Higher-order species interactions cause time-dependent niche and fitness differences: Experimental evidence in plant-feeding arthropods.

Species interact in different ways, including competition, facilitation and predation. These interactions can be non-linear or higher order and may depend on time or species densities. Although these higher-order interactions are virtually ubiquitous, they remain poorly understood, as they are challenging both theoretically and empirically. We propose to adapt niche and fitness differences from modern coexistence theory and apply them to species interactions over time. As such, they may not merely inform about coexistence, but provide a deeper understanding of how species interactions change. Here, we investigated how the exploitation of a biotic resource (plant) by phytophagous arthropods affects their interactions. We performed monoculture and competition experiments to fit a generalized additive mixed model to the empirical data, which allowed us to calculate niche and fitness differences. We found that species switch between different types of interactions over time, including intra- and interspecific facilitation, and strong and weak competition.

Root responses to abiotic stress: a comparative look at root system architecture in maize and sorghum.

Under all environments, roots are important for plant anchorage and acquiring water and nutrients. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding how root architecture contributes to stress tolerance in a changing climate. Two closely related plant species, maize and sorghum, have distinct root system architectures and different levels of stress tolerance, making comparative analysis between these two species an ideal approach to resolve this knowledge gap. However, current research has focused on shared aspects of the root system that are advantageous under abiotic stress conditions rather than on differences. Here we summarize the current state of knowledge comparing the root system architecture relative to plant performance under water deficit, salt stress, and low phosphorus in maize and sorghum. Under water deficit, steeper root angles and deeper root systems are proposed to be advantageous for both species. In saline soils, a reduction in root length and root number has been described as advantageous, but this work is limited. Under low phosphorus, root systems that are shallow and wider are beneficial for topsoil foraging. Future work investigating the differences between these species will be critical for understanding the role of root system architecture in optimizing plant production for a changing global climate.

Development of alkaline phosphatase-linked single-chain variable fragment fusion proteins for one-step immunodetection of deoxynivalenol in cereals.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin that widely distributes in various foods and seriously threatens food safety. To minimize the consumers' dietary exposure to DON, there is an urgent demand for developing rapid and sensitive detection methods for DON in food. In this study, a bifunctional single-chain variable fragment (scFv) linked alkaline phosphatase (ALP) fusion protein was developed for rapid and sensitive detection of deoxynivalenol (DON). The scFv gene was chemically synthesized and cloned into the expression vector pET25b containing the ALP gene by homologous recombination. The prokaryotic expression, purification, and activity analysis of fusion proteins (scFv-ALP and ALP-scFv) were well characterized and performed. The interactions between scFv and DON were investigated by computer-assisted simulation, which included hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, and van der Waals forces. The scFv-ALP which showed better bifunctional activity was selected for developing a direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dc-ELISA) for DON in cereals. The dc-ELISA takes 90 min for one test and exhibits a half inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 11.72 ng/mL, of which the IC50 was 3.08-fold lower than that of the scFv-based dc-ELISA. The developed method showed high selectivity for DON, and good accuracy was obtained from the spike experiments. Furthermore, the detection results of actual cereal samples analyzed by the method correlated well with that determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (R2=0.97165). These results indicated that the scFv-ALP is a promising bifunctional probe for developing the one-step colorimetric immunoassay, providing a new strategy for rapid and sensitive detection of DON in cereals.

Plant adaptation to climate change.

Plants are vital to human health and well-being, as well as helping to protect the environment against the negative impacts of climate change. They are an essential part of the 'One Health' strategy that seeks to balance and optimize the health of people, animals and the environment. Crucially, plants are central to nature-based solutions to climate mitigation, not least because soil carbon storage is an attractive strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and the associated climate change. Agriculture depends on genetically pure, high-quality seeds that are free from pests and pathogens and contain a required degree of genetic purity. This themed collection addresses key questions in the field encompassing the biochemical mechanisms that underlie plant responses and adaptations to a changing climate. This collection encompasses an analysis of the biochemistry and molecular mechanisms underpinning crop and forest resilience, together with considerations of plant adaptations to climate change-associated stresses, including drought, floods and heatwaves, and the increased threats posed by pathogens and pests.

