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The mulberry tree (Morus alba) is a perennial and fast-growing tree distributed worldwide under different climatic conditions. Most of the world’s silk production (>90%) is facilitated by the feeding of silkworm larvae on the leaves of mulberry (Morus alba L.) varieties. Therefore, exploration of the protocol for improving the propagation efficiency and increasing the reproductive capacity of M. alba varieties could be of great significance. This study aimed to determine the effect of four concentrations (0, 100, 200 and 400 mg L−1) each of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and zinc sulfate (0, 100 and 200 mg L−1), supplied separately or combined, on the rooting and growth of mulberry cuttings. M. alba cuttings were immersed for 5 s in each solution using the quick-dip method and subsequently, the cuttings were dried and planted in plastic pots and maintained in a greenhouse for 60 days. The number of leaves (NL), longest root size (LRS), longest stem size (LSS), number of rooted cuttings (NRC), number of stems per tree (NSP), rooting percentage (RP), wet root weight (WRW), dry root weight (DRW), wet stem weight (WSW), dry stem weight (DSW), wet leaf weight (WLW) and dry leaf weight (DLW) were evaluated. The results obtained showed an increase in all growth parameters of the mulberry cuttings. Treatments of hormones (IBA and NAA) and Zn sulfate were effective on LSS, LRS and WSW. The highest values of LSS were obtained for the treatments T5, T6, T14, T15, T16 and T18. Moreover, T5, T12 and T10 showed the highest values of LRS. The highest value of WSW was observed for T18, T5, T14, T15 and T16. The highest values of WLW and DLW were observed in T20 and T14. Dry stem weight (DSW) was high in T18 and T14. The application of NAA (at 200 mg L−1), IBA (200 and 400 mg L−1) and Zn sulfate (200 and 400 mg L−1), either alone or in double combination, can be a suitable and reliable method for mulberry propagation.

At present, the production of activated carbons (AC) is steadily growing, and the areas of their industrial application are continuously expanding. There are four main gas processing plants in Uzbekistan, where spent amine solutions, such as diethanolamine (DEA) and methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), are filtered using activated carbons of the AG-3, HX-30, Chemveron grades at natural gas amine purification plants from acidic components. etc. The latter are of foreign origin and are imported for currencies., {"references":["1. Oripova L.N., Khayitov R.R. Obtaining activated carbon from wood and stone raw materials // Universum: technical sciences: electron. scientific magazine - 2021. - No. 9(90). - pp. 14-17.","2. Bakhramov N.I., Teshaeva M.Sh., Khayitov R.R. Development of a method for obtaining activated carbon from local raw materials for the adsorption purification of spent amine solutions // \"Science and Education\" scientific journal. - Volume 3. - Issue 4. 2022. - R. 377-383.","3. Akhadov A.A., Murodov M.N., Khayitov R.R., Oripova L.N., Toshkuziev T.M. Determination of the structural and sorption properties of activated carbon obtained from the shell of apricot seeds // \"Science and Education\" scientific journal. - 2021. - Vol. 2. - No. 1. - S. 52-58.","4. Chudievich D.A. Improving the technology of defoaming at the installations of amine desulphurization of hydrocarbon gases: Abstract of the thesis. dis. Ph.D. - Astrakhan, 2000. - 25 p.","5. Agaev G.A. Foam Control in the Process of Amine Treatment of Natural Gas. - M.: VNIIEgazprom. 1979. - 33 p.","6. Strizhov I.N. Gas production. - Moscow-Izhevsk: Institute for Computer Research, 2003. - 376 p.","7. RF patent No. 2198722. Method for preventing foaming of amine solutions / Lykova L.F., Pestovnikov O.D., Prokhorov E.M., Tarakanov G.V., Chudievich D.A. Appl. 06/08/2001, Published. 02/20/2003.","8. Oripova L.N., Khayitov R.R. Research of foaming characteristics of DEA and MEA // International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Engineering and Technology, 2022. - Vol. 9. - Issue 5. - P. 19328-19333.","9. Khayitov R.R. Development of technology for obtaining activated carbon from local raw materials for the purification of waste amine solutions: Abstract of the thesis. d.t.s. - Tashkent, 2019. - 67 p.","10. Kienle H., Bader E. Activated carbons and their industrial application (translated from German). - L .: Chemistry, 1984. - C. 215.","11. Weltia N., Bondar-Kunzea E., Singerb G., Tritthartd M., Zechmeister-Boltensterne S., Heina T., Pinay G. Large-scale controls on potential respiration and denitrification in riverinefloodplains // ELSEVIER. - 2012, Marth. - P. 73-84.","12. Ansaa E.D.O., Lubberdingb H.J., Ampofoa J.A., Amegbea G.B., Gijzenb H.J. Attachment of faecal coliform and macro-invertebrate activity in the removal of faecal coliform in domestic wastewater treatment pond systems // ELSEVIER. - 2012, Marth. - Р. 35-41.","13. Salimov I.R., Murodova Yu.M., Murodov M.N., Tilloev L.I., Khayitov R.R. Determination of the optimal regime for obtaining activated carbon from the shell of fruit stones for the purification of alkanolamines // Universum: Technical sciences: electron. scientific magazine - Moscow (RF), 2020. - No. 7 (76). - S. 77-81.","14. Khayitov R.R., Shermatov B.E., Eshonkulov U.U., Narmetova G.R. Carbonization of apricot kernels and steam activation of carbonizate to obtain activated carbon // Uzbek chemical journal. - Tashkent, 2017. - No. 3. - S. 65-694.","15. Khayitov R.R., Eshonkulov U.U., Narmetova G.R. Activated carbons from local raw materials for the regeneration of alkanolamines for natural gas purification instead of sorbent AG-3 // Scientific and technical journal: World of petroleum products. Bulletin of oil companies. - Moscow (RF), 2016. - No. 11. - S. 43-46.","16. Khayitov R., Narmetova G. Production of activated coal from the pits of apricots and peach for the adsorption purification of the waste Diethanolamine // Austrian Journal of Technical and Natural Sciences «East West» Association for Advanced Studies and Higher Education GmbH. - Vienna, 2016. - № 7-8. - Р. 67-706.","17. Khayitov R.R., Naubeev T.Kh., Sapashov I.Ya., Khaidarov B.A., Abdikamolov D.Kh. Determination of physicochemical and adsorption characteristics of new activated carbon from apricot seeds // Universum: Technical sciences: electron. scientific magazine - Moscow (RF), 2017. - No. 2 (35).","18. Khayitov R., Narmetova G. Regeneration of alkanolamines used in natural gas purification // Journal of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy. - Bulgaria, 2016. - V.51. - № 3. - P. 12-16.","19. Khayitov R., Narmetova G., Shermatov B. Regeneration of activated carbon used in adsorption purification of alkanolamines // Austrian Journal of Technical and Natural Sciences «East West» Association for Advanced Studies and Higher Education GmbH. - Vienna, 2016. - № 7-8. - Р. 75-77.","20. Shermatov B.E. Development of technology for obtaining recuperative and clarifying sorbents from cotton lignin: Cand. for the scientific degree of Cand. those. Sciences. - T .: Uzbek Research Institute of Chemical Technology and Catalysis, 1994. - 117 p."]}

