Production, acceptability, nutritional and pasting properties of orange-flesh sweet potato, cowpea and banana flour mix.

Promoting the intake of foods rich in vitamin A is key to combating the increase in vitamin A deficiency. This research focused on the utilization of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (a tuber-based food), cowpea (a pulse), and ripe bananas (a fruit) for the production of flour mix as a means to reduce Vitamin A deficiency in children. Different ratios of sweet potato-cowpea-banana (PCB) mix, resulting in 8 different blended samples, were optimized. The flour mix was evaluated for its overall acceptability, vitamin A content, beta-carotene, and other nutritional and functional properties. The panelists rated the sweet potato-cowpea banana blends labeled PCB8 (60% OFSP, 30% cowpea, 5% ripe banana flour, and 5% sugar) as most preferred and acceptable with average scores of 8.96 points for color, 8.75 points for flavor, 8.88 points for appearance, 8.33 points for taste, 8.07 points for texture, and 8.39 points for overall acceptability on a 9-point hedonic scale. The vitamin A and beta-carotene contents ranged 7.62 to 8.35 mg/100 g and 0.15-0.17 mg/100 g for all blends. A significant difference in the functional properties of the flour mix were observed with an increase in the ratio of sweet potato flour addition. Findings from this study show that the flour mix PCB4 (65% sweet potato, 30% cowpea, and 5% ripe banana flour) was acceptable (8.15) and is recommended based on its vitamin A content (8.35 mg/100 g), nutritional properties, and functional properties. The study showed that locally available food commodities have good nutritional value that will help reduce vitamin A deficiency in children.

Antihypertensive effects of the combined extract of Sorghum bicolor, Vigna angularis, and Eleusine coracana in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

This study investigated the antihypertensive effects of the combined extract of sorghum, adzuki bean, and finger millet (SAFE) on spontaneously hypertensive rats. The rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): WKY, SHR, SAFE (500 mg/kg SAFE), and CAP (50 mg/kg captopril). SAFE significantly decreased the lean-to-fat mass ratio with no notable changes in body weight, food intake, or food efficiency ratio, and it effectively lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressures, comparable to CAP. Moreover, it significantly reduced the cardiac mass index and alleviated cardiac fibrosis. SAFE did not induce hepatotoxicity, as indicated by the maintenance of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels in the normal range, confirming its safety. Taken together, these findings suggested that SAFE can be used as a dietary supplement for blood pressure regulation and cardiovascular disease prevention.

Isolation, characterization, and evaluation of anxiolytic bioactive compounds from the seed of Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek in mice.

Recent therapy for managing anxiety disorders is linked with a wide range of adverse effects. The conventional practice of the use of plant extract may indicate an important and new approach to the anxiolytic agent. Seeds of V. radiata belonging to the family Fabaceae is commonly employed to treat several diseases. However, no data is available to screen its viable neuropharmacological effect regardless of its famous use. Hence, the objective of the present study was to isolate the anxiolytic bioactive compound from seeds of V. radiata. Pure bioactive Compounds SU1 and SU2 were obtained from bioactive fraction F9.3 and fraction F9.5 using the bioactivity-guided fractionation method. The current investigation found that 4 mg/kg (o.p.) of kaempferol and γ-aminobutyric acid exhibit significant anxiolytic action in mice that is statistically comparable to diazepam (2 mg/kg.i.p). This study validates the ethnopharmacological use of V. radiata seeds in the management of anxiety disorders.

Identification of organic pollutants and heavy metals in natural rubber wastewater and evaluation its phytotoxicity and cytogenotoxicity.

