cells. Leaf, root and stem explants were evaluated to induce callus with 2 mg/L of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Calli obtained from the stem were cultivated in a liquid medium with 1 mg/L of 2,4-D. Cell suspensions were spray dried with maltodextrin-gum Arabic and maltodextrin-xanthan gum mixtures, two outlet air temperatures (50 and 60 °C) and 120 °C inlet air temperature. Results showed that carrot cells were viable after spray drying, and this viability remained for six months at 8 °C. The totipotency of the microencapsulated cells was proven. Cells that were not spray dried regenerated 24.6 plantlets, while the spray dried cells regenerated 19 plantlets for each gram of rehydrated powder. Thus, spray drying allowed researchers to obtain viable and totipotent cells. This work is the first manuscript that reported the spray drying of plant somatic cells.

The objective of this work was to determine the effect of spray drying on the microbial survival of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), acetic acid bacteria (AAB) and yeast (Y), as well as on the volatile compounds retention of the “taberna”. Different mixtures of maltodextrin, gum arabic, xanthan gum and sodium alginate as coating materials, different proportions coating material:"taberna" (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 v/v), as well as the effect of the feeding flow (3, 6 and 9 mL/min) and the inlet air temperature (80, 90 and 100 °C) in the dryer were evaluated on the efficiency of microencapsulation, microbial survival, water activity and the morphology of the microcapsules. Optimal conditions for the encapsulation of "taberna" to maximize microbial survival and microencapsulation efficacy were: feed flow of 3 mL/min, inlet air temperature of 97 °C and a mixture of MD-AG using a coating material:“taberna” ratio of 1:1 (v/v). With these conditions, in addition to maintaining the viability of the three microbial groups, most of the aromatic compounds of the "taberna" were retained.

Soy milk is a food rich in proteins, phenolic compounds and lactose-free. However, due to organoleptic and anti-nutritional characteristics, soy milk is not very popular among the population. The objective of this article is to evaluate the changes in the activity of α-galactosidase and β-glucosidase, as well as phytates, isoflavones, phenolic compounds contents and antioxidant activity of soy milk during the fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum BAL-03-ITTG and Lactobacillus fermentum BAL-21-ITTG. Soy milk was fermented for 24 h with L. plantarum and L. fermentum separately, with an increase of 1.2 to 1.4 log CFU g-1 for both strains. The results showed that the strains are able to produce β-glucosidase, carrying out the conversion of β-glucosides in their corresponding aglycones, with an increase of 420 to 490 %. In addition, the strains can decrease approximately 20 % of the content of phytate in soy milk during fermentation. Therefore, both strains could be used in future works to obtain food from fermented soy milk.

Agave grijalvensis (B. Ullrich) was inoculated with Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxter sensu Gerd.) Gerd. and Trappe) and fertilized with different amounts of phosphorus (P) during plant development. Mycorrhizal colonization, fructan accumulation and fructosyltransferases enzymatic activities were determined. Glomus fasciculatum increased fresh weight of A. grijalvensis, the number of leaves, root length and fructan concentrations in stems and leaves. Phosphorus increased sucrose content, but reduced glucose and fructose concentrations in both leaves and stems. Activities of 1-fructosyltransferase (1-SST) (EC 2.4.1.99) and β-fructan-1-fructosyltransferase (1-FFT) (EC 2.4.1.100) were determined and explained due to different levels of fructans detected in A. grijalvensis plantlets.

Pesticide by-products found in soil are usually more toxic and persistent than the pesticides themselves. For example, Endosulfan lactone (EL) (a by-product of the organochloride pesticide endosulfan). EL is created by the enzymatic activity (and related oxidative processes) of microorganisms in the soil. A sustainable method of EL removal is the introduction of Eisenia fetida earthworm. In this paper, it will be demonstrated the impact of vermicomposting process related to Eisenia fetida earthworm on EL by measuring initial and final concentrations of the compound and overall enzymatic activity in sterile and non-sterile solid substrate over 56 days. As a baseline, it be observed there were higher EL removals in non-sterile solid substrate (90.86%) at day 5 than in sterile solid substrate (83.86%) at day 14. In samples with Eisenia fetida, the presence of EL in non-sterile solid substrate was 36%, however in sterile solid substrate it was only 18% at day 1 and 7, with a maximum enzyme activity of 0.4659 mmol/mg protein per min at day 7. The evidence found in this study suggests that EL removal in a non-sterile solid substrate is higher when a vermicomposting is present and that the influence of microorganisms from the solid substrate with the earthworm, increases removal.

