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Lignin is endowed with antioxidant activity due to its diverse chemical structure. It is necessary to explore the relationship between antioxidant activity and the chemical structure of the lignin to develop its high-value utilization. Herein, we employed maleic acid (MA) as a hydrotropic agent to preferably isolate the lignin from distinct herbaceous sources (wheat straw and switchgrass) under atmospheric pressure conditions. The resultant acid hydrotropic lignin (AHL) isolated from wheat straw exhibited high radical scavenging rates, up to 98% toward DPPH and 94% toward ABTS. Further investigations indicated that during the MA hydrotropic fractionation (MAHF) process, lignin was carboxylated by MA at γ-OH of the side-chain, providing additional antioxidant activity from the carboxy group. It was also found that the radical scavenging rate of AHL has a positive correlation with carboxyl, phenolic hydroxyl contents, and the S-G (syringyl-guaiacyl) ratio, which could be realized by increasing the MAHF severity. Overall, this work underlies the enhancement origin of the antioxidant property of lignin, which will facilitate its application in biological fields as an efficient, cheap, and renewable antioxidant additive.

The development of bio-friendly materials to replace single-use plastics is urgently needed. In this regard, cellulosic material from plants is a promising alternative. However, due to the risk of forest depletion, agricultural biomass stands out as a favorable choice. Toward this end, switchgrass, an underutilized grass, presents itself as a viable source of lignocellulose that can be turned into a bio-friendly material. Herein, lignocellulosic residue from switchgrass has been extracted using two different concentrations of NaOH (20% and 50% w/v), solubilized in aqueous ZnCl 2 solution, and crosslinked with CaCl 2 (200, 300, 400, and 500 mM) to prepare biodegradable films. The color, thickness and moisture, water solubility, water absorption, water vapor permeability, tensile strength and elongation, biodegradation, UV transmittance, and antioxidant activity of films have been studied. The films possess a high tensile strength of 14.7 MPa and elongation of 4.7%. They block UVB-radiation and hold antioxidant properties. They display good water vapor permeability of 1.410-1.6 × 10 -11 gm -1 s -1 Pa -1 and lose over 80% of their weight at 30% soil moisture within 40 days. An increase in the CaCl 2 amount decreased the water vapor permeability, elongation, UV transmittance, and biodegradation but increased the transparency, tensile strength and antioxidant property. Overall, films of alkali-digested lignocellulosic residue of switchgrass showed excellent potential to be used against lightweight plastics and support the circular economy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to reveal the underlying mechanisms of the differences in viscoelasticity and digestibility between mung bean starch (MBS) and proso millet starch (PMS) from the viewpoint of starch fine molecular structure. The contents of amylopectin B2 chains (14.94-15.09 %), amylopectin B3 chains (14.48-15.07 %) and amylose long chains (183.55-198.84) in MBS were significantly higher than PMS (10.45-10.76 %, 12.48-14.07 % and 70.59-88.03, respectively). MBS with higher amylose content (AC, 28.45-31.80 %) not only exhibited a lower weight-average molar mass (91,750.65-128,120.44 kDa) and R 1047/1022 (1.1520-1.1904), but also was significantly lower than PMS in relative crystallinity (15.22-23.18 %, p < 0.05). MBS displayed a higher storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G'') than PMS. Although only MBS-1 showed two distinct and discontinuous phases, MBS exhibited a higher resistant starch (RS) content than PMS (31.63-39.23 %), with MBS-3 having the highest RS content (56.15 %). Correlation analysis suggested that the amylopectin chain length distributions and AC played an important role in affecting the crystal structure, viscoelastic properties and in vitro starch digestibility of MBS and PMS. These results will provide a theoretical and scientific basis for the development of starch science and industrial production of low glycemic index starchy food., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A waxy and a non-waxy proso millet flour were each fermented by Lactobacillus amylovorus, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Lactobacillus plantarum. The samples were fermented for one to five days, and starch was isolated from the fermented flours. The pH of fermented proso millet flour ranged from 3.27 to 3.6. The starch morphology of fermented samples differed from that of raw starches, with surface indentations and small pores leading to granule channels observed on the granule. The gelatinization temperatures were significantly decreased, whereas the enthalpies were not affected by fermentation. Peak and final viscosities were decreased after fermentation. The hardness of Lb. fermentum and Lb. plantarum fermented waxy starch gels was decreased, but the non-waxy samples fermented by Lb. amylovorus had significantly increased hardness. The adhesiveness of the starch gels from fermented samples was significantly increased. Lactic acid fermentation had significant effects on the morphology and physicochemical properties of proso millet starch., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To understand the genome-wide information of the GRF family genes in broomcorn millet and their expression profile in the vegetative meristems, bioinformatic methods and transcriptome sequencing were used to analyze the characteristics, physical and chemical properties, phylogenetic relationship, chromosome distribution, gene structure, cis-acting elements and expression profile in stem meristem for the GRF family members. The results showed that the GRF gene family of millet contains 21 members, and the PmGRF gene is unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes. The lengths of PmGRF proteins vary from 224 to 618 amino acids, and the isoelectric points are between 4.93-9.69. Each member of the family has 1-4 introns and 2-5 exons. The protein PmGRF13 is localized in both the nucleus and chloroplast, and the rest PmGRF proteins are located in the nucleus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 21 GRF genes were divided into 4 subfamilies (A,B,C and D) in broomcorn millet. The analysis of cis-acting elements showed that there were many cis-acting elements involved in light response, hormone response, drought induction, low temperature response and other environmental stress responses in the 2000 bp sequence upstream of the GRF genes. Transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR analyses showed that the expression levels of PmGRF3 and PmGRF12 in the dwarf variety Zhang778 were significantly higher than those of the tall variety Longmi12 in the internode and node meristems at the jointing stage, while the expression patterns of PmGRF4, PmGRF16 and PmGRF21 were reverse. In addition, the expression levels of PmGRF2 and PmGRF5 in the internode of Zhang778 were significantly higher than Longmi12. The other GRF genes were not or insignificantly expressed. These results indicated that seven genes, PmGRF2, PmGRF3, PmGRF4, PmGRF5, PmGRF12, PmGRF16 and PmGRF21, were related to the formation of plant height in broomcorn millet.