The natural rubber industry consumes large volumes of water and annually releases wastewater with rich organic and inorganic loads. This wastewater is allowed for soil irrigation in developing countries. However, the pollutant composition in wastewater and its environmental effects remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to assess the wastewater's physicochemical parameters, toxic organic pollutants, heavy metals, and phytotoxic and cytogenotoxic. The result revealed that values of comprehensive wastewater parameters were recorded as chemical oxygen demand (187432.1 mg/L), pH (4.23), total nitrogen (1157.1 mg/L), ammonia nitrogen (1113.0 mg/L), total phosphorus (1181.2 mg/L), Zn (593.3 mg/L), Cr (0.6127 mg/L), and Ni (0.2986 mg/L). The organic compounds detected by LC-MS were salbostatin, sirolimus, Gibberellin A34-catabolite, 1-(sn-glycero-3-phospho)-1D-myo-inositol, and methyldiphenylsilane. The toxicity of the identified toxic chemicals and heavy metals was confirmed by onion and mung bean phytotoxicity characterization tests. The wastewater affected the germination of mung bean seeds, reduced or inhibited the growth of onions, and induced various chromosomal aberrations in root apical meristems. Our study shows that the treatment of natural rubber wastewater needs to be improved, and the feasibility of irrigating soil with wastewater needs to be reconsidered.

Phytotoxicity of trihalomethanes and trichloroacetic acid on Vigna radiata and Allium cepa plant models.

Disinfection by-products (DBPs) are a concern due to their presence in chlorinated wastewater, sewage treatment plant discharge, and surface water, and their potential for environmental toxicity. Despite some attention to their ecotoxicity, little is known about the phytotoxicity of DBPs. This study aimed to evaluate the individual and combined phytotoxicity of four trihalomethanes (THMs: trichloromethane (TCM), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM), and tribromomethane (TBM) and their mixture (THM4)), and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) using genotoxic and cytotoxic assays. The analysis included seed germination tests using Vigna radiata and root growth tests, mitosis studies, oxidative stress response, chromosomal aberrations (CA), and DNA laddering using Allium cepa. The results showed a progressive increase in root growth inhibition for both plant species as the concentration of DBPs increased. High concentrations of mixtures of four THMs resulted in significant (p < 0.05) antagonistic interactions. The effective concentration (EC50) value for V. radiata was 5655, 3145, 2690, 1465, 3570, and 725 mg/L for TCM, BDCM, DBCM, TBM, THM4, and TCAA, respectively. For A. cepa, the EC50 for the same contaminants was 700, 400, 350, 250, 450, and 105 mg/L, respectively. DBP cytotoxicity was observed through CAs, including C-metaphase, unseparated anaphase, lagging chromosome, sticky metaphase, and bridging. Mitotic depression (MD) increased with dose, reaching up to 54.4% for TCAA (50-500 mg/L). The electrophoresis assay showed DNA fragmentation and shearing, suggesting genotoxicity for some DBPs. The order of phytotoxicity for the tested DBPs was TCAA > TBM > DBCM > BDCM > THM4 > TCM. These findings underscore the need for further research on the phytotoxicity of DBPs, especially given their common use in agricultural practices such as irrigation and the use of sludge as manure.

Cowpea volatiles induced by beet armyworm or fall armyworm differentially prime maize plants.

Exposure to herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) is known to enhance the defense responses in plants. This so-called priming effect has only been marginally studied in intercropping systems. We tested whether HIPVs from cowpea, which often serves as an intercrop alongside maize, can prime herbivore-induced volatile emissions in maize. Conventional volatile collection assays and real-time mass spectrometry revealed that maize plants that were exposed to HIPVs from cowpea infested with Spodoptera exigua caterpillars emitted more than control plants when they themselves were subsequently damaged by the same pest. The enhanced emission was only evident on the first day after infestation. Maize plants that were exposed to HIPVs from cowpea infested by S. frugiperda larvae showed no priming effect and released considerably less upon S. frugiperda infestation than upon S. exigua infestation. The latter may be explained by the fact that S. frugiperda is particularly well adapted to feed on maize and is known to suppress maize HIPV emissions. Our results imply that HIPVs from cowpea, depending on the inducing insect herbivore, may strongly prime maize plants. This deserves further investigation, also in other intercropping systems, as it can have important consequences for tritrophic interactions and crop protection.

Peptide composition analysis, structural characterization, and prediction of iron binding modes of small molecular weight peptides from mung bean.

