Search

Abstract The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of environmental conditions on the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of two distinct cladode genotypes under three sampling dates (spring, summer, and winter). The juice extracted from Opuntia ficus-indica (spineless) and Opuntia megacantha (spiny) genotypes was analyzed for their phenolics content and antioxidant activity using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP methods. The composition of major phenolics substances of cladode juice harvested in March was determined by HPLC analysis. The average of the total phenolics content ranged from 455.65 to 542.70 μg GAE mL−1. The antioxidant activity varied from 1.78 to 4.10 μmol TE mL−1 by DPPH assay, 12.78–23.10 μmol TE mL−1 by ABTS assay and 1.74–3.33 μmol TE mL−1 by FRAP assay. Higher values of antioxidant activity and polyphenols content were registered in summer. O. ficus-indica recorded significantly higher values for the parameters compared to O. megacantha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an experimental investigation of the effect of corn grain replacement with prickly pear cactus and M. oleifera leaf extract in ruminal diets. In the control diet, 40 and 70% of corn grain was substituted with prickly pear cactus, while the level of M. oleifera leaf extract was varied from 0 to 1.8 mL/g dry matter. A significant interaction between experimental diet and dosage of M. oleifera leaf extract was observed for methane, carbon dioxide, and total gas production. An increase in the composition of pear cactus in the diet resulted in a significant decrease in carbon dioxide, methane, as well as the total gas production. A decrease in lag time of gas production was also observed. The asymptotic methane production and the rate of methane production decrease in all the diets with the increase in M. oleifera leaf extract doses. Addition of M. oleifera leaf extract to the control diet resulted in a decline in carbon dioxide production, while the reverse was the case when M. oleifera leaf extract was added to pear cactus containing diet. Therefore, replacement of corn grain with pear cactus and the addition of M. oleifera leaf extract resulted in a decrease in the production of greenhouse gases. This is a promising formulation for ecofriendly livestock diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study, focuses on seed germination ecology and seedling growth of Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae), a native species of arid and semi-arid regions of Mexico and invasive in the Mediterranean Basin. Shortly after collecting seeds in December 2014, scarification as well as the intra-specific variability in the responses of germination to light, temperature, salt stress and germination recovery were evaluated among three naturalized populations of this species in the Mediterranean. Moreover, seedling biomass production and the growth rate were measured. The most suitable method of scarification resulted the nail-clippers chipping. For all the populations, the germination trend was similar under light and darkness, but higher values of germination occurred under light. The highest germination occurred, for all the tested populations, at temperatures of 20 and 25 °C. Opuntia ficus-indica seeds were able to germinate up to 500 mM NaCl, but inter-population differences were observed. Nevertheless, seeds from all provenances showed a low ability to recover their germination after NaCl exposure. Biomass production of seedlings was similar for Sardinian and Sicilian populations, but not compared with the Spanish population. The growth rate of the Spanish population was, like the seedling biomass, different from those of Sardinia and Sicily. This study confirmed the presence of physical dormancy in O. ficus-indica seeds, due to lignified teguments in the seed testa and a secondary dormancy induced by the exposition to salinity. Even if many naturalized populations occur in the Mediterranean ecosystems, it seems this species has not acquired the Mediterranean germination syndrome. The ability of the seeds to germinate at high NaCl concentrations reveals a potential growth of O. ficus-indica in close coastline areas and in soils with high salt concentrations. These results could be important to predict where this species will spread in the Mediterranean Basin, threatening the biodiversity of coastal ecosystems, especially in islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruminal fermentation is accompanied by production of methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) which are greenhouses making the Earth warmer. Therefore, the sustainable production of CH 4 and CO 2 as well as fermentation kinetics when corn grain (CG) was