Extraction and characterization of bio-effectors from agro-food processing by-products as plant growth promoters

Abstract

Background: Recently, a novel concept 'bio-effectors' rose on to describe a group of products that are able to improve plant performance rather than fertilizers. Agro-food processing residues and by-products potentially represent important sources of bio-effectors but they are currently not properly taken in consideration. To fulfill this gap, in these study, three food processing by-products: (i) brewers' spent grain, (ii) fennel processing residues, and (iii) lemon processing residues were chosen as bio-effector candidates. Raw materials were chemically characterized, and green extraction methodology was optimized by using water, ethanol, and their mixture based on the extraction yields. Aqueous extracts were used for seed germination bioassays on Lepidium sativum seeds to evaluate their potential bioactivities. Thereafter, the extracts were chemically characterized and metabolites were detected by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Results: Results are summarized as follows: (i) raw materials showed an interesting nutritional content; (ii) aqueous extraction resulted higher yield more than other used solvent; (iii) at high solvent extraction ratio, aqueous extracts were not phytotoxic but enhanced seed germination and root elongation; (iv) all aqueous extracts are differently rich in nutrients, amino-acids, sugars, and other low molecular weight molecule compounds.

Biostimulants from food processing by‐products: agronomic, quality and metabolic impacts on organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

“…Extract preparation followed the procedure and results of Al Chami et al Raw materials were chopped, air dried, ground at 2 mm diameter and extracted with deionized water at predefined ratios: BSG at 1:25, LPR at 1:200 and FPR at 1:100. After shaking for 1 h, crude extracts were filtered through Whatman No.…”

Comparative analysis of the proximate and elemental composition of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus, the warty crab Eriphia verrucosa, and the edible crab Cancer pagurus

“…In the last decade, multi-element fingerprinting − i.e., the use of the elemental profile of an organism as a natural tag of its origin − has been proven to be a powerful technique to assess the nutritional quality and to increase the geographical traceability of agricultural goods and related products ( Gonzálvez et al, 2009 ; Al Chami et al, 2014 ; Pandotra et al, 2015 ). However, to date no attempts have been made to apply the technique to crustacean species, and element fingerprinting of shellfish products is to date limited to mussels and other bivalves ( Ricardo et al, 2015 ).…”