An effect of fat emulsions of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae on the germination capacity and energy of sprouting of pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds

Various oils, fats and emulsifiers in the composition of preparations for soil enrichment or plant protection can have a significant effect on the germination capacity and energy of sprouting of pea seeds. Fat of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae can be used as a pesticide carrier as well as for increasing seed resistance to contamination with fungi and insects during storage and sprouting. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine an effect of insect fat in a form of an emulsion on sprouting of pea seeds of the variety “Rodnik” depending on a type of an emulsifier or stabilizer. It was found that the use of 0.3 weight% of xanthan gum as a stabilizer for fat emulsion of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae significantly increased the number of germinated seeds and the energy of seed sprouting. The use of 1–5 weight% of Tween 20 as an emulsifier for fat of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae led to inhibition of seed growth. Lecithin, sodium caseinate and microcellulose with addition of fat of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae also decreased the germination capacity and sprouting of pea seeds (Pisum sativum L.).

Quality of Pea Seeds and Agroecological Condition of Soil When Using Structured Water

The widespread use of water in crop production and agriculture is due to a significant increase in yields during the watering of agricultural crops, as well as the transfer of pesticides and mineral fertilizers to plants and soil by water. One of the ways to improve the quality of water used in crop production is to structure it. An urgent task is to study the effect of structured water delivered to agricultural crops by watering or spraying on the yield, quality of the resulting products and agroecological condition of the soil. Field studies on pea crops were conducted at experimental sites of the Vinnytsia National Agrarian University, laboratory studies were conducted in accredited laboratories for monitoring the quality, safety of feed and raw materials of the Institute of Feed Research and Agriculture of Podillya of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine and the testing centre of the Vinnytsia branch of the state institution “Institute of Soil Protection of Ukraine”. When watering peas with structured water, its yield increases by 42.3% compared to the version without water application and by 22.3% compared to the version with watering with plain water. Pea seeds when watered with structured water have a lower content of crude protein by 0.43 %, crude fat – by 0.09%, crude ash – by 0.63%, but a higher content of crude fibre by 0.11% and nitrogen-free extractives – by 0.99% compared to the version without water. The content of humus in the soil, when watered with structured water, was lower than in the version without water by 0.04%, lightly hydrolysed nitrogen – by 8.0%, mobile phosphorus – by 20.0%, exchangeable potassium – by 7.9%, the reaction of the soil solution – by 0.2 pH, hydrolytic acidity – by 21.7%, the concentration of mobile lead – by 18.4%. However, the concentration of mobile cadmium increased by 43.8% and soil moisture – by 4.3%. When comparing the indicators of the agroecological state of the soil, which was watered with structured and plain water, it was found that watering with structured water reduces the content of humus by 0.03%, lightly hydrolysed nitrogen – by 2.3%, mobile phosphorus – by 20%, exchange potassium – by 9.7%, hydrolytic acidity – by 7.7%, the reaction of the soil solution – by 0.3 pH, but increases the content of mobile lead by 10.9%, mobile cadmium – by 25.0% and increases the moisture content in the soil – by 2.7%

Green Extraction of Antioxidant Flavonoids from Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) Seeds and Its Antioxidant Potentials Using Ultrasound-Assisted Methodology

Pigeon pea is an important pea species in the Fabaceae family that has long been used for food, cosmetic, and other phytopharmaceutical applications. Its seed is reported as a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory flavonoids, especially isoflavones, i.e., cajanin, cajanol, daidzein, and genistein. In today’s era of green chemistry and green cosmetic development, the development and optimization of extraction techniques is increasing employed by the industrial sectors to provide environmentally friendly products for their customers. Surprisingly, there is no research report on improving the extraction of these isoflavonoids from pigeon pea seeds. In this present study, ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE) methodology, which is a green extraction that provides a shorter extraction time and consumes less solvent, was optimized and compared with the conventional methods. The multivariate strategy, the Behnken–Box design (BBD) combined with response surface methodology, was employed to determine the best extraction conditions for this USAE utilizing ethanol as green solvent. Not only in vitro but also cellular antioxidant activities were evaluated using different assays and approaches. The results indicated that USAE provided a substantial gain of ca 70% in the (iso)flavonoids extracted and the biological antioxidant activities were preserved, compared to the conventional method. The best extraction conditions were 39.19 min with a frequency of 29.96 kHz and 63.81% (v/v) aqueous ethanol. Both the antioxidant and anti-aging potentials of the extract were obtained under optimal USAE at a cellular level using yeast as a model, resulting in lower levels of malondialdehyde. These results demonstrated that the extract can act as an effective activator of the cell longevity protein (SIR2/SIRT1) and cell membrane protector against oxidative stress. This finding supports the potential of pigeon pea seeds and USAE methodology to gain potential antioxidant and anti-aging (iso)flavonoids-rich sources for the cosmetic and phytopharmaceutical sectors.