Understanding the mechanism by which Triticeae improves the quality of broomcorn millet (BM) is key to expanding the use of this crop to address food crises and food security. This study aimed to explore the effects of Triticeae on the disulfide bonds, secondary structures, microstructure, and rheological properties of BM dough, and to investigate the potential food applications of BM. Gluten protein, intermolecular SS, and β-Sheets content of the reconstituted doughs were significantly improved compared with BM dough, which improved disorderly accumulation of starch and gluten-starch interaction in BM dough. CLSM analysis showed that broomcorn millet-common wheat (BM-CW) and broomcorn millet-durum wheat (BM-DW) also possessed larger protein areas, smaller lacunarities, and better gluten-starch interactions in the reconstituted doughs. Disulfide bonds were positively correlated with the gluten network structure, and more disulfide bonds were formed in BM-CW (3.86 μmol/g), which promoted stronger mechanical resistance in BM-CW. Therefore, the combination of BM flour with CW and DW flours had better dough elasticity and stability. Finally, a potential evaluation and optimization scheme for BM as a cooked wheaten food is proposed to improve the reference for future food security and dietary structure adjustment of residents., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that may have influenced the work reported in this study., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is an orphan crop with the potential to improve cereal production and quality, and ensure food security. Here we present the genetic variations, population structure and diversity of a diverse worldwide collection of 516 broomcorn millet genomes. Population analysis indicated that the domesticated broomcorn millet originated from its wild progenitor in China. We then constructed a graph-based pangenome of broomcorn millet based on long-read de novo genome assemblies of 32 representative accessions. Our analysis revealed that the structural variations were highly associated with transposable elements, which influenced gene expression when located in the coding or regulatory regions. We also identified 139 loci associated with 31 key domestication and agronomic traits, including candidate genes and superior haplotypes, such as LG1, for panicle architecture. Thus, the study's findings provide foundational resources for developing genomics-assisted breeding programs in broomcorn millet., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The present work aimed to study the influence of atmospheric pressure pin-to-plate cold plasma on the physicochemical (pH, moisture, and amylose content), functional (water & oil binding capacity, solubility & swelling power, paste clarity on storage, pasting), powder flow, thermal and structural (FTIR, XRD, and SEM) characteristics at an input voltage of 170-230 V for 5-15 min. The starch surface modification by cold plasma was seen in the SEM images which cause the surge in WBC (1.54 g/g to 1.93 g/g), OBC (2.22 g/g to 2.79 g/g), solubility (3.05-5.38% at 70 °C; 37.11-52.98% at 90 °C) and swelling power (5.39-7.83% at 70 °C; 25.67-35.33% at 90 °C) of starch. Reduction in the amylose content (27.82% to 25.07%) via plasma-induced depolymerization resists the retrogradation tendency, thereby increasing the paste clarity (up to ̴ 39%) during the 5 days of refrigerated storage. However, the paste viscosity is reduced after cold plasma treatment yielding low-strength starch pastes. The relative crystallinity of starch increased (37.35% to 45.36%) by the plasma-induced fragmented starch granules which would aggregate and broaden the gelatinization temperature, but these starch fragments reduced the gelatinization enthalpy. The fundamental starch structure is conserved as seen in FTIR spectra. Thus, cold plasma aids in the production of soluble, low-viscous, stable, and clear paste-forming depolymerized proso-millet starch., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a cereal crop with potential resistance to drought and heat stress, making it a promising alternative crop for regions with hot and dry climates. Because of its importance, it is crucial to investigate pesticide residues in proso millet and assess their potential risks to the environment and human health to protect it from insects or pathogens. This study aimed to develop a model for predicting pesticide residues in proso millet using dynamiCROP. The field trials consisted of four plots, with each plot containing three replicates of 10 m 2 . The applications of pesticides were conducted two or three times for each pesticide. The residual concentrations of the pesticides in the millet grains were quantitatively analyzed using gas and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The dynamiCROP simulation model, which calculates the residual kinetics of pesticides in plant-environment systems, was employed for predicting pesticide residues in proso millet. Crop-specific, environment-specific, and pesticide-specific parameters were utilized to optimize the model. Half-lives of pesticides in grain of proso millet, which were needed to input for dynamiCROP, were estimated using a modified first-order equation. Proso millet-specific parameters were obtained from previous studies. The accuracy of the dynamiCROP model was assessed using statistical criteria, including the coefficient of correlation (R), coefficient of determination (R 2 ), mean absolute error (MAE), relative root mean square error (RRMSE), and root mean square logarithmic error (RMSLE). The model was then validated using additional field trial data, which showed that it could accurately predict pesticide residues in proso millet grain under different environmental conditions. The results demonstrated the accuracy of the model in predicting pesticide residues in proso millet after multiple applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the morphology, granule size, fine structure, thermal properties, and pasting properties of starch from a waxy (139) and a non-waxy (297) varieties of proso millet grown in Yulin (YY) and Yangling (YL). Compared with the starches from the two varieties grown in YY, the starches from the two varieties grown in YL exhibited higher relative crystallinities, 1045/1022 cm -1 ratio, and amounts of amylopectin long branch chains (AP L ) but lower 1022/995 cm -1 ratio, amounts of amylopectin short branch chains (APs), and APs/AP L ratios. Starches from YL also synthesized long branch-chain amylopectin to enhance intermolecular interactions and form a stable granular structure, which resulted in increased starch gelatinization temperature, enhanced shear resistance, and reduced setback viscosity. Starch from the waxy (139) variety has good application prospects in the food industry because of its high gelatinization temperature and light transmittance and low setback value, which can be ascribed to its extremely low amylose content, polydispersity index, high molecular weight, and dispersed molecular density. It may serve as a reference for applying proso millet starches in the food industry and developing breeding programs to improve starch quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest regarding this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

To investigate the effect of electron beam irradiation (EBI) pretreatment on the multiscale structure and physicochemical properties of esterified starch, this study used EBI pretreatment to prepare glutaric anhydride (GA) esterified proso millet starch. GA starch did not show the corresponding distinct thermodynamics peaks. However, it had a high pasting viscosity and transparency (57.46-74.25 %). EBI pretreatment increased the degree of glutaric acid esterification (0.0284-0.0560) and changed its structure and physicochemical properties. EBI pretreatment disrupted its short-range ordering structure, reducing the crystallinity, molecular weight and pasting viscosity of glutaric acid esterified starch. Moreover, it produced more short chains and increased the transparency (84.28-93.11 %) of glutaric acid esterified starch. This study could offer a rationale for using EBI pretreatment technology to maximize the functional properties of GA modified starch and enlarge its implementation in modified starch., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no financial or other conflicts of interest in this work., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to elucidate the effect of the accelerating storage (40 °C, 10 weeks) of foxtail millet on the edible and cooking quality of its porridge. The structural alteration of the in-situ protein and starch in foxtail millet, as well as the physicochemical properties were investigated. Both the homogeneity and palatability of millet porridge were significantly improved after 8-week storage of millet, while its proximate compositions remained unchanged. Meanwhile, the accelerating storage increased the water absorption and swelling of millet by 20 % and 22 %, respectively. The morphological studies (using the SEM, CLSM and TEM) revealed that the starch granules in the stored millet became easier to swell and melt, leading to better gelatinization with a higher coverage extension in protein bodies. FTIR results showed that the protein hydrogen bonds in the stored millet became stronger and the starch ordered degree was reduced. Compared to the native foxtail millet, the peak, trough, final, and setback viscosity of the stored sample increased by 27 %, 76 %, 115 % and 143 %, respectively, while the onset, peak, and conclusion temperature increased by 0.80, 1.10 and 0.80 °C, respectively. Besides, the G' and G″ of the stored foxtail millet were significantly higher than its native counterpart., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Two new tetralin compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Panicum turgidum Forssk. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive 1 D and 2 D NMR experiments as well as high resolution ESI mass spectrometry. In addition, these two compounds have been tested for in vitro cytotoxicity against SKOV3 (Ovarian Carcinoma) and BT-549 (Breast Carcinoma). Compound 1 showed good cytotoxic activities against SKOV3 and BT 549 with IC 50 value of 5.65 ± 0.31 and 10.3 ± 0.56 µg/mL, respectively.

