Sugarcane disease recognition through visible and near-infrared spectroscopy using deep learning assisted continuous wavelet transform-based spectrogram.

Utilizing visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy in conjunction with chemometrics methods has been widespread for identifying plant diseases. However, a key obstacle involves the extraction of relevant spectral characteristics. This study aimed to enhance sugarcane disease recognition by combining convolutional neural network (CNN) with continuous wavelet transform (CWT) spectrograms for spectral features extraction within the Vis-NIR spectra (380-1400 nm) to improve the accuracy of sugarcane diseases recognition. Using 130 sugarcane leaf samples, the obtained one-dimensional CWT coefficients from Vis-NIR spectra were transformed into two-dimensional spectrograms. Employing CNN, spectrogram features were extracted and incorporated into decision tree, K-nearest neighbour, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and random forest (RF) calibration models. The RF model, integrating spectrogram-derived features, demonstrated the best performance with an average precision of 0.9111, sensitivity of 0.9733, specificity of 0.9791, and accuracy of 0.9487. This study may offer a non-destructive, rapid, and accurate means to detect sugarcane diseases, enabling farmers to receive timely and actionable insights on the crops' health, thus minimizing crop loss and optimizing yields.

Simultaneous enumeration of yeast and bacterial cells in the context of industrial bioprocesses.

In scenarios where yeast and bacterial cells coexist, it is of interest to simultaneously quantify the concentrations of both cell types, since traditional methods used to determine these concentrations individually take more time and resources. Here, we compared different methods for quantifying the fuel ethanol Saccharomyces cerevisiae PE-2 yeast strain and cells from the probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain in microbial suspensions. Individual suspensions were prepared, mixed in 1:1 or 100:1 yeast-to-bacteria ratios, covering the range typically encountered in sugarcane biorefineries, and analyzed using bright field microscopy, manual and automatic Spread-plate and Drop-plate counting, flow cytometry (at 1:1 and 100:1 ratios), and a Coulter Counter (at 1:1 and 100:1 ratios). We observed that for yeast cell counts in the mixture (1:1 and 100:1 ratios), flow cytometry, the Coulter Counter, and both Spread-plate options (manual and automatic CFU counting) yielded statistically similar results, while the Drop-plate and microscopy-based methods gave statistically different results. For bacterial cell quantification, the microscopy-based method, Drop-plate, and both Spread-plate plating options and flow cytometry (1:1 ratio) produced no significantly different results (p > .05). In contrast, the Coulter Counter (1:1 ratio) and flow cytometry (100:1 ratio) presented results statistically different (p < .05). Additionally, quantifying bacterial cells in a mixed suspension at a 100:1 ratio wasn't possible due to an overlap between yeast cell debris and bacterial cells. We conclude that each method has limitations, advantages, and disadvantages. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY: This study compares methods for simultaneously quantifying yeast and bacterial cells in a mixed sample, highlighting that in different cell proportions, some methods cannot quantify both cell types and present distinct advantages and limitations regarding time, cost, and precision.

Polyamine oxidation enzymes regulate sexual mating/filamentation and pathogenicity in Sporisorium scitamineum.

Sugarcane smut fungus Sporisorium scitamineum produces polyamines putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD), and spermine (SPM) to regulate sexual mating/filamentous growth critical for pathogenicity. Besides de novo biosynthesis, intracellular levels of polyamines could also be modulated by oxidation. In this study, we identified two annotated polyamine oxidation enzymes (SsPAO and SsCuAO1) in S. scitamineum. Compared to the wild type (MAT-1), the ss1paoΔ and ss1cuao1Δ mutants were defective in sporidia growth, sexual mating/filamentation, and pathogenicity. The addition of a low concentration of cAMP (0.1 mM) could partially or fully restore filamentation of ss1paoΔ × ss2paoΔ or ss1cuao1Δ × ss2cuao1Δ. cAMP biosynthesis and hydrolysis genes were differentially expressed in the ss1paoΔ × ss2paoΔ or ss1cuao1Δ × ss2cuao1Δ cultures, further supporting that SsPAO- or SsCuAO1-based polyamine homeostasis regulates S. scitamineum filamentation by affecting the cAMP/PKA signalling pathway. During early infection, PUT promotes, while SPD inhibits, the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in sugarcane, therefore modulating redox homeostasis at the smut fungus-sugarcane interface. Autophagy induction was found to be enhanced in the ss1paoΔ mutant and reduced in the ss1cuao1Δ mutant. Exogenous addition of cAMP, PUT, SPD, or SPM at low concentration promoted autophagy activity under a non-inductive condition (rich medium), suggesting a cross-talk between polyamines and cAMP signalling in regulating autophagy in S. scitamineum. Overall, our work proves that SsPAO- and SsCuAO1-mediated intracellular polyamines affect intracellular redox balance and thus play a role in growth, sexual mating/filamentation, and pathogenicity of S. scitamineum.