replaced with prickly pear cactus flour (PC) was investigated. Besides, the effect of different levels of organic acid salts (OAS) was studied. Three total mixed rations used as substrates were prepared where CG was replaced with PC at three levels (/kg): 0 g (Control), 75 g (PC75) or 150 g (PC150). The OAS was used at three levels: 0, 5 and 10 mg/g dry matter (DM) of substrates. Asymptotic gas (GP), CH 4 , and CO 2 productions as well as lag time had linear responses ( P < 0.05) as PC level increased in the ration. Fractional rate of GP ( P = 0.007), GP, organic matter degradability, short chain fatty acid, and microbial biomass production ( P < 0.001) were increased with increasing level of PC. Fermentation pH ( P < 0.001), and DM degradability ( P = 0.0448) were linearly decreased as the PC level increased in the rations. Ration × OAS interaction did not affect fermentation kinetics, GP, CH 4 production and fermentation parameters. Prickly pear cactus flour at 150 g/kg DM inclusion level in ruminant ration has the potential to replace 60% of corn grain with enhanced fermentation and biodegradation efficiency in vitro ; however, it increased CH 4 production, which cannot be an environmental friendly way of feeding livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The biosorption of cadmium (II) and lead (II) ions onto a natural, plentiful and low-cost biosorbent developed from cactus cladodes was investigated in batch mode. Experiments were carried out as a function of average biosorbent particle size, pH, biosorbent mass, contact time, initial metal concentration and temperature. The experimental results indicate that, the percentage of biosorption increases with an increase in the biosorbent dosage and the decrease of particle size. The equilibrium uptake was increased with an increase in the initial metal concentration in solution. The maximum biosorption occurred at pH of 5.8 and 3.5, respectively for cadmium (II) and lead (II) ions. Biosorption kinetic data were properly fitted with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The equilibrium data fitted very well to the Langmuir model with a maximum monolayer biosorption capacity of 30.42 and 98.62mg/g, respectively for cadmium (II) and lead (II) ions. The biosorption yield decreases with an increase in solution temperature. The FTIR analysis of unloaded and metal loaded biosorbent indicated the involvement of C O, O C and C O C groups in metal binding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The biosorption of Methylene Blue (MB), Eriochrome Black T (EBT) and Alizarin S (AS) from aqueous solutions by dried prickly pear cactus cladodes as a low-cost, natural and eco-friendly biosorbent was investigated. The study was carried out under various parameters, such as average biosorbent particle size, pH, biosorbent dosage, contact time, initial dye concentration and temperature. The experimental results show that, the percentage of biosorption increases with an increase in the biosorbent dosage, and the decrease of particle size. The biosorption was pH dependent with a high biosorption of cationic dye (MB) in basic range and a high biosorption of anionic dyes (EBT and AS) in acidic range. The equilibrium uptake was increased with an increase in the initial dye concentration in solution. Biosorption kinetic data were properly fitted with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The experimental isotherm data were analyzed using Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich–Peterson, Temkin and Toth isotherm equations. The best fit was obtained by the Redlich–Peterson model and the Langmuir model with a Langmuir maximum monolayer biosorption capacity of 189.83mg/g for Methylene Blue, 200.22mg/g for Eriochrome Black T and 118.35mg/g for Alizarin S. The biosorption was exothermic in nature (ΔH°=−31.035kJ/mol for MB, −10.25kJ/mol for EBT and −11.69kJ/mol for AS). The reaction was accompanied by a decrease in entropy (ΔS°=−94.76J/Kmol for MB, −38.44J/Kmol for EBT and −41.93J/Kmol for AS). The Gibbs energy (ΔG°) increased when the temperature was increased from 25 to 60°C indicating a decrease in feasibility of biosorption at higher temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We established the conditions to micropropagate the ornamental prickly pear cactus Opuntia lanigera Salm–Dyck through axillary shoot development from isolated areoles. For the shoot proliferation stage different explant orientation (vertical and horizontal), type of cytokinin (BA, DAP and K), and concentrations (0, 1.25, 2,5, 5.0 and 7.5mg/L) were evaluated. Media [Murashige, T., Skoog, F., 1962. A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco cultures. Phys. Plant. 