Effect of five Bacillus strains on seed germination of Pisum sativum and plant growth of Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum (oregano)

This study aims to investigate the effect of PGP-strains from genus Bacillus on seed germination of Pisum sativum and plant growth of Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum in comparison with two growth plant regulators. Bacterial cell free supernatants (CFS) from five Bacillus strains were used in two different concentrations – 100 and 500 fold dilutions. The growth regulators (gibberellic acid and indole acetic acid) were used to determine optimal concentration to Pisum sativum seeds germination and plant growth, and were compared with the bacterial CFS. PGP-activities of CFS and plant regulators were evaluated by morphometric data of sprouted seeds and plants. Bacterial CFS increase the number of lateral root branching and the average number of leaves compared with the tested growth regulators. The growth regulators had positive effect on plant growth, although their accumulation in the soils has been shown to cause soil erosion and pollution. The treatment of Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum with bacterial CS from B. subtilis 8VR, B. pumilus 9VR and B. thuringiensis 13VR, resulted in significant increase in the root length compared to the control. The maximum length of the main root was measured after treatment with CS from B. thuringiensis 13VR. Bacterial CS from genus Bacillus had no effect of stem length of Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum, while CS from B. cereus 7VR and B. subtilis 8VR increased the number of leaf trichomes compared to the control.

Enhancement of a Spent Irrigation Water Recycling Process: A Case Study in a Food Business

Food operations use vast amounts of water. To reduce utility costs as well as concerns regarding water depletion in ecosystems, food businesses usually try to reuse their water. However, this often needs a recycling process to ensure the water is of good quality and safe to reuse in a food environment. This paper presents a case study of a grower of beansprouts and other varieties of sprouted seeds that uses six million litres of water weekly. Approximately 60% of their spent irrigation water is recycled using both 50 µm and 20 µm drum filtration. In addition, chlorine dioxide is used as part of the recycling process as a disinfectant. Our analysis demonstrated that the size of suspended solid particles in over 90% of the cumulative sample tested was smaller than the current 20 µm filter in place, highlighting that the existing system was ineffective. We, then, explored options to enhance the water recycling system of the company. After careful analysis, it was proposed to install a membrane-filtration system with ultraviolet technology to increase the finest level of filtration from the existing 20 µm to 0.45 µm absolute and sterilize any remaining bacteria. This not only improved water quality, but also allowed for the removal of chemicals from the recycling system, delivering both financial and technical improvements.

Persistence and Transfer of Foodborne Pathogens to Sunflower and Pea Shoot Microgreens during Production in Soil-Free Cultivation Matrix

Microgreens are an emerging salad crop with properties similar to those of sprouted seeds and lettuce. This study aimed to determine bacterial pathogen persistence during microgreen cultivation and transfer from soil-free cultivation matrix (SFCM) to mature microgreens. Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica ser. Javiana and Listeria monocytogenes were inoculated onto biostrate mats as well as peat SFCM and sampled (day 0). Next, sunflower and pea shoot seeds were planted (day 0) and grown in a controlled environment until the microgreen harvest (day 10). On day 10, SFCM and microgreens were sampled to determine the pathogen levels in the SFCM and the pathogen transfer to microgreens during production. Salmonella Javiana log CFU/g were significantly higher than L. monocytogenes in SFCM on day 10 in both planted and unplanted regions (p < 0.05). Significant differences in pathogen transfer (log CFU/g) were observed between the pea shoot and sunflower microgreens, regardless of the pathogen or SFCM type (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, pathogen transfer to the pea shoot and sunflower microgreens from the biostrate was 1.53 (95% CI: −0.75–3.81) and 5.29 (95% CI: 3.01–7.57) mean log CFU/g, respectively, and transfer from the peat was 0.00 (95% CI: −2.28–2.28) and 2.64 (95% CI: 0.36–4.92) mean log CFU/g, respectively. Results demonstrate that pathogen transfer to microgreens during production is influenced by SFCM and microgreen variety.

Technical variables influencing the seed germination of winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) seed

The demand for sprouted seeds as dietetics and exotic healthy foods has recently increased. Winged bean seeds contain both nutritional composition and antinutrients. In order to convert this seed into healthy food, the winged bean was germinated into a vegetable sprout. In this research, the influence of soaking and sprouting conditions on the physicochemical and sensory attributes of sprouts was observed. Results showed that winged bean should be soaked in water at 34oC in 7 hrs, water to solid 3/1. The soaked seed was drained for 15 mins and incubated at temperature 36oC for 18 hrs. Following these parameters, the winged bean sprout achieved extended length (46.25±0.02 mm), vitamin C (124.13±0.01 mg/100 g), total phenolic content (997.34±1.14 mg GAE/100 g) and overall acceptance (8.94±0.02). Soaking terms for sprouting could improve the nutritional attribute of the winged bean as a functional foodstuff

Direct in Vitro Organogenesis From Sprouted Seeds of a Highly Economical and Ecological Valued Tree, Korean Pine

The de novo organogenesis system for Korean pine of this economically and ecologically coniferous species was success fully established using sprouted seeds as the original explants. After 30 days of incubation, 92.67% of explants produced direct shoots on Gupta and Durzan(DCR) medium containing 2 mg · L −1 kinetin (KT) in combination 0.5 mg · L −1 thidiazuron (TDZ) with a maximum of about 15 shoots per explant respectively. We also confirmed the organogenic regeneration pattern by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation. For shoot elongation and growth after 60 days of culture, we obtained the highest mean length of 34.99 mm from DCR basal media supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (6-BA; 0.2 mg · L −1 ), 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA; 0.1 mg · L −1 ), and activated charcoal (AC; 1 g · L −1 ). The highest rooting percentages of 20.74-21.48% were observed within two months in the 1/2 DCR medium (major elements halved) enriched with 0.05 mg·L −1 NAA and 0.5 or 1 mg · L −1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Rooted plants showed a survival rate of 90.28% in perlite: peat: vermiculite = 1:1:1 after acclimatization. This protocol is a successful and efficient biotechnological approach to the micropropagation of Korean pine, and these data will be helpful to the clonal propagation and conservation of Korean pine.

