No abstract

No abstract

Silicon (Si) is as an important fertilizer element, which has been found effective in enhancing plant tolerance to variety of biotic and a-biotic stresses. This study investigates the Si potential to alleviate zinc (Zn) toxicity stress in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Cotton plants were grown in hydroponics and exposed to different Zn concentration, 0, 25, and 50 μM, alone and/or in combination with 1 mM Si. Incremental Zn concentration in growth media instigated the cellular oxidative damage that was evident from elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), electrolyte leakage, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and consequently inhibited cotton growth, biomass, chlorophyll pigments, and photosynthetic process. Application of Si significantly suppressed Zn accumulation in various plant parts, i.e., roots, stems, and leaves and thus promoted biomass, photosynthetic, growth parameters, and antioxidant enzymes activity of Zn-stressed as well unstressed plants. In addition, Si reduced the MDA and H2O2 production and electrolyte leakage suggesting its role in protecting cotton plants from Zn toxicity-induced oxidative damage. Thus, the study indicated that exogenous Si application could improve growth and development of cotton crop experiencing Zn toxicity stress by limiting Zn bioavailability and oxidative damage.

Guduchi ( Tinospora cordifolia ) is a well-recognized and widely distributed traditional plant that is used successfully in Indian Ayurveda medicine. T. cordifolia has shown many promising biological activities, such as antioxidative, antimicrobial, antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, osteoprotective, hepatoprotective, antidiarrheal, and antistress effects. Guduchi is a rich source of protein and micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, copper, calcium, phosphorus, and manganese. It also contains many secondary plant metabolites, such as terpenes, alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, and glycosides. Based on previous studies in poultry, the supplementation levels of Guduchi range from 1 to 5 g/kg of diet (different sources, such as powder, extracts, roots, and leaves, have been used). It was suggested that this variation in supplementation levels depends on different factors, including the extraction method, the supplementation proposed, the method of supplementation (either in feed or drinking water), and the species and physiological status of the birds. Generally, dietary supplementation of poultry broilers with T. cordifolia yielded positive impacts on growth performance, body gains (increased by 4.8%), dressing percentage (increased by 7.1%), meat quality traits, and the shelf life of the meat. In addition, T. cordifolia exerted a palliative effect on the general health status of the birds through reducing live enzymes and plasma uric acids and enhancing the immune response, as indicated by the leukocyte count, hemagglutinin titer, interleukin activity, and mortality levels. Further investigations concluded that T. cordifolia showed strong antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis , with subsequent reductions in mortality. Moreover, T. cordifolia showed an ability to improve humoral and cell-mediated immunity against Newcastle disease, infectious anemia, gout, and aflatoxicosis. The current review discusses many beneficial properties of T. cordifolia , although the lack of pharmacological trials limits the use of this extract in poultry. Further research should be performed regarding the composition of the active compound, the possible mechanisms of action, and the effective doses to fully understand the activities and benefits of T. cordifolia as a growth performance improvement supplement.

Sugarcane juice is a perishable food with a good nutritional profile. Thus, there is a need to increase its shelf life by reducing water content which facilitates storage and transportation. In this study, process conditions were optimized to concentrate the sugarcane juice at various microwave powers (30, 50, 80, 100 W). A central composite design was applied to optimize the process conditions (power and time). The overall evaporation time depends on microwave powers; increase in power reduced the processing time. The results showed that at 100 W sugarcane juice was concentrated to 75° brix for 15 min which reduced the energy consumption to 1.3 times compared to other powers. Moreover, microwave processing better retained the sensory properties of concentrate and preserved its antioxidant activity. Thus, 100 W was most energy efficient in concentrating sugarcane juice. In general, microwave processing reduced the processing time and cost making it a sustainable approach to concentrate juices.