Iron supplementation is a proactive approach to limit instances of iron deficiency anemia. This study is based on the enzymatic hydrolysis and fractionation of mung bean proteins (MBPs) followed by the determination of the Fe2+ chelating activities of these peptide-containing fractions. MBP-Fe complex was generated using a chemical chelation method and subsequently characterized. Following Sephadex G15 separation of MBPs, one of the fractions containing 10 different peptides, demonstrated maximum Fe2+ chelating activity of 39.97 ± 0.07 µg/mg. The sequences of these peptides were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The Fe2+ ion content of the MBP-Fe complex was determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and 80% of the iron was found to be in Fe2+ oxidation state. After iron chelation, there was an increase in the peptide's particle size, with an average value of 550.67 ± 0.70 nm. This increase in size was attributed to the contributions of the amino proline and glycine, which extended the peptides to form the MBP-Fe complex. Finally, molecular docking studies revealed that Fe2+ mainly bound to carboxy-oxygen of glutamate and aspartate residues of mung bean peptides to form MBP-Fe complex. This research could serve as a scientific foundation for the development of dietary iron supplements using plant-derived peptides.

Nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in different pig breeds fed raw, sprouted, or roasted (Vigna unguiculata) diets.

The study examined effects of feeding iso-nutrient (150 g CP, 17.3 MJ ME kg-1) raw (RCP), sprouted (SPC), or roasted (RSCP) cowpea diets to Windsnyer (W), Large White (LW) × Landrace (LR), and the 3-way crossbred (W × LW × LR) growing pigs. Diet dry matter (DM) digestibility was estimated using standard, 3-step (gastric, small intestines, colon) in vitro digestion. Dietary in vivo nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance were evaluated using 3 weaned pigs of each genotype. Pigs were housed in individual metabolic cages. The diets were assigned to pigs in a 3 × 3 change-over factorial experiment within three balanced, 3 × 3 Latin squares. Feeding periods consisted of 7 days adaption + 5 days' measurement of feed intake, and the total faecal and urine excretions. The SPC diet increased step 3 in vitro DM digestibility compared to RSCP (P < 0.05). Metabolic size-scaled feed consumption was higher on the RCP compared to the RSCP diet (P < 0.05). Cowpea processing reduced apparent DM and ash digestibility (P < 0.05). LW × LR pigs exhibited lower digestibility of ash and acid detergent fiber (ADF) compared to 3-way crossbred pigs (P < 0.05). Significant genotype-diet interactions were observed for nitrogen intake (P < 0.0001), digestible nitrogen (P = 0.043), urinary nitrogen output (P < 0.0001), faecal nitrogen output (P < 0.0001), total nitrogen excretion (P < 0.0001), and nitrogen retention (P < 0.001). The biological value of feed protein was higher for W pigs than 3-way crossbred pigs (P < 0.05). Genotype-diet interactions suggested unique digestive and, or metabolic adaptive traits in the utilization of the differently processed cowpeas, which need further investigation.

In situ self-induced electrical stimulation to plants: Modulates morphogenesis, photosynthesis and gene expression in Vigna radiata and Cicer arietinum.

Specific stimuli to plants influence intracellular and intercellular communications, activation of ion channels, gene expression, growth and development. The functional role of self-induced in situ electrical stimuli at the rhizosphere of the plant by placing electrode assembly in a defined circuit mode was studied on the growth and development of Vigna radiata and Cicer arietinum plants. Experiments were designed with three-circuit mode configurational variations (CC-P, OC-P and SC-P) and compared with the relative performance of control system (non-potential). The plants cultivated under the in situ electrical stimuli (low-current) showed a marked influence on growth and photosynthetic performance of the plants. CC-P operation showed improved vegetative growth, characterized by increased roots, shoots and biomass along with accelerated plant growth from seed germination to vegetation, flowering and pod formation leading towards earlier and more robust flowering compared to control system. Plants also showed higher aquaporin gene expression levels in CC-P operation. The control operation showed 10 days additional maturation time compared to CC-P operation. The strategy can be beneficially applied to augment the bioremediation capacity of complex pollutants with reference to phytoremediation or constructed wetland systems where the plant and its roots are the main enabler apart from agriculture applications specific to nursery-raised or transplanted plants.