Examining the effects of brand and licensed characters on parents' perceptions of Children's breakfast cereals.

Brand and licensed characters frequently appear on children's breakfast cereal boxes and are known to affect children's product perceptions, selection, and consumption. However, less is known about their impact on parents' perceptions of foods they purchase for their child. The present study assessed the impact of brand and licensed characters featured on three children's breakfast cereal packages on parents' intentions and perceptions in an online experiment. Parents of children aged 2-12 years (n = 1013) were randomized into one of two conditions: breakfast cereals containing brand and licensed characters or breakfast cereals without any characters. Within each condition, participants viewed three breakfast cereal brands in random order per their assigned condition and reported their purchase intentions, healthfulness perceptions, and perceptions of appeal to children using 5-point Likert scales. No significant differences in purchase intentions (p = 0.91), perceived healthfulness (p = 0.52) or perceived child appeal (p = 0.59) were observed between the experimental and control groups. However, exploratory moderation analyses revealed that educational attainment moderated the impact of experimental condition on purchase intentions (p for interaction = 0.002) such that participants with a bachelor's degree in the character condition reported 0.36 points lower purchase intentions compared to the control with no difference between conditions for those with an associate's degree/trade school or high school degree or less. This study did not find an impact of brand and licensed characters on children's breakfast cereals, suggesting that their primary appeal is directly to children. Parents with higher educational attainment may be skeptical of characters on cereal brands. Additional research on the impact of brand and licensed characters on other products, in real-world settings, is needed.

A guide to barley mutants.

BACKGROUND: Mutants have had a fundamental impact upon scientific and applied genetics. They have paved the way for the molecular and genomic era, and most of today's crop plants are derived from breeding programs involving mutagenic treatments. RESULTS: Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the most widely grown cereals in the world and has a long history as a crop plant. Barley breeding started more than 100 years ago and large breeding programs have collected and generated a wide range of natural and induced mutants, which often were deposited in genebanks around the world. In recent years, an increased interest in genetic diversity has brought many historic mutants into focus because the collections are regarded as valuable resources for understanding the genetic control of barley biology and barley breeding. The increased interest has been fueled also by recent advances in genomic research, which provided new tools and possibilities to analyze and reveal the genetic diversity of mutant collections. CONCLUSION: Since detailed knowledge about phenotypic characters of the mutants is the key to success of genetic and genomic studies, we here provide a comprehensive description of mostly morphological barley mutants. The review is closely linked to the International Database for Barley Genes and Barley Genetic Stocks ( bgs.nordgen.org ) where further details and additional images of each mutant described in this review can be found.

Effects of complete substitution of dietary grain and protein sources with by-products on the production performance of mid-lactation dairy cows fed diets based on barley silage under heat-stress conditions.

