How Does the Addition of Biostimulants Affect the Growth, Yield, and Quality Parameters of the Snap Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)? How Is This Reflected in Its Nutritional Value?

Recently, the use of biostimulants as natural and eco-friendly fertilizers has received increasing attention because of their efficiency in terms of improving crops’ qualitative and quantitative parameters, i.e., growth, yield, and chemical composition. We studied the effect of four biostimulants—humic acid (20 g/L), vermicompost tea (15 mL/L), moringa leaf extract (1:30 v/v), and yeast extract (5 g/L), with tap water as a control treatment—on the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of snap beans. The experiment was designed using a complete randomized block with triplicates. The results showed a significant improvement in treated plant performance (growth and yield), chlorophyll, and chemical composition compared to untreated plants. Using moringa leaf extract increased the plant height, number of leaves and branches/plant, and fresh and dry weight. Additionally, the diameter of the treated plant stems and the quality of the crop and pods were also significantly higher than those of plants treated with vermicompost or humic acid extract. It is also noted that the profile of amino acids was improved using all tested biostimulants. This leads to the conclusion that the addition of moringa leaf extract and vermicompost tea not only positively affects the qualitative and quantitative properties of snap bean but is also reflected in its nutritional value as a plant-based food.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND NUTRITION OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LAM. LEAF EXTRACT: A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON PREPARATION PHYTOSOMES AS HERBAL SUPPLEMENT FOR CHILDREN

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties and nutrition of Moringa leaf extract. In addition, the preliminary study for the preparation of Moringa leaf extract-loaded phytosomes for a supplement. Methods: Extraction of Moringa leaf made using microwave-assisted extraction, followed by evaluation of proximate analysis (water, total ash, acid-insoluble of ash contents, and residual n-hexane), phytochemical screening, and nutrition such as crude protein, amino acids, and minerals (iron, zinc, and calcium). The phytosomes were prepared by the anti-solvent precipitation method and assessed for the morphology, particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index (PDI), entrapment efficiency (EE), and Fourier-transform infrared spectra. Results: The nutrition contents of crude protein, iron, zinc, and calcium were 19.61±0.07%, 3.47±0.00 mg/100g, 5.46±0.05 mg/100g, and 747.40±4.89 mg/100g, respectively. The amino acids with the highest concentrations were glutamic acid, phenylalanine, aspartic acid, alanine, and arginine in the extract. The best preparation using sonication 10 min by morphology was a spherical included particle size, PDI, zeta potential, and EE of arginine was 87.16±1.73 nm, 0.22±0.04, −23.07±0.76 mV, and 108.94±0.52%, respectively. Conclusion: These preliminary results provide evidence of the nutritional benefit of Moringa leaf extract-loaded phytosomes as a promising supplement to prevent stunting in children.

The Physicochemical Characteristics of Smart Food Bars Enriched with Moringa Leaf Extract And Chitosan as An Emergency Food in Disaster Times

Emergency food products are processed food specifically designed to meet human daily needs of at least 2500 Kcal/day. One of the emergency food products, namely food bars, is a high-calorie food product, enriched with other nutrients and produced in solid form. The packaging of food bars designed in a small size makes their distribution relatively easy. The purpose of this study was to characterize the emergency food products of smart food bars by utilizing local food ingredients, including flour, mackerel fish flour, moringa leaf extract, and coconut crab chitosan at various concentrations. Furthermore, it delved into the formulation and physicochemical characterization of the best smart food bars as an emergency food by substituting cassava flour and skipjack tuna flour enriched with moringa leaf extract and coconut crab chitosan. This research used a completely randomized factorial design by combining treatments with cassava flour and skipjack fish flour as well as a combination of treatment with moringa leaf extract and the addition of coconut crab chitosan (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% 20%). The results showed that the N3 treatment (15% moringa leaf extract and chitosan) with a texture value of 2,768 N/m, color values (L*, a*, b*) were 63.35, 5.30, and 11.91, respectively. The findings also highlighted 13.29% protein, 17.80% fat, 6.55% water, 0.96% ash, 60.76% carbohydrates, 7.41% antioxidants, and total calories of 230.57 kcal. The study has concluded that the use of moringa leaf extract and coconut crab chitosan can enhance the characteristics of smart food bars as emergency food during disasters.