Natural exosomes-like nanoparticles in mung bean sprouts possesses anti-diabetic effects via activation of PI3K/Akt/GLUT4/GSK-3ß signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Mung bean sprouts are traditionally considered a "folk" hypoglycemic food and their pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms warrant further investigation. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the anti-diabetic effects of the exosomes-like nanoparticles in mung bean sprouts (MELNs) and explore the related molecular mechanisms. RESULTS: MELNs were isolated using a differential centrifugation-polyethylene glycol (PEG) method, and the identification of MELNs were confirmed by PAGE gel electrophoresis, agarose gel electrophoresis, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In the high-fat diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ) mouse model, MELNs ameliorated the progression of T2DM by increasing oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT) results, decreasing the fasting blood glucose level, and reducing the serum triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC). Histopathological examinations indicated MELNs diminished inflammatory infiltration of hepatocytes and amplified the area of islet B cells. In addition, MELNs decreased the oxidative stress levels in liver tissue and had good biocompatibility. In vitro experiments verified that MELNs improved the viability of glucosamine (GlcN) induced insulin-resistant hepatocytes. Furthermore, this study also revealed that MELNs upregulated GLUT4 & Nrf2 and down-regulated GSK-3ß via activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, promoting the production of antioxidant enzymes, such as HO-1 and SOD, to reduce oxidative stress. CONCLUSION: MELNs mitigated the progression of type 2 diabetes in HFD/STZ mouse model. The underlying molecular mechanism is related to PI3K/Akt/GLUT4/GSK-3ß signaling pathway.

Physiological and biochemical alterations in Vigna rdiate L. triggered by sesame derived elicitors as defense mechanism against Rhizoctonia and Macrophomina infestation.

Improving agricultural products by the stimulation of plant growth and defense mechanisms by priming with plant extracts is needed to attain sustainability in agriculture. This study focused to consider the possible improvement in Vigna radiata L. seed germination rate, plant growth, and protection against the natural stress by increasing the defense mechanisms through the incorporation of Sesamum indicum phytochemical compounds with pre-sowing seed treatment technologies. The gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis revealed that the methanol extract of S. indicum leaf extract contained eight major bioactive compounds, namely, 2-ethylacridine (8.24%), tert-butyl (5-isopropyl-2-methylphenoxy) dimethylsilane (13.25%), tris(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy) arsane (10.66%), 1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyltrisiloxane (18.50%), acetamide, N-[4-(trimethylsilyl) phenyl (19.97%), 3,3-diisopropoxy-1,1,1,5,5,5-hexamethyltrisiloxane (6.78%), silicic acid, diethyl bis(trimethylsilyl) ester (17.71%) and cylotrisiloxane, hexamethyl-(4.89%). The V. radiata seeds were treated with sesame leaf extract seeds at concentrations 0, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L. Sesame leaf extract at 50 and 100 mg/L concentrations was effective in increasing the germination percentage and the fresh and dry weights of roots and shoots. The increased peroxidase activity was noticed after treatment with S. indicum extract. In addition, disease percentage (< 60%) of both fungal pathogens (Rhizoctonia and Macrophomina) was significantly reduced in V. radiata plants treated with 100 mg/L of sesame leaf extract. These results revealed that physiochemical components present in S. indicum mature leaf extract significantly enhanced growth and defense mechanism in green gram plants.

Preparation and Antioxidant Activity of Acetylated Mung Bean Peel Polysaccharides.

Mung bean peel polysaccharides are one of the main active components in mung bean peel. Acetylated mung bean peel polysaccharides were prepared by extracting and acetylating them, and characterized by infrared and ultraviolet methods to preliminarily understand the structural characteristics and activity of acetylated mung bean peel polysaccharides. Acetylation modification can improve the structure of polysaccharides, thereby causing changes in their properties. The product obtained after acetylation modification exhibited new characteristic absorption peaks at 1732 cm-1 , and the scavenging ability of hydroxyl radicals was improved. Therefore, acetylation modification of mung bean peel polysaccharides could enhance the activity by improving the structure, which provided an experimental basis for the application of mung bean peel polysaccharides.