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and chemoprevention represents a feasible treatment to reduce the mortality of this carcinoma. Mulberry fruit polysaccharides (MFP) possess immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, which have been reported to alleviate liver damage evoked by CCl4 or alcohol in previous reports. However, its chemopreventive effect against liver carcinogenesis is insufficient. The present study was aimed to investigate the possible role of MFP as a pro-apoptosis, and anti-inflammatory agent to possess its chemoprevention property. Hepatocarcinogenesis was induced by diethylnitrosamine/phenobarbital (DEN/PB) for 14 weeks. The DEN/PB-administered rats were co-treated with different doses of MFP (50 or 100 mg/kg body weight) by oral gavage for 14 weeks. Basic hepatic function indexes (AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, total bilirubin, and albumin), and hepatic tumor biomarkers (AFP, CEA, and CA19.9), together with histological assessment were performed. Besides, the hepatic apoptosis markers (Bcl-2, Bax, caspase3, and caspase9), inflammation markers (IL-1β, TNF-α, and NF-κB), and mutT homologue gene 1 (MTH1) were examined. Oral gavage of MFP inhibited the elevations of hepatic function indexes and hepatic tumor biomarkers and alleviated pathological changes in hepatic tissue. In addition, the hepatic apoptosis markers, inflammation markers, and the mRNA level of MTH1 were abnormal in DEN/PB group, which were reversed by MFP treatment. In conclusion, MFP is an effective agent that provides chemoprevention against DEN/PB-evoked hepatocarcinogenesis via inhibition of inflammation and induction of apoptosis.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease affecting more people every year. The treatment of diabetes and its complications involve substantial healthcare expenditures. Thus, there is a need to identify natural products that can be used as nutraceuticals to prevent and treat early-stage diabetes. White mulberry (Morus alba L.) is a plant that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years due to its many beneficial biological properties. White mulberry leaves are a source of 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), which, due to its ability to inhibit α-glucosidase, can be used to regulate postprandial glucose concentration. In addition to consuming dried white mulberry leaves as herbal tea, many functional foods also contain this raw material. The development of the dietary supplements market brings many scientific and regulatory challenges to the safety, quality and effectiveness of such products containing concentrated amounts of nutraceuticals. In the present study, the quality of 19 products was assessed by determining the content of DNJ, selected (poly)phenols and antioxidant activity (DPPH• assay). Nine of these products were herbal teas, and the other samples were dietary supplements. These results indicate the low quality of tested dietary supplements, the use of which (due to the low content of nutraceuticals) cannot bring the expected beneficial effects on health. Moreover, a method for determining the content of DNJ (the essential component for antidiabetic activity) based on ATR-FTIR spectroscopy combined with PLS regression has been proposed. This might be an alternative method to the commonly used chromatographic process requiring extraction and derivatization of the sample. It allows for a quick screening assessment of the quality of products containing white mulberry leaves.

Mulberry powder was created from the extract using a foam-mat drying process. The studies aimed to evaluate the effects of egg albumin, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), digestion-resistant maltodextrin (DRM) contents, and whipping time (5 to 15 min) on the foam properties. The impact of different drying temperatures (60 to 75 °C) on the quality of the finished mulberry powder was also noted. The best foam expansion/stability value was determined using multiple regression models as a function of egg albumin, CMC, DRM, and whipping time. The results indicated that the main influencing factors for the foam properties were whipping time followed by egg albumin, CMC, and DRM. Optimum values of foam expansion and stability were achieved at 467.9% and 97.02%, respectively. The foam had a porous structure and good stability for subsequent drying, with optimal contents of egg albumin, CMC, and DRM used at 7.6%, 0.4%, and 2%, respectively, along with a whipping time of 14.5 min. The established models had a high coefficient of determination (R2 > 0.9) and a high correlation between the predicted and observed values. Therefore, the model could be adjusted to determine the characteristics of the foam suitable for subsequent drying. The optimal values were then also verified. Minimal fluctuations (1.78–2.98%) between the experimental data and the optimal value were found. The drying temperature also significantly affected the quality of the mulberry powder. The foam was dried at 65 °C for 4 h to produce apowder with a beautiful light color (L* = 62.65), a characteristic purple-red color of mulberry (a* = 5.97). The moisture, water activity, and anthocyanin content of the finished mulberry powder were 4.57%, 0.3, and 5.4 mg/g, respectively.

Information on the record of Phyllactinia moricola, a new in Ukraine alien powdery mildew fungus, is reported. The teleomorph of the fungus was collected in October–December 2020 on Morus alba in Odesa. The description and illustrations of the studied material are provided. The disease caused by this species can significantly reduce the ornamental properties of mulberry, a popular plant that is often used in greenery in the settlements of Ukraine. It is noted that the fungus can spread to Southern Europe, where it may cause significant damage to horticulture and silk production.

Mulberry is a fast growing deciduous plant found in wide variety of climatic, topographical and soil conditions, and is widely distributed from temperate to subtropical regions. Due to presence of valuable phytochemical constituents, mulberry as a whole plant has been utilized as a functional food since long time. Mulberry fruits are difficult to preserve as they have relatively high water content. Therefore for proper utilization, different value-added products like syrups, squashes, teas, pestil sand köme, pekmez (turkuish by-products), yogurts, jams, jellies, wines, vinegar, breads, biscuits, parathas, and many more are made. In overseas, these value-added products are commercially sold and easily available, though in India, this versatile medicinal plant is still missing its identity at commercial and industrial scale. Leaves of mulberry are economically viable due to their important role in the sericulture industry since ancient times. Mulberries or its extracts exhibit excellent anti-microbial, anti-hyperglycaemic, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer effects and is used to combat different acute and chronic diseases. Different parts of Morus species like fruits, leaves, twigs, and bark exhibit strong anti-tyrosinase inhibition activity that makes it a suitable candidate in cosmetic industries as a whitening agent. The current review provides a comprehensive discussion concerning the phytochemical constituents, functionality and nutraceutical potential of mulberry and as a common ingredient in various cosmetic products.

Mulberry (Morus alba), a widely distributed economic plant, can withstand long-term flooding stress. However, the regulatory gene network underlying this tolerance is unknown. In the present study, mulberry plants were subjected to submergence stress. Subsequently, mulberry leaves were collected to perform quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and transcriptome analysis. Genes encoding ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase were significantly upregulated after submergence stress, indicating that they could protect the mulberry plant from flood damage by mediating ROS homeostasis. Genes that regulate starch and sucrose metabolism; genes encoding pyruvate kinase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and pyruvate decarboxylase (enzymes involved in glycolysis and ethanol fermentation); and genes encoding malate dehydrogenase and ATPase (enzymes involved in the TCA cycle) were also obviously upregulated. Hence, these genes likely played a key role in mitigating energy shortage during flooding stress. In addition, genes associated with ethylene, cytokinin, abscisic acid, and MAPK signaling; genes involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis; and transcription factor genes also showed upregulation under flooding stress in mulberry plants. These results provide further insights into the adaptation mechanisms and genetics of submergence tolerance in mulberry plants and could aid in the molecular breeding of these plants.

Mulberry (Morus, Moraceae) is an important economic plant that is considered zinc-rich. Zinc (Zn) is a micronutrient that plays vital roles in various bio-processes in plants and animals. In the present study, a comparative transcriptome analysis associated with physiological indicators was performed to reveal the potential mechanism in different organs in response to zinc toxicity in mulberry. Physiological indicators in mulberry plants treated with increasing concentrations of zinc were monitored to reveal the tolerance limits to zinc concentration. Transcriptome analysis of different organs in mulberry under excess zinc stress was performed to reveal the spatial response to zinc stress. The results show that the hormone signaling pathway and secondary metabolism including lignin biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis and sugar metabolism are important for excess zinc treatment responses. In addition, the organ-based spatial response of these pathways is indicated. Lignin biosynthesis mainly responds to zinc stress in lignified tissues or organs such as stems, flavonoid biosynthesis is the main response to zinc stress in leaves, and sugar metabolism is predominant in roots. Further co-expression network analysis indicated candidate genes involved in the organ-based spatial response. Several transcription factors and genes involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, cell wall biogenesis and sugar metabolism were further validated and designed as organ-based response genes for zinc stress.

Cryphalus Erichson, 1836 is a taxonomically challenging genus. It is particularly speciose in Asia. Many species are minor pests of fruit tree crops and forest products. We review collections from East Asia, using external morphology, internal morphology and genetic markers with a focus on sub-tropical species from fruit trees. Four new species are described; Cryphalus gnetivorus Johnson, sp. nov., C. itinerans Johnson, sp. nov., C. morivorus Johnson, sp. nov., and C. paramangiferae Johnson, sp. nov. Ten species are redescribed to enable accurate identification: C. artocarpus (Schedl, 1939), C. dilutus Eichhoff, 1878, C. dorsalis (Motschulsky, 1866), C. exiguus Blandford, 1894, C. kyotoensis Nobuchi, 1966, C. lipingensis Tsai & Li, 1963 (= C. kesiyae Browne, 1975, syn. nov.), C. mangiferae Stebbing, 1914 (= C. artestriatus Browne, 1970, syn. nov.), C. meridionalis (Nobuchi, 1975), C. scopiger Berger, 1917, and C. viburni Stark, 1936. Additional records from new localities and new hosts are also presented.