VirB11, a traffic ATPase, mediated flagella assembly and type IV pilus morphogenesis to control the motility and virulence of Xanthomonas albilineans.

Xanthomonas albilineans (Xal) is a gram-negative bacterial pathogen responsible for developing sugarcane leaf scald disease, which engenders significant economic losses within the sugarcane industry. In the current study, homologous recombination exchange was carried out to induce mutations within the virB/D4-like type IV secretion system (T4SS) genes of Xal. The results revealed that the virB11-deletion mutant (ΔvirB11) exhibited a loss in swimming and twitching motility. Application of transmission electron microscopy analysis further demonstrated that the ΔvirB11 failed to develop flagella formation and type IV pilus morphology and exhibited reduced swarming behaviour and virulence. However, these alterations had no discernible impact on bacterial growth. Comparative transcriptome analysis between the wild-type Xal JG43 and the deletion-mutant ΔvirB11 revealed 123 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 28 and 10 DEGs were notably associated with flagellar assembly and chemotaxis, respectively. In light of these findings, we postulate that virB11 plays an indispensable role in regulating the processes related to motility and chemotaxis in Xal.

Evolution, identification, evaluation, and characterization of a stable salinity tolerant sugarcane variety CoG 7.

From the fluff generated during 2005, after the preliminary experiments (2005-2007), a promising clone G2005047 has been identified. It showed moderate resistance to red rot (3.6 on a 9-scale scoring system), less susceptibility to shoot borer (13.25%) and internode borers (25.35%), and resistance to woolly aphid (0%). In the Advanced Yield Trials (2008-2011), it showed advantages over check for cane yield (CY) (11.79%), commercial cane sugar percent (CCSP) (0.35%), and sugar yield (SY) (20.33%). To ascertain its large-scale cultivation suitability, it has experimented under adaptive research trials (2012-2014) at farmers' fields. It exhibited 18.04%, 1.27%, and 19.55% supremacy over the check Co 86032 for CY, CCSP, and SY respectively. The stability of G2005047 under salinity was ascertained through a multi-environment-based experiment (2015-2017). AMMI (Additive Main-effects and Multiplicative Interactions) and GGE (Genotype × Genotype-Environment interaction) biplots were utilized. ANOVA revealed that the genotypic variation exerted the most significant effect followed by genotype × environment interaction and environment. G2005047 had the highest mean values for yield and quality traits with minimal ASV (AMMI stability value) (2.38:CY; 0.57: CCSP; & 0.58:SY) indicating its good-yielding ability and stability. AMMI I, AMMI II, and GGE biplots confirmed the stability of G2005047. In the jaggery quality assessment trials (2018 and 2019), it yielded 37.1% increased jaggery over the check. Also, the clone G2005047, exhibited moderate resistance to red rot disease, less susceptibility to shoot borer (13.25%) and internode borer (25.35%), and resistance against sugarcane woolly aphid (SWA). Due to supremacy for yield, quality, better performance under salinized situations, and tolerance to disease and pests, the clone G2005047 was released as a variety CoG 7 in 2022.