In vitro and in vivo Inhibitory Activity of C-glycoside Flavonoid Extracts from Mung Bean Coat on Pancreatic Lipase and α-glucosidase.

Mung bean is a kind of legume commonly eaten by human. In the present study, a HPLC method for analyzing of two C-glycoside flavonoids, isovitexin and vitexin, in Mung bean was developed. Results showed that the flavonoids are mainly existed in Mung bean coat (MBC), while kernel contains very trace. The extraction of C-glycoside flavonoids from MBC was optimized. MBC extracts with isovitexin and vitexin contents of 29.0 ± 0.28% and 35.8 ± 0.19% were obtained with yield of 1.6 ± 0.21%. MBC extracts exhibited inhibitory activities on pancreatic lipase and α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 0.147 mg/ml and 0.226 mg/ml, respectively. The inhibitory kinetics revealed that MBC extracts showed mixed-type inhibition on these enzymes. Fluorescence quenching titration confirmed the binding of MBC extracts with the enzyme proteins. In vivo study revealed that pre-administration with MBC extracts significantly reduced the triglyceride absorption. Furthermore, it also improved postprandial hyperglycemia in rats through the inhibition of α-glucosidase.

Transcriptome and physiological determination reveal the effects of selenite on the growth and selenium metabolism in mung bean sprouts.

Selenium (Se) biofortification of crops has been studied to substantially improve the Se content in human dietary food intake. In the present study, Vigna radiata (mung bean) seeds were soaked in different concentrations of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3). Low concentration of selenite is conducive to seed germination and growth, and can increase the fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW) of sprouts. The concentration of Na2SeO3 lower than 50 mg/kg resulted in noticeable elongation in the stem and marginal elongation in root. Mung bean seeds soaked with 80 mg/kg Na2SeO3 accounted for 93.77% of organic Se after growing for about 5 days. Transcriptome data revealed that Se treatment enhances starch and sugar metabolism, along with the up-regulation of ribosomal protein and DNA synthesis related genes. Further analysis indicated that the mung bean seeds absorbed Na2SeO3 through PHT1.1 and NIP2. Se (IV) was transformed into Se (VI) and transported to stems, leaves and roots through cotyledons during the germination of bean sprouts. SULTR3;3 may play an important role in the transit process. Se (VI) or Se (IV) transported to the leaves was catalytically transformed into SeCys through SiR and CS, and SeCys is further converted to MeSeCys through SMT. Most SeCys were transformed into SeHCys through CBL, transported to plastids, and finally transformed into SeMet through Met Synthase.

Influence of essential oils on the quality of Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp.) seeds compared by traditional method, image and multivariate analysis.

The extracts of medicinal plants are used for the treatment of seeds in order to reduce the action of phytopathogens and increase the vigor of the seeds. Currently, computerized image analysis has been used to assess the physiological quality of seed lots. The objective was to evaluate the efficiency of the Vigor-S® software in the evaluation of the physiological quality of cowpea seeds treated with essential oils, comparing with a traditional test and the principal component analysis. Two cowpea cultivars were analyzed, BRS Tumucumaque and BRS Guariba, treated with doses of natural extracts of Alfavaca, garlic, horsetail, citronella and pyroligneous acid. The traditional method consisted of evaluations for germination, first germination count, seedling emergence, emergence speed index, accelerated aging, fresh matter and dry matter of seedling and the image analysis for: seedling length, growth index, uniformity index, vigor index, and germination. A Principal component analysis was applied to reduce the number of variables. Horsetail, Alfavaca and citronella extracts were efficient in increasing the physiological quality of the seeds of at least one cultivar. The Vigor-S® software proved to be efficient compared to traditional tests to assess the physiological quality of seeds. Principal Component Analysis is an ally to identify the best extracts and doses to be used. The image analysis method proved to be effective when compared to the traditional method and can therefore be used.

Germinated Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) flour as an ingredient in wheat bread: Physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory properties of bread.

