A Comparison Investigation on Antioxidant Activities,Physicochemical Properties and Phytochemical Contents of Kiwifruit Genotypes and Cultivars

The present work was conducted to find the physicochemical properties, chemical components and antioxidant capacity of kiwifruit hydroalcoholic extracts (B-31, HO-1-14, J-242, Bruno, Greenlight, Hayward, Monty, Topstar) grown Yalova, Turkey. Phytochemical tests were performed to determine total phenolic, flavonoid and ascorbic acid. Moreover, the kiwifruit extracts were subjected to evaluate their antioxidant potential using different in vitro assays such as total antioxidant, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, reducing power, metal chelating, free radical, H₂O₂ and superoxide anion scavenging activities at 50–500 μg mL^?1, and also found EC₅₀ and IC₅₀ values. The soluble solid content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and pH were analyzed in all the genotypes and cultivars. The highest total phenolic, flavonoid and ascorbic acid content were found in J-242 (89.53 mg GAE/100 g), J-242 (109.13 mg QE/100 g) and HO-1-14 (64.15 mg/100 g), respectively. The linoleic, palmitic, stearic and oleic acid methyl esters were detected in all kiwifruit extracts by GC/MS. Significant differences were found between genotypes and cultivars in the antioxidant tests. The extracts showed high inhibition of lipid peroxidation and compared to standards, significantly (p < 0.05). The GC/MS analyses confirmed quantitative variability in the antioxidant profiles. The SSC, TA and pH of kiwifruit genotypes and cultivars showed a moderate level. The key parameters for the most active kiwifruit included the following: total antioxidant activity for B-31, H₂O₂ scavenging activity for J-242 and metal chelating activity for Topstar. In conclusion, this study exhibited the important role played by the genotypes and cultivars background on the chemical content and antioxidant profiles.     

Occurrence and prevalence of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cultured in cages in the Black Sea

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cultured in cage systems in the South Eastern Black Sea were surveyed for the type, occurrence and prevalence of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV). Two nearby farms (designated as Farm A and Farm B) were visited monthly in 2007 and 2008. At each farm, 385 fish were selected randomly from five cages. Another farm with infected trout from a hatchery also was monitored for IPNV from the transfer to harvest. IPNV was found to be prevalent in both farms surveyed. In Farm A, IPNV was present throughout the growing period, from January to May, and all five randomly sampled cages tested positive for IPNV in March and April of 2007. In Farm B, IPNV was present only in February and March in 2007, and in 2008, IPNV was observed in January (two cages) and February (one cages) at low levels. Interestingly, IPNV was absent 2 weeks after transfer to the sea at 17.5°C. The same strain of IPNV, genotype III that was isolated from the same stock of fish at the hatchery, reoccurred when water temperatures dropped to 12°C in December in the Black Sea. Transferring fish to the sea at high water temperatures could lessen the negative impacts of IPNV on growth of rainbow trout in brackish water.     

Impact of a Variable Tungsten Pollution on the Elemental Uptake of Two Plant Species

A radish and a grass species were grown in identical substrates either unpolluted or polluted by tungsten (W) at 1, 5, and 10 μg/g levels of watering solutions during 1 month under controlled laboratory conditions. Initially, at 4.1 μg/g, the W content in grass leaves reached 16 μg/g at the highest rate of W supply to the substrate. For radish, the content of W reached 22 and 29 μg/g in the leaves and roots, respectively. The overall W pollution increased significantly the mobility of major elements from substrate to grass leaves, especially at the 5 μg/g pollution level, whereas the W impact on radish leaves resulted in an increase of most contents, only Mn remaining unaffected. The roots from polluted radishes were enriched in Si by 21% and Al by 42% at low pollution, and in Si by 15% at high supply, whereas the uptake of the other elements remained unchanged. It looks like the W pollution at the levels chosen does not impact the transfer of the major and trace elements from roots to leaves of Raphanus sativus. Alternatively, metallic trace elements (Ba, Ni, Cr, Zn, W, Co) of the Raphanus sativus and Chloris gayana leaves outline similar content changes depending on the amount of W pollution. The total rare-earth element contents of the leaves of Raphanus sativus grown in the polluted substrates are lower than those of the leaves from unpolluted substrate. Their normalization in the leaves and roots of Raphanus sativus from the polluted substrates to those of the radish from non-polluted substrate provides flat patterns for both with a positive Eu anomaly for leaves, as for those of the grass and a negative Gd anomaly for roots. Also, addition of soluble W to the substrates induced an increase in the bacterial activity of the soil.     

Rapid quantitative determination of oleuropein in olive leaves (Olea europaea) using mid-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometric analyses

Oleuropein, the major active compound in olive leaf, is well known for its benefits for human health. Oleuropein is classically quantified by HPLC, which is time and chemical consuming, laborious and expensive. The aim of this work was to examine the potential of mid-infrared spectroscopy, as a rapid tool, to predict oleuropein content in olive leaf from five Tunisian cultivars (Chemlali, Chetoui, Meski, Sayali and Zarrazi) and one French cultivar (Bouteillan). The reference data of oleuropein content were obtained by the HPLC method. Hundred five samples were analyzed by HPLC and mid-infrared spectroscopy. Samples were randomly divided in a calibration set (73 samples) and in a validation set (32 samples). The spectral data sets were correlated with reference data of oleuropein content by using partial least squares (PLS) regression algorithm. The results showed that the PLS model gave satisfactory model for quantitative prediction of oleuropein content in olive leaf (relative error of prediction = 8.5%). The correlation coefficient was 0.91 and 0.74 for calibration set and validation set, respectively. It can be concluded that mid-infrared spectroscopy constitutes a promising technique for rapid quantification of oleuropein in olive leaf.     