This study evaluated the effects of replacing cereal grains and soybean meal with by-products (BY) on production performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, nutrient recovery, and eating and chewing behavior of moderate-producing dairy cows under heat-stress conditions. Twelve multiparous Holstein cows (116.7 ± 12.01 d in milk; 42.7 ± 5.06 kg/d milk yield; 665 ± 77 kg body weight; mean ± SD) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square with 28-d periods (21 d for diet adaptation and 7 d for sampling and data collection). Cows were fed a total mixed ration containing a 39.2:60.8 ratio of forage to concentrate throughout the experiment. All diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isonitrogenous, with different concentrates. Diets were (1) control diet based on cereal grains (CON: ground corn and ground barley, plus soybean meal); (2) sugar-rich BY diet (S-BY-CM: beet pulp, citrus pulp, and liquid molasses, plus canola meal); and (3) cereal grain BY diet (CG-BY: rice bran, corn germ meal, wheat bran, barley sprout, and broken corn). Our results showed that replacing grains with BY increased neutral detergent fiber intake and digestibility but decreased starch intake, human-edible energy, and human-edible protein. Milk yield and dry matter intake (DMI) decreased more in cows fed the CG-BY diet compared with the other 2 treatments. In contrast, no significant differences were observed between the CON and S-BY-CM diets in terms of milk yield and DMI. The S-BY-CM diet increased energy-corrected milk production compared with the CG-BY diet (36.2 vs. 34.3 kg/d), but CG-BY enhanced feed conversion efficiency compared with the other 2 treatments. Although the S-BY-CM diet prolonged the eating and sorting of small particles, neither of the dietary treatments affected chewing activity or ruminal pH 4 h after feeding. Furthermore, both diets containing BY contributed to an increase in milk fat content in comparison to the CON group. Additionally, the CG-BY and S-BY-CM diets demonstrated better performance than the CON diet in terms of human-edible feed conversion efficiency for protein and energy. The results indicated that S-BY-CM can completely replace barley and corn grain in the diet of mid-lactating dairy cows exposed to heat-stress conditions without any negative effect on production and ruminal pH. However, the inclusion of CG-BY did impair DMI, milk yield, and digestibility of nutrients and is not recommended during heat-stress conditions.

Probabilistic risk assessment of dietary exposure to benzophenone derivatives in cereals in Taiwan.

Benzophenone (BP) and BP derivatives (BPDs) are widely used as ultraviolet (UV) stabilizers in food packaging materials and as photoinitiators in UV-curable inks for printing on food-contact materials. However, our knowledge regarding the sources and risks of dietary exposure to BP and BPDs in cereals remains limited, which prompted us to conduct this study. We measured the levels of BP and nine BPDs-BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, BP-8, 2-hydroxybenzophenone, 4-hydroxybenzophenone, 4-methylbenzophenone (4-MBP), methyl-2-benzoylbenzoate, and 4-benzoylbiphenyl-in three types of cereals (rice flour, oatmeal, and cornflakes; 180 samples in total). A Bayesian Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MC) simulation approach was used for deriving the posterior distributions of BP and BPD residues. This approach helped in addressing the uncertainty in probabilistic distribution for the sampled data under the detection limit. Through an MC simulation, we calculated the daily exposure levels of dietary BP and BPDs and corresponding health risks. The results revealed the ubiquitous presence of BP, BP-3, and 4-MBP in cereals. Older adults (aged >65 years) had the highest (97.5 percentile) lifetime carcinogenic risk for BP exposure through cereals (9.41 × 10-7), whereas children aged 0-3 years had the highest (97.5 percentile) hazard indices for BPD exposure through cereals (2.5 × 10-2). Nevertheless, across age groups, the lifetime carcinogenic risks of BP exposure through cereals were acceptable, and the hazard indices for BPD exposure through cereals were <1. Therefore, BPD exposure through cereals may not be a health concern for individuals in Taiwan.

Evaluation of highly adsorptive Guefoams (multifunctional guest-containing foams) as a potential sorbent for determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by means of thermal desorption.

The present work delves into the feasibility of employing a novel structured sorbent referred to as GFAD (Guefoam Adsorption Device) for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in liquid samples. The chosen method has been static headspace sorptive extraction-thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HSSE-TD-GC-MS). The GFAD comprises an aluminum cellular material with a distinct replication structure and a solid guest phase consisting of activated carbon particles dispersed within the cavities of the cellular aluminum. The extensive specific surface area, robustness, and exceptional thermal conductivity of this pioneering material offer distinct advantages over commercially available polydimethylsiloxane-based Twister® devices. Therefore, the trapping efficiency for volatile organic compounds is enhanced, and it is possible to perform the analysis of concentrated samples. According to computational simulations, it has been demonstrated that GFAD has a high heat conductivity. As a result, the desorption efficiency is improved, and minimal temperature gradients are generated throughout the GFAD during the heating process. Besides, the energy consumption is significantly lowered, thus aligning with environmentally conscientious and sustainable analytical practices.The experimental results give a proof of the suitability of the GFAD for determining gaseous compounds in liquid samples through HSSE-TD-GC-MS. For volatile species, the new material provides higher peak areas and lower limits of detection than a commercially available Twister® device. Furthermore, the GFAD is reusable, its adsorbing properties remaining unchanged during, at least, 100 consecutive analyses. In addition, unlike to the Twister®, no intense siloxane peaks are observed in the chromatograms obtained with the GFAD. The feasibility of qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis with the new accessory has been demonstrated with both standards and a cereal bioethanol real sample.