This work reports the survival status of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium in homemade fig and mulberry vinegar. Each pathogen was separately inoculated in vinegar samples at approximately 7 log CFU/mL. The survival status of pathogens was examined at 20°C for 0, 15, 30 and 60 min, and 4, 8 and 24 h. The residual populations after 24 h were below detection limit for all species assayed. S. Typhimurium was much more sensitive to mulberry vinegar ( 6 log reduction in 30 min) than it is to fig vinegar ( 6 log reduction in 24 h). L. monocytogenes had an overall quite different behaviour, being the most sensitive species to fig vinegar ( 6 log reduction in 4 h) while being the most resistant one to mulberry vinegar ( 6 log reduction in 24 h). The total phenolic content of fig vinegar (767 mg GAE/L) was higher than mulberry vinegar (557.5 mg GAE/L). The results exhibited that antimicrobial activity of vinegar is mainly related to the contact time, test pathogen and physicochemical properties of vinegar.

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is an ornamental, medicinal, and fruit plant that belongs to the Moraceae family. One of the most important techniques used in plant biotechnology is tissue culture, which enables mass production of pathogen-free plants. Cotyledon has a high potential for shoot regeneration; however, to the best of our knowledge, there are no reports on plant regeneration from cotyledon explants of mulberry. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of seedling-derived cotyledon segments to obtain shoot multiplication of mulberry. Various concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 mg/l) of thidiazuron (TDZ) in combination with indole butyric acid (IBA) were used in a completely randomized design in three replications. The results showed that the highest percentage of regeneration frequency (96.67%) and the maximum number of shoots (4.43) were obtained on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.25 mg/l TDZ and 0.025 mg/l IBA. In the rooting experiment, the maximum rooting percentage (83.33%) and the maximum number of roots per shoot (4.36) were obtained on MS medium containing 2 mg/l IBA. In vitro-raised plantlets were placed in pots and kept in room temperature for 30 days, and the plantlets showed more than 90% survival rate. On the basis of our results, the protocol described in this study has a high potential to be used in the micropropagation of this valuable plant.

The roots of Morus species are well described in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (ChP) for its traditional use in treating liver fibrosis due to its hepatoprotective property. However, little is known about the hepatoprotective effect of the roots of Morus indica L. (RoMi), and the pharmacological mechanism(s) are uncertain due to its intricacy. Therefore, this study evaluates the hepatoprotective activity of the ethanolic extract of RoMi (eRoMi) against the CCl4-induced in-vivo animal model at different dosages (100 and 200 mg/kg BW) in comparison with silymarin as a positive control. The hepatoprotective activity of eRoMi was evaluated by measuring the levels of serum biomarkers, hepatic antioxidant enzymes and was verified by histological studies. Interestingly, 1,2-bis(trimethylsilyl) benzene, 1,4-phenylenebis (trimethylsilane), 2,4,6-cycloheptatriene-1-one, 3,5-bis-trimethylsilyl and α-amyrin were the active components found in eRoMi as detected by GC–MS. Oral administration of eRoMi (200 mg/kg BW) to rats significantly protected serum biochemical parameters (increased ALT, AST, LDH, bilirubin and GGT as well as depletion of antioxidant enzymes and hepatic GSH) and elevation in hepatic lipid peroxidation as compared to CCl4-treated rats. The hematological indices such as erythrocytes, hemoglobin, monocytes and lymphocytes were also normal in eRoMi-treated rats. The histopathological evaluation indicated a significant restoration of liver structure as compared to silymarin. This study is the first scientific validation for the traditional use of eRoMi to understand its hepatoprotective activity.

Бу маколада Инсон организмига зарур элементлардан бири кремний ҳақида ҳамда бу элемент манбаси қаердан олиниши қайси мевада мавжудлиги борасида фикр юритилади. Бу элемент мавжуд бўлган тут дарахти меваси тажрибада текширилди ва натижалар олинди., In this state obsuzhdaetsya silicon, one of the most important elements of the human body, as well as the source of the ego. Fruits shelkovitsy, in kotoryh prisutstvuet this element, bыli ispytanы experimentally and poluchenы rezultaty.

Currently, the industry requires the use of new materials that have better technical characteristics and that have a minimal environmental impact. A viable option to meet these requirements are biocomposite materials reinforced with natural fibers. Recent research in this field of composite materials has sought to develop better properties in the materials, giving rise to hybrid composites, which are composed of more than one fiber as reinforcement together with the matrix; however, these studies are mainly focused on synthetic fibers, leaving a large area of research regarding natural fibers. This article describes the manufacture, mechanical, and morphological characterization of new natural hybrid biocomposite materials of fique - mulberry. Five biocomposites were elaborated under the hand lay up manufacturing technique using various layers of fique and mulberry and using polyester resin as a matrix. The mechanical characterization was carried out by means of the tensile and bending test, obtaining the best mechanical properties in the composite with the greatest amount of natural fiber, which presented a tensile stress of 30.27 MPa and a bending stress of 18.97 MPa. The morphological characterization was carried out using scanning electron microscopy, where a medium resin-fiber adhesion and a decomposition of the matrix were observed.

Drought stress often leads to heavy losses in mulberry planting, especially for fruits and leaves. Application of plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF) endows various plant beneficial traits to overcome adverse environmental conditions, but little is known about the effects on mulberry under drought stress. In the present study, we isolated 64 fungi from well-growing mulberry trees surviving periodical drought stress, and Talaromyces sp. GS1, Pseudeurotium sp. GRs12, Penicillium sp. GR19, and Trichoderma sp. GR21 were screened out due to their strong potential in plant growth promotion. Co-cultivation assay revealed that PGPF stimulated mulberry growth, exhibiting increased biomass and length of stems and roots. Exogenous application of PGPF could alter fungal community structures in the rhizosphere soils, wherein Talaromyces was obviously enhanced after inoculation of Talaromyces sp. GS1, and Peziza was increased in the other treatments. Moreover, PGPF could promote iron and phosphorus absorption of mulberry as well. Additionally, the mixed suspensions of PGPF induced the production of catalase, soluble sugar, and chlorophyll, which in turn enhanced the drought tolerance of mulberry and accelerated their growth recovery after drought. Collectively, these findings might provide new insights into improving mulberry drought tolerance and further boosting mulberry fruit yields by exploiting interactions between hosts and PGPF.

Drought stress remains one of the most detrimental environmental cues affecting plant growth and survival. In this work, the DNA methylome changes in mulberry leaves under drought stress (EG) and control (CK) and their impact on gene regulation were investigated by MethylRAD sequencing. The results show 138,464 (37.37%) and 56,241 (28.81%) methylation at the CG and CWG sites (W = A or T), respectively, in the mulberry genome between drought stress and control. The distribution of the methylome was prevalent in the intergenic, exonic, intronic and downstream regions of the mulberry plant genome. In addition, we discovered 170 DMGs (129 in CG sites and 41 in CWG sites) and 581 DMS (413 in CG sites and 168 in CWG sites). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis indicates that phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, spliceosome, amino acid biosynthesis, carbon metabolism, RNA transport, plant hormone, signal transduction pathways, and quorum sensing play a crucial role in mulberry response to drought stress. Furthermore, the qRT-PCR analysis indicates that the selected 23 genes enriched in the KEGG pathways are differentially expressed, and 86.96% of the genes share downregulated methylation and 13.04% share upregulation methylation status, indicating the complex link between DNA methylation and gene regulation. This study serves as fundamentals in discovering the epigenomic status and the pathways that will significantly enhance mulberry breeding for adaptation to a wide range of environments.

Hypertrophy sorosis scleroteniosis caused by Ciboria shiraiana is the most devastating disease of mulberry fruit. However, few mulberry lines show any resistance to C. shiraiana. An increasing amount of research has shown that host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) is an effective strategy for enhancing plant tolerance to pathogens by silencing genes required for their pathogenicity. In this study, two G protein α subunit genes, CsGPA1 and CsGPA2, were identified from C. shiraiana. Silencing CsGPA1 and CsGPA2 had no effect on hyphal growth but reduced the number of sclerotia and increased the single sclerotium weight. Moreover, silencing CsGpa1 resulted in increased fungal resistance to osmotic and oxidative stresses. Compared with wild-type and empty vector strains, the number of appressoria was clearly lower in CsGPA1-silenced strains. Importantly, infection assays revealed that the virulence of CsGPA1-silenced strains was significantly reduced, which was accompanied by formation of fewer appressoria and decreased expression of several cAMP/PKA- or mitogen-activated protein-kinase-related genes. Additionally, transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana expressing double-stranded RNA targeted to CsGpa1 through the HIGS method significantly improved resistance to C. shiraiana. Our results indicate that CsGpa1 is an important regulator in appressoria formation and the pathogenicity of C. shiraiana. CsGpa1 is an efficient target to improve tolerance to C. shiraiana using HIGS technology.

