Combining modeling and experimental approaches for developing rice-oil palm agroforestry systems.

Monoculture systems in South East Asia are facing challenges due to climate change-induced extreme weather conditions, leading to significant annual production losses in rice and oil palm. To ensure the stability of these crops, innovative strategies like resilient agroforestry systems need to be explored. Converting oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) monocultures to rice (Oryza sativa)-based intercropping systems shows promise, but achieving optimal yields requires adjusting palm density and identifying rice varieties adapted to changes in light quantity and diurnal fluctuation. This paper proposes a methodology that combines a model of light interception with indoor experiments to assess the feasibility of rice-oil palm agroforestry systems. Using a functional-structural plant model of oil palm, the planting design was optimized to maximize transmitted light for rice. Simulation results estimated the potential impact on oil palm carbon assimilation and transpiration. In growth chambers, simulated light conditions were replicated with adjustments to intensity and daily fluctuation. Three light treatments independently evaluated the effects of light intensity and fluctuation on different rice accessions. The simulation study revealed intercropping designs that significantly increased light transmission for rice cultivation with minimal decrease in oil palm densities compared with conventional designs. The results estimated a loss in oil palm productivity of less than 10%, attributed to improved carbon assimilation and water use efficiency. Changes in rice plant architecture were primarily influenced by light quantity, while variations in yield components were attributed to light fluctuations. Different rice accessions exhibited diverse responses to light fluctuations, indicating the potential for selecting genotypes suitable for agroforestry systems.

Thermal Properties and Dynamic Rheological Characterization of Dioscorea Starch Gels.

Yam (Dioscorea. sp.) is an edible starchy tuber with potential for being a commercial source of starch for industrial purposes, but yam starch is underutilized. The dynamic oscillatory and thermal properties of yam starches from sixteen varieties each of Dioscorea. rotundata, Dioscora. alata, Dioscorea. bulbifera and one variety of Dioscorea. dumetorum from Nigeria were studied to determine their potential for industrial utilization. The storage modulus, loss modulus, damping factor and complex viscosity as a function of frequency (ω) of the dioscorea gels, as well as the onset temperature (To), peak gelatinization temperature (Tp), end of gelatinization (TC), and gelatinization enthalpy of the starches were determined by standard procedures. Results showed that all the dioscorea starches showed a typical elastic behavior with the magnitude of G' greater than G″ while tan δ < 1 in all varieties. Thus, the starch gels were more elastic than viscous. All the starch gels exhibited shear thinning characteristics and showed frequency (ω) independence characteristics of weak gels. D. rotundata varieties had the lowest ∆Hgel, while D. bulbifera varieties had the highest. The diversity of the visco-elastic and thermal properties of the yam starch gels from different varieties and species can be an advantage in their utilization in both food and non-food industries.

New insights into the rapid germination process of lentil and cowpea seeds: High thiamine and folate, and low α-galactoside content.

During germination sensu-stricto in pulses, an increase in the content of thiamine (B1) and folate (B9) vitamins is expected, along with a reduction in α-galactoside levels. The aim of our study was to optimize germination to increase the nutritional quality of lentils and cowpeas. An experimental design was carried out at 12 h and 24 h of imbibition to analyze the effects of temperature, light, and water content on thiamine, folate, and α-galactoside content. Germination increased thiamine content by 152% in lentils, while in cowpeas, the increase was only 10%. Folate content in cowpea increased by 33%, while α-galactoside content decreased by 99% in cowpeas and by 48% in lentils. Germination sensu-stricto can be safely implemented by any food company worldwide as it is simple and involves less sanitary risk than sprouting. This opens up opportunities for enhancing food nutrient content and new ways of processing pulses.

In situ dynamic rheological analysis of raw yam tubers: a potential phenotyping tool for quality evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Most rheological analyses in yam have been done on starch gels, which requires starch extraction from the tubers. In situ rheology bypasses the need of starch extraction and relies on the original cell structure and complex matrix organization under stress or strain. Dynamic rheological properties of tuber from 16 accessions belonging to four yam species (Dioscorea rotundata, D. alata. D. bulbifera and D. dumetorum) were investigated for potential use as a medium throughput phenotyping screening tool that can indicate the quality of yam food products or their industrial potentials. RESULTS: Rheographs of the tubers illustrated differences in the structure of D. bulbifera compared to other yam species. High initial storage modulus (G') of yam parenchyma indicated tubers with strong and rigid structure which do not lose their structural integrity easily on heating. Dioscorea rotundata and D. alata varieties exhibited a lower temperature at which gelatinization took place (Tgel ) equivalent to the irreversible transition during starch gelatinization (75.3 and 79.8 °C) and took shorter time (867 and 958 s, respectively) to reach the G' maximum, compared to other species. The stress relaxation test showed that the higher the dry matter of the tubers, the higher the work to rupture the structure. CONCLUSION: Rheological characteristics G', loss modulus (G″), swelling capacity and Tgel showed potential as suitable quality indicators for yam products. In situ rheological characterization of yam tubers could be used as an instrumental screening tool to phenotype for quality in yam products. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

High-frequency synthetic apomixis in hybrid rice.