Seedling morphology of different wheat genotypes at early stages under hydrocultural conditions

Consuming “sprouted seeds” is one of the most important factors of a healthy diet. An experiment was conducted in the University of Debrecen, Research Centre of Nyíregyháza (Hungary) in 2014 to analyse some morphological traits of four winter wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) and one spelt (T. spelta) variety. Our results showed that the spelt wheat variety “Franckenkorn” could maintain higher root length throughout the experimental period. On average, both “Perbetei” and “Franckenkorn” varieties could maintain higher root number compared to the other varieties. The extensive breeding line “1401 HK” had the highest shoot length throughout the whole experiment, being significantly higher than the landrace variety “Perbetei” and both of the varieties “KG Bendegúz” and “KG Kunhalom”. It could be concluded that “KG Bendegúz” cultivar and “Perbetei” landrace seem to be the most suitable for aquaculture techniques. In addition, “1401 HK” breeding line can be the most suitable for the production of juice since the minimal required shoot length (12 cm) was achieved within the shortest period of time after sowing (9 days). This breeding line and “Franckenkorn” can also be suitable for production of “wheatgrass”, because it is consumed without roots. Further research is needed to evaluate nutritional values of these genotypes.

Potential exploitation of Shea press cakes in glycaemia regulation: Inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase by protein and methanolic extracts

Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) tree is integrally used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several health disturbances. Its kernels fat is widely exploited for food, medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Nevertheless germinated kernels are considered as waste, whereas shea germinative power would be very high. Their anti-diabetic ability was evaluated in vitro, in ordre to highlight their pharmacological benefits. Therefore, both proteins (crude, digested and dialysed ones) and hydroalcoholic extracts, were prepared from germinated and ungerminated shea seed press cakes. The anti-diabetic essay was carried out by evaluating extracts inhibiting power on both α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities. Proteins were quantified by spectrophotometry (214 nm). Results revealed that the protein content of the extracts from germinated seed cakes was 450 mg/100 g and that of the extracts from ungerminated shea seed cakes was 410 mg/100 g. The percentage of inhibition of α-amylase by the dialysed extracts of germinated shea seeds, in this case the external dialysate of germinated seed, presented the best rate of inhibition with 30.21 %. Contrary to the percentage of inhibition of α-amylase, the highest rates of inhibition of α-glucosidase were recorded with the crude protein extracts of sprouted seeds (82.02 %) and unsprouted seeds (62.32 %). For methanolic extracts, the highest inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase was recorded by the ungerminated seeds, with 42.61% for α-amylase and 97.47% for α-glucosidase. These results show that protein extracts of shea seed cakes may play a role in blood glucose regulation.

Effect of Germination on the Physicochemical and Antinutritionnal Parameters of White Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Seeds Cultivated in Côte d'Ivoire

The objective of the present study was to evaluate some physicochemical and some antinutritional factors characteristics of sprouted seeds of white bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with a view to their valorization in the Ivorian diet. The contents of dry matter, ash, reducing sugars, total sugars, fat, increased significantly under the effect of the germination of bean seeds. In addition, the mineral contents (Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Sodium, Potassium) of sprouted bean samples are statistically different from those of ungerminated beans. Then, it was found that germination resulted in a significant increase in the contents of vitamins (A, B1, C, D and E). However, a significant decrease in the anti-nutritive compounds such alkaloid, oxalates, phytates and tannins was observed in the sprouted bean seeds. The mean values range from 45.00 ± 3.54 to 16.25 ± 1.28; from 68.29 ± 0.71 to 21.32 ± 0.18; from 81.72 ± 2.48 to 38.14 ± 1.76 and from 51.58 ± 0.26 to 19.35 ± 0.53 per cent respectively. Thus, germination is an effective processing method for increasing vitamins and mineral bioavailability, and for reducing significantly anti-nutritve compounds after the bean seeds germinate.

Influence of wheat grain priming on the development of sprouts in an environment containing copper ions and the amount of proline

In addition to antioxidants, compounds called osmoprotectants also play a special role in relieving the negative effects of oxidative stress that occurs in plants. These include glycinbetaine, proline, and mannitol. Among them, the biological role of proline is most common among plants. The results of this study are related to the development of pre- sowing processing (priming) of grains of various varieties of spring wheat to increase its resistance to heavy metals, yield and seed quality. The study is aimed not only at increasing seed germination, growth and development of their seedlings under heavy metal exposure, but also at determining the amount of proline in sprouted seeds after priming. It was carried out under the above-mentioned conditions of different concentrations of priming and copper salt solution and studied how Proline levels change in wheat sprouts. The obtained results show for the fi rst time that the relationship between antioxidants and osmoprotectants changes during oxidative stress caused by heavy metal. Key words: proline, pre-sowing priming, heavy metals, osmoprotectants.