Nutrition by Design: Boosting Selenium Content and Fresh Matter Yields of Salad Greens With Preharvest Light Intensity and Selenium Applications

Selenium (Se) is an essential mineral in multiple human metabolic pathways with immune modulatory effects on viral diseases including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and HIV. Plant-based foods contain Se metabolites with unique functionalities for the human metabolism. In order to assess the value of common salad greens as Se source, we conducted a survey of lettuce commercially grown in 15 locations across the USA and Canada and found a tendency for Se to accumulate higher (up to 10 times) in lettuce grown along the Colorado river basin region, where the highest amount of annual solar radiation of the country is recorded. In the same area, we evaluated the effect of sunlight reduction on the Se content of two species of arugula [Eruca sativa (E. sativa) cv. “Astro” and Diplotaxis tenuifolia (D. tenuifolia) cv. “Sylvetta”]. A 90% light reduction during the 7 days before harvest resulted in over one-third Se decline in D. tenuifolia. The effect of light intensity on yield and Se uptake of arugula microgreens was also examined under indoor controlled conditions. This included high intensity (HI) (160 μ mol−2 s−1 for 12 h/12 h light/dark); low intensity (LI) (70 μ mol m−2 s−1 for 12 h/12 h light/dark); and HI-UVA (12 h light of 160 μ mol m−2 s−1, 2 h UVA of 40 μ mol m−2 s−1, and 10 h dark) treatments in a factorial design with 0, 1, 5, and 10 ppm Se in the growing medium. HI and HI-UVA produced D. tenuifolia plants with 25–100% higher Se content than LI, particularly with the two higher Se doses. The addition of Se produced a marked increase in fresh matter (>35% in E. sativa and >45% in D. tenuifolia). This study (i) identifies evidence to suggest the revision of food composition databases to account for large Se variability, (ii) demonstrates the potential of introducing preharvest Se to optimize microgreen yields, and (iii) provides the controlled environment industry with key information to deliver salad greens with targeted Se contents.

Additives Altered Bacterial Communities and Metabolic Profiles in Silage Hybrid Pennisetum

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different additives on the fermentation quality, nutrient composition, bacterial communities, and metabolic profiles of the silage of hybrid Pennisetum. The experiment was conducted using five treatments, i.e., CK, control group, MA, 1% malic acid of fresh matter (FM) basis, GL, 1% glucose of FM basis, CE, 100 U/g FM cellulase, and BS, 106 cfu/g FM Bacillus subtilis, with six replicates each treatment. After a 120-day fermentation, 30 silage packages were opened for subsequent determination. As a result, all four additives had positive effects on the fermentation quality and nutrient composition of the silage of hybrid Pennisetum. The high-throughput sequencing of V3–V4 regions in 16S rRNA was performed, and results showed that Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla and that Aquabacterium and Bacillus were the dominant genera. MA, GL, CE, and BS treatment resulted in 129, 21, 25, and 40 differential bacteria, respectively. The four additives upregulated Bacillus smithii but downregulated Lactobacillus rossiae. Metabolic profiles were determined by UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS technology and the differential metabolites caused by the four additives were 47, 13, 47, and 18, respectively. These metabolites played antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory functions and involved in pathways, such as the citrate cycle, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism. In conclusion, silage additives promoted fermentation quality and nutrient composition by altering bacterial communities and metabolic profiles. This study provided potential biomarkers for the improvement of silage quality.

Effects of Phenyllactic Acid, Lactic Acid Bacteria, and Their Mixture on Fermentation Characteristics and Microbial Community Composition of Timothy Silage

This study investigated the effects of phenyllactic acid (PL), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and their mixture on fermentation characteristics and microbial community composition of timothy silage. Timothy silages were treated without (CK) or with PL [10 mg/kg fresh matter (FM) basis], LAB inoculant (IN; a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum and L.buchneri, 105 cfu/g FM), and their mixture (PI) and stored at ambient temperature (5°C∼15°C) in a dark room for 60 days. Compared with CK, all treated silages showed lower (P < 0.05) levels of butyric acid and ammonia-N. Treatment with PL enhanced (P < 0.05) the crude protein preservation of silage by favoring the growth of L. curvatus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and inhibition of lactic acid–assimilating yeast belonging to Issatchenkia during ensiling. In particular, treatment with PL advanced (P < 0.05) the productions of lactic acid and volatile fatty acid in IN-treated silage. Therefore, PL used as a new additive exhibited potential for improving silage fermentation when it is combined with LAB IN during ensiling.