Application of moringa leaf extract improves growth and yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Indian Spinach (Basella alba)

Moringa (Moringa oleifera L.) leaf extract is a natural plant growth stimulant that is well-known for its ability to improve plant growth and development. A field study was conducted to evaluate the influence of MLE (Moringa Leaf Extract) on the growth, yield and nutritional improvement in two vegetable crops [Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Indian Spinach (Basella alba)]. The extract was applied at two weeks interval with different frequencies. The crops were fertilized with chemical fertilizers and MLE application was done as per treatment @ 25 ml/plant. For each of the crops, this bio-stimulant had a significant boosting effect on growth, yield and nutrient uptake whereas the maximum frequency in the application i.e. T4 (foliar application of MLE at 2 weeks after transplanting and application at every 2 weeks thereafter) showed the highest influence. Indian Spinach responded proportionally more to foliar-applied MLE in terms of plant growth and nutrient uptake compared to tomato. The effect of MLE on the yield parameters was more pronounced in tomato that showed a 25% (averaged across all the growth parameters) increase over control, but Indian Spinach showed ~20% increase in yield parameters compared to control. Therefore, applying MLE to the foliage may assist in increasing the yield by improving plant growth across the different vegetable species (e.g., Tomato and Indian Spinach).

Hydropriming with Moringa Leaf Extract Mitigates Salt Stress in Wheat Seedlings

Salinity is the major constraint that decreases the yield and production of crops. Wheat has a significant value in agricultural food commodities. The germination and growth of wheat seedlings are a big challenge in salt-affected soils. The seed priming technique is used to mitigate salt stress and enhance the germination and growth of the crops. Therefore, the current study was conducted to evaluate the hydropriming of natural plant extract (moringa leaf extract) and water on wheat seeds and grown under different saline (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2 M NaCl) environments. The germination attributes (germination percentage, germination index, mean germination day, coefficient of variance, vigor index) and seedling growth (fresh weight, dry weight, root length, shoot length) were enhanced in the plants primed by moringa leaf extract. The germination percentage was observed 10% more at 0.2 M NaCl stress in seeds treated with moringa leaf extract than seeds treated with water. The nutrient (K, Ca, Mg, P, S, Fe, B, Mn, Zn, Cu) uptake was also observed more in the shoots and roots of wheat seedlings soaked in moringa leaf extract as compared to soaked in water. Controlled plants showed higher concentrations of toxic ions (Na) and reactive oxygen species (H2O2) in shoots and roots of wheat seedlings. The use of moringa leaf extract for priming wheat seeds will enhance their germination and growth by maintaining efficient nutrient uptake and restricting the toxic ions and reactive oxygen species accumulation.

Plant growth promoters mediated quality and yield attributes of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) ecotypes under salinity stress

Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn (Astraceae) is a well-reputed medicinal plant mostly utilized for silymarin (Sily) content and oil production, however, the information about Sily contents in achene part is still fragmented under different climatic conditions. In this study four milk thistle ecotypes from Faisalabad (FSD), Gujranwala (GUJ), Quetta (QTA), and Kallar kahar (KK) having an altered achene color were analyzed under salt stress. Application of plant growth promoters (PGPs) is one of the solution for ameliorating the effect of salinity and increasing the quantity and quality traits of milk thistle, so ascorbic acid (AsA), thiourea (TU), and moringa leaf extract (MLE) were soil supplied after developing salinity stress (120 mM with irrigation) at germination stage. Predetermined levels were selected for PGPs such as AsA (500 µM), MLE (3%), and TU (250 µM). Results revealed that all yield related attributes were significantly decreased, while secondary metabolites, pericarp epidermis, pericarp parenchyma, and pericarp seed integument increased under salinity stress. Data suggested that PGPs treatment was helpful to alleviate the deleterious effects of salinity stress and enhance the milk thistle quality and quantity parameters. The ecotypic variations with altered achene color patterns represent an advantage for QTA ecotypes for higher Sily extraction under salt stressed conditions.