The aim of this work was to develop and evaluate the effect of an edible coating produced with protein isolate and gum from the Cajanus cajan seed to be applied to strawberries (Fragaria spp.). The films were formulated using 1 and 2% gum, and 5 and 10% protein isolate, as well as glycerol (2%) as a plasticizer. The formulated films were evaluated in terms of water vapor permeability (WVP), opacity, color, scanning electron microscopy, and texture. Once the ideal formulation with sufficiently low WVP and opacity was selected, it was applied to the strawberries, which were evaluated in terms of mass loss, color, firmness, acidity, pH, soluble solids, anthocyanin content, vitamin C content, and acceptability degree by an untrained consumer panel. Results showed that film made from 5% of protein isolate and 1% of gum had the lowest WVP of all treatments. Applied to strawberries, the coating resulted in a reduction of the total soluble solid content, the consumption of citric acid, and the mass loss of coated with respect to uncoated strawberries after 10 days of storage at 5 °C, without causing sensorial changes.

The aim of the present work is to evaluate the changes on the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity, phenolic compounds accumulation and photochemical efficiency in leaves of P. glandulosa treated with Cd2+ (0.001 M) and Cu2+ (0.52 M) concentrations for 96 h under hydroponic conditions. The results showed that only leaves treated with copper had a decrease in photochemical efficiency and leaf epidermal polyphenols in P. glandulosa leaves after 96 h of exposure. On the other hand the reverse-phase HPLC analysis revealed higher levels of phenolic compound (gallic, vanillic and caffeic acids) and flavonoids (rutin and kaempferol-3-O-glucosides) in plant leaves from Cu and Cd-treatments with respect to control plants. Finally, highest increments in PAL activity was observed in extracts of leaves treated with Cu and Cd (about 205 and 284%), respectively, with respect to control plants after 96 h treatment. These suggest that activation of phenylpropanoid pathway represent a source of nonenzymatic antioxidants that protect at P. glandulosa against oxidative stress when exposed to cadmium and copper. Hence future studies are necessary to elucidate the participation of phenylpropanoid pathway in the reduction of metal toxicity in Prosopis species.

Olive trees are one of the most important oil crops in the world due to the sensorial and nutritional characteristics of olive oil, such as lipid composition and antioxidant content, and the medicinal properties of its leaves. In this paper, callus formation was induced using nodal segments of olive tree (Olea europaea cv. cornicabra) as explants. Fatty acid profile, total phenolic compounds and total flavonoid compounds were determined in callus culture after 15 weeks and compared with leaf and nodal segments tissues. There was no statistical difference in phenolic compounds among leaf, nodal segments and callus culture, whereas flavonoid compounds were higher in leaf. Fatty acid profile was similar in leaf, nodal segments and callus culture and was constituted by hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, cis-9-octadecenoic acid, cis-9,12-octadecadienoic acid, cis-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid. Hexadecanoic acid was the main fatty acid in callus, leaf and nodal segments with 35.0, 39.0 and 40.0% (w/w), of the lipid composition, respectively. With this paper, it is being reported for the first time the capacity of callus culture to accumulate fatty acids. Our results could serve to continue studying the production of fatty acids in callus cultivation as a biotechnological tool to improve different olive cultivars.

The effect of metals on the photosynthetic activities and epidermal polyphenol content of Prosopis glandulosa and Prosopis juliflora leaves was investigated by the tissue tolerance test. Foliar tissues of Prosopis glandulosa and Prosopis juliflora were incubated with Cd2+ (0.001 M) or Cu2+ (0.52 M) concentrations for 96 h. The results showed that significant reductions (p < 0.05) of photochemical efficiency in P. juliflora leaves were found after 96 h of exposure to 0.52 M Cu2+ compared with Cd-treatments and controls. In contrast, P. glandulosa leaves showed a progressive increase on photochemical efficiency at 72 h after Cu-treatment. The results also showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) of epidermal polyphenols in P. juliflora leaves after 24 h of exposure to 0.52 M Cu2+ compared with Cd-treatments and control leaves. On the other hand, the values of leaf epidermal polyphenols observed in P. glandulosa exposed to copper and cadmium did not show any difference with respect to control. These findings are very important and suggest that these compounds could be considered as a protection mechanism of P. glandulosa when is treated with these heavy metals. Finally, the results of bioaccumulation showed that the copper concentration in P. glandulosa was higher than the values detected in P. juliflora Nevertheless, the cadmium concentration in foliar tissues of P. juliflora was significantly higher than P. glandulosa after 96 h of exposure to Cu2+ or Cd2+. Therefore, future studies are necessary to elucidate the effects of heavy metals on the biosynthesis of flavonoids and participation of these compounds in the reduction of metal toxicity in Prosopis species.