Solid-state fermentation using wheat bran to produce glucose syrup and functional cereal bars.

Wheat bran is one of the most abundant by-products from grain milling, which can be used as substrate for solid-state fermentation (SSF) to obtain enzymes able to convert this agro-industrial waste into glucose syrup, which in turn can be applied for the production of different food products. The present study aimed to determine centesimal composition of wheat bran, obtain enzymatic extract that converts wheat bran into wheat glucose syrup (WGS), produce rice flakes cereal bars (RFCB), and evaluate their nutritional composition and the presence of functional compounds, as well as their antioxidant potential. Determination of centesimal composition of wheat bran demonstrated its nutritional potential. Enzymatic extract was obtained and it converted wheat bran into WGS, which were applied to rice flakes producing RFCB. These cereal bars proved to be a source of dietary fiber (1.8 g) and soluble protein (7.2 g) while RCFB produced with corn glucose syrup did not present these nutritional components. In addition, RFCB produced with WGS showed polyphenolic compounds, among them flavonoids, which exhibited antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging (47.46% and 711.89 µM Trolox Equivalent/g, respectively), and iron ion reduction (71.70 µM Trolox equivalent/g). Final product showed a decrease in caloric value and sodium content. Therefore, the present study showed that the bioprocess of SSF yields a nutritional, ecological, and functional food product, which might be of great interest for food industry, adding nutritional and functional value to a well-stablished product.

Application of MOX Sensors to Determine the Emission of Volatile Compounds in Corn Groats as a Function of Vertical Pressure in the Silo and Moisture Content of the Bed.

This study was focused on the analysis of the emission of volatile compounds as an indicator of changes in the quality degradation of corn groats with 14% and 17% moisture content (wet basis) using an electronic nose (Agrinose) at changing vertical pressure values. The corn groats were used in this study in an unconsolidated state of 0 kPa (the upper free layer of bulk material in the silo) and under a consolidation pressure of 40 kPa (approximately 3 m from the upper layer towards the bottom of the silo) and 80 kPa (approximately 6 m from the upper layer towards the bottom of the silo). The consolidation pressures corresponded to the vertical pressures acting on the layers of the bulk material bed in medium-slender and low silos. Chromatographic determinations of volatile organic compounds were performed as reference tests. The investigations confirmed the correlation of the electronic nose response with the quality degradation of the groats as a function of storage time. An important conclusion supported by the research results is that, based on the determined levels of intensity of volatile compound emission, the electronic nose is able to distinguish the individual layers of the bulk material bed undergoing different degrees of quality degradation.

Molecular and Systems Biology Approaches for Harnessing the Symbiotic Interaction in Mycorrhizal Symbiosis for Grain and Oil Crop Cultivation.

Mycorrhizal symbiosis, the mutually beneficial association between plants and fungi, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its widespread significance in agricultural productivity. Specifically, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) provide a range of benefits to grain and oil crops, including improved nutrient uptake, growth, and resistance to (a)biotic stressors. Harnessing this symbiotic interaction using molecular and systems biology approaches presents promising opportunities for sustainable and economically-viable agricultural practices. Research in this area aims to identify and manipulate specific genes and pathways involved in the symbiotic interaction, leading to improved cereal and oilseed crop yields and nutrient acquisition. This review provides an overview of the research frontier on utilizing molecular and systems biology approaches for harnessing the symbiotic interaction in mycorrhizal symbiosis for grain and oil crop cultivation. Moreover, we address the mechanistic insights and molecular determinants underpinning this exchange. We conclude with an overview of current efforts to harness mycorrhizal diversity to improve cereal and oilseed health through systems biology.

