Seed Quantity or Quality?—Reproductive Responses of Females of Two Dioecious Woody Species to Long-Term Fertilisation

Although seed quality and quantity, as well as reproductive performance are important life history stages of plants, little is known about the reproductive responses of trees to environmental changes such as increased anthropogenic deposition of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Dioecious plants are good models with which to test the environmental impact on female or male reproductive responses individually. We analysed effects of different long-term nutritional availability on the reproductive performance of two dioecious species (Taxus baccata L. and Juniperus communis L.) characterised by different life histories. By using pot experiments with vegetatively propagated plants grown in different fertilisation conditions, we observed an increase in plant growth and strobili production but a decrease in seed efficiency. Seeds produced by fertilised plants had greater seed mass. Fertiliser addition did not change C or N content nor the C/N ratio of T. baccata seeds, but increased N content and the N/P ratio; however, it did lower the C/N ratio in J. communis. Fertilisation did not change the metabolite profile in T. baccata but 18 metabolites were changed in J. communis. The study revealed new links between species life history, environmental changes, and reproduction. The findings imply that future environmental conditions may alter both seed productivity, and quality, as well as plant reproductive behaviour.     

Identification of four low molecular and water‐soluble proteins from grape (Vitis vinifera L.) seeds

Profiles of soluble proteins isolated from mature seeds of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace were studied using two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D‐PAGE) coupled with matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionisation time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI–TOF–MS). Two‐dimensional gels stained with Coomassie brilliant blue revealed more than fifty protein spots. Four abundant protein spots showing low molecular weight (Mr) and wide isoelectric point (pI) were analysed by MALDI–TOF–MS, resulting in their identification. Taken together, these results suggest that identified proteins may be linked to seed development and metabolism, but more instructive is that they have some potential functions for future food application. These results provide some insights into conversion of grape processing wastes into useful products or even as raw material for other industries.     

Nutritional quality of legume seeds as affected by some physical treatments, Part 1: Protein quality evaluation

The effect of water soaking, boiling, roasting, microwave cooking, autoclaving, fermentation and micronization on the nutritional quality of cowpea, pea and kidney bean was investigated. Pea seeds showed the highest crude fat, crude fiber and the lowest moisture contents while kidney bean had the lowest crude fat and the highest crude protein and ash contents. Glu and Asp were the main amino acids in all legumes while Cys and Met contents were the lowest. The protein efficiency ratio (PER), protein chemical score (CS) and the essential amino acid index (EAAI) of raw seeds ranged from 2.15 to 2.95, 39.07 to 68.30, and 55.49 to 62.84, respectively. Soaking, boiling, microwave cooking and autoclaving increased the total essential amino acids in all samples. Furthermore, raw and treated samples showed higher Lys content than the reference protein. Autoclaving was the most effective in improving protein quality followed by micronization, microwave cooking and fermentation. In addition, in vitro protein digestibility was improved after soaking, boiling, microwave cooking, autoclaving and fermentation but was reduced after roasting and micronization.     

微波程序消解—加标浓度直读法测定芝麻、花生、核桃中的钙

为建立一种快速简便、准确测定食品中钙的新方法,选用坚果为样品,微波程序消解后,采用离子选择性电极加标浓度直读法测定钙含量。结果表明:钙电极的转换系数为98.61%,相对标准偏差均小于4%。该法测定简便快速、读数直观、成本低廉、样品用量少,为食品中钙的测定提供了一种全新的分析技术,有较强的创新性和推广应用价值。     

Extraction and microencapsulation of bioactive compounds from pomegranate (Punica granatum var. Wonderful) residues

Pomegranate peels and seeds are industrial residues considered interesting sources of punicalagin (PU) and punicic acid (PA), respectively. To optimise their extraction process and protect them against environmental factors, pomegranate residues were extracted with supercritical CO₂ (SC‐CO₂) using a Box–Behnken design and then optimal extracts encapsulated by spray‐drying applying a 2² central composite design. Peel extracts showed a PU content of 0.4–9.5% with optimal extraction conditions of 400 bar, 43 °C and 20% ethanol. On the other hand, SC‐CO₂ seed extracts showed a PA content of 65.1–78.4% with 450 bar, 48 °C and 10% ethanol as optimal extraction parameters. Otherwise, the encapsulation efficiency of SC‐CO₂ extracts was significantly affected by core/wall material ratio and its quadratic effect. This parameter ranged from 35.1% to 72.4% for peel extracts and from 68.2% to 92.7% for seed extracts. Results showed that the proposed technologies are a feasible approach to the integral utilisation of residues from the pomegranate industry.     

Quantification of rotenone in seeds of different species of yam bean (Pachyrhizus sp.) by a SPE HPLC-UV method

This study describes the development of a validated method for the quantification of rotenone in yam bean. The milled seeds were submitted to a Soxhlet dichloromethane extraction which allowed extracting 90% of the seeds rotenone. Elimination of the lipids was obtained via solid phase extraction. Rotenone was eluted with dichloromethane/methanol and the solution dried under vacuum and solubilised directly in methanol before injection in HPLC. The whole process was realised as much as possible protected from light and at temperatures lower than 40 °C which allowed high recovery rates of spiked rotenone. Total error was used as criterion for the validation process and accuracy profiles drawn. The method allows the quantification of rotenone in yam bean seeds from 0.07% up to 1.25% (w/w). This method was applied to the quantification of rotenone in the seeds of several accessions of Pachyrhizus erosus and Pachyrhizus ahipa. The results range from 1.13 to 2.76 mg/g dry material.     

国内外蔬菜工厂化生产的发展

蔬菜工厂化生产是当代世界先进的科学技术。本文介绍蔬菜工厂化生产的主要关键技术——现代化温室群、工厂化育苗和无土栽培的发展状况,并预示我国蔬菜工厂化生产技术的发展趋势。     

多种子快速纹理合成

为避免纹理映射引起的接缝和扭曲,近几年人们提出了一些纹理合成方法。但大多数只能处理部分纹理,而且相当费时,为此,提出一种新的纹理合成算法,该算法在样图中选取多个种子,并将其预置到合成图中作为实始匹配点,然后通过螺旋状路径,在初始匹配点领域搜索寻找新匹配点进行合成,以此循环,直至合成图充满为止,该方法大大加快了合成速度,与穷尽搜索法相比,合成速度平均可以提高360倍,特别是在亮度空间合成时,在合成图象质量与RGB空间结果基本相同的情况下,可以实现进一步加速,另外,该算法还可合成沿方向变化的纹理,对不同纹理进行合成实验,其结果令人满意。