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During the last two decades, our research activities have been focused on four different topics: 1) evaluation and characterization of wild and cultivated genetic resources using multidisciplinary approaches; 2) selection of genotypes having useful genetic, agronomic, quality and nutritional traits; 3) production of useful pre-breeding lines; 4) support to local communities to promote the cultivation in the traditional areas of the local varieties (on-farm conservation) with interesting agronomic performance and good nutritional and technological traits. The target seed components investigated are: o for legumes: anti-nutritionals, toxic factors, non-protein amino acids, and protein fractions with high functional value (enzymes, enzyme inhibitors); o for cereals: gluten and waxy proteins associated to nutritional, functional and technological aspects of flour and/or semolina; macro and micro elements in whole and refined flour. Genetic variation at wheat and bean protein loci, seed storage protein composition, technological and nutritional quality, agronomic performances, aptitude to industrial processing are investigated by several biochemical techniques, such as, one and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (1D- and 2D-PAGE), capillary electrophoresis (CE), reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), gas-chromatography (GC), spectrophotometric dosages, molecular markers and proteomic approaches. Characterisation and valorisation of legume and cereal genetic resources allow to acquire useful information to plain appropriate actions of safeguard and management of germplasm collections, as well as to support the request of quality marks for specific local varieties. Moreover, the identification of segments of genetic resources carrying out useful traits, is essential to direct breeder programs during the pre-breeding selection. Case-studies of utilisation and valorisation of genetic resources will be illustrated, along with the participation to research projects supported by private and public institutions.

The study evaluated the partial substitution of soybean meal by faba beans (18%) or peas (20%) as additional protein sources in diets destined for typical Italian heavy pig production. It compared animal performances, meat quality, the presence of residual anti-nutritional factors (ANF) and phytoestrogens in plasma and meat and the possible effects on pig health, by evaluating oxidative, inflammatory and pro-atherogenic markers. The results showed that the productive performances, expressed as body weight and feed conversion ratio, of pigs fed with faba bean and pea diets were similar to those of pigs fed only the soybean meal. Meat quality of pigs fed with the three diets was similar in colour, water-holding capacity, tenderness and chemical composition. Despite the higher levels of phytoestrogen in the plasma of pigs fed only the soybean meal, phytoestrogen concentration in the muscle was equivalent to that of animals fed diets with faba beans, whereas pigs fed a diet with peas showed a lower concentration. Inflammation and pro-atherogenic parameters did not show significant differences among the three diets. Overall, the partial substitution of soybean meal by faba beans appears more interesting than with peas, particularly in relation to the higher amount of polyphenols in the diet and the highest concentration of phytoestrogens found in the plasma and muscle of animals, while the pyrimidine anti-nutritional compounds present in the diet did not appear to accumulate and had no effect on the growth performance of animals.

Heat processing is an effective way of reducing antinutritional factors (ANFs) in legumes, but requires expensive facilities and equipment. Accurate control of temperature is critical to avoid under- or overheating. Therefore, heat treatment of soybeans is not a viable option for the average small-scale farmer in remote areas. Germination and other traditional methods, namely soaking and dehulling, were evaluated as alternative processing methods for soybeans. The effect of the processing treatment on the level of different ANFs, nutritional composition and in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) of soybean seeds was determined. Soybeans were soaked for 24 hours and allowed to germinate for one to six days. Soaked soybeans were manually dehulled. Changes within seeds were noted for nutritional and ANFs during germination. Crude protein and fat content increased with increasing number of days germinated, but germination caused a decrease in starch content. Dehulling also increased the crude protein and fat content of the seeds. All treatments caused a significant decrease in condensed tannins of the soybeans. Trypsin inhibitor levels were numerically lower after germinating, soaking and dehulling of seeds, but not significantly so. There were no changes in IVPD after treatment of the soybeans. It was concluded that germination for a period of three days effectively improved the nutritional value of soybeans and can be considered an alternative treatment of soybeans for the small-scale farmer where heat treatment is impractical or impossible.Keywords: Soybeans seed, Glycine max, TIA, anti-nutritional factors, traditional methods