Introducing asexual reproduction through seeds - apomixis - into crop species could revolutionize agriculture by allowing F1 hybrids with enhanced yield and stability to be clonally propagated. Engineering synthetic apomixis has proven feasible in inbred rice through the inactivation of three genes (MiMe), which results in the conversion of meiosis into mitosis in a line ectopically expressing the BABYBOOM1 (BBM1) parthenogenetic trigger in egg cells. However, only 10-30% of the seeds are clonal. Here, we show that synthetic apomixis can be achieved in an F1 hybrid of rice by inducing MiMe mutations and egg cell expression of BBM1 in a single step. We generate hybrid plants that produce more than 95% of clonal seeds across multiple generations. Clonal apomictic plants maintain the phenotype of the F1 hybrid along successive generations. Our results demonstrate that there is no barrier to almost fully penetrant synthetic apomixis in an important crop species, rendering it compatible with use in agriculture.

Textural and physicochemical predictors of sensory texture and sweetness of boiled plantain.

Boiled pulp is a major form of consumption for plantain. We assessed instrumental (puncture test and texture profile analysis) and sensory texture attributes of 13 plantain cultivars, two cooking hybrids and one dessert banana at different stages of ripeness after cooking in boiling water. Firmness, chewiness, stickiness, mealiness, sweetness and moistness described sensory variability, which was greater between stages of ripeness than between types of cultivars. Firmness and chewiness were well-predicted by instrumental force and hardness (r 2 > 0.72), and by soluble solid and dry matter content (r 2 > 0.85). Complementary sensitivity analysis revealed that a pulp puncture force or a hardness of at least 2.1 N or of 0.3 N/mm2 was needed before a difference in firmness or chewiness could be perceived; a Brix of 3.7 was required to ensure a detectable difference in sweetness. Rheological and biochemical predictors can be useful for breeders for high-throughput phenotyping.

Innovation in Tigernut (Cyperus Esculentus L.) Milk Production: In Situ Hydrolysis of Starch.

Tigernut tubers (Cyperus esculentus) are used for the production of vegetable milk, commonly known as "Horchata de chufa" in Spain. The presence of starch in the tuber limits the yield of the milk, since this carbohydrate gelatinizes during the pasteurization of the milk and leads to the considerable solidification of this drink. The present work aims to improve the yields and extraction practice of the milk by an in situ hydrolysis of starch, using exogenous amylases of industrial or vegetable origin. The obtained results show that sprouting improves the extraction yields of tigernut milk, which goes from 50% to about 70%. This improvement in milk yield corresponds to a hydrolysis of about 35% of the starch in the tuber. The use of exogenous amylases leads to starch hydrolysis rates of 45% and 70%, respectively, for amylolytic extracts from sprouted tigernut tubers and amylase, with the corollary of a natural increase in the sweetness of milk. This technical approach makes it possible to produce a naturally sweetened tigernut milk which easily lends itself to pasteurization without a significant increase in viscosity.

Lineage-Specific Evolutionary Histories and Regulation of Major Starch Metabolism Genes during Banana Ripening.

Starch is the most widespread and abundant storage carbohydrate in plants. It is also a major feature of cultivated bananas as it accumulates to large amounts during banana fruit development before almost complete conversion to soluble sugars during ripening. Little is known about the structure of major gene families involved in banana starch metabolism and their evolution compared to other species. To identify genes involved in banana starch metabolism and investigate their evolutionary history, we analyzed six gene families playing a crucial role in plant starch biosynthesis and degradation: the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylases (AGPases), starch synthases (SS), starch branching enzymes (SBE), debranching enzymes (DBE), α-amylases (AMY) and ß-amylases (BAM). Using comparative genomics and phylogenetic approaches, these genes were classified into families and sub-families and orthology relationships with functional genes in Eudicots and in grasses were identified. In addition to known ancestral duplications shaping starch metabolism gene families, independent evolution in banana and grasses also occurred through lineage-specific whole genome duplications for specific sub-families of AGPase, SS, SBE, and BAM genes; and through gene-scale duplications for AMY genes. In particular, banana lineage duplications yielded a set of AGPase, SBE and BAM genes that were highly or specifically expressed in banana fruits. Gene expression analysis highlighted a complex transcriptional reprogramming of starch metabolism genes during ripening of banana fruits. A differential regulation of expression between banana gene duplicates was identified for SBE and BAM genes, suggesting that part of starch metabolism regulation in the fruit evolved in the banana lineage.

Isolated starches from yams (Dioscorea sp) grown at the Venezuelan Amazons: structure and functional properties.