In vitro antiviral effect of a crude methanol extract and six fractions isolated from Rhoeo discolor against pandemic influenza A (H1N1) evaluated herein. The phytochemical analysis to identify the main classes of secondary metabolites was performed by thin layer chromatography (TLC). The cytotoxic effect and cell viability was determined in MDCK cells, and the antiviral activity was evaluated by qRT-PCR to detect influenza virus nucleoprotein (NP) gene. Finally a metabolomic analysis was performed using UPLC-MS. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of coumarins, tannins, saponins and flavonoids in the methanol extracts. Cytotoxicity related to 50% cell viability indicated concentrations of 1μg/mL for the crude extracts. Fraction MF1 inhibited synthesis of viral NP at co-treatment level at a concentration of 0.02 + 0.07 g/mL with a selectivity index (SI) of 32. The metabolomic analysis identified the presence of five flavonoids kaempferol, quercetin, isoquercetin luteolin-5-glucoside and rutin. Antiviral activity of flavonoids from R. discolor against the influenza AH1N1 virus are reported for the first time.

In the present study the characterization and properties of silver nanoparticles from Prosopis glandulosa leaf extract (AgNPs) were investigated using UV–Vis spectroscopic techniques, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers (EDS), zeta potential and dynamic light scattering. The UV–Vis spectroscopic analysis showed the absorbance peaked at 487 nm, which indicated the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The experimental results showed silver nanoparticles had Z-average diameter of 421 nm with higher stability (−200 mV). The EDS analysis also exhibited presentation of silver element. Additionally, the different concentrations of AgNPs (25, 50, 75 and 100 mg/mL) showed antibacterial activity against Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Bacillus cereus. Finally, AgNPs from leaf extracts of P. glandulosa may be used as an agent of biocontrol of microorganism of importance medical. However, further studies will be needed to fully understand the antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles obtain from P. gland...

Endosulfan lactone is a metabolite obtained from the biological oxidation of the insecticide endosulfan by action of the microorganisms present in the soil. This metabolite is more toxic and persistent than the parent compound. Therefore, it is extremely important to be able to determine the presence of this metabolite in the soil. However, accessible methods for extraction of endosulfan lactone in soil were not found in published literature. For this reason, the aim of this study was to evaluate two conventional methods of liquid–solid extraction for the determination of endosulfan lactone in solid substrate using two solvents (ethyl acetate and acetonitrile) and HPLC UV-VIS. The acetonitrile and rotary agitation extraction method was the one with the highest efficiency (97%), optimized using a factorial 32 response surface design, and validated in terms of linearity and precision. The linearity shown was r &gt, 0.999 in a wide spike level (0.15–100 mg kg−1), with the detection limit (DL) of 0.045 mg kg−1 and quantification limit (QL) of 0.15 mg kg−1. The extraction of endosulfan lactone in solid substrate using acetonitrile was more efficient than that used with ethyl acetate, so this method could be used to extract and quantify endosulfan lactone in agricultural soil.

Cotton production in the Mexicali valley is adversely affected by wilt and root rot disease associated with Fusarium species. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the antifungal activity and presence of lipopeptides genes in Bacillus subtilis strain Bs-Cach isolated from the rhizosphere of the cachanilla (Pluchea sericea). The dual culture technique was conducted to test antifungal effect of the Bs-Cach on the growth of Fusarium solani strains (ICA-3 and ICA-4, respectively), and the presence of iturin (ItuA), surfactin (SrfC), and fengycin (FenD) (lipopeptides genes), was evaluated by PCR analysis. The results obtained revealed that Bs-Cach inhibited the growth of F. solani ICA-3 and ICA-4, with a range of percentage inhibition from 50 and 52 after 120 h, respectively. On the other hand, our result of the PCR amplification of the lipopeptide genes from DNA of Bs-Cach showed solely the presence of iturin but not surfactin and fengycin genes. The analysis of sequence ituA present in Bs-Cach showed 84 % identity with iturin A synthetase of different B. subtilis strains. This study showed that B. subtilis Bs-Cach strain has the ability of inhibiting F. solani strains by at least one mechanism, the lipopeptide synthesis. This result turns Bs-Cach into a potential alternative for the biological control of F. solani. Nevertheless, this study was conducted under in vitro conditions, and further studies are required to investigate whether these results hold true under field conditions.

The aim of this investigation was to determine the effect of vermicompost, vermiwash, and phosphate rock on plant, total phenols, flavonoids, and anti-oxidant activity in Piper auritum Kunth leaves. P. auritum plants were obtained from cuttings and were planted according to the Box-Behnken experimental design with three repetitions at the central point. The factors and levels were vermicompost (10, 20, and 30 g plant−1), vermiwash (5, 10, and 15 mL plant−1), and phosphate rock (1, 2, and 3 g plant−1). Plant growth parameters (plant height, stem diameter, leaves number) and chlorophyll content were measured 1 month after treatment applications. Total phenols, total flavonoids, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical scavenging activity was measured after 4 months. Vermicompost, vermiwash, and phosphate rock had no statistically significant effect on plant growth. Plant height, stem diameter, leaves number, chlorophyll, innermost number, fresh weight stem, fresh weight leaves, fresh weight root, ...