Expression of Trichoderma spp. endochitinase gene improves red rot disease resistance in transgenic sugarcane.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.)is an economically useful crop grown globally for sugar, ethanol and biofuel production. The crop is vulnerable to fungus Colletotrichum falcatum known to cause red rot disease. The pathogen hydrolyses stalk parenchyma cells where sucrose is accumulated resulting in upto 75% losses in sugar recovery. In this study, transgenic sugarcane having resistance against red rot was developed by introducing Trichoderma spp. endochitinase following Agrobacterium mediated transformation. The transgene introduction and expression in genetically modified plants were verified through qRT-PCR revealing upto 6-fold enhancement in endochitinase expression than non-transgenic plants. Hyperspectral Imaging of transgenic plants displayed altered leaf reflectance spectra and vegetative indices that were positively correlated with ransgene expression. The bioassay with virulent pathotypes of C. falcatumCF08 and CF13 known for epiphytotic occurrence resulted in identification of resistant plant Chit 3-13.The plants with higher reflectance also displayed improved disease resistance, implying their early classification into resistant/susceptible. The losses in sucrose content were minimized (up to 4-fold) in inoculated resistant plant Chit 3-13 as compared to susceptible non-transgenic plant, and a fewer pathogen hyphae were detected in vascular cells of the former through optical microscopy. The electron micrographs confirmed sucrose-filled stalk parenchyma cells in Chit 3-13; in contrast, cells of non-transgenic inoculated plant were depleted of sucrose. The active sites involved in cleaving 1-4 ß-glycoside bonds of N-acetyl-d-glucosaminein the pathogen hyphal walls were detected through endochitinase protein structural modelling. The transgenic sugarcane is an important source for in trogressingred rot resistance in plant breeding programs.

Synthetic redesign of Escherichia coli W for faster metabolism of sugarcane molasses.

BACKGROUND: Sugarcane molasses, rich in sucrose, glucose, and fructose, offers a promising carbon source for industrial fermentation due to its abundance and low cost. However, challenges arise from the simultaneous utilization of multiple sugars and carbon catabolite repression (CCR). Despite its nutritional content, sucrose metabolism in Escherichia coli, except for W strain, remains poorly understood, hindering its use in microbial fermentation. In this study, E. coli W was engineered to enhance sugar consumption rates and overcome CCR. This was achieved through the integration of a synthetically designed csc operon and the optimization of glucose and fructose co-utilization pathways. These advancements facilitate efficient utilization of sugarcane molasses for the production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP), contributing to sustainable biochemical production processes. RESULTS: In this study, we addressed challenges associated with sugar metabolism in E. coli W, focusing on enhancing sucrose consumption and improving glucose-fructose co-utilization. Through targeted engineering of the sucrose utilization system, we achieved accelerated sucrose consumption rates by modulating the expression of the csc operon components, cscB, cscK, cscA, and cscR. Our findings revealed that monocistronic expression of the csc genes with the deletion of cscR, led to optimal sucrose utilization without significant growth burden. Furthermore, we successfully alleviated fructose catabolite repression by modulating the binding dynamics of FruR with the fructose PTS regulon, enabling near-equivalent co-utilization of glucose and fructose. To validate the industrial applicability of our engineered strain, we pursued 3-HP production from sugarcane molasses. By integrating heterologous genes and optimizing metabolic pathways, we achieved improvements in 3-HP titers compared to previous studies. Additionally, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gapA) repression aids in carbon flux redistribution, enhancing molasses conversion to 3-HP. CONCLUSIONS: Despite limitations in sucrose metabolism, the redesigned E. coli W strain, adept at utilizing sugarcane molasses, is a valuable asset for industrial fermentation. Its synthetic csc operon enhances sucrose consumption, while mitigating CCR improves glucose-fructose co-utilization. These enhancements, coupled with repression of gapA, aim to efficiently convert sugarcane molasses into 3-HP, addressing limitations in sucrose and fructose metabolism for industrial applications.

Responses of leaf gas exchange and metabolites to drought stress in different organs of sugarcane and its closely related species Erianthus arundinaceus.