In proso millet, in certain circumstances, drought stress greatly influences growth and metabolisms. Thus, the present study was aimed to examine morphological, biochemical and ROS mechanisms between plant and drought stress in Panicum miliaceum L. To create the drought condition, water irrigation was done at different time intervals including 4, 7, 10, 13 days and control. All the experiments were carried out at different maturity stages such as 30, 50, and 70 days (after sowing). The results demonstrated that the root length, proline, glycine betaine, amino acid and superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase activities were boosted in all treatments as compared with control. As the proso millet matured, the length of shoots and the amount of chlorophyll pigment in the leaves reduced in all treatments as compared to control. Induced reduction of shoot growth, chlorophyll estimation and increases of root growth, osmolyte accumulations, antioxidant enzymes, were found to be drought-tolerant adaptative mechanisms in this study., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Broomcorn millet is a popular cereal with health benefits, and its grains are rich in starch. However, the differences in the pathway and key genes involved in starch biosynthesis of waxy and non-waxy broomcorn millet grain remain unclear. Therefore, the grain and starch physicochemical index and transcriptomic analyses of two genotypes of broomcorn millet were conducted at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 21 days after pollination. The phenotypic and physiological results indicated that the starch synthetic process of non-waxy and waxy broomcorn millet was significantly different. The amylose, amylopectin, and total starch contents of non-waxy broomcorn millet were 1.99, 4.74, and 6.73 mg/grain, while those of waxy broomcorn millet were 0.34, 5.94, and 6.28 mg/grain, respectively. The transcriptomic analysis revealed that 106 differentially expressed genes were identified, which were mainly enriched in the "amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism", "pyruvate metabolism", "galactose metabolism", and "starch and sucrose metabolism" pathways. The WGCNA suggested that a total of 31 hub genes were correlated with starch biosynthesis. These findings provide a new approach to studying the starch synthesis in broomcorn millet., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interest or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Understanding the effect of nitrogen fertilization on the quality of proso millet is key to expanding the use of this crop to address water scarcity and food security. Therefore, this study determined the impact of nitrogen fertilization on the proso millet quality. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased the NR and GS activities and decreased the GBSSase activity, resulting in an increase in protein content and reduction in amylose content and L*, which decreased the appearance quality. Nitrogen fertilization increased the proportion of short amylopectin chains, resulting in a more disordered carbohydrate structure, and decreased the proportion of hydrophilic functional groups, contributing to an increase in setback viscosity and decrease in pasting temperature in the waxy (w139) variety. In contrast, the non-waxy (n297) variety exhibited a larger proportion of long amylopectin chains, lower ordered structure and hydrophobic functional groups after nitrogen fertilization, which strengthened the inter- and intramolecular forces of starch colloids., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Proso millet is a nutritious, sustainable, and gluten free food which is currently underutilized. They can be incorporated into the grain industry and provide much needed healthy alternatives. Efficient grinding method should be adopted for easy incorporation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of three different methods of grinding namely, roller milling (RM), pin milling (PM), and hammer milling (HM) on proso millet flour rheology and baking properties for food application. The milling flow sheet was developed toward the production of the quality whole grain flour. The particle size distribution of all the flours showed bi-modal distribution except for the RM flour. The PM produced the flour with the finest particles with geometric mean diameter of 82 μm. The study also revealed that starch damage in the PM flour (4.64%) was higher than RM (2.46%) and HM flour (2.51%). The nutritional composition was not significantly affected by different grinding methods. Pasting properties of the flour were also affected by the grinding method applied. Rapid Visco Analysis profile showed pin mill flour to have a higher peak viscosity (PV) (2,295 cP) compared to HM (2,065 cP) and RM flour (2,130 cP). Finally, this study demonstrated that the production of bread from proso millet flour with desirable quality and texture is possible. The grinding method did not affect the specific volume of bread loaves and C-cell characteristics. The specific volume of the breads ranged from 2.40 to 2.52 cm 3 /g. This study will help in promoting and producing value-added proso millet food products with enhanced nutritional quality., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The structural, physicochemical, gel textural, rheological, and in vitro digestibility properties as well as their relationships of non-waxy proso millet starch (NPMS) and waxy proso millet starch (WPMS) were evaluated by taking normal corn starch (CS) and potato starch (PS) as controls. Proso millet starch was mostly polygonal or spherical, with an A-type crystalline structure. Proso millet starch contained more short-branched chains (DP 6-24) compared with CS and PS. WPMS possessed higher crystallinity and more short-range ordered structures than NPMS. NPMS displayed higher pasting temperature, retrogradation rate and shear thinning degree, and lower gelatinization temperature and enthalpy than WPMS. The hardness and chewiness of starch gel formed by NPMS were higher than those of WPMS. All starch samples exhibited shear thinning behavior in the steady-flow test and typical elastic solid behavior in the dynamic rheological test. Moreover, NPMS was considered a potential formula for functional foods, with its lower rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and higher resistant starch (RS) contents than WPMS, CS, and PS. This paper revealed the influence of amylose content and structure on the physicochemical properties of different proso millet starch., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Broomcorn millet, a C 4 cereal, has better tolerance to environmental stresses. Although elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentration has led to grain nutrition reduction in most staple crops, studies evaluating its effects on broomcorn millet are still scarce. The yield, nutritional quality and metabolites of broomcorn millet were investigated under ambient CO 2 ( a CO 2 , 400 µmol mol -1 ) and elevated CO 2 ( e CO 2 , a CO 2 + 200 µmol mol -1 ) for three years using open-top chambers (OTC). The results showed that the yield of broomcorn millet was markedly increased under e CO 2 compared with a CO 2 . On average, e CO 2 significantly increased the concentration of Mg (27.3%), Mn (14.6%), and B (21.2%) over three years, whereas it did not affect the concentration of P, K, Fe, Ca, Cu or Zn. Protein content was significantly decreased, whereas starch and oil concentrations were not changed by e CO 2 . With the greater increase in grain yield, e CO 2 induced increase in the grain accumulations of P (23.87%), K (29.5%), Mn (40.08%), Ca (22.58%), Mg (51.31%), Zn (40.95%), B (48.54%), starch (16.96%) and oil (28.37%) on average for three years. Flavonoids such as kaempferol, apigenin, eriodictyol, luteolin, and chrysoeriol were accumulated under e CO 2 . The reduction in L-glutamine and L-lysine metabolites, which were the most representative amino acid in grain proteins, led to a reduction of protein concentration under e CO 2 . Broomcorn millet has more desirable nutritional traits for combating hidden hunger. This may potentially be useful for breeding more nutritious plants in the era of climate change., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2022 Shi et al.)

Switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.) is a bioenergy crop that grows productively on lands not suitable for food production and is an excellent target for low-pesticide input biomass production. We hypothesize that resistance to insect pests and microbial pathogens is influenced by low-molecular-weight compounds known as specialized metabolites. We employed untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, quantitative gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to identify differences in switchgrass ecotype metabolomes. This analysis revealed striking differences between upland and lowland switchgrass metabolomes as well as distinct developmental profiles. Terpenoid- and polyphenol-derived specialized metabolites were identified, including steroidal saponins, di- and sesqui-terpenoids, and flavonoids. The saponins are particularly abundant in switchgrass extracts and have diverse aglycone cores and sugar moieties. We report seven structurally distinct steroidal saponin classes with unique steroidal cores and glycosylated at one or two positions. Quantitative GC-MS revealed differences in total saponin concentrations in the leaf blade, leaf sheath, stem, rhizome, and root (2.3 ± 0.10, 0.5 ± 0.01, 2.5 ± 0.5, 3.0 ± 0.7, and 0.3 ± 0.01 μg/mg of dw, respectively). The quantitative data also demonstrated that saponin concentrations are higher in roots of lowland (ranging from 3.0 to 6.6 μg/mg of dw) than in upland (from 0.9 to 1.9 μg/mg of dw) ecotype plants, suggesting ecotypic-specific biosynthesis and/or biological functions. These results enable future testing of these specialized metabolites on biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and can provide information on the development of low-input bioenergy crops.

In this study, proso millet starch was isolated and subjected to treatment with ultra-high pressure (UHP), cold plasma (CP), or their combination to modify its functional properties. The changes in structural, physicochemical, and digestive properties of proso millet starch after these treatments were investigated. The proso millet native starch granules showed irregular and polygonal shapes with a smooth surface. Treatments with CP or UHP at low pressures did not change the morphological properties or crystalline structure type of proso millet starch granules, while the treatment with UHP at 600 MPa and CP resulted in a complete gelatinization of starch. Also, UHP treatment at high pressure, followed by CP treatment, destroyed the partial crystalline region and reduced the short-range order of proso millet starch. Besides, a combination of UHP and CP treatment promoted the depolymerization of long chains in proso millet starch. Moreover, the combined treatments could enhance the resistance to high temperature and shearing and improve the pasting stability of starch. Furthermore, the combined treatment could increase the slowly digestible starch content. Therefore, the combination of UHP and CP treatment can be suggested for modifying the functional properties of proso millet starch and promoting its industrial applications., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Starch is a biopolymer containing hydrophilic groups and is used in hydrogels preparation. Amino acids are multifunctional monomers of proteins that can be used as a cross linker to modify the starch by incorporating new functional groups into its chains. In this study, the Kutki millet starch was isolated and modified with lysine (positively charged), aspartic acid (negatively charged), and threonine (neutral) at varying pH levels. These modified starches were characterized for their various functional, structural, pasting, and textural properties. Hydrogels prepared from Lys9-KMS, Thr9-KMS, and AA11-KMS, possessing less adhesiveness, strong integrity, and hardness were then characterized for their XRD and morphological characterization. The principal component analysis (PCA) biplot showed that the samples modified at higher pH levels are positively correlated with the textural properties, swelling power and amylose content (I and IV quadrants), than those modified at lower pH. It may be inferred that starch modified with amino acid at higher pH have good textural properties than those at lower pH. Results of the overall investigation indicated that among these three amino acids, lysine could be a better cross linker for modification of Kutki millet starch and preparation of their gels for the delivery of nutraceuticals., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Previously proso-millet, considered an underutilized cereal, has drawn considerable attention due to health benefits like good nutritional profile, low glycemic index, and gluten-free. The present review discusses starch extractability, structural characteristics, morphology, and physicochemical properties. Starch properties mainly depend on the amylose and amylopectin composition and distribution of brained chains. A very diverse starch structure and morphology were observed among the waxy and non-waxy cultivars. The amylose content ranged from 0.75 to 28.3% in many varieties, but exceptionally Hongmeizi variety showed a 32.3% as per the reported evidence. There are a positive correlation between the amylose content and cooking quality, thermal and pasting properties. The size and shape of smallest to largest starch granules varied between 0.3 and 17 μm and round to polygonal, respectively. The non-waxy starch varieties of proso-millet are widely used in food processing due to high resistance to swelling during heat treatment. Few food applications of proso-millet are bakery products like gluten-free bread, porridge, pasta, ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, infant foods, and distilleries. We can conclude that proso millet is an alternative to existing starch for its quality characteristics and provides insight to many food processing industries., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Specialized diterpenoid metabolites are important mediators of plant-environment interactions in monocot crops. To understand metabolite functions in plant environmental adaptation that ultimately can enable crop improvement strategies, a deeper knowledge of the underlying species-specific biosynthetic pathways is required. Here, we report the genomics-enabled discovery of five cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP71Z25-CYP71Z29) that form previously unknown furanoditerpenoids in the monocot bioenergy crop Panicum virgatum (switchgrass). Combinatorial pathway reconstruction showed that CYP71Z25-CYP71Z29 catalyze furan ring addition directly to primary diterpene alcohol intermediates derived from distinct class II diterpene synthase products. Transcriptional co-expression patterns and the presence of select diterpenoids in switchgrass roots support the occurrence of P450-derived furanoditerpenoids in planta. Integrating molecular dynamics, structural analysis and targeted mutagenesis identified active site determinants that contribute to the distinct catalytic specificities underlying the broad substrate promiscuity of CYP71Z25-CYP71Z29 for native and non-native diterpenoids., (© 2021 The Authors. The Plant Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Resistant starch (RS) is widely used in the food industry because of its ability to regulate and protect the small intestine, but their distinct effects on the structural and functional properties of waxy and non-waxy proso millet starches are not completely understood. The crystalline structure and physicochemical properties of waxy and non-waxy proso millets' starch samples were analyzed after heat-moisture treatment (HMT). The analysis revealed significant differences between the RS of waxy and non-waxy proso millets. The crystal type of proso millets' starch changed from type A to type B + V. The relative crystallinity of the RS of waxy proso millet was better than that of non-waxy proso millet. The gelatinization temperature and thermal stability of RS significantly increased, and the pasting temperature (PTM) of the RS of waxy proso millet was the highest. The water solubility and swelling power of the RS in proso millet decreased, and the viscoelasticity improved. The correlation between the short-range ordered structure of RS and Δ H , and gelatinization properties has a stronger correlation. This study provides practical information for improving the nutritional benefits of waxy and non-waxy proso millet in food applications.