In vermicomposting, the main product is the worm casts, but a leachate is generated that contains large amounts of plant nutrients. This leachate is normally diluted to avoid plant damage. We investigated how dilution of vermicompost leachate combined with different concentrations of nitrogen (N) - phosphorus (P) - potassium (K) triple 17 fertilizer, and polyoxyethylene tridecyl alcohol as dispersant and polyethylene nonylphenol as adherent to increase efficiency of fertilizer uptake, affected sugarcane plant development. The vermicomposting leachate with pH 7.8 and electrolytic conductivity 2.6 dS m−1, contained 834 mg potassium (K) l−1, 247 mg nitrate (NO3−) l−1 and 168 mg phosphate (PO43−) l−1, was free of pathogens and resulted in a 65% germination index. Vermicompost leachate did not inhibit sugarcane growth and mixed with 170 g l−1 NPK triple 17 fertilizer resulted in the best plant development. No dispersant or adherent was required to improve plant height and stem development.

In the present study the production of phenolic acids and flavonoid compounds by E. gracilis exposed to two cadmium concentrations (0.02 and 0.14 mM) was evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that E. gracilis exposed to 0.02 mM Cd+2 increased significantly the total content of phenolic compounds (798.46 ± 12.61 μg GA/g) and total flavonoids (241.34 ± 47.63 μg QE/g) with respect to the control (137.34 ± 19.80 μg QE/g DW and 549.00 ± 8.57 μg GA/g DW, respectively). However, no significant increase in the total content of phenolic compounds (568.54 ± 17.42 μg GA/g DW) and total flavonoids (141.11 ± 9.36 μg QE/g DW) were observed in E. gracilis exposed to 0.14 mM Cd+2. Further research is necessary to determine the specific role of flavonoids in E. gracilis exposed to high concentrations of Cd+2.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of vermicompost, rock phosphate, Glomus fasciculatum (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi), and Penicillium sp. (phosphate solubilizing fungi) on growth; mycorrhization percent; fructan, sucrose, glucose, and fructose contents in leaves and stem of Agave americana L. Experiments were done according to an orthogonal experimental design L8 with four variables at two levels: vermicompost (0 or 10 g per plant), rock phosphate (0 or 1 g per plant), G. fasciculatum (0 or 1 × 106 spores per plant), and Penicillium sp. (0 or 1 × 109 spores per plant). Vermicompost affected stem dry weight; the fructan, glucose, and fructose in stem; and mycorrhization percent in roots. Rock phosphate and Penicillium sp. increased the mycorrhization percent. Co-inoculation of Penicillium sp. and G. fasciculatum increased A. americana plant growth. The results obtained suggested a synergistic interaction between the arbuscular mycorrhizic fungi and the phosphate solubilizin...

The aim of this study was analyze the effect of jasmonic acid (JA) and abscisic acid (ABA) as elicitors on fatty acids profile (FAP), phenolic compounds (PC) and antioxidant capacity (AC) in callus of Thevetia peruviana. Schenk & Hildebrandt (SH) medium, supplemented with 2 mg/L 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic (2, 4-D) and 0.5 mg/L kinetin (KIN) was used for callus induction. The effect of JA (50, 75 and 100 μM) and ABA (10, 55 and 100 μM) on FAP, PC and AC were analyzed using a response surface design. A maximum of 2.8 mg/g of TPC was obtained with 100 plus 10 µM JA and ABA, respectively, whereas AC maximum (2.17 μg/mL) was obtained with 75 plus 100 µM JA and ABA, respectively. The FAP was affected for JA but not for ABA. JA increased cis-9, cis-12-octadecadienoic acid and decreased dodecanoic acid. Eight fatty acids were identified by GC-MS analysis and cis-9-octadecenoic acid (18:1) was the principal fatty acid reaching 76 % in treatment with 50 μM JA plus 55 μM ABA. In conclusion, JA may be used in T. peruviana callus culture for obtain oil with different fatty acids profile.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes of green metallic nanoparticles on biochemical and physiological effects in Annona muricata L., plants. Changes in proline, phenolic compounds, antioxidants enzyme, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity and phytohormones in A. muricata leaves exposed to Ag, Cu and Cu/Ag phytonanoparticles were evaluated up to 120 h. The results showed that the foliar application of green metallic nanoparticles at 250, 500, 750 and 1000 ppm caused changes significantly in flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenylalanine ammonia lyase and peroxidase activities in A. muricata leaves after 120 h exposure. The foliar application of green nanoparticles stimulates the enhancement of the antioxidant protection system that protect at A. muricata against oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Our results showed that values of gibberelins, auxins and proline depended of nanoparticle concentration and composition.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of monometallic and bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) of copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) from Justicia spicigera on the photochemical efficiency and phenol pattern of Prosopis glandulosa. In this study, the existence of localized surface plasmon resonance absorption associated with the nano-sized nature of Ag, Cu and Cu/Ag particles was confirmed by the presence of a single peak around 487, 585, and 487/580 nm respectively. Zeta potential and electrophoretic mobility were found to be 0.2 mV and 0.02 μmcm/(Vs) for synthesized NPs indicating less stability and thus tendency to agglomerate, and broad distribution of particles. Cu-NPs and Cu/Ag-NPs demonstrate that the dispersed phase is stable and has a minimum particle size at zeta potentials above –30 mV. Changes in phenolic compounds, total chlorophyll, and photochemical efficiency in leaves exposed to Ag, Cu and Cu/Ag phyto-nanoparticles were evaluated up to 72 hours. The results revealed that Ag-NP and Cu-NP from J. spicigera at 100 mg/L showed significant reduction in chlorophyll, epidermal polyphenol content and photochemical efficiency of P. glandulosa. In contrast, the application of bimetallic Cu/Ag-NP from J. spicigera showed a positive impact on physiological parameters of P. glandulosa after 72 h of exposure.