The aim of this study was to explore the protective effects of bioactive compounds from the fruit of the mulberry tree (Morus alba L.) against cisplatin-induced apoptosis in LLC-PK1 pig kidney epithelial cells. Morus alba fruit is a well-known edible fruit commonly used in traditional folk medicine. Chemical investigation of M. alba fruit resulted in the isolation and identification of six phytosterols (1–6). Their structures were determined as 7-ketositosterol (1), stigmast-4-en-3β-ol-6-one (2), (3β,6α)-stigmast-4-ene-3,6-diol (3), stigmast-4-ene-3β,6β-diol (4), 7β-hydroxysitosterol 3-O-β-d-glucoside (5), and 7α-hydroxysitosterol 3-O-β-d-glucoside (6) by analyzing their physical and spectroscopic data as well as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry data. All compounds displayed protective effects against cisplatin-induced LLC-PK1 cell damage, improving cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity to more than 80% of the control value. Compound 1 displayed the best effect at a relatively low concentration by inhibiting the percentage of apoptotic cells following cisplatin treatment. Its molecular mechanisms were identified using Western blot assays. Treatment of LLC-PK1 cells with compound 1 decreased the upregulated phosphorylation of p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) following cisplatin treatment. In addition, compound 1 significantly suppressed cleaved caspase-3 in cisplatin-induced LLC-PK1 cells. Taken together, these findings indicated that cisplatin-induced apoptosis was significantly inhibited by compound 1 in LLC-PK1 cells, thereby supporting the potential of 7-ketositosterol (1) as an adjuvant candidate for treating cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves and fruit are traditional Chinese medicinal materials with anti-inflammatory, immune regulatory, antiviral and anti-diabetic properties. Melatonin performs important roles in the regulation of circadian rhythms and immune activities. We detected, identified and quantitatively analyzed the melatonin contents in leaves and mature fruit from different mulberry varieties. Melatonin and three novel isoforms were found in the Morus plants. Therefore, we conducted an expression analysis of melatonin and its isomer biosynthetic genes and in vitro enzymatic synthesis of melatonin and its isomer to clarify their biosynthetic pathway in mulberry leaves. MaASMT4 and MaASMT20, belonging to class II of the ASMT gene family, were expressed selectively in mulberry leaves, and two recombinant proteins that they expressed catalyzed the conversion of N-acetylserotonin to melatonin and one of three isomers in vitro. Unlike the ASMTs of Arabidopsis and rice, members of the three ASMT gene families in mulberry can catalyze the conversion of N-acetylserotonin to melatonin. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying melatonin and its isomers biosynthesis and expands our knowledge of melatonin isomer biosynthesis.

The improvement of a plant's tolerance to drought is a major endeavor in agriculture. Polyploid plants often exhibit enhanced stress tolerance relative to their diploid progenitor, but the matching stress tolerance is still little understood. Own-rooted stem cuttings of mulberry (Morus alba L.) cultivar Shinichinose (2n = 2x = 28) and Shaansang-305 (2n = 3x = 42) were used in this study, of which the latter (triploid) has more production and application purposes. The responses of triploid Shaansang-305 and diploid progenitor ShinIchinose under drought stress were compared through an investigation of their physiological traits, RNA-seq, and secondary metabolome analysis. The results showed that the triploid exhibited an augmented abscisic acid (ABA) content and a better stress tolerance phenotype under severe drought stress. Further, in the triploid plant some genes (TSPO, NCED3, and LOC21398866) and ATG gene related to ABA signaling showed significantly upregulated expression. Interestingly, the triploid accumulated higher levels of RWC and SOD activity, as well as more wax on the leaf surface, but with less reductive flavonoid than in diploid. Our results suggest triploid plants may better adapt to with drought events. Furthermore, the flavonoid metabolism involved in drought resistance identified here may be of great value to medicinal usage of mulberry. The findings presented here could have substantial implications for future studies of crop breeding.

Mulberry is a rich source of anthocyanins (ACNs) known to possess biological activities. However, these ACNs are unstable in high pH, heat, and aqueous environments with a low bioavailability. In this study, a colloidal dispersion was prepared by hot melt extrusion with proper excipients. In this process, a hydrophilic polymer matrix was used to confirm the stability of the compound in high pH, high temperature, and aqueous media. It was confirmed that the particle size and the polydispersity index value were reduced, thereby improving the solubility. In vitro release studies revealed that the extrudate had a sustained release compared to a non-extruded product. As a result of measuring changes of intestinal microorganisms (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus), contents of probiotics were found to be increased whereas contents of pathogenic microorganisms were decreased. Thus, hot-melt extrusion could enhance the stability of ACN with prolonged release. The processed formulation exhibited probiotic properties and antimicrobial activities against pathogenic intestinal microflora.

Pre-diabetic or early-stage type 2 diabetes patients may develop an adverse diabetic progression, leading to several complications and increasing hospitalization rates. Mulberry leaves, which contain 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), have been used as a complementary medicine for diabetes prevention and treatment. Our recent study demonstrated that mulberry leaf powder with 12 mg of DNJ improves postprandial hyperglycemia, fasting plasma glucose, and glycated hemoglobin. However, the detailed mechanisms are still unknown. This study investigates the effect of long-term (12-week) supplementation of mulberry leaves in obese people with prediabetes and patients with early-stage type 2 diabetes. Participants’ blood was collected before and after supplementation. The protein profile of the plasma was examined by proteomics. In addition, the mitochondrial function was evaluated by energetic and homeostatic markers using immunoelectron microscopy. The proteomics results showed that, from a total of 1291 proteins, 32 proteins were related to diabetes pathogenesis. Retinol-binding protein 4 and haptoglobin protein were downregulated, which are associated with insulin resistance and inflammation, respectively. For mitochondrial function, the haloacid dehalogenase-like hydrolase domain-containing protein 3 (HDHD-3) and dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp-1) displayed a significant increment in the after treatment group. In summary, administration of mulberry leaf powder extract in prediabetes and the early stage of diabetes can alleviate insulin resistance and inflammation and promote mitochondrial function in terms of energy production and fission.

As unconventional forage source, mulberry (Morus alba L.) has been cultivated to alleviate animal feed shortages. This study aimed to investigate the effects of N fertilization during cultivation and Lactobacillus plantarum inoculation at ensiling on the chemical composition and bacterial community of mulberry silage. Mulberry was separately cultivated under two N fertilization rates (N1, 390 kg/ha/year; N2, 485 kg/ha/year) in 2016–2019, harvested on 30 April (the first-cut) and 15 June (the second-cut) in 2019, and then chopped for producing small bag silage. The silage was treated without (control) or with L. plantarum (LP, a recommended application rate of 105 cfu/g on fresh matter basis). After storage of 60 days in dark room at ambient temperature, silage was sampled for analysis of chemical and microbial compositions. Higher (P < 0.05) final pH value and acetic acid content and lower (P < 0.05) lactic acid content were found in silage of mulberry under N2 fertilization, resulting in more dry matter loss than that under N1 fertilization. Compared with control, inoculation of LP at ensiling increased (P < 0.05) lactic acid content and decreased (P < 0.05) final pH value, acetic acid and propionic acid contents of silage, by advancing the dominance of Lactobacillus and reducing the abundance of Enterococcus and Enterobacter. In particular, inoculation of LP at ensiling decreased (P < 0.05) dry matter loss and butyric acid content of first-cut silage. In conclusion, inoculation of LP at ensiling could reduce the undesirable effects from high N fertilization rate during cultivation on silage quality of mulberry harvested at different growing seasons.