Bio-functional and prebiotics properties of products based on whole grain sorghum fermented with lactic acid bacteria.

BACKGROUND: Products fermented with lactic acid bacteria based on whole grain flours of red or white sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) added with malted sorghum flour, or with skim milk (SM) were developed. Composition, protein amino acid profile, total acidity, pH, prebiotic potential, and bio-functional properties after simulation of gastrointestinal digestion were evaluated. RESULTS: In all cases, a pH of 4.5 was obtained in approximately 4.5 h. The products added with SM presented higher acidity. Products made only with sorghum presented higher total dietary fiber, but lower protein content than products with added SM, the last ones having higher lysine content. All products exhibited prebiotic potential, white sorghum being a better ingredient to promote the growth of probiotic bacteria. The addition of malted sorghum or SM significantly increased the bio-functional properties of the products: the sorghum fermented products added with SM presented the highest antioxidant (ABTS•+ inhibition, 4.7 ± 0.2 mM Trolox), antihypertensive (Angiotensin converting enzyme-I inhibition, 57.3 ± 0.5%) and antidiabetogenic (dipeptidyl-peptidase IV inhibition, 31.3 ± 2.1%) activities, while the products added with malted sorghum presented the highest antioxidant (reducing power, 1.6 ± 0.1 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/mL) and antidiabetogenic (α-amylase inhibition, 38.1 ± 0.9%) activities. CONCLUSION: The fermented whole grain sorghum-based products could be commercially exploited by the food industry to expand the offer of the three high-growth markets: gluten-free products, plant-based products (products without SM), and functional foods. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Orchestrating seed storage protein and starch accumulation toward overcoming yield-quality trade-off in cereal crops.

Achieving high yield and good quality in crops is essential for human food security and health. However, there is usually disharmony between yield and quality. Seed storage protein (SSP) and starch, the predominant components in cereal grains, determine yield and quality, and their coupled synthesis causes a yield-quality trade-off. Therefore, dissection of the underlying regulatory mechanism facilitates simultaneous improvement of yield and quality. Here, we summarize current findings about the synergistic molecular machinery underpinning SSP and starch synthesis in the leading staple cereal crops, including maize, rice and wheat. We further evaluate the functional conservation and differentiation of key regulators and specify feasible research approaches to identify additional regulators and expand insights. We also present major strategies to leverage resultant information for simultaneous improvement of yield and quality by molecular breeding. Finally, future perspectives on major challenges are proposed.

Cereal type and conditioning temperature altered protein and carbohydrate molecular structure, nutrient retention and performance in broilers fed pellet diets during starter and grower period.