The effect of hot aqueous ethanol treatment on several nutritionally relevant mainly protein-related parameters in raw peas (var. Solara) and ultra-filtrated pea protein isolate was examined. Of all test samples, water absorptive capacity (WAC), weight loss and protein loss owing to the processing were determined. All test samples, the raw peas and the pea protein isolate were analysed for nitrogen content, protein dispersibility index (PDI), trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA), lectin content, protein composition and antigenic proteins. The hot aqueous ethanol treatment resulted in a denaturing of pea protein accompanied by a reduction of activity of anti-nutritional factors and changes in functional properties in both the raw pea and the pea protein isolate. No effect on protein composition or antigenicity was observed. The treatment with aqueous ethanol of 55 vol.% at a temperature of 80°C resulted in the largest reduction in PDI, TIA, lectin content and the highest values for weight loss, protein loss and WAC. Higher ethanol concentrations and lower treatment temperatures resulted in smaller reductions in PDI, TIA and lectin content, lower values for WAC and lower weight and protein losses. As optimal treatment, which means a treatment resulting in a clear reduction in activity of anti-nutritional factors and small weight and protein losses, a treatment with aqueous ethanol of 65 vol.% at a temperature of 65°C was suggested. © 1995.

The effects of feeding varying levels of tannia Cocoyam Meals (CCYM) as substitutes for maize were evaluated on 96, four week-old broiler chicken. The diets included raw sundried and boiled sundried tannia. Each form replaced maize at 0, 25, 50 and 100% level. The differences in weight gain, feed intake and feed conservation ratio were not significant (P> 0.05) up to 50% substitution level for both cocoyam diets . The control only differed from cocoyam diets at 100% substitution indicating that raw sundried and boiled tannia CCYM has good potentials in feeding value up to 50% inclusion levels. Feed cost and cost of daily feed intake significantly decrease (P

A soja contém fatores antinutricionais proteicos, inibidores de proteases e lectinas, que limitam o seu uso na alimentação humana e animal. Com a finalidade de reduzir os teores destes antinutricionais na semente de soja, foi desenvolvida uma linhagem sem Inibidor de Tripsina Kunitz (KTI) e Lectina (LEC), pelo Programa de Melhoramento da Qualidade da Soja do BIOAGRO, da Universidade Federal de Viçosa. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal a caracterização bioquímico-nutricional dessa linhagem. Foram avaliadas a qualidade nutricional da proteína e as alterações morfológicas no intestino de ratos Wistar alimentados com dietas à base de soja e de caseína. A atividade de inibição de tripsina nos genótipos KTI+LEC+ (Variedade de soja comercial Monarca) foi cerca de 2,8 vezes a do genótipo KTI-LEC- (Isolinha de Monarca livre de KTI e LEC). Os resultados dos valores de PER, NPR e NPU foram melhores na variedade comercial após processamento térmico. A digestibilidade proteica da soja KTI-LEC- foi superior à da variedade comercial. Os valores de digestibilidade para os animais alimentados com dieta à base de farinha de soja KTI-LEC- processada termicamente foram próximos aos observados para animais alimentados com dieta à base de caseína. Verificou-se, também, que os animais alimentados com a soja KTI+LEC+ apresentaram maior nível de alterações na morfologia das microvilosidades intestinais, quando comparados àqueles alimentados com a soja KTI-LEC-. A retirada genética do KTI e LEC teve um impacto positivo na digestibilidade das proteínas da soja, no entanto não melhorou a sua qualidade nutricional. Soybean seeds contain protein anti-nutritional factors, protease inhibitors, and lectins, which limit their use in human and animal nutrition. Aiming to reduce these factors in soybean seeds, a genotype devoid of Kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor (KTI) and Lectin (LEC) was developed by the Breeding Program for Soybean Quality of the Biotechnology Institute (BIOAGRO) of the Federal University of Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The present work aimed at the biochemical and nutritional characterization of this soybean genotype. The protein nutritional quality and intestinal morphological alterations were determined in Wistar rats fed with diets based on soy flour and casein. The trypsin inhibitory activity in normal genotype KTI+LEC+ was approximately 2.8 times greater than that of the KTI-LEC- genotype. The PER, NPR, and NPU values obtained after thermal treatment were better for the commercial variety than those of the KTI-LEC- genotype. The protein digestibility of the KTI-LEC- soybean was higher than that of the commercial genotype KTI+LEC+. The digestibility values in animals fed with thermally treated KTI-LEC- soybean flour was close to that observed in animals fed with casein. The animals fed with thermally treated KTI+LEC+ soybean flour also presented higher levels of morphological alterations in their intestinal vilosities when compared to those fed with KTI-LEC- soybean flour. It can be concluded that the genetic elimination of KTI and LEC positively impacted soybean protein digestibility, however, there was no improvement on its nutritional value.