Mulberry is an economically significant crop for the sericulture industry worldwide. Stresses such as drought exposure have a significant influence on plant survival. Because metabolome directly reflects plant physiological condition, performing a global metabolomic analysis is one technique to examine this influence. Using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique based on an untargeted metabolomic approach, the effect of drought stress on mulberry Yu-711 metabolic balance was examined. For this objective, Yu-711 leaves were subjected to two weeks of drought stress treatment and control without drought stress. Numerous differentially accumulated metabolic components in response to drought stress treatment were revealed by multivariate and univariate statistical analysis. Drought stress treatment (EG) revealed a more differentiated metabolite response than the control (CK). We found that the levels of total lipids, galactolipids, and phospholipids (PC, PA, PE) were significantly altered, producing 48% of the total differentially expressed metabolites. Fatty acyls components were the most abundant lipids expressed and decreased considerably by 73.6%. On the other hand, the prenol lipids class of lipids increased in drought leaves. Other classes of metabolites, including polyphenols (flavonoids and cinnamic acid), organic acid (amino acids), carbohydrates, benzenoids, and organoheterocyclic, had a dynamic trend in response to the drought stress. However, their levels under drought stress decreased significantly compared to the control. These findings give an overview for the understanding of global plant metabolic changes in defense mechanisms by revealing the mulberry plant metabolic profile through differentially accumulated compounds.

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary mulberry leaves on the transcriptome profiles of finishing pigs. RNA‐Seq was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the longissimus dorsi of 56 pigs fed either a traditional diet or diets supplemented with 3%, 6% or 9% mulberry leaf powder, and both gene ontology (GO) function and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed. Furthermore, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network and the subnet module analysis were used to identify genes with beneficial potential, and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) was used to validate the expression patterns revealed by RNA‐Seq. Results Pigs fed with the 6% mulberry diet exhibited greater average daily gain, lower water loss and lower shear force than the control group and yielded 531 DEGs, including 271 and 260 upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively. Function analysis revealed that the DEGs were significantly enriched in functions related to muscle growth and development. Furthermore, several genes (i.e. ACOT4, ECHS1, HACD1, NPR1, ADCY2, MGLL and IRS1) were enriched in a KEGG pathway that was associated with fatty acid metabolism, and in the PPI subnet module, four of eight node genes, namely TNNC1, MYL3, TCAP and TNNT1, were associated with muscle formation and development. The upregulation of these genes, including TNNC1, TNNT1 and MYL3, was confirmed by qRT‐PCR. Conclusions Dietary mulberry leaves (6%) may improve the muscle quality of pigs by modulating the expression of several key genes, such as TNNC1, MYL3 and TNNT1., The study was aimed to explain the effect of the inclusion of mulberry in the diet of pigs on transcriptome profiling. The inclusion of mulberry in the diet might be helpful in muscle formation and development of pigs by modulating the expression levels of three genes including TNNC1, MYL3 and TNNT1

This study aimed to evaluate the microbial compositions and gene expression related to inflammation in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced acute colitis and the effect of mulberry supplementation. Male BALB/c mice received a diet supplemented with mulberry juice freeze-dried powder (MFP) or not for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks, the mice received water containing 5% (w/v) DSS or not for 1 week. The disease activity index score in mice fed MFP was significantly decreased. A significant decrease in Bifidobacterium spp. and the Clostridium perfringens subgroup was observed in mice not fed MFP. The number of goblet cell and NLRP6 expression were observed in mice fed a diet supplemented with MFP compared with mice not fed MFP. These results may indicate that mulberry mitigates DSS-induced acute colitis by a changing the gut microbial flora and by improving mucosal conditions.

Morus genus includes more than 20 species, some of which are commercially important mulberries with different fruit color and shape. Even though the trees of those species are propagated by rooting of cuttings in practice, mulberry seeds are of importance for breeding studies and rootstock seedling propagation. For that reason, this study was conducted to improve the seed performance of four mulberry species by different pre-sowing treatments including; 3% KNO3, GA3 at 500 ppm, organic priming with herbal tea brewed from marigold flowers petals and hydro priming. Results of the parameters of emergence characteristics and seedling vigor were evaluated. According to the results that varied between different species and pre-treatments, since emergence percentage and time, and seedling vigor were improved by the treatments, it was concluded that pre-sowing applications, especially GA3 and hydro priming, were beneficial in improving the seed performance of mulberry species included in the study.

In the present study, the cDNA (designated MuPR1) of PR1 gene was obtained from mulberry. Our results showed that MuPR1 shares some conserved characteristics with its homologues from different plant families. MuPR1 was localized exclusively to the extracellular spaces, and the MuPR1 gene was expressed constitutively in all selected mulberry tissues, although its expression levels varied substantially. It was also showed that MuPR1 expression was induced by pathogen, MeJA, SA and GA3, and transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing MuPR1 showed enhanced resistance to Botrytis cinerea and Pst. DC3000. Moreover, the peptide derived from MuPR1 protein C-terminus with a PxGNxxxxxPY motif was suggested to play a role in activating plant resistance. Furthermore, the MuPR1 gene may have roles in mediating the rates of oxygen radical formation and detoxification. Therefore, the MuPR1 gene may be a candidate gene for breeding resistant mulberry varieties in the future.

Recently, interest in fruit consumption and the practice of healthy eating is growing. Therefore, the focus of this research is to determine some physicochemical properties of mulberry fruits from the area of northwest Bosnia, where significant amount genetic resources of mulberries are available. In total, six genotypes of black and eight genotypes of white mulberries were analyzed. From physical properties, the fruit mass, fruit height, fruit width and length were determined. Black mulberries are found richer than white mulberries for most of the searched parameters. The average water, soluble solids, total acidity, total sugar, ash, vitamin C, total phenol and total anthocyanin of black mulberry genotypes were 86.46%, 14.88%, 0.08%, 7.30%, 0.68%, 45.84 mg/100 g FW (fresh weight), 50.67 mg GAE/100 g FW and 562.42 cyanidin-3-glucoside mg/g. These values were 82.49%, 17.51%, 0.09%, 7.34%, 0.78%, 43.79 mg/100 g FW and 29.49 mg GAE/100 g FW for white mulberries. The obtained results can serve for future steps in the breeding of these species, and because of the high quality fruit characteristics, they can affect the conservation of these species due to the increasing genetic erosion of this species.

Photosynthesis is one of the most important factors in mulberry growth and production. To study the photosynthetic regulatory network of mulberry we sequenced the transcriptomes of two high-yielding (E1 and E2) and one low-yielding (H32) mulberry genotypes at two-time points (10:00 and 12:00). Re-annotation of the mulberry genome based on the transcriptome sequencing data identified 22,664 high-quality protein-coding genes with a BUSCO-assessed completeness of 93.4%. A total of 6587 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained in the transcriptome analysis. Functional annotation and enrichment revealed 142 out of 6587 genes involved in the photosynthetic pathway and chloroplast development. Moreover, 3 out of 142 genes were further examined using the VIGS technique; the leaves of MaCLA1- and MaTHIC-silenced plants were markedly yellowed or even white, and the leaves of MaPKP2-silenced plants showed a wrinkled appearance. The expression levels of the ensiled plants were reduced, and the levels of chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll were lower than those of the control plants. Co-expression analysis showed that MaCLA1 was co-expressed with CHUP1 and YSL3; MaTHIC was co-expressed with MaHSP70, MaFLN1, and MaEMB2794; MaPKP2 was mainly co-expressed with GH9B7, GH3.1, and EDA9. Protein interaction network prediction revealed that MaCLA1 was associated with RPE, TRA2, GPS1, and DXR proteins; MaTHIC was associated with TH1, PUR5, BIO2, and THI1; MaPKP2 was associated with ENOC, LOS2, and PGI1. This study offers a useful resource for further investigation of the molecular mechanisms involved in mulberry photosynthesis and preliminary insight into the regulatory network of photosynthesis.

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is a perennial woody plant with significant economic benefits and ecological value. The floral character of mulberry has an important impact on the yield and quality to its fruits and leaves. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of mulberry floral differentiation still now. The transcriptome data were obtained via Illumina HiSeq high-throughput sequencing from male and female inflorescences of the monoecious mulberry. A total of 26.21 Gb clean data were obtained, and as many as 100,177 unigenes with an average length of 821.66 bp were successfully assembled. In comparative-omics analysis, 1717 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between male and female flowers and only a quarter of the DEGs were highly expressed in female flowers. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs were involved in glucose and lipid metabolism, hormone signal transduction, and the regulation of related transcription factors. In addition, many DEGs related to flower development and plant sex differentiation have also been detected, such as PMADS1/2, AGAMOUS, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), APETALA 2 (AP2), TASSELSEED2 (TS2), and ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATOR 17 (ARR17). Finally, the expression patterns of selected 20 DEGs were validated by q-PCR and the results showed that the transcriptome data were highly reliable. This study shows that the differentiation of male and female flowers of mulberry is affected and regulated by multiple factors, with transcription factors and hormone signals playing a key role. Briefly, the current data provide comprehensive insights into the mulberry tree’s floral differentiation as well as a bioinformatics framework for the development of molecular breeding of mulberry.