1. Effects of cereal type and conditioning temperature (CT) on protein and carbohydrate (CHO) molecular structures, nutrient retention, carcass and blood characteristics, caecal microbial population and growth criteria of broilers fed pellet diet were evaluated for a total period of 35 d.2. In total, 336-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were randomly allotted into a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two different cereal types (maize or wheat) processed in two different temperatures (CT; 68°C or 90°C) with seven pen replicates containing 12 birds each.3. Chicks fed the maize-based diets significantly gained higher body weight (BW) and lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) in comparison to the chicks fed wheat-based diets during the whole grow-out period (p < 0.01). Overall, the highest BW and feed intake (FI) were seen in birds fed wheat-based diets conditioned at 68°C, but the lowest FCR was observed in maize-based diet conditioned at 90°C at 7, 14 and 21 d of age (p < 0.01). However, BW was higher and FCR lower in chicks fed maize-based diets conditioned at 90°C in the grower period (28 and 35 d; p < 0.01).4. The α-helix height was higher in wheat-based starter diets in comparison to the maize-based diet (p < 0.01). Ratio of amide I to II area and total CHO peak height were increased when diets were processed at 90°C in both maize and wheat-based starter diet (p < 0.05). Increasing the CT from 68°C to 90°C reduced CHO peak 1 and 2 height by 11.6% and 3.95%, respectively, in maize-based starter diets, while increasing the CT from 68°C to 90°C reduced CHO peak 1 and 2 height by 54.3% and 57.2%, respectively, in wheat-based starter diets. In the grower diets, increasing the CT from 68°C to 90°C increased CHO peak 1 by 23% in maize-based diets, but reduced CHO peak 1 by 24.5% in wheat-based diets.5. Calcium and phosphorous retention were highest in chicks fed wheat-based diets conditioned at 90°C and lowest in chicks fed maize-based diets conditioned at 90°C (p < 0.01). Salmonella, E. coli and coliforms in the caeca reduced significantly (p < 0.05) in chicks fed wheat-based diets conditioned at 90°C on d 11 and increased with the same diet at 35 d of age compared to the chicks fed maize-based diets conditioned at both 68°C and 90°C or wheat-based diets conditioned at 68°C.6. Conditioning the wheat-based diets at 68°C improved production responses without causing any adverse effects on protein and CHO molecular structures, however increasing the conditioning temperature to 90°C impaired performance due to alteration of protein and CHO molecular structures. In contrast, conditioning of the maize-based diets at 90°C had the opposite effect, and improved production performance compared to diets conditioned at 68°C.

FODMAP Content Like-by-like Comparison in Spanish Gluten-free and Gluten-containing Cereal-based Products.

Gluten-free foods (GF) availability on supermarket shelves is growing and it is expected to continue expanding in the years ahead. These foods have been linked to a lower content of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs), molecules that trigger gastrointestinal symptoms in sensitive persons. In this study, the FODMAP content of 25 cereal-based GF foods in Spain (breakfast cereals, pasta, bread, biscuits, bakery products, and dough and puff pastry) and 25 gluten-containing equivalents (GC) available in the same supermarket were analysed and compared. Lactose, fructose, glucose, sorbitol, mannitol, raffinose, stachyose and fructans were quantified. In a like-by-like analysis, GF foods were found to generally contain fewer FODMAPs than their GC counterparts. The ingredients used in the manufacture of GF cereal-based foods may contribute to this fact. When the individually wrapped size was considered, the proportion of samples classified as high-FODMAPs in GC and GF foods showed a trend towards fewer samples in the GF. However, not all the GF samples were low-FODMAP. Altogether, our findings provide essential information for FODMAP content databases of GF products in Spain.

Effect of microplastics used in agronomic practices on agricultural soil properties and plant functions: Potential contribution to the circular economy of rural areas.

The extensive use of plastic materials and their improper disposal results in high amounts of plastic waste in the environment. Aging of plastics leads to their breakdown into smaller particles, such as microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics. This research investigates plastics used in agricultural practices as they contribute to MP pollution in agricultural soils. The distribution and characteristics of MPs in agricultural soils were evaluated. In addition, the effect of MPs on soil properties, the relationship between MPs and metals in soil, the effect of MPs on the fate of pesticides in agricultural soils and the influence of MPs on plant growth were analysed, discussing legume, cereal and vegetable crops. Finally, a brief description of the main methods of chemical analysis and identification of MPs is presented. This study will contribute to a better understanding of MPs in agricultural soils and their effect on the soil-plant system. The changes induced by MPs in soil parameters can lead to potential benefits as it is possible to increase the availability of micronutrients and reduce plant uptake of toxic elements. Furthermore, although plastic pollution remains an emerging threat to soil ecosystems, their presence may result in benefits to agricultural soils, highlighting the principles of the circular economy.

Influence of storage on physico-chemical physiognomies of fermented whey cereal (pearl millet and moth bean) beverage.

