Investigation of Antioxidant Content and Capacity in Yellow European Plums

ABSTRACT

Phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of five Yellow European plums (Prunus domestica) were studied using heat reflux extraction. Fresh plums were extracted at 50°C and 70°C, while freeze dried plums were extracted at 50°C, 60°C, and 70°C. Quantification of phenolic compounds such as ascorbic acid, neochlorogenic acid, and chlorogenic acid, was performed using high performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant activity was determined by evaluating the scavenging ability of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric (Fe³⁺) free radicals. Total phenolic content and ferric reducing antioxidant potential were highest for freeze dried samples extracted at 60°C whereas extraction at 70°C resulted in the lowest yield. Neochlorogenic acid was the predominant phenolic compound in each plum genotype followed by ascorbic acid and chlorogenic acid. This study demonstrates that there is an adequate amount of health promoting phytochemicals within European plums, hence extraction of these compounds have potential for use towards functional food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries.     

Mechanism of action of the 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a] pyrimidines

The substituted 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines are a new class of highly active herbicides. Protection of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings from triazolopyrimidine-induced injury by the branched-chain amino acids was observed. Acetolactate synthase (EC 4.1.3.18) was isolated and found to be quite sensitive to inhibition. I₅₀ values for inhibition of the enzyme from a number of plant sources show little variation and no correlation to whole-plant response, suggesting uptake, translocation and metabolism play key roles in modulating herbicidal activity. Further studies indicate that these chemicals are slow, tight-binding inhibitors that are readily dissociated by gel filtration. Some correlations between in-vitro activity and in-vivo activity were observed for ortho-substituted analogs on selected broadleaf species.     

Correction to: Vulnerability of coffee (Coffea spp.) genetic resources in the United States

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - The correct article title is provided here, Vulnerability of coffee (Coffea spp.) genetic resources in the United States.     

Essential role of BDNF in the mesolimbic dopamine pathway in social defeat stress

Mice experiencing repeated aggression develop a long-lasting aversion to social contact, which can be normalized by chronic, but not acute, administration of antidepressant. Using viral-mediated, mesolimbic dopamine pathway-specific knockdown of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), we showed that BDNF is required for the development of this experience-dependent social aversion. Gene profiling in the nucleus accumbens indicates that local knockdown of BDNF obliterates most of the effects of repeated aggression on gene expression within this circuit, with similar effects being produced by chronic treatment with antidepressant. These results establish an essential role for BDNF in mediating long-term neural and behavioral plasticity in response to aversive social experiences.     

Variability and Relationships Among Mixolab,Mixograph, and Baking Parameters Based on Multienvironment Spring Wheat Trials

Because of the large number of cultivars that require examination in the development of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, breeding programs use predictive methods to test end use quality. The Mixograph is a widely used predictive test with which end use quality of many genotypes can be assessed in a short time. By comparison, the Mixolab is a relatively new device with additional capability that might be used for the same purpose. Our objective was to document variability of, and relationships among, 20 parameters obtained from Mixolab, Mixograph, and bake tests. Tests were performed on flour from 18 genotypes grown in 20 environments. Both genotype and environment had significant effects on quality parameter values. Several Mixograph and Mixolab parameters were highly significantly correlated, particularly when genotype mean values over environments were considered. Correlations between loaf volume and Mixolab parameters within environments were inconsistent and suggest that average genotype values over environments will be most useful. For example, the correlation between Mixolab stability and loaf volume (r = 0.25, P < 0.001) was much higher when genotype averages (r = 0.70, P < 0.001) were considered. Our results show that selection for Mixolab stability and water absorption should help delineate and improve the selection of genotypes with greater loaf volume.     

Distribution and extent of diversity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumis</Emphasis> species in the Aravalli ranges of India

Among the 52 species reported in Cucumis, cucumber and muskmelon are the most important species, extensively cultivated by the human for consumption. Diversity has been reported in the wild species of Cucumis from India. Considering the status of genetic erosion of the variability in the various species of Cucumis, a total of 121 germplasm accessions of five different Cucumis species were collected through three explorations in the parts of Aravalli ranges of northwestern India. The paper presents the distribution, collection, extent of variability, associated indigenous traditional knowledge, conservation status of these Cucumis species and prospects of their utilization in crop improvement.     

Biopesticide based sustainable pest management for safer production of vegetable legumes and brassicas in Asia and Africa

Vegetables are one of the important crops which could alleviate poverty and malnutrition among the smallholder farmers in tropical Asia and Africa. However, a plethora of pests limit the productivity of these crops, leading to economic losses. Vegetable producers overwhelmingly rely on chemical pesticides in order to reduce pest‐caused economic losses. However, over‐reliance on chemical pesticides poses serious threats to human and environmental health. Hence, biopesticides offer a viable alternative to chemical pesticides in sustainable pest management programs. Baculoviruses such as nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) and granulovirus (GV) have been exploited as successful biological pesticides in agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Maruca vitrata multiple nucleocapsid NPV (MaviMNPV) was found to be a unique baculovirus specifically infecting pod borer on food legumes, and it has been successfully developed as a biopesticide in Asia and Africa. Entomopathogenic fungi also offer sustainable pest management options. Several strains of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana have been tested and developed as biopesticides in Asia and Africa. This review specifically focuses on the discovery and development of entomopathogenic virus and fungi‐based biopesticides against major pests of vegetable legumes and brassicas in Asia and Africa. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Characterization of Prunus domestica L. in vitro regeneration via hypocotyls

Several important aspects of regeneration of European plum from hypocotyl explants were studied. Multiple shoots were induced and full plants were recovered for a large number of plum varieties. This indicates that European plum species is, in general, very responsive to in vitro regeneration from hypocotyls. Shoot organogenesis could be induced from both mature and immature seed explants but regeneration efficiency was higher when immature seeds were used. Rooting efficiency for varieties with low rooting tendency could be greatly increased by addition of naphthaleneacetic acid in the medium. Primary shoots, when sub-cultured on fresh induction medium, produced multiple shoots at a high frequency and such multiplication could continue for many cycles. The secondary new shoots could be induced for various plum varieties. Plant recovery from the secondary shoots was as efficient as that from the primary shoots. This new system may be an alternative for plum transformation with a potential for increasing transformation efficiency. The system can be used for propagation of transgenic lines and other genetic clones of various varieties.     

Effect of botanicals on the population dynamics ofNephotettix virescens, rice tungro disease incidence and yield of rice

Leaf extracts ofVitex negundo L,Synadenium grantii Hook. f. andProsopis juliflora (SW) DC, and cake ofAzadirachta indica A. Juss. were evaluated for their efficacy in reducing the population of the green leafhopper,Nephotettix virescens (Distant), and its transmission of rice tungro virus under field conditions. All four plant species tested reduced the population of the vector significantly in both the nursery and main field. The lowest population of the vector was recorded with application of neem cake at 5 kg/0.032 ha of nursery, followed by foliar spray of neem seed kernel extract at 5% in the main field. Rice tungro disease incidence was also less in this treatment, with maximum grain yield of 3580 kg/ha in ‘Kharif’ (July-Oct.) and 3257 kg/ha in ‘Rabi’ (Nov.-March) seasons, and a cost:benefit ratio of 1:3.9 in both seasons. However, the maximum cost:benefit ratio of 1:5.6 and 1:5.8 in Kharif and Rabi seasons, respectively, was recorded withV. negundo.