Many plant phytochemicals constitute binary enzyme-glucoside systems and function in plant defence. In brassicas, the enzyme myrosinase is confined to specific myrosin cells that separate the enzyme from its substrate; the glucosinolates. The myrosinase-catalysed release of toxic and bioactive compounds such as isothiocyanates, upon activation or tissue damage, has been termed 'the mustard oil bomb' and characterized as a 'toxic mine' in plant defence. The removal of myrosin cells and the enzyme that triggers the release of phytochemicals have been investigated by genetically modifying Brassica napus plants to remove myrosinase-storing idioblasts. A construct with the seed myrosin cell-specific Myr1.Bn1 promoter was used to express a ribonuclease, barnase. Transgenic plants ectopically expressing barnase were embryo lethal. Co-expressing barnase under the control of the Myr1.Bn1 promoter with the barnase inhibitor, barstar, under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter enabled a selective and controlled death of myrosin cells without affecting plant viability. Ablation of myrosin cells was confirmed with light and electron microscopy, with immunohistological analysis and immunogold-electron microscopy analysis showing empty holes where myrosin cells normally are localized. Further evidence for a successful myrosin cell ablation comes from immunoblots showing absence of myrosinase and negligible myrosinase activity, and autolysis experiments showing negligible production of glucosinolate hydrolysis products. The plants where the myrosin defence cells have been ablated and named 'MINELESS plants'. The epithiospecifier protein profile and glucosinolate levels were changed in MINELESS plants, pointing to localization of myrosinases and a 35 kDa epithiospecifier protein in myrosin cells and a reduced turnover of glucosinolates in MINELESS plants.

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica, Fabaceae), a tropical fruit found in Africa and Asia is highly valued for its pulp. Tamarind fruit pulp has a sweet acidic taste due to a combination of high contents of tartaric acid and reducing sugars. The pulp is used for seasoning, in prepared foods, to flavour confections, curries and sauces, and as a major ingredient in juices and other beverages. Commercial tamarind-based drinks are available from many countries. Vitamin B content is quite high; carotene and vitamin C contents are low. Presence of tannins and other dyeing matters in the seed testa make the whole seed unsuitable for consumption, but they become edible after soaking and boiling in water. Tamarind kernel powder is an important sizing material in textile, paper and jute industries. Seeds are gaining importance as an alternative source of proteins, and are besides rich in some essential minerals. Seed pectin can form gels over a wide pH range. Leaves and flowers can be eaten as vegetables, and are prepared in a variety of dishes. They are used to make curries, salads, stews and soups. Tamarind leaves are a fair source of vitamin C and α-carotene; mineral content is high, particularly P, K, Ca and Mg. Anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-fungal activity has been documented from several plant parts. Tamarind is also extensively used in tradi- tional medicine. The traditional uses, its phytochemistry and pharmacognosy is reviewed to provided with a particular orientation to its value in sub-Sahara Africa. Key words: Tamarind, Tamarindus indica L., traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, anti-nutritional factors