MAIN CONCLUSION: The high intrinsic water-use efficiency of Erianthus may be due to the low abaxial stomatal density and the accumulation of leaf metabolites such as betaine and gamma-aminobutyric acid. Sugarcane is an important crop that is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Because drought is among the main impediments limiting sugarcane production in these regions, breeding of drought-tolerant sugarcane varieties is important for sustainable production. Erianthus arundinaceus, a species closely related to sugarcane, exhibits high intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), the underlying mechanisms for which remain unknown. To improve the genetic base for conferring drought tolerance in sugarcane, in the present study, we performed a comprehensive comparative analysis of leaf gas exchange and metabolites in different organs of sugarcane and Erianthus under wet and dry soil-moisture conditions. Erianthus exhibited lower stomatal conductance under both conditions, which resulted in a higher iWUE than in sugarcane. Organ-specific metabolites showed gradations between continuous parts and organs, suggesting linkages between them. Cluster analysis of organ-specific metabolites revealed the effects of the species and treatments in the leaves. Principal component analysis of leaf metabolites confirmed a rough ordering of the factors affecting their accumulations. Compared to sugarcane leaf, Erianthus leaf accumulated more raffinose, betaine, glutamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and S-adenosylmethionine, which function as osmolytes and stress-response compounds, under both the conditions. Our extensive analyses reveal that the high iWUE of Erianthus may be due to the specific accumulation of such metabolites in the leaves, in addition to the low stomatal density on the abaxial side of leaves. The identification of drought-tolerance traits of Erianthus will benefit the generation of sugarcane varieties capable of withstanding drought stress.

Overexpression of EaALDH7, an aldehyde dehydrogenase gene from Erianthus arundinaceus enhances salinity tolerance in transgenic sugarcane (Saccharum spp. Hybrid).

Aldehyde Dehydrogenases (ALDH), a group of enzymes, are associated with the detoxification of aldehydes, produced in plants during abiotic stress conditions. Salinity remains a pivotal abiotic challenge that poses a significant threat to cultivation and yield of sugarcane. In this study, an Aldehyde dehydrogenase gene (EaALDH7) from Erianthus arundinaceus was overexpressed in the commercial sugarcane hybrid cultivar Co 86032. The transgenic lines were evaluated at different NaCl concentrations ranging from 0 mM to 200 mM for various morpho-physiological and biochemical parameters. The control plants, subjected to salinity stress condition, exhibited morphological changes in protoxylem, metaxylem, pericycle and pith whereas the transgenic events were on par with plants under regular irrigation. The overexpressing (OE) lines showed less cell membrane injury and improved photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance than the untransformed control plants under stress conditions. Elevated proline content, higher activity of enzymatic antioxidants such as sodium dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and low level of malondialdehyde MDA and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the transgenic lines. The analysis of EaALDH7 expression revealed a significant upregulation in the transgenic lines compared to that of the untransformed control during salt stress conditions. The current study highlights the potentials of EaALDH7 gene in producing salinity-tolerant sugarcane cultivars.

A novel system with robust compatibility and stability for detecting Sugarcane yellow leaf virus based on CRISPR-Cas12a.

Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) can reduce sugarcane productivity. A novel detection system based on reverse transcription-multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification (RT-MIRA) combined with CRISPR-Cas12a, named RT-MIRA-CRISPR-Cas12a, was developed. This innovative approach employs crude leaf extract directly as the reaction template, streamlining the extraction process for simplicity and speed. Combining RT-MIRA and CRISPR-Cas12a in one reaction tube increases the ease of operation while reducing the risk of aerosol contamination. In addition, it exhibits sensitivity equivalent to qPCR, boasting a lower detection limit of 25 copies. Remarkably, the entire process, from sample extraction to reaction completion, requires only 52-57 minutes, just a thermostat water bath. The result can be observed and judged by the naked eye.IMPORTANCESugarcane yellow leaf disease (SCYLD) is an important viral disease that affects sugarcane yield. There is an urgent need for rapid, sensitive, and stable detection methods. The reverse transcription-multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification combined with CRISPR-Cas12a (RT-MIRA-CRISPR-Cas12a) method established in this study has good specificity and high sensitivity. In addition, the system showed good compatibility and stability with the crude leaf extract, as shown by the fact that the crude extract of the positive sample could still be stably detected after 1 week when placed at 4°C. RT-MIRA-CRISPR-Cas12a, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to detect SCYLV on 33 sugarcane leaf samples collected from the field, and it was found that the three methods reached consistent conclusions. This Cas12a-based detection method proves highly suitable for the rapid on-site detection of the SCYLV.

Enhancing herbicide adsorption in low-fertility soil using sugarcane biochar: Insights from Imazapic dynamics.