This work aimed to characterize the molecular structure and functional properties of starches isolated from wild Dioscorea yams grown at the Amazons, using conventional and up-to-date methodologies. Among the high purity starches isolated (≥99%), the chain lengths were similar, whereas variations in gelatinization profile were observed. Starches have shown varied-shaped granules with monomodal distribution, and B-type crystallinity. Variations in amylose contents found by three analyses were hypothesized being related to intermediate material. Linear chain lengths were similar, and their amylopectins showed a dense, spherical conformation and similar molecular characteristics. The average molar mass and the radius of gyration of the chromatograms of the yam amylopectin, M¯W and R¯G were ranging between 174×10(6) g mol(-1) and 237×10(6) g mol(-1), and 201 nm and 233 nm, respectively. The white yams starches were more sensible to enzymes than the other two. All starches have shown a wide range of functional and nutritional properties.

Physicochemical, functional, and macromolecular properties of waxy yam starches discovered from "Mapuey" (Dioscorea trifida) genotypes in the Venezuelan Amazon.

"Mapuey" tubers in Venezuela are staple food for indigenous peoples from the Caribbean coast and Amazon regions. Noticeable differences between genotypes of yam starches were observed. Granules were large, triangular, or shell-shaped with monomodal particle size distribution between 24.5 and 35.5 µm. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses revealed onset gelatinization temperatures from 69.1 to 73.4 °C with high gelatinization enthalpy changes from 22.4 to 25.3 J g(-1). All X-ray diffractograms of starches exhibit B-type crystallinity. Crystallinity degrees varied from 24% to 40%. The highest crystallinity was found for the genotype having the highest amylose content. Iodo-colorimetric, amperometric, and DSC amylose determinations varied from 1.4 to 8.7%, 2.2 to 5.9%, and 1.4 to 3.5% for Amazonian genotypes, in comparison with commercial Mapuey starches: 12.0, 9.5, and 8.7%, respectively. Solubility and swelling power at 90 °C varied from 2.1 to 4.4% and 20.5 to 37.0%, respectively. Gel clarity fluctuated from 22.4 to 79.2%, and high rapid visco analyzer (RVA) viscosity was developed at 5% starch suspension (between 1430 and 2250 cP). Amylopectin weight average molar mass M(w), radius of gyration R(G), hydrodynamic coefficient ν(G), and apparent molecular density d(Gapp) were determined using high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and asymmetrical flow field flow fractionation (A4F) techniques coupled with multiangle laser light scattering (MALLS) on the Dioscorea trifida genotypes exhibiting the lowest and highest amylose contents. Amylopectins showed very similar molecular conformations. M(w) values were 1.15 × 10(8) and 9.06 × 10(7) g mol(-1) using HPSEC and A4F, respectively, thus, 3-5 times lower than those reported with the same techniques for other yam species, and very close to those of potato and cassava amylopectins. This discovery of a new natural amylose-free starch in the neglected yam "Mapuey" could present some potential for the food industry.

Differentiation between cooking bananas and dessert bananas. 1. Morphological and compositional characterization of cultivated Colombian Musaceae (Musa sp.) in relation to consumer preferences.

The morphological, physical, and chemical characteristics of 23 unripe cultivated varieties of Colombian Musaceae were assessed. Fresh pulp dry matter helped to discriminate the following consumption subgroups: FHIA dessert hybrids (hydes: 24.6%) < dessert bananas (des: 29.4%) < nonplantain cooking bananas (cook: 32.0%) < FHIA cooking hybrids (hycook: 34.2%) < plantains (pl: 41.1%). Banana flour starch content on dry basis (db) varied from 74.2 to 88.2% among the varieties, with: pl: 86.5% > cook and hycook: 84% > des: 81.9% > hydes: 79.7% (p

Differentiation between cooking bananas and dessert bananas. 2. Thermal and functional characterization of cultivated Colombian Musaceae (Musa sp.).

The starch and flour thermal and functional characteristics of 23 cultivated varieties of bananas in Colombia were assessed. Onset temperature for gelatinization of starches measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) varied from 59.7 to 67.8 degrees C, thereby significantly differentiating dessert bananas (63.2 degrees C) from nonplantain cooking bananas (65.7 degrees C) from FHIA hybrids (66.6 degrees C) and plantains (67.1 degrees C). FHIA hybrids are significantly discriminated from dessert banana landraces but not from the cooking group. The starch amylose contents varied from 15.4 to 24.9%; most dessert banana starch amylose contents were below 19%, whereas in cooking banana starches the contents were over 21%. Flour functional properties were assessed by Rapid ViscoAnalyser (RVA) using silver nitrate as alpha-amylase inhibitor. The flour pasting temperature was relevant to differentiate dessert bananas (69.5 degrees C) from FHIA dessert hybrids and nonplantain cooking bananas (72.8 degrees C) from cooking hybrids and plantains (75.8 degrees C). Among other criteria, the cooking ability also helped to differentiate dessert bananas and FHIA hybrids from cooking bananas. A close relation between cultivar genotypes and uses with the thermal and pasting properties were revealed.