Soybean seedling performance in diferente seed treatments

The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of soybean seedlings in different seed treatments. The experiment was conducted in the municipality of Mineiros, GO. The soil was classified as Quartzarenic Entisol. The experimental design was randomized blocks in factorial 5x4, corresponding to seed treatments (Water, Cruiser, Fipronil Alta, Fortenza and Standak Top) in four soybean cultivars (Bonus, Ultra, Extra and BKS7830), in four replications. Before planting, pre-planting desiccation was performed. The fertilization used was 450 kg ha-1 of fertilizer 05-25-15 applied in the furrow and in a single dose next to the sowing. During the conduction of the experiment the control of pests, diseases and weeds were carried out as necessary, respecting the best practices and integrated management. The data obtained were subjected to the assumptions of the statistical model, verifying the normality and homogeneity of the residual variances, as well as the additivity of the model. Uni and multivariate tools were applied. The analysis were performed at the interface Rbio and R. The interaction of soybean cultivars and types of seed treatment showed variations in all analysis evaluated in soybean seedlings. The best performances were verified among the cultivars BKS7830 that expressed the largest shoot fresh matter when submitted to Cruiser seed treatment, while the highest root length was expressed in the cultivar Ultra in the Fortenza seed treatment.

Wood and bark water content and monthly stem growth in Amazonian tree species

ABSTRACT The knowledge of how trees respond to microclimate variability is important in the face of climate changes. The objectives of this study were to examine the variation in wood water content (WWC) and bark water content (BWC) in Amazonian trees, as well as to assess the effect of microclimatic variability on monthly diameter growth rates (DGR). We extracted a core sample from each of 120 trees (28 species) and determined WWC and BWC on a fresh matter basis. DGR was measured monthly during the 12 months of 2007. The effect of microclimatic variability on DGR was analyzed by redundancy analysis. Average BWC and WWC were 53.4% and 34.7%, respectively, with a large variation in stem water content among species (BWC = 36.2−67.1%; WWC = 26.4−50.8%). There was no significant relationship between stem diameter and WWC or BWC, nor between DGR and wood density (p > 0.05). However, wood density was negatively correlated with WWC (r s = −0.69, p < 0.001). The high BWC emphasizes the importance of the bark tissue in Amazonian trees. Contrary to expectations, variability of monthly irradiance, rainfall and temperature had no effect on DGR (p > 0.20). The unresponsiveness of DGR to microclimatic variability, even in an above-average rainy year such as 2007, indicates that other parts of the tree may have greater priority than the stem for carbon allocation during the dry season.

Nutritional Quality and In Vitro Rumen Fermentation Characteristics of Silage Prepared with Lucerne, Sweet Maize Stalk, and Their Mixtures

The objective of this work was to evaluate the pH, chemical composition, minerals, vitamins, and in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics of silage prepared with lucerne, sweet maize stalk (MS), and their mixtures. Freshly chopped lucerne and MS were combined in ratios of 100:0 (M0, control), 80:20 (M20), 60:40 (M40), 40:60 (M60), 20:80 (M80), and 0:100 (M100) on a fresh matter basis. Each treatment was prepared in triplicate, and a total of eighteen silos were fermented for 65 days. After 65 days of fermentation, the pH values in M0, M20, M40, M60, M80, and M100 silages were 5.47, 4.84, 4.23, 4.13, 3.79, and 3.61, respectively. As the MS proportion in the mixtures increased, silage K, Ca, P, Na, Fe, and Cu concentrations linearly decreased (p < 0.001) and so did vitamins B5 and K1 and α-tocopherol. In vitro rumen dry matter and organic matter degradability, pH, ammonia, total volatile fatty acid, and gas production linearly decreased (p < 0.01), while neutral detergent fiber concentration linearly increased (p < 0.001), with increasing proportion of MS. The in vitro dry matter and organic matter degradability rapidly decreased when the MS percentage was ≥60%. In conclusion, the M40 silage is the most suitable for livestock utilization in local forage production considering the balance of silage pH, nutritional quality, and in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics.

Successive crops of broccoli, green corn and pea after taro (Colocasia esculenta)-sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) consortium

Aiming to assess the residual effect of the biomass of the taro-sunn hemp consortium on the performance of the successive crops of broccoli, green corn and peas, an experiment, with 11 treatments, corresponding to the cutting of Crotalaria juncea in the taro-sunn hemp consortium (55, 70, 85, 100, 115, 130, 145, 160, 190 and 220 days after sowing - DAS) plus a control treatment (Colocasia esculenta), was performed. Soil samples were collected and chemical analysis was performed before crop establishment. Plant characteristics and productivity of broccoli, green corn and pea pods were assessed. There were no major changes in soil chemical composition. Higher values of inflorescence fresh matter and broccoli yield were observed in the treatments in which cuts of Crotalaria juncea occurred 145 DAS. The residual effect of Crotalaria juncea cuttings provided higher corn plants and a greater fresh matter of spikes with straw and productivity of commercial ears, compared to the control. There was no residual effect on the characteristics evaluated for pea. The residual effect of Crotalaria juncea cropped in a consortium with Colocasia esculenta increases broccoli yield when cut from 145 DAS and corn cropped in succession.