Biochar amendment has emerged as a potential solution for preventing, remediating, and mitigating agricultural compound pollution. This groundbreaking technique not only improves crucial soil properties like porosity, water retention capacity, cation exchange capacity, and pH, but also intricately impacts the interaction and retention mechanisms of polluting molecules. In this study, we investigate the dynamic of the herbicide Imazapic when subjected to applying pyrolyzed biochars, specifically at temperatures of 300 and 500 °C, within the context of a low-fertility soil characterized as dystrophic Yellow Ultisol (YUd) in a sugarcane cultivation area in Igarassu-PE, Brazil. The biochars were produced from sugarcane bagasse by pyrolysis process in a muffle furnace. In laboratory conditions, with saturated soil columns under steady-state, analyses of the mechanisms involved in interaction and transport and determining hydrodispersive parameters for Imazapic were performed by the two-site nonequilibrium transport model using the CXTFIT 2.0 program. Samples of YUd soil amended with biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C presented a negligible interaction with Imazapic. However, adding biochar pyrolyzed at 500 °C (BC500) to the soil samples enhanced the adsorption coefficient and improved the interaction with Imazapic. This research points out that biochar produced from agricultural waste biomass, such as sugarcane bagasse specifically pyrolyzed at 500 °C, offers a potential means to adsorb herbicides, reducing their leaching to deeper layers of the amended soils and the risk of groundwater contamination and potential environmental negative impacts.

SsCyp86 modulates sporisorium scitamineum mating/filamentation and pathogenicity through regulating fatty acid metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Fatty acid metabolism constitutes a significant and intricate biochemical process within microorganisms. Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes are found in most organisms and occupy a pivotal position in the metabolism of fatty acids. However, the role of CYP450 enzyme mediated fatty acid metabolism in the pathogenicity of pathogenic fungi remains unclear. METHODS: In this study, a CYP450 enzyme-encoding gene, SsCYP86, was identified in the sugarcane smut fungus Sporisorium scitamineum and its functions were characterized using a target gene homologous recombination strategy and metabonomics. RESULTS: We found that the expression of SsCYP86 was induced by or sugarcane wax or under the condition of mating/filamentation. Sexual reproduction assay demonstrated that the SsCYP86 deletion mutant was defective in mating/filamentation and significantly reduced its pathogenicity. Further fatty acid metabolomic analysis unravelled the levels of fatty acid metabolites were reduced in the SsCYP86 deletion mutant. Exogenous addition of fatty acid metabolites cis-11-eicosenoic acid (C20:1N9), pentadecanoic acid (C15:0), and linolenic acid (C18:3N3) partially restored the mating/filamentation ability of the SsCYP86 deletion mutant and restored the transcriptional level of the SsPRF1, a pheromone response transcription factor that is typically down-regulated in the absence of SsCYP86. Moreover, the constitutive expression of SsPRF1 in the SsCYP86 deletion mutant restored its mating/filamentation. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that SsCyp86 modulates the SsPRF1 transcription by fatty acid metabolism, and thereby regulate the sexual reproduction of S. scitamineum. These findings provide insights into how CYPs regulate sexual reproduction in S. scitamineum.

New Natural and Sustainable Cosmetic Preservative Based on Sugarcane Straw Extract.

Preservative ingredients in cosmetic formulations undertake a necessary role in the prevention of microbial contamination. In this field, there is an unmet need for natural, sustainable, and effective preservatives. Thus, the main goal of this work was to evaluate a sugarcane straw extract-based ingredient and investigate its potential as a preservative for cosmetic applications. Different ingredients were developed using several cosmetic solvents to improve the solubility of the extracted compounds. The antimicrobial activity was assessed against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. The 1,2-hexanediol was the solvent that allowed us to achieve the ingredient (20% dry extract dispersed in 25% 1,2-hexanediol in water) with the best antimicrobial performance, showing a minimum inhibitory concentration of between 5% and 3% (I). The 5% (w/v) concentration of this ingredient complied with the USP51 standards for cosmetic preservatives. Real-time (25 °C, 65% RH) and accelerated stability (40 °C, 75% RH) tests were conducted to determine the ingredient stability, and it was found that one month of storage time at room temperature would be ideal for better ingredient stability and performance in terms of composition, pH, color, and antioxidant activity.

Fungal Diversity and Gibberellin Hormones Associated with Long Whips of Smut-Infected Sugarcanes.