Wheat flour (WF) was substituted with germinated Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) flour (GBF) at different proportions (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%) and used in the preparation of bread. The dough mixing, pasting, and gelatinization properties of the blends were evaluated as well as the nutritional quality, in vitro starch digestibility, phytochemical constituents, antioxidant potential, color, texture, and sensory properties of breads. All the wheat dough containing GBF had higher water absorption capacity, gelatinization temperatures, dough development time, low peak, and setback viscosities. The composite breads had significantly higher dietary fiber, minerals, protein digestibility, corrected amino acid scores, resistant starch, slowly digestible starch, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activities and caused significant reduction in rapidly digestible starch content. The addition of up to 15% GBF had no significant impact on the specific volume of wheat bread. Substitution of WF with GBF influenced color and texture properties of bread. Wheat bread supplemented with 20% GBF had significantly higher scores in taste, aroma, and overall acceptability. This study demonstrated the potential of GBF as a functional ingredient in bread making. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provides a suitable possibility of partial substitution of wheat flour with germinated Bambara groundnut, to develop functional and acceptable bread. The dough mixing and pasting results in this study would add to knowledge on the dough handling characteristics as there is limited information regarding the mixing properties of wheat dough with germinated Bambara groundnut.

Effect of Nano-Selenium on Nutritional Quality of Cowpea and Response of ABCC Transporter Family.

It is an important way for healthy Selenium (Se) supplement to transform exogenous Se into organic Se through crops. In the present study, Vigna unguiculata was selected as a test material and sprayed with biological nano selenium (SeNPs) and Na2SeO3, and its nutrient composition, antioxidant capacity, total Se and organic Se content were determined, respectively. Further, the response of ABC transporter family members in cowpea to different exogenous Se treatments was analyzed by transcriptome sequencing combined with different Se forms. The results show that the soluble protein content of cowpea increased after twice Se treatment. SeNPs treatment increased the content of cellulose in cowpea pods. Na2SeO3 treatment increased the content of vitamin C (Vc) in cowpea pods. Se treatments could significantly increase the activities of Peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and catalase (CAT) in cowpea pods and effectively maintain the activity of Superoxide dismutase (SOD). SeNPs can reduce the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in pods. After Se treatment, cowpea pods showed a dose-effect relationship on the absorption and accumulation of total Se, and Na2SeO3 treatment had a better effect on the increase of total Se content in cowpea pods. After treatment with SeNPs and Na2SeO3, the Se species detected in cowpea pods was mainly SeMet, followed by MeSeCys. Inorganic Se can only be detected in the high concentration treatment group. Analysis of transcriptome data of cowpea treated with Se showed that ABC transporters could play an active role in response to Se stress and Se absorption, among which ABCB, ABCC and ABCG subfamilies played a major role in Se absorption and transportation in cowpea. Further analysis by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that the content of organic Se in cowpea treated with high concentration of SeNPs was significantly and positively correlated with the expression level of three transporters ABCC11, ABCC13 and ABCC10, which means that the ABCC subfamily may be more involved in the transmembrane transport of organic Se in cells.

Zinc solubilizing Bacillus sp (SS9) and Enterobacter sp (SS7) promote mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) growth, nutrient uptake and physiological profiles.

Zinc (Zn) is a crucial micronutrient required for optimum plant growth. Zn-solubilizing bacteria (ZSB) are potential alternatives for Zn supplementation and convert applied inorganic Zn to available forms. In this study, ZSB were isolated from the root nodules of wild legumes. From a set of 17 bacteria, the isolates SS9 and SS7 were found to be efficient in tolerating 1 g (w/v) Zn. The isolates were identified as Bacillus sp (SS9, MW642183) and Enterobacter sp (SS7, MW624528) based on morphology and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The screening of PGP bacterial properties revealed that both isolates possessed production of indole acetic acid (50.9 and 70.8 µgmL-1), siderophore (40.2% and 28.0%), and solubilization of phosphate and potassium. The pot study experiment in the presence and absence of Zn revealed that the Bacillus sp and Enterobacter sp inoculated plants showed enhanced mung bean plant growth (45.0% to 61.0% increment in shoot length and 26.9 to 30.9% in root length) and biomass compared to the control. The isolates also enhanced photosynthetic pigments such as total chlorophyll (1.5 to 6.0-fold) and carotenoids (0.5 to 3.0-fold) and 1-2-fold increase in Zn, phosphorous (P), and nitrogen (N) uptake compared to the Zn-stressed control. The present results indicated that the inoculation of Bacillus sp (SS9) and Enterobacter sp(SS7) reduced the toxicity of Zn and, in turn, enhanced the plant growth and mobilization of Zn, N, and P to the plant parts.