Grain legumes, such as soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), pea (Pisum sativum L.), faba bean (Vicia faba L.), lupins (Lupinus spp.), common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.), represent one of the most quality and least expensive solutions for a long-term demand for plant protein in animal husbandry. One of the limitations to an increased use of grain legumes as feed is the presence of diverse compounds in their grain, commonly referred to as anti-nutritional factors, that both decrease nutritive value of grain legumes and, if taken in larger amounts, cause health problems that may be fatal for both human and the animals. By this reason, breeding programmes of all grain legumes is aimed at decreasing the content of anti-nutritional factors to a safe extent. Breeding of soybean cultivars for reduced amount of antinutritive factors resulted in the development of Kunitz-free soybean cultivars, which are suitable for thermal processing at lower temperatures and during a shorter period of time. This is the way of saving energy and preserving valuable nutritional composition of soybean grain. As for other species, the most significant progress has been made in protein pea, where all modern cultivars have either low or very low content of various antinutritional factors. Among the improvements are also 'zero-tannin' cultivars in faba bean, with a wide utilization in both animal feeding and bread industry, lowtoxin common vetch cultivars, 'sweet' cultivars in lupins and low-ODAP cultivars in grass pea. Zrnene mahunarke, poput soje (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), graška (Pisum sativum L.), boba (Vicia faba L.), lupina (Lupinus spp.), obične grahorice (Vicia sativa L.) i sastrice (Lathyrus sativus L.) predstavljaju jedno od najkvalitetnijih i najjevtinijih rešenja za dugoročni nedostatak biljnih proteina u stočarstvu. Jedno od ograničenja povećanju korišćenja zrnenih mahunarki u ishrani domaćih životinja jeste prisustvo različitih sastojaka u zrnu, tzv. antinutritivnih činilaca, koji umanjuju njihovu hranljivu vrednost i, u slučaju da se unesu u većoj količini, mogu da dovedu do teških posledica po ljude i životinje. Iz tog razloga, oplemenjivanje svih zrnenih mahunarki usmereno je i ka snižavanju sadržaja antinutritivnih činilaca na bezopasan nivo. Oplemenjivanje soje na smanjeni sadržaj antinutritivnih činilaca dovelo je do stvaranja Kunitz-free sorti soje, pogodnih za termičku obradu na nižim temperaturama i kraćeg trajanja, što je način uštede energije i očuvanja vrednih hranljivih sastojaka sojinog zrna. Što se tiče drugih zrnenih mahunarki, najveći napredak ostvaren je kod proteinskog graška, kod kojeg sve savremene sorte imaju nizak ili vrlo nizak sadržaj antinutritivnih činilaca. Među dostignućima su i zero-tannin sorte boba, sa širokom upotrebom u stočarstvu i industriji hleba, sorte obične grahorice sa niskim sadržajem toksina, tzv. slatke sorte lupina i sorte sastrice sa niskim sadržajem ODAP.

Corresponding author. treche@mpl.ird.fr; International audience; Losses of nutrients such as starch, lipids, proteins, iron and zinc as well as phytase activity and of recognised anti-nutritional compounds (some insoluble fibres, iron-binding phenolic compounds and phytates) were determined following abrasive decortication of grains from two pearl millet cultivars (Gampela and IKMP-5) with different omposition cultivated in Burkina Faso. In both ultivars, abrasion of the starchy endosperm started when about 12% of the dry matter had been removed from grains but lipid and protein losses followed the loss of dry matter. Zinc loss (%) was lower than that of iron; however, both were higher than dry matter losses. By contrast, phytate loss was lower than dry matter loss. Interestingly, decortication led to significant losses in fibres and iron-binding phenolic compounds with different level depending on the cultivar. Changes in phytase activity also differed in the two cultivars (42% and 11% losses of phytase activity in grains from Gampela and IKMP-5 cultivars, respectively, at 12% of abrasion). Hence, decortication of pearl millet grains does not decrease lipid and protein contents but does considerably decrease some anti-nutritional factors (part of the fibres and iron-binding phenolic compounds). However, as mineral contents and particularly iron content decreased while phytate content remains high, decortication may be insufficient to increase Fe and Zn bioavailability.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar a influência de diferentes níveis do pedúnculo de caju desidratado na alimentação de vacas mestiças da raça Girolando na produção de leite e perfil hematobioquímico. O experimento foi realizado com oito vacas distribuídas aleatoriamente em um quadrado latino (4 × 4), com tratamentos que consistiram de quatro níveis de suplementação com pedúnculo de caju desidratado (PCD) em dietas de animais, a saber: 0% PCD (dieta controle), 1,0 kg de PCD, 1,5 kg de PCD e 2,0 kg de PCD na matéria seca total. O leite e os animais foram pesados e a condição corporal dos animais foi avaliada durante sete dias em cada período experimental. Para determinar a bioquímica sérica e hemograma das vacas, três amostras de sangue foram colhidas em cada período, aos 7, 14 e 21 dias antes do fornecimento diário de suplementação com amostras de 5 ml de sangue coletadas por punção da veia jugular. A suplementação com 2 kg de PCD reduziu a produção de leite e os níveis de glicose e proteínas totais no plasma em relação ao grupo controle, devido ao nível mais elevado de tanino deste grupo. A suplementação com PCD aumentou a contagem total de eritrócitos, reduziu o volume corpuscular médio (VCM) e não alterou o número de leucócitos. Aumento dos níveis de compostos fenólicos na dieta inibiu a absorção de proteínas na dieta, o que diminuiu a produção de leite.. This paper aims to evaluate the influence of different levels of supplemental product-dehydrated cashew in the feed for crossbred Girolando cows on milk production and hemato-biochemical profile. The experiments were conducted using eight cows that were randomly distributed in a Latin square design (4×4), in which treatments consisted of four supplementation levels with product-dehydrated cashew (PDC) in animal diets, namely: 0% PDC (control diet), 1.0 kg of DCP, 1.5 kg of PDC and 2.0 kg of PDC in total dry matter . The milk and animals were weighed and the body condition of the animals were evaluated within seven days of milk collection during each experimental period. To determine the serum biochemistry and blood count of cows, three blood samples were taken in each period, at 7, 14 and 21 days before the daily supply of supplementation with samples collected from 5 ml of blood by puncturing the jugular vein. Supplementation with 2 kg of PDC reduced milk production and the levels of glucose and total plasma protein compared to the control group, due to the higher level of tannin in this group. Supplementation with PDC raised the total count of the erythrocytes, reduced the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and non-changed number of leukocytes. Increased levels of phenolic compounds in the diet inhibited the absorption of dietary proteins, which decreased milk production.