Sugarcane smut, caused by the fungus Sporisorium scitamineum (Sydow), significantly affects sugarcane crops worldwide. Infected plants develop whip-like structures known as sori. Significant variations in these whip lengths are commonly observed, but the physiological and molecular differences causing these morphological differences remain poorly documented. To address this, we employed conventional microbe isolation, metagenomic, and metabolomic techniques to investigate smut-infected sugarcane stems and whips of varying lengths. Metagenomics analysis revealed a diverse fungal community in the sugarcane whips, with Sporisorium and Fusarium genera notably present (>1%) in long whips. Isolation techniques confirmed these findings. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography analysis (UHPLC-MS/MS) showed high levels of gibberellin hormones (GA3, GA1, GA4, GA8, and GA7) in long whips, with GA4 and GA7 found exclusively in long whips and stems. Among the prominent genera present within long whips, Fusarium was solely positively correlated with these gibberellin (GA) hormones, with the exception of GA8, which was positively correlated with Sporisorium. KEGG enrichment analysis linked these hormones to pathways like diterpenoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction. These findings suggest that Fusarium may influence GA production leading to whip elongation. Our study reveals fungal dynamics and gibberellin responses in sugarcane smut whips. Future research will explore the related molecular gibberellin synthesis mechanisms.

Diversity of bacteria of the genus Sphingomonas associated with sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) culm apoplast fluid and their agrotechnological potential.

In sugarcane, sequences related to the genus Sphingomonas have been widely detected by microbiome studies. In this work, the presence of bacteria of this genus was confirmed using culture-dependent and independent techniques. A collection of thirty isolates was obtained using semispecific cultivation conditions, and a specific PCR assay was applied to help confirm the isolates as belonging to the genus. A series of laboratory evaluations were carried out to identify potential properties among the isolates in the collection, which consequently allowed the identification of some most promising isolates for the development of new agricultural bioinputs. In a separate analysis, the culture-independent fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methodology was applied to demonstrate the natural occurrence of Sphingomonas in different organs and tissues of sugarcane. The results showed the presence of bacteria of the genus in the spaces between cells (apoplast) of the culm parenchyma, in vessels in the region of the leaf vein, on the adaxial surface of the leaf blade, and on the root surface, sometimes close to the base of root hairs, which suggests extensive colonization on the host plant. In summary, the present study corroborates previous metagenomic amplicon sequencing results that indicated a high occurrence of Sphingomonas associated with sugarcane. This is the first study that uses approaches other than amplicon sequencing to confirm the occurrence of the genus in sugarcane and, at the same time, demonstrates potentially beneficial activities to be explored by sugarcane cultivation.

Adsorptive removal of Pb(II) ions from aqueous effluents using O-carboxymethyl chitosan Schiff base-sugarcane bagasse microbeads.

In this study, a novel and cost-effective approach was employed to prepare an effective Pb(II) adsorbent. We synthesized highly porous CMCSB-SCB microbeads with multiple active binding sites by combining carboxymethylated chitosan Schiff base (CMCSB) and sugarcane bagasse (SCB). These microbeads were structurally and morphologically characterized using various physical, analytical, and microscopic techniques. The SEM image and N2-adsorption analysis of CMCSB-SCB revealed a highly porous structure with irregularly shaped voids and interconnected pores. The CMCSB-SCB microbeads demonstrated an impressive aqueous Pb(II) adsorption capacity, reaching a maximum of 318.21 mg/g, under identified optimal conditions: pH 4.5, 15 mg microbeads dosage, 30 min contact time, and Pb(II) initial concentration (350 mg/L). The successful adsorption of Pb(II) onto CMCSB-SCB beads was validated using FTIR, EDX, and XPS techniques. Furthermore, the experimental data fitting indicated a good agreement with the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.99633), whereas the adsorption kinetics aligned well with the pseudo-second-order model (R2 = 0.99978). The study also identified the Pb(II) adsorption mechanism by CMCSB-SCB microbeads as monolayer chemisorption.

Design of an agro-industrial by-products-based media for the production of probiotic bacteria for fish nutrition.