International audience; This work introduces a new vision-based approach for estimating chlorophyll contents in a plant leaf using reflectance and transmittance as base parameters. Images of the top and underside of the leaf are captured. To estimate the base parameters (reflectance/transmittance), a novel optical arrangement is proposed. The chlorophyll content is then estimated by using linear regression where the inputs are the reflectance and transmittance of the leaf. Performance of the proposed method for chlorophyll content estimation was compared with a spectrophotometer and a Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) meter. Chlorophyll content estimation was realized for Lactuca sativa L., Azadirachta indica, Canavalia ensiforme, and Lycopersicon esculentum. Experimental results showed that-in terms of accuracy and processing speed-the proposed algorithm outperformed many of the previous vision-based approach methods that have used SPAD as a reference device. On the other hand, the accuracy reached is 91% for crops such as Azadirachta indica, where the chlorophyll value was obtained using the spectrophotometer. Additionally, it was possible to achieve an estimation of the chlorophyll content in the leaf every 200 ms with a low-cost camera and a simple optical arrangement. This non-destructive method increased accuracy in the chlorophyll content estimation by using an optical arrangement that yielded both the reflectance and transmittance information, while the required hardware is cheap.

The aim of this investigation was to determine the effect of vermicompost and phosphate rock on plant growth, total phenols, flavonoids, flavanones, and antioxidant activity in Annona purpurea Moc & Sesse ex Dunal leaves. Annona purpurea seedlings were planted according to factorial 32 experimental design with nine repetitions. The factors were vermicompost (0, 50, and 100 g plant−1) and phosphate rock (0 and 10 g plant−1). Plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, and chorophyll content were determined one month after application of the different treatments and total phenols, flavonols, flavanones, total flavonoids, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity in dry leaves after 4 months. Plant height and stem diameter increased by phosphate rock, but not by vermicompost. Total phenols in leaves decreased by vermicompost. Flavonol content decreased by rock phosphate, whereas flavanones increased by vermicompost. Antioxidant activity decreased by vermicompost addition.

The influence of Naphtaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) on callus formation, its morphology and fatty acids profile were examined from Jatropha curcas L. Embryo from seeds of J. curcas L. were sown in Murashige and skoog (MS) medium with NAA and BAP. All treatments induced callus formation, however callus morphology was different in most of the treatments. Higher callus biomass was presented with 1.0 NAA + 0.5 BAP mg/L. Plant growth regulators modifies the fatty acids profile in callus of J. curcas L. BAP was induced linoleic and linolenic acids.

In the present study, the hexane, acetone and methanol extracts of stem, branches and roots from Crotalaria longirostrata were evaluated for their antifungal activity against Fusarium sp., Fusarium verticillioides and Aspergillus flavus. The variables analyzed were inhibition halos, mycelial growth inhibition, sporulation and minimum inhibitory concentration. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of saponins, coumarins, anthrones, anthraquinones, flavonoids and alkaloids on different organic extracts. The hexane extract showed zones of inhibition between 6.3 and 10.5 mm. The mycelia growth and sporulation of A. flavus were reduced to 90% with methanol extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration values obtained with hexane extracts were 6.75 mg mL-1 and with methanol extracts were 50 and 25 mg mL-1 for Fusarium strains. This is the first study reporting of phytochemical composition and biological activity of C. longirostrata that could be used as a natural alternative to control in vitro of certain important pathogenic fungi.