Conavalia ensiformis seed was analysed for moisture, 9.10%, fat 3.30% protein 30.91%, crude fibre 8.94%. ash 3.30% and amino acids. The seed was found to contain anti-nutritional factors. tannins 0.52%. phytate 0.08%, oxalates 0.43%, hydroen cynide 0.02% and saponins, 1.11%. Toxicological evaluation of the raw and autoclaved reed flours canted out on albino mate rots feel at Ira protein level for thirty (30) days showed several biochemical and histopathological abnormalities with the raw flour while such abnormalities were absent in the animals fed with the autoclaved seed flour diet. The transaminases (AST/ALT) lactate dehydrogenase and amylase in the liver, kidney and heart increased tremendously in rats fed with the raw. wed flour. The alkaline dehydrogenase in the liver of the rats on the autoclaved war the same as the control. The red and white blood cell populations of rats on raw seed flour decreased drastically. Nutritional evaluation of the flourIsy rat assay gave PER of 0.76 foe the autoclaved and 0.14 PER for the raw flour. The apparent protein digestibility was high 75.73 for the autoclaved flour and 39.14 for the law flour but tore net prime... with anon wok low 37.96 for autoclaved flour and 3904 for the raw flour

The effect of hot aqueous ethanol treatment on several nutritionally relevant mainly protein-related parameters in raw peas (var. Solara) and ultra-filtrated pea protein isolate was examined. Of all test samples, water absorptive capacity (WAC), weight loss and protein loss owing to the processing were determined. All test samples, the raw peas and the pea protein isolate were analysed for nitrogen content, protein dispersibility index (PDI), trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA), lectin content, protein composition and antigenic proteins. The hot aqueous ethanol treatment resulted in a denaturing of pea protein accompanied by a reduction of activity of anti-nutritional factors and changes in functional properties in both the raw pea and the pea protein isolate. No effect on protein composition or antigenicity was observed. The treatment with aqueous ethanol of 55 vol.% at a temperature of 80°C resulted in the largest reduction in PDI, TIA, lectin content and the highest values for weight loss, protein loss and WAC. Higher ethanol concentrations and lower treatment temperatures resulted in smaller reductions in PDI, TIA and lectin content, lower values for WAC and lower weight and protein losses. As optimal treatment, which means a treatment resulting in a clear reduction in activity of anti-nutritional factors and small weight and protein losses, a treatment with aqueous ethanol of 65 vol.% at a temperature of 65°C was suggested. © 1995.

This review discusses the findings of existing research surrounding the nutritional impact of some forages as well as leaf and seed meals that were incorporated in rabbit diets, furthermore the importance of dietary fiber to improve the digestive health for growing rabbits. Optimum growth performance can be achieved by feeding forages or leaf meals with concentrates in the rabbit diets. Tropical plants contain appreciable amount of protein, fat, minerals and carbohydrates that can support growth and production, however much of these plants contain also anti-nutritional factors which have negative effects on digestion or absorption of nutrients. The review revealed that different forages inclusion levels enhance rabbit production and can help overcome the protein intake deficiency in developing countries. Therefore, the utilization of forage plants as well as tropical grasses and legumes for rabbit feeding is recommended.