Inhibitory effects of a low-molecular-weight sulfated fucose-containing saccharide on α-amylase and α-glucosidase prepared from ascophyllan

To find natural and safe anti-diabetic foods or potential drugs, low-molecular-weight saccharide fragments LMWAs-H (Mw 33.48 kDa) and LMWAs-L (Mw 6.71 kDa) from the sulfated polysaccharide ascophyllan of Ascophyllum nodosum...

Alternative products to control late season diseases in soybeans

ABSTRACT: In the last crop seasons, the complex of late season diseases (CLSD) of soybean (Glycine max L. (Merrill)), has been causing considerable reductions in the crop yield. Currently, there are no cultivars resistant to all pathogens that causes CLSD. The present study evaluated the effect of applying the acibenzolar-S-methyl resistance inducer, alternative products and fungicide on the severity of CLSD in the soybean cultivar BMX Potência RR during the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 crops, in the field. The treatments for the experiments were: 1 - control (water); 2 - acibenzolar-S-methyl; 3 - calcium; 4 - micronutrients: copper, manganese and zinc; 5 - micronutrients: manganese, zinc and molybdenum; 6 - nitrogen-potassium fertilizer; 7 - Ascophyllum nodosum and 8 - azoxystrobin + cyproconazole with the addition of the adjuvant. Four applications of alternative products and two of fungicide were carried out in both harvests. A diagrammatic scale assessed the severity of CLSD at the phenological stage R7.1. The acibenzolar-S-methyl resistance inducer, alternative products (macro and micronutrients) and A. nodosum had no effect on the severity of CLSD in the two harvests. The fungicide (azoxystrobin + cyproconazole) reduced the severity of CLSD and prevented damage to productivity in both experiments.

Evaluation of the Antibacterial and Prebiotic Potential of Ascophyllum nodosum and Its Extracts Using Selected Bacterial Members of the Pig Gastrointestinal Microbiota

Ascophyllum nodosum and its extracts are promising antibacterial and prebiotic dietary supplements for pigs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of the increasing concentrations of: (1) two whole biomass samples of A. nodosum with different harvest seasons, February (ANWB-F) and November (ANWB-N), in a weaned pig faecal batch fermentation assay, and (2) A. nodosum extracts produced using four different extraction conditions of a hydrothermal-assisted extraction methodology (ANE1–4) and conventional extraction methods with water (ANWE) and ethanol (ANEE) as solvent in individual pure culture growth assays using a panel of beneficial and pathogenic bacterial strains. In the batch fermentation assay, ANWB-F reduced Bifidobacterium spp. counts (p < 0.05) while ANWB-N increased total bacterial counts and reduced Bifidobacterium spp. and Enterobacteriaceae counts (p < 0.05). Of the ANE1–4, produced from ANWB-F, ANWE and ANEE that were evaluated in the pure culture growth assays, the most interesting extracts were the ANE1 that reduced Salmonella Typhimurium, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and B. thermophilum counts and the ANE4 that stimulated B. thermophilum growth (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the extraction method and conditions influenced the bioactivities of the A. nodosum extracts with ANE1 and ANE4 exhibiting distinct antibacterial and prebiotic properties in vitro, respectively, that merit further exploration.

A mechanistic investigation of enhanced nitrogen use efficiency in wheat seedlings after treatment with an Ascophyllum nodosum biostimulant