Key Message: Mapping combined with expression and variant analyses in switchgrass, a crop with complex genetics, identified a cluster of candidate genes for leaf wax in a fast-evolving region of chromosome 7K. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a promising warm-season candidate energy crop. It occurs in two ecotypes, upland and lowland, which vary in a number of phenotypic traits, including leaf glaucousness. To initiate trait mapping, two F 2 mapping populations were developed by crossing two different F 1 sibs derived from a cross between the tetraploid lowland genotype AP13 and the tetraploid upland genotype VS16, and high-density linkage maps were generated. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses of visually scored leaf glaucousness and of hydrophobicity of the abaxial leaf surface measured using a drop shape analyzer identified highly significant colocalizing QTL on chromosome 7K (Chr07K). Using a multipronged approach, we identified a cluster of genes including Pavir.7KG077009, which encodes a Type III polyketide synthase-like protein, and Pavir.7KG013754 and Pavir.7KG030500, two highly similar genes that encode putative acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesterases, as strong candidates underlying the QTL. The lack of homoeologs for any of the three genes on Chr07N, the relatively low level of identity with other switchgrass KCS proteins and thioesterases, as well as the organization of the surrounding region suggest that Pavir.7KG077009 and Pavir.7KG013754/Pavir.7KG030500 were duplicated into a fast-evolving chromosome region, which led to their neofunctionalization. Furthermore, sequence analyses showed all three genes to be absent in the two upland compared to the two lowland accessions analyzed. This study provides an example of and practical guide for trait mapping and candidate gene identification in a complex genetic system by combining QTL mapping, transcriptomics and variant analysis.

Recurring outbreaks linked to Escherichia coli O157:H7-contaminated lettuce and Salmonella enterica-contaminated sprouts highlight the need for improved food safety measures. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of a bio-based antimicrobial extract prepared from switchgrass, a dedicated energy crop, to reduce E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium populations on Formica coupons, a model food-contact surface. Overnight cultures of ~7 log CFU/mL E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium, air-dried on Formica coupons were treated with 0.625% NaClO, 70% ethanol, sterile water or different batches of switchgrass extractives (SE1, SE2, and SE3) for up to 30 min. E. coli O157:H7 was reduced by 4.43 log CFU/mL after 1 min by SE3, and to non-detectable levels after 1 min by all other treatments. Populations of S. Typhimurium LT2 (15-min drying) were reduced by 3.30 log CFU/mL with 70% ethanol, 5.38 log CFU/mL with SE1, and to non-detectable levels with 0.625% NaClO after 1 min, while S. Typhimurium ATCC 23564 (1-h drying) was non-detectable after 1 min by all treatments. Under soiled conditions, 10-min treatment with SE1 and 70% ethanol reduced both bacteria to non-detectable levels. Studies with concentrated switchgrass extractives combined with various other natural disinfectants or in hurdle approaches warrant further investigation., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Variation in salt content and in pH are common in starch-based foods and can affect starch properties and final product texture. Fifteen accessions of proso millet starch with diverse amylose content were selected to investigate single factor and interaction effects of pH and NaCl on thermal, pasting, and textural properties. Pasting properties and gelatinization temperatures were markedly altered by salt addition. Changes in pH only had substantial effects on ΔH, but other properties were generally stable under different pH conditions. From two-way ANOVA, interactive effects of salt and pH were found to affect ΔH. The response of starch of different genotypes in terms of thermal and pasting properties differed under the same pH and salinity conditions. The reason is likely that ions in the starch-water system performed the roles of both reducing water activity and building of hydrogen bonds, which will have opposite effects on starch gelatinization., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The solubility and swelling power, pasting, structure, and digestibility properties of proso millet starch (PMS) with different concentration of proanthocyanidins (PA) were investigated. The results showed that with PA content increasing, the solubility and swelling power of starch increased, the PA accelerated the water absorption and expansion of starch. The results of pasting properties showed that PA increased the peak viscosity of starch, but decreased the setback and pasting temperature. A significant decrease in enthalpy value was measured by differential scanning calorimetry, the enthalpy value decreased from 14.98 J/g to 10.24 J/g at 20% PA concentration. The relative crystallinity of starch, as well as the ratio at 1049/1022 cm -1 , decreased due to the increasing PA concentration, indicating the ordered degree of starch reduced, while the hydrogen bonding in the system was enhanced by PA. The addition of PA decreased the RDS content of uncooked and cooked starch, the RS content increased. When the PA concentration was 20%, the RS content was 1.05 and 1.92 times for native starch, respectively, which significantly reduced the starch digestibility., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Screening the transcriptome of drought tolerant variety of little millet (Panicum sumatrense), a marginally cultivated, nutritionally rich, susbsistent crop, can identify genes responsible for its hardiness and enable identification of new sources of genetic variation which can be used for crop improvement. RNA-Seq generated ~ 230 million reads from control and treated tissues, which were assembled into 86,614 unigenes. In silico differential gene expression analysis created an overview of patterns of gene expression during exposure to drought and salt stress. Separate gene expression profiles for leaf and root tissue revealed the differences in regulatory mechanisms operating in these tissues during exposure to abiotic stress. Several transcription factors were identified and studied for differential expression. 61 differentially expressed genes were found to be common to both tissues under drought and salinity stress and were further validated using qRT-PCR. Transcriptome of P. sumatrense was also used to mine for genic SSR markers relevant to abiotic stress tolerance. This study is first report on a detailed analysis of molecular mechanisms of drought and salinity stress tolerance in a little millet variety. Resources generated in this study can be used as potential candidates for further characterization and to improve abiotic stress tolerance in food crops.

Sulforaphane (SFN) has been documented to possess anticancer properties. However, its application is limited by instability and poor bioavailability, which could be enhanced by colloidal delivery systems. In this study, prolamins from two cereal grains, i.e., proso millet (MP) and corn (CP), were extracted and used to fabricate nanoparticles for SFN via an anti-solvent process. A secondary layer with a complex of sodium caseinate (NaCas)/propylene glycol alginate (PGA) at an equal mass was deposited to further improve the stability of nanoparticles. Results indicated that composite nanoparticles with NaCas/PGA at 0.3% (w/v) exhibited a spherical shape with high encapsulation efficiency (>80%), small size (150 nm), and highly negative ζ potential (-39 mV). SFN in MP compared to that in CP showed a similar but lower releasing rate under simulated in vitro digestion. Therefore, prolamins from both sources are promising plant source delivery materials to improve stability and achieve controlled release of bioactives.

