Pectin-rich dragon fruit peel extracts: An environmentally friendly emulsifier of natural origin.

Pectin extraction is generally an energy-intensive industrial process, while on the other hand their extraction methods vary from different sources. Starting with that perspective, pectin (WSP) containing ultra-low degree of methylation (31.08 ± 1.27%) from dragon fruit peel (DFP) was extracted by using pure water at room temperature. WSP, dominant in DFP (17.13 ± 1.01%), showed both a high molecular weight and a wide molecular weight distribution, while the yield of the rest acid-soluble pectin (HAP) from DFP residue was only 5.22 ± 0.76%. Furthermore, WSP can stabilize emulsions over a wide range of concentrations and oil phases, especially HIPE. Therefore, the hypothesis was verified that the pectin-rich extract from dragon fruit peel with excellent emulsifying properties could be simply extracted by pure water. This environmentally-friendly and energy-saving extraction method provides a new insight to increase the additional value of dragon fruit peel produced in food processing.

Soilborne bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae promotes cluster root formation in white lupin through ethylene mediation.

Cluster roots of white lupin are induced by low phosphorus (LP) to efficiently access unavailable P, but how soilborne microbes are associated with cluster root formation (CRF) is unclear. We investigated the roles of soilborne bacteria in CRF response to LP by high-throughput sequencing and root-bacteria interactions. Cluster root number was significantly decreased in plants grown in sterilized soil compared with nonsterilized soil. Proteobacteria was enriched in CR, as shown by microbiome analysis of soil (bulk, rhizosphere, and rhizosheath) and roots (main, lateral, and CR). Large-scale gene expression level implicated ethylene mediation in CRF. Klebsiella pneumoniae (P7), a soilborne bacterium belonging to Proteobacteria, was isolated from CR. Among 11 isolated strains, P7 exhibited the highest 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase (ACCD) activity; this enzyme inhibits the biosynthesis of ethylene in plants by the cleavage of the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid and promotes CRF under LP. We constructed an ACCD-deficit mutant accd in the P7 genetic background. The loss-of-function mutation failed to promote CRF under LP conditions. Also, auxin responses may be involved in K. pneumoniae-ethylene-mediated CRF. Overall, we propose that the soilborne bacterium K. pneumoniae promotes CRF of white lupin in response to LP by ethylene mediation.

Triterpenoids from stems of Kadsura heteroclita.

In the present work, we reported the triterpenoids isolated from n-butanol fraction of Kadsura heteroclita which is a Tujia ethnomedicine with trivial name "Xuetong". This effort resulted in the isolation of six unpresented triterpenoids xuetongsu A-F (1-6), along with five known triterpenoids (7-11). The structures of the reported compounds were established on the 1D, and 2D NMR and HRESIMS spectra, along with CD spectroscopic analysis. Moreover, the absolute stereochemistry of compound 7 was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities were evaluated for all isolated compounds, compound 7 shown weak cytotoxic activity against HL-60 with IC50 value of 50.0 µM.

[Comparative analysis and comprehensive evaluation for growth and photosynthetic characteristics of different lily species and varieties].

The biological characteristics,agronomic traits,yield traits,stress resistance,quality and photosynthetic characteristics among six lily varieties were compared in order to screen out the excellent lily varieties suitable for spread planting in Hunan province. Lilium longiflorum had the longest growth period,246 days,among these six lily varieties,while others were about 170 days. The leaves of L.longiflorum,self-selected variety,L. lancifolium and L. dauricum had higher chlorophyll content. No obvious difference was found in net photosynthetic rate,stomatal conductance,transpiration rate and intercellular CO2 concentration among all varieties. The self-selected variety had the highest theoretical and actual yield,2 543. 03,1 608. 65 kg per Mu(1 Mu≈666. 7 m2),respectively,but contents of polysaccharides and flavones in bulbs were lower. All of these six lily varieties can sowing,seedling emergence,growth,flowering,mature harvest in Hunan province. L. dauricum and L. lancifolium would be provided for edible lily. L. brownie and the self-selected variety are highly susceptible varieties. L. dauricum and L. lancifolium are suitable to plant widely in disease-prone regions,due to their strong resistance. L. brownie and L. lancifolium are preferred varieties for medicinal and food using for their good quality and higher contents of polysaccharides and flavones. L. davidii had lower theoretical and actual yield,so planting extension of it should be taken into account.