The objective of this study was to investigate the growth of coffee (Coffea arabica L. cv. ‘Bourbon’) in soil amended with compost, vermicompost, and bokashi at 25%, 50%, and 66% while mycorrhizal colonization and activity of acid and alkaline phosphatases and urease in soil were monitored. Treatments with 25% compost as well as higher application rates of compost and bokashi (50% or 66%) increased coffee growth. Shoot fresh weight increased 5 times when 25% bokashi or compost was applied, 8 times when 50% was applied and 10 times when 66% was applied compared to the control plants without organic fertilizer. Acid and alkaline phosphatase and urease activity increased when organic fertilizer was applied to soil. Application of organic fertilizers increased the growth and fresh weight of root and shoot of coffee plants and improved the root mycorrizal colonization and enzymatic activity of the soil.

Worm-bed leachate is a nutrient-rich by-product of composting organic wastes with earthworms. Worm-bed leachate was stored and characterized while its possible antifungal activity towards the pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. and Sacc. was investigated in vitro. The pH decreased from 9.6 at the onset of the storage to 8.9 after 28 days, while the total N and C nearly halved. The surfactin concentration in the worm-bed leachate reached 10.8 μg L−1 at day 10, while that of iturin A and iturin A homologues increased towards the end of the storage. Sterilized worm-bed leachate had little effect on the growth of C. gloeosporioides, but unsterilized worm-bed leachate inhibited growth 100%. It was found that unsterilized worm-bed leachate inhibited growth of C. gloeosporioides, but sterilizing the worm-bed leachate strongly reduced the inhibitory effect indicating that the microorganisms in the worm-bed leachate out-competed the fungus for nutrients or were antagonistic towa...

Extraction of oils from castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) and Jatropha curcas L. to produce biofuel is set to increase. The produced seed cake could be applied to soil as it is nutrient rich, but might affect soil functioning. Seven soils from Chiapas, Mexico, were amended with seed cake of both plants while CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O emissions and mineral N concentrations were monitored in an aerobic incubation. The concentration of phorbol esters in the J. curcas seed cake (JSC) was 0.993 mg/g while no ricin was detected in the R. communis seed cake (RSC). Application of JSC increased CO 2 emission 2.5-times, N 2 O 12.6-times and CH 4 18.4-times compared to the unamended soil, while RSC CO 2 emission 2.1-times, N 2 O 21.3-times and CH 4 2.3-times. On average, 66% of the 88 mg organic N added with JSC was mineralized and 83% of the 101 mg organic N of the RSC within 56 days. It was found that J. curcas and castor bean seed cake increased CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O emission and mineral N in soil, without inhibiting soil microbial activity.

Vermicompost and worm-bed leachate (WBL) are two products obtained from vermicomposting. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different combinations of vermicompost and WBL on cultivating radish (Raphanus sativus L.). A multilevel factorial design with 25 treatments was used to investigate the effect of vermicompost at 0, 10, 20, 30, or 40% and WBL at 0, 10, 20, 30, or 40% on germination and growth parameters. A maximum seed germination of 54%, number of leaves (2.8), and plant height (8.6 cm) were obtained with 10% vermicompost and 10% WBL. A maximum shoot (7.0 g) and root (7.3 g) dry weight was obtained with 10% vermicompost and 15% WBL. Vermicompost and worm-bed leachate have an inhibitory effect at higher concentrations on seed germination and plant growth. These inhibitory effects might be due to increased salt concentrations, pH or auxin-like effects of humic and fulvic acids.

This paper presents the assessment of coconut fibre thermal characteristics and its use to modulate temperatures in concrete slabs in the construction industry. Fibre is abundantly available in tropical regions, extracted from the husk of coconut fruits and manufactured at 115.54 MPa to obtain specimens. A first thermal conductivity of k = 0.048 (W/m K) is obtained by solving the heat diffusion equation with experimental temperatures as boundary conditions. A second value k = 0.0499 (W/m K) is obtained by solving the Fourier's law by using a known heat flux and temperature histories in the specimen. The maximum error between the first and second k values was 3.8%. However, the k = 0.048 (W/m K) was used for numerical analysis. Experimental work was done to find density and heat capacity, 174 kg/m 3 and 2600 J/kg K, respectively. Further numerical work was carried out to modulate temperature in concrete slabs. This showed that fibre put on the concrete external surface allows room temperatures to fall within the comfort range. Density, thermal conductivity and heat capacity of coconut fibre were varied in a wide range to investigate the sensitivity of temperature to such changes. This showed that temperature can be considered sensible only to thermal conductivity variations.