Ethylene promotes ripening in fruits as well as the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in plants. However, the question of which ethylene response factors (ERFs) interact with the genes along the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway is yet to be answered. Herein, we conduct an integrated analysis of transcriptomes and metabolome on fruits of two mulberry genotypes (‘Zijin’, ZJ, and ‘Dashi’, DS, with high and low anthocyanin abundance, respectively) at different post-flowering stages. In total, 1035 upregulated genes were identified in ZJ and DS, including MYBA in the MBW complex and anthocyanin related genes such as F3H. A KEGG analysis suggested that flavonoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signaling transduction pathways were significantly enriched in the upregulated gene list. In particular, among 103 ERF genes, the expression of ERF5 showed the most positive correlation with the anthocyanin change pattern across both genotypes and in the post-flowering stages, with a Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) of 0.93. Electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA) and luciferase assay suggested that ERF5 binds to the promoter regions of MYBA and F3H and transcriptionally activates their gene expression. We elucidated a potential mechanism by which ethylene enhances anthocyanin accumulation in mulberry fruits and highlighted the importance of the ERF5 gene in controlling the anthocyanin content in mulberry species. This knowledge could be used for engineering purposes in future mulberry breeding programs.

Orientador: Sandra Cristina dos Santos Rocha Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Química Resumo: A amora preta é um fruto sazonal, climatérico, altamente perecível, apresenta alta taxa respiratória e alta produção de etileno, o que limita a sua comercialização in natura e nos períodos entre safra. O processo de secagem da polpa de amora visa melhorar a conservação, resultando na obtenção de pós com alta estabilidade e longa vida de prateleira, além de facilitar o manuseio, o transporte e o armazenamento deste produto. Neste contexto, destaca-se o processo de desidratação por secagem em leito de jorro. Devido à composição química e à alta concentração de água, a secagem da polpa sem a adição de adjuvantes pode resultar em níveis baixos de rendimento, inviabilizando o processo. A mistura leite-polpa de amora se torna uma alternativa para melhorar a eficiência do processo e, devido às importantes características nutricionais do leite e propriedades emulsificantes somadas às da amora preta, este novo produto, leite-amora em pó, caracteriza-se como um alimento de amplo espectro de utilização. As principais etapas desenvolvidas durante a execução deste projeto foram: (i) análise do processo de secagem da pasta leite-polpa de amora, a uma dada concentração, em leito de jorro cônico-cilíndrico, empregando diferentes polímeros como inerte, com o objetivo de encontrar o melhor desempenho do processo. A atomização e o gotejamento da pasta foram analisados como modos de alimentação. Avaliou-se a influência das váriáveis operacionais (temperatura do ar de entrada (Te), vazão de alimentação de pasta (Wf) e pressão de atomização da pasta), no desempenho do processo. Os melhores resultados foram alcançados quando se empregou alimentação da pasta por gotejamento e o poliestireno como inerte, usando Te= 60 oC e Wf= 2 mL/min, obtendo-se eficiência de produção de pó superior a 60%, baixo teor de umidade do pó e menos de 15% de degradação das antocianinas; (ii) estudo da secagem de polpa de amora preta em leito de jorro cônico-cilíndrico empregando como adjuvante o leite reconstituído a diferentes razões leite-polpa de amora (V/V). Avaliou-se, também, a influência da adição dos adjuvantes (maltodextrina DE 10, caseína e óleo de palma) na mistura leite-polpa de amora e da maltodextrina na polpa de amora (in natura). Dentre todas as pastas formuladas, constatou-se que a pasta leite-polpa de amora (25%: 75% (V/V)) foi a mais indicada ao processo de secagem em termos de estabilidade fluidodinâmica, quantidade de polpa de amora empregada e desempenho do processo, além da qualidade do produto obtido; (iii) construção de um secador do tipo leito de jorro retangular (duas entradas distintas de ar, resultando em duas fontes e duas linhas de alimentação), aplicado na secagem de leite e da pasta leite-polpa de amora. A secagem da pasta leite-polpa de amora utilizando partículas de poliestireno e sob as condições operacionais Wf= 6 mL/min, Te= 60 °C, resultou em eficiência de produção de pó superior a 75% e na obtenção de pós com baixo teor de umidade. Analisando os resultados de desempenho do processo de secagem das pastas em ambas as configurações de leito de jorro, a vantagem em utilizar o leito de jorro retangular com dupla fenda consistiu na possibilidade de triplicar a vazão de alimentação (empregando menor velocidade superfícial do ar de entrada), mantendo-se a estabilidade fluidodinâmica com resultados semelhantes de eficiência de produção produção de pó. Constatou-se, desta forma, uma potencial capacidade de ampliação de escala do processo Abstract: Blackberry is a seasonal fruit, climacteric and highly perishable, whose availability is limited by the periods between crops. Blackberry drying aims at enhancing its conservation, therefore, the development and application of drying techniques such as spray drying, spouted bed drying and freeze drying, which could increase the shelf life of this product is of great interest. The high reducing sugar and water content of pure blackberry pulp may result in low powder production during the drying process. On the other hand, drying of whole milk has shown good powder yields and product quality. A milk-blackberry mix paste becomes an alternative which may improve the process efficiency, reduce post-harvesting waste, and increase the shelf life of the product without significantly altering its nutritional characteristics. The main steps undertaken during the implementation of this project were: (i) analysis of conical-cylindrical spouted bed drying of a paste mixture of milk and blackberry pulp of fixed concentration, using different kinds of inert beads. Atomization and dripping of the paste were compared as feeding modes. The experimental design used atomization feeding to analyze the effects of air temperature (Te), paste feeding flow rate (Wf) and paste atomization pressure (Pat) on the drying performance. The best results were obtained for drip feeding on polystyrene beads using Te= 60 oC and Wf= 2 mL/min, yielding powder production efficiency greater than 60%, low final moisture content of the powder and less than 15 % anthocyanin degradation; (ii) analysis of conical-cylindrical spouted bed drying of milk-blackberry pulp mixture at different ratios (V/V). Afterward, analysis of the effects of addition of adjuvant (maltodextrin 10 DE, casein and palm oil) in the milk-blackberry mixture and maltodextrin in the pure blackberry pulp were made focusing on powder production efficiency.The paste formulated with milk and blackberry at a ratio of 25%: 75% (V/V) was the most appropriate for the drying process in terms of hydrodynamic stability, mass of blackberry pulp used on paste formulation and process performance, and also for the quality of the powder; (iii) analysis of a new spouted bed configuration (rectangular cross-section with air entry through two bottom slots), investigated as a dryer of milk and a paste mixture of milk and blackberry pulp. Drying of milk-blackberry pulp in a slot-rectangular spouted bed using polystyrene beads and the conditions Wf= 6 mL/min, and Te= 60 oC resulted in powder production efficiency greater than 75% and low moisture content. Similar results of drying performance were obtained in the slot-rectangular spouted bed as to and conventional spouted bed for the same inert and the same conditions of inlet air temperature and relative humidity. However, the slot-rectangular spouted bed allowed the paste feeding flow rate to be tripled and the bed to be operated at a lower superficial air velocity compared to the conventional geometry, showing its potential for scale-up Doutorado Engenharia de Processos Doutor em Engenharia Química

Mitigating climate change requires the identification of tree species that can tolerate water stress with fewer negative impacts on plant productivity. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the water stress tolerance of young saplings of C. erectus and M. alba under three soil water deficit treatments (control, CK, 90% field capacity, FC, medium stress MS, 60% FC and high stress, HS, 30% FC) under controlled conditions. Results showed that leaf and stem dry weight decreased significantly in both species under MS and HS. However, root dry weight and root/shoot ratio increased, and total dry weight remained similar to CK under MS in C. erectus saplings. Stomatal conductance, CO2 assimilation rate decreased, and intrinsic water use efficiency increased significantly in both species under MS and HS treatments. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide, superoxide radical, malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage increased in both the species under soil water deficit but was highest in M. alba. The concentration of antioxidative enzymes like superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase also increased in both species under MS and HS but was highest in C. erectus. Therefore, results suggest that C. erectus saplings depicted a better tolerance to MS due to an effective antioxidative enzyme system.