15, 473–497: 50 and 100%], and carbohydrate concentration (0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0%) were studied to optimize individual shoot growth and elongation. Following micropropagation and plantlet acclimatization, the effects of GA3 on plant growth were determined by spraying a series of increasing concentrations (0, 150, 300 and 450ppm). A reliable and efficient protocol of micropropagation was established for this particular plant species. The greatest propagation ratio (shoot proliferation) was obtained when explants were cultured in vertical orientation (4.975 shoots per explant) as compared to horizontal position (3.692 shoots per explant). The addition of BA to the media resulted in increased shoot number per explant (8) in comparison to K and DA, which produced only 2 shoots in average. However, after 42 days of culture, significantly higher shoot length was obtained with DAP (14mm) compared to K and BA (4mm). After the shoot proliferation stage, an elongation subculture was performed prior rooting in which shoot growth was enhanced when crowns of shoots were cultured in 50% of basal salt formulation of Murashige and Skoog (1962) and low sucrose concentration (2.5 and 5%). Exogenous application of GA3 after plantlet acclimatization on glasshouse conditions increased spine-hair (developed from areoles in young plants) length as part of short-term effects. However, significantly higher values were obtained in plantlets treated with 300ppm of GA3 when compared with the rest of the treatments. At the end of the study, the most important long-term effect produced by GA3 was the suppression of total shoot growth. The micropropagation protocol described here and the conditions to grow the plants through fertigation plus the application of GA3 that induced changes in the phenotype may be used in commercial exploitations to regenerate 12,500 plantelts in average after 12 months of culture and produce healthy plants with better ornamental characteristics and higher commercial value. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Prickly pear cactus [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] and roughage (Cenchrus ciliaris)-based diets with (OCG) or without (OC) an organic N source supplement (50g groundnut meal) were compared to a roughage plus 200g concentrate (CC)-supplemented diet. Intake, nutrient utilization, rumen fermentation, excretion of urinary purine derivatives and microbial N supply in Malpura hoggets were assessed. Opuntia cladodes contained DM 218g/kg, CP 126g/kg, NDF 466g/kg and ash 172g/kg of DM. Dry matter intake through cladodes was 237–243g in opuntia-based diets. Dry matter intake was lowest (P <0.02) in OC diets 61g to that of 74g/kgW0.75 in CC or OCG diets. Total tract apparent digestibility of DM, CP and GE were lower in OC diets than CC and OCG diets and these were not different between CC and OCG diets. DCP, DE and ME content and intakes were similar in CC or OCG diets, and were significantly higher than in OC diet. Urinary excretion of purine derivatives and microbial N supply were low in animals fed opuntia diets. Ruminal fluid pH increased due to opuntia feeding. Total N and NH3-N in ruminal fluid was lower in OC diet. TVFA, acetate and butyrate were higher (P <0.01) in CC diets, whereas propionate was similar in all three diets. It is concluded that opuntia cladodes and roughage diets require an additional supplementation of organic N source, which improve dry matter intake, apparent digestibility, nutritive value, plane of nutrition and ruminal N and NH3-N. However, impaired microbial protein supply on opuntia diets needs further studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nopalitos (edible young cladodes of flat-stemmed spiny cacti mainly of the Opuntia genus used as vegetables) with high commercial value were sensory studied by quantitative descriptive analysis method. A new descriptive and discriminating language and their standard references were developed in a 20 1/2 panel-hours. The highly trained panel initially produced a vocabulary of 22 terms that it was later modified to 6 attributes (Luminance, boiled vegetable odour, acid taste, hardness, chewiness and palate coating). Data obtained were analyzed by principal components analysis and by ANOVA. A unique sensory profile was defined for Milpa Alta, Atlixco and Copena V-1 variants. The significant differences among them are simply due to appearance (luminance) and texture (chewiness and palate coating) variations. Milpa Alta variant was characterized by the highest intensity of palate coating and the lowest of luminance while Atlixco had the highest intensity in luminance and the lowest intensities of chewiness and palate coating. On the contrary, Copena V-1 had a medium intensity value for these attributes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]