Key Message: Quantitation of leaf surface wax on a population of switchgrass identified three significant QTL present across six environments that contribute to leaf glaucousness and wax composition and that show complex genetic × environmental (G × E) interactions. The C4 perennial grass Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) is a native species of the North American tallgrass prairie. This adaptable plant can be grown on marginal lands and is useful for soil and water conservation, biomass production, and as a forage. Two major switchgrass ecotypes, lowland and upland, differ in a range of desirable traits, and the responsible underlying loci can be localized efficiently in a pseudotestcross design. An outbred four-way cross (4WCR) mapping population of 750 F 2 lines was used to examine the genetic basis of differences in leaf surface wax load between two lowland (AP13 and WBC) and two upland (DAC and VS16) tetraploid cultivars. The objective of our experiments was to identify wax compositional variation among the population founders and to map underlying loci responsible for surface wax variation across environments. GCMS analyses of surface wax extracted from 4WCR F 0 founders and F 1 hybrids reveal higher levels of wax in lowland genotypes and show quantitative differences of β-diketones, primary alcohols, and other wax constituents. The full mapping population was sampled over two seasons from four field sites with latitudes ranging from 30 to 42 °N, and leaf surface wax was measured. We identified three high-confidence QTL, of which two displayed significant G × E effects. Over 50 candidate genes underlying the QTL regions showed similarity to genes in either Arabidopsis or barley known to function in wax synthesis, modification, regulation, and transport.

In this study, 95 accessions of proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) were characterized for starch physicochemical properties, including apparent amylose content (AAC), gel textural properties, Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) pasting viscosity properties, thermal and retrogradation properties. Based on genotypic data, the genetic diversity and inter-relationship of these starch traits were analyzed. Diverse starch quality was found, for example, AAC ranged from 0 to 32.3%, gelatinization temperature (GT) varied from 71.5 to 79.0 ℃, and RVA profile showed distinct patterns among proso millet of different AAC types. Interestingly, high AAC proso millet usually had GT lower than that of low AAC proso millet, which is different from the findings in rice starch. Many starch traits were significantly correlated and most of the 18 tested traits could be classified as either AAC-related traits or GT-related traits. In summary, the information presented here will be useful for further development of proso millet products., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Plant material falling into the ultra-basic (pH 11.5-11.9) springs within The Cedars, an actively serpentinizing site in Sonoma County, California, is subject to conditions that mimic the industrial pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass for biofuel production. We sought to obtain hemicellulolytic/cellulolytic bacteria from The Cedars springs that are capable of withstanding the extreme alkaline conditions wherein calcium hydroxide-rich water removes lignin, making cell wall polysaccharides more accessible to microorganisms and their enzymes. We enriched for such bacteria by adding plant debris from the springs into a synthetic alkaline medium with ground tissue of the biofuel crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) as the sole source of carbon. From the enrichment culture we isolated the facultative anaerobic bacterium Cellulomonas sp. strain FA1 (NBRC 114238), which tolerates high pH and catabolizes the major plant cell wall-associated polysaccharides cellulose, pectin, and hemicellulose. Strain FA1 in monoculture colonized the plant material and degraded switchgrass at a faster rate than the community from which it was derived. Cells of strain FA1 could be acclimated through subculturing to grow at a maximal concentration of 13.4% ethanol. A strain FA1-encoded β-1, 4-endoxylanase expressed in E. coli was active at a broad pH range, displaying near maximal activity at pH 6-9. Discovery of this bacterium illustrates the value of extreme alkaline springs in the search for microorganisms with potential for consolidated bioprocessing of plant biomass to biofuels and other valuable bio-inspired products.

In the present study, we hypothesized that the active compound extracted from Proso and Barnyard millets inhibits cell proliferation and apoptosis induction in colon cancer cell line. The bioactive compounds from these millets were purified by supercritical fluid extraction and their structure was elucidated using spectroscopic methods. Extracted bioactive components from these millets were similar in chemical structure to the phenolic aldehyde-Vanillin [4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde]. Cell proliferative effect was assessed by MTT assay using HT-29 cell line. Compound 1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of HT-29 cells when treated with concentrations of 250 µg/ml and 1,000 µg/ml for 48 h, while compound 2 moderately inhibited the proliferation of the HT-29 cell line at the same concentration and time period. Cytotoxic activity of extracted compounds by the release of lactate dehydrogenase confirms that these compounds were not toxic to the cells at 250 µg/ml of compounds 1 and 2. In addition, flow cytometry results show a significant cell arrest in the G0/G1 phase and increase in the apoptotic cells in sub G0 phase, in a dose-dependent manner when compared with the control. The conclusion of this study suggests that the anticancer property of these millets is mediated through the presence of vanillin.

A set of 42 millet (panicum miliaceum L.) samples was investigated for its protein content using standard Kjeldahl analysis and near-infrared spectroscopy. The performance of three handheld spectrometers was compared to a benchtop instrument. The used spectrometers operate in different regions of the NIR, which gives interesting insights into the applicability of each region. Additionally, semi-automated, consumer-oriented multivariate data analysis was compared to sophisticated data evaluation. The performance of the near-infrared instruments was compared using important statistical parameters of the established cross- and test set validated partial least squares regression (PLS-R) models. Milled and intact samples were analysed, in order to further evaluate the importance of homogeneity. The results showed that the benchtop spectrometer is capable of accurately analysing protein content of millet grains, with root mean square error (RMSEP) values for milled and intact grains of approximately 0.5%. Two PLS-R models of handheld instruments also yielded good results for milled grains with RMSEP values of about 0.6%. The semi-automated multivariate data analysis showed some drawbacks compared to standard data processing software. For intact grains, however, similar results could be achieved., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The nutritional and antinutritional components of minor millets were correlated with mixolab dough mixing behavior and in vitro protein and starch digestibility. Total arabinoxylan (r = -0.53, p < 0.05) and dietary fiber (r = -0.66, p < 0.05) content significantly (p < 0.05) increased protein weakening. Peak viscosity negatively correlated with phenolic (r = -0.55, p < 0.05) content. The dietary fiber and phenolics suppressed retrogradation. Protein digestibility negatively correlated with tannin (r = -0.70, p < 0.05), phytic acid (r = -0.69, p < 0.05), phenolics (r = -0.79, p < 0.05), flavonoids (r = -0.72, p < 0.05) and total dietary fiber content (r = -0.84, p < 0.05). A positive correlation of resistant starch (RS) with total dietary fiber (r = 0.85, p < 0.05), phenolics (r = 0.89, p < 0.05), flavonoids (r = 0.83, p < 0.05), phytic acid (r = 0.43, p < 0.05) and tannin content (r = 0.79, p < 0.05) was observed. Millets predicted lower glycemic index than wheat and it was found to be negatively associated with the RS (r = -0.96, p < 0.05) and total dietary fiber content (r = -0.89, p < 0.05) and positively correlated (r = 0.98, p < 0.05) with rapidly digestible starch. The millets may be diversified for personalized nutrition and development of functional food., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The analysis of chemical structural characteristics of biorefinery product streams (such as lignin and tannin) has advanced substantially over the past decade, with traditional wet-chemical techniques being replaced or supplemented by NMR methodologies. Quantitative 31 P NMR spectroscopy is a promising technique for the analysis of hydroxyl groups because of its unique characterization capability and broad potential applicability across the biorefinery research community. This protocol describes procedures for (i) the preparation/solubilization of lignin and tannin, (ii) the phosphitylation of their hydroxyl groups, (iii) NMR acquisition details, and (iv) the ensuing data analyses and means to precisely calculate the content of the different types of hydroxyl groups. Compared with traditional wet-chemical techniques, the technique of quantitative 31 P NMR spectroscopy offers unique advantages in measuring hydroxyl groups in a single spectrum with high signal resolution. The method provides complete quantitative information about the hydroxyl groups with small amounts of sample (~30 mg) within a relatively short experimental time (~30-120 min).