Metabolism of fluorodifen by soil microorganisms

The metabolism of fluorodifen (p-nitrophenyl α,α,α,-trifluoro-2-nitro-p-tolyl ether) by soil microorganisms in the presence or absence of other carbon and nitrogen sources was studied. The degradation of this herbicide continued for 5 days, when benzoate or acetate and ammonium sulphate were included in the cultures, and for more than 5 weeks when fluorodifen was used as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen.Under all conditions nitrite ions were produced at concentrations ranging between 5 and 80 per cent of the nitro-nitrogen of the fluorodifen present. The highest concentration of nitrite was obtained when added carbon sources were used with fluorodifen. The lowest nitrite concentration accumulated when the fluorodifen was used as sole source of carbon and nitrogen. The nitrite reached a maximum value after a few days of incubation, followed by rapid disappearance.p-Nitrophenol and quinol were identified in the acid-ether extract of cultures. It is suggested that the first step in the degradation of fluorodifen is the hydrolysis of the ether linkage followed by the direct elimination of the nitro-groups as nitrite ions.     

Evaluation of a wild lentil collection for resistance to vascular wilt

Vascular wilt caused byFusarium oxysporum f. sp.lentis Vasud. & Srin. is the major disease of the cultivated lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus). Host plant resistance is the most practical method of disease management. Wild lentils represent an unexplored potential source for disease resistance and other characters. Screening 219 accessions of wildLens Miller and 2 accessions ofVicia montbretii Fisch. & Mey. (syn.Lens montbretii (Fisch et Mey) Davis et Plitm.) for resistance to a Syrian isolate of this fungus at the seedling stage was conducted under artificial inoculation in a plastic house. Resistance at the reproductive growth stage was confirmed in pots in a plastic house and in a wilt-sick plot. Three accessions each ofLens culinaris ssp.orientalis (Boiss.) Ponert andL. nigricans M.B. Godr. ssp.nigricans Godr. and 2 ofL. nigricans ssp.ervoides (Brign.) Lad. maintained their resistance at the reproductive growth stage in the plastic house. All accessions ofL. culinaris ssp.odemensis Lad. andV. montbretii were susceptible. However, in the sick-plot only three accessions (ILWL 79 & ILWL 113 ofL. culinaris ssp.orientalis and ILWL 138 ofL. nigricans ssp.ervoides) maintained a good level of resistance. Resistance at the seedling stage was often found in accessions collected from northern and western sites of the distribution of the genus at low elevations. The most resistant accessions in the field at the reproductive growth stage were from Syria and Turkey.     

Sources of winter hardiness in wild lentil

Summary In high altitude areas (> c. 850 m elevation) in west Asia and north Africa, lentil (Lens culinaris) is grown as a spring crop to avoid severe winter cold. But late fall-sown lentil with winter hardiness has higher yield potential in these areas. In this study a total of 245 accessions of wild lentil, 10 of cultivated lentil and three accessions of Vicia montbretii (syn. L. montbretii) were evaluated for winter hardiness in Syria and Turkey during the 1991/92 season. The absolute minimum temperatures were-16°C in Syria and-18.9°C in Turkey and the susceptible indicators were killed at both locations showing that the cold was sufficient for screening. Although winter hardiness was assessed as percentage of survived plants in Syria and as a visual damage rating on a 1–9 scale in Turkey, there was agreement between the winter hardiness ratings with a correlation of r=–0.56, P<0.001. Accessions of L. culinaris ssp. orientalis exhibited the highest level of winter hardiness, on average; whereas accessions of L. nigricans ssp. ervoides were the most susceptible. Correlations revealed that winter hardiness was concentrated among accessions originating from high elevation areas.     

Volatile components of Camellia sinensis inhibit growth and biofilm formation of oral streptococci in vitro

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of semi fermented and non fermented Camellia sinensis extracts (Black and Green tea) and comparison between them against Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175, S. mitis ATCC 9811 and S. sanguis ATCC 10556 that are responsible for dental caries and bacteremias following dental manipulations. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of both tea extracts were assessed by Well diffusion and Broth dilution methods and examination of cell adherence (Biofilm inhibitory concentrations) was observed on glass slides under phase contrast microscope and colony counts from glass beads. Concentration of 1 mg mL(-1) of semi fermented tea extract was completely biofilm inhibitor but biofilm formation by these bacteria was seen 7 days after treatment with 1 mg mL(-1) of non fermented Camellia sinensis on glass beads and BIC for oral streptococci treated with this extract was 1.5, 2.5 mg mL(-1) of semi fermented and 3 mg mL(-1) of non fermented extracts had bactericidal effect on these bacteria. Semi fermented and non fermented Camellia sinensis extracts were able to prevent growth of oral streptococci. Therefore dental caries significantly reduce and the efficiency of semi fermented tea was higher due to rich content of volatile components rather than non fermented extracts.