Probiotic production in commercial culture media is expensive, so, it is necessary to design culture media based on "low-cost" components like agro-industrial by-products. Therefore, this study aimed to design an agro-industrial by-product-based culture media using whey, sugarcane molasses, and palm kernel cake as components to produce Lactococcus lactis A12, Priestia megaterium M4, and Priestia sp. M10 isolated from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) associated gut microbiota. Higher bacterial concentrations were achieved at high whey concentrations and low concentrations of sugarcane molasses and palm kernel cake (PKC) using agitation. The optimal conditions were whey, 3.84% w/v; sugarcane molasses, 7.39% w/v; PKC, 0.77% w/v; and agitation speed, 75 RPM. Bacterial growth under optimal conditions was compared to that in commercial Brain-Heart Infusion (BHI) broth. L. lactis A12 showed similar growth in the optimal media and BHI. The estimated cost of the culture media based on component prices was USD $ 3.01/L, which is 86.93% lower than BHI broth (USD $ 23.04/L). It was possible to design a "low-cost agro-industrial by-product-based culture media to produce L. lactis A12 and the two Priestia species under monoculture conditions.

Sustainable synthesis pathways: Bacterial nanocellulose from lignocellulosic biomass for circular economy initiatives.

The hydrothermal pretreatment process stands out as a pivotal step in breaking down the hemicellulosic fraction of lignocellulosic biomasses, such as sugarcane bagasse and eucalyptus sawdust. This pretreatment step is crucial for preparing these materials for subsequent processes, particularly in food applications. This technique aims to disintegrate plant wall components like cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and facilitating access in later phases such as enzymatic hydrolysis, and ultimately making fermentable sugars available. In this study, sugarcane bagasse and eucalyptus sawdust biomass underwent hydrothermal pretreatment at specific conditions, yielding two key components: dry biomass and hemicellulose liquor. The primary focus was to assess the impact of hydrothermal pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis, using the Celic Ctec III enzyme cocktail, to obtain fermentable sugars. These sugars were then transformed into membranes via strain Gluconacetobacter xylinus bacterial biosynthesis. Notably, the addition of a nitrogen source significantly boosted production to 14.76 g/ in hydrolyzed sugarcane bagasse, underscoring its vital role in bacterial metabolism. Conversely, in hydrolyzed eucalyptus, nitrogen source inclusion unexpectedly decreased yield, highlighting the intricate interactions in fermentation media and the pivotal influence of nitrogen supplementation. Characterization of membranes obtained in synthetic and hydrolyzed media through techniques such as FEG-SEM, FTIR, and TGA, followed by mass balance assessment, gauged their viability on an industrial scale. This comprehensive study aimed not only to understand the effects of pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis but to also evaluate the applicability and sustainability of the process on a large scale, providing crucial insights into its feasibility and efficiency in practical food-related scenarios, utilizing nanocellulose bacterial (BNC) as a key component.

Relationship between the mineral content of sugarcane and its genuine derivative, non-centrifugal raw cane sugar.

Non-centrifugal raw cane sugar (NRCS) is a minimally processed product from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L). This product contains phytochemical and nutritional compounds that benefit human health. Despite these advantages, NRCS commercialization is hindered by a lack of knowledge about its composition and, consequently, the absence of quality standards. Studies associating the nutritional composition of sugarcane varieties and their genuine products have not yet been found in the literature, and understanding this relationship can help establish quality standards for this product. Therefore, this study evaluated the mineral nutritional composition of genuine derivative NRCS produced from two sugarcane varieties obtained under different agronomic conditions at two stages of maturation to verify the relationships between raw material and the product. The obtained sugarcanes, juices, and bagasse, as well as the produced sugars, were analyzed for mineral content, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc, using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Most mineral constituents of sugarcane are in the juice in direct proportions to those in raw sugarcane. Thus, minimally processed food derivatives have nutritional characteristics equivalent to the raw materials. Consumption of NRCS contributes to meeting daily requirements for essential nutrients such as magnesium, copper, potassium, and manganese. For manganese, 25 g of NRCS, like the one produced in this study, can fulfill 22 to 76 % of an adult male's daily mineral requirements. The variation observed in the four NRCS samples, obtained from the same sugarcane variety under different maturation and agronomic conditions, was 250 %. This variation makes establishing quality parameters for mineral or ash content difficult. Therefore, setting mineral content levels for NRCS is inappropriate, as this parameter naturally depends on the raw material.