Review on the pharmacological and health aspects of Hylocereus or Pitaya: An update

The need for fresh fruit and vegetables in the community is increasing, this is due to research which states that the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables can reduce the likelihood of disease. Hylocereus spp or dragon fruit is a medicine plant belonging to the Cactaceae family. The distinctive morphology found in dragon fruit is the shape of the skin which corresponds to the oval body shape. Dragon fruit can grow well in dry areas. Phytochemicals in dragon fruit or pitaya include carbohydrates, protein, saponin phenolic compounds, terpenoids, oils, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, coumarin, and steroids. Meanwhile, nutritional analysis shows that the fruit contains complete nutrition, including vitamins, fat, crude fiber, and minerals. Based on previous research, dragon fruit has been proven to be used as an alternative ingredient for antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antoxidant, antulcer, antipertility, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, hypopolidemic, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, and anti-platelet Keywords: Hyolocereus, medicine, phytochemistry, pharmacology.

Evaluation of vegetable pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp] genotypes for yield stability

Background Vegetable pigeonpea is an important food security crop in the marginal dry areas of the Eastern region of Kenya. The adaptation and stability of vegetable pigeonpea genotypes across different agro-ecological zones in Kenya are not adequately determined. The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield stability and adaptability of genotypes: KAT 60/8, MZ 2/9, ICEAP 00554, ICEAP 00557 and KIONZA based on additive main effects and multiplicative interactions (AMMI) and Genotype plus genotype by environment (GGE biplot) analysis. Methods Evaluation of vegetable pigeonpea Genotypes was conducted at Kiboko, Katumani and Kambi ya Mawe research stations located in Eastern region and University of Nairobi Field station in central region of Kenya. The genotypes were planted in a Randomized Complete Block design (RCBD), replicated three times at all sites. Rainfall at Kiboko and Kabete were supplemented with irrigation, using sprinklers, for a total of 38 times, providing 832 mm of water. The crop was protected from pests by the application of broad-spectrum, non-systemic, pyrethroid alpha-cypermethrin and dimethoate, after field scouting. All other agronomic and cultural practices were done as recommended for each location. Results Combined analysis of variance (ANOVA) at six environments revealed highly significant (P < 0.01) variations in G × E interactions for yield (Kg/ha), 100 Seed mass (g/100 seed), days to flower and maturity (P < 0.05). AMMI model for grain yield interaction principal components analysis (IPCA), explained 96.5% of the total yield variation. The cultivar MZ 2/9 and KAT 60/8 recorded a lower IPCA1, indicating a wider adaptation and stability. Kambi ya Mawe, Katumani and Kiboko had higher IPCA1, indicating greatest interactive environments and adapted genotypes. Kambi ya Mawe, was the most ideal location for evaluating pigeonpea genotypes. While KIONZA was the most ideal genotype for yield performance, MZ 2/9 and KAT 60/8 were most stable with a wider adaptation. Conclusion KIONZA should be used as a reference genotype, while Kambi ya Mawe would be the most ideal location for testing the vegetable pigeonpea genotypes in breeding research. Increased deployment of stable pigeon pea cultivars, MZ 2/9 and KAT 60/8 would enhance food security in the dry areas of Eastern regions of Kenya. These genotypes need to be promoted with farmers for wider adoption in the Eastern region of Kenya.

Latent negative precipitation for the delineation of a zero-precipitation area in spatial interpolations

The spatial interpolation of precipitation has been employed in a number of fields, including by spatially downscaling the Global Circulation Model (GCM) to a finer scale. Most precipitation events become more sporadic when the coverage area increases (i.e., a portion of the points experience zero precipitation). However, spatial interpolations of precipitation generally ignore these dry areas, and the interpolated grids are filled with certain precipitation amounts. Subsequently, no delineation of dry and wet regions can be made. Therefore, the current study suggested a novel approach to determine dry areas in spatial interpolations of precipitation events by assigning latent negative precipitation (LNP) to points with observed precipitation values of zero. The LNP-assigned points are then employed in a spatial interpolation. After that, the dry region can be determined using the negative region (i.e., points with zero precipitation). The magnitude of LNP can be defined by multiplying the precipitation values of neighboring stations by a tuning parameter. The LNP method and the tuning parameter are tested on weather stations covering South Korea. The results indicate that the proposed LNP method can be suitable for the spatial interpolation of precipitation events by delineating dry and wet regions. Additionally, the tuning parameter plays a special role in that it increases in value with longer precipitation durations and denser networks. A value of 0.5–1.5 can be suggested for the tuning parameter as a rule of thumb when high accuracy for final products of interpolated precipitation is not critical. For future studies, the LNP model derived herein can be tested over much larger areas, such as the United States, and the model can also be easily adopted for other variables with spatially sporadic values.

Moscato Cerletti, a rediscovered aromatic cultivar with oenological potential in warm and dry areas

Baron Antonio Mendola was devoted to the study of grapevine, applying ampelography and dabbling in crosses between cultivars in order to select new ones, of which Moscato Cerletti, obtained in 1869, was the most interesting. Grillo, one of the most important white cultivars in Sicily, was ascertained to be an offspring of Catarratto Comune and Zibibbo, the same parents which Mendola claimed he used to obtain Moscato Cerletti. Thus the hypothesis of synonymy between Moscato Cerletti and Grillo or the same parentage for both sets of parents needs to be verified.In the present study, historical documents were consulted and genetic analyses and ampelographic, agronomic and qualitative characterisation carried out to determine the distinctiveness of each cultivars. These were also compared with Catarratto Comune and Zibibbo in order to establish the Moscato Cerletti pedigree. Due to their different SSR profiles, Grillo and Moscato Cerletti were confirmed as two distinct cultivars; they also differed in ripening times and sugar storage ability, as well as in the aromatic grape produced by Moscato Cerletti only. The trio genotype genetic analysis confirmed that Zibibbo is a parent of Moscato Cerletti (justifying the aromatic grape), whilst the SSR profiles did not show Catarratto Comune to be a second parent.Moscato Cerletti was found to have oenological potential in the production of sparkling muscat wines due to its ability to adapt to a changing climate in warm and dry environments and in different winegrowing regions.

The Change of Some Food Elements in Soil Depending On Shadowing and Fertilization

Soil is one of the most important factors affecting the plant development on the basis. The method mostly applied for the purpose of accelerating the plant development and ensuring the increase in products is to increase the nutrients in the soil, namely fertilization. Fertilization ensures lots of food elements in the soil to get mixed in the soil and change the soil composition. Another factor affecting the plant growth speed and productivity is shadowing. Shadow conditions change the light receiving amounts of the plant and directly affect the plant photosynthesis speed. In addition; shadowing not only affects the dissolution and in-soil mixture speed of the fertilizers applied to the soil, but it also directly affects the humidity content of the soil. In this study, it has been aimed to determine the food element changes in the soil on the lavender individuals grown under different shadow conditions and fertilized with different fertilizers. The lavender used in the study has been selected due to the fact that it adapts to dry areas, it is abstinent in terms of soil and it is an important and income-generating medical aromatic plant. As a result of the study, it has been determined that shadowing statistically affects salt, carbon, phosphor, nitrogen and potassium and fertilization statistically affects phosphor, nitrogen, potassium, carbon and salt at least at 95% confidence level.