Influence of vacuum packaging and long term storage on quality of whole chilli (Capsicum annuum L.).

Investigations were carried out to study the influence of vacuum packaging and long term storage on quality in red chilli. Chilli fruits were stored in vacuum packed and jute bags at two moisture levels (10 % and 12 %) in room and cold environments under both light and dark conditions for a period of 24 months. During storage period, average room and cool chamber temperatures were 25 ± 2 °C and 4 ± 1 °C, respectively. Changes of moisture (Halogen moisture analyzer), capsaicin (HPLC-UV), oleoresin and total extractable colour (spectrophotometer) were analyzed at 3 months interval up to 12 months and 6 months interval from 12 to 24 months. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) and Duncan's test were applied to the analytical data to evaluate the effect of treatments applied. It was observed that the vacuum packed chillies under cold storage were found to have the least per cent decline in various quality parameters. Chillies with 12 % moisture and stored in vacuum packaged bags recorded better quality parameters over 10 % moisture.

Study on larvicidal activity of weed extracts against Spodoptera litura.

Larvicidal activity of various concentrations of crude aqueous leaf extracts of E. triplinerve were studied against S. litura following the treatment on fourth instar larvae. The results of the total percent mortality (from fourth instar to adult) demonstrated that the mortality rate progressively increased (41.42, 58.57, 69.80, 84.49, 86.77, 90.55, 91.30, 90.54) as the extract concentrations increased (1, 2, 3, 5, 7.5, 12.5, 15, 17.5%). The maximum of 92% total mortality was observed at 15% concentration of the extract. It was significant to note that the percent mortality observed from 5% onwards was more than 85%. Results of adult emergence inhibition indicated that the EI50 of E. triplinerve was more effective at 4.07%. Interestingly the calculated EI90 value was 14.10%. This is an ideal eco-friendly approach for the control of agricultural pest, S. litura.

Influence of vacuum packaging on seed quality and mineral contents in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.).

Studies were carried out to find out the influence of vacuum packaging on physical parameters of whole chilli and biochemical constituents in chilli seeds. Chilli fruits were stored in vacuum packed and jute bags stored at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C), cold storage (4 ± 1 °C) under both light and dark conditions for a period of 24 months. At the end of the storage period, seeds were separated from fruits and various parameters viz., moisture content, capsaicin content, ascorbic acid, carbohydrates, protein and mineral elements like Fe, P, Na and K were analyzed. It was observed that the samples stored in vacuum packed bags maintained the quality with least deterioration in all the quality parameters compared to samples stored in jute bags.

Cordifolioside: potent inhibitor against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 and immunomodulatory through human TGF-ß and TNF-α.

Therapeutic options for SARS-CoV-2 are limited merely to the symptoms or repurposed drugs and non-specific interventions to promote the human immune system. In the present study, chromatographic and in silico approaches were implemented to identify bioactive compounds which might play pivotal role as inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2 and human immunomodulator (TGF-ß and TNF-α). Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers was evaluated for phenolic composition and explored for bioactive compounds by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Furthermore, the bioactive compounds such as cordifolioside, berberine, and magnoflorine were appraised as human immunomodulatory and potent inhibitor against Main Protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 through multiple docking strategies. Cordifolioside formed six stable H-bonds with His41, Ser144, Cys145, His163, His164, and Glu166 of Mpro of SARS-CoV-2, which displayed a significant role in the viral replication/transcription during infection acting towards the common conserved binding cleft among all strains of coronavirus. Overall, the study emphasized that the proposed cordifolioside might use for future investigations, which hold as a promising scaffold for developing anti-COVID-19 drug and reduce human cytokine storm.