Single-stage photo-fermentative hydrogen production from hydrolyzed straw biomass using Rhodobacter sphaeroides

The hydrogen production utilizing photosynthetic and anaerobic bacteria in two-stage approach has many drawbacks, such as shortage of raw materials and complexity of operations. Accordingly, we aimed to develop a simple one-stage H₂ production protocol using the depolymerization of maize straw cellulose as a cheap carbon source. R. sphaeroides HY01 and its mutant (Hup^?) were studied regarding their H₂ production under different culture conditions. Further study using two model sugars, their combination, and straw hydrolysate as carbon sources was conducted to determine the effects of substrate on H₂ production. When using the straw hydrolysate as carbon source, the pH remained in a range of 7.1–7.6, whereas it dropped to 5.4–7.4 when using the model sugars, and the former biomass value was greater. The H₂ production performance of the mutant was significantly better than that of HY01. One-step photo-fermentative H₂ production was superior when using straw hydrolysate as opposed to the simple model sugars, and its yield was up to 4.62 mol H₂·mol^?1 reducing sugar.     

Modelling of mechanical properties of five maize varieties at critical processing conditions in the production of fermented slurry-ogi

This research work was conducted to investigate the impact of critical processing conditions on the selected mechanical properties of maize in the production of fermented ogi slurry. Five varieties of maize (A4W, C3Y, D8W, B2Y, and E9W) were soaked at 28 ^ºC and average hot soaking at 65^ºC, respectively, for 96 h at 12-h interval. Selected mechanical properties were evaluated based on a 5 × 2 × 9 factorial design (varieties× soaking methods× soaking periods). Force (FB) and energy required to break (EB) maize grains decreased significantly (p < 0.05) up to the 12th hour. The EB reduced from 873.3 to 70.0 N mm and from 873.3 to 77.8 N mm for variety E9W at soaking conditions of 28^ºC and 65^ºC, respectively. Similar trends were observed for other maize varieties. Modulus of elasticity and resilience decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with increase in soaking period and moisture content. The EB to break maize grains was directly proportional to the product of Young’s modulus and area (E_m A^1.5), the FB and area (F_m A°^.5) and force required to break and geometric mean diameter (F D_g²) of maize grains with a high R² (0.9610.999). This study suggested that the duration of soaking between 12 and 24 h should be enough to significantly (p > 0.05) reduce the hardness, force, and energy required to break whole maize grains in the production of this fermented product and relevant for predicting minimum required energy for a large-scale operation.     

Insect-corn kernel interaction: Chemical signaling of the grain and host recognition by Sitophilus zeamais

In living organisms, the cuticle has structural functions and is involved through chemical signaling in biological interactions such as plant-insect and provides protection against biotic and abiotic factors, thereby avoiding desiccation or the attack of predators. The objective of this study was to investigate the participation of the epicuticle in the maize kernel-Sitophilus zeamais interaction. The GC-MS analysis of the epicuticle extract demonstrated the presence of aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, fatty acids, sterols and their derivatives. The results of bioassays show that the epicuticle of maize has a primordial role in its interaction with S. zeamais, and participates in the recognition and attraction to the food source, as well as regulating its reproduction. In addition the compounds present in the epicuticle extract may act as signal molecules and development regulators. This study reveals the effect of the maize kernel cuticle on Sitophilus behavior and contributes to the understanding of the interaction.     

Susceptibility of Brazilian maize landraces to the attack of Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Landraces are used in breeding programs as a source of resistance and compose a small group of genetic materials accepted under organic seed production. The goal of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of Brazilian landraces grains to the attack of Sitophilus zeamais. Ten different landraces were subjected to the attack of S. zeamais in choice and no-choice experiments. We evaluated the number of emerged insects and the weight reduction of the damaged grains. The Presidente Amarelo landrace received 4.4 and 5.4 times less insects than Colorado and Cateto in the choice experiment. Also, the Ligeirinho and Presidente Amarelo landrace provided the emergence of 4.2 times less adults than Cateto. The landraces presented different results when submitted to choice and no-choice experiments. However, Cateto grains presented the highest susceptibility to attack in both experiments. Presidente Amarelo, on the other hand, presented the highest resistance to the attack of S. zeamais and so might be considered to be used as a source of resistance in breeding programs.     

Insecticidal effect of three diatomaceous earth formulations, applied alone or in combination, against three stored-product beetle species on wheat and maize

Laboratory tests were carried out to examine the insecticidal effect of three commercially available diatomaceous earth (DE) formulations on wheat and maize against three major stored-grain beetle species: Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus oryzae, and Tribolium confusum. The three DEs tested were Insecto^®, PyriSec^®, and Protect-It^®. These DEs were applied alone or in all possible combinations (Insecto^®+PyriSec^®, Insecto^®+Protect-It^®, PyriSec^®+Protect-It^®, and all three DEs together), at three (total) dose rates: 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 g/kg of each commodity. Adults of the above species were exposed to the treated commodities for 7 d at 26 °C, and 65% r.h., and after this interval the mortality was measured. For each species, adult mortality was significantly affected by the type of DE, the commodity, and the dose rate. All DEs were less effective against T. confusum, where mortality did not exceed 67%, in comparison with the other two species, where 100% mortality was achieved in some combinations. For all species tested, all DEs were more effective on wheat than on maize. Generally, the mix of two or three DEs was more effective than the application of one DE, for all species and commodities. The results of the present work clearly indicate that a blending of several DEs together may produce a new DE formulation that is highly effective at low dose rates.     