Pengaruh pemberian ekstrak daun kelor (Moringa oleifera Lam.) terhadap motilitas dan viabilitas spermatozoa tikus (Rattus norvegicus) dengan paparan panas

This study aimed to determine the effect of Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) leaf extract on the viability and motility of spermatozoa of rats (Rattus norvegicus) exposed to heat (40 ºC). A total of 25 rats aged 2.5 months and weighed 200 grams were randomly divided into five groups. Rats in K (–) group were not exposed to heat and without Moringa leaf extract administration. Rats in K (+) group were exposed to heat (40 ºC) for 1 hour daily without Moringa leaf extract administration. Meanwhile, rats in P1, P2, and P3 groups were administrated with Moringa leaf extract 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW/day, then exposed to 40 ºC 1 hour daily for 14 days. The results showed that exposure to 40 °C one hour per day for 14 days in K (+) group caused a decrease (p <0.05) on viability and motility of rat spermatozoa compared to those of the K (–) group. The administration of Moringa leaf extract (P1, P2, and P3 groups) was followed by an increase (p <0.05) in viability and motility of rat spermatozoa compared to the K (+) group. Viability and motility of rat spermatozoa in the P3 group (given Moringa leaf extract 400 mg/kg BW/day and exposed to 40 ºC 1 hour daily for 14 days) were not significantly different (p >0.05) compared to the viability and motility of rat spermatozoa in K (–) group. It could be concluded that administration of Moringa leaf extract 400 mg/kg BW/day can maintain the viability and motility of spermatozoa in white rats exposed to heat.

Exploring the potential of moringa leaf extract as bio stimulant for improving yield and quality of black cumin oil

The history of plants to be utilized as medicines is thousands of years old. Black cumin is one of the most widely examined plant possessing naturally occurring compounds with antimicrobial potential. Foliar application of growth stimulators is a successful strategy to enhance yield and quality in many crops. A field study was planned to apply growth stimulator like moringa leaf extract on black cumin crop grown under field conditions using RCB design with three replications. All other agronomic inputs and practices were uniform. The treatments were moringa leaf extract concentrations (10%, 20%), growth stages (40 days after sowing, 80 DAS, 120 DAS, 40 + 80 DAS, 40 + 120 DAS, 80 + 120 DAS, 40 + 80 + 120 days after sowing) and two controls unsprayed check (i.e. no moringa leaf extract, no water) and sprayed check (no moringa leaf extract + water). Application of 20% moringa leaf extract at stage-7 (40 + 80 + 120 days after sowing) had significantly increased plant height, branches plant−1, essential oil content, fixed oil content, peroxidase value and iodine value of black cumin oil over unsprayed control. Application of moringa leaf extract showed maximum results and improves growth and yield of black cumin when applied at 40 + 80 + 120 days after sowing. As this study was only conducted using moringa leaf extract, it is advisable to conduct an experiment with various bio stimulants along with fertilizer combinations and growth regulators to check their synergistic effects for more reliable and acceptable recommendations in future.

Influence of Bio-fertilizers and Botanicals on GrowthYield and Yield Attributes of Field Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Var. (Azad Pea-3)

The Field Experiment was conducted at Field Experimentation Centre, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sam Higginbottom University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Prayagraj (U.P) during the year 2020-2021.The Experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with 13 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments were T0 - Control, T1- Azotobacter @ 3g, T2-Azotobacter @ 5g ,T3- Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria @ 3g, T4-Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria @ 5g, T5- Azospirillum @ 3g, T6-Azospirillum@ 5g,T7- Rhizobium @ 3g, T8-Rhizobium @ 5g , T9- Moringa leaf extract @1%, T10-Moringa leaf extract @3%, T11- Lantana camera leaf extract @1%, T12-Lantana camera leaf extract @ 3% with a soaking duration of 8 hours. The results showed that seeds primed with T8- Rhizobium @ 5g improved Field emergence percentage, growth, yield and yield attributing traits followed by T7-Rhizobium @ 3g and T4- PSB@ 5g. The least performance was observed in T0-Control when compared with the other treatments. This it indicated that the process of seed treatment by bio-fertilizers may be the better option for seed growers to achieve higher seed yield and yield attributes in Pea.