Do AMF and Irrigation Regimes Affect Sweet Pepper Fruit Quality under Open Field Conditions?

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a mycorrhizal inoculation (AMF) and irrigation regime on certain yield morphological parameters and the biological value of fruits of open field-grown sweet pepper under temperate climate conditions. A study on the Polish hybrid cultivar ‘Roberta F1’ was conducted over the period 2016–2018 in a private certified organic farm. Sweet pepper was harvested at physiological maturity from the second 10 days of August to the first 10 days of October. AMF and irrigation were shown to significantly modify the selected morphological parameters of the peppers. Fruits with the highest weight, length, and width were harvested from AMF-inoculated plants, both irrigated and non-irrigated ones. The chemical composition and antioxidant activity (AA) of pepper fruit extracts were significantly affected by AMF and irrigation. AMF application contributed to a decrease in the percentage of dry matter, vitamin C, reducing sugars, extract, carotenoids, and AA. Irrigation, on the other hand, had a beneficial effect on enhancing the biological value of pepper fruits (except for vitamin C), also increasing their AA. The highest levels of carotenoids (4.64 mg 100 g−1 of fresh matter (FM) were found in the fruits of irrigated plants without AMF, whereas the highest levels of vitamin C (134.10 mg 100 g−1 FM) were accumulated by the fruits of plants grown without AMF and without irrigation.

Degree of Biomass Conversion in the Integrated Production of Bioethanol and Biogas

The integrated production of bioethanol and biogas makes it possible to optimise the production of carriers from renewable raw materials. The installation analysed in this experimental paper was a hybrid system, in which waste from the production of bioethanol was used in a biogas plant with a capacity of 1 MWe. The main objective of this study was to determine the energy potential of biomass used for the production of bioethanol and biogas. Based on the results obtained, the conversion rate of the biomass—maize, in this case—into bioethanol was determined as the efficiency of the process of bioethanol production. A biomass conversion study was conducted for 12 months, during which both maize grains and stillage were sampled once per quarter (QU-I, QU-II, QU-III, QU-IV; QU—quarter) for testing. Between 342 L (QU-II) and 370 L (QU-I) of ethanol was obtained from the organic matter subjected to alcoholic fermentation. The mass that did not undergo conversion to bioethanol ranged from 269.04 kg to 309.50 kg, which represented 32.07% to 36.95% of the organic matter that was subjected to the process of bioethanol production. On that basis, it was concluded that only two-thirds of the organic matter was converted into bioethanol. The remaining part—post-production waste in the form of stillage—became a valuable raw material for the production of biogas, containing one-third of the biodegradable fraction. Under laboratory conditions, between 30.5 m3 (QU-I) and 35.6 m3 (QU-II) of biogas per 1 Mg of FM (FM—fresh matter) was obtained, while under operating conditions, between 29.2 m3 (QU-I) and 33.2 m3 (QU-II) of biogas was acquired from 1 Mg of FM. The Biochemical Methane Potential Correction Coefficient (BMPCC), which was calculated based on the authors’ formula, ranged from 3.2% to 7.4% in the analysed biogas installation.

Effects of Mixing Garlic Skin on Fermentation Quality, Microbial Community of High-Moisture Pennisetum hydridum Silage

Garlic skin, a by-product of garlic processing, was supposed to improve the fermentation quality of high-moisture silages because of its low moisture content and active compounds. Thus, fermentation and microbial characteristics of high-moisture Pennisetum hydridum ensiled with the addition of 0, 10, 20, and 30 wt% garlic skin (on a fresh matter basis) were analyzed during a 60-days fermentation. Results showed that the addition of garlic skin increased the dry matter content and lactic acid production, and decreased the pH and ammonia-N content of the silage. Adding garlic skin changed the relative abundance of bacterial communities with an increase in Lactobacillus and a decrease in Clostridium relative abundance. In conclusion, co-ensiling of high-moisture Pennisetum hydridum with garlic skin could be a simple approach to improve the silage quality and nutrients preservation.