基于玉米籽粒近红外光谱的品种与产地识别研究

为考察近红外光谱对玉米种子的品种识别与产地识别性能,采集了8个玉米品种波长范围为12 000~4 000 cm-1的近红外光谱数据,并基于此数据研究了基于PCA的光谱数据特征的提取方法,并探讨了神经网络(ANN)和支持向量机模型(SVM)在品种识别上的性能,进一步研究了玉米品种的产地识别技术,且比较了传统可见光图像的品种识别。研究发现:基于近红外的玉米品种识别,在6个主分量的情况下整体上性能达到90%以上;SVM算法较ANN算法稳定可靠,更适合于小样本情况下的光谱分析;基于光谱的品种识别与基于可见光图像的品种识别效果相当;另外发现同一品种在不同产地上其光谱特征差别较大,据此可以应用光谱进行产地鉴别,鉴别力达到95%以上。本研究所构建的方法对玉米品种识别和产地识别具有积极意义。     

Quality of maize for sale in markets in Benin and Niger

A follow-up study on the quality of maize for sale in West African public markets was carried out in Benin and Niger from August 15–28, 2013. Complementing the earlier study, this present assessment included not only retailers but also wholesalers and maize producers. Samples were evaluated for parameters related to the physical quality of the maize and for aflatoxin contamination. Most maize value chain actors process their offered grain using traditional methods for threshing, winnowing and drying. Maize for sale in the markets surveyed had an average moisture content ranging between 12 and 14%. Non-grain impurities amounted to 0–2.3% while mouldy grains ranged between 0.2 and 0.8%. The impurity level in grain was three times higher among wholesalers compared to retailers and producers. An insect pest, the Larger Grain Borer (Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) was found only in Benin but Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, Cryptolestes ferrugineus Stephens, and Tribolium castaneum Herbst, were present in maize for sale in the markets in of both countries. Insect pest frequency was 16 times higher in wholesalers' grain compared to that of retailers and producers. Aflatoxin levels exceeding the accepted standard of 20 ppb were noted in markets in both countries. The highest proportion of aflatoxin-contaminated maize was in wholesalers’ grain in Malanville market.     

Characterisation of traditional Albanian breads derived from different cereals

The long isolation of Albania and the scarcity of raw materials has traditionally led to the production of bread from crops other than wheat, like maize, which is the basic ingredient for maize bread (bukë misri), rye, which is used to prepare rye bread (bukë thekre), and chick-pea, used in chick-pea bread (bukë me qiqre). Today, these traditional breads are accompanied by other types, such as brown bread from soft wheat (bukë zize). In the present work, the traditional Albanian breads were characterised in order to assess their quality. The results obtained indicated that the protein content reflected the characteristics of the raw material used, being higher in the chick-pea bread and in bread made from high extraction rate wheat flour, while both fat and yellow pigment levels were higher in maize bread. A high humidity value was found in many of the breads examined, especially in maize bread, with consequent risks of moulds and a shortened shelf-life.     

Quality and safety of maize (Zea mays L.) from Rondônia state storage units,Northern Brazil

The quality and safety of maize (Zea mays L.) from different grain storage units (GSUs), located in the main producing region of Rondônia State, Northern Brazil, were evaluated. Maize grains (n = 76) stored in four GSUs were collected from July to November 2014 and evaluated for grain damages, humidity, fungi and fumonisins (FBs) content. The climate conditions data were also obtained from plant growing to storage periods. Regarding the moisture content and water activity (a_w), these varied from 10.0% to 16.1% and 0.5 to 0.8, respectively. As expected, fungi spores were present in 94.8% of the samples, prevailing Fusarium genera, with a fungi colony maximum of 2.2 × 10⁴ CFU g^?1. Regarding FBs, 60.5% of the samples were contaminated, below Brazilian and United States maximum limits, but 9.2% had levels higher than the European legislation.     

Resistant Starch Content and Structural Changes in Maize (Zea mays) Tortillas During Storage

Storage of maize products such as tortillas may cause starch retrogradation and lead to resistant starch (RS) formation. This study was carried out to determine if storage of maize tortillas under refrigerated conditions enhanced RS content and/or modified RS structure. Improved Costeño variety maize grain was nixtamalized and processed into tortillas which were stored for five and ten days at 5°C. Total resistant starch (TRS) and retrograded resistant starch (RRS or RS3) contents were determined on raw and nixtamalized maize grain and tortillas stored for zero, five and ten days. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and near‐infrared (NIR) spectroscopy were use to evaluate structural changes in retrograded resistant starch isolated from each sample type. Total starch content was 67 ± 1.5% for all samples, TRS ranged from 3.3% in the raw grain at 7.2% in tortillas stored for ten days, while RRS starch content ranged from 0% in the raw grain to 3.2% in tortillas stored for ten days. DSC showed endothermic transitions corresponding to amylopectin and amylose retrogradation, at 31.9 and 139.7°C in RRS from tortillas stored for five days, and at 47.9 and 146°C in RRS from tortillas stored for ten days. These values agreed with the higher total RS content recorded after prolonged storage. XRD revealed a starch crystallinity of 13.7% in tortillas stored for five days and 15.3% in those stored for ten days. NIR spectroscopy analysis showed evidence of structural changes in polymeric order that were more pronounced in RRS of tortillas stored for ten days, due to increase in crystalline region.