Production efficiency of different crop rotations and tillage systems

Aim of study: The production efficiency of crop rotations was evaluated based on the yield of the main crop (cereal grains and pea seeds) and yield of the by-product (straw) converted per cereal units (CU), and on total protein yield. Area of study: South-eastern Poland, Europe (2017-2019). Material and methods: The first order experimental factor included crop rotations: A): peas–durum wheat–spring barley; B): spring wheat–durum wheat–spring barley +oats; and C): spring barley–durum wheat–spring wheat. The second order experimental factor included tillage systems: CT, conventional tillage, RT, reduced tillage, and NT, no-tillage. Main results: The yield of pea seeds, cereal grains, and straw per CU was higher in crop rotation A than B (127.8 CU vs. 101.1 CU). Higher CU yields were also recorded in crop rotation C than B (by 18.9 CU). The tillage system had no effect on CU yield. The total protein yield was significantly higher in crop rotation A (2110.7 kg ha-1) than in crop rotations B (by 808.8 kg ha-1) and C (by 448.0 kg ha-1). A higher protein yield was also recorded in RT than in the NT system. Research highlights: The units used for CR assessment, i.e. CU and total protein yield, enable to reliably evaluate the production yield of both CRs and tillage systems.

Influence of biological preparations on yield and sowing qualities of peas (Рisum sativum L.) for organic seed production

According to the legislation of Ukraine, one of the requirements of organic crop production is using organic seeds and organic planting material. High productivity and quality of sowing material for organic production of agricultural products can be obtained only if the plants and soil are optimally provided with nutrients and plants are protected from diseases, pests and weeds. The aim of the work was to study the technologies of protection and nutrition of peas with the use of domestic biological products in organic agrophytocenoses for seed production. The influence of organic technologies for growing peas of the Starter variety (Germany) with the use of complexes of biological preparations of domestic producers on the quantitative and qualitative indicators of seeds (weight of 1000 seeds, germinative energy of seeds, seed germination) is studied. The positive influence of all variants of the use of biological products (combination of pre-sowing treatment of seeds, soil, crop treatment) on the quality of the obtained seed material and its compliance with the requirements of DSTU for reproductive seeds was established. It was shown that the use of biological preparations in organic technologies provides the production of pea seeds with a germination of 94–95% and an increase in the yield of pea seeds at the level of 0.45–0.85 t/ha. It is determined that among the pests common in organic crops of peas, the greatest damage is caused by an insect of a series of hard-winged insects — pea weevil or Bruchus (Bruchus pisorum L.). Moreover, the population of Bruchus increased in crop rotation, located on one common plot without spatial isolation of each field. The main criteria for the production of organic sowing material of legumes, including peas, are compliance with the basic principles of organic production, its ability to provide seeds with high sowing and varietal qualities and the absence of infection and damage by diseases and pests.

Nitric acid solution after treating miscanthus as a growth regulator of seed peas (Pisum sativum L.)

