Evaluation of Various Drying Methods on Bioactives,Ascorbic Acid and Antioxidant Potentials of Talinum triangulare L., foliage

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of different drying methods (room, sun, oven, microwave, cross-flow, infra-red, dehumidifier, and freeze-drying)...     

Dual Inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal and Phosphate Solubilizing Fungi Contributes in Sustainable Maintenance of Plant Health in Fly Ash Ponds

Fly ash is one of the residues produced during combustion of coal, and its disposal is a major environmental concern throughout coal-based power-generated counties. Deficiencies of essential nutrients, low soil microbial activity, and high-soluble salt concentrations of trace elements are some of the concerns for reclamation of fly ash ponds. The effect of fly-ash-adapted arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and phosphate solubilizing fungus Aspergillus tubingensis was studied on the growth, nutrient, and metal uptake of bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus) plants grown in fly ash. Co-inoculation of these fungi significantly increased the P (150%), K (67%), Ca (106%), and Mg (180%) in shoot tissues compared control plants. The Al and Fe content were significantly reduced (50% and 60%, respectively) due to the presence of AM fungi and A. tubingensis. The physicochemical and biochemical properties of fly ash were improved compared to those of individual inoculation and control. The results showed that combination of AM fungi and A. tubingensis elicited a synergetic effect by increasing plant growth and uptake of nutrients with reducing metal translocation.     

Production of ascorbyl palmitate by surfactant-coated lipase in organic media

The surface of a lipase from Burkholderia cepacia was coated with a nonionic surfactant, propylene glycol monostearate, and was used as a biocatalyst in the production of ascorbic acid in tert-butyl alcohol. The influence of various factors such as the type of surfactant, the pH of the buffer used for coating, the amount of surfactant in the coating, the organic solvent, and the temperature and molar ratio of the substrates used in the reaction on the conversion of ascorbyl palmitate were studied. After 24 h of reaction at 50 degrees C, a conversion of 47% was obtained using an ascorbic acid to palmitic acid molar ratio of 1:6. The native lipase showed only 6% conversion.     

Standardization of large scale production of homologous live attenuated PPR vaccine in India

Live attenuated homologous vaccine against peste des petits ruminants of sheep and goats was produced on a large scale basis in roller culture bottles using seed virus developed at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Muktheswar, India. Vero cells between 130–150 passages with six percent foetal calf serum were used for the production of vaccine. The cells were infected with 0.01 multiplicity of infection and harvested when the cytopathic effect was 80%. The vaccine was freezedried in order to maintain the stability of the vaccine. Identity test and titration was performed and the vaccine titre was monitored to be minimum of 10⁵/100 doses. In-house sterility tests and quality control tests using experimental animals and small ruminants were performed. The vacuum and moisture content of the vaccine were also regulated to be within the normal limits.     

Mass multiplication of Bixa orellana L. through tissue culture for commercial propagation

To reduce the time period for in vitro regeneration in annatto (Bixa orellana L.), a highly efficient two-stage plant regeneration protocol had been developed that can be used commercially. Different types of explants: nodal shoot tips, shoot tips and single nodes from in vitro grown seedlings were inoculated onto the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators. Highest number of shoot buds was obtained when nodal shoot tip explants were inoculated onto MS medium supplemented with 31.1 μM N⁶-benzyladenine (BA) and 14.7 μM phenylacetic acid (PAA). PAA in combination with BA exhibited a synergistic effect on shoot multiplication and elongation. Sub-culturing of the shoots onto the MS medium supplemented with BA (13.3 μM) and PAA (7.3 μM) produced elongated shoots. Elongated shoots when inoculated onto the MS medium supplemented with 4.9 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) produced optimal rooting. The rooted plantlets were hardened and their field survival rate after 6 weeks time was 73%.     

Physicochemical Composition and Characterization of Bioactive Compounds of Mulberry (Morus indica L.) Fruit During Ontogeny

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Mulberry fruit is well recognized as one of the richest sources of bioactive compounds. We investigated the physicochemical composition and characterized the...     

Isoflavone composition, phenol content, and antioxidant activity of soybean seeds from India and Bulgaria

Isoflavone levels and isoflavone chemical composition in 11 cultivars of soybean, including 4 Indian and 7 genotypes of soybean grown in Bulgaria, were analyzed as determined by C 18 reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector. Antioxidant activity of soybean extracts was assessed using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and total phenolic compounds (TPC) were determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The range of total isoflavones (TI) was 558.2-1048.6 microg g (-1) of soy in Indian cultivars, and it was 627.9-1716.9 microg g (-1) of soy in the case of Bulgarian cultivars. The highest and lowest total isoflavone contents were observed for Maus-2 (1048.6 microg g (-1) of soy) and Hardee (558.2 microg g (-1) of soy), respectively, for the Indian cultivars, and they were observed for Boryara (1716.9 microg g (-1) of soy) and Line 5 (627.9 microg g (-1) of soy) for the Bulgarian genotypes. DPPH radical scavenging activity did not differ significantly among the cultivars and did not correlate with TI, whereas TPC correlated well with TI and weakly with DPPH. Malonylglucoside of all the aglycones, total genistein (TGin), and total daidzein (TDin) showed strong correlation with total isoflavones, whereas acetylglucoside and aglycone levels did not significantly correlate with total isoflavone. Profiling of soybean isoflavone is helpful in understanding the regulation of isoflavone biosynthesis for greater improved resistance of crops to disease and greater health benefits for humans. This comparative study of soybean cultivars grown in India and Bulgaria throws light on their composition and nutraceutical value.