The dissipation patterns of cyantraniliprole and its metabolite IN-J9Z38 were investigated using proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) under open-field conditions to establish a pre-harvest interval. A simple and sensitive analytical method was developed for analyzing residues using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) for multiple reaction monitoring of target compounds. The analytical method was validated in terms of the instrumental limit of quantitation, method limit of quantitation, linearity, accuracy, and precision. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of cyantraniliprole and IN-J9Z38 residues in the field samples of four plots, which were treated twice with an oil dispersion formulation, according to the date of pesticide treatment before harvest. In the case of cyantraniliprole in grain and straw, there was a 91.1 and 89.1% decrease, respectively, from the initial residues (14-7 days) to the final plot (40-30 days before harvest). However, IN-J9Z38 gradually increased over time, indicating that cyantraniliprole transformed into IN-J9Z38 during cultivation. The biological half-lives of total cyantraniliprole were 11.3 and 9.4 days for grain and straw, respectively. The results obtained in this study will inform regulation and management of pesticide use for the minor crop proso millet.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is one of the best technologies for producing methane from biomass wastes with limited environmental impacts. Most AD plants need a continuous and stable supply of feedstock for their sustained operation for which lignocellulosic biomass can be effectively utilized. Switchgrass (SG), also known as Panicum virgatum, is a tall-growing grass which exists throughout the year in areas with warm climate and has the potential to produce biomethane. The present work investigated anaerobic digestion performance of SG while focusing on enhancing the methane yield by employing central composite design of response surface methodology (RSM). The aim of this research was to find out the best level of factors including feed-to-inoculum (F/I) ratio, organic loading (OL), and pH for optimizing the desired output of biomethane production from 3% KOH-pretreated SG. Results revealed that the highest value of experimental methane yield was 288.4 mL/gVS at the optimal F/I ratio, pH, and OL of 1, 6.96, and 24 gVS/L, respectively. Moreover, 3% KOH pretreatment improved the biodegradability of SG significantly from 14.23 to 85.53%. This study forms the basis for future application of SG for enhanced methane production.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a low input, high biomass perennial grass being developed for the bioenergy sector. Upland and lowland cultivars can differ in their responses to insect herbivory. Fall armyworm [FAW; Spodoptera frugiperda JE Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)] is a generalist pest of many plant species and can feed on switchgrass as well. Here, in two different trials, FAW larval mass were significantly reduced when fed on lowland cultivar Kanlow relative to larvae fed on upland cultivar Summer plants after 10 days. Hormone content of plants indicated elevated levels of the plant defense hormone jasmonic acid (JA) and its bioactive conjugate JA-Ile although significant differences were not observed. Conversely, the precursor to JA, 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) levels were significantly different between FAW fed Summer and Kanlow plants raising the possibility of differential signaling by OPDA in the two cultivars. Global transcriptome analysis revealed a stronger response in Kanlow plant relative to Summer plants. Among these changes were a preferential upregulation of several branches of terpenoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in Kanlow plants suggesting that enhanced biosynthesis or accumulation of antifeedants could have negatively impacted FAW larval mass gain on Kanlow plants relative to Summer plants. A comparison of the switchgrass-FAW RNA-Seq dataset to those from maize-FAW and switchgrass-aphid interactions revealed that key components of plant responses to herbivory, including induction of JA biosynthesis, key transcription factors and JA-inducible genes were apparently conserved in switchgrass and maize. In addition, these data affirm earlier studies with FAW and aphids that the cultivar Kanlow can provide useful genetics for the breeding of switchgrass germplasm with improved insect resistance., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The diuretic activity of ethanolic extract of Panicum repens was investigated in rats. A single oral dose of 500 mg/kg of P. repens extract were given to rats, after 24 h, urine volume, its sodium and potassium concentrations were estimated. Treatment with P. repens extract caused a significant increase in tested parameters as compared to their corresponding controls, p  < 0.05.

Proso and foxtail millets are widely cultivated due to their excellent resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and high nutritional value. Starch is the most important component of millet kernels. Starches with different amylose contents have different physicochemical properties. In this study, starches in proso (non-waxy and waxy) and foxtail millets (non-waxy and waxy) were isolated and investigated. All the starch granules had regular polygonal round shapes and exhibited typical "Maltese crosses". These four starches all showed bimodal size distribution. The waxy proso and foxtail millets had higher weight-average molar mass and branching degree and lower average chain length of amylopectin. These four starches all presented A-type crystallinity; however, the relative crystallinity of waxy proso and foxtail millets was higher. The two waxy millets had higher onset temperature, peak temperature, conclusion temperature, and gelatinization enthalpy. However, the two non-waxy millets had higher setback viscosity, peak time, and pasting temperature. The significantly different physicochemical properties of waxy and non-waxy millet starches resulted in their different functional properties.