The present study concludes the impact of storage on changes in physico-chemical characteristics of fermented whey cereal (pearl millet and moth bean) beverage. The beverage was prepared by fermented whey (standardised to 4% fat and 18% total solids) supplemented with germinated pearl millet and moth bean slurry & using NCDC-167 as starter culture for 6-8 h at 37 °C. The developed beverage was then stored at 5 °C for 4 weeks. The samples were analysed for physico-chemical characteristics (pH, titrable acidity, viscosity, tyrosine, FFA, wheying off), sensory qualities changes and microbial quality changes (standard plate count, lactic acid bacteria count, coli form counts) at 3 days' interval for 4 weeks at 4 °C. Control was prepared standardised whey (4% fat and 18% total solids) while treatments were prepared using standardised milk. During storage: acidity, tyrosine values, free fatty acid values and wheying off increased in all the samples The upsurge was on higher side in non nisin treated and non thermised samples compared to control formulation. However, all the samples remained sensorily acceptable upto 12th day of storage. Basic and thermised as well as nisin treated fermented whey cereal products epitomize innovative dairy products with desired functional characteristics with decent shelf life.

Cereal bar enriched with ora-pro-nóbis (Pereskia aculeata Miller): physicochemical and sensory characterization.

Ora-pro-nobis (OPN) is an unconventional food plant with high nutritional value, and its nutritional composition can be altered according to cultivation. Cereal bars are a popular nutrient-poor foods, and OPN could be incorporated to improve the nutritional quality. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics and sensory acceptability of cereal bars enriched with OPN flour (OpnF) from different forms of cultivation. OpnF was obtained by dehydrating and grinding OPN leaves collected in rural (ROpnF) and urban (UOpnF) municipalities. Two formulations of cereal bars, peanut flavor (Bpn) and mango flavor (Bmg), each with 10% OpnF, were prepared. The macronutrients and mineral composition, oxalate content, water activity, texture, color profile, and acceptability were evaluated. ROpnF had the highest protein, iron, and manganese content, whereas UOpnF had the highest ash and magnesium content. The oxalic acid/calcium ratio was 1.43 and did not imply calcium bioavailability. In addition to nutritional and protein values, Bpn and Bmg presented a good sensory acceptability index of > 77.5% with market potential. Bmg has the highest mineral content and is a source of iron, manganese, and magnesium. OpnF can be used in cereal bars and potentially improve nutritional attributes and used in other foods in a similar way.

Mapping of QTLs and meta-QTLs for Heterodera avenae Woll. resistance in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

BACKGROUND: In hexaploid wheat, quantitative trait loci (QTL) and meta-QTL (MQTL) analyses were conducted to identify genomic regions controlling resistance to cereal cyst nematode (CCN), Heterodera avenae. A mapping population comprising 149 RILs derived from the cross HUW 468 × C 306 was used for composite interval mapping (CIM) and inclusive composite interval mapping (ICIM). RESULTS: Eight main effect QTLs on three chromosomes (1B, 2A and 3A) were identified using two repeat experiments. One of these QTLs was co-localized with a previously reported wheat gene Cre5 for resistance to CCN. Seven important digenic epistatic interactions (PVE = 5% or more) were also identified, each involving one main effect QTL and another novel E-QTL. Using QTLs earlier reported in literature, two meta-QTLs were also identified, which were also used for identification of 57 candidate genes (CGs). Out of these, 29 CGs have high expression in roots and encoded the following proteins having a role in resistance to plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs): (i) NB-ARC,P-loop containing NTP hydrolase, (ii) Protein Kinase, (iii) serine-threonine/tyrosine-PK, (iv) protein with leucine-rich repeat, (v) virus X resistance protein-like, (vi) zinc finger protein, (vii) RING/FYVE/PHD-type, (viii) glycosyl transferase, family 8 (GT8), (ix) rubisco protein with small subunit domain, (x) protein with SANT/Myb domain and (xi) a protein with a homeobox. CONCLUSION: Identification and selection of resistance loci with additive and epistatic effect along with two MQTL and associated CGs, identified in the present study may prove useful for understanding the molecular basis of resistance against H. avenae in wheat and for marker-assisted selection (MAS) for breeding CCN resistant wheat cultivars.