To reveal whether the response of mulberry to phytoplasma infection is associated with genome-wide DNA methylation changes, the methylome and transcriptome patterns of mulberry in response to phytoplasma infection were explored. Though the average methylation level of the infected leaves showed no significant difference from that of healthy leaves, there were 1,253 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) and 1,168 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the infected leaves, and 51 genes were found simultaneously to be differently methylated and expressed. It was found that the expression of G-type lectin S-receptor-like serine/threonine protein kinase gene (Mu-GsSRK) was increased, but its methylation level was decreased in the pathogen-infected or salicylic acid (SA)-treated leaves. Overexpression of Mu-GsSRK in Arabidopsis and in the hairy roots of mulberry enhanced transgenic plant resistance to the phytoplasma. Moreover, overexpression of Mu-GsSRK enhanced the expressions of pathogenesis-related protein 1, plant defensin, and cytochrome P450 protein CYP82C2 genes in transgenic plants inoculated with pathogens, which may contribute to the enhanced disease resistance against various pathogens. Finally, the DNA methylation dynamic patterns and functions of the differentially expressed and methylated genes were discussed. The results suggested that DNA methylation has important roles in mulberry responses to phytoplasma infection.

Type of the wood used for the aging highly influences the quality of alcoholic beverages. In this research we explored the potential of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) to establish fingerprints characteristic for each wood and to enable determining the type of the wood used in the aging process. Eleven different wood samples were used to prepare three different types of spirits during 15 months. The highest extraction rate was obtained during the first month, while further aging was followed with almost constant amount of extracted polyphenols. Black locust, myrobalan plum, and mulberry extracts were discriminated from the spirits aged in oak and wild cherry wood when statistical analysis was applied. Although clear classification of all samples was not achieved, this long term study demonstrated a potential of both CV and DPV for differentiating wood species used in the aging, hence in the quality control of spirits. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd Supplementary material: [https://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/4456]

Traditionally, sericulture is meant as the agricultural activity of silk production, from mulberry (Morus sp.pl.) cultivation to silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) rearing. The aim of the present work is to analyze the trends and outputs of scientific research on sericulture-related topics during the last two decades, from 2000 to 2020. In this work the authors propose a text-mining analysis of the titles, abstracts and keywords of scientific articles focused on sericulture and available in the SCOPUS database considering the above-mentioned period of time; from this article collection, the 100 most recurrent terms were extracted and studied in detail. The number of publications per year in sericulture-related topics increased from 87 in 2000 to 363 in 2020 (+317%). The 100 most recurrent terms were then aggregated in clusters. The analysis shows how in the last period scientific research, besides the traditional themes of sericulture, also focused on alternative products obtainable from the sericultural practice, as fruits of mulberry trees (increment of +134% of the occurrences in the last five years) and chemical compounds as antioxidants (+233% of occurrences), phenolics (+330% of occurrences) and flavonoids (+274% of occurrences). From these considerations, the authors can state how sericulture is an active and multidisciplinary research field.

Simple Summary In this study, traditionally produced vinegar made from gilaburu (C-GV) and thermally pasteurized gilaburu vinegar (P-GV), and (ultrasound-treated gilaburu vinegar (UT-GV) were evaluated. At the same time, ultrasound treatment enriched 11 phenolic compounds (gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, rutin, ferulic acid, o-coumaric acid, neohesperidin, quercetin, trans-cinnamic). Ultrasound showed different effects on free amino acids and volatile profiles. In general, ultrasound showed more positive results than thermal pasteurization. Six important minerals (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, and Zn) were detected in gilaburu vinegar, and ultrasound treatment increased the Fe content. Gilaburu vinegar, prepared by different methods, had potential antibacterial and anti-cancer activity. Gilaburu (Viburnum opulus L.) is an important fruit that has been studied in recent years due to its phytochemicals and health benefits. In this study, traditionally produced vinegar made from gilaburu fruit (C-GV) was evaluated. Vinegar with higher levels of bioactive components optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) was also produced using ultrasound (UT-GV). The maximum optimization result for the bioactive components was achieved at 14 min and 61.2 amplitude. The effectiveness of thermal pasteurization (P-GV) on gilaburu vinegar was evaluated. An increase was detected for every organic acid with ultrasound treatment. In the UT-GV and C-GV samples, arabinose was present, which is useful for stimulating the immune system. Gilaburu vinegar samples contained 29-31 volatile compounds. The smallest amount of volatile compounds was found in P-GV (1280.9 mu g/kg), and the largest amounts of volatile compounds were found in C-GV (1566.9 mu g/kg) and UT-GV (1244.10 mu g/kg). In the UT-GV sample, Fe was increased, but Ca, K, Mg, and Mn were decreased. A total of 15 polyphenols were detected in C-GV, P-GV, and UT-GV samples, and gallic acid was the most common. A total of 17 free amino acids were detected in gilaburu vinegar samples. Ultrasound provided enrichment in total phenolic compounds and total free amino acids. All three vinegar samples had good antimicrobial activity against pathogens. The efficacy of C-GV, P-GV, and UT-GV samples against colon and stomach cancer was determined, but there were no significant differences between them. As a result, ultrasound treatment is notable due to its antimicrobial and anticancer activity, especially for the enrichment of phenolic compounds and amino acids in gilaburu vinegar.

Oksal, Erçin: Malatya Turgut Ozal University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, Malatya, Turkey urkey is one of noteworthy countries for both fruit genetic resources and amount of fruit production in the world. Mulberry is cultivated throughout Turkey, most commonly in Central, Northeast and Southeast Anatolia. Mulberry has a great market potential thanks to its fresh consumption and usage of processed food products. In June 2019, a disease was observed causing deaths in shoots and branches on mulberry trees in Malatya province of Turkey. The causative agent of the disease was identified as Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae according to morphological characteristics and sequencing of TEF 1-a gene (Accession no. MT362602 and MT362603), ITS (Accession no. MT195554 and MT195555) and LSU (Accession no. MT195552 and MT195553). Based on the concatenated sequences of the ITS, TEF 1-a, and LSU, a phylogenetic tree was built using Bayesian analysis. Reactions of nine mulberry cultivars against the disease ('Ulukale', Ayas/, 'Ichinose', 'Poser', 'Kenmochi', Arapgir', 'San as/, 'Horum' and 'Istanbul') inoculated with Malatya isolate of A! novaehollandiae were evaluated under growth chamber conditions. All-mulberry cultivars artificially inoculated with N. novaehollandiae isolate exhibited severe necrosis symptoms on woody tissues of tested plants. It was confirmed that N. novaehollandiae is a fungal pathogen associated with dieback and canker on mulberry trees in Turkey for the first time. New mulberry plantations could be endangered by this emerging new disease.

Background Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is an important sericulture crop; however, root-knot nematode infection seriously limits its production. Understanding the mechanism of interaction between mulberry and nematode is important for control of infection. Results Using sequencing and de novo transcriptome assembly, we identified 55,894 unigenes from root samples of resistant and susceptible mulberry cultivars at different stages after infection with the nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii; 33,987 of these were annotated in the Nr, SWISS-PROT, KEGG, and KOG databases. Gene ontology and pathway enrichment analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) revealed key genes involved in hormone metabolic processes, plant hormone signal transduction, flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and peroxisomal and photosynthetic pathways. Analysis of key trends in co-expression networks indicated that expression of unigenes 0,015,083, 0,073,272, 0,004,006, and 0,000,628 was positively correlated with resistance to M. enterolobii. Unigene 0015083 encodes tabersonine 16-O-methyltransferase (16OMT), which is involved in alkaloid biosynthesis. Unigene 0073272 encodes a transcription factor contributing to nitric oxide accumulation during plant immune responses. Unigenes 0,004,006 and 0,000,628 encode ERF and MYB transcription factors, respectively, involved in plant hormone signaling. We verified the accuracy of transcriptome sequencing results by RT-qPCR of 21 DEGs. Conclusions The results of this study increase our understanding of the resistance mechanisms and candidate genes involved in mulberry–M. enterolobii interaction. Thus, our data will contribute to the development of effective control measures against this pathogen.