The genetic diversity and antioxidant potential of Panicum miliaceum L. accessions collected from different geo-ecological regions of South Korea were evaluated and compared. Antioxidant potential of seeds was estimated by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging assays and total phenolic content was determined by the Folin⁻Ciocalteu method. Total phenolic content (TPC) in 80% methanolic extracts ranged from 16.24 ± 0.86 to 58.04 ± 1.00 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g of the sample extracts and total flavonoid content (TFC) varied from 7.19 ± 1.05 to 52.56 ± 1.50 mg quercetin equivalents (QE) mg/g of the sample extracts. DPPH radical scavenging capacity of the extracts from the 15 accessions of P. miliaceum varied from 206.44 ± 7.72 to 2490.24 ± 4.641 mg GAE/g of the sample extracts and ABTS radical scavenging capacity ranged from 624.85 ± 13.1 to 1087. 77 ± 9.58 mg GAE/g of the sample extracts. A wide range of genetic variation was observed as measured by Shannon's information index (I), number of effective alleles (Ne), number of observed alleles (Na), expected heterozygosity (He), unbiased expected heterozygosity (uHe). The observed variation in the bioactive properties, morphological traits, and genetic diversity among the accessions may provide useful information for breeding programs seeking to improve bioactive properties of P. miliaceum .

Research on the manufacture, use, and use-wear of grinding stones (including slabs and mullers) can provide a wealth of information on ancient subsistence strategy and plant food utilization. Ancient residues extracted from stone tools frequently exhibit damage from processing methods, and modern experiments can replicate these morphological changes so that they can be better understood. Here, experiments have been undertaken to dehusk and grind grass grain using stone artifacts. To replicate ancient activities in northern China, we used modern stone tools to dehusk and grind twelve cultivars of foxtail millet (Setaria italica), two cultivars of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) and three varieties of green bristlegrass (Setaira viridis). The residues from both used and unused facets of the stone tools were then extracted, and the starch grains studied for morphological features and changes from the native states. The results show that (1) Dehusking did not significantly change the size and morphology of millet starch grains; (2) After grinding, the size of millet starch grains increases up to 1.2 times larger than native grains, and a quarter of the ground millet starch grains bore surface damage and also exhibited distortion of the extinction cross. This indicator will be of significance in improving the application of starch grains to research in the functional inference of grinding stone tools, but we are unable to yet distinguish dehusked forms from native.

Parboiling is a common method used in rice processing to improve milling yield and physicochemical properties. The current study evaluates parboiling as a pre-treatment step in millet decortication and its impact on phenolic profile and in vitro digestibility of two traditional millet products, steam-cooked couscous and porridge, made from pearl (Pennisetum glaucum) and proso (Panicum miliaceum) millets. Parboiling increased decorticated yield of pearl and proso millet by 37% and 28% respectively. It resulted in significant (P < 0.05) rise in free and bound phenolic contents and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity of the millet products. This method significantly (P < 0.05) changed starch digestion fractions of both products thereby reducing expected glycemic index (eGI) while the in vitro protein digestibility of products decreased by 14-17%. Parboiling could be an effective way to improve millet decortication yield as well as produce millet products with higher phenolic acids antioxidant activity and lower GI., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Lignin is a complex aromatic biopolymer that strengthens and waterproofs plant secondary cell walls, enabling mechanical stability in trees and long-distance water transport in xylem. Lignin removal is a key step in paper production and biomass conversion to biofuels, motivating efforts to re-engineer lignin biosynthesis. However, the physical nature of lignin's interactions with wall polysaccharides is not well understood. Here we show that lignin self-aggregates to form highly hydrophobic and dynamically unique nanodomains, with extensive surface contacts to xylan. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy of intact maize stems, supported by dynamic nuclear polarization, reveals that lignin has abundant electrostatic interactions with the polar motifs of xylan. Lignin preferentially binds xylans with 3-fold or distorted 2-fold helical screw conformations, indicative of xylans not closely associated with cellulose. These findings advance our knowledge of the molecular-level organization of lignocellulosic biomass, providing the structural foundation for optimization of post-harvest processing for biofuels and biomaterials.

This work describes the structural characterization of hemicellulose isolated from hydroponically grown switchgrass in H 2 O medium (protiated) or 50% D 2 O medium (deuterated) through compositional analysis, GPC, FTIR, 13 C and 1 H/ 13 C HSQC NMR. 4-O-methyl glucuronoarabinoxylan (GAX), the major hemicellulose in switchgrass isolated from deuterated switchgrass, had structural properties similar to hemicellulose isolated from protiated switchgrass. Both had comparable arabinose to xylose ratio (0.25) and molecular weight (47-50 kDa). Structural similarities show that deuterated switchgrass hemicellulose can be used as a model carbohydrate polymer in neutron scattering, or pharmaceutical studies due to their immunomodulatory activity and gastroprotective effects., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy is a very powerful technique for the characterization of the chemical composition of biomass and its modifications occurring during thermochemical and chemical pretreatments. However, method development is necessary to generate reproducible signals that can be used in combination with multivariate techniques (such as principal component analysis, PCA) to extract meaningful information on biomass composition and bond cleavage. Particle size is a great source of spectra variability in FTIR of biomass. The FTIR signal for an array of particle sizes (2-0.075 mm) was evaluated for hardwood and switchgrass, revealing that 0.5 mm renders higher intensity and spectral reproducibility for both the FTIR sampling techniques investigated (ATR and HTS-XT). Furthermore, the suitability of different signal processing approaches to decrease particle size variability of spectral signals was tested (signal normalization, derivation, and their combination). Normalization showed the highest contribution to enhance ATR spectral reproducibility of both biomass, as statistically shown by the 5-fold decrease of the ratio of signal variance with magnitude of spectral features (VM ratio) with respect to the unprocessed signal. Spectral signal analysis in combination with multivariate statistics (PCA) was used to extract information about the chemical differences between hardwood and switchgrass. The agreement of the biomass composition findings from FTIR-PCA and literature wet chemistry results (acid hydrolysis) contributed to corroborating that FTIR combined with PCA is a clean, quick, efficient, and versatile technique with potential to analyze and characterize biomass composition.

Domestication of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) is one of the most significant events in prehistoric East Asia, providing sufficient food supply for the explosive growth of Neolithic populations and the transition into complex societies. However, to date, the process of broomcorn millet domestication is still largely unknown, partly due to the lack of clear diagnostic tools for distinguishing between millet and its related wild grasses in archaeological samples. Here, we examined the percentage of silicified epidermal long-cell undulated patterns in the glume and palea from inflorescence bracts in 21 modern varieties of broomcorn millet and 12 weed/feral-type Panicum ruderale collected across northern China. Our results show that the percentage of ηIII patterns in domesticated broomcorn millet (23.0% ± 5.9%; n = 63) is about 10% higher than in P. ruderale (10.8% ± 5.8%; n = 36), with quartiles of 17.2-28.3% and 5.1-15.5%, respectively. Owing to the increase in ηIII pattern percentage correlates significantly with a decrease in the grain length/width ratio, in the absence of exact wild ancestors of broomcorn millet, the characterization of phytolith differences between P. ruderale and P. miliaceum thus becomes an alternative approach to provide insight into origin of broomcorn millet.