ABSTRACTReduction in the emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide and nitrogen (N) pollution of ground water by improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in crops is urgently required in pursuit of a sustainable agricultural future. Utilising an engineered biostimulant (PSI-362) derived from the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum, we examined its effect on wheat seedling growth dynamics and mechanistic spatiotemporal changes at transcriptional and biochemical levels in relation to N uptake, assimilation and NUE. PSI-362-mediated biomass increase was associated with increased nitrate uptake and N assimilation in the form of glutamate, glutamine, free amino acids, soluble proteins and total chlorophyll. Phenotypical and biochemical analysis were supported by evaluation of differential expression of genetic markers involved in nitrate perception and transport (TaNRT1.1/NPF6.3), and assimilation (TaNR1 and TaNiR1, TaGDH2, TaGoGAT, TaGS1). Finally, a comparative analysis of the PSI-362 and two generic Ascophyllum nodosum extracts (ANEs) demonstrated that the NUE effect greatly differs depending on the ANE biostimulant used. In the current context of climate warming the transition of agriculture to a more sustainable model is urgently required. Application and adoption of precision biostimulants creates an opportunity for sustainable crop management, reduced production cost and environmental pollution, while maintaining yields.

Effect of Seaweed Extracts on Growth, Yield Parameters in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L)

This field experiment entitled “Effect of seaweed extracts on growth, yield parameters in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum. L)” was conducted during rabi at Field Experimentation Centre of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India during 2019 & 2020. The experiment was consisted of 2 varieties and 14 treatments comprising of seaweed extracts (i.e., Ascophyllum nodosum, red and brown algae) which was laid in RBD (Randomized Block Design) with kabuli & desi chick pea, 14 treatments, 03 replications. The result shows that among all the treatments, the genotypes kabuli & desi chickpea treated with 2.0% A. nodosum for 6 hours recorded the maximum value in growth parameters such as percent field germination after four (10.74 & 10.74), seven (49.26 & 47.41), and ten (77.41 & 70.74) DAS, Days to 50% flowering (88.67 & 86.00), days to maturity (154.00 & 156.33), number of branches 25 (17.93 & 16.60) and 50 DAS (36.70 & 33.57) and height at 25 (4.47 & 3.93) and 50 (7.27 & 7.00) DAS. Similar results were also recorded in different yield parameters in both kabuli & desi chickpea genotypes such as number of pods plant (61.52 & 60.24), number of pods per plot (1025.67 & 922.00), number of seeds per plant (102.5 & 100.4), number of pods per plant (14.25 & 1525), seed yield per plant (28.30 & 25.35), seed yield per plot (358.44 & 328.86), biological yield (3187.42 & 3061.24), economical yield (1341.67 & 1231.33), and harvest index showing most superior values when treated with treatment 2.0% Ascophyllum nodosum for 6 hours. Remaining treatments i.e, treatment with 0.5% Ascophyllum nodosum solution, 1.0% Ascophyllum nodosum solution, 0.5% red and brown algae solution, 1.0% red and brown algae solution, 2.0% red and brown algae solution for 6 hours recorded the second most effective treatments observed significantly superior than untreated checks.

The Use of Ascophyllum nodosum and Bacillus subtilis C-3102 in the Management of Canine Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy: A Pilot Study

The aim was to assess the effects of Ascophyllum nodosum (AN) with/without Bacillus subtilis C-3102 as alternative treatments for Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy (CIE) of dogs. Fourteen CIE patients, which had received the same control (CTR) diet, were enrolled to serially receive three diets: (1) hydrolysed protein (HP) diet; (2) 4.0% AN supplemented HP (HPA) food, (3) HPA diet fortified with 125 billion B. subtilis C-3102 spores/10 kg body weight (HPAB diet). Clinical outcome was assessed by Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index (CIBDAI), whereas gut microbiota compositional variations were investigated via 16S rRNA gene analysis, and faecal fermentation end-products by liquid chromatography. Higher abundances of the Ruminococcaceae and Rikenellaceae families were shown in HPA relative to CTR treatment, with Bacillus genus being differentially abundant on HPAB diet. Concentrations of acetate were higher (p < 0.05) in dogs fed HPA compared to CTR diet, and amounts of isovalerate and isobutyrate were greater (p < 0.05) in HPA compared to HP food. A tendency for higher amounts of faecal butyrate was found for the HPAB treatment (p = 0.06). Comprehensively, while displaying potentially positive effects on faecal fermentations, the tested substances failed to improve CIBDAI scores and microbial richness in CIE dogs.