Background:Mulberry, including several species belonging to genus Morus, has been widely used as a traditional medicine for a long time. Extracts and active components of mulberry have many positive neurological and biological effects and can become potential candidates in the search for new drugs for neurological disorders.Objectives:We aimed to systematically review the medical literature for evidence of mulberry effects on the central nervous system.Methods:We conducted a systematic search in nine databases. We included all in vivo studies investigating the effect of mulberry on the central nervous system with no restrictions.Results:We finally included 47 articles for quality synthesis. Our findings showed that mulberry and its components possessed an antioxidant effect, showed a reduction in the cerebral infarct volume after stroke. They also improved the cognitive function, learning process, and reduced memory impairment in many animal models. M. alba and its extracts ameliorated Parkinson's disease-like behaviors, limited the complications of diabetes mellitus on the central nervous system, possessed anti-convulsant, anti-depressive, and anxiolytic effects.Conclusion:Mulberry species proved beneficial to many neurological functions in animal models. The active ingredients of each species, especially M. alba, should be deeper studied for screening potentially candidates for future treatments

Mulberry (Morus) is an economically important woody tree that is suitable for use in sericulture as forage and in medicine. However, this broad-leaved tree is facing multiple threats ranging from phytopathogens to insect pests. Here, a Gram-positive, endospore-forming bacterium (ZJU1) was frequently isolated from healthy mulberry plants by screening for foliar endophytes showing antagonism against pathogens and pests. Whole-genome sequencing and annotation resulted in a genome size of 4.06 Mb and classified the bacterium as a novel strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens that has rarely been identified from tree leaves. An integrative approach combining traditional natural product chemistry, activity bioassays, and high-resolution mass spectrometry confirmed that strain ZJU1 uses a blend of antimicrobials including peptides and volatile organic compounds to oppose Botrytis cinerea, a major phytopathogenic fungus causing mulberry gray mold disease. We showed that the inoculation of endophyte-free plants with ZJU1 significantly decreased both leaf necrosis and mortality under field conditions. In addition to the direct interactions of endophytes with foliar pathogens, in planta studies suggested that the inoculation of endophytes also induced plant systemic defense, including high expression levels of mulberry disease resistance genes. Moreover, when applied to the generalist herbivore Spodoptera litura, ZJU1 was sufficient to reduce the pest survival rate below 50%. A previously undiscovered crystal toxin (Cry10Aa) could contribute to this insecticidal effect against notorious lepidopteran pests. These unique traits clearly demonstrate that B. amyloliquefaciens ZJU1 is promising for the development of successful strategies for biocontrol applications. The search for new plant-beneficial microbes and engineering microbiomes is therefore of great significance for sustainably improving plant performance.

Journal of Science and Agricultural Technology, 1, 1, 7-17

Objective To investigate the correlation between chemical constituents and active ingredients of 13 types of Chinese mulberry fruits. Methods Thirteen types mulberry fruits were harvested. The correlation between chemical constituents and active ingredients (primarily anthocyanins and rutins) of 13 new types of Chinese mulberries was assessed using partial‐least‐squares, principle‐component and canonical‐correlation analyses. Results Vitamin C and titratable acid in the mulberry fruits were critical components that affected the active ingredients, especially anthocyanins and rutins. The content of titratable acid content was related to the fruit flavor and maintained the balance of anthocyanins, vitamin C and rutins. Mineral elements, such as Zn and Cu, also played a vital role in these processes. Low contents of sugar, crude protein, crude fat and pectin were significantly correlated with the mineral elements. Conclusion Chemical constituents and mineral elements can mutually affect the concentration. It provides a novel method for any changes in the quality of new types of Chinese mulberries, which can identify the sources of new types of natural antioxidants.

Lactic-acid-fermented mulberry juice (LFMJ) was subjected to pulsed light (PL) treatment at exposure time of 2, 4, and 8 s at high insensitive pulses of 14.0 J/cm2. The effect of PL treatment on the microbial inactivation, physicochemical, phytochemical, volatile, and sensory characteristics of LFMJ was evaluated. It was found that the PL was able to reduce the microbial load to acceptable levels (1.02 ± 0.04 log10 cfu/mL) with no significant impact on the physicochemical properties of LFMJ. It was also observed that the PL treatment caused a slight decrease in anthocyanin concentration at 8 s exposure time. The color difference (∆E) of the juice treated for 2 and 4 s fell below the slightly noticeable range 0.5

Natural stilbenes have unique physiological effects, such as anti-senile dementia, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, lowering blood lipid, and other important biological functions, which have attracted great attention from scholars in recent years. In this study, two stilbene compounds, resveratrol (RES) and polydatin (PD), were isolated from Mulberry (Morus alba L.), and their antioxidant activity and mechanism were investigated. The results showed that the contents of RES and PD in mulberry roots were 32.45 and 3.15 μg/g, respectively, significantly higher than those in mulberry fruits (0.48 and 0.0020 μg/g) and mulberry branches (5.70 and 0.33 μg/g). Both RES and PD showed high antioxidant potential by DPPH, ABTS free-scavenging methods, and ORAC assay, and provided protection against oxidative damage in HepG2 cells by increased catalase (CAT) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and Glutathione (GSH) content, and decreasing generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Therefore, RES and PD treatment could be effective for attenuating AAPH-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells. This study will promote the development and application of stilbene compounds. Furthermore, the RES and PD could be used as antioxidant supplements in functional foods, cosmetics, or pharmaceuticals, contributing to health improvement.

The aim of this study was to explore the protective effects of bioactive compounds from the fruit of the mulberry tree (Morus alba L.) against cisplatin-induced apoptosis in LLC-PK1 pig kidney epithelial cells. Morus alba fruit is a well-known edible fruit commonly used in traditional folk medicine. Chemical investigation of M. alba fruit resulted in the isolation and identification of six phytosterols (1–6). Their structures were determined as 7-ketositosterol (1), stigmast-4-en-3β-ol-6-one (2), (3β,6α)-stigmast-4-ene-3,6-diol (3), stigmast-4-ene-3β,6β-diol (4), 7β-hydroxysitosterol 3-O-β-d-glucoside (5), and 7α-hydroxysitosterol 3-O-β-d-glucoside (6) by analyzing their physical and spectroscopic data as well as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry data. All compounds displayed protective effects against cisplatin-induced LLC-PK1 cell damage, improving cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity to more than 80% of the control value. Compound 1 displayed the best effect at a relatively low concentration by inhibiting the percentage of apoptotic cells following cisplatin treatment. Its molecular mechanisms were identified using Western blot assays. Treatment of LLC-PK1 cells with compound 1 decreased the upregulated phosphorylation of p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) following cisplatin treatment. In addition, compound 1 significantly suppressed cleaved caspase-3 in cisplatin-induced LLC-PK1 cells. Taken together, these findings indicated that cisplatin-induced apoptosis was significantly inhibited by compound 1 in LLC-PK1 cells, thereby supporting the potential of 7-ketositosterol (1) as an adjuvant candidate for treating cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

The salt tolerance of glycophytes is thought to be related to their ability to restrict sodium access to their aboveground parts. A previous study on the mulberry (Morus alba L.) revealed a phenomenon of explosive salt accumulation in the leaves after exceeding a certain treatment concentration. Here, we aim to observe the internal state of mulberry seedlings under salt stress by the proteomic method and to identify the possible inducements associated with salt bursts. In this study, the target treatments for TMT-label free quantitative analyses were determined by measuring the sodium content in the roots and leaves. The results showed that the expressions of proteins classified as “plant hormones”, “ion channels”, “REDOX homeostasis”, “cytoskeleton” and “cell wall” changed significantly after salt bursts. This phenotype is associated with the destruction of the apoplast, in which the assembly of the Casparian strip may be affected by the inhibition of some key proteins, indirectly increasing the rate of ion migration through the endodermis into the shoots.

The twig blight of mulberry caused by Fusarium lateritium occurs mainly in Buan area, which is the main area of mulberry. The initial symptom on twigs showed dark edge blight and dark orange tiny particles on the spot, and it was withered and died. In the case of mulberry twig blight, the difference in the degree of occurrence between the years is intense, and an average of 2.7% occurred in Buan in 2013, but in 2014, it was difficult to search for the generated fields. In order to find the cause of the difference in the incidence of mulberry twig blight, we investigated and analyzed the weather conditions during cultivation and as a result, the occurrence of the disease increased under the condition that the temperature of the spring was lower and the number of days passing below the winter freezing point increased. In addition, it was analyzed that the occurrence of the next year increases when the rainfall is high and the number of sunshine is low after removing the harvested branches. Therefore, in the event that weather conditions causing twig blight diseases have elapsed, it is necessary to prevent the disease by spraying the registered applied fungicide prophylactically.