Risk of phosphorus leaching from phosphorus-enriched soils in the Dianchi catchment, Southwestern China.

As an important pathway for phosphorus (P) transport from soil to water body, P leaching has aroused attention. This study aimed to investigate the degree of risk and forms of P leaching from P-enriched soils. Surface soils were collected from forest land (FL) and open agricultural land (OAL) in typical P-enriched area of the Dianchi catchment, China. Based on analysis of soil P and water-soluble P using chemical methods and (31)P-NMR analysis, combined with a soil column leaching experiment, P forms and risk of P leaching were identified. CaCl2-extractable water-soluble organic P (CaCl2-Po), inorganic P (CaCl2-Pi), and total P (CaCl2-P) extracted using 0.01-M CaCl2 solution were found to be useful for predicting potential organic and inorganic P leaching, given a linear, positive correlation between CaCl2-P, CaCl2-Pi, and CaCl2-Po in soils and accumulated amounts of corresponding P forms in soil leachates. The majority of investigated FL was at or above the change points of 46, 46, and 42 mg AP kg(-1) for CaCl2-Pi, CaCl2-Po, and CaCl2-P, respectively, and thus at a risk of P leaching. Organic and inorganic P leaching was present in nearly all investigated OAL. CaCl2-Po accounted for 66.0 % of CaCl2-P in FL and 56.1 % in OAL. Signals of (31)P-NMR spectra were mainly attributable to orthophosphate, orthophosphate monoesters, and orthophosphate diesters in FL and OAL soils. It is important to consider P loss due to leaching of inorganic and organic P in P-enriched areas.

Fate of phosphorus in diluted urine with tap water.

P loss during the fresh urine storage process is inevitable because of the presence of Ca and Mg. Dilution is one of the most important parameters influencing urine composition and subsequent P recovery. This study aimed to investigate the fate of P in urine with different dilution ratios (Vwater/Vurine, i.e., 0/100, 25/75, 50/50 and 75/25). The results indicate that the percentage of P loss increased from 43% to 76% as the dilution ratio increased from 0/100 to 75/25 because of more Ca and Mg obtained from tap water. Meanwhile, P removal efficiency through struvite precipitation decreased from 51% to 8% because of lower supersaturation ratio as a result of dilution. Struvite crystals with high purity were still obtained even under a dilution ratio of 50/50 urine solution. Batch experiments were also performed to study the influence of temperature (15-35°C) on P recovery and crystal size. For different dilution ratios of urine solutions, no significant discrepancy for the P removal efficiencies were observed at 15 and 35°C, whereas the P removal efficiencies at 25°C showed an increasing gap with those at 15 and 35°C. The largest average crystal sizes were found at 25°C, which was opposite to the trend of P removal efficiency.

[Effects of nitrogen application levels on yield and active composition content of Desmodium styracifolium].

OBJECTIVE: To find out the optimal nitrogen application level of Desmodium styracifolium. METHOD: A field experiment using randomized block design was carried out to study the effects of 5 nitrogen application levels (150, 187.5, 225.0, 262.5 and 300.0 kg x hm(-2)) on yield and active component content of D. styracifolium. RESULT: Nitrogen application could increase the yield and contents of polysaccharide, total flavonoides and total saponins of D. styracifolium. However, the enhancing extent of the active component content and the yield were not always significant with the increase of nitrogen level. In which, the yield were not significantly different among the nitrogen application levels of 225.0, 262.5, 300.0 kg x hm(-2) the polysaccharide content was no significantly difference among the nitrogen application levels of 225.0, 262. 5 and 300.0 kg x hm(-2), the total flavonoides content under the nitrogen level of 300.0 kg x hm(-2) was significantly lower than that of 150.0 kg hm(-2) (P < 0.01), and the total saponins content under the nitrogen level of 300.0 kg x hm(-2) was no significant difference compared with that of 262.5 kg x hm(-2). CONCLUSION: The optimal nitrogen application level of D. styracifolium was 225.0-262.5 kg x hm(-2).