Genome-Wide Identification, Expression Analysis, and Potential Roles under Abiotic Stress of the YUCCA Gene Family in Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.).

YUCCA, belonging to the class B flavin-dependent monooxygenases, catalyzes the rate-limiting step for endogenous auxin synthesis and is implicated in plant-growth regulation and stress response. Systematic analysis of the YUCCA gene family and its stress response benefits the dissection of regulation mechanisms and breeding applications. In this study, 12 YUCCA genes were identified from the mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) genome and were named based on their similarity to AtYUCCAs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the 12 VrYUCCAs could be divided into 4 subfamilies. The evidence from enzymatic assays in vitro and transgenetic Arabidopsis in vivo indicated that all the isolated VrYUCCAs had biological activity in response to IAA synthesis. Expression pattern analysis showed that functional redundancy and divergence existed in the VrYUCCA gene family. Four VrYUCCAs were expressed in most tissues, and five VrYUCCAs were specifically highly expressed in the floral organs. The response toward five stresses, namely, auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA), salinity, drought, high temperatures, and cold, was also investigated here. Five VrYUCCAs responded to IAA in the root, while only VrYUCCA8a was induced in the leaf. VrYUCCA2a, VrYUCCA6a, VrYUCCA8a, VrYUCCA8b, and VrYUCCA10 seemed to dominate under abiotic stresses, due to their sensitivity to the other four treatments. However, the response modes of the VrYUCCAs varied, indicating that they may regulate different stresses in distinct ways to finely adjust IAA content. The comprehensive analysis of the VrYUCCAs in this study lays a solid foundation for further investigation of VrYUCCA genes' mechanisms and applications in breeding.

Assessment of diversity in anti-nutrient profile, resistant starch, minerals and carbohydrate components in different ricebean (Vigna umbellata) accessions.

Ricebean accessions (n = 38) cultivated in India were evaluated for their comprehensive nutrient, anti-nutrients and mineral composition. Protein and total dietary fibre ranged between 23.23 and 27.33 and 12.27 to 16.69 g/100 g, respectively. Among the oligosaccharides, verbascose was not detected, however, raffinose and stachyose ranged between 47 and 186 and 117 to 5765 mg/100 g, respectively. Among the free sugars, sucrose was found dominating (up to 370 mg/100 g). Resistant starch (4.13 to 8.62 %), iron (3.49 to 7.46 mg/100 g), zinc (1.90 to 3.72 mg/100 g) and selenium (0.28 to 4.48 µg/100 g) varied significantly (p < 0.05) among ricebean samples. Phytic acid, saponin, trypsin inhibitor and oxalate analysed in ricebean accessions ranged between 303 and 760 mg/100 g, 19 to 46 mg/g, 309 to 1076 mg/100 g and 219 to 431 mg/100 g, respectively. Multivariate analysis using hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), and principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to decipher the diversity of nutrients and anti-nutrients across the ricebean accessions. Based on HCA, dendrogram-1 (nutrients) and dendrogram-2 (minerals, anti-nutrients) were produced, having four clusters in each. In the dendrogram-1 and 2, the largest cluster had (n = 21) and (n = 15) accessions, respectively. The PCA analyse the uncorrelated set of variables (principal components) and it condenses a large set of data variables. Based on the eigenvalue >1, a total of eight PCs were formed contributing total variance of 78.8 %. The factor loading contribution in the PC1 and PC2 were from iron, fructose, glucose, raffinose and total dietary fibre, selenium (Se) and protein, respectively.