All over the world, miscanthus is positioned as an extremely promising and rapidly renewable cellulose- containing raw material for the production of a large number of substances of chemical and biotechnological synthesis. The Institute for Problems of Chemical and Energetic Technologies of the Siberian Branch оf the Russian Academy of Sciences has been developing its own methods of treating miscanthus using diluted solutions of nitric acid. While the amount of a waste solution (liquid phase) is 20 times greater than the target product — a solid phase -- intended for enzymatic hydrolysis and further microbiological synthesis of bioethanol, bacterial cellulose and other valuable products. The hypothesis states that a nitric acid solution after treatment with miscanthus, which was neutralized with ammonium hydrate (hereinafter referred to as the preparation), is a combined lignohumic fertilizer. Testing this hypothesis has required studying the growth-regulating activity of the preparation using the example of sowing pea seeds. The results show that, depending on the degree of dilution and the exposure time, the preparation acts in two ways: either as a stimulant or as a growth inhibitor. Thus, at a dilution rate of 1:10, the preparation acts as an inhibitor, and at a dilution rate of 1:1,000,000, its effect ceases. The working range includes the dilution rate between 1:100 and 1:10,000, when an increase in germination energy and rate is observed by 2–6% compared to the control and root growth is stimulated by 21–29%, i.e. an auxin-like growth-stimulating effect is observed. With prolonged endurance during the 4th day, the preparation showed a growth-inhibiting effect, indicated by the decrease in the germination energy and rate, the length of the stems and roots of the sowing pea. The new preparation showing growth-stimulating activity under certain conditions, supposedly confirms the hypothesis that it is a combined lignohumic fertilizer.

Influence of raw pea (Pisum sativum) or blue lupin seeds (Lupinus angustifolius) on the level of selected bioactive substances in pork meat

The study objective was to evaluate the impact of different contributions of pea (Pisum sativum) cultivar Hubal and blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) cultivar Regent on the level of selected bioactive substances in pork meat. 100 individuals three-breed cross piglets: ♀ (landrace × yorkshire) × ♂ duroc were used. Two experiments were performed, in which pea seeds (experiment I: E1 – 5.0% pea seeds; E2 – 10.0% pea seeds; E3 – 15.0% pea seeds; E4 -17.5% pea seeds) and blue lupin seeds (experiment II; D1 – 5.0% blue lupin seeds; D2 – 10.0% blue lupin seeds; D3 – 15.0% blue lupin seeds) were used instead of SBM-GM. In each of the experiments 50 animals were divided into 5 groups (control - C, and four experimental), placed in group pens, each for 10 individuals (sex ratio hogs : sows - 1:1). The animals were weighed and tagged before the experiments. The mean body weight of the pigs at experiment I and II commencement was: 26.7 and 33.5 kg, and at the end of the experiments: 122.0 and 124.0, respectively. In the first experiment (progressive pea contribution) the concentration of Carnosine was shown to be higher in E4 than E3 and C by 47.3% and 94.2%, respectively. In comparison with group C, the Q10 coenzyme content in groups E1, E2, E3 and E4 was lower by 40.9%; 56.8%; 40.9% and 65.9% respectively. In the second experiment (progressive lupin contribution) increased content of all of the investigated bioactive substances was recorded in groups D1-D3 vs C. Significant differences between groups C, D2, D4 for taurine (P≤0.05; P≤0.01) and creatine (P≤0.05) have been recorded. The content of bioactive substances in the longissimus lumborum muscle was significantly influenced by legumes, which increased the level of bioactive components of protein fraction. Therefore, it can be concluded, that pea (Pisum sativum) cultivar Hubal and blue lupine (Lupinus angustifolius) cultivar Regent are an alternative to SBM-GM, increasing the nutritionally valuable of pork meat.

Research on Detection Method of Pea Seed Vigor based on Hyperspectral Imaging Technology

Rapid and noninvasive detection methods of seed vigor, an important index to evaluate seed quality, have been the research focus in recent years. In this paper, the detection method of pea seed vigor based on hyperspectral imaging technology was researched. First, the spectral images of different vigor grade samples with artificial aging were captured, and the original spectrum was pretreated with multiple scattering correction. Secondly, SPA and PCA were used to select respective bands. Finally, PLS-DA and LS-SVM model were established to identify the seed vigor of the pea seed, based on the whole band spectrum, the characteristic bands extracted by SPA and PCA respectively. The results showed that PLS-DA and LS-SVM models are effective, but LS-SVM had better performance. Through comparison, the method using full band spectrum was more accurate, the efficiency of method using 5 characteristic bands extracted by PCA was the highest while the way of extracting the representative band by SPA was the most meaningful to this study which achieved similar accuracy to the full band with only 20 bands. The SPA-LS-SVM method afforded the recognition accuracy (100%) for modeling set and validation set used to determine the vigor of pea seeds. The overall results suggest that hyperspectral imaging technology is useful for classification of different vitality pea seeds with non-destructive manner, which can provide a basis for further development of online scoring devices