Jatropha curcas L. will be cultivated in large parts of the central highlands of Chiapas (Mexico) so that its seeds can be extracted for biofuel. Little is known how the cultivation of J. curcas, which contains phorbolesters, might affect soil processes. Soil was sampled at five locations and amended with leaves of J. curcas while dynamics of ammonium (NH4+), nitrite (NO2−) and nitrate (NO3−) and emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), well known greenhouse gasses, were monitored. If we considered no priming effect, then between 12 and 31% of the C added with Jatropha leaves mineralized within 56 days. However, the concentration of mineral N (sum of NH4+, NO2− and NO3−) did not increase in the Jatropha-amended soils compared to the unamended soils. The mean CO2 emission rate increased significantly 3.7 times when Jatropha leaves were added to the different soils. The N2O emission was low in the unamended soil and remained

This paper reports on the optimum concentrations of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzyladenine (BA) to stimulate callus growth and NAA; kinetin and silver nitrate (AgNO3) for callus redifferentiation in Dianthus caryophyllus L. Meristems were excised and placed in MS medium with 30 g l−1 sucrose and 9.0 μM 2,4-d. Callus clusters were transferred to MS medium containing NAA (0, 1.7, 3.3, and 5.0 μM) and BA (0, 1.7, 3.3, and 5.0 μM) for proliferation and to MS medium with 30 g l−1 sucrose, 2.5 g l−1 phytagel, kinetin (0, 33, and 66 μM); NAA (0, 7.95, and 15.9 μM) and AgNO3 (0, 23.54 and 47.08 μM) for shoot and root induction. Treatments were applied according to a Box–Behnken design. After callus growth and redifferentiation, plants were incubated in the greenhouse at 18 ± 2°C for 4 wk and at 20–26°C for 4 wk. Finally, plants were changed to near-commercial greenhouse conditions with different day (30–35°C) and night (16–24°C) temperatures. Results showed better callus growth at higher NAA concentrations. A maximum callus weight was found with 5.0 μM NAA but without BA. A maximum of 78% calluses with shoots was obtained with 15.9 μM NAA, 47.08 μM AgNO3, and 0.74 μM kinetin and 58% with roots with 15.7 μM NAA and 47.08 μM AgNO3, but without kinetin. The shoots obtained showed little hyperhydricity. Vigorous plants were obtained after gradual acclimatization with an 80% survival rate under nursery conditions.

Extracts of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) and Gliricidia sepium Jacquin, locally known as 'mata-raton', are used to control pests of maize. Their application, however, is known to affect soil microorganisms. We investigated if these extracts affected emissions of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O), important greenhouse gases, and dynamics of soil inorganic N. Soil was treated with extracts of neem, mata-raton or lambda-cyhalothrin, used as chemical control. The soil was amended with or without urea and incubated at 40% and 100% water holding capacity (WHC). Concentrations of ammonium (NH4+), nitrite (NO2(-)) and nitrate (NO3(-)) and emissions of CH4, CO2 and N2O were monitored for 7d. Treating urea-amended soil with extracts of neem, mata-raton or lambda-cyhalothrin reduced the emission of CO2 significantly compared to the untreated soil with the largest decrease found in the latter. Oxidation of CH4 was inhibited by extracts of neem in the unamended soil, and by neem, mata-raton and lambda-cyhalothrin in the urea-amended soil compared to the untreated soil. Neem, mata-raton and lambda-cyhalothrin reduced the N2O emission from the unamended soil incubated at 40%WHC compared to the untreated soil. Extracts of neem, mata-raton and lambda-cyhalothrin had no significant effect on dynamics of NH4(+), NO2(-) and NO(3)(-). It was found that emission of CO2 and oxidation of CH4 was inhibited in the urea-amended soil treated with extracts of neem, mata-raton and lambda-cyhalothrin, but ammonification, N2O emission and nitrification were not affected.

The effects of earthworm-processed sheep manure (vermicompost) on growth, productivity, and characteristics of bell pepper fruits (Capsicum annum) (cv ‘Ancho supremo’) were investigated in a greenhouse experiment. Six treatments were applied combining vermicompost and soil in 0:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 1:5 (v/v) ratios. Plant characteristics were measured 21 and 90 days after transplanting. Addition of vermicompost increased plant size significantly with 8 cm in the 1:3 vermicompost: soil treatment compared to the unamended soil after 21 days, but no significant differences were found after 90 days. Seven more flowers were found in the 1:2 vermicompost: soil treatment and four in the 1:3 vermicompost: soil treatment compared to the unamended soil after 90 days. The number of marketable fruits per plant was significantly 1.5 and 1.9 times greater in the 1:2 and 1:3 vermicompost: soil treatments compared to plants cultivated in unamended soil after 90 days. The addition of vermicompost to soil in...

An orthogonal experimental design L9 (34) in triplicate was used to optimize the osmotic drying process of jicama or Yam bean (Pachyrhizus erosus). The effect of sucrose content, temperature, time of submerging and thickness of the fruit, on the osmotic drying process of Yam bean were tested. Maximal water loss was obtained when 10 mm fruit slices were submerged in a sucrose concentration of 60° Brix maintained at 60 °C for 2 h, while maximum impregnation was obtained when 5-mm slices were submerged in a 50° Brix solution maintained at 60 °C for 6 h.

The effects of earthworm-processed sheep-manure (vermicompost) on the growth, productivity and chemical characteristics of tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum) (c.v. Rio Grande) were investigated in a greenhouse experiment. Five treatments were applied combining vermicompost and soil in proportions of 0:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5 (v/v). Growth and yield parameters were measured 85 days and 100 days after transplanting. Addition of vermicompost increased plant heights significantly, but had no significant effect on the numbers of leaves or yields 85 days after transplanting. Yields of tomatoes were significantly greater when the relationship vermicompost:soil was 1:1, 1:2 or 1:3, 100 days after transplanting. Addition of sheep-manure vermicompost decreased soil pH, titratable acidity and increased soluble and insoluble solids, in tomato fruits compared to those harvested from plants cultivated in unamended soil. Sheep-manure vermicompost as a soil supplement increased tomato yields and soluble, insoluble solids and carbohydrate concentrations.

This study aimed to evaluate the removal of polychlorinated biphenyls, with a vermicomposting system, using the following as components: the earthworm Eisenia fetida, peat moss and rabbit excrement and a compound called decachlorobiphenyl, for a period of 91 days under non-sterile conditions. The results obtained were a removal of decachlorobiphenyl 79.6 % with an initial concentration of 100 mg L−1, 89.7 % with 150 mg L−1 and 95.38 % with 200 mg L−1; the earthworms bioaccumulated less than 5 mg L−1 in all concentrations of decachlorobiphenyl analysed without apparent toxic effect. Weight gain was observed in earthworms that assimilated contaminant during vermicomposting, as the number of cocoons produced in contrast to the control in which both the weight and the number of cocoons were lower. To our knowledge, this is the first study which suggests that vermicomposting may be a suitable mechanism for removal of decachlorobiphenyl with high recalcitrance from contaminated sediment or soils.

The concentration of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in the atmosphere has increased considerably over the last century, but few studies are available showing their production from soils in semi-arid areas. Soils from the tropical semi-arid Central Depression of Chiapas were sampled from fields cultivated with maize (MAI treatment), under canopy of Acacia angustissima (TIMBRE) or outside the canopy of the trees (OUT), adjusted to 40%, 60%, 80% or 100% of water-holding capacity (WHC) and amended with 0, 15 or 50 mg (NH 4 NO 3 )-N kg −1 dry soil. The production of N 2 O, CO 2 and concentrations of NH 4 + , and NO 3 − were monitored in the laboratory under aerobic conditions. Production of N 2 O in the first 3 days was significantly larger from the MAI and OUT soils, compared to the TIMBRE soil, while the addition of 50 mg inorganic N doubled the production of N 2 O. In all treatments, soil at 100% WHC had the largest production of N 2 O. The emission of CO 2 was significantly larger from soils at 60% and 80% WHC compared to the soil at 40% and 100% WHC, although the addition of inorganic N had no significant effect on CO 2 emission. The application of inorganic N and the absence of vegetation increased the production of N 2 O.

An efficient and reproducible protocol for regeneration of plantlets at a high frequency was developed by using sugar cane buds. Disinfected buds were firstly submerged in ethanol sodium hypochlorite solution with 0.1 % polyvinylpyrrolidone, 1.5 % ascorbic acid and 1.75 % citric acid as antioxidants and subsequently treated with solution of agrimicin:captan (1:1). The upper stalk segment was better to obtain bud in vitro culture compared to lower segments. The medium for induction of multiple shoots consisted of Murashige and Skoog basal medium (MS) supplemented with 2 mg dm−3 thidiazuron and 1 mg dm−3 naphthalene acetic acid. An average of 24 shoots per bud was obtained for cv. Mex 68-P23 within four weeks and 29 shoots for cv. MY 55-14 within six weeks. Indole-3-butyric acid induced more roots in both cultivars compared to the untreated plantlets. Plantlets transferred to soil showed normal growth with up to four axilliary buds in each node. It was concluded that the germplasm obtained through the above mentioned technique generated stalks with more buds in each node which would give farmers more vegetative material for plantations in field with 100 % germination.

The activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), sucrose synthase (SUSY), neutral invertase (NI) and soluble acid invertase (SAI) were measured in callus cultures of four Mexican sugarcane cultivars (Saccharum spp.) with a different capacity to accumulate sucrose in stem parenchyma cells. The results indicated that sucrose accumulation in callus was positively correlated to the activity of SPS and SUSY and negatively to the activity of SAI and NI while SPS explained most of the variation found for sucrose accumulation and NI least.